Pudding (Agar-Agar)

Ingredients:-

50 gms of Agar-Agar strands-soaked for 5 minutes

300 gms sugar

2 litres water

4 screwpine leaves-washed and knotted

few drops of colouring (2 colours)

Method:-

1. Boil agar-agar in water until it dissolves

2. Add screwpine leaves and cook for 5 to 10 minutes

3. Add sugar and stir until dissolves. Remove screwpine leaves.

4. Reduce the flame. cook over slow heat.

5. Meanwhile, remove half (measure approximately) of the mixture and set aside

6. Colour each portions with a few drops of different food colourings

7. Pour the green colour portion into rinsed mould . chill

8. Followed by red colour portion and chill it for 10 minutes.

9. Cut into diamond shape and serve

Nutrition During Pregnancy

A balanced, nutritious diet is an important aspect of a healthy pregnancy. It is not a matter for eating more or "eating for two"; your energy requirement do not double just because you are pregnant. However, your body will require more of certain key nutrients i.e. Folate, Gangliosides (GA), Sialic Acid (SA), Essential Fatty Acids (EFA), Calcium, iron and others to support a healthy pregnancy.

Folate

Also called as Folic Acid or Vitamin B9. Leafy vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, lettuces, dried beans and peas, fortified milk and cereal products, sunflower seeds and certain other fruits and vegetables are rich sources of folate.

Folate is essential for growth and division of cells in both mother and unborn baby. Division of cells occur rapidly in developing baby to for important organs such as brain. Folate helps to maintain the growth and development of the foetus. As our body is unable to store Folate, it is therefore important to obtain Folate from our daily diet.

Gangliosides (GA)

GA is a type of fat which is highly concentrated in the brain. GA helps with brain cell connections. More brain cell connections lead to faster learning. research shows that GA may enhance learning ability and memory retention.

Sialic Acid (SA)

SA is highly concentrated in the central nervous system, especially the brain and in the celebral cortex (memory area)

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA)

Some of the food sources of fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed(linseed). hemp oil, soya oil, soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA) are particularly important during pregnancy because your body cannot make these fatty acids; nor can your baby. EFA such as linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid are the precursor of DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid) and AA (Arachidonic acid). DHA and AA are the building blocks of brain and eyes. Therefore, it is important that EFA be present in your daily diet.

Calcium

Dairy products, such as milk and cheese, are a well-known source of calcium. Other than that, seaweeds; nuts and seeds (like almonds and sesame); beans; oranges; figs; okra ; broccoli; and fortified products such as orange juice and soy milk contains calcium.

Calcium is essential for building strong bones and teeth for your baby as well as for yourself. To ensure the sufficiency of calcium during pregnancy, your body absorbs 50% more calcium than usual especially in the first 6 months. If you are not getting enough calcium from your diet, your body will get the calcium from your stores i.e. bones, thereby reducing your bone mass.

Low intakes of calcium during pregnancy may also cause muscles spasm while adequate intakes of calcium during pregnancy may help to reduce having high blood pressure caused by pregnancy. it is important to make sure you are getting enough calcium throughout your pregnancy.

Iron

Good sources of dietary iron include red meat, fish, poultry, lentils, beans, leaf vegetables, tofu, chick peas, black eyed peas, potatos with skin and bread made from completely whole-grain flour. Iron in meat is more easily absorbed than iron in vegetables but heme/hemoglobin from red meat has effects which may increase the likelihood of colorectal cancer (source wikipedia).

During pregnancy, you need for iron almost doubled. iron is needed to built red blood cells that help to carry oxygen around the body and to your unborn baby. It is important to have sufficient iron stored before you embark upon a pregnancy.

Spicy Rasam

ரசம்

Ingredients:-

1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 clove garlic (pounded)
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cummin
1 tsp ground aniseed
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek
22 tsp turmeric powder
4 cups cold water
2 tsps salt
1 medium size tomato (cut in to small)
3 tsp oil
8 sprigs curry leaf
3 dried red chillies (cut each in to half)
1 medium size onion (sliced fine)
pinch of Asafoetida powder (available in supermarket)


Method:-

1. Squeeze out tamarind juice and strain.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry black mustard seeds, onion, garlic and dried red chillies till golden
3. Add black grounded pepper, cummin, anuseed and fenugreek and curry leaf till fragrant and crackling.
4. Add turmeric powder and Asafoetida powder, followed by chopped tomato and mix well
5. Add strained tamarind juice and 4 cups water. Bring to the boil.
6. Add salt to taste and serve hot.


Good Luck!!!

My Hubby's Business Trip to Libya

Libya is officially know as The Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa. The Capital, Tripoli is where my husband stayed for almost 6 months. The climate is mostly dry and desert-like in nature, totally different from Malaysia. The temperature can be extereme sometimes, Just imagine, at night the temperature could reach up to -3 celcius. The main language spoken in Libya is Arabic, which is also the official language. It seems he had very difficult time to cummunicate with the local Libyans.

Basically, if you are planning to go Libya, it cost you around RM 4K for flight and extra 5K + for accomodation and food. Trust me, it will be full of excitement with the different environment, different people and different whether of course.

Best time to Visit

The best time to visit Libya is between November and March, when daytime temperatures are relatively mellow...for a desert country. Avoid travellling in late spring (May through June) and early fall (October), when the country's subject to the massive ghibli sandstorms from the south, which tend to last several days and interrupt all outdoor activities.

Caution

While security in Libya is generally good, tensions in the Middle East remain high. Travellers should keep abreast of international events that might have repercussions in Libya, and avoid political gatherings and demonstrations whenever possible. Travelling with a guide or in groups is recommended in remote areas. The regions bordering Chad and Sudan should be avoided.

Visa

Everyone except visitors from some Arab countries and Malta must have a visa to visit Libya. Nationals of Israel are not admitted. Before applying for a visa, you must have your passport translated into Arabic. Visas are only issued to visitors travelling as part of an organised tour.

Happy Holiday !!!

A Letter to Mommy

Aborted at 7 weeks



Aborted at 11weeks



Aborted at 24 weeks

Do you think these babys choose to die?

This is dedicated to the memory of all the aborted babies throughtout the world.

"A LETTER TO MOMMY"

Dear Mommy,

I am in Heaven now, sitting on God's lap. He loves me and cries with me; for my heart has been broken.

I so wanted to be your little girl.

I don't quite understand what has happened. I was so excited when I began realizing my existence.

I was in a dark, yet comfortable place. I saw I had fingers and toes. I was pretty far along in my developing, yet not near ready to leave my surroundings.

I spent most of my time thinking or sleeping. Even from my earliest days, I felt a special bonding between you and me. Sometimes I heard you crying and I cried with you. Sometimes you would yell or scream, then cry.

I heard Daddy yelling back. I was sad, and hoped you would be better soon. I wondered why you cried so much.

One day you cried almost all of the day. I hurt for you.

I couldn't imagine why you were so unhappy.

That same day, the most horrible thing happened. A very mean monster came into that warm, comfortable place I was in. I was so scared, I began screaming, but you never once tried to help me. Maybe you never heard me.

The monster got closer and closer as I was screaming and screaming, "Mommy, Mommy, help me please; Mommy, help me." Complete terror is all I felt.

I screamed and screamed until I thought I couldn't anymore. Then the monster started ripping my arms off. It hurt so bad; the pain I can never explain. It didn't stop. Oh, how I begged it to stop.

I screamed in horror as it ripped my leg off. Though I was in such complete pain, I was dying.

I knew I would never see your face or hear you say how much you love me.

I wanted to make all your tears go away. I had so many plans to make you happy.

Now I couldn't; all my dreams were shattered. Though I was in utter pain and horror, I felt the pain of my heart breaking, above all.

I wanted more than anything to be your daughter. No use now, for I was dying a painful death. I could only imagine the terrible things that they had done to you.

I wanted to tell you that I love you before I was gone, but I didn't know the words you could understand. And soon, I no longer had the breath to say them; I was dead.

I felt myself rising. I was being carried by a huge angel into a big beautiful place. I was still crying, but the physical pain was gone.

The angel took me to God and set me on His lap. He said He loved me, and He was my Father. Then I was happy.

I asked Him what the thing was that killed me. He answered, "Abortion. I am sorry, my child; for I know how it feels." I don't know what abortion is; I guess that's the name of the monster. I'm writing to say that I love you and to tell you how much I wanted to be your little girl.

I tried very hard to live. I wanted to live. I had the will, but I couldn't; the monster was too powerful. It sucked my arms and legs off and finally got all of me.

It was impossible to live.

I just wanted you to know I tried to stay with you. I didn't want to die.

Also, Mommy, please watch out for that abortion monster. Mommy, I love you and I would hate for you to go through the kind of pain I did. Please be careful.

Love,

Your Baby Girl

REMEMBER HE KEEPS WATCH OVER EVERYONE