But of course, Paps reminded me again this morning that we should practice celebrating Mother's Day so that the kids would appreciate celebrating occasions even if they would be very simple. It could also be a venue to create good family memories with a dash of something special which honestly I didn't have much while growing up. I have already mentioned in one of my blog posts why but anyway, I don't want to spoil the day. It's mother's day and it's my day. Paps cooked one of his specialties but this time, used Sugar Blend instead of brown or white sugar.

Here it is:

Ingredients

1 kilo Del Monte or Dole sweet style spaghetti sauce 

1 head garlic, minced

2 medium red onions, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3/4 kilo ground pork

2 big carrots, grated

2 tablespoons minced coriander (optional)

165g bar Eden Cheese, grated

1/4 kilo tomato, halved

400g  Jolly button mushrooms

1 kilo spaghetti, cooked al dente 

dash of McCormick dried basil and oregano

Sugar Blend, measurement depends on your taste preference

water 

salt, optional 

 

Procedure

 1. Boil meat together with onion, coriander (optional), and pepper  until oil comes out. Fry until light brown.

2. Saute meat with garlic and mushrooms.

3. Add in carrots, halved tomatoes, and water until ingredients are slightly submerged. Stir occasionally while cooking in medium fire.

4.  Once it's cooked, put spaghetti sauce, grated cheese, dried basil, dried oregano, and sugar. Let it simmer. To adjust the taste depending on your preference, add Sugar Blend or salt.  

   

Paps doesn't mince the tomatoes always to preserve their juices. Both of us love eating them chunky while we press and mash them before serving the spaghetti to our kids. 

Instead of approximately five tablespoons of brown or white sugar, Paps put 2 1/2 tablespoons of Sugar Blend only. That would mean that he only used 1/2 the amount of sugar that was equivalent to 50% less calories! Yay!

Sugar Blend makes our healthy beverages and dishes even healthier. To know more about Sugar Blend, I have already shared it together with my Quick and Easy Sugar Blend Polvoron Recipe that my kids like so much too.

Happy mother's day to all amazing mom's out there! Let's cherish every moment with our family and be thankful to have the best vocation in the world despite the pains and challenges that go with it. Let's also keep in mind that our painful childhood memories in any way should not affect negatively the manner we raise our kids.  Enjoy your day! Love, love...

I made a major decision that changed my life as a married career woman 11 years ago. It was easy for me to embrace the idea of becoming a stay at home mom. I knew that I had to give up so much pertaining to a promising career opportunities and mobile lifestyle. I accepted that meeting with friends and fast professional and personal growth would be scarce or none at all. I didn't falter because all I thought was the presence that I could give Kuya and having a nanny would never be an option  again.

Paps and I hired a nanny twice but it never worked for us. It came to a point that only the two of us could fully understand and extend our patience to our son who was very active and clingy that time.

I never look back totally but sometimes I glance behind a little to remember the reason why I have decided to become a SAHM especially during those moments when I feel exhausted, impatient, and irritable. It is inevitable that some days are better than others and vice versa. My life becomes more challenging and time bound when I have started a homebased business with my mom after giving birth to Bunso who has been diagnosed with Mild Autism before his fourth birthday. I have to juggle my duties to give my best to my family especially to my precious sons and have trained myself to insert at least 20 minutes of "me time" a day to keep my sanity intact.


There are instances that I become so focused with business tasks that I take some time that is intended for my kids to finish deadlines. Honestly, I feel guilty. We live by the paycheck that makes me more eager to help my husband earn for a living to give our kids the life that they deserve. Like Paps, I take time to give our kids not just their basic needs but their wants sometimes because I like them to grow up knowing how to prioritize and make the right decisions. I communicate with them and teach them life lessons for them to grow up good and self-directed individuals. I see to it that I make the best out of what we have as a family. I do my best to be always there for my kids. I love them more than I love myself. I can give up everything to make them happy. But the question is, do they know and feel how much I love them? I know that it's not always easy to give the best for my kids but is my best enough for them?

I have shortcomings and imperfections and I wonder how my kids perceive me as a mom. Do their hugs and kisses validate their love for me? When they say "I love you, Mama", do they really mean that they love me or it's just a sort of a habit because I always say "I love you" to them several times a day? Honestly, it never crossed my mind to ask them not until I watched this video:

It's Mother's Month and a perfect time to reflect. How do our kids see us? Sapat kaya ang atensiyon at pagmamahal na ibinibigay natin sa kanila? Here's a touching video about how kids see their moms. Ihanda na ang tissue bago panoorin at nakaaantig ng damdamin. . https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1201733093286441&id=821902747936146&_rdr . #allaroundpinaymama #FernCKidz #kalidadnaalaga

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on May 11, 2017 at 1:11am PDT

By merely thinking of asking them about how they see me as a mom makes me feel uncomfortable. It's because I feel that my efforts are not enough, that I still need to improve more to be the best mom that I can be. My husband once told me during one of the lowest moments of my life as a mom, "Mama, don't be too hard on yourself. You are a great mom and always remember that." I hope that my kids feel the same way. Well, I don't have the courage to ask my kids but I can ask Paps to do that for me.
FERN-C kidz was created and manufactured by the makers of FERN-C, the number one Sodium Ascorbate Vitamin C brand in the Philippines. As a product of FERN Incorporated and having the Quali-C seal, you are assured of its quality and efficacy. Plus, your children are sure to love the delicious orange flavor of FERN-C kidz. #KalidadnaAlaga ay sigurado with FERN-C kidz. 

In this life we call a "journey", we have the power to choose what we want to be and the road that we want to travel. In my case, I always choose to take the road less traveled. I always believe that I am on the right track when the situation gets tough. All I have to do is to purge all my resources and energy positively to keep going.

Having a difficult and sad childhood up to the extent of being stripped off with everything in young adulthood while figuring out how to earn for a living as a breadwinner, summarizes the darkest days of my life until I decided to get married and build a family of my own. I believed in those moments that "It shall pass", and it did. I faced reality and held on to the truth. I trained my mind to find something good in every bad situation. Having distasteful moments could teach more than losing more. The most important aspect of it was I learned who my true friends were and faith kept my sanity intact.

My life has been a continuous struggle but it doesn't stop me from being self-directed and optimistic. There was one time that I had a chance to converse with a friend priest and I told him my life story. These were the exact words that he said, "If that situation of yours happened to someone else, he or she might get crazy." Yes, it was easy to just give up and be selfish. I was young and there were opportunities in store for me that could be attained by being alone... But I chose to stay and be with my mom and brother. I didn't run away from my problems. I initially chose to stay away from negative people and that helped a lot. 

I am now married to my best friend, the best husband and dad, the person that God has given me in those times that I've needed someone to understand me. We have two wonderful boys and the youngest has been diagnosed with Mild Autism Spectrum Disorder. We have so many blessings to thank for despite having a challenging family life. We may not be rich in material possessions but I can say that we are happy. Our togetherness is truly a gift.

Trials come and I can face them bravely and conquer them gracefully because I am surrounded with good people. But at the back of my mind, am I truly contented? Am I completely free from my ugly past?

Honestly, there comes a time when I feel that there is lacking despite planning my life purposefully in accordance to what I know that is best for myself and the people I love. I feel this way when everything turns out unwell despite being prepared and righteous. Maybe, subconsciously, I feel that life is very unfair despite doing my very best to make it fair for myself and the people that I hold dear. I have a strong faith in God and it's very wrong to ask Him "Why me again? All is well and good, but why another misfortune? Mabuti naman akong tao at wala akong inaapakan. Bakit ako na naman?" Well, I am not always thinking like this. It seldom happens but it hurts. I feel this way whenever I am bombarded with too much problems all at the same time.  Itutulog ko lang at nagiging okay naman ako kinabukasan. I keep moving forward. I stay optimistic and do the things that I trained my mind and body for including repression and suppression of feelings. But still, I feel that there's an empty space in my life that needs to be filled in. 

Learning about the upcoming e-course, "The Roadmap to a Fulfille Life" by Miss Viviene Bigornia, just came right on time. I seldom read posts on Facebook for a couple of days due to my very busy schedule and it was the first post that popped up! Maybe God was sending me a message. Maybe involving myself in this course could take all my unresolved issues away.

These four statements struck me the most when I visited the website that prompted me to take the course:

- Learn the foundation and the very first step in finding God's calling

- Know what is a fulfilled life and how to experience it.

- Unearth your past experiences and discover where God is leading you.

- Get yourself prepared to transition from where you are to where you should be.

I am totally submitting myself to this course. Enrollment starts today, April 28, and ends on May 15. Upon enrollment, I can get an access to the following:

- Free Ebooks
- Free Printables
- Exclusive Access to its Private Community

You may go to http://thefulfilledwomen.com/fulfilled-life/ for more details.  If you feel that you have a situation closer to mine or if you are still finding your purpose, I invite you to learn with me. I believe that this will help us break the chain of resentments and pain to find more meaning in what we do.

When I posted my article about my Scholastic Box-All-You-Can Book Buffet experience last December, many of you were asking when the next Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale would be. I promised to keep you posted. Last Monday, when I logged in on Facebook, the first status post that popped out was the one from Scholastic Asia announcing that the next book sale would be coming very soon! Before I wrote this post, I already announced it on my Facebook page. 

Isn't it obvious that I'm so excited? I always look forward to this event. The much awaited Scholastic Warehouse Sale is happening this summer starting April 18 to June 18, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 

Scholastic Asia will be offering a wide selection of picture books, fiction and nonfiction books, popular series, references, inspirational, arts and crafts, teacher’s resources and audio books with discount of up to 70%. The most popular Box-All-You- Can Book Buffet for only Php799.00 will also be part of the two-month sale. 

My packing skill was put to a test on my very first Box-All-You- Can Book Buffet experience. I was able to place over a hundred books in two boxes and our discount was so huge. This part of the book sale is what makes me motivated since we need to change our set of reading materials this year.

In joining this, we have to follow these rules. It is a must for us to do so to save ourselves from hassle and trouble. 

Aside from the book sale, Summer Reading Fun Workshop, Build -A-Book Activity for kids aged 4 to 10 (with adult companion for kids 3 years old and below) will be conducted again like last summer. There will be two sessions every Saturday, one at 9:30 to 11:30 AM and another one from 1:30 to 3:30 PM to be led by Scholastic Reading Program Consultants. Kuya and I had a wonderful experience and I recommend that you let your kids join through filling up the official form.

In line with this, Scholastic Asia is giving away one slot of this summer workshop to one of my readers' child. If you want your child to attend, kindly write the following on the comment section below:

1. Complete the sentence, "I want my child to attend the Summer Reading Fun Workshop, Build-A-Book Activity because ___________/"

2. NAME and AGE of your child

3. Your Facebook Profile URL or E-mail address

4. NCR City of residence

5. Date of Choice and Time (You may choose from the following dates: April 22 or 29; May 6, 13, 20, or 27; June 3, 10, or 17, 9:30 AM or 1:30 PM session)

Participants should be residing within Metro Manila only. Please join if you are sure that your child can attend because it's non-transferable. I will choose the best answer. Announcement of winning entry will be on April 16, 2017. I will be responsible in sending your child's information to Scholastic Asia and I'll give you the details on how to claim your prize.

If you are a commuter like me, it's so easy and convenient to go there because the place is accessible to different public transportation options. For me, this is what works: from Robinsons Galleria, ride a bus going to Taytay. Tell the conductor to drop you off Jenny's. When you see the footbridge and signage C. Raymundo Street on the right side, alight the bus. You may walk or ride a tricycle. When you see Sorrento Oasis, Scholastic Warehouse is a few steps away. 

I hope that you'll join the giveaway and the book sale as well. Happy joining and shopping! I can't wait to know your book fair experience! Please don't hesitate to make chika! You can leave a comment anytime! 

I chose "focus" to be my one word for this year. I decided to do what only matters for my personal and family growth and refrain from multitasking too much because most of the time it could result to more open ended plans and unfinished tasks rather than accomplishing more. 

There are studies about multitasking which says that it can cause forgetfulness. I can feel that it's happening to me and I don't like it. I feel so unreliable and irresponsible whenever it happens because I have the tendency to neglect some things that need my attention. I am also working on bringing back my prowess in tracking down things because for me, it's not an option and excuse to regress in this area especially that there are so many additional concerns that I have to attend to. I have to juggle my roles without affecting the welfare of my family. After all, I do things for its sake.

I said to myself that I should not be too hard on myself and never engage too much in multitasking. But still it's inevitable in my present situation especially now that irresistible opportunities in my family, blogging, and business careers keep on coming. Optimism and following the Law of Attraction help all the time but sometimes my mind is willing but my body is not due to exhaustion.

In times when I feel stressed that leads to muscle spasm, headache, and sleepless nights, taking oral medication is not my first option. I always rely on natural healing through eating healthy, visualization, and drinking lots of water. I also feel relieved when I use balms or salves to alleviate the pain . There are only two balms that I use alternately because they give soothing effect  or relaxes my body and mind that prompts me to sleep soundly. Just recently, I have another addition to my favorites and it's Favori Sleep & Relaxation Salve.

I'm so impressed with what it does. It is my current favorite because it doesn't only promotes natural sleep but also aids in  faster sleep turnaround time. I use it when I have migraine attacks, muscle pain, and even when I have insect bites. Ang sarap-sarap ng pakiramdam when I apply it on my temples, forehead, nape, and back. Very relaxing talaga siya at nakakatulog ako ng mahimbing. Whenever I feel exhausted and dizzy, I just open the tub and smell its contents. I love the light lavender-mentholated scent. It's made of natural ingredients and their combination has relaxing properties--- beeswax, sweet almond oil, olive oil, coconut oil, grapefruit oil, lavender, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, menthol, ginger, Vitamin E, and phenoxyethanol, that makes me confident too that it's safe for me and the rest of my family to use. I just need  to apply a small amount and it works. Ibig sabihin matipid siyang gamitin and a tub goes a long way. Whenever I am too tired, I find it so hard to sleep. This salve lets me sleep faster. I am not kidding, it's really amazing! 

It's color is violet but becomes colorless when being applied on skin. It doesn't stain so no need to worry.

I had no idea about its price and availability because it was sent to me by a friend. According to favori.ph, it costs Php200.00. It can be bought online or in the following malls: Robinsons Place Manila, SM Megamall, SM City Marikina, SM Southmall, and Market! Market! I highly recommend this salve, Mars at Pards. Mapapasarap ang tulog ninyo at mare-relax ang inyong katawan sa sobrang ginhawa ng pakiramdam kapag ginamit ninyo ito.

Time flies! It's been almost a year since I've written my thoughts here in detail about the Belo Baby product line. When it comes to loyalty, I can swear on Belo Baby when it comes to taking care of my family's skin. We are using it for exactly 10 months and we are happy with what it does.



When it comes to quality and safety, we can never go wrong with Belo Baby that guarantees to have 100% natural and 0% harmful ingredients. It's "all natural" and crafted with care for the most delicate skin, for the most meticulous moms, and for the whole family as well. 

We feel safe whenever we use Belo Baby because it leaves out some harmful ingredients present in other brands and is composed of these main ingredients:

Cocoa Butter, an ingredient that contains antioxidant qualities that protect skin from the outside. It keeps the skin healthy by strengthening and deeply moisturizing it. With its anti-inflammatory properties, it also relieves common skin irritations like rashes.

Shea Butter, a known super food for the skin, as well as the hair. It heals, protects, nourishes, and moisturizes skin from damage and dryness. Because it is natural, gentle, and soft, it is suitable for all skin types especially the delicate and sensitive skin of babies. It naturally heals common skin conditions of babies like eczema and diaper rash.

Sweet Almond Oil, has the ability to lock moisture into the skin. It is also a good exfoliator to help remove dead skin cells and stimulate the development of healthier skin. It is generally safe for all skin types, including delicate baby skin.

Belo Baby provides a safer alternative unlike other baby products. Belo has taken meticulous care in choosing not only which ingredients to put in, but which to leave out.

Once more, I would like to stress out the things that our family loves about the following Belo Baby products:

(Php224.75)

- smells so good on skin and the scent stays longer

- makes skin from head to toe supple, moisturized, soft, and smooth without greasy after-feel; even a seldom lotion user like I do due to experiencing greasiness can be motivated to use it regularly

Among these three products that we truly love, Belo Baby Face and Body Lotion is our most favorite. I don't usually hoard, but see I have three on hand because our family can never let the day pass without using this.




My sons use this after every bath to keep their skin moisturized. Kuya, who is in his tween years, still likes the way it touches his skin. He can smell like a baby and it doesn't bother him anyway. 

Even though you're in your tweens, Kuya, you will always be my baby! . . Happy Baby Day, Kuya! I love you like I love Bunso! . . And because it’s Baby Day today, @belobabylove is giving away FREE #BeloBaby products to the first 1000 moms who register here: http://belobaby.ph/#!register . . . Hurry mommies! Here’s your chance to try the 100% certified natural Belo Baby products! . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmquotes #babyproduct #babycologne #babylotion #babysoap #bodywash #hairwash #2may2016 #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #bloggersngpinas #momswhoblogph #asianblogger #pinayblogger #giveaway #philippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on May 2, 2016 at 1:03am PDT

We have this massage ritual with Bunso at bedtime to address his sensory overload issues due to Mild Autism. Using Belo Baby Face and Body Lotion in his body massage makes him feel relaxed leading to uninterrupted sleep.

It's only during our kid's hospitalization that we have a chance to have a #staycation. Maybe you are wondering why I sound so positive about it. Yes, it is emotionally, physically, and financially draining but everytime it happens I do my best to look at it on a different perspective. . . Everytime we stay in the hospital, I become at peace with my faith in God. As the saying goes, PRAY MORE WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT TO #PRAY. I realize that I can do it. I am thankful because I have time to #REFLECT and realize that I am so blessed despite not being rich in material possessions. I have loving family and friends. . . When I told Kuya over the phone that Bunso would be admitted, he was crying and worried about his brother. I told him that it would be fine and he would be taken care of. The following day, Hubby brought the items in the photo and said that Kuya prepared them for his baby bro--- @belobabylove Lotion for his massage, his favorite books, new #HotWheels car. He even made a #Qixels doll to make Bunso happy. . . I was so nervous to be alone in taking care of Bunso because he was hyperactive during his previous hospitalization. I am so grateful to his therapists and teachers because now he is more matured and can easily follow directions. He stays in bed knowing that he has to rest and take care of his IV site. We just cuddle, read books, and play his favorite puzzles. His nurses and doctors are very caring and supportive too. It's evident that Bunso's recovery is quick. . . It's challenging when my kids get sick but it makes our family stronger and grateful. I know that it shall pass. . #richwellprime #allaroundpinaymama #aapmmusings #momblogger #autismmom #keepthefaith #lifelessons #strength #hope #love #faith #autism #mommybloggersphilippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Jul 5, 2016 at 2:34pm PDT

A day isn't complete without using this lotion. In my case, I use it as my daily face and body moisturizer especially when I just stay at home, I have a few favorite facial and body lotions that I use alternately but currently, this is my favorite because I never have a greasy after-feel now that the weather is so hot. I use it on my face together with Belo Tinted Sunscreen and I have observed that it gives my make-up a flawless dewy finish. No wonder that it was a recipient of Sample Room Awards 2016.


We really, really love Belo Baby. As I've mentioned on my review last year, it exceeds my expectations and is consistent in giving best results. The packaging is very attractive, functional, and durable. It has superb quality and clinically proven all natural, gentle, and safe for everybody and reasonably priced too. It's economical because the product goes a long way and only a small amount is needed for every use. I've heard good feedback from my friends, loved-ones, and even strangers that can attest how highly recommended it is for the entire family. Babies and adults can have healthy skin and smell fresh and pure all day!

Now, I would like to take this opportunity to greet Belo Baby a "Happy First Anniversary"! #BeloBabyTurnsONE! Yay! Our family wishes you more success and fruitful years of developing more all natural products for us to enjoy! Thank you for taking good care of our family's skin naturally.

1. Upload a creative photo of your Belo Baby moment with any Belo Baby product on Instagram. 

2. Make sure to write a catchy caption or description. Please include the hashtags #BeloBabyxAllAroundPinayMama , #BeloBaby , and #BeloBabyTurnsOne.

3. Follow and tag  @belobabylove and @allaroundpinaymama so that I can see your entry easily.

4. Only one (1) entry is allowed per Instagram account.

5. Here's a sample entry:

I seldom capture a moment like this because Bunso is camera shy. Maybe he is so happy with his body massage using his all-time favorite, @belobaby Face and Body Lotion  and it shows through his huge smile! Happy first anniversary, Belo Baby! Thanks for taking care of Bunso's skin naturally! @allaroundpinaymama #BabyBeloxAllAroundPinayMama #BeloBaby #BeloBabyTurnsONE

Contest runs from March 17 to 23, 2017 and is open to Philippine residents only. My family will choose one (1) winning entry. The winning entry will be announced on March 24, 2017 and Belo Baby will be responsible in shipping the prize to the winner. I'm so excited to see your entries!

Having a household without helper and composed of two active kids, one of which has Mild Autism, is obviously a very busy one. Paps and I share with the bulk of work in doing the chores and raising our kids aside from our personal jobs. Paps is a high school teacher by the day and he teaches in the school where Kuya studies while I take care of Bunso who is now attending Special School and Occupational Therapy. Paps and I still work for our homebased business from the moment that our kids are asleep. This staying up late at night happens all the time because we have no choice but to extend our efforts. It is merely impossible for me to cover for him and do his share in the business task after dropping Bunso to school and while he is staying there for two to three hours because doing so at this point is most of the time being substituted with chores. From the moment that Bunso and I are already home, my time revolves around him alone because he needs it and he is my priority. Then late in the afternoon, in the evening, or late at night when the two big boys arrive, as the schedule permits, our focus as parents mainly is to have a brief family time with our kids during and after dinner time and do the chores thereafter. And the cycle goes on and on and on...

Paps and I are not complaining. We love our job as parents and we also like what we do for a living. We also have the same hobbies and we are happy with our present condition. We always wish to live longer and watch our kids grow and build their own lives separately but would constantly look for each other closely.

Living longer entails hard work and discipline. I have also learned just recently that a study has been made that parenting can lead to longer life. Well, mainly it's because parents have more reasons to live longer. They have to look after their kids until they die. It's a motivation that is so hard to break because parents love their kids unconditionally.

When I say hard work and discipline, it includes having a healthy lifestyle. Gone were the days when we would indulge in fatty and oily food or binge eating with junk food. We eat a balanced meal and tend to indulge or have ourselves a treat with dairy or chips once in a while. We don't want our kids to be ignorant with food. We believe that balance is always the key. We also don't take too much medicines and we take them only when they are badly and truly needed. We always resort to natural alternatives which includes choosing the right food in healing a specific disease. Sometimes, skipping medication is not an option but still it should be reinforced with taking food alternatives to heal the target disease.

Like for instance, drinking lots of water, cranberry juice, and coconut water is good for Urinary Tract Infection and Canker Sores because they kill and wash off the bacteria that cause them.  There are so many articles found in the world wide web about the healing wonders of fruits, vegetables, and herbs and sometimes it takes time to search and look for the right ones. Most of the correct information based on experience comes from  Chinese or Asian sources.

I don't do that anymore at the moment because now I have with me this tiny book with huge information about Chinese and Asian superfoods turned into smoothies, which are considered to be the convenient way to bring nutrition and refreshment into our daily living. Healthy Smoothies---Traditional Chinese Medicine Inspired Recipes by Kimberly Ashton (health coach and food educator) and Zhang Yifang (Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor) teaches us how to make healthy smoothies while making us understand about food therapy that is suited to our individual constitution. Body constitution, by the way, makes up our physical state, including the function of the systems of our body and metabolism and of course, our mental and spiritual states too.

How do we know our individual constitution in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? 

The authors mention in the book that the features of one's constitution can be detected in three areas: the personal physical build, the body's internal functions, and the psychological state. A person's constitution also depends on the stage of life he or she is facing, such as puberty or menopause perhaps.

There are also two origins of constitution: congenital natural disposition and post-natal lifestyle (nature and nurture, in short). Moreover, there are so many factors that influence the formation of the constitution when speaking about the "nature" part like parents' physical and mental health, at the time of conception or the mother's pregnancy condition. When it comes to "nurture", our own lifestyles and actions influence our constitution.

To help us maintain our present state of being or constitution,  we have to learn first the basic healthy food that can help us maintain, relax, or heal it. In this book, a self-assessment is included to find that out.  The result can help us know what foods to choose according to our individual constitution. Isn't it cool? We can just try and test different smoothies that we think can help us gain healthier bodies with a concrete basis. We are being guided properly by this book by knowing the basics of TCM and the first thing to do is to know more about what we really need.

Next step is teaching the preparation of functional liquids and bases. TCM also stresses that aside from matching our food therapy to our individual constitution, we should also consider the season we are in and what effects we want the smoothie to have in our health. The liquids and bases that are the key parts to smoothie making are divided into three kinds: cooling, warming, and neutral. After this step, choosing suitable food and building our very own TCM smoothie follow, may it be for nourishing nutrition, immune system strength, detoxification, refreshment, or digestion aid. There are almost 40 recipes to choose from that are explained in a very simple manner which includes usage, ingredients, method of preparing, and most of all contraindication. Each recipe is supported with colorful photographs that make reading this book and learning from it enticing and fun.

I recommend this book for the reasons that I've mentioned above. It serves as a reliable guide for us to achieve optimum health and well-being. Dr. Ann Wignore, a Lithuanian-American holistic health practitioner, once said, "When we learn to eat properly we begin to rebuild our bodies and to fulfill our purpose on this planet to grow in health, creativity, wisdom, and compassion." This book can help us do it rightly to achieve this goal.

Chinese dishes are my most favorite next to Filipino dishes. Their colors, textures, and flavors are so enticing and literally burst in my mouth. Whenever our family and loved-ones celebrate special occasions, we opt to reserve in our favorite Chinese restaurant because we are always sure that our guests would truly be satisfied and the compliments that we get are truly heartwarming.

My kids and husband can't say no to Chinese food like I do. For a cook like me who is fond of preparing quick and easy dishes due to my very busy schedule, my reliable source in giving me suggestions in finding easy Chinese recipes is my best friend Google (Moms, I know that you can relate. LOL!). I would search for the easiest and quickest recipes and of course, it also takes time to find the right ones and I would always end up cooking the dishes that I know--- Pancit, Lumpiang Shanghai, Yang Chow Fried Rice, Egg Drop Soup, and Siomai (using ready made wanton wrapper). Seriously, nakasasawa na and I also would always say to myself, "Sana mayroon namang iba."

Google search for this matter is finally over at the moment because now I have with me a copy of Easy Chinese Recipes --- Family Favorites from Dim Sum to Kung Pao by by Bee Yinn Low. It has over 70 great-tasting recipes to keep us covered when we crave for Chinese dishes- from appetizers; soups; dim sum and dumplings; beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, tofu, and egg dishes; noodles and rice; desserts; and drinks that are so easy to prepare and I guarantee that are so delicious.

How did Bee Yinn Low come up with this cookbook?

As mentioned in the book's preface, Bee Yinn Low grew up in a Chinese household in Malaysia. She watched her mother cook as she was growing up but wasn't allowed to help that much. After a few years as a working woman in California, her love for Chinese food kept her determined to replicate the unforgettable flavors that she tasted during her youth despite having limited time in the kitchen. She did her best to develop her own versions of her favorite dishes using the readily available ingredients in local supermarkets. She experimented, read, and tasted until her passion became an expertise. Thereafter, her meals became well-loved by her friends and loved ones that prompted her to share her love of Asian Cuisine through her blog, RasaMalaysia.com. Moreover, this website has become the internet's most popular Asian food site.

When I started reading this cookbook, I immediately felt the author's generosity in sharing her skills. All the contents were written and explained in a very simple manner, supported with detailed and enticing photographs that even people who still haven't experienced cooking or find it difficult to cook could follow.

Due to so much excitement, Paps, who is better and expert in the kitchen, cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish found on page 102. Wow! It tasted so good that he decided to cook it again the following day!

If I will be subjected to Marshmallow Test, I think I'll fail. Nah! Just kidding! This EASY CHINESE RECIPES, FAMILY FAVORITES from DIM SUM to KUNG PAO book by BEE YINN LOW from @tuttlepublishing is a winner! I can't help but share this ASAP before my scheduled review about it because hubby and I are so glad to have this in our cookbook collection! . . Last night, Paps @type2cell cooked Sweet and Sour Chicken based on the Sweet and Sour Fish recipe on page 102. It tasted so authentic but so easy to do. . . There are over a hundred authentic quick and easy to prepare Chinese recipes to try. Aside from that, the author developed versions of her favorite Chinese dishes that had all the taste but were a lot less work! Amazing! . . It's a must-have for cooking enthusiasts. Two thumbs up! . . #allaroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #bibliophile #tuttlepublishing #BeeYinnLow #bookstagram #book #spotmyfood #chinesefood #yummyph #huffposttaste #buzzfoodfeed #wimyummy #momswhoblogph #mommybloggersphilippines #certifiedbloggers #momblogger #foodblogger #7september2016 #igersmanila #makeitblissful

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 6, 2016 at 11:24pm PDT

Bee Yinn Low would like her readers to nail Chinese cooking by first giving basic cooking techniques and tips, basic tools in utensils, and understanding Chinese ingredients. She even included the basics on how to cook steamed rice, make sauces, condiments, and dipping condiments that would compliment the recipes in the book. The content on this part of the book that our family enjoyed the most was how to make homemade dumpling wrappers from scratch (page 31). Our kids were giggling while doing this maybe because it was truly fun and amazing!


Lumpiang Shanghai is a dish that Kuya and Loley love so much. Knowing how to wrap and cook them properly (page 65) makes him love it more. This shows that even kids can follow Binn Yin Low's recipes and replicating her creations here at home make our palates and tummies satisfied at the same time creating wonderful bonding moments while cooking and eating them with the family.

It's Grandparent's Day here in the #Philippines that's why we've cooked Loley's favorite Lumpiang Shanghai for lunch. @beeyinnlow's Spring Roll wrapping technique found on her book, EASY CHINESE RECIPES from @tuttlepublishing makes cooking Lumpia hassle-free! See the photo to know how. . . #allroundpinaymama #aapmfavorites #aapmreviews #aapmcollaboration #lumpia #springrolls #cookingtips #spotmyfood #foodie #chinesefood #momblogger #foodblogger #mommybloggersphilippines

A post shared by SJ Valdez (@allaroundpinaymama) on Sep 10, 2016 at 11:07pm PDT