It’s a cooking day with my mom! We are making dumplings, Bao, and “fried” not so fried rice 🙂
Recipes to come!
Tag Archives: chinese
Happy Chinese New Year!
Gung Hay Faht Choy!
Here begins the year of the goat.
The years of the goat are 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015.
Personality
People born in the year of the goat have personality traits that are calm, gentle, creative, thoughtful, amicable, persevering, frank and honest.
They have very delicate thought, strong creativity, and perseverance, and acquire the professional skills as well. although they look gentle on the surface, they are tough on the inside, always insisting on their own opinions in their minds. They have strong inner resilience an excellent defense instincts.
Though they preferred to be in groups, they do not want to be the center of attention. They are reserved and quiet, most likely because they like spending much time in their thoughts. Goats like to spend money on fashionable things that give them a first class of periods. Although they enjoy spending money on their finer things in life, they are not snobbish.
Health
Because people born in the year of the goat are very calm, they tend to have your health problems. If you go people are in mental and emotional good spirits this will have a positive effect on their health eating fresh and organic produce, limit eating red meat from their diet, is effective way to keep healthy. Being outdoors also helps to keep goat people healthy.
Careers
Goat people prefer to work in a team. Their best partners are people born in the Year of the Horse. They also aren’t very crazy about status and power. Good career choices for goats are pediatrician, actor, daycare teacher, interior designer, florist, hairstylist, musician, editor, illustrator, and art history teacher.
Relationships with Goat People
Overall, go people are private. It may take more time and effort to get to know these people. They do not often share their private lives. They keep to themselves. Goat people also have a few intimate friends, however, once they become friends their relationship is fulfilling.
What Goat People Should Avoid
Goat People should avoid using and wearing the colors green, blue, and black.
Their unlucky numbers are six and eight.
The unlucky direction for them is Southwest.
Avoid this third, sixth and 10th lunar months.
Reference: http://www.chinahighlights.com
A Few Chinese New Year Traditional Foods
These are only some of the items my mom always told me that we should eat on this special day!
Noodles for longevity.
Buddha’s Delight – many vegetables! The Chinese believe that the first five days of the year should be with a vegetarian diet.
Fish – preferably a whole fish. Eating fish promoted wealth, abundance and luck!
Chinese candy box – Symbolizes togetherness!
Mandarin Oranges – symbols of good fortunes. The orange resembles mounds of gold ushering in good fortune. if the oranges have their stems and leaves on, it’s even better because it represents longevity.
Long leafy greens such as Chinese broccoli. Serves to wish a long life for parents.
Dumplings to represent currency.
Though there are many other foods that we are supposed to eat, I know that it is often not possible. The Chinese always believe to clean your house and to get rid of all old or unused items. A type of spring cleaning. This creates an environment where you start the new year with a clean home, and a fresh start.
Happy New Year! May you have a healthy, prosperous, and abundant year!
Diabetic Asian Problems
Reading time: 3-4 minutes.
Yes, I’m Asian. Specifically Chinese. And also Diabetic. I suppose you could name a few reasons why this is not exactly a match made in heaven. Well, being diabetic to begin with is not anyone’s #1 wish to Santa or the Genie but the combination of being Asian AND diabetic is lame. Why? I can tell you exactly why.
Rice, rice, baby.
That’s it. Some would say this is a stupid reason, but growing up eating all types of Asian foods, it’s really not. I love rice. A breakfast scramble with veggies over rice with a drizzle of soy sauce? Yum. If you haven’t tried it, you should try it. Rice was integrated into every meal, along with noodles as well. Something about that simple tasting, sticky, slightly chewy goodness that I can never seem to fully give up. I tend to have a weird yearning… or craving if I don’t have it for awhile. Maybe it’s that I’m Chinese and try to limit my carb intake. Hmm probably. Love-hate it is!
Why is this bad for us diabetics?
1. Rice is one of the top foods that raise your blood sugar levels.
2. White rice has very, very little fiber which means that this food does not stay in your system for very long. Maybe this is why people say they are hungry not long after chowing down on some Chinese food?
3. Little nutritional value. Not a whole lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber… just plain rice goodness.
4. A cup of rice is about 45 grams of carbohydrates. This is the equivalent of 3 slices of bread or one and a half apples.
5. TWO cups of rice breaks down to the equivalent of 22 grams of SUGAR!
6. High glycemic index which means your blood sugar will increase rapidly after eating!
Okay, enough of the negative. Let’s be real, I eat it anyways. My endocrinologist says I should stay away but I’m doing pretty well as far as control with my diabetes. So… I’m going to enjoy that rice gosh darn it! It’s delicious and scrumptious and I doubt I could ever fully give it up. Moderation is key I suppose. You only live once, right? I feel so fortunate that I am able to have the insulin that suits my needs and the ability to know how much to take for any given meal. Being diabetic is not fun in a lot of ways, but there are always worse things. So, in conclusion, I eat what I love in moderation and I will never stop loving rice. Yum.
Nourishing Zen 