Overnight Oat - Good for your Soul!

I love oat... something I learnt to enjoy years back when i was first diagnosed with high cholesterol.  I turned to oats for easy breakfast - just add milk to oat in a mug and few minutes in the microwave gave me a quick and cheap breakfast back in those days when money was tight.  LOL.  

I can't say that the oat diet alone normalised the cholesterol level as I did make a conscious effort to avoid the not-so-cholesterol-friendly food like prata and char kway teow.  I also hit the gym at least 3 times a week back then.  Having said, it never hurt to know that there are some food "better" than others. 

For all the benefits of oat, check out this site.

Back to this overnight oat... I didn't know what take me so long to discover this... if not for my blogger friend, Ann.   Believe me - there's nothing, absoutely nothing, easier to prepare yet contains so much goodness!

The basic ingredients are just milk and rolled oat.  Just mix these 2 in a sealable container, and leave it overnight.  For added flavour and nutrients, add whatever you fancy: think yogurt, fresh/dried fruits and honey. 

I added raisin, dried cranberries, chia seed, mangoes and pistachio nuts as these are what I have in the stash.  What would you add to yours?


Overnight Oat
taken from Ann

6 tbsps Organic Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Fresh Milk
1/2 cup Plain or Greek Yoghurt
1 tbsp Chia seeds
some blackberries, blueberries, strawberries(halved), (rinse with water and pat dry with a kitchen paper)
Orange segment from one orange
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
some honey

 Method:

• Using a clean sterilized glass jar, add rolled oats, chia seeds and yoghurt.
• Pour in milk, drop in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and gently stir the mixture with a clean spoon to loosen the oats at the bottom of the jar. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too thick.
• Lastly add in berries and orange, give a few stirs.
• Cover the jar and leave the mixture overnight in the fridge.
• In the morning, before having your oats, drizzle some honey to sweeten the taste.

Lao Ban Beancurd copy-cat version (老伴豆花)

I have been wanting to make this for a long time cos my niece likes this new style beancurd.  I am abit old fashion who rather have the beancurd (my fav is Rochor Beancurd) which is made with gypsum powder (shi gao).  Having said, i can't make imagine making the traditional tou huay at home - too much hard work soaking, grinding and de-skin the soy before cooking it.  I helped my mum to make soy bean drink when i was younger, so I do know a few things huh.

Anyway, I digress.  

I have been reading so much about this copy cat recipe which is 99% (or 98.99%, but who cares) similar to the famous 老伴豆花 at old airport road market.  The important thing is that it is really easy to make... all the stuff easier avail at the supermarket and Phoon Huat.  Granted I have some grieve trying to get the "secret ingredient" from Phoon Huat but I guess that's still easier than to traveling from Jurong to Old Airport Road Market!

I made 1 starter batch last Friday, and my sister and niece raved about it.  I always think that behind every good cook, there's a hungry family! :-)

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Lao Ban Beancurd  (copy-cat version)
source: dejiki

What you need:

For detailed and step by step instruction, pls see Dejiki - I really don't see the value of reinventing the wheel.

My modifications were:

1) My family has never been a big fan of sweet stuff so although 20g is not so sweet, I still have to do a token reduction to 18g.  

2) I like the wobbly type of beancurd, so again, I cut the jelly powder by a little (1g).  This gives really really soft beancurd - it sort of melts in your mouth which is perfect for me but I would nonetheless try making it with 13g to see the difference next time.

3) The 2 types of soy powder - Pollency & Unisoy - are high in protein.  What I find is that protein dissolves better in cold water.  So I actually mix the 2 types of soy powder in cold water and sieved before heating it up.  

4) Once the mixture is hot enough (but not boiling yet), sugar, coffeemate and jelly powder went in. Stir then off fire.

5) Because the mixture has been sieved before, I directly used the Magic Oil Sieve when pouring the liquid into the plastic containers and had no problem with slow flow. 

I got B to be my little Ratatouille Chef to do the mixing and stiring for me... and I thought he's the next best thing to the new Kenwood Cooking Chef which comes with the induction function.  Hmm, no open fire, and stiring to mess up my life... Oh well, let's just save that for the next investment!!!