I have just been craving crème brulee a while ago, and what do I get once I opened my laptop? A friend e-mailing me this recipe from Allrecipes.com.

These little desserts are the best way to enjoy after a heavy dinner. They are light, and they are absolutely the most delicious and heavenly concoctions on earth.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

450ml cream

1 bunch basil, leaves and stalks roughly torn

4 medium-sized egg yolks

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour, blended with a little water

1 punnet raspberries, washed

30g soft brown sugar

Procedure:

- Gently warm the cream in a heavy based pan until bubbles appear at the edge. Do not allow it to boil.

- Remove from the heat and stir in the torn basil leaves and stalks. For best results place in the refrigerator and leave to infuse overnight.

- To continue making the brulee, gently reheat the cream until bubbles appear around the edge.

- Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar in a large heat proof bowl until creamy. Pour the cream through a sieve onto the egg yolks, stirring all the time.

- Stir in the blended cornflour, then place the bowl over a saucepan of boiling water and heat gently, stirring continuously until the custard thickens – about 8-10 minutes.

- Divide the custard into 4 small ramekin dishes or a large shallow heatproof dish.

- Sprinkle the raspberries over, letting them find their own level. Leave to cool, then refrigerate until required.

- When ready to serve, preheat the grill to a high heat. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the brulee, making sure the edges are covered. Grill until the sugar bubbles and caramelizes.

The secret with serving this dessert is on the preparation and the food design. But overall, this dish is great on its own without the fuss.

This Asian cuisine is one of the best comfort foods in the world. And although I am not usually a fan of spicy soups, I daresay this is one of the best soups I tasted in recent years.

Here’s the recipe from Andrea Lynn.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 package mushrooms, sliced

1 to 2 teaspoons ginger, minced

1 cup chopped cooked meat (pork, chicken, beef)

6 to 8 cups chicken stock

Salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Sriracha, to taste

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs

1 can bamboo shoots, drained

1 package tofu (I prefer soft tofu but use whichever type you prefer), cut into squares

2 scallions, finely chopped

Procedure:

- In a medium pot, sauté mushrooms and ginger until mushrooms are translucent. Add meat. Cook for a minute or two for flavors to merge. Add chicken stock, scraping up any meat or mushrooms that stuck to the pan. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

- In small bowl, combine sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, Sriracha and black pepper. Add to soup. Taste, adjusting the heat and sourness of the soup with additional Sriracha or rice vinegar, as needed.

- Bring soup to boil. In a measuring cup, whisk the eggs together. Slowly pour in the beaten egg in a tiny stream, stirring the soup to break up the stream of eggs (just like you would for egg drop soup).

- Reduce heat to simmer. Add bamboo shoots and tofu. Simmer for five minutes. Ladle in bowl and top with scallions.

The taste of this soup lies on the perfect balance of heat and tartness. If you want a spicier soup, make sure you put in more Sriracha. But if not, try to tone down on the chilies.

Onions have been used in a variety of dishes, particularly Asian cuisine. In the world, onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

There are quite a number of onion varieties: there’s the red, yellow, white and green. All have unique flavors ranging from mildly sweet to very strong. They can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. In fact, one of my most favorite appetizers is onion rings. They are also most commonly used for dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fries and other dishes.

Onions are effective against certain bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. They also have a number of medicinal effects like treatments to colds, coughs, asthma, and it is also used to repel insect.

In other nations of the world, onions are also used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections and breathing problems. They are also great with bronchial spasms, cardiovascular problems and cancer prevention.

A member of the lily family, asparagus joins onions, leeks and garlic under this category. They have been cultivated in the South of Europe for more than 200 years. The most common type of this asparagus is the green variety though you can also find them in white.

Asparagus are poor in calories but are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are also a good source of folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, calcium and fiber. A hundred grams of asparagus provide only 24 calories, which is 1/3 of our daily needs.

These vegetables also have detoxifying and diuretic effects since their fibers can help people clean out their gastrointestinal tract. They can also help the body get rid of excess water. They have phytochemical glutathione, which has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties.

Anything from Jacques Pepin tastes good, that’s why I decided to whip this dish up after seeing it from Pepin’s recipes. When done correctly, this chicken dish should taste a little sweet and sour with a hint of spiciness.

Here’s the recipe from Jacques Pepin’s Food And Wine.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

2 chicken legs, skin removed

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Dash of salt

Dash of dried thyme leaves

Dash of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon flour

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 strips lemon zest

2 strips orange zest

2 teapsoons fresh ginger, minced

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 cup sweet apple cider

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Procedure:

- Mix together the salt, chili powder, ground cumin, dried thyme, cayenne pepper, and flour in a bowl. Coat the chicken legs in this mixture.

- Pour the olive oil into a large saute pan set over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until well browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.

- Add the lemon zest, orange zest, fresh ginger, garlic, and sweet apple cider. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits, and bring this to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook for 15 minutes.

- Serve the chicken with the sauce, along some green vegetables or maybe some rice. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

I am not usually a fan of these kinds of dishes but hey, the first time I tried it, I instantly fell in love with it. And I am sure you will too. Take this up your goal for this month as I am sure your whole family is going to love it.

Discussing weight issues may be a little touchy for you and your kids but with the right approach and attitude, you just might able to make them listen to you.

But make sure you are going to talk to your kids about their weight, especially if they are overweight or bordering on obesity. It is always important to remind them about how unhealthy being overweight can be.

Here are three ways to approach your kids about their weight:

* Focus on health – change the topic from weight to health as it is more positive this way
* Make it easy – bring healthy foods into the house instead of the usual junk
* Don’t create “labels” – don’t call your kids “fat,” “lazy” or “slow” because they sometimes leave up to the name

And lastly, if you have at least one overweight kid  in the house, don’t forget to include all of the family into the “healthy” diet since it will help not only your overweight kid, but also your whole family.

Based on a data of 12,000 children as published in the International Journal of Obesity, kids who are looked after by their grandparents are most likely to be overweight or suffer from obesity.

Led by Professor Catherine Law from the University College London, the study used the data—children’s health born between 2000 to 2001 between nine months and three years old—from the Millennium Cohort Study.

Researchers found out that 15 percent of kids looked after by their grandparents for part-time only were more likely to be overweight while those looked after their grandparents for full-time went overweight by as much as 30 percent.

The possibilities as to why these kids become fatter are:

* Grandparents may be more indulgent, perhaps using candy as a reward for good behavior.
* Older carers may lack the energy and fitness to be physically active with children.
* Parents may be better educated about healthy eating than grandparents.

There is a possibility that this could lead to some new policy that will require grandparents to be better educated about one’s health to ensure that children will be healthier when they grow up.

Bok Choys are a member of the cabbage family, and sometimes simply referred to as the Chinese cabbage or simple “white vegetable.” It is mostly available all-year round but its peak season is during the winter. It has a mild flavor with crunchy texture, and its leaves resemble that of the cabbage.

This vegetable has over 20 varieties; several are already available in the United States. Shanghai bok choy has apple green leaves and stalks while choy sum or bok choy sum is the most tender variety, and it is characterized by tiny yellow flowers and light green leaves.

Bok choys are fat-free and low in calories. It is also loaded with vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium and potassium.

Here are some recipes you can try for your bok choys: Miso-Glazed Catfish and Baby Bok Choy Soba with Mushrooms and a Side of Bok Choy, Seriously Asian: Stir-Frying Vegetables, Stir Fried Bok Choy with Soba Noodles, Grilled Bok Choy With Spicy Vinaigrette, Gourmet’s Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy with Garlic and Kare-Kare.

I’ve always been a rice eater, so there’s a hundred percent chance I am going to love this recipe I found on the Internet. I recently dined in a Thai restaurant and ordered their Chicken Thai Fried Rice. I definitely loved it, but it’s not that helpful if you’re in a diet like me.

Here’s something “healthy”  and delicious I found from ThaiFood.com.

Ingredients: (serves 2 to 4)

1 small can pineapple chunks, drained, OR 1 whole pineapple (see instructions below)

3 cups cooked rice, preferably several days old (Tip: if fresh, leave for an hour or more in the refrigerator uncovered)

3-4 Tbsp. vegetable or faux chicken stock for stir-frying (or regular chicken stock if non-vegetarian)

2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1 red or green chili, thinly sliced (reduce or leave out if you prefer very mild fried rice)

1 egg (vegans can omit)*

½ cup frozen peas

optional: 1 small carrot, grated (about 1/4 cup)

¼ cup raisins or currants

½ cup raw unsalted whole cashews

3 spring onions finely sliced

1/3 cup fresh coriander

Stir-fry sauce:

2 Tbsp vegetarian fish sauce, OR 3 Tbps. soy sauce (use regular fish sauce if non-vegetarian)

2 tsp. curry powder

Procedure:

* Mix 1 Tbsp. oil with the rice, using your fingers to separate any chunks into grains. Set aside.
* In a cup, stir the soy sauce/fish sauce together with the curry powder.
* Drizzle 1-2 Tbsp. oil in a wok/large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic, and chili, stir-frying until fragrant (1 minute). Whenever the wok/pan becomes dry, add a little stock (1/2 to 1 Tbsp. at a time to keep the pan sizzling).
* Crack egg (if using) into wok and stir quickly to cook (like making scrambled eggs).
* Add the carrot (if using), peas, cashews. Stir-fry 1 minute in the same way, adding more stock if needed.
* Now add the rice, pineapple chunks, and currents. Drizzle the fish/soy sauce mixed with curry powder over and gently stir-fry to combine over medium-high to high heat until the rice “dances” (begins to make popping sounds) - about 3 minutes.Tip: Avoid adding any more stock from here on, or your rice will turn out soggy. The wok/pan should be hot and dry.
* Remove from heat. Do a taste-test for saltiness, adding a few shakes of salt or up to 2 Tbsp. more [veggie] fish sauce or soy sauce, as needed. (If you happen to over-salt the dish, add a squeeze or two of lime juice.)
* To serve, scoop rice onto a serving platter (or in a carved-out pineapple, if serving at a party - see link at beginning of recipe). Top with spring onions and coriander.

Whenever I don’t have time to prepare anything for dinner, I usually take out a pouch of ramen noodles and pop it into the microwave oven. But the problem is I don’t usually like how it tastes like coming from an aluminum pouch. So, the solution is to make this into something more tasteful for me.

This recipe is good for four persons, and it actually involves a pot for you to cook a microwaveable, ready-to-eat noodle cup. I know you probably think I’m crazy but you gotta try this one.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

2 packages ramen noodles (discard the flavor packets)

1/2 cup dried mushrooms, chopped

20 raw shrimp (medium to large), peeled and deveined

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 quart vegetable broth

1/2 cup mirin

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 teaspoons sesame oil

Procedure:

- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, break each ramen packet in half, so you have four sections of ramen. Tear off four foot-long sections of aluminum foil. Divide the four sections of ramen onto the four pieces of aluminum foil.

- Top each ramen section with a quarter of the mushrooms, shrimp, onions, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt.

- Fold in the sides and corners of the aluminum foil to create a little boat for the ramen. Leave a hole in the middle and pour a quarter of the broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil into each pouch. Crimp the top a little more, leaving just a tiny hole. Place on a baking tray in the oven. Cook for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve.

The dried mushrooms, chilis and onions in this dish made the Alton Brown pouch more delicious than it already is. Also, you cannot deny that it made the recipe more appealing to the eyes.