As part of my new, healthier lifestyle I am trying to embrace more produce in my life. Trying to keep things new and fresh isn’t always easy. When we make the same old things all the time, it’s easy to get bored with eating them. I also think far too often that we relegate great ingredients to fillers. I would rarely ever use carrots as a star ingredient but they are more than just a side dish. Here they take center stage in this glorious salad. The key here is slicing them with the vegetable peeler so they have a different texture. You can also use them this way as a substitute for pasta. dressed in this fabulous and tasty dressing, they really are lovely. We have had it twice this week alone. Any salty crumbly cheese will work here, but you could also skip it if you don’t have it.

Ingredients

1-2 carrots

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 lemon (juiced)

2 tablespoons of honey

2 tablespoons of sliced almonds

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon of salt

A handful of torn mint leaves

50g of feta cheese

Directions 

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel your carrots into lovely long ribbons. This will get a tad trickier as you approach the middle, but you should be able to do most of the carrot.

2. To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, honey, salt and cilantro. the pour over the carrots and mix. You may not need all the dressing depending on how large your carrots are. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.

3. When the carrots have marinated crumble in the feta, and sprinkle on the mint leaves and almonds. Give everything another tossing then serve. Voilà carrot salad.

I’m keeping things nice and simple today, and not just because I am still suffering some ill effects from the weekend. A few nights ago I managed to get three kinds of different tomatoes for a mere 6,000 won. We are right in the midst of tomato season so they are all so cheap and plentiful. I’ve spend my summer practically living on salsa, panzanella, and gazpacho. Other than making some ketchup, I wondered what was left for me to do with the humble tomato. Korea’s rally upped its produce game in recent years and we are now getting a variety of different kinds. I didn’t want to overshadow these beauties by piling in everything and the kitchen sink. They are sweet and tasty all by themselves, so I wanted to get back to basics and eat them just with a few of the my home grown basil leaves from my terrace.

Ingredients

500g of tomatoes

A handful of basil leaves

A glug of olive oil

A small drizzle of balsamic vinegar

A pinch of salt

Directions

1. Chop your tomatoes into different sized pieces. I halved some and quartered or sliced others.

2. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with salt. Be sparing with the vinegar as you don’t want to overpower the tomatoes.

3. Tear your basil leaves into pieces and toss with the tomatoes. Then enjoy your delicious fresh simple salad.

With it being Monday and all, I thought I would kick off the week with a nice healthy post, to inspire those who overindulged on the weekend (which of course includes me). Considering the name of my blog it may shock and surprise some of you that I have always been interested in eating healthily, although I haven’t always managed to do it in practice. I love junk food more than life itself sometimes, and you would have to pry the Chicken McNuggets out of my hands before I’d share them with you. However despite the abundance of chicken nuggets in my life, I have always been one to eat all my fruits and vegetables as well.

Since turning 30 and getting engaged I have really started to be more interested in eating healthily. I have been trying to incorporate more healthy foods into my diet and cut out some of the junk  in preparation for my impending wedding, as I want to walk down the aisle rather than waddle! Although it’s not always easy I am trying to eat as well as I possibly can whilst still enjoying the foods I love, as there is no way I’m ever going to give up being a food blogger!  For the past 9 months I have been following a healthy eating ideology of  raw til 4pm , 5 times a week. I drink a green smoothie for breakfast every morning and then eat salad, fruit, and nuts for my lunch and snacks. Then I eat a normal dinner.  I still eat cake, pizza, chips and fried foods but not around the clock, just a couple of times a week rather than every day. It has not always been easy but my body feels great after making these changes.

I have decided to share my progress with you because after 29 years of being overweight, I have finally reached a weight which is deemed “normal”. No longer am I slotted in to the plus size or obese category, although that still feels strange and I think I’ll always consider myself a Fat Girl at heart no matter what size I am. I look and feel so much better now, since changing my diet I have more energy than ever before. Although it’s a bit a cliché I’ve finally found a balance in my eating habits and a program which works for me. I have always found it easy enough to eat healthy during the day, but as soon as night comes around and I start watching TV, I can’t seem to stop stuffing my face. So eating raw and doing exercise in the morning keeps me motivated to make better choices later, and if I want to eat something more calorie laden later, I can knowing I have given my body all its nutrients early on. With amazing breakfasts and lunches like this, it’s really not that hard.

After going it alone for a few months I had some great success, but was starting to get stuck in a bit of a rut when I met Jaime. She told me all about Nutrition Mission and was impressed with what I had achieved and invited me for a free consultation.  The programs that she offers are designed around you and through the use of Personalized Menu Plans and Body Analysis, she helps her clients achieve optimal health to prevent or manage various chronic diseases. You can get as much help as you need, which includes menu planning, personal shopping advice, and pantry reorganizing for those who have no idea where to start.

One of the most popular programs she runs is her one month detox. A plan designed to clean and nourish our bodies with what they are most craving. No one is starving or missing out on meals, just eating clean food that will provide our bodies with what they need. If you are wanting to kick start a cleaner you, then this is a great way to get the support and information that you need. She made excellent suggestions about my current diet and told me where I could improve and how to get more variety into my meals to keep my body making positive changes.

As part of our consultation Jaime made me a delicious and healthy dinner. She introduced me to a new food and super grain millet, which is incredibly prevalent in Korea as well as being cheap. It’s also less controversial than quinoa which is getting a bit of a bad rep ethically these days. Due to its popularity it’s now too expensive for the South Americans, whose diet it’s a staple of, to buy. She formed this super grain into patties and flavoured them with nutritional yeast, which, due to iHerb, I have an abundance of. It’s a vegan miracle food as it gives food a cheesy flavour that it’s hard to find anywhere else. The result was these fab millet patties, which I have already recreated a couple of times. Check out the recipe here!

As a Holistic nutritionist, she will help find out any illnesses or health problems you are having which could easily be related to what food you put in your body. I found out that I eat way to many acidic foods which is causing problems with my teeth and pituitary glands, and through the menu plan that she designed for me I now incorporate more alkaline foods into my diet. At first I was worried that she would tell me off for all the KFC I ate, but rather than concentrating on the negatives she told me what I was doing right and encouraged me to do more of that. She also taught me some great recipes like her strawberry chocolate pies, which are amazingly tasty and full of nutrition. Filled with ingredients that nourish the body, it’s no big deal if you eat the whole thing!

Overall Jaime said that my diet wasn’t too bad,  I should just try and apply the 80/20 rule. None of us are perfect and we should enjoy what we love in moderation which is what I am trying to do now. I still eat a whole pizza sometimes, but I also have lots of days where I eat clean healthy food. This way I can have my cake, and eat healthily too.

To inspire you all and reward you for being such faithful readers, I have decided to post some of my before and after pictures. My weight has always yo-yoed but I think finally I’m on the right track, and with Jaime’s support and encouragement I have the tools to keep maintaining my weight at a healthy level. Below are some pictures of me at 25 and 30. I never thought in all my life I would look this great at 30. After spending my 20’s dieting non stop I had pretty much resigned myself to being overweight forever. So it doesn’t matter how old you are, if I can do it so can you.

If you too want a nudge in the right direction, Nutrition Mission will be hosting a 14-Day Detox Program from September 27th to October 11th. This program will help you get the tools you need to incorporate a gentle, yet effective 14 day gentle cleansing program and detox your body. With the help of Holistic Nutritionist Jamie Melnychuk you can remove what’s holding you back and add everything your body needs for optimal energy, clarity and renewal. If you would like to find out more about Nutrition Mission, check out their website or facebook page.  

Hello everyone. Sorry for the lack of posts this past week or so but I have been off enjoying myself in the Philippines! I had planned to try and write everyday while I was away, but alas all those plans went out the window after a few bottles of rum and I decided to have some fun in the sun instead. Even during the frequent rain storms I found it more enjoyable to read, get massages, and watch reruns of Americas next Top Model rather than work hard. But since I was on holiday I figured it was okay as we all deserve a break. My laziness since returning from my tropical jaunt is all due to my new early starts and lack of desk warming time at work.

So to make up for my lack of work of late I present to you yet another fried food recipe. Not the healthiest but definitely the tastiest way to get more pickles into your life. If you have never tried them, deep fried pickles are absolutely amazing! I have been rather obsessed with these since trying them last winter at Pizza Pub (now Route 66). I have been wanting to give it a go myself for months now, but always seem to forget about them any time I have the fryer out. So finally I got around to it. Not only are they delicious, they are also a great way to use up all those pickles I seem to procure from my ubiquitous pizza Sunday. You can use any kind of pickles you like though, and you can also bake them in the oven instead of frying if you drizzle them with a little oil first!

Ingredients

3 tubs of pizza pickles

5 tablespoons of seasoned flour (just add a little salt and pepper)

2 eggs (beaten)

1 cup of panko crumbs (mix with the paprika)

1 teaspoon of paprika

Soy bean oil for frying

Directions

1. Add enough oil to your pan or frying pan so it covers at least an inch or two deep then heat to about 180 degrees this will be medium on a gas range, high on an electric.

2. Strain the pickles from the juice they are kept in and pat dry with kitchen roll. Then toss in the seasoned flour.

3. Dip the floured pickles into beaten egg making sure they are fully coated. Then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Next, lay them on a plate until the pickles are ready to be fried.

4. Fry the pickles in small batches for about a minute on each side or until golden brown. Then drain on kitchen roll and repeat until they are all cooked. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce or samjang mayo.

5. To make samjang mayo mix together 5 tablespoons of mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of samjang, or to taste.

I do love sweet chili sauce, we always have a bottle or two in the cupboard and it’s my secret ingredient to all things savory. There isn’t much that I make that can’t be jazzed up with a little sweet chili sauce, from coleslaw, potato salad, or dips, to bolognese. It’s a wondrous ingredient that’s forever in my heart. However last Costco run I sadly neglected to pick up any and was not relishing living without it. I knew that it’s pretty much sugar, vinegar, and chilies so it really couldn’t be all that hard to make. I had a load of chilies in the fridge which were in desperate need of use. So I thought I would whip up a batch. It was a resounding success and it was cheaper to make than buying  it at Costco.

Ingredients 

2 cups of white sugar

1 cup of water

1 cup of apple vinegar (You can buy this in any Korean Mart)

2-6 red chilies (keep the seeds if you like it hot, take them out if you want it mild)

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 an inch of ginger (or less)

4 tablespoons of cornflour

4 tablespoons of cold water

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions 

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender, except the cornflour and cold water, and blend until smooth.

2. Pour everything into a saucepan and put on a low heat. Meanwhile mix together the cornflour and cold water in a cup to make a paste, then add it to saucepan and stir together.

3. As the sweet chili sauce heats up it will thicken. When it begins to boil you can turn it off. Taste and add more salt, sugar, or vinegar to suit your own tastes. When it cools you can store it in the fridge in an airtight container. It should keep for a few weeks at least.

After the success of the chickpea fries I thought it was about time that I gave polenta fries a go too. I bought a bag of corn grits on i-herb some time ago and had only used it once. So this seemed like the perfect way to use it. These fries come out delicious and crumbly, like they have been coated in breadcrumbs. They are also a bit sturdier than the chickpea fries. I’m not super keen on the taste of polenta, so i added some Parmesan and herbs to jazz it up a bit. You can also bake or deep fry. I deep fried of course, but mainly because I had the fryer out already, I’d be happy to bake if I didn’t already have the oil out.

Ingredients

1 cup of polenta

4 cups of water (you can use milk instead if you want it a little richer)

salt & pepper

A knob of butter

A knob of parmesan (but be as generous as you like, vegans can use nutritional yeast))

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

Olive oil

Soybean oil for frying

Directions

1. Put the polenta and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil stirring all the time. As it gets warmer the polenta will thicken. After as few minutes it should start clearing the sides of the saucepan.

2. Add the salt, pepper, olive oil, butter, parmesan, and herbs then cook for a few minutes while stirring to make sure everything has combined then turn off the heat and set aside.

3. Oil a tray with a lip, then pour in the polenta and leave to set for an hour in the fridge. You can even leave it overnight if you want to make these ahead of time.

4. When the polenta block has set, cut it into fry shapes and heat your oil. Cook the fries in small batches. If you do too many at once they will end up clumping together. Cook for a few minutes of each side until they are golden brown. They should be crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce. I paired mine with my roasted red pepper hummus.

It’s my birthday!!!! Fat Girl is now 2 years old. And what a two years it’s been. This past year has flown so fast and I want to thank all of my wonderful readers for all your love and support over the past year. Just knowing that my recipes and reviews are there to help you makes all the hard work worth it. In the past year I have gained another 1000 followers taking me up to 2080. I have become a columnist for Chip’s Map’s  and written various articles for 10 magazine. I was voted as one of the top 7 blogs in Korea by Groove Magazine and I have just started a new assignment working for Trazy.com (Travel Crazy, great name or what?) Writing my own Fat Girls Fab finds pieces on different themes. As well as this I have done two cocktail pop up events, one semi successful, one incredibly so. And I ran a stall at the handmade market in Kyungnidan.

As a thank you to all my wonderful readers I want to run a competition for you to win a box full of my delicious and home made goodies. I haven’t whipped it up yet,  but it will hopefully include a bottle of my cucumber gin, hummus, tasty garlic dip, muesli,potato salad, wasabi pea dip, a few baked goodies and whatever else I manage to make.  If you would like to get your hands on this box of gourmet goodness all you have to do is share this post on your facebook page and complete the following sentence. To celebrate the fabulous Fat Girl’s birthday I would give her ……………………. . So put your thinking caps on and come up with your wittiest and funniest gift ideas. Real gifts will be accepted ;)

So since it’s my birthday and all, I was pretty much obliged to make a cake. After the success of last year’s Rainbow Cake I knew I really had to pull out all the stops, but sadly my cake decorating abilities haven’t really improved all that much since last year. I really backed myself into a corner by going for gold that first year, but whoever thought Fat Girl would have made it to 2 years old, not me that’s for damn sure. Anyway to two I made it and a cake was needed. The thought of baking in this heat put the fear of god into me, so I knew the way forward would be the watermelon cake. Not only does it look great, it’s fresh, simple, tasty, and healthy too (although it somewhat goes against my mantra). I even decided to skip the regular cream and use whipped coconut milk instead too so it’s vegan and lactose friendly too. Again, surprisingly easy to make, you should give it a go, next time you are in need of a dairy free alternative. You can of course use plain old whipped cream if you prefer or even frosting.

Ingredients

2 cans of coconut milk

1 tablespoon of vanilla

3 tablespoons of icing sugar

1/2 a teaspoon of xanthan gum

1 watermelon

Fruit for decoration

Directions 

1. To turn the coconut milk into cream you need to put the cans in the fridge unopened overnight. When you are ready chill a bowl and your beaters. Then open the bottom of the can and pour off the milk (to save for smoothies or other delicious treats)and then put the cream part in your chilled bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer, you might be able to do this by hand but it would need an awful lot of elbow grease. Whisk until it becomes thick like regular cream, it should take around 5 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and sugar powder if using and whisk for a little longer to incorporate. If you have any xanthan gum, it will help the stability but it’s not necessary.

2. To make the cake part, cut the top and the bottom off of the watermelon then remove the green outside by cutting the pieces off length wise. It doesn’t need to be perfect, you can cover up the imperfections with the frosting. Once you are happy with the shape, pat the watermelon down to remove the extra juice.

3. Take your lovely whipped coconut cream and cover the watermelon in a smooth layer. I then took a piping bag and used it to make some cuter decorations but it’s really up to you. Finish up with some fresh fruit and all the decorations your heart desires. Happy Birthday me!

I had wanted to make these for quite sometime now and I am kicking myself I didn’t start earlier. They are the absolute bomb. I think they may even be better than the triple cooked chips. Well perhaps not better but definitely on par, and the best part is they are about 10 times easier to make! You can even make the mixture ahead of time and just leave it in the fridge and cook them when you want them. The fries have the lovely nutty chick pea taste as well as a crunchy coating which kind of bubbles up and resembles batter. It’s like battered fries without the battering. I served mine with sriracha mayo but you could serve them up with any sauce you like.

Ingredients 

2 cups of chickpea flour (i-Herb/FFM)

4 cups of water

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional)

A large pinch of salt and pepper

Soybean oil for frying

6 tablespoons of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of sriracha

Directions

1. Grease a  baking tray that has a least an inch rim on it with a little oil.

2. Bring the water to a boil, then slowly whisk in the chickpea flour a bit at a time until incorporated.

3. Add the salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice if using. Continue to cook and whisk on a low heat for another minute or two.

4. Pour the mixture into the baking tray and flatten it with a spatula. Then pop it in the fridge to set for 30 minutes to an hour.

5. When the mixture has set, cut into fries and heat the soy bean oil. The oil needs to be fairly hot at this point.

6. Fry the fries in small batches for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. You may need to turn them over to make sure they cook evenly.

7. To make the sriracha mayo just mix the sriracha in a bowl with the mayonnaise until combined. Then dip your chickpea fries into it, until they are all gone. Then get up and make some more.

Since it’s Monday and the sun is shining it only felt right that I should kick off the week with a salad recipe. Eating healthy can be somewhat challenging for most of us when it’s just so easy to go and grab take away food for work lunches and dinners. A trip to the supermarket requires thought and planning, not a lot mind you so don’t let it put you off. Stock up for the week and even make your salads in advance on Sunday or Monday night. As long as they are in airtight containers and you hold off on the dressing they will stay stay fresh.

Being a seasoned salad eater myself, I’m always on the look out to make our salads that little bit nicer and include a few more ingredients we usually don’t eat. When I was first preparing this one in the morning The Fat Boyfriend seemed unsure, but I later received a text message telling me that the salad was amazing. So the pecan and mandarin salad is now a firm favorite. I made this one here with chicken, but I think it would be even better with some halloumi, feta, or goats cheese if you happen to have some. Just be sure to include plenty of pecans, I had forgotten how tasty they are. It’s easy to get a big bag on i-Herb.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

A handful of mixed lettuce leaves

A handful of spinach

A small wedge of red cabbage

1/2 a cucumber

1 red pepper

1/2 an avocado

2 mandarins

5 strawberries

12 pecans

5 green onions

Directions 

1. If using a raw chicken breast, wrap in foil with a couple of pieces of garlic, and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning and cook in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool then thinly slice.

2.  Wash your lettuce and spinach leaves and leave to dry.

3. Finely slice the red pepper and the red cabbage. Then chop the cucumber and avocado. Slice the strawberries and mandarin and set aside.

4. When all ingredients are prepared toss together and top with finely slices spring onions. Drizzle with the dressing of your choice and rock your salad world!

Hurray! It’s March, Spring is finally in the air, and the weather is starting to get warm. I’m even off to my first BBQ tomorrow! I’ve really taken spring cleaning to heart this year and reorganized all the junk that seems to clutter my house. I’ve even done a bit of decorating and turned our guest room into a walk in closet, fulfilling my life long dream of owning a walk in closet.

Now the house has been tackled it’s time to do the “garden” and start planting seeds, to grow some fabulous herbs that make all those summer meals so tasty. Herbs are so easy to grow, you only need a minimum outdoor space which gets some sun, or even a sunny window sill if you are lucky enough to live in an apartment with a much coveted window. I’ve even grown them out on a sunny indoor balcony before. Anyone can do it, just look at the tiny space I have to work with!

Buying herbs can be expensive, difficult, and tiresome, unless you live in a neighborhood like mine which has a herb plant store or a giant supermarket which stays well stocked.  But even if you can buy fresh herbs to use in a recipe, you will probably end up using them once and then letting the rest shrivel up and die in the fridge. Well, no more!

Buying your kit is as easy as a trip to Daiso. Daiso have really upped their game these past few years and there really isn’t that much you can no longer find. They have all your favourites like Rosemary, Basil, Mint, Tarragon, Thyme, etc. As well as various fruits and vegetables.

I planted several basil plants as I really go through it in the summer and like to have a healthy supply. As well as tarragon, mint, rosemary, spinach, arugula, and some coriander seeds I had left from last year. Obviously some things grow better than others but I’m excited about my harvest this year. Last year I had fresh herbs all summer so this year I’m taking it up a notch and doing some lettuce, green onions, celery, and tomatoes. I really want to make a homegrown salad. I’m even trying to replant a celery stalk!

I’m also considering growing potatoes and ginger too. And instead of buying more new pots I’m up-cycling some of our many water bottles.

If you don’t have a green enough thumb to start some seeds from scratch then pay a visit to the Yangjae Flower market which is located at Yangjae-dong 232, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Seoul. They have a huge selection of starter plants and it’s the biggest in Seoul. If you can’t find it there it probably doesn’t exist.

So below is my little herb garden, I’ll be sure to keep you updated with it’s progress. so get planting everyone, Summer will soon be here!