Diary of a Chocoholic

Note to self - after eating chocolate, remember to check lips in mirror. A chocolate-smeared mouth might look good on a toddler but on a fully-grown adult, it's a little less adorable!

I have to confess, this blog was originally about only one chocolate but then I found some more chocolate that was worth talking about so this has been building since Christmas last year.

These first two chocolates, Premium M&Ms were originally bought as last minute Christmas presents.

I found these in our local shopping centre in a small cart (Lolly Castle) which sells a selection of international goodies that aren't found on the shelves of our local supermarkets; Pop Tarts, Babe Ruth bars, Junior Mints, all types of unusual Pringle-like, non-Pringle reconstituted potato snacks, and they're my lone supplier of Dr Pepper, the only carbonated softdrink to which I'm addicted. (So much so that before they started importing them, I tried to make my own version after my first trip to America where I drank it almost every day but that's another story!).

The plastic bag was inside a light cardboard sleeve but I was obviously so keen to get into the chocolate that I didn't bother about the packaging! : )
The candies themselves had a similar textured sheen that was reminiscent of tie dyeing.

Something to Whet Your Appetite!

How to Eat Your 5 Fruits & Vegetables Without Really Trying!

Okay, okay, I know this isn't going to be popular but bear with me!

If you follow the food pyramid, you know that for a balanced diet, fruits and vegetables should play a big part in our diets. But it's hard to get the full range and the taste of some of them leaves something to be desired.

That's why, when Yaya brought home a couple of cartons of carrots, eggplant, squash, apples and capsicum and they fit into her handbag, we couldn't wait to eat them!

These miniature vegetables were sweet and moreish and with 5 serves per carton,  you couldn't ask for more versatility. Okay, so they're a little fluoro ....

If you think they look a little shiny, it's not wax, it's a light glaze because these are no ordinary vegetables.

Cut one open and you get ...

... a good dose of fibre in a sweet little wrapping.

For these are mung bean sweets! Made from mung beans, coconut milk and sugar, they're a tiny morsel of goodness that is neither too sweet nor too sticky. They all taste the same so don't worry about them having hints of capsicum, carrot or eggplant. And here's where you can buy it:

Okay, so I lied about the 5 fruits and vegetables but these are pretty irresistible.... really .... :D

How To Avoid a Case of Puzzle Butt ..

... when eating at Wagaya...

I coined the term "puzzle butt" when I was a teenager. It referred to the spasm that occurs after prolonged clenching of the buttocks while leaning over a large (mostly 1000 piece) jigsaw puzzle, trying to piece it together.

In the case of Wagaya, that much reviewed, touch-screen ordering, fast action Japanese diner on the fringe of Chinatown, it was a one buttock clench.

You might be asking what does puzzle butt have do with eating out? Well, when you're sitting in one of their booths, the screen is located perpendicular to you, the diner. So there is no other way to touch the screen than to lean across thus causing the clench. It wouldn't be so bad if the menu wasn't so extensive but it is.

Thirteen buttons across the top lead to the first of mostly 2, sometimes 3 sub-menus all containing unique offerings for each category. The best thing is, you don't have to decide the entire meal right at the beginning. If you arrive hungry and want an immediate starter, go for something recognisable, say Edamame.

While some restaurants serve these warm, these were served cold but they were crisp, sweet and not too salty. 

If you're not starving, you can take the time to peruse the menu but be warned, you may need an hour or so:

Fondant Fun

Mrs Shanks and I would like to congratulate our good friend Jo and family, of The Cupcake Gallery on the safe arrival of their 3rd beautiful bundle of joy, Little Miss M. She (even though I had all my coins on it being a boy!!) is absolutely gorgeous and we can't wait to see all the marvelous baby-inspired cake creations you have in store.

First Prize: The Last Supper depicting the true meaning of Easter