Friday, 10 July 2015

Goodbye Chap Fan!


I have finally started cooking my lunch to pack to office. Previously I wrote about preparing my partner's lunch.

 These lunches are nothing fancy. In fact they look terrible as they were hastily prepared and the pictures taken at 6:00am.
Grilled oinks, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and fried eggs.
The food may look unappetizing but they are edible. In fact they taste pretty decent.
Roasted chicken, cherry tomatoes, bittergourd and fried eggs.
The decision to cook my own food came about after I realized that the quality of food from the chap fan (mixed rice) stalls is really poor.

Roasted chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers
and coleslaw. Leftover Italian parsley sprinkled for good measure.

They may offer variety and convenience (and I admit that their food is quite tasty) but I did not feel good after eating.

I experienced bloating, drowsiness and fatigue, some sort of drop in energy level which does not happen when I eat home cooked food.
Tempeh, grilled oinks, roasted cherry tomatoes, tomatoes,
 cucumbers and coleslaw. Weird combo.
I admit that it is quite a hassle. Preparation work is done on weekends and I sacrifice quite a lot of time on Sundays. 
Roasted chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, bittergourd and cucumbers.
Every morning it is a mad rush preparing food for two. Which was why I gave up at one point. 
Omelette with portobello mushrooms, grilled oinks, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers.
It is worth the effort and I am happy. I feel a lot better since preparing my own food and I do not want to eat "chap fan" anymore unless if it is absolutely unavoidable.
Roasted oinks, hardboiled egg, bittergourd, french beans, cucumber and tomatoes.
So you ask me, PH, do you go bonkers every morning? Actually in the beginning, yes I did. Meals for one is easy but meals for two can be crazy. Especially when we eat different things.
Pulled pork, coleslaw, cucumber and tomatoes. That yellow thing was a failed hardboiled egg hah..hah...
But I have improved on my work process and it's working pretty well. I am a lot more efficient with my timing. It looks like my DIY lunches are here to stay!

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58 comments:

  1. Twilight Man10 July 2015 at 09:01

    You save money and your medical bills as well for eating healthier food that makes you happier and more energetic.
    I agree that most chap fan stalls have lousy food esp in my office's industrial area. I had to close one eye to swallow them. There is one at DU which is very good and well cooked by trained chefs with QC. The photos are still in my phone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:05

      Hi TM! I wonder if you are talking about Tar Chong. I love the chap fan there because the dishes are very tasty. Though it is more convenient, I'll still choose to cook my own after feeling the vast difference to my well being.

      Delete
    2. Twilight Man20 July 2015 at 16:20

      Spot On! It is Tar Chong!

      Delete
  2. Princess Ribbon10 July 2015 at 09:25

    I want ALL your lunch boxes !! They look so delicious, more delicious than eating out, serious... More sedap than kiu soong, fast food, food court or Western, really.. Give me roast chicken, give me coleslaw, give me potato & egg salad, and I can eat these lunch boxes everyday leh, really.. I'm not a picky eater, in fact, I pack leftover's dinner to work the next day.. It doesn't taste great, like you say, but it's edible la.. I also pack lunch box to work this week.. One day, it's bacon fried rice.. Then next day, it's yat-wok-sook potato carrot chicken, then next day it's just rice with Bovril, and onion eggs.. Very simple only, paiseh wana say also.. But yours, fuiyoh, looks so high class and delicious leh.. I want, I really want !!

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    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:08

      Louiz, you make me so happy hah..hah...Thank you, thank you for your compliments. My food is ok lah, may not be as sedap as the chap fan food but I feel much better after lunch and not drowsy and bloated. I remember your lunch boxes and I think they are actually pretty good, In fact, you were the one who inspired me to bring lunchbox :)

      Delete
  3. RealGunners10 July 2015 at 09:49

    I also wish I can do prepare my own lunches, but two things preventing me from doing it:
    1. Too lazy - nowadays I wake up, shower, get dressed and go out. I sleep in as late as I can. Preparing lunch, very hard to fit in.
    2. Cost - The chap fan in my cafeteria, after subsidy, I pay less than RM2 per meal instead of RM7 or 8..

    But yalah, I also find a don't feel that good after lunch everyday now, those msg... :/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:10

      At the price you are paying, it is probably more worth while for you to just buy from the cafeteria. Making own lunch is quite time consuming.

      Delete
  4. Kimmy10 July 2015 at 10:33

    Hi Phong Hong, I will not write much about your pack lunch. All I can say is that these are 'Ho Liao', anytime much better than the Chap Fan from the stalls. You made the right decision to prepare your own. Do you know that 'Congee' stall at the food court charges 6% GST for a RM3.00/bowl congee?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:11

      Hi Kimmy! Yes, I am glad that I am cooking my own lunch and I notice that the chap fan places are getting quite pricey. Expensive and yet quality not so good. So I have to invest some time on my own food prep. It's worth the trouble.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10 July 2015 at 10:51

    Looks a whole lot better than what you would get at the chap fan stalls. Not just tastier but minus the salt and msg and the oil...especially the oil that has been used again and again to deep fry stuff. I hear some here even go and buy the oil cheap from the franchise shops - used already and they use that again and again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lotus11 July 2015 at 02:46

      It is indeed unhealthy to eat outside food, but sometimes we have no choice because we don't cook everyday :(

      Delete
    2. PH13 July 2015 at 15:13

      Oh yes, the stories I hear about the oil! In fact the chap fan stall behind my office sells their used oil to some people who do cooking oil recycling. They claim that they don't use recyled oil, don't know true or not.

      Delete
  6. MaDiHaA a.k.a Ratna10 July 2015 at 11:07

    PH... the food look good especially for me who supposed to avoid rice. How I wish I can cook mine as yours. Congratz dear... good job.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:14

      Thank you, MaDiHaA! You give me the semangat hee..hee...

      Delete
  7. Somewhere in Singapore10 July 2015 at 13:00

    If you were my colleague, i will pay you and ask you to help me to cook my share also, hehe...

    ReplyDelete
  8. lina10 July 2015 at 13:56

    Salute at you!

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Experimental Cook10 July 2015 at 14:21

    I noticed you like cherry tomatoes. Must be yummy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:14

      Yes, the cherry tomatoes once roasted taste rather good :)

      Delete
  10. Let's Go!!!10 July 2015 at 15:03

    very hard working cuz....my lunch is the same from Mon - fri...then something else the following mon-fri ...this wk was poached drum, deboned, with soy sauce n raw brocolli or cauli....lazy eh

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:15

      Mine also like that. Same for whole week. What you see up there is a collection from a few week's makan.

      Delete
  11. Ola10 July 2015 at 16:04

    that is what i do on Sundays - takes time but I much prefer to do it myslef, at least I know what I will be eating!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:16

      That's right, Ola! We can control what goes into our own food.

      Delete
  12. contact.ewew10 July 2015 at 16:09

    I applaud you for making your own lunches. Why can't you cook the same thing for two? That way, it's much easier. Your lunches are definitely healthier and I try to do that too sometimes, but with no carbs on the plate, I'm hungry after two hours! :(

    ReplyDelete
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    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:18

      He is a rice man while I don't eat rice. Besides, what I eat, it's not so suitable for him so I have to make two different meals. But it is alright since I've gotten the hand of it. Oh, so you must have your carbs hah..hah... It sounds very familar :D

      Delete
  13. lena11 July 2015 at 00:25

    hello phong hong! i cant imagine myself waking up so early in the morning to prepare lunch box.You are good la! Moreover, can just stay in the office to eat and enjoy the air con...perhaps soon your colleagues will tumpang to prepare pack lunch for them too !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:19

      Hi Lena! I'm quite used to it now. I'm happier eating my own food but sometimes can't avoid eating out also. That's when I can feel the difference. So sluggish and bloated after eating chap fan :(

      Delete
  14. Lotus11 July 2015 at 02:34

    Home cooked food is still the best and most healthy

    ReplyDelete
  15. mun11 July 2015 at 02:49

    Wow! I salute you! I would eat all your lunch boxes except for fatty porks if any. Looks delicious as well though you say they do not look nice. I see you are not eating rice. I agree with what you say about the chapfan. Nowadays I only eat wholemeal bread for lunch and I limit myself to 6 slices of wholemeal bread a day.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:21

      Mun, thanks for the compliment! I have cut down on rice to control my weight. I do eat rice, maybe once a week. I actually love rice, lots of it and I only wish that it does not make me fat :(

      Delete
  16. Aunty Young（安迪漾）11 July 2015 at 08:49

    Hi Phong Hong, you are so rajin to prepare those yummylicious and healthy bento for yourself .
    Both of cucumber and cherry tomato are my favourites. If I am your colleague , I sure will tummpang bento too. Thumbs up for you! !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:22

      Hi Aunty Young! Thank you! I have to be rajin so that I won't suffer after eating chap fan. It is worth the trouble because I feel much better.

      Delete
  17. [SK]11 July 2015 at 11:29

    ooh, you wake up early in the morning to prepare food for yourself and your partner!! I would have slept through till the very last minute before I drag myself to work, haha!!

    now I see where's the challenge.. initially I thot what's big deal to cook more for another person since you are already preparing food for your partner.. but it's actually preparing two different sets of food because you eat different things, OMG, that's indeed a lot of work.. but glad that you are slowly coping with the pace and rushed through the sleepy morning hours to get the two distinct lunchbox ready!! your are very hebat lah!!!

    you are right, though we get more choices from the chap fan stall and some dishes are really so delicious you cannot resist not having them on your plates, like you say, who the heck knows how the food are handled and cooked behind the shop in the kitchen hidden in the back alley huh?? and also, the dishes are definitely cooked with more oil, salt, sugar, MSG and what-nots to make them flavorful to attract customers..

    now comparing your lunch with chap fan, I would say I welcome yours to my meal instead!! they are really balanced with meat and veggie, not to mentioned cooked in a healthier way (I would surely assume that since it's homecooked)..

    so you always have a meat, an egg and some veggie in your lunchbox.. I guess that is because you buy and prepare the food stock for the whole week during weekends?? that are also what I habitually take from the chap fan stall too!! and I see you like cucumbers and tomatoes, hehe, why not?? since these requires minimal to none handling right?? especially cucumber, I think it's best eaten raw, though nice also cooked with some garlic and "heh bee" (dried shrimps) hehe!!

    I have to say your lunch is nice lah, and there is no rice and they seems like carbo-free to me!! eih, not bad, it's suitable for weight-watchers I guess.. I wonder if you reheat the lunch in microwave before eating them?? I would really love to do this, but aiyah, talk about waking up early in the morning, forget it lah, hahaha!!! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:25

      Thank you, SK! I do my grocery shopping on Sunday and stock up for the week. It's quite time consuming spending Sunday sorting out and organizing all the raw materials. But it is very worth it, I can feel the difference in my health. I eat my food "cold" because we don;t have a microwave in the office. But it is ok for me.

      Delete
  18. Karen Luvswesavory11 July 2015 at 21:46

    Hi Phong Hong,
    Salute to you .... got to make different types of lunch boxes so early in the morning. Nice homemade healthy lunch box ... grilled chicken with some salads & eggs for lunch must be yummy to enjoy :D
    Occasionally I'll bring soup to office to lunch in too ... that's when I'm really 'sick of' the food at the nearby food court.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:26

      Hi Karen! I also used to bring soup as it is more convenient. Everything just chuck into the soup hah..hah...

      Delete
  19. kitchen flavours11 July 2015 at 23:50

    Hi Phong Hong,
    You are one hard-working gal! Your lunches looks really good! Grilled and pulled pork, oh yes! Eating chap fun everyday can be pretty "fed-up", but never with homecooked food! Thumbs up to you! Everything looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:28

      Hi Joyce! Thank you! It's really worth the effort because I feel a lot better ever since preparing my own food. But sometimes, when it is unavoidable, I still have to rely on chap fan. That's when I really feel the difference - the drowsy and bloated feeling ugh!

      Delete
  20. Nancy Chan12 July 2015 at 02:45

    There was once when I tried cooking my own lunch but gave up after a while. Too much hassle for me. I really salute you for your commitment and diligence. I am the lazy one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:29

      Hi Nancy! At one time, I also gave up. In fact I gave up many times until now hah..hah...

      Delete
  21. ChrisAu12 July 2015 at 23:19

    That's very healthy indeed compared to those oily laden chap fan!

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  22. Reanaclaire13 July 2015 at 14:35

    Looks very healthy, PH... I have been eating lots of salad here too...but dont seem to be any slimmer... :)

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    1. PH13 July 2015 at 15:34

      Claire hah..hah... you are still considered very slim lah. Must be all the dancing that you do :D

      Delete
  23. Zoe14 July 2015 at 11:36

    Hi Phong Hong,

    I feel happy for you that you are eating well now with all your home-cooked food. Your lunches look awesome! I will say goodbye to yucky chap fan too.

    Zoe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH14 July 2015 at 15:40

      Hi Zoe! Yes, I am happy too but this week I had to eat chap fan hah..hah...

      Delete
  24. Small Kucing14 July 2015 at 17:09

    If got time then can cook la. Looks okay la. You small eater ya. Portion quite small.

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    Replies
    1. PH15 July 2015 at 18:50

      muahahahaha...I laughing you say I small eater :D

      Delete
  25. Vanessa Morgan15 July 2015 at 22:22

    Definitely better than a sandwich.

    ReplyDelete
  26. bluedreamer2718 July 2015 at 23:22

    Good day Phong Hong.. it's my first time here and it's nice to be here in your blog.. oh these are well balanced lunches and seems very easy to prepare and very ideal for those who are working yet have limited time preparing their meals right? These would be perfect for making Bento too..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH19 July 2015 at 16:00

      Hello bluedreamer! These lunches are very practical and easy to prepare. I wish that I had more time to prepare a bento!

      Delete
  27. bluedreamer2718 July 2015 at 23:28

    By the way , I added you in my blog roll so I can visit you here more often..
    feel free to visit me @ bluedreamer27.com

    It's Me Bluedreamer

    Thanks and have a great day

    ReplyDelete
  28. Cathleen20 July 2015 at 05:25

    6 AM lunch prep? Wow, you are way more committed to eating healthy than I am. You have seriously inspired me to change that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. PH20 July 2015 at 13:00

      Hi Cathleen! At my age, health is a priority. It would be great for you to have an early start!

      Delete

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