i have always hate cooking. i hate the oil spills, preparation, getting my hands dirty, mopping the floor and doing the dishes.

but all these have changed ever since i stay in usa. what inspired me? food network. cooking is now fun and it gives me the opportunity to be creative, focus, patient, resourceful and it teaches about budgetting. sounds like all the skills you need in the working world. well, i am honing my skills at home. cooking motivates me to plan my weekly menu and the types of ingredients i need to prepare a meal.

Food Network caters to everyone, except vegetarians. they don't have a specific segment for vegans. one of my favourite segments include 'calorie commando' and his maxim is you take the fats out of good food not the flavour. jon and i love his segment. we even tried one of his receipes, it is really delicious.

next favourite include rachel ray '30 minutes meal' and her maxim is a good meal is never more than 30 minutes. i tried some of her receipes as well. not bad at all. other favourites include 'unwrapped', 'the secret life of ...' and 'good eats'.

Food Network is diverse and the production team is so creative, it is such a joy watching the programmes. i don't think i will do much cooking when i am back in singapore. my mother-in-law is a superb cook. i cannot achieve that. her dishes are always rich in flavour and sometimes high in fats level. it is always a delight to eat her food. my cooking is always light in flavour or sometimes bland according to jon. i try not to put too much salt and oil. eating healthy food is good for our health.