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“I always emulated the men in my family, not thewomen,” admits Tan.
For years, she resisted learning her way around the kitchen and instead concentrated on her career.
She learned how to make the delicious food of her ancestors, thehealthyway.
As a neurotic New Yorker, I expected cooking to be precise.
You lived in Singapore until you went to college.
Now, what kinds of American foods do you most enjoy?
The first American food that captivated me was meat loaf.
It was completely exotic to me.
What’s your healthiest meat loaf rendition?
Also, I often add milk to the mixture; instead of whole milk, I’ll use skim.
The taste is not too different.
It depends on what I have on hand and am trying to use up.
What do you do to stay healthy so that you’re free to indulge in delicious food?
Have you tried to find lighter or lower-calorie versions of the foods from your ancestry?
So it’s possible to do it, but often you’ll have to do it at home.
What do you typically have for breakfast?
What’s your favorite healthy snack?
Fruit ?– it’s very cleansing.
In Singapore, dessert is often a simple plate of fruit – usually orange or watermelon slices.
What’s your most current workout regime?
I love two things: swimming and walking.
I don’t currently have access to a gym pool, so walks are it.
When I am writing, especially, daily walks are a necessity.
Do you have a favorite workout class?
It’s calming yet strenuous.
And you leave really feeling it in bits of your body that you didn’t know could ache.
What’s up next for you?
I am currently working on my second book right now.
Want to meet Tan?
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