Xin Xu hails from Edmonton, Alberta. But before settling in, she lived in Shanghai for the first 7 years of her life. That’s where she grew up and got her taste of the vibrant food culture. Since moving to Edmonton, she has fallen in love with international cuisine. If there’s a new restaurant in town, she would be the first to line up outside the door. At home, you can find her experimenting with recipes around the world. She hopes to share these experiences with all who care to listen.
In her spare time, Xin cares for 6 rescue budgies. Many of which she found stranded in parks or her backyard. On weekends, she drives out to Banff or Jasper where she can be found hiking new trails. She’s thankful Athabasca University has allowed her to work full-time as a researcher while taking courses that interest her such as abnormal psychology.
Green onion cakes, also known as scallion pancake or “cong you bing” is a traditional street food item originating in Northern China. Unlike the take-out items we find at local Chinese restaurants, the original edition is in fact made from unleavened bread. A well-known rumor in China suggests that pizza was in fact an adaptation… Read more »
For students looking for a weekend activity that involves exploring locally grown produce, farmers’ markets make an excellent choice to accompany the warmer weather. Unlike the usual trip to complete the groceries list, farmers’ markets provide an array of artisan food products, crafts and sometimes even live music. However, if you’re planning to try your… Read more »
Ramen is a Japanese adaptation of wheat noodles. Its roots stem from China in the 1800s and it made its way to various surrounding Asian countries. Each country has its own edition of the Chinese soup noodle, but no adaptation has become like ramen in its popularity and reach. For many, ramen culture is heavily… Read more »
As summer vacations are right around the corner (despite the recent snowfalls), there are plenty of options for students to consider when it comes to vacations. If part of your vacation plans require air travel, then this read can hopefully save you some of the time and money you spend with air-travel. Last year was… Read more »
Hiding ingredients are a means for many parents to sneak nutrients into their children’s meals. We may be unaware of the additional zucchini that was added to our carrot muffins or the bananas that were slipped into our afternoon smoothie. Now, speaking as an adult, I never fully appreciated what the ingenuity that came up… Read more »
The Canadian Food Guide recently launched its 2019 edition which offers a closer look at the exact portion sizes adults can expect to consume to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, the biggest concern is remembering the jumble of numbers and food restrictions that apply. How many people are aware what 3 tablespoons entail? How about… Read more »
Regardless of whether one is on a diet, food labels are a necessity to being knowledgeable about our food choices. For example, how do we discern between the value of two cans of soup when the serving sizes for each are so different? For busy AU students, deriving health value from nutrients can be a… Read more »
As an AU student, we may have priorities ranging from working part-time to completing our degrees while supporting a dependent. And one of the largest housekeeping chores is grocery shopping to maintain a healthy and varied diet. However, certain times of the year, including midterm and final exam season, many students may not have the… Read more »
The association between increased salt in our diet and cardiovascular problems like high blood pressure is well-documented in literature (He, 2013). Yet, with processed and intensely flavorful foods being a highlight in many people’s diet, is it possible to move away from it? Salt is an addicting flavor enhancer. As we use more in our… Read more »
Dim Sum is one of the most iconic Chinese food traditions, and has become a social necessity; not only in ethnic Asian culture, but also becoming a trendy way to brunch all across North America. Some dim-sum goers are less aware of the origins and history of dim sum, they are drawn by the complex… Read more »