Tag Archives: buckwheat

Subtleties of the Everyday are My Reality Check

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Things like the feeling of thirst, blind spots when driving, or finding the beat in a song when it changes. In my last post I asked you all if you pay attention to how certain things affect you. I also said that lately I’ve been approaching my meals at home with no forethought. Take breakfasts for example. I would always say that I’m more of a “sweet breakfasts” person, but lately I’ve been waking up many mornings wanting different things. Or sometimes I’ve been waking up with nothing in mind. If I’m hungry I’ll walk to the fridge, open it, and stare up and down for five minutes. So here are some of my recent varying breakfasts.

I’ve been using different grains.

I made Ashley’s Chocolate Buckwheat Breakfast bake, but next time I don’t want to add so much cocoa powder.

Baking single-servings always feels special.
I think throwing in some dried fruit would make it slightly sweeter too.
Rise and shine!
This time around I used some leftover quinoa to make a parfait.
Quinoa, peaches, apples, Greek yogurt, almonds, and honey.
The idea of scrambled eggs is nauseating to me, but scrambled tofu is a different story.

I combined these two recipes: breakfast scramble and tofu taco, and then added some of my own dashes of flavor.

Bean burritos for breakfast are not a stranger to me now.
Crunchy Jicama and Mango Salad with Chile and Lime

I bought jicama for another recipe and had some leftover, so I found this delicious recipe to try out. So refreshing!

Beans cooked in… I can’t remember, tomato, lebni (Kefir cheese), cilantro, and onion in a brown rice tortilla.
Savoury sandwiches.
Yes, even tempeh rueben’s for breakfast.

Sauerkraut in the morning? I combined two recipes again: vegetarian reuben sandwich and tempeh reuben.

Now what is this lovely looking blob thing?

Another recipe from Ashley, a banana cornbread cake and if I remember correctly I just made the creature blob by simply mixing Greek yogurt, a bit of almond milk, and sunflower seed butter together to get this pudding like consistency.

And some maple syrup drizzled on top.
If you like grainy things then this recipe is for you!
Another breakfast using cornmeal, but it didn’t taste very earthy.

Kita’s cornmeal pancake recipe was so delicious!

Just maple syrup and butter.
I kind of wished the stack would’ve just reappeared in front of me.
These tasted like sweet cornbread, but not as dense and oily.
Savory breakfasts lookin’ fresh.
I made cheesy corncakes with a side of bean and sweet potato hash, and whipped up a tangy curry sauce to go with it. 
Ice cream for breakfast too!

I finally stumbled upon Coconut Bliss’s “Ginger Cookie Caramel” at the store one day, mind you I’ve been keeping an eye out for it since the flavor released a few months ago. I’m glad I picked it up because a) it was the last one, and b) I have yet to see it again.

I think you would too, if this was in your freezer.
I would eat this over cake any day. 
I also tried another new Coconut Bliss flavor: Mocha Maca Crunch.

This was also very tasty, and I loved the bitter crunch from the cacao nibs.

And another new-to-me ice cream!

La-Loo’s goat’s milk ice cream caught my eye, and I decided on vanilla. Whoa! This was so good that I don’t think I will ever buy another kind of vanilla ice cream. Ever. It was creamy, sweet ,and had an intense vanilla flavor like no other–no wonder it’s considered the “holy grail” of ice cream.

Any recipes in this post you’d like to try? What’s your favorite ice cream?

Super from Inside, Out

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Hello there again everyone! Remember how I said I would be walking in Richmond’s Fashion Week? Well that took place the week before, and I thought I’d do a little recap of the shenanigans. So let’s jump right in, shall we?

So begin the long days...

Beauties all bundled up in the tent that was put up for the finale show.

Inspiration boards and look books made many appearances.

And so did some tasty meals throughout the week…

Spaghetti squash with roasted brussels and chickpeas.

I had stumbled upon this recipe on Susan’s blog awhile ago, and I thought it was a great way to use spaghetti squash. Susan makes an interesting point about this wondrous squash, “Spaghetti squash tastes like–surprise!–squash, and if you sit down to a plate of it expecting to bite into a forkful of angel hair, you’re going to be disappointed.  But if you’re expecting lightly sweet squashy flavor in fun-to-eat strands of gold, you’ll love spaghetti squash in general and this recipe in particular.” Exactly why I wasn’t too crazy about this squash because I had only prepared it the same way I would eat pasta.

I took her suggestion and added some almonds.

This tasted so satisfying, and shed a new light on spaghetti squash. Two things actually in this dish that I’ve had to give a second chance to… brussels sprouts and now spaghetti squash.

Ive also been inspired by my roommate.

She cook a lot with coconut milk, and one day I had to exclaim how wonderful the kitchen smelled! She told me all she did was cook her vegetables in coconut milk with a bit of Bragg’s. So the next time I sautéed some kale and chickpeas, I added those other two simple ingredients and had myself a very tasty meal.

And I when I saw the words "cookies for dinner" I was immediately intrigued.

 These Trail Mix Cookies were a bit of an adventure for me. I had never actually cooked with buckwheat groats or tried buckwheat anything for that matter. The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can really change it up to your liking, and they’re gluten-free for those who have sensitivities. You can make whatever signature trail mix cookies you dream up! The texture of these is really nice too because it’s moist and has crunchy bits as well.

Cooking this reminded me of when my grandma in the kitchen.

There are certain things like butternut squash soups or boiling milk that remind me of her. Green lentils are another thing that bring me back there. I just cooked some lentils with basmati rice, onions, and garlic in water. Then added random seasonings and sea salt to taste. When everything was almost done cooking I added the diced carrots and green beans. One thing that I don’t like is an overcooked vegetable. I actually don’t even really mind if I find a strand of hair in my food. I just take it out and it’s not a big deal. I mean we have hair on our heads and sometimes one may fall out. Now that I got sidetracked on to the topic of hair, we should get back to the fashion week recap.

Hair!

And makeup!

Incredible makeup might I add.

It was also fun to dress up for events.

Little details

Everyone looked especially beautiful the night of the screening of the films for a contest they were holding.

A really special place.

Byrd Theatre was built in 1928 as one of the Nations’s Grand Movie Palaces, and every Saturday night the Mighty Wulitzer Organ gets played before the movie starts!

And look who flew up here to support her one and only!

Silly moments...

Mixed in with vogue ones as well.

Ah yes there was a lot of vogueing.

And pose!

I was so happy to see that my other lovely lady came to the finale!

And of course this lovely lady too! She played such a key role in putting this whole special week together.

At the end of the night of the finale I was ready to come home to my little munchkin.

And get my fresh face on...

Super fresh!

Luckily, this package came in the mail just in time.

What goodies awaited me?

I know many of you have heard the term “super foods” to describe some foods that have natural properties that work wonders for the body. Maybe some of you have also heard of the renowned Dr. Perricone. He recently launched a new skincare line called Super that’s geared towards prevention, and combines the principles of food + science. I know I have mentioned ayurveda on my blog frequently, and I full-heartedly believe that we can find incredible medicinal properties in food. Remember when I was eating very liver-friendly foods over the summer to help my skin? Well, Super takes the foods that are known to have properties that help the skin, and uses them to inspire these wonderful products. Not to mention, the packaging is so vibrant (and eco-friendly!)! Kind of like the food I make, don’t you think?

Yes, please.

The day after the finale show my eyes felt so heavy.

And suddenly they felt more awake!

The first cream I decided to try out was their Bright-Eyed cream, and my eyes felt so refreshed afterwards. Usually they feel puffy and dim in the morning, but now that I’ve been using this cream they really do feel bright. So I can greet people not just with a bright smile, but also with eyes just as bright!

Then I went out and sported the cute tote I was also sent.

Oh and that big green apple? Did you guys know the green apples actually help fight blemishes? “Quercetin is a fortifying flavonoid that helps prevent eruptions and helps calm red, irritated and sensitive skin.“ Since I have problems with my skin every once in awhile I thought I’d incorporate green apples into my diet.

So far so good!

Especially with hemp seeds toasted with sea salt.

You can find their products at Sephora, or one of their two flagship stores. Also, they will be going live with their site very soon so definitely keep an eye out for it, and I’ll be letting you guys know how the products are working for me. So far I feel like I’m nourishing my skin like never before without following a stressful regimen. Not to mention, they smell delicious, which is a very special treat for a food lover like me hehe. I’m just so excited to see the philosophy of food + science making its mark in the beauty world. Actually, I have a feeling that Super is going to be a part of a lot of people’s best beauty secrets. Secrets that, of course, you can share!

What nourishing foods have helped you with your outer-radiance?

Homemade Eats

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Oopsies! I have a correction to be made from my last post.

This was actually a new grain I tried!

My dad bought a box of buckwheat awhile ago and I decided to try it. This was delicious! It was much creamier than oatmeal because the grains are much smaller than oats. If you do try it, make sure to really use that amount of liquid it asks for and maybe even a bit more once it’s done really cooking. But this was satisfying to my taste buds and I enjoyed every spoonful.

Recently, some very fabulous and very inspirational ladies have passed something special along… the Happy 101 Award!

Now I’m going to list 10 things that make me happy. But before I list 10 things that make me smile, I just want to say that reading what your reasons to smile are.. they’ve reminded me how wonderful all of you are. Of course I have reminders everyday, but I just felt like I got to know all of you a little bit better through this award.

1. Music! I remember at one of my parties I overheard someone saying “this is the best dance party I’ve ever been to!!!” It’s funny because it wasn’t intended to be a dance party per se (actually every party is). Also, my exhange student and I’s farewell party before we left for Germany, there were enough people dancing that we all brought the temperature up to 80°+F.

2. Packaging. What can I say? I like to surround myself with aesthetically pleasing things, down to the bottle of shower gel. Actually, I put my shampoo in old glass bottles because they just look nicer.

3. Family and friends. I am very close to my family and I can pretty much share anything with them. I’m a horrible liar and there’s really no point in hiding things from them. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by such caring and non-judgmental people. All of you fall under this as well!

4. Random acts of kindness. I love witnessing little moments where people make someone else’s day and they expect nothing in return. It makes me think that this world isn’t so bad afterall.

5. Beautiful clothes. Fashion is a passion! Seeing clothes that can take my breath away never fails to lift my mood. Whether it’s something genius and  bizarre, or timeless and delicate – appreciating clothes is not hard for me to do.

6. The breeze. Every time a breeze goes by it reminds me to take a deep breath and slow down a little.

7. My bedroom. My bedroom is a haven and sometimes I find it hard to step out of. There’s a piece of me in everything in my room. Whenever people come into my room they always mention how comfortable it is and that they just want to lie around it all day. Hey bud, that’s my bed!

8. Antique stores. You never know what you’re going to find! It’s a place to let my imagination go wild and create stories for the people who these little treasures once belonged to. It’s especially exciting when you find something hiding all the way in the back of a shelf, dust it off, and you just feel transported back to another time and place.

9. Hellos. I’m not the kind of person who avoids eye contact when I walk down the street so when someone walks by me and gives me smile and waves hello, it makes me smile. Why should we just remain in our little box when there are millions… billions of people to greet!

10. Food. Let me be a little bit more specific… good food. I try to make the most of life and food is included. Who doesn’t enjoy biting into something delicious? I think people often think you have to be some master cook to be able to make something worthy of drooling. But this is not true. If people just put a little more thought into what they make or put together… they’d see how simple it is! When I go out to eat, I like to try new places that are usually local restaurants. I feel like more care and thought goes into the menu and if I’m paying to eat a meal I want it to be special and delectable.

And now I will tag 10 people: Neela, Maya, Gillian, Nicole, Sam, Lauren, Holly, Devan, Maggie, and Jess. Now it’s your turn ladies to write 10 things that make you happy!

Another bright breakfast

Peach slices, pomegranate arils, and granola over yogurt.

Fresh Mint and Cucumber Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette

Another winning recipe from ‘The Conscious Cook’! The tahini vinaigrette for this salad was incredible! It had a subtle sweetness to it and mixed with the nutiness of the tahnini.. yum! The salad was truly refreshing with every bite.

The tahini vinaigrette

My mom made an old favorite from Germany - Bratkartoffel mit Gewuerzsalz

Basically fried potatoes with seasoning – onions, paprika, pepper, celery, parsley, curcuma, cumin, caraway, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom.

Speaking of German things, we finally recovered the bag of missing chocolates my mom got from her recent trip!

The box of chocolates in the middle has three different flavors covered in chocolate and marzipan! A chocolate mousse, raspberry mascarpone, and caramel creme. I swear Germans make some of the best chocolates in the world. Isn’t that right Neela?

Bottle-shaped chocolates made of bittersweet chocolate – with a fine sugar crust are now world-famous.

Asbach, “the great brandy from the Rhine”, started making chocolates in the 1920′s when it was “unthinkable for women to drink alcohol in public places.” Did you know they are the only distillery in the world with a chocolate factory? Biting into this fine piece of chocolate and discovering that there really was a sugar crust inside… was nothing short of wonderful.

I took a shot at making a dessert inspired hummus.

I’ve read that some of you have tried this particular brand of hummus that specializes in dessert flavors. Well I went on to their website and spotted a pumpkin pie flavor. So what’d I do? I clicked more to see the ingredients and attemtped to recreate it! I didn’t have safflower oil so I use almond oil instead. How’d it come out? Phenomenal! It may be weird to say this about hummus, but it really livened up my taste buds and they were happily surprised.

Delicious with cinnamon raisin bread.

And with fresh cream cheese as well!

Freshest and most delicious cream cheese I've ever had!

And the freshest, biggest block of feta cheese. This is bigger than a block of tofu!

Chef Tal Ronnen's Summer Chopped Salad

I served it with chickpeas + tahini vinaigrette and buttered seasoned mashed potatoes with a slice of gouda cheese melted on top.

Green Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad with Miso Dressing

Green Bean and Fingerling Potato Salad with Miso Dressing

I told you I’m going to make as many recipes as I can from that book! The great thing about these recipes is that most of them are easy to make. I’m realizing more and more how simple and quick it is to whip up your owns dressings and sauces as well.

Old bay tofu cakes with pan-roasted summer vegetables, horseradish cream, apples, and beets

Now I didn’t do the pan-roasted summer veggies for this recipe because I didn’t have some of the ingredients and I thought those were more for some added freshness against the tofu cakes. So I opted for some romaine instead.

The taste brought me back to when I was younger and ate fish sticks - only this was obviously more sophisticated.

My next post will recap a very special event that happened in my life recently and I’m so excited to share it all with you! Until then, I’ll leave you with a sneak peak…

Hmm... what could it be?