Twiddling my thumbs for the Big Event

Yup, that’s what I did all day on Friday before the Big Event. I twiddled my thumbs, watched the clock tick each second by, dozed off a bit, then twiddled my thumbs again. I totally got over-dexterous on Thursday with the preparations, leaving me with barely anything to do on the actual day to the big dinner.

Let’s recap: I have eight items on the menu for the dinner:

* Crudites or salad
* Omu-pilaf
* Potato cake
* Tomato-pork curry
* Meatloaf
* Cheese-baked pumpkin Mac & Cheese
* Banana chocolate chip cake
* Frozen Mango Cream Cake

I baked the banana chocolate-chip cake on Wednesday, and made the Potato cake, tomato-pork curry, meatloaf, and the frozen mango cream cake on Thursday. That left me with just the vegetables, the omu-pilaf, and the cheese-baked pumpkin mac & cheese to do on Friday, plus reheating the dishes I’d made beforehand. 

I finished everything I needed to do for Friday in just about 2 hours, and was left with practically nothing to do but watch the time go by for the rest of the day! I guess my planning for the pre-preparations were a little off. Oh well, I’ll learn from my mistakes.

Anyway, as promised, the pictures from my farewell dinner organized by yours truly…

First off there’s the nice little carrot and celery sticks which nobody really touched except for me…

And then the big-ass omu-pilaf drew a lot of exclamations…

My friends were all bowled over by the fact that I used barley instead of rice. It was like they’ve never seen barley before!

And then of course the baked potato cake which I featured on the previous post…

It was incredible. Very very cheesy and flavorful, dense and creamy in the mouth, an ultra-rich version of mashed potatoes. I definitely recommend this!

And then the tomato-pork curry…

This wasn’t as special as the omu-pilaf or potato cake as they’ve all seen curry before, but still was popular in its own familiar way…

The meatloaf, which was my own personal favorite…

I slathered extra ketchup on top to keep it moist and to create a nice thick, sticky glaze. Awesome!

And my amazing Cheese-baked pumpkin mac & cheese!

I didn’t have macaroni so I used penne pasta. Everyone loved this a lot, because you don’t find much mac & cheese in Singapore.

Here’s the banana chocolate chip cake that I am so sick of baking but did so under the insist of my dear friends…

Honestly, do you see anything special about this cake? It’s so boring! But is was devoured in a blink of an eye. I guess my friends are simple creatures.

And…the grand finale, frozen mango cream cake!

The crust is an almond-sugar cookie, with pureed mango, orange juice, and freshly whipped cream filling, and I topped this with fresh grated coconut.

And what do you know? My friends raved about this as well. But half of them still preferred the plain old banana cake! What’s wrong with them?

All in all it was an awesome dinner. For the first 10 minutes it was total silence as everyone just dived into the food and chewed and chewed like it was their last meal! And then it started getting really noisy, as all fourteen dinner guests began praising and complimenting the food, and asking me how I made them. I forgot the rules of a good chef and foolishly divulged all my secrets. What can I say? I’m a sucker for compliments.

I definitely broke the bank on this dinner! The frozen mango cream cake itself cost about $20 to make! But every penny I spent, every last drop of energy I used for this dinner was well worth it and more as I watched the happy faces of my friends, and the way they mopped up every last bit of morsel, licked their fingers, and sat back with a groan of satisfaction.

Oh, and another reward I got for making this dinner? My youth group leader did a special prayer just for me! And my friends also gave me a present: a cool sweatshirt that they searched high and low over all of Singapore for, looking for something that is “thick” enough. That’s not easy, considering that Singapore stays well around 90 degrees all year round! Hee hee. And what’s more, they also helped with cleaning up! They washed up the dishes, wiped the tables, vacuumed the floor, and took home all the leftovers. They were the world’s greatest and sweetest guests ever! I felt very much appreciated and loved.

That said, the next week will be a bit of a battle for me, because I’ll be having quite a lot of farewell dinners and will be eating out a lot more than usual! But I think my sadness for leaving overtakes my fear and anxiety of the food…For once, being sad is working for my favor…

Question of the day: Do you have your own specialty dish that is famous among your family and friends? And do you ever share your secret recipes with others?

I have quite a lot of “specialty dishes”, but I’m famous for incorporating pumpkin into practically everything. My friends tearfully told me during dinner that each time they see a pumpkin, they’ll think of me! Ha ha!

Sushi on a Pizza

Yay, it’s back!

I couldn’t wait for more than a day before having another taste of my pilaf-pizza. But this time I decided to adhere to my Asian roots and go all non-traditional on today’s pilaf-pizza.

My favorite Asian cuisine is Japanese, so that’s the route I chose. Besides, I had all the necessary ingredients already available, so today’s pilaf-pizza was just brainstormed out of the several ingredients that I wanted to use: nori, wasabi, dried pork floss.

Sounds like sushi to you, doesn’t it? That’s why I’m calling this the “Deconstructed-Sushi” pilaf-pizza. Who says pizza has to have tomato sauce and cheese? If you go to other countries, you’ll find that every country has their own individual version of pizza. Really, pizza is a dish that has so much potential for creativity and uniqueness.

                            “Deconstructed-Sushi” pilaf-pizza

Let’s start with the base, which I prepared the same way as yesterday:

Base ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked pearled barley
• 2 tablespoons black beans
• 1/4 cup mashed roasted pumpkin
• 1 large egg white
• salt and pepper

Just mix everything up, flatten it out onto a well-greased pan, and pop it into a 450 degree oven for abour 15-20 minutes until dry and crispy on the edges.

Topping ingredients:

• creamy wasabi sauce (recipe follows)
• fried egg
• one sheet toasted nori, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon dried pork floss

Creamy Wasabi sauce:

• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1~2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 tsp wasabi paste
• 1 tsp lime juice
• salt and pepper

To make creamy wasabi sauce, just mix all the above ingredients together.

Once the pilaf-pizza was done and sort of cooled, I slathered on the creamy wasabi sauce, then layered on strips of nori, placed a fried egg on top, and sprinkled on even more random pieces of nori and the pork floss.

I have to say, this was very, very interesting. In a good way, I mean.
The pork floss might seem like a random addition to you, but it was a nice crispy and savory addition, and there are some sushi’s I’ve seen that are topped with these dried shredded pork. 

Definitely doesn’t cry out “pizza” but quite delicious in its own way.
 
The creamy wasabi sauce was a bull’s eye hit. It livened up the whole dish.

I overcooked the egg a bit though, so it wasn’t as runny as I wanted it to be. But I guess the flowing yolk and the wasabi sauce would have been a strange mix, so it all ended up well.

You might have noticed the short short post (well for me anyway) but I’m really busy these days getting ready for a BIG DINNER on Friday! I’m inviting my whole church youth group over this Friday for a last dinner together before I leave Singapore, and it’s gonna be a group of at least twelve!

I’ll definitely be taking pictures that day, but here’s a teaser menu for that day:

• Crudites or salad
• Omu-pilaf
• Potato cake
• Tomato-pork curry
• Meatloaf
• Cheese-baked pumpkin Mac & Cheese
• Banana chocolate chip cake

I think that should be enough for twelve…don’t you?

All of them are dishes I’ve made before (the omu-pilaf and the cheese-baked pumpkin mac & cheese are from my own creations) except the potato cake. I’m quite excited about this savory potato cake. I won’t tell you about it just yet, but you’ll see it Friday!

I did not want to make a banana cake, because it’s just so…boring. But my friends insisted. I’ve already made banana cake for them twice, but apparently they can’t get enough of it! What’s the matter with them? There is nothing special to that banana cake, either, just your regular banana bread recipe with some chocolate chips mixed in. Big whoop. I tried to offer something else, like a frozen banana cream cake, but…nope. Banana cake it is. Sigh.

Alright, gotta go start prepping. Ta-ta!

Question of the day: What are some classic “boring” desserts that you love and would prefer over an exotic luscious one any day?

Seduced again by the French mistress

You’re going to groan when I reveal what I had for dinner yesterday, so I’m leaving it till later. But right now I’m dying to share my latest creation with you.

I’ve been experimenting with baking my “mix-it-up” bowls, and have so far produced two of them: the cheese-baked pilaf with pumpkin-cheese sauce and the coconut-crusted pilaf with cheesy-mango sauce.  

I really like my pilaf baked, because the top layer gets all crispy and crunchy. But the inner part of the bowl still stays moist and soft, and though I loved the different textures, I’ve been brainstorming for a pilaf that was crispy throughout. The method to getting a crispy texture was to get all surface of the pilaf exposed to the heat, and the only way to that was to get it flat.

And so that got me thinking…I’ve made a pizza-flavored pilaf before in the form of my “Hawaiian pizza” pilaf …but what about a pilaf-pizza? And so that’s how this culinary genius came up with…

                                       BBQ Pilaf-Pizza

Base ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked pearled barley
• 2 tablespoons black beans
• 1/4 cup mashed roasted pumpkin
• 1 large egg white
• salt and pepper
• pinch of dried Italian herbs

I needed something to hold the barley and beans together, so I chose pumpkin and egg white as a binder. I just tossed all of these into a bowl and mixed the whole thing up:

And then I spread that mixture flat out into a greased pan (I used the bottom of a springform pan, but my first choice would have been a pizza pan or a cookie sheet).

I popped it into a 400~450 degree oven to bake for about 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, I prepared my other ingredients:

Topping ingredients:

• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 small minced garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 chopped thick-sliced chicken ham
• 2 tablespoons Mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon cheddar cheese

Once the pilaf-crust was dry and crispy out of the oven like this:

I smothered on the BBQ sauce…

Then topped it with the garlic, onions, bell pepper, and ham…

And then finally my favorite, CHEESE~

I baked it in the oven about 15 minutes more, and said hello to another fabulous burpilicious creation:

I could not believe how well it turned out! The bottom pilaf-crust actually held its shape, and each little grain and bean was so crunchy and lovely!

In my most biased opinion, this beats all regular pizza out there.

As usual, I got all excited over the golden cheesy crust…Gets me salivating like a new-born puppy every time!

I tentatively cut into my “pizza” and was pleased to see it still standing nice and whole without crumbling into pieces. The pumpkin and egg white binder really worked!

And because this looks so gourmet, I dug into it elegantly with a fork and knife…

I was weeping by the time I got to the last two bites…

I am definitely making this again. Expect variations of this pilaf-pizza in the near future.

Okay, and on to what I had for dinner yesterday. I went out to eat with Jingwen again last night. We’re trying to squeeze in as much time together into my last two weeks in Singapore…God I’m going to miss her so much!

Gaah…hurrying back to the topic of food before I tear up again.

…Guess where we ended up dining last night? What’s French, delicate, luscious, and makes both my taste buds and wallet cry? Yes indeedy, we paid another visit to the seductive French mistress, Out of the Pan!

This time I ordered the Seafood Jungle in whole wheat crepe:

"Fresh shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat in spicy yogurt dressing with citrus fruits”

This crepe came with a “Recommended” tag, and with just one bite I could see why.

The shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat were so tender and moist and sweet, and they were complemented perfectly with the rich and tangy yogurt dressing. I don’t know why they called it spicy, because I could hardly detect any spice level in it.

There were fresh bursts of little cubes of oranges and mangoes and pineapples in the filling as well, which were a refreshing, fruity welcome in my mouth.

Jingwen order the Norwegian Salmon in sundried-tomato crepe. I didn’t take a picture of it because once again my hungry friend attacked it before I could stop her. Ha ha!

Anyway, the Norwegian Salmon was what I order the first time I was here, so here are some old photos of it:

“Smoked Salmon with creamy pistachio cheese & Plantation chutney.”

As always, they were both freaking delicious. And what do you know? I’ll be paying them a last visit soon again next week.

I’m not dreading going back to America anymore, but I sure will miss everything and everyone here. Jingwen sent me a text message yesterday: “I’m so sad you’re leaving "

Me too. I am so grateful to have so many amazing friends. I’ve learned so many things from this trip, and one of the deepest realization was the fact that you can meet precious people anywhere in this world. All around you, you’re surrounded by beautiful angels, all of them unique in their own way and linked to your life in different ways and relationships, but all necessary and present, so long as you keep that perspective in mind. I am so grateful to God because He has truly blessed me so much through the people I met, be it America, Korea, Malaysia, or Singapore. You can find incredible sources of friendship and inspiration and love everywhere and anywhere.

Question of the day: Who are some of the “angels” in your life? Is there any one whom you least expected to turn out to be a great friend and person?

It’s time.

For the past several days, there was this impending sense of gloom clouding over me: I’ve got barely two weeks left in Singapore.

God, how time flies. I’ve been here for almost 5 months, but it seems as though it’s only been a few weeks. I can’t believe it. In just another blink of an eye, I’ll be boarding the plane back to America.

I was really dreading going back, not because I dislike my life in America, but well…okay, I did dislike my life in America. I have barely any happy memories there, because that is where my ED started. Everything I can remember of my time in America is related to my ED. But here in Singapore, it’s a haven of childhood memories…back when I was young, carefree, innocent, and totally oblivious to the inevitable pains and struggles of life in this world.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the location in particular, but just that I was 14 when I moved to America, the age where I had only really begun “growing up” and losing my fairytale perception of life. I was still a kid in Singapore, but I was a maturing teenager in America. It’s really got to do with age, but because of the difference in location, somehow that’s how I categorized my memories too. Singapore: happy. America: a shitload of problems.

It was nice to come back to my childhood place, to see and taste the old familiar things that trigger lots of forgotten memories and emotions. I find myself craving those old days again…those times when I felt like I had all the time and opportunities in the world to accomplish all the big dreams I had. During those days, time seemed to crawl by, because I was itching to grow up, to be an adult to do whatever I want, to fulfill all my ambitions.

But now I’m almost 22, and suddenly time is a swift, sneaky thing, sliding past me without me knowing. And I start to panic when I realize that soon I’ll be 30, then 40, then 50, and what if I still haven’t fulfilled my life’s purpose? Because of ED, I have not been able to do anything I want. It has put a pause to my life, while time still passed by and all my friends went their separate ways to lead their own lives.

I’m scared…really scared. And then suddenly all my ED fears and anxieties seem so stupid and ridiculous. So am I still going to be fretting about a few extra pounds, or some puppy fat when I’m a wrinkly old lady? Am I still going to be under the illusion that I am in control, that I am invincible, when death comes knocking at my door and I still have yet to live out the full potential of my life?

Actually, this trip to Singapore has been sort of a wake-up call for me. I’m recalling back all the dreams I had when I was a kid, all those goals to be someone great, to be someone who makes a difference to the world. Perhaps it’s a childish, idealistic thought, but I still believe in it. I still believe in these dreams, I relish the sweet hope and fresh bursts of motivation it gives me.

I am older now. But that just means I’m wiser, and more experienced.

I struggle with ED. But that just means I’m getting stronger mentally each day, that I’m learning lots of precious lessons on the problems of this world and how to handle it.

I have lots and lots of flaws, and I have made tons and tons of mistakes. But that just means I am forced to be humble and be able to empathize with others who struggle with their weaknesses as well.

Whatever my circumstances and situations, I can work them in my favor. Because I don’t believe anything that happens to anyone is a coincidence. All of our individual backgrounds and stories are tailored to us for our own unique life’s purpose. I believe God put a purpose in everything and everyone. And there is a reason why I’m still breathing and alive, even though medically I’m supposed to be dead.

And that’s how I got over my dread of returning to America. Because I know there are greater things waiting for me there. Including Whole Foods. And Trader Joes. And gum. (Did you know it’s illegal to chew gum in Singapore?)

Anyway, of course there is no way anyone can fulfill their life’s purpose without physical sustenance too, right? So let’s drop the deep talk and get on to FOOD~

Another “mix-it-up” bowl creation today!

                                     Creamy Tomato Pilaf

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1/2 cup chopped roasted winter squash and 1/4 cup black beans

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped red onions, 1 large clove minced garlic, 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper, 1 chopped shitake mushroom, 5 mini chicken sausages, sliced

The dressing: Creamy tomato sauce (recipe below)

The topping: 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese

Directions: You already know what to do! Sautee up those onions and garlic, then add in the rest of the mix-in ingredients. Then when they are soft and fragrant, toss in the base ingredients until they are nice and sizzling and hot! Meanwhile, prepare the dressing:

                                     Creamy Tomato Sauce

• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon pineapple juice (or whatever citrusy juice you have on hand)
• 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• salt and pepper

Just dump all of them into a small bowl and mix them up!

I didn’t add the sauce into the pilaf when it was still under direct heat, because I was afraid the yogurt might curdle or something, so I only folded in the dressing at the end with the heat off. Then I topped the whole thing off with the Mozzarella cheese:

Ta-da~!

Okay, this was good. Really good. But it was still not as good as the Coconut-crusted pilaf with Cheesy-mango sauce I had yesterday. But definitely not a disappointment, either. I mean, the thing has melty gooey cheese over it. That just makes everything fabulous, in my opinion.

The sauce was really nice in that it was tangy, fruity, savory, and sweet all at the same time. It’s the kind of sauce that makes you want to take another bite…

then another…

then another.

It just jazzes up your appetite!

Question of the day: What do you miss most about your childhood? Care to share a favorite childhood memory or pastime?

Grandiose, noble dreams aside, I was a little terror when I was little. Seriously, I was always picking fights in the playground. I think I watched too many Power Rangers. Anyway, I loved to play Power Rangers with my friends, and we would kick and punch and do all those karate moves, and go back home with scratches and bruises. Yup, it was fun.

I kicked Eighteen Chefs’ ass

Yup, I did it. I totally kicked ass today. Eighteen Chefs has got nothing on me.

For those of you confused, no, I did not literally kick the asses of eighteen chefs. I wouldn’t have survived to type this post if I did. Nope, the Eighteen Chefs is a restaurant where I had a fantastic cheese-baked rice with creamy mango sauce, which I moaned about here.

Remember the amazing, unique creamy mango sauce that I promised to recreate? I finally made my own version today, and let me tell you with the utmost humility: It totally rocked ten times better than the one in Eighteen Chefs.

My sauce tasted a bit different, but I’m glad because it was that. freaking. good. And because I love you all so much, and because I’m really a generous soul, I shall share my recipe with you.

                            Sophia’s kick-ass Cheesy-mango sauce

• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup diced extra-ripe mango
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste

I first heated up the milk and the mango together over low heat. Please don’t faint yet already at this first procedure. The fragrance of the coconut milk and mango cooking together is mind-boggling, but get a hold of yourself! The best has yet to come!

When the mango sort of broke down into the liquid, I removed it from the heat and stirred in the mozzarella cheese, yogurt, turmeric, and seasonings. It becomes this gooey, sticky thick cream, with a beautiful orange hue:

DO NOT GULP IT DOWN. You need it in this “mix-it-up” bowl:

                    Coconut-crusted Pilaf with Cheesy-Mango Sauce

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1/2 cup chopped roasted winter squash and 1/4 cup black beans

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped red onions, 1 large clove minced garlic

The dressing: Cheesy-mango sauce (recipe above)

The topping: 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut and 1 tablespoonful Parmesan cheese

As usual, I sautéed the onions and garlic, then tossed in the base ingredients. Once the pilaf was heated through, I turned off the heat and then mixed in the dressing. Then I ladled the whole thing into ceramic bowl:

Then I topped it off with the coconut and Parmesan cheese, popped it into a 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the top was nice and golden-toasted like this:
Okay, you can swoon now. 

It smelled like a tropical paradise with the coconut and the mango, and the crust was just fantastic. The bit of Parmesan cheese kicked a punch to the otherwise rich coconut crust, and it was almost like a savory dessert topping.
 
And the lovely contents inside…Each scoop was just beautiful and delicious.
 
I chose Mozzarella for the cheese for its mild taste, so that the mango flavor will shine through, and it did, just perfectly without being too sweet.
 
The turmeric added just the right amount of spice to counteract the natural sweetness of the dish, and gave it a nice yellowish color, too.

If I’m going to have to rate this dish, I would give it a 9.9/10. And I’m leaving out the 0.1 just to keep up the pretense of being modest. Don’t just sit there and drool and be envious, go try this out for yourself! I promise you won’t be disappointed.

And now here’s something for laughs:

One of the reasons I love WordPress is because it lets me view the terms people typed into the search engine to find my blog. I’m always tickled by what search words people entered to get to my blog. Here are just a couple of the funny ones:

"Why fat girls burp”
"i burp loud”

And then the rather disgusting ones:

“white noodles in my poo”
”plump burping girls porno”

Goodness. I had no idea there were actually someone who gets sexually aroused by burping plump girls. And white noodles in poo? Talk about totally inappropriate and unappetizing for a food blog!

Anyway, hope I didn’t gross you out too much. Scroll back up to envision the nice coconut-crusted pilaf just above if you feel a little puke in your mouth.

Question of the day: An online friend Nanete once asked me if there were any fruits or vegetables I disliked. I know most of you are healthy eaters and love your fruits and veggies, but is there any you particularly dislike?

For me, I hate cooked carrots. Love them raw, but can’t stand them soft and mushy. Erk. On the other hand, I don’t like bananas, unless they are cooked. I also dislike cantaloupes, melons, and honey dews.  I find them cloyingly sweet. But otherwise, I love most fruits and vegetables.

Let’s get down and cheesy

I’ve been a bad cheese-whore.

After professing my love for cheese in this post, I realized I have yet to try the most basic, familiar cheesy dish in America: Mac & cheese. Please don’t judge— I’m Asian, and I’ve only just gotten over my fear of cheese.

Actually, I did try Mac & cheese once. Or should I say, Mac & “cheese.” It was a vegan brand called Road’s End Organics Mac & Cheese, where the cheese was well, not really cheese. And it tasted horrible. This was back in the day when I was hovering at the ED border, and somehow vegan “cheese” sounded less scary to me.

Anyway, ever since that meal on Saturday at the Eighteen Chefs, I’ve been trying to come up with a cheese-baked version of my “mix-it-up” bowl.  And since we’re topping it cheese already, why not go the extra mile and stuff it with even more cheese?

Thus I started entertaining the idea of a cheese-baked mac & cheese. But of course in my hands, any simple dish gets twisted and manipulated into something totally original, and this dish was no different.

I started my brainstorming process by rummaging through the fridge for contents I needed to use up. I had a last portion of cooked barley, a few chunks of roasted pumpkin, the last quarter cup of black beans, and a last spoonful of plain yogurt left in its big tub.

So this is what I came up with in the end:

                        Cheese-baked Pilaf with Pumpkin Cheese Sauce

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley and 1/4 cup black beans

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped red onions

The dressing: Pumpkin-cheese sauce (recipe to follow)

The topping: 1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoonful Parmesan cheese

First, I sautéed the red onions with some garlic, then added the barley and beans until heated through.

Then I made the sauce:

Pumpkin-cheese sauce

• 1/3 cup roasted and mashed pumpkin
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• sprinkle of cinnamon
• salt and pepper

I cooked the pumpkin and milk over medium heat until they turned into this orange mixture, then stirred in the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Once they were melted in, I lifted the pan away from the heat and stirred in the yogurt (yogurt will curdle over direct heat), and added the cinnamon, salt, and pepper to taste.

I then mixed the sauce with the pilaf, dumped the whole thing into a bowl, and topped it with more Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Finally, I wrapped the bowl in aluminum foil, and popped it into a 375 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes. Here’s the finished masterpiece:

Look at that! Don’t you just absolutely love the golden-toasted, cheesy crust?

A tiny peek in:

This is a cheese-whore’s dream come true. The cheddar and Parmesan cheese melted perfectly into the pumpkin, while the pumpkin and yogurt really thickened and sweetened the milk up into a thick, creamy pudding-like consistency.
 
Each bite was met with a moan of ecstasy…
Yum…Hot and piping mouthful…

I was already dreading the last bite when I came to mid-dig…

So I guess you can say this is my first experience with Mac & cheese. Is it better than regular Mac & cheese? In my totally biased and one-sided opinion, you bet! But was it better than the Cheese-baked creamy mango rice I had at the Eighteen Chefs? I don’t know. They’re just great in their own individual way. By the way, I’m still cooking up my own recipe for that mango cream sauce, and would appreciate any suggestions or ideas from you!

Oh, and I received even more god news…
Jess and Meg presented me with this award!

FRIENDS… comes with the following description to be added & passed along: “These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated.” It also says : “Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.”

Okay, first of all, thanks, Jess and Meg, for this wonderful award! Virtual hug and kisses you way! I’m honored to be your friend!

But then…only eight bloggers? That’s just not enough, because there are so many bloggers out there whom I appreciate and treasure! All of you have been so amazing and sweet and supportive. You’ve all literally saved my life. I would still be very very far from recovery if not for you continuously feeding me encouragements and hope. So I share this award with all of you!

But I’d like to give special props to some amazing people who have been especially kind, sweet, and loyal to me for a long time. So here’s a special shout-out to:

*In no particular order*

Emily from Health Nut
Jesse from We all go Poopie
Pearl from Fresh and Pure
Jiaying from Brownbread Girl
Emmy from Prop and Pedal
Reeni from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Elyse from Elyse’s Confectionary Creations
Morgan from Dancing to Recovery
Christine from Deglaze Me
Katherine from Smokey Mountain Cafe
Nancy from Un Petit Chou
Heather from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie
Mica from Micapie

Um, how many was that? Probably more than eight, but I still feel like I’ve missed some others! Gah, there’s just too many beautiful people out there! But what a happy dilemma that is.

I’m just filled with blog-love right now, so this is today’s question of the day: What is the [sweetest/coolest/grateful/insert any good feeling here] thing a fellow blogger have ever said/done for  you? If you haven’t felt any blogger love yet, let me know so I can send you a great big virtual hug!

What a GOOD Friday indeed!

Happy Easter weekend, everyone! How did you spend Good Friday?

My Good Friday…for the lack of better description, was freaking awesome. We had an awesome morning church service, then I had an awesome get-together with old friends, then an awesome meet-up with a fellow food-blogger, and then received some pretty awesome news from another food-blogger. Have I overwhelmed you with my awesome Good Friday yet?

I finally met up with one of my favorite blogger friends, Jesse of We all go Poopie. I’ve had the pleasure of communicating with her online, and she just happened to drop by Singapore this weekend! So of course a blogger meet-up was in order.

And let me tell you, I’d always known how great Jesse was through our little talks online, but she is way more passionate, sweet, funny, warm, gorgeous, smart, and loveable in person. Don’t blush, Jesse, you know you’re one heck of an amazing person!

We had a great time talking about everything and getting to know one another more. Surprisingly, food was one of the minor topics we talked about. We just had a lot more in common besides food!

But of course as both being food bloggers…it was so funny when we both whipped out our cameras to take pictures! And strangely comforting to have someone take careful pictures of their food with  you! Totally makes taking food-pictures seem very normal. I need to grab more food bloggers to eat with me in public. Food bloggers unite!

We went to the Food Republic at Wisma Atria, a huge food court, as Jesse was craving local Singaporean food. The food court had a great variety of foods from Thai to Japanese to Indian to local Singaporean favorites, but for some reason I was really craving some dim sum, especially when I saw these little plump jewels sitting in their treasure box:

They were just so pretty and fat and waiting to be devoured! Both were filled with juicy sweet shrimp. I doused them in sweet chili sauce:

Sorry for the bad quality pictures. I guess I was just more engrossed in my chat with Jesse!

We had a great time together, and my good mood was increased exponentially when I came home to receive an email from yet another food blogger, Alison of Live Listen Cook! The very wise and lovely Alison actually tried out my pumpkin/black bean croquette recipe! She made a few substitutions on the ingredients, but she really enjoyed it! With chopsticks, too! Double yay! I’ve checked out her post on making the croquette, and they looked even better than mine. Check them out here!

By the way, I was glad Alison made them with sweet potato instead of the canned pumpkin that I realized many of you might have thought I had used. For future reference, when I say “pumpkin,” this is the kind of pumpkin that I use:

It’s more like a winter squash, some variety of the Japanese kabocha. Definitely not the pumpkin in the can, which would have been way too wet for the croquettes.

Anyway, this totally made a great conclusion to my day and I went to sleep grinning foolishly like a Cheshire cat. Very, very GOOD Friday, indeed! Thank you God! Thank you Jesse! Thank you Alison!

ZzzzzZZzzzzZZzzz…

That’s me snoring, and now it’s Saturday and l’ve woken up and have just had lunch. Sorry, couldn’t think of a better transition. (>___<);;;

Anyway, lunch out with Liwen and Wengang was once again unexpectedly canceled because Liwen had an appointment with a client. We decided to have dinner out instead, so stay tuned for that later.

But on to lunch. Thankfully, Liwen let me know a few hours ahead of time so I had time to think and prepare for lunch. It worked out well, actually, because I had some leftovers in the fridge to dispense. Time for another “mix-it-up” bowl creation!

Now you know how much I love my omelets, and also how much I adore Japanese cuisine, so it’s a surprise how long it took me to finally make this variation of the omurice. Omurice is basically fried rice encased in an omelet with tons of ketchup. Here’s my take on it:

Omu-pilaf

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1/4 cup black beans and 1/2 cup chopped roasted winter squash

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, shitake mushrooms, 1 thickly-sliced chicken ham

The dressing: about 4 tablespoonfuls ketchup, splash of soy sauce

The topping: omelet made from 2 whole eggs and a spoonful of yogurt, sprinkle of furikake, extra dollop of ketchup and yogurt

As usual, the basic preps of sautéing onions and garlic which I tossed in with the mix-in ingredients…

Then the base ingredients…

Then finally the ketchup and soy sauce. Stirred to coat, then spooned the pilaf out into a separate dish.

Then the interesting part: I discovered the secret to ultra-creamy and delicious omelets, and that is to add yogurt to the eggs! So that’s my secret ingredient to this recipe. I cracked two eggs, a tablespoon of plain yogurt, pepper and salt into a bowl:

Whisked them together:

Then cooked them over low heat until barely cooked.

Then I carefully lifted the omelet into a bowl, and stuffed the pilaf into it:

I sealed the corners and then flipped the thing over into another dish to make a nice yellow mound. As an extra bonus to make it extra-special, I sprinkled furikake (Japanese rice-seasoning of dried seaweed, dried fish, and sesame seeds) over it, and added a tiny dollop of ketchup and yogurt on top:

How freaking adorable is that?

It’s like my own little golden parcel! oooo~ Let’s open it, shall we?

Revealing the delicious tomato-y contents!

I think the pictures speak for themselves. This was super-delicious.

The pilaf was just perfectly tomato-y with lots of flavors and textures.

The omelet was so creamy and nicely-cooked, if I say so myself!

And the furikake on top just added such savory depth to the whole dish!

And now…for my favorite part of this post…because I am a narcissistic pig…

Q & A TIME!

Wholefoodswholeme asks:

“What is your favorite cuisine apart from Singaporean?”

My answer:

My favorite cuisine? The Sophia cuisine, of course! What cuisine can match up to the amazing stuff I create in my own kitchen? Tee hee, have I turned off anyone yet with my self-advertising pomposity?

Okay, sorry, just kidding. I guess my favorite cuisine would be…British. Maybe I read too many Enid Blyton books, but the idea of English tea, with little cucumber sandwiches, buttery scones, and of course the traditional English breakfast with eggs and porridge and bacon just makes me go ga-ga with lovely fantasies of me sitting outdoors in the pastures, sipping on a teeny teacup with my pinkie sticking out. Never mind that I’m Asian and the least ladylike person you’ll ever meet. I’ve always been enamored by those dainty British tea parties and their proper British accents. God, I could listen to someone speaking in a true British accent all day long.

But then, I also love Western-Japanese cuisine, like the Japanese-style omelets, pastas, pizzas, and burgers. And I love Indian too, for their complex spice and wholesome grains and legumes. Goodness, there are just too many delicious cuisines out there and too little stomach space!

Emily asks:

“Do you have a cottage cheese pancake recipe?”

My answer:

You’re looking for a satisfying alternative to oats, aren’t you? Well, then I think this recipe from KERF is perfect. It’s got the perfect blend of carbs and proteins. I know some low-carb cottage cheese pancakes as well, but I think a breakfast without carbs just can never satisfy me enough! Also…they can make you kind of…gassy! Haha! Anyone ever has that experience with a high-protein meal before as well?

Rebecca from Unintuitive Eating asks:

“Tell me about the cooked jicama. I’ve put jicama in salads many times but never cooked it. I guess it works like any vegetable and would be good in stir-frys and such?”

My answer:

I’ve tried jicama both ways: both cooked and uncooked. I love it in its raw form for its crisp, refreshing, crunch, but its cooked form is also wonderful as it absorbs the flavor of the ingredients in a dish very well. It’s softer, but still retains a nice bite to it.

The jicama in my popiah the other day was sautéed with a bit of oil, but only very lightly seasoned, which was perfect because it blended nicely with the other filling-ingredients. Bu I’ve also tried it chopped into cubes and roasted in the oven with lots of bold seasonings like cumin powder, black pepper, red pepper flakes, rosemary, garlic powder, and dried thyme. I mixed it with a blend of other root vegetables and lots of garlic, and it was wonderful! You can cook jicama however you want though, whether steamed, baked, boiled, microwaved, or even deep fried into chips. I’ve seen deep-fried jicama chips in restaurants but have yet to try it. Maybe you can give it a try and let us know how it is!

Oh, and as far as flavor combinations, pretty much anything goes with jicama in my opinion, but cilantro, mango, citrus fruits, lime, and cucumbers I guess are the classic combinations. Hope this helped, and enjoy!

Noodlegirl asks:

“Hey, quick question: I’ve got some barely but I forgot to write down the instruction on how to cook it! Can you tell me how to cook half a cup, hehehe”

My answer:

Just because of that cute little “hehehe” I thought I’ll stick this into the Q & A section as well. Hehehe!

It’s pearled barley, right? That’s what I use. If so, I just cook it with a ratio of 3:1 water to barley. This is just me, but I add in a few drops of concentrated chicken stock for extra flavor. I let the water boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. You should check it occasionally to give it a stir so that it doesn’t burn on the bottom. Half a cup of uncooked barley should yield about 2 cups cooked.

I’m so glad you’re giving barley a try! You’ll love it! And check out my “mix-it-up” bowl recipes in my Burpilicious Creations page for barley ideas if you want!

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By the way, thanks, everyone, for sharing your own cooking disaster! As I read through each of them I was cackling like a mad lady! I wanted to feature them on this post, but then there were too many good ones! If you’re ever up for a good laugh, head over to the comment page of the previous post to read up on some more cooking disasters!

Oh, and you’ve just got to check out the video clip that Clare generously provided! Thanks a lot, Clare, now I have an aching stitch on my side! Ha ha ha ha!

Okay, I’m fine. Really. Here’s today’s question of the day: If you could have dinner with anybody in the world (regardless of age and time, whether fiction or non-fiction), who would it be?

I would like to say Jesus, but then I talk to him daily already. So my answer would have to be the biblical David, whom I have a major holy crush on! I mean, come on, a dashing young man who beats the crap out of lions and bears and giants? A courageous, loyal, devoted man who has a great voice and plays a freaking harp? If I lived in David’s time, I would have chained him to me and forced him to marry me. Oh, yeah.

Enjoy your Easter, folks! I’ll see you again~

Humbled by Pineapple

Hey guys, thanks for answering my questions on meal replacement and nutrition bars on my last post. They were very informative, and now that I have both sides of the story, I feel more confident in being able to set a firm opinion on this topic. I definitely would much rather had “real food” for snacks, but I realized that these bars can actually be more practical and useful than “real food” as a quick pre-workout snack, as they do stick lighter on the stomach. But that also goes to prove that they’re not as substantial and satisfying as a real, wholesome food.

Anyway, back to me. Heh.

When I was young, I was a very stubborn, very stupid kid. One of the obvious proof: I absolutely hated fruits. The only kind of fruits I ever ate were durians (which actually really is a meal in itself) and watermelon. All other kinds, I abhorred with every fiber of my little being.

I don’t think I hated fruits for its taste, because I can’t get enough of fruits now. I just never gave them a chance. Why? Well, first of all, they were healthy and nutritious, and of course in every kid’s mind, healthy and nutritious = disgusting and detestable. Also, my mother kept nagging me to eat them, and even tried to force-feed me those “little nasties for grannies.” In my childish mind, I thought only grannies should eat fruits because that’s when you start worrying about your health and how long  you can delay inevitable old age and death. And I was a rebellious kid. The more my mother begged me to eat fruits, the more I developed an aversion to them. I know, I was an evil, intolerable little terror.

One of my least favorite fruits, however, was anything citrus. Oranges, grapefruits, pineapple. I loathed them all, and could not appreciate its soury-puckery-sweetness or its zesty juiciness.

Then one day, my parents and I were out having dinner at a local food court (at that time we were still living in Singapore). I, of course, happily dived into my adult-sized Western meal of fish and chips, licking my grease-smeared fingers.

But then…my parents’ meal arrived: Pineapple fried rice. In a halved-and-scooped pineapple. With the golden, fragrant contents still sizzling inside. With a generous topping of fresh coconut and crispy fried onions and pork floss and fresh chopped cilantro.

My eyes buggered. And suddenly the deep-fried potatoes in my mouth lost all taste and appeal. My mouth watered, but not for fish and chips. God-damned, they looked like dog food (which they are) compared to my parents’’ dish from heaven!!!

My mother noticed me staring, and she asked me if I wanted a taste. I immediately shook my head, with no better reason except that I was supposed to hate pineapples. No, I shall stay strong, I shall resist! I shall not be tempted by the evil Pineapple Seductress!

Poor, obstinate, foolish little Sophia. She picked mournfully at her half-eaten fish and chips, losing all appetite for them. She peeked longingly at the quickly dwindling Pineapple fried rice as her parents devoured it with gusto. They liked it so much, they ordered another one. Talk about double torture!

But! God was kind. My parents’ appetite was bigger than their stomach so they could not finish the second round of Pineapple fried rice. As the whole family got up and my parents turned to leave, I secretly and swiftly scooped a huge spoonful of it into my mouth.

And Lord Almighty…it was Pineapple heaven in my mouth. Never again did I disdain pineapples. When my mother put pineapple in front of me, I gobbled them up. This was probably the first lesson I had as a child in admitting my mistakes and being humble. I was humbled by the pineapple.

Anyway, as you’ve probably deduced already, today’s lunch was inspired by Pineapple fried rice. It’s been a while since I last had a “Mix-it-up” bowl, and I missed it. Here’s how I made today’s “mix-it-up” bowl:

Pineapple Fried Pilaf

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1/4 cup black beans and 1/2 cup chopped roasted winter squash

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, shitake mushrooms, 1 whole egg, 1/4 cup chopped pineapples, 1/4 cup raisins, 1 chopped seeded bird’s eye red chili

The dressing: mixture of 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

The topping: tablespoonful of fresh grated coconut, sprinkle of chopped green onions and a spritz of lime

I first sautéed garlic and onions as I always do, but this time with the chili. Then tossed in the rest of the mix-ins except the egg. When everything was cooked and fragrant I cracked in the egg and broke it up. Next went in the base ingredients and the dressing. Stir-fry until heated through, dish it up with the toppings and mmmmmm~!

I relished each and every bite.

Obviously not as impressive as eating out of half a shelled pineapple, but every bit as delicious, in my opinion.

I loved all the different mix-ins in there, especially the juicy bursts of pineapple and the chewy plump raisins.

The only complaint is that my egg was lost in the mixture. I guess I broke them up a bit too much. Next time, I shall cook the eggs separately and mix them into the dish at the very end.

But still a lovely, wonderful dish. Thank God I humbled myself and gave pineapple a chance.

I also wanted to share this little snack with you as I know most of you love soy products. I used to really like these things in Korea, where they sell interesting flavors like pumpkin and sweet potato and black sesame, and was excited to find a similar kind here in Singapore:

It’s a dessert beancurd (a soft, silky version of tofu). They were on sale at my local grocery store, so I bought two flavors: mango and almond. I tried the mango first.

The verdict? Horrible. They were just way too sweet for me. All I could taste was the saccharine, overwhelming sweetness. I forced myself to eat half and then just had to toss it away. I still have the almond flavored one in the fridge, but asked Liwen if she could eat it for me, as she likes sweeter things than I do.

In place of that disgusting snack, I had another of my leftover meat “muffins”. Yum-o! Guess I’m a more savory person?

All right, I’ve gotta hurry to church for Discipleship training. I hope all of  you have a good one, and here’s today’s question of the day: Did you love healthy foods like fruits and vegetables when you were a kid? Or only “grew” to like them as you got older? (Like me)

Green with Envy for Spring

 

Back in America, Panera used to be one of my favorite “restaurants.” I loved their “You-Pick-Two” deals, and the freshness of their bread, and the variety of their sandwiches. So I was very happy to find Singapore’s own version of Panera in the form of The Soup Spoon.

Jingwen and I met up for lunch again yesterday, and this time Jingwen wanted to eat at someplace other than our usual Shokudo, so we chose The Soup Spoon for lunch that day. The menu isn’t as extensive as Panera’s but all the choices were appealing enough. They also had a soup + half-sandwich deal like Panera.

I wasn’t feeling for soup, so I just got the full Tikka Chicken Wrap:

“Tandoori Chicken, Mango Chutney, Mint, Cucumber, Red Onion, Romaine Lettuce”

To tell you the truth, I never really liked wraps before…because I didn’t think they were “filling” enough. I’m a carb-fiend, so a flattened piece of dough did not appeal to me. But after my delicious experience with crepes and reading all about the different yummy-looking wraps you food-bloggers have made, I was suddenly craving for one myself.

And I’m glad I did, because this wrap was a-mazing. The chicken was marinated in a myriad of spices, and I absolutely loved the smoky, spicy sweetness of the mango chutney.

The coleslaw that came with this was also really good. It was fresh, vibrant, and crunchy, with a spicy after note that made my nostrils flare, in a good way. I stole all of Jingwen’s coleslaw as well. >___< 

Jingwen ordered the soup-and-sandwich combo. She got a bowl of Velvety Mushroom Stroganoff:

…and half a Tuna Mayo Sandwich:

“Tuna Mayo, Red Onion, Green Salad, Honey Mustard Mayo”

All I can say about this sandwich is, we both agreed my Tikka Chicken wrap was much, much better.

The soup was very, very thick with lots of mushrooms and cream. It was aptly named, as each mouthful glided down my throat, chock-full of smooth, fresh mushrooms. As a mushroom-lover, I thought it was really very good, but Jingwen did not like it so much. She found it too thick and “stewy.” I gladly helped her with her portion, dipping pieces of my wrap into it.

By the way, I was wrong. Wraps are really filling. I was stuffed after finishing mine, and couldn’t even help Jingwen finish her soup! I’m definitely going to try many more wraps in the future…Meanwhile, I better brainstorm on some great fillings!
 
Speaking of brainstorming, I got to try out another one of my “Mix-it-up” bowl brainstorms for lunch today! This dish was really interesting because it was inspired by just one thing: GREEN.

As many of you already know, I love funky green foods. So I’ve been meaning to make a green dish for quite some time now. I remember I once saw a picture of a bowl of green rice. Now you know I hate rice, but that picture made me want to lick the paper, so appealing was its greenness! But that was awhile ago and I had no idea what it was that made it green. Anyway, I did not really care if I made a dish totally different from that one in the picture so long as it looked as green as it.

My first thought to recreate that greenness was pesto. But I couldn’t find any basil in my local grocery store, so I picked cilantro instead. Again, I was too lazy to consult to any recipe but just threw a whole bunch of ingredients together into the blender:

                                     Cilantro “Pesto” Sauce

• about 3/4 cup cilantro
• one heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• one spoonful of pine nuts
• one stalk green onion, chopped
• one big garlic clove
• splash of vinegar
• splash of almond milk
• pinch of salt
• squeeze of lime juice

I just combined and blended them all together until liquefied into a nice, thick puree. I then prepared my “Mix-it-up” bowl with these components:

                                             Green Pilaf

The base: 1 cup cooked pearl barley, 1/4 cup black beans and 1/2 cup chopped roasted winter squash

The mix-ins: 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper and shitake mushrooms

The dressing: few tablespoons of chicken broth and a bit of lime juice

The topping: tablespoonfuls of Parmesan cheese, the cilantro “pesto” sauce, and a soft-boiled egg
 
What can I say? I’m a freaking genius.

Everything worked well perfectly together. I did not need another special dressing other than a bit of chicken broth to moisten the grains, as I really wanted my green sauce to shine in this dish.
The cilantro “pesto” sauce was an exploding firework of flavors. The cilantro in it was bright and popping with its fresh herby fragrance, the Parmesan cheese added a lovely tang and sharpness, and the pine nuts gave the sauce depth in richness and creaminess.

I’m glad I decided to top this with a soft-boiled egg rather than my usual fried egg. Somehow it made this dish seem much more impressive, and the smoothness and plumpness of the boiled egg whites  was a nice change, especially together with the sauce.

 
And of course I couldn’t resist sprinkling even more Parmesan cheese on top. You just can’t have too much cheese.

I think this dish is a great way to welcome spring. I actually ate this sweating like a horse in the sweltering Singapore weather, but each bite let me imagine the fresh budding grass of spring, the new fragrance of blooming plants and flowers in the air…

It’s just too bad that I miss spring this year.

But on a happier note, I received more questions! These are kind of late (I asked for questions on the last, last post!), but I’m still really happy to answer all of them…So here’s another (tardy) round of…

Q & A TIME!

Kim asks:

“I have a question for you…where is the link to the original soufflé omelet recipe? Those look so MARVELOUS and creative. I want to try it. I’m very lazy though…so a link would be great It’s probably like 3 blog posts down on your page, huh? I know, I’m lazy. Whatever, I can’t feel my toe. Have some sympathy ”

My answer:

“YAY! I’m so excited you’re gonna try making souffle omelets! Here’s the link to the the first time I made it, where you will find the basic steps. Let me know if you have any more questions about it. Meanwhile, have fun, enjoy, and promise me you’ll let me know how you like it! I’ll give you a nice shout-out ”

Pearl asks:

“So I have a question, Sophia – do you live in Singapore with your parents? Or do they reside elsewhere? Have you got any siblings? Okay, more than one question but hey ”

My answer:

“Tsk, tsk. Greedy, my dear Pearl, greedy. Three questions altogether at once! But that’s okay, it gives me the chance to talk about myself some more, so thanks for asking! (Hee)

My parents are not in Singapore right now, they’re back home in America, missing me like crazy. But I’ll be seeing them again in just a month when  return back to the States. Meanwhile, I’m staying at Wengang and Liwen’s house. They’re family/church friends and have been the most marvelous hosts.

And yes, I do have a sibling…a brother, two years younger than me. He has the complete opposite personality from me (he’s mild, gentle, patient, good-natured), which is good because he can tolerate my crazy temper. I used to bully him all the time when we were younger, but now he’s all grown up…into a handsome, well-built young man, so I find myself bullying those annoying, flirtatious girls around him instead to protect him! Here’s a picture of my lovely brother:

I love him so much, especially since he’s been so understanding and patient with me through my ED days…”

Ohsoravenous asks:

“If there was just ONE food you could eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?”

My answer:

"Whoa! That’s a toughie. I have too many foods I love! But if there is ONE food I just cannot live without, it will have to be oatmeal…Or sweet potato. Or pumpkin. Or eggs…GAH! This is impossible!!”

Emily asks:

“What’s pistachio cheese? Is it like pistachio-flavored cheese or a cheese-y substance made out of pistachios? Either way sounds yummy.”

My answer:

“For those of you confused out there, Emily is referring to the pistachio cheese I had in my Norwegian Salmon crepe I had here.

I’m not so sure, but I am very sure it wasn’t something made out of pistachios only. It definitely had that tang of a brie or cream cheese, and wasn’t green or sweet enough to be made entirely out of pistachios. I’m guessing it’s some kind of really creamy, rich cheese blended with pistachios. Either way, it was freaking delicious and I wish I knew the exact ingredients and measurements so that I can have it again and again. Anybody feel like experimenting for me?”

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Okay, I’ve just polished off two tuna and cheese Mr Bean pancakes (which are also GREEN!!) and a purple sweet potato for a “snack”…

 
and now I think a nice nap is much needed…just before I move on to dinner. Sleep…eat…sleep…poop…eat…

You know, minus the mental issues, recovery from ED can be quite pleasurable…

So I bid you adieu with this question of the day: What is your favorite type of sandwich bread? Wraps? Pitas? Wonder bread (God forbid)? Toasts? Rolls? Hamburger buns? Bagels? Baguette? Ciabatta?

Mine is a good, crusty whole grain artisan bread, preferably pressed with those lovely grill marks…mmmmmm…Carbs……

Stuffed with Happiness, Wrapped in Love

A BIG FAT shout out to all you wonderful bloggers out there who left such sweet comments to my last post! Thank you so much for your uplifting and encouraging words. Each and every single one of them made me smile so much, by the end of the day I had a permanent ache in my cheeks!

Oh, and a BIG high-five to all of you other burpers out there! Glad I’m not the only one. Sure it may not be great social etiquette, but if I’m gonna be gassy, I’d rather it be out my mouth than out my ass, if you know what I mean. And for the others who just absolutely cannot burp, I am sorry. My condolences. I know how much you want to burp. But we can’t have it all.

I think it’s really becoming a habit. I always have a “Mix-it-up” bowl one day, then a soufflé-omelet the other. They are two very different dishes: the “Mix-it-up” bowl is fast and simple, while the soufflé-omelet is a tad bit more labor-intensive. But both are so incredibly good and perfect for using up leftovers, so I can’t help gravitating towards these two same basic concepts for my lunches.

Thus, following my Miso Pilaf the day before, of course I had to have another variation of my soufflé-omelet the next day. I had several things in the fridge I needed to clear up: cheddar cheese, beans, roasted winter squash, mango, pineapple, tomato. I decided to combine them all together to make some kind of Tropical/Mexican filling for the omelet. These are the ingredients that went into it:

Trop-Mex Filling

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 small red onion, chopped
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup green bell peppers, chopped
• 1/3 cup black beans
• 1/3 cup roasted winter squash, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• few spoonfuls of tomato sauce
• some chopped mango
• some chopped pineapple
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• spritz of juice from 1/2 small lime

First I sautéed the garlic and onion until fragrant and soft, then tossed in the tomato and bell peppers. As the tomato started to release its juices, I threw in the beans, winter squash, and cumin and stir-fried them for awhile. I dribbled in some tomato sauce as the mixture started looking kinda dry. Then I transferred the mixture into a bowl and stirred in the mango and pineapple and cilantro. Lastly, a squeeze of lime juice and ta-da~!

Lovely Trop-Mex filling, all ready to be stuffed into an omelet! The winter squash lost its shape in the heat and became some sort of paste that bound all the items together, which worked out perfect for me. I think this would also be really great as a dip.

I made the soufflé-omelet as usual, plopped in the filling, and added about 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Mmm! What is an omelet without cheese? I can’t believe I used to only purchase fat-free processed cheese! *Shudder*

I think I have finally perfected the art of making a soufflé-omelet. The secret is to cook this over a really low temperature, covered so the bottom does not burn before the top can set. A broiler would work just as well, but I don’t have one, nor do I have an oven-proof skillet.

This was an awesome combination of flavors. I loved the sweet bursts of juices from the mango and pineapple with the smokiness of the cumin-flavored beans and winter squash. The cilantro and lime juice added the last final touch to really make all the flavors pop.

You want a hunk of that, don’t ya?

Come on, what’s stopping you? Grab a fork!

This was incredibly tasty, but I have to admit it paled in comparison to what I had for lunch today! As you know I eat out with Liwen and Wengang every Saturday, but this time Wengang’s amusing little sister Suyun decided to join our weekly lunch date…Her treat! I remembered what she once told me: “I have quite a lot of money, but I don’t know where to use it! I live with my parents so I don’t have to pay for rent, living expenses, or groceries, so I’ve got quite a lot saved up! I feel kind of guilty having so much money though…” Well, Suyun, never fear! I took it as my deed of charity of the day to help her spend some of that money

We went to this place specializing in crepes called Out of the Pan. It was sort of an outdoor-indoor cafe, meaning the restaurant was right smack in open space in the middle of the shopping mall with no walls. Here’s a snapshot of how it looks like:

There’s a fountain next to it that sends refreshing bursts of water shooting up. The kitchen is also open for everyone to watch the cooks prepare their meals. Very cool.

My mouth started watering as I perused the menu:

There were so many tasty choices, my head was spinning! After lots of deep, serious consideration, I finally decided to order the Norwegian Salmon, which is described as: “Smoked Salmon with creamy pistachio cheese & Plantation chutney.” I ordered it wrapped in a whole wheat crepe, and it came out like this:

Suyun ordered the Peking Duck wrapped in sun-dried tomato crepe:

“Roasted Duck with sambal olek, lychees, and sweet dark sauce.”

Liwen ordered the Beef and Bell Peppers, also wrapped with sun-dried tomato crepe:

I’m not sure exactly what went in this, but it was basically marinated and roasted beef and bell peppers, with some kind of yogurt sauce.

Wengang ordered Korean Pulled Pork BBQ in sun-dried tomato crepe:

”Pulled pork grilled in spicy Korean BBQ marinade and kimchi.”

I can’t believe this is the first time I tried crepes. They were so freaking delicious, I had to control myself from moaning with each bite. We all shared our dishes, but I still thought mine was the best. I love cheese, I love salmon, and I love pistachios, so what was there not to love about this?

The smoked salmon tasted fresh, and it was perfect with the creamy, slightly sweet yet tangy pistachio cheese.

We also ordered a side dish of potato salad, but I was too absorbed with my main dish:

I was stuffed after finishing this whole plate, but in a good, satisfying way. I love crepes in that they are so refreshing and light, yet so comfortably filling.

I wonder if I can find any good creperies in America? I’m sure there are many, I just have never heard of one yet. Any recommendations? Damn, if I just had the money, I would frequent this place so often I’d be chummies with all the staff here. But then, I probably can recreate this dish at home pretty easily. Hmmm…..

Q & A time again!

I’m sad, people! I only received one question this time…*Tear. But that’s okay, because I’m gonna make this into a weekly thing, so you can ask questions anytime! Here’s the solo reader-question of the day:

Lexi asks:

“When/why did you start doing mix it up bowls? How did you come up with the idea? Do you remember your first bowl? If so, what was it?”

My answer:

Great question, Lexi! I’m so glad you asked.

Like most of my other creations, I first thought up of “Mix-it-up” bowls starting from an ingredient I wanted to try: pearled barley. As most of you know I’m trying to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself with new ingredients, especially grains, which I have always avoided because of my fear of carbs.

Anyway, I used it as an interesting substitute for pasta in my Barley alla Carbonara, and after that I had tons of leftover barley! I had no idea how to use pearled barley in a dish, having never had tried it before except in soups. But I thought it was sort of like a plumped-up, chewier version of rice, so I began thinking of how I might use rice in my cooking. The result was my first ever “Mix-it-up” bowl, Beans-and-squash Barley Pilaf with Coconut.

It was so fast and easy and delicious, and I could see this as a solution to using up leftovers, perfect for one-person meals, and also great for busy cooks! I wanted to share this with others in a way so that they did not need to refer to a rigid recipe and can adjust it to their own personal taste, so I broke it down into simple components, making it open for all sorts of creative variations!

Of course, I became my own biggest fan and have been coming up with many different versions of this dish. I actually wrote out a whole list of ideas I want to try, and am ticking each one of as I go! So far, I have not had any disappointments. They were all fabulous in their own way!

I did make a few personal changes to my basic “Mix-it-up” bowl recipe, though. I liked the combination of barley, beans, and winter squash so much that they became my base component instead of just barley. But the sky’s the limit here, so you can use any of your favorite grain.

Enough with self-advertising. I would be so happy if you guys tried it out for yourself, and share your creation with me! (The fabulous Kiki did!) I am always open to new ideas and suggestions. If I make it to 50 different variations of this “Mix-it-up” bowl, I’m gonna have to call for a celebration, so please help me make it happen!

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And now, my dear blogger-friends, I’m gonna leave you with this totally unrelated question of the day: What is your favorite TV  show (excluding reality TV)?

Mine is: Gilmore Girls, woo-hoo!! Gotta love those mother-daugther fast and witty glibs and banters. But Gossip Girl, Ugly Betty, Lost, Heroes, and Grey’s Anatomy come a close second.

It’s the weekends, guys! Have a great relaxing, delicious weekend! And thanks once again for you lovely comments! You guys ROCK my SOCKS!