Friday, January 30, 2009

lentil tofu broccoli stew for lunch


I had a bit of time in the afternoon and I knew I was going to have yogurt for dinner (fast and painless). Since there's some left over lentil in my fridge, I decided to make a lentil, tofu, and broccoli stew. In this concoction, I also added some cayenne pepper for a nice spicy kick, black pepper, garlic, some scallions and riped cilantro and carrots. Then to really pump up the protein content, I also added some chickpeas, which I soaked from scratch! =) Anyway, you tell me if this looks appetiting or not, but it tasted good!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Creative webpage for individualized vegetarian meatloaf


I can get pretty lazy when it comes to cooking sometimes. When you're tired, you just want to make something simple and easy (aka yogurt with museli for moi). I had a chance to eat a vegan meatloaf at a hippy vegetarian restaraunt last month and I felt in love with the idea of a meatless 'meatloaf'. I wanted to omit eggs and breadcrumbs, instead, wished to incorporate whole grains and beans instead. I was researching on the Internet and came across this amazing webpage where you select the ingredients you want in your meatloaf and it comes out with all the measurement for you! Granted that this 'personalized' recipe has never been tested before, but having a blueprint to design your own recipe is pretty cool to me and I can experiment with it anyway I want! So check it out. I might try to make one this weekend and will post if I do. :) But here's a picture for you feast on for now.

Let me know if you decided to make one too!


Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Wheatberries


Lately, I've been obsessed with wheatberries. Ever since I found the miracle of a pressure cooker, I can make whatever grains I like without watching the stove 24/7. Now, I can use raw beans instead of canned beans, whole grains instead of instant kinds and make fresh congee (rice porridge)! I love to add wheatberries into my steel-cut oatmeal. I love the nuttiness and the bite to them. I like to avoid a creamy oatmeal and prefer a chewier one. Yes, I like to chew my meal, so no mushy food for me. :) Definitely give wheatberries a try. They keep the oatmeal interesting and you can throw some in your salad, chili, or yogurt to round out your basic food groups!
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/4 cup (46 g)
Nutrient Amount %DV
Calories 160 Calories from Fat 5 Total Fat 1 g 1% Sodium 0 mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 35 g 12% Dietary Fiber 6 g 23% Protein 5 g Iron 10%
Basic cooking instructions: Add 1 cup grain to 3 cups boiling water. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for approximately 2 hours (50-60 minutes if presoaked).

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Happy Lunar New Year


Happy Lunar New Year everyone! It's tomorrow (Monday) according to the lunar calendar and it's going to be the year of the ox. I'm excited because I'll be driving to a Buddhist temple with my mom to celebrate this special day. I'm sure it's going to be packed with worshippers, but it's all about the festivity, right?


Check out this website to discover YOUR zodiac sign and see what your luck and aspirations will be this year. :)



The Power of Herbs


Herbs - any part of a plant used for culinary, medicinal, or spiritual usage. But here, like talk about the culinary usage. Walking down the supermarket aisle or at your local greenmarket, there are so many varieties of herbs - basil, rosemary, cliantro, mint, sage...Some are bitter, sweet, or tart. We can use herbs for marinating food to bring out natural flavors (calorie free!) and they also have nutritional values that are often overlooked. Depending on the herb, some should be added towards the end of the cooking process (like basil) because they wilt quite quickly, whereas others should be added early, such as woodsy herbs like rosemary. My favorite herb is cliantro, which can be found in many Asian cooking. What's yours? :)

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Afternoon munchies

Eeek! Even with eating a substantial lunch, I always get the mid-afternoon munchies. I try not to overdo it and I try to incorporate protein (for sustaining power), carb (sense of filling) and veggies (fiber) together. Do you succumb to your afternoon munchies (if you have one) or do other things/activities to distract yourself?

Friday, January 23, 2009

Breakfast and Lunch Coupons




I live up to my words. Using coupons is a wonderful way to save some money (especially for struggling students like me :P). So...I've scanned through my coupon organizer (yes, I do keep a small envelope for my paper money) and came up with two sets of coupon that I would like to send out to my fellow bloggers. One I called the "breakfast coupon set". This includes: 55 cents off any Barbara's cereals; $1 off any 2 Living Harvest Hempmilks, $1 off any ten Dannon single serve cups and $1 off any 2 POST cereals. The other is the "lunch coupon set". This includes: THREE 35 cents off any Tribe's Hummus; 75 cents off any Earthbound farm salad and $1 off any 2 Earthbound farm products.

All you have to do is leave a comment as to which set and why you need these coupons (remember, I don't require any S&H :P) and if you have a blog, just mention this little gift giving. Just trying to pay it forward and hope others would have better use of these coupons. :)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Recession-proof eating

No doubt we're in the middle of a recession, so disposable expenses are limited. Some people may cutback on clothing spending, others on their daily lattes, driving less, but the worst thought is to rely a diet on fast food. NO! Don't do it! Despite a tight budget and not being able to dine out frequently (which isn't always healthy anyway), do take some time to figure out a plan to spend less yet still keep a healthy diet. Here are some of my ideas. Please feel free to suggest yours as well!

1) BUY IN BULK

Beans are cheap, pack with proteins and very filling. I used to reply a lot on canned beans, but I've a pressure cooker, so why not buy the dried beans and make my own dishes? Besides, making them from scratch has a better texture and flavor. So instead of buying canned beans, go to a local store and buy in bulk and stretch out the dollar value.

2) USE COUPONS

Don't be ashamed to use coupon in the supermarket. Very cents add up. Clip them when you find the products you wish to purchase and store the coupon in a neat envelope or an organizer. So the next time you go grocery shopping, just bring it along so you can use the coupons!

3) FORGO THE CAFFEINE

No, you don't HAVE to give up caffeine all together, just don't buy your daily coffee from a gourmet cafe everyday. Instead, buy an insulated mug and make your own coffee at home and bring it along with you on your daily commute to work or school. Hypothetically, a cup of fancy coffee costs $3, so 5 weekdays would be $15 and a month would be $60!

4) DON'T FORSAKEN ORGANIC

A little goes a long way. It's still important to buy organic foods, just pick and choose. There are some fruits that don't 'need' to be organic, such as bananas and oranges. But for fruits and vegetarians that are often consumed with the skin on, it's worth it to buy the organic version. It's your health, so it's a good investment.

5) EXERCISE

Walking is considered a form of exercise. You don't need an expensive gym membership to stay in shape. There are lots of other inexpensive ways, such as taking the stairs, carrying your groceries in the supermarket, window shopping (YES!), playing with your kids or small cousins, or doing the hoop-la-loop while watching your favorite TV shows. Oh! Recently, a lot of bloggers have been recommending to download some free yoga moves, so that's good too! Remember, workout doesn't always have to be intense. Every little bit helps.

6) COOK AT HOME

Yea, I get too tired to cook every night, but if you make a whole batch on the weekend, you can freeze some for the rest of the week. Some common meals that are freezeable are lasagna, sauces, bread, fruits, rice (don't freeze too long though), beans (cooked) and meat. Cooking can also be therapeutic. The process of chopping up vegetables or feeling your dough is quite relaxing and releases stress. And to know what you put in your food makes you feel healthy and that you've accomplished a great deed.


There are lots more advices out there, so these are just a few. Have in fear. We can stay healthy. Our ancestors never had microwaves and they survived, so we can too! :)

Monday, January 19, 2009

Frozen Yogurt


No, I'm not talking about the ones you buy from the store (like Red Mango or Yolato). I'm talking about just freezing your own yogurt. Then I thaw it till it's slushy, top it with some museli and it's a deliciously healthy snack!


Saturday, January 17, 2009

Free Giveaway #2!

The nice Angela from Oh She Glows has posted another free giveaway for a box of Honest Foods Country Squares!

http://ohsheglows.com

Check it out! Maybe you could be the next winner!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Free Giveaway!

Hey everyone! Check out the free Honest Foods Contest giveaway at www.ohsheglows.com!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

How well do you treat yourself?

I just want to quote Cristin from "Eat Like Me" -

"As busy as we all are I think it is important to always take a little time on the weekend to do something for yourself that makes you feel good. It always helps me to get through another work week if I have something I am looking forward to on the weekend!"

It's really difficult for me to "treat" myself well. Sometimes I feel I'm not "worth" it or I feel guilty because why am I splurging on myself when my mom is out working, especially in this dire economy? I get tired of making my meals everyday and just wanted to 'buy' a meal. While my right brain tells me to just do it - bring your favorite magazine and sit in a restaurant to enjoy a nice lunch, but then my left brain would rationalize the cost of the meal and the money I could be saving instead. This see-saw argument is really stressful. Is it so difficult to love yourself sometimes?

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Beans


As a semi-vegetarian, I'm so glad I love beans! They are a great meat-substitute and provide protein, vitamins, and other nutrients. Now, like most busy people, I also often resort to canned or frozen beans, but actually, if you've a pressure cooker, cooking dried beans is quite easy and the texture and flavor are definitely much better. Don't worry about having lots of leftover. You can easily freeze cooked beans too! I just found that out. Check out this website for more info - http://www.centralbean.com/cooking.htm


Do you have a favorite bean? I love them all, but I think since I'm a hummus addict, chickpeas are probably my stable, but when I make sweet bean soup (yes! beans can be made into desserts too!), I like to use azuki beans (red beans), mung beans, and black-eyed peas. Though just name any bean, I would still love it. Luckily, my gastro system can take the ahem ahem, gas, so I've no need for Beano. :)