May all be well
Namaste
Monday, December 31, 2007
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Taj Minar: Indian Restaurant and Bar in Davao
Doing my favorite past time here in the desert... that's getting lost in cyberspace... I came across the Taj Minar website... an Indian Restaurant and Bar in Davao City. It was just a shame that I was only able to know about this place now that I'm back in Riyadh. Will make sure to visit the place in July. It might be a good place to start promoting ashtanga yoga in Davao.
Ciambotta (Southern Italian Vegetable Stew)
A Dr. Weil recipe which sounds delicious for the cold weather.
I'm wishing to have more vegetable stew and soups this wintertime so I'm gathering everything that sound delicous and easy to prepare. My friend Ces suggested that I should bring a small slow cooker to Riyadh but with my disorganized mind, I ended up not buying one. I already saw a unit that I liked at one of those appliance shops in Trinoma, but guess what? I'm already back in the desert and will end up preparing the stew and soups the old fashion way. Both are easy to prepare and I'm just looking for an even easier way to prepare it and Ces suggested the slow cooker. Oh well... maybe next time.
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Description
This vegetable-laden stew makes a delicious dinner with crusty bread. When reduced just a bit, it could also make a hearty pasta sauce.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoons good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
a large handful of fresh basil, stems removed, chopped
1 lb. ripe plum tomatoes, passed through a manual food mill, or peeled and chopped finely in the food processor (or use a 14-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and processed)
3/4 lb. new potatoes, or any waxy potato, scrubbed and cut into 1x2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 large or 2 small sweet red or yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1x2-inch strips
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Toss the eggplant cubes in a colander with 2 teaspoons salt. Let it sit in the sink until it starts to sweat out the bitter juices.Rinse them, drain, them and pat dry, squeezing a little.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery. Stir-cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, adding a little water as necessary to prevent sticking and burning. Add the basil and stir-cook for a minutes, then add the tomatoes. When it comes to a simmer, add the eggplant, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir, bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and simmer 15 minutes more, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
3. Taste for salt and pepper, transfer to a warm serving bowl, and allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.
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For more healthy recipes, visit Dr. Weil's website here.
I'm wishing to have more vegetable stew and soups this wintertime so I'm gathering everything that sound delicous and easy to prepare. My friend Ces suggested that I should bring a small slow cooker to Riyadh but with my disorganized mind, I ended up not buying one. I already saw a unit that I liked at one of those appliance shops in Trinoma, but guess what? I'm already back in the desert and will end up preparing the stew and soups the old fashion way. Both are easy to prepare and I'm just looking for an even easier way to prepare it and Ces suggested the slow cooker. Oh well... maybe next time.
=========
Description
This vegetable-laden stew makes a delicious dinner with crusty bread. When reduced just a bit, it could also make a hearty pasta sauce.
Ingredients
1/2 lb. eggplant, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoons good, fruity extra-virgin olive oil1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
a large handful of fresh basil, stems removed, chopped
1 lb. ripe plum tomatoes, passed through a manual food mill, or peeled and chopped finely in the food processor (or use a 14-oz. can Italian plum tomatoes, drained and processed)
3/4 lb. new potatoes, or any waxy potato, scrubbed and cut into 1x2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 large or 2 small sweet red or yellow peppers, seeded and cut into 1x2-inch strips
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Toss the eggplant cubes in a colander with 2 teaspoons salt. Let it sit in the sink until it starts to sweat out the bitter juices.Rinse them, drain, them and pat dry, squeezing a little.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the onion, garlic, and celery. Stir-cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, adding a little water as necessary to prevent sticking and burning. Add the basil and stir-cook for a minutes, then add the tomatoes. When it comes to a simmer, add the eggplant, potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir, bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and simmer 15 minutes more, or until all of the vegetables are tender.
3. Taste for salt and pepper, transfer to a warm serving bowl, and allow to stand 15 minutes before serving.
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For more healthy recipes, visit Dr. Weil's website here.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Hallelujah Diet
The title caught my eyes... I was browsing through yahoo and found this. I'm not about to adopt this diet but thought it's interesting enough to post here.
The promoter of this diet is Rev. George Malkmus, a 70+ year-old Fundamentalist Christian minister who is popular not because of his approach to the scripture but his diet.
His working philosophy is from Genesis 1:29 "then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
Typical meal consists of a teaspoon of powder called barley max, raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. I became very skeptical after hearing the barley max powder... thought it's another one of those Western commercialization schemes.
Followers of this Bible-based diet proclaim its positive effects on their health but nutrition experts say these anecdotal claims are dificult to prove.
Prof. Cheryl Rock from the Univ. of California San Diego co-authored a study on breast cancer patients who ate heaping amounts of fruits and vegetables and found that they did not enjoy better outcome. She finds the Halleluyah diet too extreme, difficult to maintain, and lacks protein. It is also too risky in terms of meeting all nutritional needs.
I haven't read everything in the Hallelujah Acres' website and I only based this blog on what I saw in the Yahoo Health Video (was trying to link it here but couldn't find the url... you can probably search it in yahoo if you want to view it). Click here if you want to download the free 12-lesson course on Biblical Nutrition.
The promoter of this diet is Rev. George Malkmus, a 70+ year-old Fundamentalist Christian minister who is popular not because of his approach to the scripture but his diet.
His working philosophy is from Genesis 1:29 "then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."
Typical meal consists of a teaspoon of powder called barley max, raw fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. I became very skeptical after hearing the barley max powder... thought it's another one of those Western commercialization schemes.
Followers of this Bible-based diet proclaim its positive effects on their health but nutrition experts say these anecdotal claims are dificult to prove.
Prof. Cheryl Rock from the Univ. of California San Diego co-authored a study on breast cancer patients who ate heaping amounts of fruits and vegetables and found that they did not enjoy better outcome. She finds the Halleluyah diet too extreme, difficult to maintain, and lacks protein. It is also too risky in terms of meeting all nutritional needs.
I haven't read everything in the Hallelujah Acres' website and I only based this blog on what I saw in the Yahoo Health Video (was trying to link it here but couldn't find the url... you can probably search it in yahoo if you want to view it). Click here if you want to download the free 12-lesson course on Biblical Nutrition.
Back in the Desert
I'm back in Riyadh... survived a long flight from Manila... 1.5 hours from Manila to Hongkong... 4 hours transit... 8 hours 45 min flight from Hongkong to Bahrain... 1.5 hours transit... and 57 minutes flight from Bahrain to Riyadh. It was long... but bearable. The inflight entertainment wasn't as good as Emirates and Etihad but at least service was great. Will post more about what happened in the last 2 weeks later. Got to go to my volleyball class now.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Depressed and Anxious
At the Davao International Airport at the moment waiting for my Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila. My high school buddy drove me to the airport and the conversation about business and earning money as much as you can while you're still young was agonizing. Teaching in the academe and trying to live a simple, yogic life at the same time, conversations centered on money had always made me really uncomfortable. Makes me think twice if leaving the job in Saudi at the middle of 2008 will be a wise decision... but I know what I want and I guess I just have to focus on my path... guess that's also the reason why it had been recommended to surround one's self with like minded people.... or else, you'll get sucked into the conventional consciousness of most people.
Many things happened... food-wise, there was too much garlic in the diet which of course, energetically speaking, could lead to this present feeling of anxiety. Glad it was only one day thought that I had to get drowned into the "spirit" of alcohol. Great wine from Australia, I should say.
Will probably have more time to reflect on these things once I get back to the desert. For the meantime, I wish everyone well.
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.
Many things happened... food-wise, there was too much garlic in the diet which of course, energetically speaking, could lead to this present feeling of anxiety. Glad it was only one day thought that I had to get drowned into the "spirit" of alcohol. Great wine from Australia, I should say.
Will probably have more time to reflect on these things once I get back to the desert. For the meantime, I wish everyone well.
Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
PETA NAMES THE BEST OF 2007
Got this from RJ Ledesma through the Sai Shanti Yoga E-group. Just reposting it here.
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PETA NAMES THE BEST OF 2007
From Chimara's Faux Beef to Starbucks' Soy Latte to The Farm Restaurant in Batangas, Filipinos Are Helping to Fuel the Compassion Revolution
Manila — No matter where you go these days, you'll find that more and more people are demanding healthy, humane, and environmentally friendly vegan and vegetarian options. And nowhere is the trend more evident than in the Philippines , which is why People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia-Pacific (PETA) combed the country to find the best of the best of everything vegetarian in the Philippines for 2007. The results are in and include the following:
· Best Vegan Sandwich : Chimara's Sweet Chili "Beef" Pita Romana
Even hard-core meat-eaters lick their chops at the thought of this meal-in-a-pita—juicy mock-beef served with fresh tomatoes, corn, and lots of fresh, spicy salsa.
· Best Dairy-Free Ice Cream: Soy Gelato at Pazzo in the Rockwell Mall
Pazzo's gelato is available in vanilla, chocolate, and chocolate-chunk flavors. All varieties are lactose-free, so they're a good choice for Filipinos—about 90 percent of Filipinos are lactose-intolerant.
· Best Vegetarian Grocer: Healthy Options
Featuring everything from veggie burgers and dairy-free ice cream to cosmetics and household products that aren't tested on animals, Healthy Options is the place to go for all your vegetarian and cruelty-free shopping.
· Best Vegetarian Appetizer: Queens Restaurant's Mock-Chicken Satay
You'll feel like royalty after your first taste of Queens ' succulent vegetarian meat chunks smothered in peanut sauce.
· Best Vegan Dessert: Chocolate Cake at Greens Café
The most chocolaty-chocolate cake in the land—bar none!
· Best Vegetarian Restaurant: The Farm in Batangas
The Farm is as unique a restaurant as you'll find anywhere, offering an extensive "raw" lunch and dinner buffet. The fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds are cooked at low temperatures in order to preserve all of their natural flavors and nutrition. Specialties including creamy yet dairy-free pastas, rich soups, tangy stir-fries, and fresh salads blanket the buffet tables. The lentil and walnut pâté—served with toasted-coconut crackers—is not to be missed.
· Best Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurant: Queens
Although it also serves nonvegetarian food, Queens offers a 16-page menu with an astounding 80 vegetarian dishes inspired by the cuisines of India, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and other Asian nations. PETA's favorites include the vegetarian-chicken satay, the gado-gado traditional Indonesian salad, tofu with fresh chili, and the perfectly spiced curry-vegetable pizza.
· Best Soymilk: Silk
Silk is available at many locations, including Rustan's Taste, SM supermarkets, and Landmark.
· Best Soy Latte: Starbucks
· Best Affordable Vegetarian Food: Bodhi
Pure and simple, Bodhi's mock-meats have it all over the "real thing."
· Best Vegetarian Indian Food: Prince of Jaipur
One taste of the lentil dahl says it all!
· Best Vegetarian Thai Food: People's Palace
PETA recommends the tofu red curry, the Som Tam, and the pomelo salad.
· Best Vegetarian Japanese Food: Red Kimono
Just ask for the meat- and egg-free menu at Red Kimono and you're all set. The best of the best includes the spinach layered with tofu and miso paste; homemade vegan mayonnaise swirled over the kyuri kani salad; vegetarian maki (which tastes like sushi); and for dessert, banana katsu with chocolate sauce (hold the ice cream).
· Best Vegetarian Chinese Food: Happy Veggie
Located in the heart of Manila 's Chinatown , Happy Veggie serves authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine with enough mock-meat dishes to satisfy any meat-eater.
· Best book: Skinny Bitch
Written by a former model and a former agent for a top U.S. modeling agency, Skinny Bitch uses an in-your-face approach to promote a healthy vegan diets as the best way to stay slim and fit and to help stop animal suffering at the same time.
"When it comes to delicious foods that are also kind to animals, your health, and the Earth, the Philippines doesn't take a back seat to anyone," says PETA Director Jason Baker . "With all the delicious meat- and dairy-free foods now available, there has never been a better time to go vegetarian."
A Locations and contact information for PETA's best of 2007 winners:
· Chimara: Level 4, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center , Makati City ; (02) 757-
5652; Level 1, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City ; (02) 556-0809
· Pazzo: Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive , Corner of Estrella Street , Rockwell
Center, Makati , (02) 756-5011
· Healthy Options: HealthyOptions.com.ph
· Queens Restaurant: 146 Jupiter St. , Makati ; (02) 895-1316
· Greens Café: 20-A Scout Tuazon Corner Scout Castor, South Triangle, Quezon City ; (02) 410-2440
· The Farm (Batangas): TheFarm.com.ph
· Silk soymilk: Available at Rustan's Taste, SM supermarkets, and Landmark
· Starbucks: Starbucks.com
· Bodhi: SM Cubao, SM North EDSA , SM Megamall, SM South Mall, SM
City Manila , SM Makati
· Prince of Jaipur: Unit E, The Fort Strip , Bonifacio Drive , Bonifacio Global
City, Taguig; (02) 911-1204
· People's Palace: PeoplesPalaceThai.com
· Red Kimono: www.redkimono.com.ph
· Happy Veggie: ( 958 G. Masangkay St. ; (2) 245-9257
· Skinny Bitch (book): SkinnyBitch.net, also available at Powerbooks,
National Bookstore, and Fully Booked
For more information please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.
Anna and Baby Sigge
Received this from Anna a couple of days ago. As mentioned in the previous posts, I just arrived in Davao and it is only now that I'm able to check my mails and post updates. Anna was my batch mate during the Yoga Thailand teacher training intensive last July. It was great to have her in our batch because we were able to have a session on prenatal yoga and were able to discuss modifications which are also applicable to "big" people.
Davao
I'm in Davao right now and just finished dinner. Law-uy, a Visayan vegetable soup with kalkag (small dried shrimps - tasty but very mucus forming so hello vaman tomorrow morning), stir fried cabbage with bokchoy and cashews, grilled tuna tail (a Davao delicacy - tried to resist but... the stomach feels really heavy at the moment).
Father and I drove 5 hours from Cagayan de Oro City to Davao, but before that I took a 2 hour ride from Iligan City to CDO. Had an Intro to Ashtanga workshop in Iligan for 2 days and was glad that it was well received. Will probably return there in July for a full week workshop. Got very few photos but will post them soon.
It has been a journey... literally and emotionally. Will blog about this next time. Will spend time with my family tonight.
Whoever is reading this... may you be well.
Namaste.
Father and I drove 5 hours from Cagayan de Oro City to Davao, but before that I took a 2 hour ride from Iligan City to CDO. Had an Intro to Ashtanga workshop in Iligan for 2 days and was glad that it was well received. Will probably return there in July for a full week workshop. Got very few photos but will post them soon.
It has been a journey... literally and emotionally. Will blog about this next time. Will spend time with my family tonight.
Whoever is reading this... may you be well.
Namaste.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Come Fly with Me
Breakfast was good. Porridge with muesli and cardamom milk.... yeah, they have cardamom-flavored evaporated milk in the market. Making chai is even easier with this but it doesn't taste as good compared to chai made with freshly prepared spices.
Nuke 4 tbsp oats in 1.5 cups water. Add one cup of muesli, 1 tbsp brown sugar and pour in the milk. I use fresh milk sometimes instead of water in preparing the porridge but I used only what's left in my cupboard and fridge.
Will be flying out at midnight. Have to be at the airport early as the airport can be very busy during this time of the year. Can't wait to be on that plane.
Lunch will probably be salad, humus and bread again. Will resume preparing hot meals when I come back after the Eid. Dinner later should be good though as I still have some pumpkin and broccoli left. Thai stir fry again, probably.
Cheers.
Nuke 4 tbsp oats in 1.5 cups water. Add one cup of muesli, 1 tbsp brown sugar and pour in the milk. I use fresh milk sometimes instead of water in preparing the porridge but I used only what's left in my cupboard and fridge.
Will be flying out at midnight. Have to be at the airport early as the airport can be very busy during this time of the year. Can't wait to be on that plane.
Lunch will probably be salad, humus and bread again. Will resume preparing hot meals when I come back after the Eid. Dinner later should be good though as I still have some pumpkin and broccoli left. Thai stir fry again, probably.
Cheers.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Stomach Too Full for Asanas
Mar & Ruby, Mark & I had some pasta and pizza at the Pizza Company before heading home this afternoon. It's our last full day in Riyadh before Mark and I fly tomorrow night for Manila.
I'm supposed to do asanas this afternoon but the stomach is still too full to begin practice... plus, I've asked Mar to accompany me to Mamfwa, where they sell original perfumes for 20-50 riyals cheaper compared to the retail shops. Realized I still don't have any Christmas presents for my family so decided to do some last minute shopping tonight before I do my final packing.
Breakfast was good... the usual... muesli with laban and coffee...
Lunch was so-so... mozarella cheese sandwhich with cucumber, salad bowl, humus and Arabic bread. Had another cup of coffee at the office and also a cup of tea a few hours after.
Have to start packing now or I'll be panicking tomorrow.
Cheers.
I'm supposed to do asanas this afternoon but the stomach is still too full to begin practice... plus, I've asked Mar to accompany me to Mamfwa, where they sell original perfumes for 20-50 riyals cheaper compared to the retail shops. Realized I still don't have any Christmas presents for my family so decided to do some last minute shopping tonight before I do my final packing.
Breakfast was good... the usual... muesli with laban and coffee...
Lunch was so-so... mozarella cheese sandwhich with cucumber, salad bowl, humus and Arabic bread. Had another cup of coffee at the office and also a cup of tea a few hours after.
Have to start packing now or I'll be panicking tomorrow.
Cheers.
Monday, December 10, 2007
When will I ever learn?
As expected, the stomach was heavy with mucus this morning. Thought I could let it go and just do my pranayama without doing vaman but it didn't feel quite right so I proceeded with the ritual. Got to use the new travel kettle to boil water.
No asanas today since it's my official rest day. Thursday and Wednesday are the official weekends in this part of the world and I start late on Saturdays so there's asana practice for those days, plus Sundays, I practice with a group at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the afternoon. Monday is mid-week, so...
Breakfast was good. The usual minus the banana as I've been lazy... yeah... really lazy to get some bananas from Othaim which is only about 3-5 minutes walk from where I live. I told you, it's too much of a task already as the mind is already on that plane home.
Lunch was ok. Some cheese pizza and salad from the cafeteria.
Went to the Philippine Oversease Labor Office to get my OEC (overseas employment certificate) that will exempt me from paying the travel tax on my way back here.
Had a donut and a cup of tea upon returning to the office. Now, just chilling out and waiting to open the Health Club at 6:00pm.
Four Ways to Eat Healthily this Holiday Season
- Plan your day.
- Be aware of the nutritional values of different foods.
- Watch your alcohol consumption.
- Portion out your foods.
Read the full article from Dr. Weil here.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Good Dinner
After the pathetic lunch of instant noodles, I went to the cafeteria to get a salad plate and bread to offset the guilt that I felt after eating that junk.
Went home at 3:30pm and decided to practice even though the moon phase calculator said it's new moon today. The calendar I got from ashtanga.com said yesterday was the new moon so I took the rest yesterday. Guess it's just about a balance between following tradition and listening to the body.
Prepared my favorite Thai pumpkin with egg stir fry. Felt satisfied and grateful to have a wonderful meal tonight. Had toasted bread with soft halva and coco jam for dessert, and a glass of mixed berry juice.
Went home at 3:30pm and decided to practice even though the moon phase calculator said it's new moon today. The calendar I got from ashtanga.com said yesterday was the new moon so I took the rest yesterday. Guess it's just about a balance between following tradition and listening to the body.
Prepared my favorite Thai pumpkin with egg stir fry. Felt satisfied and grateful to have a wonderful meal tonight. Had toasted bread with soft halva and coco jam for dessert, and a glass of mixed berry juice.
Oriental Vegetarian Meals
Just called the Cathay Pacific office here in Riyadh and requested a vegetarian meal for my flight this Thursday. Learned my lesson the last time I flew with Etihad.
Since relocating here in Riyadh in March 2006, I've flown 5 times already, once with Saudia, and twice each with Etihad and Emirates. They usually had some vegetarian or fish options in their menu so I didn't use to bother calling to request special meals in advanced. However, on my way back to Riyadh via Etihad last summer, they only had chicken and beef. I politely asked the flight attendant if they had some other options but she just said no. She's not really one of the nicest FA's I've met... but that's another story. After that, I've flown with Emirates and requested special meals in advanced.
Found this link on Airline Vegetarian Meals. The Cathay Pacific agent who took my request asked which type of vegetarian meals did I want. He mentioned two, the first one I didn't hear clearly and the 2nd one was Oriental vegetarian, so I opted for that one.
I'm having some instant Thai noodles for lunch. Garbage, I know...
Cheers.
Since relocating here in Riyadh in March 2006, I've flown 5 times already, once with Saudia, and twice each with Etihad and Emirates. They usually had some vegetarian or fish options in their menu so I didn't use to bother calling to request special meals in advanced. However, on my way back to Riyadh via Etihad last summer, they only had chicken and beef. I politely asked the flight attendant if they had some other options but she just said no. She's not really one of the nicest FA's I've met... but that's another story. After that, I've flown with Emirates and requested special meals in advanced.
Found this link on Airline Vegetarian Meals. The Cathay Pacific agent who took my request asked which type of vegetarian meals did I want. He mentioned two, the first one I didn't hear clearly and the 2nd one was Oriental vegetarian, so I opted for that one.
I'm having some instant Thai noodles for lunch. Garbage, I know...
Cheers.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Vegetable Chowder
Had this for dinner last night... and now for lunch. I didn't puree it last night as the recipe didn't call for it... decided to puree it for lunch though just to have that feel that I'm having something different... yeah... who am I kidding?INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, chopped.
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped.
2 medium sized potatoes, cubed
1 medium can sweet corn cream-style.
1 vegetable stock cube
500ml water
2 tbsp olive oil
INSTRUCTION
Fry the onion and red bell pepper in the olive oil for about 5 minutes or until soft. Dump everything in... and wait for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Creamy Mushroom Soup by Richard Phillips
I'm preparing this now... just had 2 fruit bowls after practice and now I'm starving. Was planning of having corn chowder using the recipe at the back of the Kallo veggie stock that Maria sent me but I don't have some of the ingredients. It's so much of a task to go to Othaim... I'm a lazy ashtangi until I get to that plane.
======================Ingredients
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 large mushroom, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled
30g/1oz butter
½ large potato, peeled and chopped
150ml/5fl oz water
½ chicken or vegetable stock cube
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp double cream
1. Place the chopped onion and mushroom into a small food processor with the garlic and blend together.
2. Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and mushroom mixture and fry for a few minutes. Add the potato, water, stock cube and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for ten minutes.
3. Add the cream and pour into a bowl to serve immediately.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
7 More Days
7 more days and I'll be flying home... looking forward to going home that cooking becomes so much of a task... think I've said this in my last entry.
Breakfast was good... fruit bowl (kiwi, strawberries and banana)... porridge with milk and coco sugar... and a cup of hot milk chocolate... Wednesday is a "free" day for me so basically did nothing but get lost in cyberspace.
At about 10am, Marshal offered me a cup of coffee... Nescafe 3-in-1... sh*t according to my Aussie uncles... then received the overtime check from Hossam so Mar and I headed to the bank to have it encashed. Went to the cafeteria to get some salad, humus and Arabic bread... to make sure the stomach is already full before the Pinoy lunch courtesy of Sir Tony and JR. It has been our custom here to bring food for everyone... well at least for all the Filipinos here... if it's your birthday. Pakain as we say it.
The food? KFC fried chicken, palabok with I-don't-wanna-ask-as-I-had-some (maybe I'll do vaman tomorrow), and stir fried broccoli with ground beef and shrimp. Sir Tony asked me to taste the broccoli as he prepared it but I said no for an obvious reason. He said to just take away the beef... I jokingly said, "but the spirit of the cow is already in the broccoli".
So that's what I usually do now whenever there's a gathering among the Pinoys here at the University. I eat first before I join them so I can just pick whatever I can eat from the table and not offend them. They have been very considerate actually but still need to be educated more about vegetarianism. For them, it's just another diet plan for you to maintain your weight or lose some body fats. Sometimes, I tell them that I'm a "Hindu-Muslim"... I don't eat pork nor beef... I still have to find a religion that doesn't eat chicken so I can have an excuse for saying no to the bird as well... at least now there's bird flu threatening the Kingdom so I can use that as an excuse for now.
Breakfast was good... fruit bowl (kiwi, strawberries and banana)... porridge with milk and coco sugar... and a cup of hot milk chocolate... Wednesday is a "free" day for me so basically did nothing but get lost in cyberspace.
At about 10am, Marshal offered me a cup of coffee... Nescafe 3-in-1... sh*t according to my Aussie uncles... then received the overtime check from Hossam so Mar and I headed to the bank to have it encashed. Went to the cafeteria to get some salad, humus and Arabic bread... to make sure the stomach is already full before the Pinoy lunch courtesy of Sir Tony and JR. It has been our custom here to bring food for everyone... well at least for all the Filipinos here... if it's your birthday. Pakain as we say it.
The food? KFC fried chicken, palabok with I-don't-wanna-ask-as-I-had-some (maybe I'll do vaman tomorrow), and stir fried broccoli with ground beef and shrimp. Sir Tony asked me to taste the broccoli as he prepared it but I said no for an obvious reason. He said to just take away the beef... I jokingly said, "but the spirit of the cow is already in the broccoli".
So that's what I usually do now whenever there's a gathering among the Pinoys here at the University. I eat first before I join them so I can just pick whatever I can eat from the table and not offend them. They have been very considerate actually but still need to be educated more about vegetarianism. For them, it's just another diet plan for you to maintain your weight or lose some body fats. Sometimes, I tell them that I'm a "Hindu-Muslim"... I don't eat pork nor beef... I still have to find a religion that doesn't eat chicken so I can have an excuse for saying no to the bird as well... at least now there's bird flu threatening the Kingdom so I can use that as an excuse for now.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Lazy, Lazy, Lazy
Ate one of the 3 chocolates that Maria sent me after practice early this evening. Jen & Ver came to visit Mar & Ruby so thought of sharing the chocolates with them as they just had dinner... "for dessert", I said.
As usual, got lazy cooking something fresh so just had 2 slices of toasted wheat bread with cheese and a simple tomato salad for dinner.
Thinking so much about going home that preparing meals becomes so much of a task. 8 more days and I will be on my way back home.
Lunch was salad and Arabic bread from the University cafeteria so at least I had something fresh and wholesome today.
Time to sleep now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
As usual, got lazy cooking something fresh so just had 2 slices of toasted wheat bread with cheese and a simple tomato salad for dinner.
Thinking so much about going home that preparing meals becomes so much of a task. 8 more days and I will be on my way back home.
Lunch was salad and Arabic bread from the University cafeteria so at least I had something fresh and wholesome today.
Time to sleep now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Smothered Tempeh Sandwich
Found this recipe here. I think I'll make this this weekend. Haven't been to the Indonesian store where I buy tofu and tempeh lately. The nutty taste is really wonderful specially when fried.
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Makes 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1 8-ounce package tempeh
1 tablespoon canola oil
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry red wine (will need to find a replacement for this though)
4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
8 thin slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
Cut tempeh in half widthwise, then slice each piece horizontally to make 4 thin slices total.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in wine. Add tempeh slices and spoon some of the mushroom mixture over them; cook until the tempeh is heated through and the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, top with cheese, cover and let stand until the cheese melts, about 1 1/2 minutes.
To assemble sandwiches, divide the tempeh among half the toasted bread. Top with the mushroom mixture and the remaining toasted bread. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 452 calories; 19 g fat (6 g sat, 7 g mono); 20 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 5 g fiber; 595 mg sodium; 596 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Calcium (35% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Magnesium & Potassium (17% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Servings. Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 high fat meat.
======================================
Makes 4 servings
ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy
1 8-ounce package tempeh
1 tablespoon canola oil
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry red wine (will need to find a replacement for this though)
4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
8 thin slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
Cut tempeh in half widthwise, then slice each piece horizontally to make 4 thin slices total.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and salt and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and stir in wine. Add tempeh slices and spoon some of the mushroom mixture over them; cook until the tempeh is heated through and the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, top with cheese, cover and let stand until the cheese melts, about 1 1/2 minutes.
To assemble sandwiches, divide the tempeh among half the toasted bread. Top with the mushroom mixture and the remaining toasted bread. Serve immediately.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 452 calories; 19 g fat (6 g sat, 7 g mono); 20 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 5 g fiber; 595 mg sodium; 596 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Calcium (35% daily value), Iron (20% dv), Magnesium & Potassium (17% dv).
2 Carbohydrate Servings. Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 high fat meat.
Early Christmas Presents from Ireland
Irish Organic Cookies... gone in 20 minutes
Saving this up for dessert this weekend.
Will prepare a nice dinner and have this and coffee for dessert.
Organic Veggie Stocks
Monday, December 3, 2007
A Package from Ireland
I received Maria's presents today. Organic cookies, organic vegetable stock cubes, chocolates and a Christmas card. The cookies were crumbled though. The Saudi post must have checked if there are illegal stuffs in the package... I've heard a lot of story about how stringent they can be but I guess they have loosen up a bit already.
When I first arrived in the Kingdom in March last year, the immigration security officer had to open my luggage and manually check what's inside... my books were browsed for indecent photos and luckily, I didn't bring any cds with me or they would have checked it for inappropriate contents and I'd end up waiting a bit longer. The 2nd time I arrived which was after the 2006 Ramadan break, they started using the x-ray machine and my luggage went through it. I still had to open it though as I had suspicious bottles inside... brought got some bottles of Chinese sesame oil as they are pricey here... the sesame oil they sell at the supermarket is also not as aromatic as the Chinese variety/Lee Kum Kee brand.
Breakfast was porridge this morning and a cup of korean green tea with roasted rice. Lunch is egg sandwich with tomato slices. Starting to get even lazier with cooking now because probably of the excitement of going back home next week. Still got 2 slices of leftover Mediterranean veggie pizza from the Pizza Company early dinner yesterday. Will have those for snack later.
Will be posting the photos of what Maria sent me later.
Cheers.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Food Journal 12-02
Breakfast at 7:00am
Muesli with laban and 1.5 tsp brown sugar
Coffee with 1.5 tsp coco sugar
Lunch at 11:15am
Steamed rice
Tofu & Cabbage Garlic-Basil Stir fry (ate only half of it)
12:30pm
2 pcs dates bar
2 pcs fig bar
tea at 1:00pm
Pizza with Mar and Ruby at 4:30pm
Muesli with laban and 1.5 tsp brown sugar
Coffee with 1.5 tsp coco sugar
Lunch at 11:15am
Steamed rice
Tofu & Cabbage Garlic-Basil Stir fry (ate only half of it)
12:30pm
2 pcs dates bar
2 pcs fig bar
tea at 1:00pm
Pizza with Mar and Ruby at 4:30pm
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Food Journal 12-01
Breakfast at 7:30am
Muesli, laban + 1 tbsp brown sugar
Coffee at 8:50am
Lunch at 12nn
Tofu & Water Spinach (Kangkong) Stir fry
Steamed rice
Muesli, laban + 1 tbsp brown sugar
Coffee at 8:50am
Lunch at 12nn
Tofu & Water Spinach (Kangkong) Stir fry
Steamed rice
2 pcs Swedish Chocolate Balls at 2pm
Coffee at 3:30pm
3 pcs Hershey's Reese's Cups
Dinner at 6pm
1 large Felafel sandwich
Coffee at 3:30pm
3 pcs Hershey's Reese's Cups
Dinner at 6pm
1 large Felafel sandwich
Dorset Muesli
My usual breakfast.1 cup with sliced bananas, 1 -2 tsp of brown sugar, 2-3 cups of laban (a Middle Eastern thick yoghurt drink) and you have enough energy to last the entire day. It's a bit pricey though. The one pictured above is the cheapest variety and it costs US$4.30 for a 500g box. For a middle class overseas Filipino worker like me, this is already an indulgence. But it tastes really good and it's packed with nutrients. One box lasts for a week or two so it isn't really as expensive as one might think.
This "simply delicious" variety has oat flakes, barley flake, wheat flakes, sultanas, raisins, Chilean flame raisins, toasted and malted wheat flakes, sunflower seeds, dates, Brazil nuts, and whole roasted hazelnuts.
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