December 3, 2009

Squeezed and spoiled!

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That’s how I felt after meeting with my advisors yesterday! Ekk…. these people know how to squeeze me to the edge :? But in a good way, I don’t blame them and I would probably thank them in the future. :)

Okay. Now to the spoiled part! I received these Crazy Richard’s PB on Tuesday! I’ve seen these in many blogs and really wanted to try them. Thanks Nanette for sending this to me! :D

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I got to try this one first

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What makes it special? it’s 100% natural. There is only one ingredient in these bottles. PEANUTS! No oil, no salt, nothing, just peanuts! Can you get anymore more natural than this?

I thought I was going to find a dense hard PB (without the added oil), but look this… it’s not dense at all, it’s kind of liquid.

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First testing: on oatmeal (obviously ;) ).

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Texture: EXTREMELY smooth! They really know how to grind it!

Flavor: Strong peanut flavor (worth the redundancy)

Taste: good, but personally I like nut butter with a touch of salt. Although I like its taste, but was not hooked because of lack of salt. But I can always add it myself. ;)

Coco’s rating: 4/5 (the lack of salt downgrade a point, but its smoothness is definitely a plus)

Next spoiled episode, which was a HUGE one. Dustin from Wildwoods contacted me on Monday and offered to send some samples. I told him that I am leaving next Tuesday, so I’d probably  not be able to get them. Instead of putting me on hold, he sent it with OVERNIGHT shipping!!! Thank you Dustin, you really made me feel a spoiled girl! ;)

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Sprouted firm tofu, Smoked sprouted tofu, soy yogurtsPastaslim noodles and coupons!!! :lol:

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I tried the plain one first

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Paired with key lime applesauce

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Texture: firm, not creamy.

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Flavor: strong in tofu.

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Taste: don’t expect to taste anything like yogurt. It tastes like a tofu gel. Nothing spectacular. It’s not bad, just different.

Coco’s rating: 3/5.

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Flavored ones have high sugar, just like standard yogurt.

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Texture: is softer than plain one and a little creamier too.

Flavor: less strong in tofu.

Taste: it tastes better than the plain one, but a little too sweet for me to eat it plain. But it will be a great topping for oatmeal.

Coco’s rating: 4/5

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The peach flavor is the best of the three. Because it’s a little savor, it makes it less sweet. :)

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For dinner I made a scrambled tofu sauteed with “spinach fettuccini”

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Sprouted tofu. According to their website, sprouted tofu helps digestion and enhance nutrition.

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I used tahini and soy sauce to make the scrambled tofu.

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Added frozen veggies and mushrooms.

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This meal is INCREDIBLE!!! If you haven’t tried making stir-fry with tahini and soy sauce, try it! I don’t know how to describe it, but the flavor is soooo special!!! I don’t find anything special about the tofu. It’s not much different than others. But these fettucini pasta is REALLY good. For those of you who like shiritaki noodles, give this a try, it’s definitely better! Why? Because it doesn’t have that funny flavor that shiritaki noodles have if you don’t rinse them well, and also these are more like real pasta, it’s less rubbery. I’ll definitely buy these from now one! I’m really hooked. Coco’s rating: 5/5.

Dessert was NO KABOCHA but aduki coconut mouse and my favorite energy bar: Thrive Heart!

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oh… I forgot to mention that if you order these cakes on their website, you’ll get 6 free in your first order and if you mention my blog, I’ll get 6 too! :D

Day 2 of kabocha free was less painful! :D

Q1: Are you PB or AB lover? What’s your favorite brand?

Q2: Who makes you feel like a spoiled child?

December 2, 2009

Breaking up with my love

This is me breaking up with my LOVE!!!

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Noooooo! It’s not STAR, my forever love! But this: my foodie love!
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Why am I breaking up with my beloved kabocha that I enjoy every single night??? Well…. It has been a while that I want to break this habit because I’m turning orange and because I find myself careless about what to eat at dinner knowing that I always have kabocha afterwards. But yesterday when I went to the chinese embassy for the visa, they took a picture of me… and holy crap!!! I look ORANGE!!! I dunno if it was the light or what… but I look BAD!!!! And that is it, the final moment kick that I need to finish this sick relationship!

Obviously as any long term relationship, it’s hard to break up. It took me over a year to break up with my ex boyfriend which was definitely a sick relationship. My mind knew I hate to break up ASAP, but my heart kept reminding me how wonderful he it was.. how sweet he it (I mean, kabocha) was. Nervous, anxiety, tears were all over the place! Bottom line: I’m really BAD breaking up ANY long term relationship!!! Pray for me to break this one.

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Breakfast: french toast with this fabulous mousse!

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Lunch: turnip cabbage soup adding stir fry shrimp and tofu to make it more meal like soup.

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and then I got snacking because of work stress and this breaking up thing :(

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That’s my work station! :shock:

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Look what I got yesterday? Musselman’s applesauce!!!

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Dinner: wonton! (I promise, this is the last time you’ll going to see this)

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To kill the bad love, you need to build a new love, right? So, I baked an apple pie and topped it with Blue Pom Apple Sauce

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Neither the apple pie nor the apple sauce did the trick! Both were bland :(

I ended going to bed really sad :cry:

Q1: Have you ever had to break up with someone/something that you loved?

Q2: What’s your favorite way to eat applesauce?

December 1, 2009

You did this to me!

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I dreamed about Turkey (the country), its PBI (GDP in spanish). Still in the dream… I wondered why am I dreaming about Turkey? and its PBI? It’s not in my research agenda at all! And then…. AHA…. YOU, all bloggers who had a feast (turkey) last weekend made me dream about turkey; and because, YOU, Jenny wrote a  post about all your piled PB jars, I dreamed about PB, but in the economist style. How funny is that?  ;)

Okay. Last week until I leave! Last night I realized a forgot something FUNDAMENTAL. I haven’t got the visa (to China) yet! :shock: . I’m sooooo glad I remembered it last night. oh…. too much work is no good! :?

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Beautiful Breakfast: oatmeal + raspberries + aduki coconut mousse

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Lunch: noodles with pok choy, shitake and dry shrimp

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and turnip cabbage soup

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Dinner: cabbage tofu mini cake + golden beets

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Crackers

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and soup

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Q1: What was your last weird dream?

Q2: Have you been in Germany? Any suggestion of what to eat do?

November 30, 2009

3 recipes!!!

Sunday was GREAT!!! And when I say great meaning I did a lot.

  • 6 hours work
  • 2 hours selecting 140 pictures to be print (gift to my parents)
  • no yoga, but housing cleaning and laundry which was incredibly relaxing and fun. Anyone needs a cleaning lady? I might take a part-time job! ;)
  • the cheapest groceries of 2009! I only spent $15 :shock:
  • create two random recipes which turned out AMAZING :lol: I guess when I’m relaxed and not thinking about work, I do get creative in the kitchen! :D

Okay. let’s proceed chronologically!

Breakfast: quinoa cooked in vanilla, cinnamon and flaxmeal topped with Aduki coconut mousse (recipe below)

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this mousse is Addictive! So, here’s the recipe

Aduki coconut mousse

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup aduki bean dry
  • 1/2 cup silken tofu
  • 1-2 tbsp coconut oil depending how coconut you want it. (in liquid form)
  • 2 tbsp water or almond milk
  • sweetener ( I used Tj’s stevia)

Method: cook aduki bean with 1-1.5 cup of water until it absorbs all the water. Let it cool. Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Done! It tastes better if you freeze it for 30 min. :D

Lunch: rainbow stir-fry, last cup of CampbellsV8 soup and porridge

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Dessert: baked kabocha with aduki coconut mousse

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After cleaning and laundry. I went to Tj’s. I was going to buy potatoes to make a soup (suitable for broken teeth :( ) but instead I got turnips that were on sale. So, I made turnip cabbage soup which turn out to be delicious. The sweetness of turnip gave it an interesting taste!

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb turnip
  • 1/4 of a big cabbage
  • 3 cups of vegetable stock
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 onion
  • frozen veggies
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1/4 cup flaxmeal
  • S+P and Tj’s 12 seasoning

Method:

  • cook the onion with the oil until brown
  • add vegetable stock, water and cabbage
  • bake turnip at 400F for 20 min to bring out its sweetness
  • add baked turnip to the soup
  • blend using a hand blender
  • add frozen veggies and seasoning

The last recipe of the day is another random creation ;)

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Inspired by yesterday’s broccoli tofu burger (I made it, not brought from the store! ;) )

Cabbage tofu mini cake

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cabbage
  • 1/2 package of firm tofu
  • tofu burger mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp flaxmeal
  • S+P

Method: Add everything to the food processor and bake for 25 min at 350F.

So, that was dinner. 3 mini cakes, golden beets

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and the soup!

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Lastly, I found this picture to share with you: a cute elephant doing crow pose :shock:

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Q1: How was your Sunday?

Q2: Have you tried turnip? in what form?

November 29, 2009

Changing perspective

Waking up at 4 or 5AM every morning for the past two weeks was the side effect of work overload. Although my body tells me to get more rest, my mind refuses. I’m in the middle of the battle trying to stay positive. How? Well…. with 2 extra hours in the morning I split half in work and the other half in doing what I enjoy (i.e. surfing in the blogland and discovering more new blogs that I like). That way I don’t feel so miserable ;)

People with  a lot of troubles in life tend to have more positive attitude. And those who are lucky, with everything they apparently need, are those who complain the most (I was one of them in that day). Is this an irony? I think it’s because our animal survivor instinct emerges only in extremely hostile situations. In order to survive (physically or mentally), we adjust to the environment. The only to do that is to have a positive mind and look the good side of everything. When we’re too comfortable… we become more human, asking for more and more. hahah…. This is my little theory! :D

Q: How do you stay positive?

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Okay. I need to say this: I’m addicted to my latest creation: aduki coconut mousse! I want to add it to everything!!! Try it, I’m serious! ;)

look this plastic wrapping thing that I got in SF, it’s pretty and reusable! :)

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For the base I made french toast with 1 egg + 2 tbsp of flaxmeal with blueberries

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A mate and dark chocolate being my work company

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Lunch: another rainbow stir-fry with eggplant, broccoli, cabbage and smoked tofu

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Dinner: tofu-broccoli burger made with this mix

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tofu in a tofu-container

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add some flaxmeal instead of flour. Da da….. look these burgers!!! They are pretty and delicious!

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paired with kale chips!

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Sunday to-do list:

  • work until lunch
  • laundry (a must! :? )
  • cleaning
  • hot yoga
  • groceries

Q: What’s on your list?