Food Jewelry. Beautifully delicious.

http://www.indiepublic.com/photo/box-of-chocolates-ring?context=user

There's a website that I thought I'd share with everyone. It's called Indiepublic and they have the most creatively scrumptious jewelry I've ever seen! It's so darn creative that my hats are way off to them! I would totally wear this "Box of Chocolates" ring I found(link above), and other creations such as, the chocolate fondant bracelet! One problem. I just can't figure out how to order any of this stuff. How frustrating!

There's even a nifty pair of Nutella handcuffs, that I swear, Foti MUST own one day.

Here's a fun tongue twister: What a fun, foodie find, I found today!

Craving soda? Grab ZEVIA!

Today I was craving soda! We all know that soda is absolutely horrible for you. Even the diet ones aren't so great for your diet after all. While I was at the grocery store, I asked someone for a sugar free, natural alternative to soda and she recommended ZEVIA. Luckily, I was able to get one because pretty much all the flavors were completely sold out!

Where's the sweetness come from?Mostly from stevia, an herb many times sweeter than sugar.ZEVIA products are 100% natural, with zero calories. YAY! The after taste is slightly reminiscent of splenda, but it's still pretty tasty. I got the ginger root beer today and it was really good. Knowing that it's sugar free and all natural makes it tastes even better.

For more info on Stevia, visit stevia.net! Below is an excerpt from their webpage.

If you've ever tasted stevia, you know it's extremely sweet. In fact, this remarkable noncaloric herb, native to Paraguay, has been used as a sweetener and flavor enhancer for centuries. But this innocuous-looking plant has also been a focal point of intrigue in the United States in recent years because of actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The subject of searches and seizures, trade complaints and embargoes on importation, stevia has been handled at times by the FDA as if it were an illegal drug.

Since the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), stevia can be sold legally in the United States, but only as a "dietary supplement." Even so, it can be found in many forms in most health-food stores, and is also incorporated into drinks, teas and other items (all labeled as "dietary supplements"). It cannot, however, be called a "sweetener" or even referred to as "sweet." To do so would render the product "adulterated," according to the FDA, and make it again subject to seizure.

Craving Indian Food...

I'm not sure if it's because my husband can't stop talking about Slumdog Millionaire or that I haven't had in ages, but I want Indian food. Now! (Maybe it's both.) I love this little place called Clay Pit in Austin. They have great Indian food with fun cocktails like Mango Margaritas. I think Foti will take me today since he's off. I'm super excited. We definitely need to get out and make ourselves mingle sometimes.

On the subject of Indian food, there's a great book I wanted to recommend. It's call Easy Indian by local chef, Suneeta Vaswani. I had the pleasure of working and learning from her when I was the culinary director of Sur La Table many moons ago. She teaches by telling fascinatingly beautiful stories. It's truly an amazing treat to be a part of her classes. She still teaches all over Texas and I strongly recommend her class to anyone that loves to cook authentic, ethnic cuisine. It's a true learning experience. She makes the best garam masala and chutneys too. But, everything she makes is the best! If she had a restaurant, she would make a killing, because no one could compete with her. On top of it all, she manages to make it look easy.

Cheers to Indian Food!

Mickey D's. Billions Please.

What is the world coming to? Although they're known for their golden arches and having the best fries in fast food, it seems millions are eating at Mickey D's on a more regular basis. Good Lord from heaven. I've been on my health kick rampage and McDonalds is on the up and up.

Ironically, I've noticed them slowly raising their prices and they're still making profits! Wow. Because even after raising their prices, they're still cheaper than 90% of restaurants(fast food joints included.) Who can compete? Burger King, Wendy's and Taco Bell. I bet they're all up in profits. Worst of all, they're marketing to children. No wonder we have such a child obesity problem in this country. I think it should be illegal to market high fat, high calorie foods to children under 10 years old. In my opinion, it's child abuse to feed your kid that crap on a regular basis. You wouldn't let your child smoke, so why predispose them to obesity and diabetes? That's just me. MAYBE once a month or for a birthday party, if kids even have birthdays there anymore, which I doubt.



I do feel for parents and everyone right now because healthy/organic food is so expensive nowadays. I KNOW most of it's a scam too. Yes it's healthier, but how much harder is it to grow a regular carrot, than an organic carrot? Not so much. Sure there's no pesticides or growth hormones, which is definitely beneficial. No doubt. Here's the discrepancy I'm talking about: Whole Foods had a small bag of carrots for $3.99 and a local grocer had "regular" carrots for 69 cents a bag. Whoa! That's WAY too much to profit on carrots. I could go on and on, but I won't. The examples are painful and endless. It's just such a jip. If most people knew what grocery stores did to profit it would sicken us to death. The mark up is so high and they throw disgusting amounts of food daily.

Now, McDonalds comes out #1. Go figure. Below is a direct excerpt I found.

As North America dips into a further recession, consumers are seeking lower prices. That seems to be the case, as McDonald’s has experienced a surge in profits and has announced it will invest $2.1 billion to open 1,000 new stores worldwide. Same-store sales were also up an impressive 7.2% Q4 net income was down 23% to $985.3 million ($0.87 per share), from $1.27 billion ($1.06 per share) year over year in the same period, missing Wall Street expectations. McDonalds also attributed the surge in sales from higher demand as consumers seek lower food prices.

SOURCE: business2press.com
Posted on 26 January 2009 at 6:37 pm in Business by Hercules K

Casu Marzu.Not your average cheese.

Since I'm on my nasty food rampage, I thought I'd blog about casa marzu. It's not French or completely inhumane. It's just intriguingly disgusting.This Sardinian favorite literally translates into “rotten cheese.” Not to mention, there's thousands of living maggots that live in this cheese.

It's made from Italian sheep’s milk, then soaked in a brine, lightly smoked, and usually ripens uncovered outside in the open. Maggots (AKA:cheese flies) are free to lay eggs inside of it. (Ewww.) Eggs hatch into thousands of maggots as they continually feed on the cheese. This process triggers enzymes that continue fermentation and the cheese to decompose. Believe it or not, this cheese is highly coveted by chef and foodies in Italy. It's local delicacy that people travel from all over the world to have at least once. I hear it's extremely pungent, has the texture of cream cheese and tends to burn the tongue a bit. It's like an over ripe Gorgonzola with living, breathing maggots. In fact, locals say that the cheese is only okay to eat if the maggots are still kicking and alive. Once the maggots are lifeless, the cheese is deemed too toxic for human consumption.


I'm sure the fact that Casa Marzu has been declared illegal unhygienic makes it more appealing to some. Obviously, it's can't be sold in public shops. Sometimes maggots can take up residency in the intestines if you have weak stomach acid(because this obviously kills them, but who knows the acid levels of their stomachs?) They can eat through intestinal walls and cause abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, internal bleeding and diarrhea. Is all this really worth the risk? No, if you ask me.

Despite ALL this, locals and tourists continue to buy this black market item out of "tradition." Locals swear it's been done for hundreds of year. ( I can personally name a ton of food practices that have been practiced for hundreds of years, but would not be acceptable to most people today.) Of course sellers will tell you this is an aphrodisiac. It's yet another concocted way to sell you an over priced rotten cheese.

How did CASU MARZU really come in to being? I have a theory of my own.

I believe many years ago a cheese maker had a family to feed. Maybe s/he was tired or forgetful one day and left a precious wheel of cheese out. S/he couldn't afford to get rid of this potential profit and was forced to to think of a clever solution. Perhaps they made up a story to a friend or naive tourist about how this was a unique, intentional creation that only few people could ever experience. Maybe they "fudged" and said it was safe, unique, local and even better, an aphrodisiac. Some people ate it and were fine. Others got sick and I'm sure they were dubbed weak or advised it wasn't for the faint of pallets. So, the "legend" of Casu Marzu lived and continues. That's what I'm pretty sure happened. I think casu marzu was a mistake made profitable with creative spin. Make your own call.

Just because the French have pissed me off...

I had to put this clip on. I didn't "work" today so I've had plenty of time to blog.

My not so secret crush, Gordon Ramsay is truly amazing. Not simply because he's a phenomenally talented chef, genuis entrepreneur, or that manages to tell people off in the most honestly entertaining way I've ever seen. I because this man has fierce tenacity and passion. He came from nothing and created a world of his own. He has a fascinatingly rich story behind his success. I admire him so much.

But, that's not why I'm putting this clip on my blog. I just think he's painfully hilarious and plus, I needed a good laugh!

Yet another reason why PETA ain't so crazy.

Speaking of crazy, the French are probably the only people who can make Britney Spears look normal. Sorry Brit! You know I love you, but you are pretty wacko. Yes, and that's why we love you.

Back to why PETA isn't so nuts. I heard from a chef friend of mine about the Ortolan. It's a small garden bird that the French love to feed, drown in alcohol and then, eat whole. This bird can be found near wineries in France, but DOESN'T destroy wine crops. It's diet consists of beetles, insects, and nuts. It's nests' are low to the ground so it never really has a chance to escape while it tends to it's eggs.

Above is a video of Jeremy Clarkson from the BBC eating Ortolan. He's the host of Top Gear and Lord only knows why he's attempting to explain food. Anyway, they all eat this bird under a white napkin, which I think represents their shame. It's a total disgrace. With so many things to eat, especially in Europe, why pick on this defenseless creature. Are people so gluttonous that they need to eat EVERY living creature?! I understand we're the higher species. I get that. However when you have to eat your meal under a napkin in shame, I believe that's your conscious speaking directly to you. Where's the appeal in that really? It's just a stupid thing that a chef/cook came up with to grab people's attention and it worked. Now, highly pretentious, ignorant, affluent French people and/or tourists eat these poor Ortolan just so their other mind numbingly pretentious friends go, "ohhh and ahhh."

I say, "Ughh and Ewww."

Even though I eat meat, it's stories like this that have me think twice. I've increased my consciousness and awareness of blatant, unnecessary cruelty in the food industry. Why do people come up with this stuff? Just for the sake of a unique dining experience that carries that coveted "wow" factor. I know it's harder to be creative with things that are abundant on this planet, but as a chef, it's kind of your job. Chefs who think, " I'll get obscure ingredients and come up with a bizarre ritual to prepare them. There's no such thing as animal cruelty. I'm THE bigger animal. I eat all animals that are smaller than me. In fact, some may consider me to be a culinary genius for finding new animals to eat in weird ways." Wrong-o bub. Frankly, it's all crap and they're ignoramuses. They just are.

It's stories like this that allow me to pay $10 stinking dollars for an organic, hormone free chicken. Moreover, it's why I refuse to eat veal or foie gras. Period. In fact there's a website :http://www.nofoiegras.org that does a great job with education on that particular subject matter. I strongly encourage all people to learn about what they put in their bodies. Especially be educated on what goes in your child's bodies. On I side note, I will totally be a crazy "Martha Stewart" mom and make my own organic baby food. The horrific ways we are over producing and inhumanely processing food(not just meat) in this country scares me. No way would I start a baby's life with manufactured crap.

UGHHH. No more. I'm gonna eat my vegan mushroom burger now and think, "serenity now." It's not that serious, but I am sympathetic to the Ortolan. And I'm one more step to ending the sick love affair I have with meat. Why must you taste so good?

What's in a chef's fridge?

I got asked this question today. It's actually a common question that I'm sure most people ask chefs. At least they want to!

My answer is that it depends on the season and my mood. Right now, I'm into making soups & stews like there's no tomorrow. It's healthier and plus the weather permits it as well. I'm still eating oatmeal for breakfast because it reminds me of my grandmother. I drink tea everyday ( I alternate between:green tea, earl grey or pomegranate) in the afternoon. My cheat foods include diabetic sugar free cookies, sugar free chocolate and vanilla bean yogurt. The more I read, the more I see that sugar really is the root of so many diseases and health problems. It's difficult because I have a special place in my heart for baking. Let's face it, it's hard to bake without real sugar. Correction. It's hard to bake delicious pastries without real sugar. I'm not a holiday baker. As a chef, that goes without saying. I bake to relax, show gratitude to friends and neighbors(that sounds so 1950's!), for experimentation or maybe because the apples looked great at the market. Maybe I got inspired to make a pie?

Currently, I have a ton of fresh fruit and veggies. I precut and prepare them so when I get a hunger bug, I take a bite out of something healthy. I'm very proud that there's very little meat in my fridge. And the meat I do have is organic and hormone free. I have a respect and appreciation for the meat I do eat now and it feels good. It feels socially and morally correct. I have milks, all natural yogurts(favorite brands are wallaby organic:vanilla bean and brown cow:lemon), silken tofu, fresh berries, cheeses, lots of garlic, mushrooms, tuna salad, low fat turkey sausage, whole grain bread and organic juices. I love Central Market's organic apple juice. It's much better than my old favorite diet cherry pepsi.

I hope this healthy kick lasts and isn't just a "kick." My skin is much healthier looking and has a glow(so I'm told). I've managed to avoid Austin's hellish allergy season, which nearly killed me last year. Seriously! I went to the ER twice and it was utter misery. I was fatigued, dehydrated and was sick as a dog for weeks. Luckily, I've managed to avoid it all this time around. So maybe there's something to all this eating organic. It's really the only major thing I've changed in my eating. It feels like a positive change.

Tonight I'll be making vegan mushroom burgers! I'm not vegan, but LOVE this recipe. Foti goes crazy (in a good way) whenever I make this because he can't believe there's no meat. Best of all, he doesn't even miss it. Chef's secrets...

There's what's in my fridge! I should start asking people what they have in theirs now!

Mung Beans. My NEW comfort food.

I gotta be honest. This month hasn't been easy. There's been a lot of personal challenges, hardships and sickness in my family within a short time frame. I've taken it all in stride and just been thankful for all the good in my life right now. Despite it all,m there truly is a lot of blessings that I count every single morning I wake up.

Sadly though, I'm missing my Lola. She's back in Louisiana and I haven't had make her daily Filipino food. I typically only make Filipino food every couple months because I'm usually eating it alone. There's only a couple dishes that Foti enjoys and it's not a quick cuisine to prepare. There's a lot of exotic vegetables and slow cooking involved.



Today I'm making Munggo Guisado. It's freezing cold outside and I'm craving it like you wouldn't believe. It's not much to look at, but boy is it delicious. Not to mention, it's rich with vitamins and anti-oxidants. I like to think of it as the "Filipino chili." It has beef, beans, garlic, onion and tomato. There's no chili powder or cumin, just salt and pepper. It's kind of neat to see how different amounts of the same basic ingredients, with different seasonings can make a completely different meal. My Lola likes this dish with bitter melon, but I prefer it without. Some people even add coconut milk, but Foti isn't a fan! Today I will make it with fresh spinach in addition t the ingredients listed above. I'll add some low sodium vegetable broth to cook it in too.



All I need now is some steamed jasmine rice to accompany this yummy Filipino soul food. I wish I had my Lola to share it with, but that won't be for awhile. Still, Foti will eat this with me tonight so I won't be eating alone. Tomorrow I may even make pansit. My soul must be needing major comfort right now...

NO APPETITE???

My Mom has had a very restrictive diet since she was diagnosed with cancer. There are so many things she can't have. Moreover, she's had a severe lack of appetite too. Cancer can be a crippling disease. The ironic thing is that she's a case manager at MD Anderson. It's arguably the best hospital to treat cancer patients in the country/world. She's helped countless people who have had cancer. Some have made it through and countless others haven't. She's counseled, cared and been there to guide them. My Mom's helped them go through the process of being treated, discharged or helping families make arrangements if they lose their battle with cancer.

Today she starts radiation therapy. When she can have visitors and needs company, I'll be right there. I was looking for sites that had recipes for cancer patients and survivors. I stumbled across this one:

http://thecancerfreekitchen.tripod.com/



I really like it because it is written and made by some that's had cancer. If you or someone you know is battling this disease, it's a great, user friendly site to use.

Livestrong!

Drowning your sorrows in Chocolate Cheesecake. HEALTHY???

The other day Foti and I went to grab a quick lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. It was pretty dead when we walked in and there were maybe 7 other people in the whole place at 1:30pm.

Anyway, we saw this girl who looked to be in her early twenties eating alone. No biggie. Who doesn't occasionally enjoy a solo lunch every once in awhile? She just looked melancholy and had a downtrodden look. As usual, Foti thought it was all in my head. Until we saw a monstrous slice of chocolate cheesecake arrive at her table. She plowed through it like she hadn't eaten in weeks. She was eating it like one of those champion pie eaters on the learning channel. (p.s. have you seen how large the slices are at Cheesecake Factory?!)It was sad, but still impressive.

I told Foti, " She either just had her heart broken or she's having a horrible day."

The girl wasn't overweight by any stretch of the imagination. This didn't look like an everyday event for her. I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her, "He's not worth it or I promise it will get better. You will get through whatever it is that's bothering you."

Obviously, Foti would never allow that! He just wanted to eat in peace. With our past month, I can definitely respect that. To our utter delight, she began to eat slower and slower. She began eating like a normal human. I sighed with relief. I've been there. Who hasn't? It was just an overt reminder of how often all of us can use food to comfort or reward ourselves. It's simply not healthy. Because of this girl, Foti and I vowed to use food as our fuel and not our friend. We've both gained weight.UGH. It's so easy be happy, married and plump. It's acceptable. But no longer to us! In fact today we woke up extra early and walked a mile together. We had eggs with a little cheese and banana oatmeal! YUM. It was fast, easy, fresh and healthy. We are determined to feel the best we can and the physical transformation will only be an bonus.

Tonight I'm making low-fat, organic Tortilla Soup. It's simmering now and smells divine. No TORTILLAS and only a pinch of cheese. Maybe tomorrow I'll share the recipe if I get rave reviews from the husband! You'll just have to stay tuned...


Conclusion:Eat to live! Living to eat is fun, but ultimately, dangerous =(

Kare Kare! Lola's "Last Supper"

It's been 3 long weeks of taking care of Lola. I can honestly say I'm going to miss her. I may not miss waking up before there's light out, keeping track of her many medicines to be taken at various times of the day or even the dreaded "diaper duty." But, I will miss her. Brushing her silky gray hair, listening to her stories, watching the Game Show Network (favorites include Card Sharks, Super Password and Lingo), our morning walks, listening to Enya and Josh Groban endlessly, and just getting to spend time with her at this age.

I've done my very best to help nurse her back to her best possible health. She looks stronger, smiles more, naps more peacefully and is now looking forward to a possible vacation later this year. God willing. What else can a grand daughter ask for ? After I gave her a bubble bath this morning, she said, "Myrna, you have done the most excellent job taking care of me. No one could have done what you have done for me." WOW. WOW. WOW. That pretty much says it all. It had me all choked up.



She requested for her "last supper" with Foti and I, that I make a Filipino favorite, Kare Kare. I managed to find one Filipino grocery market here and get the few special ingredients needed to make this as authentic as possible. It took a lot of love and time to make, but Lola seems pleased with the first tasting. That makes it all worth it. She'll eat this favorite dish with fresh steamed jasmine rice. For dessert she'll have a black bean cake. Yum. Spending this time with her has definitely help me relearn some Filipino classics. Who can complain about getting more in touch with their roots?




Ku ma in Ka Na
(Let's Eat)

Ingredients:
1 pound beef (round or sirloin cut) cut into cubes (for a more traditional kare kare, use oxtails)
3 cups of peanut butter
1/4 cup grounded toasted jasmine rice
1/2 cup cooked bagoong alamang (anchovies)
1 piece leeks, sliced
3 heads of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons atsuete oil
4 pieces eggplant, sliced 1 inch thick
1 bundle of sitaw (string beans) cut to 2" long
1 chinese eggplant, sliced diagonally
1/3 cup light olive oil
8 cups of vegetable broth
Salt to taste

Directions:
In a stock pot, beef/oxtails in broth for an hour or until cooked. Strain and keep the stock.
In a big pan or wok, heat oil and atsuete oil.
Sauté garlic, leeks until lightly golden.
Then add the stock, toasted rice, beef/oxtail and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Salt to taste.
Add the eggplant and string beans. Cook the vegetables for a few minutes.
Serve with bagoong on the side and hot jasmine rice.

The sweet taste of freedom!!!

Ben and Jerry will donate money to the Common Cause Education Fund for every "Yes Pecan" ice cream that's bought in January. Nope, it's not free ! However, you can buy a tasty treat with a cool name, and make a difference in furthering education. It's a win, win in my book.

King of all Cakes

I've been craving king cake. Not unlike most people who grew up in good ole Louisiana, at the end of January we get restless. Restless for the king of all cakes. Well, the king from the end of January until mid February. It's almost time for Mardi Gras. Do ya'll know what that means? It means po-boys, gumbo, crawfish and king cakes. Oh my!

Maybe that's why everything ends on Fat Tuesday. Forget the religious aspect of it all! I think it's because literally everyone's officially fat. All the wimps(like me) who wanted to give up their unhealthy ways are done repenting. Done with beating themselves up over craving foods that make us smile and help us fill out of jeans a little better. Foods that give us a little jiggle with every bite.

So if you aren't fortunate enough to live in an area with a bakery or grocery store who makes these, I feel for you. Central Market here makes a pretty mean king cake. But, if you can't find a place that makes king cakes like they mean it, then give this recipe a shot! You won't regret it.


CAKE:
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


FROSTING:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
(Yellow, Green and Purple food dye for coloring!)
**Sprinkles are optional

Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar.

Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg.

Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F .

Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the powdered sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Make a yellow, green and purple color for that authentic Mardi Gras flare!

Avocado Smoothie. The tastiest part of my new, daily routine. Who knew?

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So pretty much all I can blog about are all things related to my grandmother since it's my current life 24/7. All my friends and family think it's so difficult, draining and full of hassle. I guess in a way they're all right. However, it's also rewarding, challenging and life changing. I feel blessed to even have the honor of caring for her. She amazes me everyday.


It's also funny to see how much she enjoys routine. I usually scoff at routine. It gives me the heeby jeebies. She actually thrives in routine. Every morning she needs her ginger tea after she prays the rosary. She likes to watch the deer outside feed on corn I've left for them the night before. (Yes, Foti. I know you did a story on this and it's illegal to feed them. Lock me and Lola up!) Afterwards she enjoys oatmeal. Not too hot and not too cold. (I tease her and call her Goldilocks.) With that oatmeal, she likes her prune shake(crushed prunes is water) and medium diced, ripened fruit. Papaya, blueberries and Bartlett pears are her favorites. Then, I take a warm cloth and wash her beautiful face. I apply her under eye cream and day cream. Correction: She can now do it herself! She then takes her series of meds and then she takes her advair treatment. I then lace her all up in 2-3 coats.(No, that's not a typo!) We then enjoy a nice stroll for as long as she can make it, which generally isn't very long. Last, but not least, we watch The Price is Right. Everyday she tells me how Drew Carey isn't very funny and how no one will ever compare to Bob Barker. I happen to completely agree with her on this Lola will then watch the deer come back for second helpings that I put out there when she isn't looking. She'll coo with utter delight if a squirrel and rabbit happen to feed with the deer. She falls asleep for Lingo and that's when I'll shower and prepare her lunch. Of course, it's made fresh to order of her favorite Filipino dishes.

After she awakens and eats her delicious and healthy lunch, she's usually on the phone with all my aunts and uncle. They literally call her everyday to check on her and see how her day has gone. It's cute. At her age, I'm sure it's a high point!!

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One snack she is in love with is avocado smoothies. I used to dread these things. I had become jaded with the regular banana and strawberry smoothie. I admit it! I had a plane jane pallet when it came to smoothies. I would kind of cringe while making these and then today, I saw the light. They were actually good. Really good. My Lola was on to something.



I share with you all, the 2nd most enjoyable part of my day. " Lola's Avocado Smoothie." The best part is that God's blesses me with this time with her and that I get to care for her for 2 more weeks.


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"Lola's Avocado Smoothie":

1/2 Large Hass Avocado(ripe)-medium dice
1/3 cup of lemon yogurt
1/3 cup of organic, low fat milk
1 tsp local honey
*small pinch of sea salt




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Blend and enjoy! Cheers!

Lara. Pinakbet & Prunes.

Yesterday, I was a friend in need. Now, I'm an elated friend indeed. Oh Lara! I will sing her praises forever. Just when you think all humankind has gone down the proverbial toilet, you are struck with a random act of kindness.




I was in quite a pinch yesterday. I had a cooking class at Central Market and my dear Lola was going to be all alone for around 5 hours. She needed her dinner and breathing treatment. Foti was at work and I was pressed for time.




Luckily, Lara was able to come to the rescue. She came by for a bit to warm my Lola's dinner, pinakbet(a filipino dish with lima beans, eggplant, fish sauce and various other veggies) and of course, her famous crushed prunes. My Lola sang her praises when I got home from teaching. At her age, she's very particular. I like to think at 95 she's an excellent judge of character. She was tickled pink to have such great company =) I couldn't be pleased more myself. What a friend!





Who else can say they know someone that is willing to come by and spend a little time with their grandma while they're at work? I feel so blesses and most importantly, so does Lola!

Thanks Again Lara!!! Kudos to you for having such a big heart!

LOLA

This week I've cleared my schedule to take care of my Lola(grandma). She's 95 years young and has needed assistance in every thing she does. She had a nasty fall several months ago and hasn't been the same since. She needs 24 hour care and my family doesn't want to put her in a nursing home. In fact, I'm proud that she's never even stepped foot in one.

My mom is going to start radiation in less than 2 weeks. My other family members have already used most of their vacation time to caring for her these last few months. I'm the only one left who has the flexibility in schedule to give her the care she requires. Now I'm a chef-slash-care taker!

I cook every meal for her, exercise her, massage her, help her use the restroom, brush her teeth, brush her hair, clean her, read to her and most of all, love on her. She prefers only Filipino food so I've been building up my repertoire of recipes.Today I made mungo beans with bitter melon and spinach for her. I usually add coconut milk, but she prefers it plain. She cracks me up all the time. She needs prunes to help her move her bowels, so she drinks prune shakes with each meal.(It's basically 3 prunes and 3 tablespoons of warm water, all mashed with a fork.) She doesn't like prune juice and doesn't want me to use a blender. She like the texture of mashed prunes "by hand." I told her at 95 she can have her food any way she likes it! She loves ginger tea in the morning and warm milk at night. She likes her rice extra mushy, so it doesn't get stuck in her dentures either. For some reason, I'm savoring every minute caring for her. She likes to watch and direct me in the kitchen too!

I will care for her for 2 more weeks until my Tita(aunt)can pick her up and bring her back to Louisiana. And even though I'm not getting much sleep, I love caring for her. I love knowing she is loved and consciously think happy thoughts when I prepare her food. She deserves it. I need to post pictures soon! Well, I'm off to give her that glass of warm milk and her meds. Oatmeal and prune shake at 7am!

Hot Cocoa for the sick chef...

What do chefs drink when they're sick? Who knows what the rest of the rest of them drink, but I drink this:


Spiced Hot Cocoa

* 25 oz. nonfat milk powder (sifted)

* 13 oz. chocolate malted milk powder

* 16 oz. Valrhona cocoa

* 1/3 cup powdered sugar

* 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon

*1 dash of cayenne powder

***Marshmallows and or Whipped Cream for topping!

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. Stores for 7-9 months without losing flavor. Scoop 1-2 tablespoons into warmed milk and top with marshmallows or whipped cream.

I absolutely love this recipe! I made it up today to help with my crazy cedar fever. The heat and spice cut through the yucky taste of medicine. It warmed my heart and most of all, my tummy when I drank this today. Share this with a person battling the seasonal sniffles or treat yourself to my twist on hot cocoa.

My inspiration to becoming a healthier and *more goal oriented me!

We all need inspiration. Some of us look to our favorite tv star. Others look on the covers of magazines, our most gorgeous girl friend or maybe that unattainable supermodel that's in the Victoria Secret poster every time we go to the mall.

I've found my inspiration overseas. I've been fascinated with her for almost 3 years now and am just in complete awe of all that she has accomplished at her young age. She's a sassy, no nonsense, no apologies, honest and driven woman. She has her hand in a little bit of everything, has a gorgeous family(complete with a wonderful Greek husband, Peter Andre) and lives her life to the fullest. She does all of this while living in the city with the coolest accent ever and traveling the world. How could I not love this woman?

I don't aspire to be just like her. We are different in so many ways! She does help me strive to be the best me I can possibly be. But, I do wish to be accomplish my goals with the direct swiftness that she does. Katie Price is my hero! There is nothing she can't do in this world. She's even is trying out for the equestrian division for the next olympic games!

Everyone in the U.S. can have Angelina Jolie. YAWN. My sights are on K.P.! Oprah, of course, rules the world, so she's excluded. She is a total inspiration. She has 3 kids and her career is on fire! She's a funny, youthful, vivacious, charming, smart and positive woman, with a British accent. Youtube her for yourself and see.(SEARCH: Katie Price and Peter Andre) You can totally have it all or work hard trying! No one's life is perfect, but she does everything she can to make her real life a fairy tale.

p.s. Foti if you're reading this, feel free to buy me anything from her myriad of products on ebay for my upcoming bday! if you can't arrange a personal video message from her, it would be a close second! I guess.

p.p.s. Who knew Charlotte Church had her own successful show in the U.K. ? Our child stars crash and burn. In the U.K. they graduate to have their own fabulous talk shows with extraordinary like Katie Price on them ?!