Hitman’s Healthy Breakfast Smoothie

I’m a firm believer in the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I’d like to share my recipe for a healthy, added-sugar-free breakfast smoothie.  This quick and delicious smoothie recipe makes enough for one tall glass, but can easily be doubled for two people.  I like to have it along with a classic big breakfast of eggs, toast, and hash browns but it may be filling enough on its own for some folks.

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 small handful fresh or frozen berries (blueberries used here)
• 1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (chocolate is best!)
• 1 small handful baby kale or baby spinach (kale used here)
• 1 tablespoon Ra Energy Naturally Sweet or Plain (or substitute flax seeds, chia seeds, or wheat germ)
  

Home-cooking Recipe: Stir fried Veggies with Mochi Fishcake; Steamed Egg Tofu

I actually cook more often than this blog would have you know.  I enjoy cooking, and I’m proud to say that more often than not, my creations are edible and actually yummy.  You see, I’m the type to just throw in whatever condiments/seasonings I have on hand in whatever amounts I think is right.  I think I got that from my parents, mostly my dad, who is a far better cook than my mom (sorry mom!)

Another reason why I cook so often is simply…I find my stuff is more tasty than Hitman’s!!!  I much prefer Chinese cooking than Caucasian, but we do have pasta quite often as it’s very easy.

I would like to share more of my cooking on here..it’s not easy as it’s difficult to take pictures while you’re busy stirring or chopping and your hands are all dirty.  But here’s a start.

Recipe: Stirfried Veggies with Mochi Fishcake and Steamed Egg Tofu

Stirfried Veggies with Mochi Fishcake

Note:  I got the Mochi Fishcake at T&T Supermarket, where you get the various hotpot fishballs and such.  I think this is their creation.  You can for sure substitute any other ‘meats’…this particular night this was the only easy-to-thaw ‘meat’ I had on hand.

Ingredients:

• 6-7 Fishcakes, cut into 3
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 6-7 dried shrimps
• 2 cups frozen veggies
• approx 2 tbsp Somen Sauce (a type of sweetened soy sauce)
• approx 2 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce

(Again, I didn’t measure the condiments…I just splashed them on to taste).

Instructions:

1. Soak the dried shrimps in a little water till tender and cut in half. Save the water.
2. Spray pan with olive oil spray and heat on medium. Meanwhile, microwave frozen veggies according to directions (4 mins for me).
3. When pan is hot, add onions and cook til tender.
4. Add dried shrimps (without water) and heat till fragrant.
5. Add fishcakes and stir till hot.
6. Add microwaved veggies.  Stir till hot.
7. Add the Somen sauce and low-sodium soy sauce and the shrimp water.  Cook until everything’s heated through.

Steamed Egg Tofu with Garlic Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg egg tofu
• 1/2 tsp garlic black bean sauce
• 3/4 tbsp cold water
• 1/4 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp chopped green onions
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil for steaming.
2. While waiting, cut open package of egg tofu and slice into 3/4 inch rounds.  Assemble on a platter.
3. Mix together garlic black bean sauce, cold water, and corn starch. Pour onto the egg tofu rounds.
4. Sprinkle half of the green onion and half of the cilantro on top. Save the rest for afterwards.
5. When the water is boiling, place the platter into the steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
6. After 15 minutes, take the platter out and sprinkle the rest of the green onion and cilantro on top.

Bon appetit!

Home-cooking: Recipe for Valentine’s Cherry Tarts

The cute heart-shaped tarts I posted on V-day were something I made for Hitman.  The recipe’s from one of my all-time favorite blogs The Art of Doing Stuff authored by the uber hilarious Karen.  She is always so funny and witty.  Take a peek at one of my favorite posts from her and tell me you did not just blow milk (or anything) out of your nose when you get to the picture of her holding the potato.

Anyways I came across this post from her last year and it’s an easy-peasy recipe (it’s really not even a recipe…more an assembly job) for the cutest, loveliest mini heart shaped cherry tarts.

Ingredients:

• Pre-made tart shells (I used No-Name brand…they were really good)
• Cherry Pie Filling

I used the 3″ tart shells, not the mini kind.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. Take shells out and let them thaw a bit (about 3 minutes) so that they’re malleable.

3.  Dent the foil and gently mold each shell into a heart shape.  Then fill with the pie filling.

Karen suggests putting the cherries in first then top with the filling.  3 cherries each should be sufficient.  Don’t over fill or else the filling will bubble over and your tartlets won’t be pretty anymore =P

Home-cooking: Al-Salam Halal Meat’s Lamb Testicles

On the hunt for bones to make pho with our usual location was all out, so we decided to check Al-Salam Halal Meat.  I phoned ahead (twice) to confirm price and stock etc. and both times was greeted by a very friendly sounding man who called me “Brother” after every sentence.  I could hear some bustle in the background of the calls, but it didn’t prepare me for all the stuff going on when I arrived.

Various butchers cutting huge slabs of meat to order, people standing waiting around the store, guys coming in to pick up orders, people coming up and down from the grocery store upstairs (which I didn’t get a chance to explore this visit) etc.  I’m guessing they serve a lot of the restaurants in the area since there are many middle eastern and African restaurants that must create a significant demand for Halal products.

I found the shank bones fairly quickly, already prepackaged and cut up into discs and only 2/3rds of the price we had been paying elsewhere!

But something else caught my eye off in the corner…

….some big-ass ballsacks!!!

Home-cooking: Recipe for Vietnamese Pho Soup

I love pho…I would have it everyday if I could. Now it’s not the most expensive meal in the world but it would be such an accomplishment if I could make it myself… So off to the inter webs I went in search for an easy recipe.

My first attempt at making any kind of bone broth was actually the Korean version. It didn’t require a lot of ingredients, but it does require a lot of time…2-3 days actually.  What results though is a rich, white broth full of gelatin and collagen…recipe for that coming soon.

Anyway back to pho…it turns out pho soup base is less time consuming to make, but takes just a bit more ingredients.  If you’re Asian, you should already have most of the stuff in your cupboard.  I grabbed a great recipe off Viet World Kitchen….it’s great cuz it’s seems to be the easiest with the least amount of ingredients.  However I found that the pictures from Steamy Kitchen and Inspired Taste to be a great resource and they would be especially helpful to those of you unfamiliar with certain cuts or meat, spices or bones.