A Loved Ones Invitation

Come sit awhile. In

the silence, together we 

will be. Come visit.

Slow Cooker Beef Nilaga

My childhood memories will always include Sunday dinner at my late maternal grandmother's house.  We would ride our jeep from Malabon to Quezon City where my grandmother's house was located. All six of us siblings somehow fitted in the vehicle.  The dishes we had those Sundays at my Lola Sefa's house included Beef Nilaga and a chicken dish either fried chicken or chicken curry.  These dishes were consistently served that one recipient of the family's generosity, the hueteng bookie, I heard one day complained that his free meal was always the same. Well, that was the way my late mother wanted it and we never got tired of it. Beef Nilaga spelled comfort and being home again for all of us, my family and all my uncles, aunts and cousins and my Lola.  It still does with my own smaller sized family now. My husband, an American, l notice relishes this dish with gusto every time I serve it.

I like to use beef chuck roast which has some fat in it.  You do not need beef bones like beef bulalo, a similar dish, so it is relatively less expensive and the ingredients more accessible.  The vegetables would vary depending on your preference and the availability of the ingredients.  I sometimes use carrots instead of butternut squash or both.  As for the leafy vegetables, I usually utilize plain green cabbage since they keep for a long period of time in the fridge so it would be available when needed.  If you have access to bok choy that would be even better.  I like to use green beans either fresh or frozen.  The potatoes give the starchy component and texture.  This dish is served with rice, lots of them, with the fish sauce as a side condiment where we dip the meat for added flavor while eating.

The slow cooker method is most convenient for preparing this dish.  The meat gets very tender without you boiling it to death over the stove or resorting to using the pressure cooker.  You just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and go.  If you want the green beans to be crisp add it at the last 15 minutes of cooking.  If using bok choy, do add it also the last 15 minutes. This will be one of your family's favorite dinner on Sundays or any day.

Slow Cooker Beef Nilaga

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 head cabbage, cut either in quarters or into 1 inch slices
• 1 cup green beans, fresh or frozen
• 3 cups water
• 3 tbsp fish sauce or salt to taste, plus more fish sauce as side condiment while eating

Place all the ingredients in the crock pot except the green beans.  Cook for 4 hours at high setting or 8 hours at low.  Add the green beans during the last 15 minutes of cooking. I used an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker and cooked the dish for 3 hours at slow cooker setting.  Serve with rice and more fish sauce as a side condiment for those who prefer to use it.

Christ is Within You

Lonely never you

will be. You have Him. You share

Him. Enough He is.

Beauty in Contrast

Innocence amidst

the busyness.  Peacefully 

flows like the river.

Super Scrambled Eggs

Before you prepare your breakfast, look over the secret behind this scrambled eggs recipe below.  I have prepared scrambled eggs before but not with this ingredient.  I used the same slow method of cooking but not with this ingredient that makes a large difference.  It is by the way decadent so proceed with caution.

The secret was shared by Judy, one of the generous souls, who man what I call the "kitchen ministry" at St Bernadette Church in Monroeville PA once a month.  They prepare real breakfasts, beyond doughnuts which used to be the norm.  All of the dishes are cooked with love with different menus every time.  Here are photos from this October breakfast.

Judy

Judy, Ray. Anne and Kathy. Not pictured is Dee who went to the store to buy more groceries.

Father Tony with the happy parishioners.

Here are pictures of the two dishes that were served during the the super breakfast in October. They fed both our hungry mouths and souls as we shared fellowship with fellow parishioners.

Here are the recipes straight from Judy's files for the Scrambled Eggs and as a bonus for the Hash Brown Casserole.  Both super duper good.

A View that Shimmers

Be swept into the

beauty. Behold the meeting 

of earth and spirit.

Slow Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala

This is adapted from the recipe of one of the dishes that Chef Wyatt Lash of the Commoner demonstrated when he stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live.  It has a surprising delightful ingredient, lime, which gives the dish a citrusy refreshing taste that I like. I decreased the amount of coconut milk and skipped the usually used ingredient in this dish, garam masala. Relax guys I added some of the components of this spice blend to this adapted recipe namely, cinnamon, turmeric, and coriander which were not in the original recipe.

This got two thumbs up from my vegan yoga teacher, Sally.  I love this so much I had this for breakfast with quinoa. So good.

Slow Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala

Adapted from this recipe

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

• 1/2 Tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 Tsp ground cardamon

• 1/4 tsp ground coriander

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/8 tsp turmeric 

• 1 tbsp curry powder

• 2 dry red chili peppers, crushed or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tbsp coconut palm brown sugar

• 1 Zest Lime, Plus Juice

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cube

• 2 cups baby carrots

• 1 -14.5 oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1/4 cup coconut milk or non dairy milk

• 1 tbsp cornstarch in 1/4 cup water

• 1-12 oz can diced tomatoes

• 1 tbsp Sriracha

• 1 cup vegetable stock

• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste

• 2 cups spinach, (optional)

• 2 tbsp green onions for garnish  

1. In a skillet or in the slow cooker with saute mode, add  the coconut oil and heat at medium heat.  Add and sweat all onions, garlic, and ginger with dry spices. 
2. Add the rest of ingredients to the sauted mixture except spinach if using and green onions in the slow cooker bowl. 
3. Cook on high for 3 hours or at low for 6 hours.  I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.  
4.  Add the spinach if using at the last half hour of slow cooking. Garnish with green onions. 

Compassionate Decisions

Black or white? Or are

there grey areas? Use the

mind or heart? Or both?

At the Fish Market

Baclaran, Manila, Philippines

Happiness promised.
The senses teased. Sight, taste, smell. 
The freshness for sale.

Assertiveness

Speak up not to change

people's minds but because you

are important. Speak.

Growing Up By the Malabon River

The first house my family ever lived in was by the river, the Malabon River. We lived in the fifties at my fraternal grandmother's house located in the fishing town, Malabon, which was about 20 minutes without traffic from Manila. My grandmother lived on the first floor while my family occupied the second floor. In fact, my uncle who was single then when we were staying at this house also occupied a room on the floor where we were.

The house was located on the same compound that had then and even now the bottling facilities of the fish sauce company (Rufina Patis) my grandmother who I called Nanang founded and which flourished in the hands of her five sons and two daughters. We lived in this house in the fifties till I was ten years old.  Below are photos taken during my visit with my husband, Bob, at the bottling facility in compound number 1 by the Malabon River February 2023.

I remember a flat large deck on this second floor where our labandera or laundress would hang wet clothes on the clothes lines to dry.  As young children I remember eating fried chicken on the wide windowsill in front of this deck during which one of my brothers, Benjie, would be throwing the chicken bones to a rat (or two) for it to eat.  He found pleasure watching them gnaw on the bones while they were trapped in an inverted waste basket made of wire with holes in it. However, he discovered those rats could squeeze themselves out through those small openings easily once they were full and escape. This was one of the ways we found to amuse ourselves during our stay in this house.

For me I entertained myself by watching the various vehicles that passed through this river. From large fishing boats called lantsa to small ones ran by motor or by hand. The ones that fascinated me the most were the bamboo rafts that "parked" across our house for two or three days.  The raft had a little igloo shaped structure made of nipa which was just big enough for the fisherman to sleep in at night or shelter himself from rain.  Once they found the right spot for fishing, I always admired how these men skillfully maneuvered the rafts in place onto a post with their long bamboo poles.

These fishermen looked so peaceful, and Zen like in their movements.  Everything they did seemed more like they were on vacation rather than making a living. Whatever they caught did not seem much to me either and were deposited in woven baskets with covers. Once filled they would set out to go back to their homes. They apparently knew the meaning of enough. see photo below from this website

Salambao fishing raft, Malabon River, northern Metro Manila, Philippines, 1899 or before

Description with picture: Shows river, stone bridge, native raft of bamboo, poled by two men. Raft has grass hut, fishing net suspended in front.

 

Published in: Our islands and their people as seen with camera and pencil. St. Louis : N.D. Thompson Pub. Co., c1899. Vol. 2, pg. 762. Captioned: Native raft of bamboo poles on the Pasig River.

(Notice that the caption in the book is Pasig River that is in error and seems to be intentionally so)

 

Photograph is in an album that documents experiences of Frank Freeman Atkinson, Sergeant in Battery D, US Army.

Photograph was a gift to the library by Mrs. Frank Atkinson, Feb. 16, 1948.

 

California History Room picture Collection

California State Library

I always pictured the scene of these fishermen in their bamboo rafts like they were taken from one of the paintings of the great Filipino painter, Amorsolo. They were iconic and pure and truly represented the Filipino life then which was simpler and less hectic than today.

The river was more than a place for boats to travel or for people to catch fish during those times in the fifties when the river water was still clean and free of pollution.  During the month of December, exactly on December 9, a fluvial parade featuring a pagoda on a barge was held to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception which is the patron saint of this part of Malabon where we lived. This custom is continued to this day, and I believed was and might still be sponsored by the company my Nanang Fina established. I remember days before the pagoda set sail, people from the factory planning, building and decorating it especially the focal point where the statue of the Blessed Mother would be perched.  see photos in this website and this website.

The statue of the Blessed Mother was carried on the shoulders of several men who transported it to the pagoda starting from the church with people in a procession on foot.  The pagoda by that time would have been decorated with lights, flowers and balloons.

Also, part of the day's fiesta celebration was the fireworks show that was actually performed across the river from our house on the shore of Navotas, the adjoining town to Malabon.  I remember as a child, fearing some of the relatively harmless remnants of the fireworks descending on me which I brushed off with my hand while screaming.

Before this show, we would eat a big feast attended by guests of my grandmother's seven children.  I remember several people on tables strewn around the compound feasting on the food prepared by cooks imported from another town.  My favorite dish served was the paella to which I compared everyone I have ever eaten of this dish ever since.   Once we heard the blaring music from the pagoda we would run quickly from where we were eating and to the short wall that separated the grounds of the house from the river. We would try to fight for the space that had the best view of the beautifully decorated barge bearing the Blessed Mother.

Prayers recited in that monotone voice by the leader were also said and could be heard amidst the sound of the Ave Maria music and fireworks. After all this was more than a parade, it was a religious procession except it was held in water with the swarm of people packed like sardines moved by the boat rather than by them walking.

The last time I attended the fiesta was in the early nineties with my two young children.  We were all suffering from jet lags being the first few days of our Philippine trip visiting from the United States. I remember still running when I heard the familiar sound signaling the pagoda was coming and I still jostled for the best spot to view it. I was glad my children were too sleepy to see me do these childish behaviors.

Glitzy as this fluvial parade is, my favorite memories of the river were still those of the vehicles that passed through it every day. I would never forget the serenity of the fishermen in the bamboo rafts especially against the backdrop of the setting sun.  The ordinariness of these scenes of everyday life to me then and especially now is just as colorful as the fully decked out pagoda with all its pomp and pageantry. I am grateful for both the ordinary and extraordinary parts of my stay in the house by the river. I learned from both of them how my faith, culture and experience have shaped who I am now.

Darkness and Light

Manila Sunset.

Does not the darkness

make the light visible to 

us to understand?

The Dilemma

Tumauini Church, Isabela, Philippines

In losing we win.

Through tragedy, sufferings.

We are lifted up.

Symmetrical or Not

In nature some are, 
others not. Same with life. And
there lies its beauty.

Paula's Prayer Meeting October 2016 and Thoughts from St. Therese of Lisieux and the Life of Prayer by Dr. Susan Muto and Lori Mcmahon

Theme of the prayer meeting for October was prayer.  One of the quotes on prayer from the handout that was beautifully prepared by Sr. Paula and shown above came from St. Therese of Lisieux.  To expand on prayer, I decided to share with you some thoughts given during the three part presentation on the St. Therese of Lisieux and the Life of Prayer exquisitely given by Dr. Susan Muto and Lori McMahon from the Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality at St. Bernadette Church in Monroeville.

Kathy from St. Bernadette, Dr. Susan Muto, Jean from St. Bernadette, Fr. Tony Gargotta, pastor of St. Bernadette and Lori McMahon. 

I will particularly focus on the last part of the series, Living in Appreciative Abandonment.  I have enumerated (in italics) below some of the thoughts by St. Therese of Liseaux on Abandonment. The comments in quotes came from her book Story of a Soul as presented in the slides prepared by Lori McMahon.

• Total confidence in God's infinite mercy.  She looked upon herself as a "weak little bird with only a light down as covering".  
• Childlike surrender to the way of love. She always looked forward to surrender herself to the will of God.
• Unshakable belief in God's love for souls. I would say unconditional love for us as he showed to his disciples during their days of "not getting His message".  
• Full conviction that abandonment alone is our compass.  She believes that God that does not ask "for great actions but only abandon and gratitude".  

I would like to share also the slide given during the presentation on the two possible meanings of the term "abandonment" from the Teachings on Formative Spirituality by Father Adrian van Kaam:  one being Depreciative, Abandoned by the Mystery and the other Appreciative, Abandon to the Mystery.  (How powerful are prepositions!).  The former results in viewing life as meaningless while the other life as meaningful.

I hope that the handout by Sr. Paula and the thoughts that came from the presentation by Dr. Susan Muto and Lori McMahon move you to a prayer life of appreciative abandonment. Sr. Paula shared a favorite prayer of hers given to her by one of the novices she was with.  It was simply a three word prayer, Dear God then pause then Amen.  Thank you for reading and enjoy the beautiful autumn weather.

Please check the Pittsburgh Catholic for similar presentations on Prayer and St. Therese of Lisieux that will be presented at other parishes in the area by Dr. Muto and Lori McMahon.  Also please check the website of the Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality for books and courses and other offerings on different topics on spirituality offered at their center or online.

Here are a couple of books available at their website that are related to the reflections discussed in this post.

Kale and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk

We have a dish in the Philippines called Ginataang Kalabasa or Squash in Coconut Milk. One can add other vegetables like green beans to the squash and any kind of meat or seafood, the most common one being shrimp.

This recipe is an adaptation of this dish. I used butternut squash in combination with sweet kale.  I also used grape tomatoes and to boost the protein, I added canned northern beans.  Since I want this to be vegan, I did not use fish sauce the traditional seasoning and instead utilize the flavor of soy sauce or tamari. Non vegans can use the fish sauce which gives the dish that distinct flavor familiar to most Filipinos.

I have read a recent explanation why coconut oil and coconut in general have been touted to be healthy although it had been known otherwise due to it being a saturated fatty acid.  Not all saturated fatty acids are created equal.  In this publication written by Dr. Rhonda Patrick, PhD (please see the research papers cited therein), she explained that middle chain fatty acids which coconut oil mostly is composed of, metabolize through a different pathway that results in their being directly transported to the mitchondria (in the liver), the energy machine of our body.  As a result they are utilized for energy faster by the body than the long chain saturated and unsaturated ones like olive oil. These long chain ones go through a different pathway and they can end up as stored fat. Since coconut oil is metabolized faster it also helps the faster metabolism of its longer chain counterparts.

With this in mind, I used the coconut oil and coconut milk from the can in this dish with less trepidation than previously.  I highly recommend reading the source I obtained these pieces of information and the scientific research papers backing it up. Note to get the benefits of the coconut oil it must be raw or organic cold pressed and has not gone hydrogenation.

This dish is very delicious and filling served over the rice of your choice.  The flavor of the kale is enhanced by both the pairing with the squash and the thick coconut milk based sauce.

Kale and Butternut Squash in Coconut Milk

• 2 tbsp organic cold pressed coconut oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup of vegetable broth
• 1-15 oz can northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp of tamari
• 2 dry red chili peppers
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 whole butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 head sweet kale, leaves chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste
• curry powder or juice of lemon (optional and suggested for added flavor)

In a large saute pan with a cover or a Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil at medium heat and saute the onion, ginger, garlic, grape tomatoes if using and tomato paste till cooked.  Then add the broth, beans, tamari, red chili peppers and coconut milk. Heat the mixture through then add the squash and kale and boil gently till the squash and kale are cooked.  You want the squash not to be mushy.  

You can serve this as a main dish over rice of your choice or over Naan bread or as a delicious side dish.

Inanimates

At the lobby of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA.

Come alive with talk,

ideas being said. Warmed

by emotions shared.

What is Art?

The patio at the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA

It is what you see

not with your eyes alone but

with your heart, mind, soul.

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Indian Stew

I like the pairing of the two vegetables in this Indian flavored stew, the crispy cauliflower and the sweet potato.  The cauliflower pairs with the sweet potatoes as well as it does with potatoes in the popular Indian dish Aloo Gobi. And it being more nutritious than the potato is an added bonus.

I have posted a similar dish before using cauliflower with eggplant and green and red pepper.  I used coconut milk from a can and a ton of curry powder.

In this recipe I wanted also a sauce that is thick and spicy but this time I avoided using high fat canned coconut milk and just used non dairy milk and vegetable broth in its place.  I thickened the mixture with cornstarch and guess what else? Mashed previously cooked sweet potato. I used the usual spices found in most Indian dishes using less curry powder than before to round up the wonderful sauce that coated the cauliflower and sweet potato pieces.

It is a simple one pan dish to go to when you have a craving for something with the rich flavors of India. Was I happy eating this dish? Oh yes.  Did I eat it morning, noon and night? Yes. You would to. Addictive sauce.

Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Indian Stew

Adapted from this past blog post.

• 2 tsp plant oil or 1 tbsp vegetable broth
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 dry red chilies or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1/2 cup plant milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 tbsp sugar (optional)
• 1 sweet cooked potato, mashed
• 1 tbsp cornstarch in 3 tbsp water
• 1/2 cauliflower head, separated into florets
• 2 sweet potatoes, uncooked and cubed

Saute in the oil or vegetable broth the onion, minced ginger and minced garlic till they are cooked.  Then add the tomato paste and heat through.

Add the garlic powder, coriander, cumin, curry powder and turmeric and heat the mixture.  Add the red pepper flakes, salt, plant milk, vegetable broth, sugar, mashed sweet cooked potatoes and corn starch in water to the mixture and heat through.

Add the cauliflower and uncooked weet potatoes to the mixture and allow the mixture of the sauce and vegetables to boil gently till the sweet potatoes are cooked but still firm and the cauliflower still crisp.

Serve over rice of your choice or quinoa or with Naan bread.

Among the Pumpkins

She found a friend not

real but still a thrill. In awe
of her hair of straw.

Slow Cooker Eggplant Ragu

I had a large eggplant that I wanted to use in the fridge. I did not feel like using the oven nor the stove.  I just wanted to dump the eggplant into the slow cooker together with some ingredients from the fridge and pantry and forget it. I also wanted it to be vegetable laden and vegan with a lot of sauce that would be a good quinoa guzzler. I wanted it to be a simple dish with as few ingredients as possible.

This dish was so simply prepared, I did not even use any salt or pepper.  I relied only on the green chilies in the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies that I used for the kick.  As for the saltiness I used miso paste as a side condiment.

I anxiously waited for the results and I was not disappointed.  I ate this dish for breakfast, lunch and supper for the next few days after I prepared it.  It was an ideal quinoa guzzler with very high nutritional value and equally high flavor.

Slow Cooker Eggplant Ragu

• 1-10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 large eggplant, cut into large cubes
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 1 green or red or yellow pepper, cut into 1-inch slices 
• miso paste as side condiment 

Place all the ingredients except the miso paste in the slow cooker.  Cook for 3 hours at high setting or for 6 hours at low setting.  I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.

Serve with miso paste as a side condiment. This can be served over brown rice or quinoa.

Sad but grateful

Kind words, warm touch, the

stories, the memories shared.

Fill the emptiness.

In memory of a kind, gentle mentor, Sr Ursula

Impeccable. Hair,

clothes, discussions. Her goal: make

us happy. She did.