A Woman's Voice for the Voiceless

During this month of March, we celebrate women with Women's History Month and International Women's Month.  The past year marked the emergence of the MeToo movement which has given voice to the women who have suffered abuse and sexual harassment in the hands of men most of whom have held powerful positions.

In the past few years, growing awareness of the problem of human trafficking has increased.  Most of those who have been exploited have been women and even children.  A majority come from foreign countries and due to the language barrier and lack of money are powerless and voiceless and highly exploitable.

People are more aware of this injustice and disrespect to the victims as they are used for profit.  However, the problem is not only those who bring the victims here but those who enable this to go on, namely, the ones who patronize the places with the imported women and children.

My friend, Milyssa, had the courage to write a letter to the editor that was published by the Greensburg, PA paper uncovering trafficking with a high profile person involved.  Here is her letter:

Uncovering trafficking

Regarding “Robert Kraft charges no reason for celebration” (Feb. 25, TribLIVE): Come on, what a shallow editorial. Kraft’s charges are all about human trafficking. He has had a girlfriend, Ricki Noel Lander, 39, since 2012, one year after his wife died. Kraft is worth $6 billion, so put that money to good use on the big issue of human trafficking.

Dosomething.org reports that:

•Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry, generating $32 billion in profit annually — including $15.5 billion in industrialized countries.

• Approximately 80 percent of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19 percent involves labor exploitation, according to some estimates

.• The U.S. State Department reports that 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80 percent are female and half are children.

It is about time that human trafficking is uncovered. The world is much more than sports and the New England Patriots winning. Kraft and other imbeciles like him have no concern or respect for human life.

Milyssa Ross Sassos

Greensburg

This is not the first time that Milyssa has written a letter to the editor. This is her sixth.  Most of them are in defense of women and their rights.  As we celebrate the month of women, here is my salute to one with a courageous voice for the voiceless, my friend Milyssa Ross Sassos. Thanks Milyssa.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spinach Pea Soup

This is very similar to the recipe of another soup I prepared previously. Both are very comforting and filling. I made this easier by using spices straight from the cupboard. No chopping involved.

The pumpkin adds to the creamy texture while the spinach increases the nutrional value of this hearty yellow split pea soup.  I also added almond milk for more creaminess and nutrition.

This preparation can feed a crowd using three cups of yellow split peas. It is a wonderful nutrient dense soup to go home to and have around. Yes it can readily compete with any fish fry on meatless Friday this lent.

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Spinach Pea Soup 

• 3 tbsp cumin powder 
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• 3 tsp onion powder 
• 4 tsp garlic powder 
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups yellow split peas
• 6 pieces jalapeño from a jar
• 3 tsp ginger powder 
• 2 cups pumpkin puree from a can
• 1\2 tsp turmeric 
• 1\4 tsp cayenne pepper 
• Salt to taste 
• 8 cups vegetable broth  
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups frozen spinach
• 1\2 tsp black pepper 
• 1\4 tsp cardamom (optional)
• 1\4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 5 hours at high setting or 10 hours at low.  I cooked mine in an  Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 4 hours at slow cooker setting.

This is good over rice and also Naan, pita or baguette breGarnish with cilantro and lime slices.

Vegan Asian Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich

Hankering for an easy vegan barbecue pulled pork sandwich? This is it. It has that great enticing Asian full packed flavor. The use of jackfruit from a can delivers a meat substitute that comes close to the texture of pulled pork. The jackfruit readily absorbs the Asian barbecue flavor of hoisin.

Vegan Asian Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich

1 can green jackfruit in brine, drained
2 tbsp hoisin
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1/8 tsp fennel powder
1 packet stevia
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp catsup
1 tbsp cornstarch in 2 tbsp water


Drain the Jackfruit. Cut the pieces vertically so as to make separable strips.

Place the Jackfruit in a skillet. Combine the hoisin with all the ingredients except the cornstarch slurry.

Add to the jackfruit in the skillet and heat together and simmer till blended.

Add the cornstarch slurry and heat till mixture thickens.

Serve on a roll or baguette topped with coleslaw.

Vegan Oil Free Banana Bread

This recipe was adapted from this interesting site. The first time I made the vegan recipe, I used oil as directed and it turned out really good with my picky taster, my husband, giving it two thumbs up. I like to push the envelope and decided to make an oil free vegan version using unsweetened applesauce for the same amount of oil and served it to my picky taster. He liked it though he would prefer it sweeter. He did not comment on the texture which was denser. For me this version passed the test and a keeper.

Vegan Oil Free Banana Bread

Adapted from this site. 

• 1\4 cup unsweetened almond milk or any nondairy milk
• 1\2 tsp vinegar
• 1\2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 very ripe bananas (note 1), mashed
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1\2 cup all purpose flour
• 1\2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1\2 tsp baking soda
• 1\4 tsp salt
• 3\4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spray a nonstick bundt pan (note 2) and set aside.

Stir together the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix the applesauce, sugar, bananas, vanilla, and milk mixture in a large bowl and beat till well mixed.

Stir together in a medium bowl the flours, baking powder and soda, and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix till flour is covered with wet ingredients.

Fold in the walnuts.

Add the batter into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 35 min or till toothpick comes out clean.

Notes:

1. You can ripen bananas by peeling and microwaving them for a minute. See this site.

2. I highly recommend the Bundt pan to bake vegan versions versus a loaf pan. It provides even baking. When using a loaf pan, the middle part tends to be wet while the rest is already done. In an effort to bake this middle portion. the rest gets overbaked. The other option is to use several small loaf pans.

Sugar Bliss

After seeing tales

Disney on Ice told the best

still, cotton candy!

Baby Bok Choy with Three Ingredient Sauce

Easy vegetable side dish to prepare.

Baby Bok Choy with Three Ingredient Sauce

• 4 baby bok choy, cut in half
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp chili garlic paste
• Garlic powder to taste

Add the bok choy to a skillet and add water enough to steam them. 

Mix the hoisin sauce and chilic paste in a small bowl. Set aside.

Top the cooked bok choy with the sauce. Sprinkle with garlic powder.

Enjoy!

Woke up a worry wart

Then I heard the birds 

singing. Knew then God would take

care of all those stuff.

A Privilege

To be needed. To

give. To share. A soul to soul

meet with Him along.

Vegan Coffee Chocolate Mousse

This mousse was inspired by the one brought by the adorable YouTuber, Brittany Jaroudi, to the gathering of our Murrysville Plant Based Group headed by Sally Lipsky last December. Check out Brittany's highly entertaining and informative YouTube channel  for the original recipe and other whole food plant based ones. Do view and be inspired by her story on how plant based eating has changed her life.

I tweaked the original recipe by adding tofu to give more body to the mousse and coffee granu!es to further enhance its chocolate taste. Oh my this is so darn delicious and creamy I could have eaten the whole thing! This is an easy dessert to concoct for your next family gathering. It is irresistible.

Vegan Coffee Chocolate Mousse

About six servings

• 1/2 cup cashews (soak in water for 30 minutes or so if you are not using a high speed blender)

• 1/4 cup tofu

• 4 pitted dates ( soak in water beforehand if not using a high speed blender) or use stevia to taste

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or any nondairy one

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 - 1 tsp instant coffee granules

Blend in a high speed blender until smooth.

When serving, top with more coffee granules if you like.

Vegan Ricotta Spinach Olive Roll Ups

The ricotta cheese recipe I used was adapted from the one on this wonderful site. I did not have the fresh basil in the original recipe so I added dried basil and upped the flavor by adding lemon and nutritional yeast.

The combination of cashew nuts, tofu and almond milk made the texture spreadable and yet had form and body like a ricotta. It is a bit different from the feel of the cream cheese recipe I made from straight cashew in a past blog post. Both are good in terms of texture with a tiny difference I could note. 

Aside from being utilized for this roll up or pinwheel recipe it is good on practically any dish that calls for a ricotta or just as a spread.. Right now I  could not stop spreading it on naan bread, crackers, pita bread about anything cuz it is so addictive. This is a wonderful and delicious addition to my list of vegan portable food I can depend on as I jump from one errand or exercise class to another. So happy.

Vegan Ricotta Spinach Olive Roll Ups

Adapted from this site

Ricotta Cheese

• 7 to 9 oz firm tofu
• 1\2 cup cashew
• 1\4 cup almond milk unsweetened
• 1 tsp  distilled vinegar
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1\4 of a lemon including the peel
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a powerful blender and  blend till smooth.

Assembling the Roll Ups

• 4- eight inch flour tortillas
• 2 cups  spinach leaves
• 1\2 cup green olives with pimento centers, chopped
• 1 to 2 large  tomatoes,  chopped
• Ricotta cheese prepared  above

Spread the  ricotta cheese equally on all four tortillas  and  cover the  top with the spinach leaves. Distribute the tomato and olives on top. Roll tightly into cylinders and cut  the ends. Cut each cylinder into six pieces.

One of the Little Things

I am happy to

just wake up to a new day,

a new beginning.

Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Soup

This was adapted from a recipe for Yellow Split Pea and Butternut Squash Soup shared by the talented Judi Carvell with the members of the Plant Based Community that we belong to that meets at the Murrysville Library. I substituted lentils for the split pea and sweet potato for the butternut squash since these were what I had in hand when the craving for this soup came up. I also used the "dump and forget it" slow cooker approach to simplify the cooking process.

The soup is spicy and comforting like the Dal soup I used to make from Aarti Sequeira’s recipe but simpler to prepare using less steps. I hope you try this hearty and healthy soup. It is highly satisfying but oh so easy to make.

Slow Cooker Lentil Sweet Potato Soup 

• 1 tsp cumin powder 
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup lentils
• 2 pieces jalapeño from a jar
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/4 tsp turmeric 
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 
• Salt to taste 
• 4 cups vegetable broth 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper 
• 1/8 tsp cardamom (optional)
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 3 hours at high setting or 6 hours at low.  I cooked mine in an  Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker for two hours at slow cooker setting.

When cooked, you can use an immersion blender and blend the mixture till creamy in texture if you like. 

Garnish with cilantro and lemon slices. 

Lemon Miso Shrimp Soup (Sinigang)

Sinigang is the Filipino answer to the Chinese hot and sour soup or the Thai Tom Tum Yum. We resort to using tamarind or even guava or both as the souring agent.  Filipinos have lately resorted to packaged Tamarind Soup Mix from the Asian Store to prepare the dish. Easy peasy. But there is a catch, it has MSG. 

i usually do not react to this flavoring agent, MSG, but I noticed I have had headaches lately when eating dishes cooked with it. But I love my Sinigang and so does my husband who is American. So one day in desperation I decided to use lemon as the souring source. It actually worked to satisfy my craving. 

I used shrimp as my protein but other meat or seafood can be used. So forget about making that extra trip to the Asian store, good old lemon will satisfy that craving for this iconic Filipino dish.

Lemon Miso Shrimp Soup (Sinigang)

See this blogpost and references therein for other ways to cook Sinigang

• Juice of two lemons
• 1/4 cup miso
• 2 cups water 
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 1 large, tomato, sliced
• 1 whole Banana pepper 
• 2 bunches of baby bok choy
• 4 napa leaves, sliced
• 8 shrimps 

Place all the ingredients except the bok choy, napa leaves and the shrimp in a soup pot. Allow the mixture to boil. 

Once it is boiling, add the bok choy, napa cabbage and shrimp. Continue boiling till the shrimp is pink. Do no boil too long or the sbrimp and vegetables will be overcooked.

Enjoy with a bowl of rice and fish sauce if you like. You can squeeze open the whole banana pepper for more heat if you dare to.

My Childhood Enchanted Forest

Nestled in our childhood memories are those lessons we had to take to be well versed in a musical instrument or in dance. In my case they were piano lessons which I and my siblings took under Miss Gutierrez who was actually a distant cousin of my father.

What makes the lessons memorable for me among other reasons was the fact I had to take them not because I wanted to but to satisfy the vision of my parents that their children go through training in some kind of artistic discipline.  My maternal grandmother, Lola Sefa, used to encourage me to continue taking them by saying if I did not I would regret it later in life.

I was not really interested.  My practice consisted of the actual playing of the piece assigned that day during the piano lesson itself. I usually stayed on one book or even one piano piece for one year being left behind as a result by my other contemporaries.

Every Saturday, we were usually dropped off by our driver in front of the wooden gate with the large metal handle of our piano teacher's house which I believe was in Naval Street in Malabon.  The door looked like the one you see in a house in a fairy tale like Hansel and Gretel.

Once you enter the yard you would feel like you were in an enchanted forest in one of those fairy tales. The landscaping was unique and rustic with a mysterious ambience about it.  The whole yard had a  canopy of leaves from the branches of tall trees some of which were fruit bearing. The ground was carpeted not by grass or barren ground but by tiny seashells and small rocks. Two Japanese inspired ponds complete with bridges were focal points of the expansive, beautiful but dark yard.

Lush towering bamboo trees served as the border of the perimeter of the grounds. I remember there was space between these trees and the concrete wall where I sometimes ran around to just prove to myseIf that I could do it. That I was not scared of this enchanted forest of my childhood especially this secluded area. It did help that this particular space was bright since this was where the sun rays were able to shine through being unencumbered by any canopy of leaves on branches like the rest of the grounds.

One third of the yard had empty space huge enough for us the students, when waiting for our sundo or people who would pick us up, to play two popular Filipino group games, patintero and tumbang preso (see a past blogpost for descriptions of these games). Since the ground had shells and rocks not grass we could easily write with a stick, the lines dividing the different areas of the two games. However these lines were also easily erased which brought about some heated arguments if we were out or inside the lines or that we stepped on them.

Aside from the memories of play and fun in this yard, I, the future foodie, loved  picking up santol fruit that had fallen from one of the gigantic fruit trees in the garden. Santol fruit (see photos below) which is also known as wild mangosteen has a light orange kind of hairy like skin that sometimes split open when it fell on the ground. If unopened it meant we had to open it by squeezing with our two hands  sometimes while between our thighs to reveal the seeds coated with the delectable sour flesh. We sometimes ate it with gusto dipped in salt while waiting in the parlor of the house for our turn in having our piano lessons.

I have also fond memories of eating luscious sliced green mangoes that fell from the backyard trees that one of Miss Gutierrez's nephews would generously share with us at the parlor. It was sour but was it good with salt.

Students waited for their turn for lessons in this parlor while reading the numerous comic books of fairy tales that Miss Gutierrez provided. I savored stories of Cinderella, Snow White and Rumplestiltskin among others during this waiting time. I think this was how I developed my wild imagination that  pictured out of my piano teacher's yard an enchanted forest. No matter, this huge tree laden magical garden was where fun filled memories were woven that compensated for those
piano lessons I had to take.

Vegan Air Fried Asian Meatballs

Easy and convenient to prepare using pantry ingredients. The meatballs can be eaten as is as a portable snack or appetizer or stuffed into a baguette to make a Banh Mi sandwich ( see this post).

Vegan Air Fried Asian Meatballs 

Makes around 15 to 18 balls

Preparation 30 minutes

1- 14 oz can great northern beans or any white beans, drained
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry onion flakes
1/2 tbsp dry garlic flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1 packet stevia
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 /8 tsp salt
1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped coarsely
2 cups spinach leaves
1\4 cup oats
2- 4 tbsp panko crumbs

                                         
Combine all the ingredients except the panko crumbs in the blender. Pulse till ingredients are into small pieces and well mixed but not too pasty. Add the panko crumbs to the mixture as needed to make the handling to balls easier.

Using a small ice cream scoop form the mixture to balls.

Air fry in single layer for 12 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.

Can be served as is or in a baguette as Banh Mi filling.

Vegan Tomato Soup with Air Fried Croutons

I love the tomato soup at Panera Bread restaurant. It really is good. I have had this soup at another place but it did not have that mellow smooth taste of the one at Panera. Again that desire to make a vegan version asap engulfed me and this is the recipe I came up with.

After reading on one site that the soup splashes when pureed with an immersion blender, I used canned diced tomatoes instead of the whole ones they used and it worked. It helps also to cook the soup in a pot that has at least 6 cup capacity to prevent the splashing. One can also do an extra step of transferring the soup in a blender to puree it if using whole tomatoes. Come to think of it you can also just cook the soup in a Vita Mix blender designed to heat and cook soups.   Oh next time.

Note the recipe called for baking soda to neutralize the acidic taste of the tomatoes I used. This is a tip I learned from the Arlene's Home Cooking show in the Cornerstone channel I watch.

For me the croutons is a must have. I prepared oil free ones using aquafava or liquid from canned chickpeas I have. Just barely wet the bread in it. Do not soak the bread. You just need it to make the garlic mixture to adhere. I also find it easier to air fry the whole bread slices rather than cubed ones because of having to use aquafava instead of oil.

I was happy with this soup and so was my picky taster, my husband Bob. This recipe is a keeper.

Vegan Tomato Soup with Air Fried Croutons

1- 24 oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tbsp dried garlic flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup water
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 packet stevia or regular sugar to taste
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup coconut milk from can

Add all the ingredients except the coconut milk in a 6 to 8 cup pot and allow the mixture to boil till the flavors are blended.

Add the coconut milk at the last few minutes of cooking.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup till smooth in texture.

Serve topped with Air Fried Croutons (recipe below)

Air Fried Croutons

4 bread slices (I used sprouted grain bread)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp salt
4 tbsp aquafava or liquid from a can of chickpeas or white beans

Mix the garlic powder, parsley and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Lightly wet the bread with aquafava. Then sprinkle the garlic mixture on top of both sides of the bread.

Toast the bread slices in an air fryer for 10 minutes  at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut each slice into cubes.

A Song

A bridge between you
and your soul. To touch, move it.
Transform you to be.

Feeling Blessed

To just burst out to
say, I am happy, really
happy. Just felt it.

Vegan Mushroom Wontons

Everybody loves wontons, whether fried or steamed. This mushroom vegan version is just as delicious and far healthier. I gave several options to cook these wontons so take your pick and enjoy!

Vegan Mushroom Wontons

Adapted from this past blog post

Yielded around 30 plus wontons

• 1- 8 oz package mushrooms, cleaned and chopped coarsely (I used cremini)
• 1\2 cup walnuts
• 1\4 cup green onions, roughly chopped
• 1 1\2 cup baby carrots or 2 large ones, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and cut to  pieces
• 1-2 tbsp soy sauce or to taste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1\4 cup oats or flour
• 1 package wonton wrappers

Place all the ingredients except the cornstarch, oats and wrappers in a blender or food processor and pulse till the ingredients are uniformly sized small pieces and well blended but not pasty.

Add the cornstarch and oats to the mushroom mixture and mix well.

Take about two teaspoons of the mixture and place in the middle of each wonton. Wet the edges of the wrapper with little water with tip of one finger and fold the corners together to make triangle. Lift the triangle at the tip of triangle and start pressing the edges to seal it.

Options for cooking the wontons:

1). Air fry the wontons in a single layer for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. You can bake them in the oven also. See this blog post. Serve with Thai sweet chili sauce or plum sauce.

2). You can also steam them using a steamer lined with wax or parchment paper for about 20 minutes or till edges of wontons appear more translucent than when you started. I used my rice cooker/steamer for this. Serve with sauce  made from 2 tbsp soy sauce and 4 tbsp mirin. 

3). You can also gently boil about 1\2 cup water in a saute pan and carefully add the wontons and cover and let them cook in the simmering water not rapidly boiling one. Once cooked gently lift the wontons.

How do we know ourselves?

Write, write and write. Our

hands do not lie, unravel

what our hearts, soul hide.

I sit and listen

Tales of aliens, 

penguins, birds, snowmen, even

houses, teeth, mittens.

My Especial Enchilada Red Bean Chili

On days like this past sub zero weather it is nice to cozy up to something that gives you warmth and comfort. Try this recipe and then go back to your favorite book and favorite blanket. You might even enjoy the gloomy weather.

I had this big can of red enchilada sauce in my pantry for months and one lazy day I decided to use it to prepare chili using leftover meat I had in the fridge. I wanted something quick and dirty. When I added the sauce in the crockpot and tasted it,  I was surprised it was not tomato based in taste but something very strong like you would find in an authentic Mexican sauce. I decided to add a can of stewed tomatoes and that did the trick. It imparted a sweet taste while leaving that authentic Mexican flavor. I also added honey to further tone down that strong tasting stuff in the enchilada sauce.

I decided to read the label to see what is in this enchilada sauce. The reveal is not in the English list but in the Spanish one. The main ingredient is not just any red pepper but guajillo chiles or peppers which I have used before in this. No wonder it tasted familiar.

Overall the resulting chili got two thumbs up from my picky taster, my husband. I would use this sauce again for that "what was  that" Mexican something, something it gives to the chili. It made for one spectacular chili.

My Especial Enchilada Red Bean Chili

• 1-28 oz can red enchilada sauce (I used Pueblo Lindo brand or any with guajillo chiles or peppers)
• 1-14 oz can stewed tomatoes 
• 1 to 2-14 oz can(s) red beans, drained 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 cup cilantro, chopped 
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water 
• 2 to 4 tbsp honey or to taste 
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup leftover meat (chicken, beef or pork), skip to make it vegan and add more red beans

Place all ingredients in the crockpot and cook for three hours on high or six hours on low setting. 

Food for the Soul

My favorite memory of my father is his passion for cooking for us his family. When he retired from working in their family’s business he undertook grocery shopping and planning our daily meals. I remember his penchant for pairing one dish with another. For example he would pair pork chops with mung bean and kamote (sweet potato) soup. He also loved putting together kare kare or oxtail in peanut sauce with our national dish, chicken adobo. Nilaga or boiled beef served with fried chicken was another favorite food pairing he was fond of.

He taught our cook, Lola May, how to prepare tapa or Filipino beef jerky as well as our hometown pride and joy, pancit Malabon, a noodle dish topped with seafood like shrimp, oysters and smoked fish. It was a common sight to see the tapa being dried in the sun in our terrace.  When I was working,  my officemate, Mrs. B, loved to order the pancit Malabon since it was that good.

He loved to go everyday to our town's public market to catch what was on sale. He wore his signature bakya or wooden clogs which enabled him to fearlessly walk through the sometimes muddy passages in the market. He would look for bargains and adjust his menu for that day according to them.  The tinderas or vegetable or meat peddlers knew him and would noisily clamor for his attention by screaming, "Over here,  over here" and shoving their fresh produce to his face for him to inspect.

We enjoyed excellent meals every day and I still resort to his recipes for different Filipino dishes as I remembered them.  We ate our lunch which was usually the central meal of the day in our round table with a lazy susan in the middle which we rotated to get to the dishes and hot rice as well as the various condiments like patis (fish sauce), vinegar or soy sauce that we  needed to add further flavor to the dishes.  Filipinos love to leave the completion of the saltiness to the people eating the dish rather than just flavoring it to the maximum.

Food was how my father showed his love for us.  As a little girl and despite being still extremely busy with the burgeoning patis business they had, he made it a point to prepare Ovaltine drink for us every night to make sure we would grow healthy and strong.  I remember him in his kamiseta and kansonsilyo (tshirt and shorts, his nightwear) mixing the brown Ovaltine powder in milk and mixing it with a spoon and telling us "drink this" since there was sometimes hesitation on our part. We did not want to be bothered from our play.

One particular scene comes to mind though the details are blurry as I recall how he showed his love for me. I believe it was when I broke the news that my office was sending me to Brazil for a training course. I recall he was not sure how to process the good news.  But I knew he was happy and proud of me when he said "Go ahead eat the shrimps I prepared".  He felt the news called for a celebration and seafood especially fresh ones like the shrimps he bought that day were worthy to mark that day.

You must be wondering why I posted that photo of banh mi above and below to accompany this essay.  Three weeks ago, my manicurist, called me on the phone to come to their shop.  She had this Vietnamese sandwich for me.  She had promised that she would prepare this dish ever since I tried it once at her shop.  I was really touched she went all out preparing it that day and felt the love since it was particularly challenging to prepare.

The day before another food incident at a chain restaurant made my day.  When I requested the waitress for a take out box for my leftover tortilla soup, she packed in extra soup as well as extra cheese and tortilla strips which I jokingly requested as a whisper. I think she felt bad for me since I had to forego the "eat as much as you want sundae" which my husband had since I told her I was a on a diet.

These two incidents triggered my recollection of my father's display of his love for me.  He was not very showy with his emotions but his actions through the language of food spoke louder than words.  These three wonderful and touching small events show how universal and eloquent food is as a language that feeds not only the body but also the soul.

Air Fried Vegan White Bean Falafel

Something happened on my way to the market. I forgot to take with me my good eyesight. As I picked up the canned beans at Aldi Grocery store I reached out for northern beans thinking it was chickpeas. How did that happen can be explained by the fact this store tend to mix their beans on the shelf. So I ended with six northern beans in my pantry instead of both that and chickpeas.  Anyway I had always wanted to make falafel and that desire was so great yesterday when it was  below zero weather here in Pittsburgh.

I googled for a white bean falafel recipe and found it in this site. It however was not vegan and I searched for one and found it in this other wonderful site except I had to do some tweaking. I substituted northern beans for the raw chickpeas this site used. It also utilized the air fryer which made the recipe even more endearing to me. The list of ingredients included spices that spelled flavor to me so I was set in my mind I am doing it, namely, drive away the winter blues and make my falafel.

Wow, they were delicious with just the right kick to it and texture. I chose to  dredge the falafel in panko crumbs because that is how I roll (lol) but you can skip it. You can eat them as is with tzatziki sauce but I happened to have some pita bread so I stuffed the falafel into it with lettuce, tomato and cucumber pieces. Oh my!

Air Fried Vegan White Bean Falafel

Adapted from this site and this site

• 1-14 oz can northern beans, drained and rinsed (I have used chickpeas in a later prep)
• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 clove garlic, cut coarsely
• 1\4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1\4 cup flour or as needed
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1\8 tsp black pepper
• 1\4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1\4 tsp salt or more to taste
• Panko crumbs (optional)

Place the beans, onion, garlic and cilantro in the blender and pulse till ingredients are mixed. Do not over blend or the mixture will get pasty.

Transfer the bean mixture into a medium bowl and add to it the rest of the ingredients except the Panko crumbs if using.

Using a small ice cream scoop make about 18 one inch balls from the seasoned bean mixture and roll if you choose to in panko crumbs.

Air fry in two batches at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.

You can serve this as is with vegan tzatziki sauce. You can also stuff it into a pita bread with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. 

What Moves You

Makes who you are, how

your mind and heart view things and

what you choose to do.

Find Jesus Was the Invitation

And I did. Over

coffee, pastry, shared stories.

With friends old and new.

How Does One Measure Learning?

Teaching is both highly fulfilling and utterly frustrating. The former comes from the fact it is a noble profession. As they say you are touching lives forever. The latter arises from the reality that its particular impact is hard to measure. How could one assess growth in their knowledge or in their overall journey to getting to whatever your goals are for them to reach? But like everything else in life sometimes that revelation does come and when least expected and usually when you are just about to give up.

Several months ago I forged into ambitious moves in teaching two different levels of students. One group consists of sophomore college organic chemistry lab students while the other, 3rd grade CCD religion kids. What could be more diverse and yet I decided I will push them to whatever it takes to make them learn. I will be honest though. I did have concerns that I might be expecting too much of them with the approaches I would take. In this essay I will talk about my experience with the college age students.

I obtained an emergency appointment last fall to teach an organic chem lab using the inductive approach not the usual so called cookbook way that was utilized in the past by the department. Students are not spoonfed the concepts but instead are to learn them as they go along with the questions and experiments in the lab.  In the opposite method called deductive approach used previously the principles were presented before hand and the students applied them in the lab experiment.  

The inductive approach was not easy for both the students as well as the teachers to use. The greatest challenge for me was how much to give at the prelab so as not to prevent the students from inducing the principles to be learned in the lab itself. What I decided to rely on was thoughtfully crafted quizzes on what they learned in the past experiment as well as on what they are supposed to learn in that day's experiment. The latter part was more difficult to prepare since I had to consider how much I could expect them to know by just reading ahead of time. What I used this part of the quiz for was to introduce the principles to be learned in that day's lab experiment during the discussion of the answers to the quiz questions without taking away from the inductive stage during the lab.  I could hear moans from the class as well as frustrated looks in their faces every time this was done in the prelab. The sighs and at times anger were palpable.

It was almost the end of the semester and I still was not sure from the low grades in the quizzes if the approach was working. I went to the university to return back a lab book lent to me by the lab coordinator. I also brought him a thank you gift for proctoring my sections' lab  final exam so I did not have to make the one hour plus drive home at night. I caught him coming out of his office that day.  The first thing he greeted me with was "Congratulations! Your section out of the five got the highest average in one part of the two part exam". I was stunned since my section was the so called control group. (The university was part of a multi group research grant with another institution). My students were not given two additional worksheets that were distributed to the other four sections that were supposed to enhance the comprehension of concepts. The expectation was that my section would be at a disadvantage. It seemingly was not the case. Now how does one explain that?

I wonder, "Could it be those challenging quizzes that were so difficult they depressed and frustrated my students and made them complain endlessly ?. I am not sure since there are other factors to consider.

I do remember one thing I learned taking a course on teaching pedagogy or was it psychology. One teaches above what the students need to learn to deepen their thinking. For example teaching calculus beyond algebra in high school will help them think though the principles they learn might not even be necessary for them to know.

Another favorite quip in education comes to mind as I figure the performance of my students, namely, using the tool of a question or in this case questions in the quizzes.. Could that be the factor? I am not really sure.  I always say, teaching is research as research is teaching.  I would just say I ended the semester really happy but still perplexed.  Perhaps that is why I love teaching. It is a challenge and an unending journey.

Vegan Tacos with Walnut and Air Fried Vegetables

I belong to a plant based group whose members prefer oil free recipes.  I converted a recipe from this site into an oil free one by air frying the vegetables and mushrooms instead of frying them with olive oil.

This recipe is flexible and you can use any vegetables you have instead of the ones I used. I for one substituted mushrooms for the eggplant used in the original recipe.

Instead of using store bought taco seasoning, I added the spices found in it. You avoid the preservatives in the commercial one and adjust what and how much spices you add. I also added soy sauce for more umami flavor.

The walnuts give the filling a meaty texture. It feels good to bite into them since they add to the flavor and whole experience of eating a "meaty" meatless taco.

I ate the tacos with a side of cooked rice and black beans straight from a can. Wow!

Vegan Tacos with Walnut and Air Fried Vegetables

Adapted from this recipe

Filling

1 bell pepper, diced
1 zucchini, diced
8 oz sliced button mushrooms
1\2 cup walnuts, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel brand for example)
2 tsps each chili pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
1 tsp each cumin, sugar
1\4 cup water or vegetable broth
2 tsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Air fry the zucchini and green pepper for 15 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

Air fry the mushrooms at 360 degree Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.

Mix the air fried vegetables with the rest of the ingredients in a skillet and heat through.

Tacos

8 taco shells
1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
Filling

Place the filling into the taco shell. Add the lettuce on top.

Serve with the following as sides or with the tacos

Salsa
Cooked rice
Black beans from a can

Faith Sharing Groups

We gather, pray, share.

His presence felt among us.

We leave whole again.

Hi World

Hi 2019

Bye 2018. Happy

to be. Grow. Live life!