'Xiang Chun' (香椿) with Colorful Vegetable Multi Grain Rice

What to cook today? Simple to try!

[So sorry, no photo available at the moment. I'll upload the photo once I took it!]

One of the favorite recipe by many ie. my family, Yoga buddies, friends, students etc.

Well, this recipe came to my mind because of few reasons. It's long story again!^_^

Mainly, I always want to cook something new and healthy for my hubby. His taste bud is not as 'plain' as mine yet. He use to spend most time eating out for meeting, business...etc. Our refrigerator have no meat since we moved in to our new house 2004. Both of us agreed to cook only vegan meal [only plant foods (fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, seeds, and nut...) and exclude all animal sources of protein — including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese, and other dairy products; except we do take honey once a while] at home since then. However, sometimes he does request for 'fried rice'. Hmmm... But, I don't fry! I don't use wok even we do have a new one keeping in the store for many years. One of the rules in my so called 'healing kitchen' (*_^) is 'NO FRYING'! Why?

// Lively Oil
Dr Udo's said NO liquid oil is good for cooking. No oil is suitable for high heat ie. bake, toast, fry etc. It's very toxic and endanger our health.

Pls refer: http://www.udoerasmus.com/FAQ/FAQ_index_en.htm

However, Virgin Coconut Oil (medium chain fatty acid is not destroyed by heat) is high heat resistant and it does not turn into a trans fat. So, it claim to be safe for cooking. Your choice!

I drink oil ( 2 tbsp Udo Oil & 1-2 tbsp Coconut Oil) everyday. I do shake well together with juices, soya drink,... or put into oat porridge, Santan Free Bubur Cha Cha etc... or just top on the food that are ready to be served. Simple and delicious! Not only hubby love it, even my 8 - 17 yrs old nephews and nieces love it very much.

// 'Healthy Fried Rice'
Oh, back to 'fried rice'... hehe :P I's quite addicted to eat Korea food that time, especially there is one at Amcorp Mall (It's always full! Must try! haha... ) recommended by Hui Ling. The captain and waitress are so so friendly and their services are very good. Whatever we order we want it to be cooked in vegetarian, they keep smiling and says, "ok ok.. we can do that for you or I'll check with the chef!" I really miss the salad, Kim-chi set rice, stone rice.. etc! Yummie yummie...!

Then, my Uni friend, Peh and Pin bought me 2 pairs of 'spoon and chopstick' from Korea on their honeymoon vacation. I just don't know why, I love to use the spoon very very much since then, in every meal. It's just a very simple spoon with little graphic on it. Yeah, there is a turtle. I quite like turtle. For many Chinese, turtles symbolize health and longevity or immortality. Because of the Korea food and Peh's souvenir; One day, I suddenly think of this so called 'healthy fried rice' for my hubby. Like Korean people, they love to mix everything together :-) I myself love this recipe very very much, hubby too.. So, I guess it's good to share 'good food' around! Simple and healthy one, I suppose! hahah :)

[Thanks to Hui Ling and newly wedd Peh & Pin! Thanks to my hubby that make me more creative preparing the meal! So, I cook what is available in the fridge or kitchen!]

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To vary flavors and textures, experiment with different kinds of rice available in the organic shop! Herewith 2 types of rice (A & A1) you may want to try out.
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Organic Ingredient (A): Simple Multi Grain Rice [serves 6]
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* 360g Brown Rice or multi grain (consist of brown rice, millet, barley, wild rice etc)
* Distilled Water (3 cup)

Method (A):
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* Rinse, sproat and soak at least 4 hours or overnight at room temperature to reduce its acidity and make the grains more digestible
* Put the rice and water in a stainless steel bowl and steam for about 30 min until all the water is completely absorbed by the rice.
* Otherwise, steam until the rice is cooked.

Organic Ingredient (A1): # Our favourite steam rice: 'nasi lemak'! [serves 4-6]
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(a) Wild rice + Gordon Euryale Seed（芡实） + 薏仁 + lotus seed (1/4 cup)
[need to add extra distilled water 1:2 ie. 1/2 cup water)
(b) Brown Rice (1 cup); Red Rice (1/4 cup),
(c) Millet (1/2 cup)

Method (A1):
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Steam (a) with 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 cup water till it's quite soft about 30 min. At the same times, add 1-2 tsp cumin seed (jeera) and 2 tbsp of coconut oil and few (6) pandan leave.
Next,add (b) without adding any water and steam for about 20 min.
Finally, add (c) to mix all together. Millet is easy to get soft and sticky.
Steam for another 30 min or till rice is cooked.
Fluff with a fork, and keep warm until ready to serve.

Organic Ingredient (B):
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(i) Ginger (minced or shredded)
* I don't eat garlic,scallion/spring onion, shallot and onion, but you can add in if you like.

(ii) Colorful Vegetables:
*you can either lightly steam, but I like it raw! If eating raw, remember to soak with some Apple Cider Vinegar to kill bacteria and germs.

Carrot (shredded)
Sweet corn
Red Capsicum (cut into small piece)
Purple Cabbage (shredded)
Sprout Bean
Alfalfa Sprout
Lettuce (shredded)

// Or any of the following that you like:
Choy Sam (shredded)
Amaranth (shredded)
Spinach (shredded)
Celery (shredded)
Long Bean
Asparagus
Snow Pea
etc... etc...

Seasoning (C):
~~~~~~~~~~
香椿酱 (Xiang Chun Jiang)
Black Sesame Powder

Option:
Bragg's Liquid Amino (Soy Protein)
Sesame oil

Topping (D):
~~~~~~~~
Coriander (chopped)
Pre Balance Powder (raw wheat germ, brewer yeast, lecithin)
Seaweed Floss
Nuts (Almond, Cashew nut, etc)
Seed (pumpkin seed, sunflower seed etc)
Cayenne Pepper (sprinkle some if you like it to be spicy)

[METHOD]
In a maxing bowl, combine and mix all the ingredient well, ie rice (A or A1), vegetable (B) and seasoning (C)
Transfer to a servicing plate. Garnish with coriander and top with (D). This is a wholesome complete meal. :)

Bon Appetit!

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti!
yw

Soja Slimming 'Cendol'

Morning! I'll like to share one of my favourite drink... It's just simple and easy to prepare! .. yummie yummie! Must try! ^_*

Organic Ingredient
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# 1 cup (250ml) Soja Calcium, NaturGreen [u can made your own soya milk, almond milk etc]
# 1 tbsp Blackstrap Molasses, Wholesome
# 1 tsp Virgin Coconut Oil

Preparation
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# Using a shaker, mix all the ingredients well. It's ready to serve.

It's a grand holidays esp for the Chinese now. Wishing you and family Happy New Year in the lunar year of rat - with unlimited Happiness, Love, Health and Prosperity!

恭喜发财! 万事如意！

Namaste
yw

p/s: recipe from "Justlife Organic Shop" http://www.justlifeshop.com/

Regimen Black Bean Soy Milk & Porridge/Congee

We will not miss our vegetables and fruits juices in the morning. After that, usually we will have something light after a long night sleep, which is about 6-8 hrs fasting (:P). So, we use to have porridge or sweet potatoes or cereal. Just a light one!

Today, Friday (25 Jan'08), I'm cooking everything 'black'...
(i) Black Bean Soy Milk (look very sweet in little apple green color!)
(ii) Black Bean Porridge...



RECIPE (i): Black Bean Soy Milk
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Organic Ingredient:
# Black Bean (B/B)
(I forgot how much B/B I soak, about 3-4 cup if I'm not mistaken...hehe... )

Seasoning: (optional)
# Organic Raw Honey
# 2-3 tsp Pre Balance Powder (raw wheat germ, brewer yeast, lecithin)
# 2-3 tsp Black Sesame Powder

Method:
# Soak B/B soak at least 4 hours or overnight at room temperature to reduce its acidity and make the grains more digestible
# Wash and drain. B/B become 'bigger' after soak and sprouted.
# I prefer to remove the hulls.

<< Why? Esp B/B and soy bean's hull are high in purine compare to others bean, which will increase the urine acid in the body... My hubby still a semi-carnivor, so I better remove it... However, meat (especially skin and organs) and seafood are much more purine-rich than beans. Beans are considered to contain a moderate amount of purine.>>

# Grind the B/B in a blender. Every 1 cup B/B add 3 cups of water and blend thoroughly. Sieve the mixture trough a cloth and recover the B/B milk. The insoluble material which remains on the sieve is called okara, and can be used as an ingredient for bread making or as feed your plant etc. Continue to blend and sieve until all is finished.
# In a stainless still pot/clay pot/glass pot, boil the B/B milk with pandan leave.
# Heat the milk till boiling point and continue boiling for about 5 to 10 minutes. Keep stirring.
# After cooling, the soy milk is ready and can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
# To serve, add some honey for sweet taste or sprinkle with Pre Balance Powder or Black Sesame Powder

RECIPE (ii): Sprouted Black Bean Porridge
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Organic Ingredient: (serving for 2)
# 1/8 cup sprouted black bean
# 1/4 cup Millet (not neccessary to soak as it's alkali food)
# 1/4 cup Quinuo and Buckwheat (soak overnight)
# 500-600 ml B/B milk [from (i) above]
# raisin

vege: (shredded)
# carrot
# lettuce
# sweet corn
# coriander leaves

Seasoning:
# Bragg Liquid Aminos
# Organic Spring Vegetarian Dechoice Seasoning
# Grape Seed Oil or Coconut Oil or Udo oil or sesame oil

Method:
# In a large pot, bring the B/B soy milk and ingredient (B/B, millet, quinuo and buckwheat) to a boil.
# When the rice is boiling, turn the heat down to low. Place the lid on the pot, tilting it to allow steam to escape.
# Stirring occasionally, until the ingredient has the thick, creamy texture of porridge.
# Add the seasoning, if desired. Turn off the heat.
# Garnish with shredded carrot, lettuce,sweat corn, corinders leave and raisin.
# Top with Oil and ready to be served in warm.

// Oh, I almost forgot my favourite ginger... Yeah, taste nicer with some ginger! (added 29Jan'08)

Further reading:
=============
Black Bean:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=2

Various food types and their purine content:
http://www.acumedico.com/purine.htm

Black Bean Broth Cures:
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/black_bean_broth.html

Alkaline and Acidic Food Chart:
http://www.essense-of-life.com/info/foodchart.htm

Bon Appetit!

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
yw

Joy of Cooking - creativity and awareness

[My favourite cookwares in my little corner.]

Many people regard cooking as a chore. But, I love cooking very much. For me, it's an very enjoy activity/hobby in putting things together in a creative ways. Whenever I am at home, you can find me in my kitchen after my morning meditation and Yoga practice. After a meal then I am excited to plan for the next meal. In the everning, I turn on soothing music and do 10-20 minutes of stretching to unknot the physical and mental kinks of my day. Then, I begin cooking dinner in a much brighter state of body and mind.

In my small but 'quite' cozy kitchen, it's fun making a delightful mess as I create food that full of colors and taste, truly divine medicine to nourish my body, mind and spirit. I like to experiment, my hubby always be my 'quinea pig'... His comments always remind me that I need to be more creative, I have more room for improvement. I can't really think of anything else when I am cooking. I need lot of concentration, passion, putting lot of love in it, to cook with feeling...

It's a luxury to be able to cook daily, but it's requires some energy and times. It's fun of making a meal and to be able to share it especially with my love one and my buddies which we are cooking/eating the same 'style'. We are the organic/holistic health maniac; taking the time to sit down for our 'Yoga' and 'health' discussion, eat and talk, make it a social event. Time flies so fast! The communal things is an important part of it..

Like yoga, cooking with an open mind is about letting go of fear and expectations. Trusting one's own experience and inner wisdom - Acceptance * Mindfulness * Practice. I realized that I could bring these lessons from my sticky mat into my kitchen, that I could experience true freedom in my cooking and let the food I prepare nourish and rejuvenate me on levels beyond the mere physical. True fitness isn't mean going to the gym a few times a week that I use to do previously. It's a matter of staying in touch with your body and honoring its needs for action/movement and for rest or meditation, throughout the day. I'm aware and conscious about it!

What to write next? I will share some wholesome recipes...

Namaste,
yw

p/s: listening to one of my favourite relaxing piano music by Jean-Francois Maljeen (Piano & Sea)

Cumin seed and health benefit

I's introduced and adviced to this herb during my Yoga course in India on August recently. I was adviced to drink the cumin tea 1st thing in the morning then to begin with my Yoga practise. Next, I can have my fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices for breakfast.

Other then making the tea, I'm also using it in my cooking especially one of my favourite in steaming my rice with some cumin seed and coconut oil. Really good taste! Smell something like 'nasi lemak' - healthy one! hehehe... :P

Simple to try!
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Rice : eg Brown rice ( 1 cup) + red rice (1/4 cup) + millet (1/2 cup)
[note: brown rice and red rice to soak overnight or at least 4 hrs in room temperature to reduce its acidity]
cumin seed: 1-2 teaspoon or more
coconut oil: 2 tablespoon or more

Hope you like it! Happy trying...

check this out: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=91