The Land of The Rising Sun

My big sister lives in Tokyo. The only thing that could be worse than that right now would be if that statement read: My big sister lives in Sendai. Thank God she doesn't but my heart and prayers go out to everyone who has suffered loss. My sister hasn't slept very well since the big quake because of constant aftershocks and I haven't slept very well because I keep having earthquake nightmares. I've actually had Japan on the brain for several weeks now. As I am typing this post, I am sitting next to my big suitcase that is all packed and ready to go -to Japan. That's right folks, I am on my way to Tokyo in two weeks, I was originally planning to go in mid March but thankfully we decided that the end of March would be better, budget-wise. And yes, I am slightly obsessive complusive, so I pack my suitcases 2 weeks beforehand to see if my clothes, toilettries and in this case my sister's North American wish list, will fit properly. I am a very efficient packer, I never overpack or underpack and I fold everything so that every square inch is properly utilized if necessary. I even put my shoes in shoe bags and my undies in designated undie bags. My sister is also a bit OCD and safety oriented because she's getting me an earthquake pack for when I get to her house! It contains: a helmet, flashlight, knife, and sustenance. No matter what anyone says, I am looking forward to my trip and I can't wait to meet Japan and it's strong people! Thank you for yor prayers.

You Had Me At Rabbit

For many years now, I have been obsessed with a certain adorable, fluffy creature called the rabbit. This may have stemmed from the fact that I was born on Easter Sunday nearly thirty-two years ago and all my presents had something to do with bunnies. I got my first bunny, Hoppity, twelve years ago and my life was forever changed. After he passed I was traumatized and depressed for many years. In fact, when I think about him I still cry and miss him, which you might think is strange because I currently have two very cute balls of fuzz that share our apartment with us. I love my two crazies! Tidbit loves to run around at top speed, she's quite the alpha female and is always very curious about the goings-on of the household. Toby is my blind, one-eyed guy who also loves to run around albeit slowly, and crashing into things sometimes. Toby never stops eating EVER. Anyway, you know how I never make packaged macaroni & cheese anymore? Well, at the grocery store I stumbled upon something totally awesome that made me venture back into the world of pre-packaged food again. (Just for a bit)

That box on the right has actual bunny-shaped pasta!

Their mascot is a Toby!

And then after the grocery store, if you can believe it, I stopped in at the Urban Outfitters next door, and they had a table full of RABBIT CLOTHING. Well, as you can imagine, I just about lost my marbles from excitement and I proceeded to pull one of everything of the shelf and headed straight for the dressing rooms. I decided that this was the cutest one, plus it's French and looks like Tidbit without the spots.

 This isn't my only rabbit shirt.

So yeah, I guess one could say that I am a little rabbit obsessed, but hey, that's me, what can you do? *nose wiggle*

Eight Eyes

My husband and I went to the optometrist last weekend, I definitely knew my husband was due because he's been complaining and speculating about his vision for the last couple of years and I had an appointment because they scheduled one for me when I went in for the allergy check. We walked out those optometrist doors as human beings who were changed forever. Okay, not really we just found out that we're both ever so slightly far-sighted and should use glasses for reading and computer use. This isn't exactly news of epic proportions, but I for one was completely shocked and a little upset. So much so, that I asked my husband to keep quiet about my prescription. Before the know-it alls step up and say, "what is your problem, this is not a big deal" I just wanted to explain that I can be a very competitive person sometimes (ok most of the time) and having been prescribed reading glasses makes me feel like I just lost, -in what, I don't know, life maybe? The eye lottery? I was making a big to-do about it when the staff at the optometrist's just laughed at me and told us that we have the mildest prescriptions of all time and that I should calm my body. That being said, after ruminating on this situation I have decided that I am totally going to own it and get the best, gosh darned reading/computer glasses a girl could find! My husband is really good at seeing the positive in everything because he's Polyanna Sunshine (why I married him) and he pointed out that this was a chance for me to have a new look, a new fashion accessory. I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. So, this is how I would like to look:

I actually love the way I look as a bespectacled lady. Do you want to know the best thing about them other than helping my eyes? I miss my grandfather so very much but when I put glasses on, I can see his face in mine in the mirror.

Ketchup Chips For President!

So sad that this is what I have been reduced to, a girl hugging a bag of ketchup flavoured potato chips. My husband was in Canada last week and there are two things that we always try to bring back from the Homeland: Premium Plus Crackers with salted tops (NOT the same ones in U.S.), and ketchup chips.

I had a little Twilight Zone moment at the grocery store in the junk food aisle when I first moved out here, or maybe it was more of a panic attack/drowning sensation when I realized that they didn't have the ONE chip flavour that I was craving. I don't eat chips all the time, but when I do have a hankering for them, it's usually for 1 of two kinds: Doritos Nacho Cheese Flavour or Lay's Ketchup Chips. They taste like my childhood and are so comforting, I often crave them once a month if you know what I mean. As for my husband, there are three things that he cannot live without, ice cream, Premium Plus crackers, and good, sharp cheese. Of course with our luck, two of those items can only be purchased in Canada. I can't even imagine what it must be like for my sister, living in Tokyo right now. It's no wonder she sent me a wish list the length of my arm for my trip out there at the end of the month! In any case, I am a very happy girl! Lilibeth: 1, Cravings: 0.

Missing Tim Horton's Sour Cream Donuts (plain & glazed)

It's no secret that I miss Canada and everything about it. For example, my husband and I were walking down Pine Street to get our hair trimmed at Raven, when we happened to pass some sort of sports bar -maybe it was just a regular bar with televisions. When I looked at what was on, I saw the very distinct CBC logo in the upper lefthand corner, at which point I started to jump up and down and scream, "CBC! They're watching hockey on CBC!" Also, I haven't heard anyone use the term "double double" here, something I only learned in Ontario but still makes me giggle. (It means two creams & two sugars for your coffee) I haven't been able to find a place that sells sour cream donuts either, even though Top Pot Donuts is pretty amazing. I was looking up the recipe when I stumbled upon a yellow cupcake recipe on joyofbaking.com that calls for half a cup of sour cream! Well, that got me excited, and instead of a quiet night just watching Shakespeare In Love for the 50th time and drinking tea (household addiction, we have 20 varieties of tea) I had a cozy evening of baking yellow sour cream cupcakes with chocolate frosting! These are REALLY good and I highly recommend that you try the recipe. It's even good without the chocolate frosting, if that's any indication to you of their scrumptiousness. I think next time I'm going to use a plain sugar glaze so that I can get the true sour cream glazed donut effect, and call them: Sour Cream Glazed Donut-Flavoured Cupcakes! Yeah, no, that's too long.

 

This last picture I made for my friend Clementine, who celebrated her birthday this week and who loves cake and cupcakes more than any human being I have ever encountered.

Yellow Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (cut into pieces)

1 large egg, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter or line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat to combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Beat the wet and dry ingredients together at medium speed until the batter is smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. If necessary, stir the batter with a rubber spatula until the flour is fully incorporated. Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until pale gold and a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing. 

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).

Keep in mind, the frosting is optional! Mmmmmm!

Random Health Kick

I went for a jog again today, only this time I went a little bit easier on myself and so far my knees feel alright! There is something about physical activity that makes me want to eat healthy foods. So once again, for supper, I made something wonderfully delicious and nutritious: Quinoa with grilled zucchini and marinated tofu steak. I have an enormous amount of tofu left over, so it's going to be a tofu week. And since I wasn't trying to recreate something that I missed back home, I just made it simple and kept it Lilibeth-like. This was the result:

This is what you need:


1 small zucchini cut lengthwise
1 cup quinoa (health food section of your grocery store)
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of sea salt
tofu steak triangles (recipe in previous post)
splash of sesame seed oil

In a small sauce pan, bring the two cups of water to a boil with the 1 cup of quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it so that it doesn't burn.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oilve oil in a pan, throw on your tofu steaks and zucchini. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until the zucchini is soft. The tofu should become softer and dark brown.

Check on your quinoa, you'll know it's ready when all the liquid is absorbed and you can see a ring on each grain. It'll also become fluffy and rice-like.

Serve with the grilled zucchini and tofu. I added a splash of sesame seed oil to my quinoa for some added flavour and the benefit of omega fatty acids. (Who am I?!) So yummy! Oh and before I forget, the health benefits of quinoa are that it's a good source of dietary fiber, protein, magnesium, iron and it's gluten free! I think that maybe I will suggest that my parents eat this instead of their usual white rice.

Super Protein Salad

Today I was craving something I hadn't had a hankering for in a long time. The summer before the wedding I was eating really lean, light foods, not necessariliy for weight loss but because it was what my body wanted. I had also scared myself into not eating sugar for fear of succumbing to the ailments of my ancestors. Clearly, marriage changed that a little bit. I needed to learn the basics of cooking good family meals and I was also craving comfort food, what with being in a foreign place. The thing about Seattle is, it isn't really that different from Toronto. It's just different enough to make you feel like you've entered the Twilight Zone. With my husband gone for a week (skiing up in Canada), it sort of felt like my old single life again, just me and the bunnies, which is probably why I was missing one of my favourite restaurants back home: Fresh. They had this one salad on the menu called the Super Protein Salad that was the most delicious thing in the world! I ate it three times a week, sometimes four. I tried to recreate that salad today, but it just wasn't the same. The neighborhood Safeway didn't have half the ingredients I needed so I had to improvise most of it. What I created was definitely nutritious and tasy, but sadly, not the same way my beloved Fresh made it. Where does one get goji berries, tempeh and puffed quinoa in Seattle? My beautiful sister-in-law gave me a Fresh recipe book the night of the rehearsal dinner (thank you so much!), so I was able to at least substitute real Fresh tofu steak for my tempeh.

The Super Protein Salad has:

your greens of choice
chick peas (check)
grape tomatoes (check)
cucumbers (check)
grilled tempeh (fail) I used tofu instead
puffed quinoa (fail)
goji berries (fail)
slivered pistachios (fail)
currants (fail) I used Craisins instead
slivered almonds (check)
sea salt (check)
hazelnuts (fail)
I like to top my salad off with tahini dressing, which Safeway miraculously had (check)


Since I was substituting tofu for tempeh, I decided I would try Fresh's Marinated Tofu Steak Recipe, which is as follows:


1 block of firm tofu
2 tsp ground coriander (I used parsley)
4 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 cup of tamari
2 cups of filtered water


Cut the tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut the slices diagonally into triangles. Place them in a bowl and pour the rest of the ingredients over the tofu triangles. Marinate for 1 hour. Then I took 7 triangles and browned them over medium-high heat in my frying pan, and added them to my salad.

Lilibeth Protein Salad

All in all, it was a very nutritious dinner for one but I really need to find a place that sells tempeh. That aside: Happy Birthday Clementine! I made you cupcakes! The catch is, you must come to Seattle to eat them.

The real Super Protein Salad, so delicious.