Thursday, June 26, 2014

Black Sesame Banana Drink Recipe and why Black Sesame Seeds are so AWESOME!

This black sesame banana drink is, let me just say, AWESOME! Not only is the drink refreshing and not too thick, which is perfect for the upcoming hot weather, it is also super healthy! This recipe is very low in saturated fat, high in fiber, manganese and vitamin B6. You can’t go wrong with this, so give it a try!

Black sesame seeds has long been a favorite among the Chinese. Let’s take a look at why it’s so great!
  • Source of many minerals and vitamins - with calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, molybdenum, selenium, and dietary fiber being only some of the few
  • Source of sesamin and sesamolin - both belong to a group of beneficial fibers called lignans - help lower serum cholesterol and high blood pressure
  • Highest phytosterol content out of all nuts and seeds! - a plant compound that has a similar chemical structure to cholesterol - helps lower blood cholesterol levels, enhance immune response, and decrease the risk of certain types of cancers!


Alright! Now for what you've all been waiting for! The recipe :) Check it out yo!
Black Sesame Banana Drink Ingredients:
  • 2 TBSP ground black sesame seeds
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup water (or what ever liquid you want—soy milk, whole milk, etc.)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Honey to taste

Directions:
Add all ingredients to blender and blend away!Enjoy~

* Black sesame seeds can be found in most (if not all) Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find the ground type, you can just grind them in your coffee grinder or even blender~

Monday, June 23, 2014

Soup Health Benefits! and Tomato Egg Flower Soup Recipe

Hey guys, the dumplings and soup were dinner from a couple days ago, but... my focus for this post on the tomato egg flower soup! I love Asian soups because they are so healthy--full of vegetables and nutrients, low in calories, and super satisfying!
Soup is a great way to start the meal!

What's so great about soups?
For those of you looking to improve your health, vegetable soups are great natural detoxifiers! They help increase the alkalinity of the body, which is essential for the kidneys and liver to eliminate toxins effectively. With all of the stress and unhealthy foods we're putting into our bodies these days, it is essential that we keep our livers and kidneys functioning well. Furthermore, all of the vegetables in the soup are an important source of fiber that can help fight constipation and improve cholesterol levels.

Moreover, for those of you looking to lose weight, vegetable soups are a great source to turn to. Starting off a meal with soup not only provides a lot of nutrients, but also fills you up before you turn to the heavier portions of your meal, thus saving you a lot of calories.

Alright, now that you know the awesome benefits of vegetable soups... onto the recipe!
Tomato and Egg Flower Soup

Ingredients:
  • 1 large tomato, sliced into bit-sized pieces
  • 2 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 stems of cilantro, or to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
Directions:
  1. Break eggs into bowl and beat eggs using chopsticks. Set aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water to boiling on high. Once boiling, turn heat to medium-low.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 1TBSP cooking oil in wok, add garlic, salt, and tomatoes. Stir-fry until tomatoes soften.
  4. Add tomato mixture into the pot of water. Then bring to another boil.
  5. Add beaten eggs in circular motion, wait a few seconds, then mix using chopsticks. Turn off heat.
  6. Add cilantro, sesame oil, and serve!

Hope you all enjoy this healthy, light, and delicious soup. Let me know what you think of it in the comments below

Saturday, June 21, 2014

粽子 (Zongzi)... Food and a little history!

Zongzi (粽子) is a traditional Chinese food made with glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves. It's fillings can vary from a sweet bean paste, savory pork, and more depending on the region of China.

This Zongzi has fatty pork seasoned with soy sauce among other ingredients
Zongzi is traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calender. The Dragon Boat Festival celebrates the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet from the Chu state who was known for his patriotism and also his unsuccessful attempt to warn his king of the encroaching Qin state. When the Qin general took the capital of Chu, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River. Legend says that locals dropped into the river packets of glutinous rice wrapped with bamboo leaves to prevent fish from attacking Qu Yuan's body.

Hehe, so here's a little history! Hope you enjoyed :) If you guys like learning cultural history, let me know in the comments below, and I'll have more posts like this!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Newport, OR and Father's Day!

Hey guys! Hope you all had a wonderful Father's day. My family and I went to New Port, OR, a beach town, this past weekend. It is so beautiful! It's been a while since I've been in the pacific Northwest.


On Sunday, we went to M&P Authentic Thai Cuisine to celebrate Father's day. We usually just get the typical Thai food like Pad Thai, and we did again but this time we started off the meal with Tom Yum Goong! It was super delicious: spicy, warming, and healthy, perfect for the breezy beachy weather. The cool thing about this soup when it first came to our table was that the center still had flames—I’m guessing that’s how they cooked the soup?


Anyways, I’m super thankful for my dad! He’s always been there for me, supported me in my endeavors, and has worked so hard to make a comfortable life for this family.

What are you thankful for? :)

Monday, June 16, 2014

Must Try!! Caffe Bene

Caffe Bene is a super cute cafe with not only delicious drinks—you should try their Misugaru Latte!—but also every dessert you need to satisfy your sweet tooth. They have macarons, gelato, honey bread, waffles—their bacon maple waffle is a MUST!—and now… macaron ice cream sandwiches! But not only is their food delicious, Caffe Bene is also the perfect place to study. There is a entire room upstairs dedicated for those who need to get some work done, and don’t worry, there are outlets and even a bookshelf full of random and interesting books if you need a break from studying. So next time you’re in need of some coffee, something sweet, or simply somewhere to study, stop by Caffe Bene!
Iced Coffee and Macaron! Perfect snack while studying :)
Star of the Show: Maple Bacon Waffle <3 My fav~
Macaron Ice Cream Sandwiches!
Woot Woot. Pic from last year, MCAT books LOL.

So as you can tell from all my pictures, I really really love this place! I've gone so many times haha. If you’ve ever been, please comment below and let me know what you think about Caffe Bene!