Delicious .. so tasty looking,
so succulent… the greens and beans so crisp.
PL calendar day 8 (2019)
First, Accept Everything
Life is filled with moments, sometimes happy and at times inconvenient. It is important to first accept every situation as it occurs and try to accept and understand it for what it is.
Oyashikiri
Scallop noodles – 1 cluster, cook, drain and cool
Solid light tuna in vegetable oil (99g) use the oil to mash eggs and avocado
Fresh garlic stem*, thinly sliced (to taste)
Fresh crisp lettuce
Sweet red pepper
Green onion and slices of sweet onion (to your taste)
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 large avocado scooped and mashed with the eggs
salt pepper to taste
mayonnaise 1 big tablespoon
Tossed together this is a great easy salad – other seasoning can be added as your taste dictates, ie, squeezed lime, ginger, wasabi…. it is your call.
Make this a day to remember, like a salad, how we put things together, the choices we make, all become a creation of our own doing…..
Oyashikiri
*garlic stems, I have only found at Asian groceries they are not chives, they are shaped like a pipe cleaner, taste is crisp, and can vary from mild to strong in taste. sold in bunches
Perogies – finally after weeks of thinking about it, I got a package and did them up for lunch. It has been years and years since I last had Perogies, were they as I remembered them..yes and no. They did taste of potatoes, and this package said they were filled with 3 kinds of cheese. All in all it was a good lunch. 4% sour cream, steamed veggies, sprinkled with garlic and seasoning.
Today was about “follow through” tomorrow’s lesson is about living a fulfilled life every day by utilizing things, money , knowledge/energy to their fullest. Since we got the news that my husband’s illness would be something that we will have to adjust to, we are both working daily to ensure that we stay in a positive, and healthy “mode”.. part of this for both of us, is to remove clutter and negatives, and to rejoice in discovering or rediscovering people and things that we like/enjoy.
Perogies, is a small something, but an example of wanting the experience again, so I did it. I have also been diligent in removing items that simply clutter, and no longer hold interest in my day-to-day. As my husband is fond of saying, “if you do need it, or something like it, you need only go and get whatever it is, when you need it” It has taken awhile but he has said it often enough that I now “think it” and I am taking action.
It is amazing how much better I feel with each new truck load of merchandise that leaves, there is still a lot more to de-clutter, but I am making headway. In doing so, I have rediscovered a new excitement in my creativity, my imagination is able to move at lightening speed when I least expect it to.
Plus I enjoy knowing that someone else will find the crafting tools, etc. that I no longer want and it will flame their creativity. What a win, win.
Nao tenha pena de usar
There is no reason to hold back – #25 in PL Calendar.
No escatime para dar
Oyashikiri
There will be a new chapter on Q’s Storytelling blog dymoonadventures.com
1 serving of cooked spaghettini (if you are making it for 2, double accordingly.)
If you are lucky enough to live within a decent distance from a Chinese/Asian market, you can purchase a take out order of stir fried tofu in a rich spicy tomato sauce. If not, you can stir fry a package of medium -firm tofu, then toss it in a cup or more of spiced tomato sauce , canned is fine, unless you want to make up a batch of salsa on your own.
The green you see is fresh garlic leek sprouts that I either cook with the pasta, or dice it cold. Then toss with great gusto.. and delve in
Simple, easy and satisfying. You can eat it cold, or as a hot dish. In the summer I go for cold, with a nice green salad on the side.
Seasoning in the dish, ginger, garlic, and Japanese red pepper/chilli.. (fish sauce optional)
Oyashikiri
You kidding me right… nope… black garlic… it is AMAZING, says on the container YuHongYuan peeled black garlic head – ready to eat and cooking. You have to know that I was not going to pass an opportunity to try it out. Delicious.
Got it at the check out aisle of the local T & T Asian grocery store. I do believe T & T has a website, you can likely find their other locations by checking the web. You store it in a cool dry place. room temperature, avoid sunlight. It is a product of China, imported by Uncle T foods, Richmond, BC.
Now.. please allow me to thank everyone who commented on the mixed media book cover, I’ve now finished with the one that I started the other day. At least for now.
It was a learning experience for me. I especially liked the texture and look of the Sludge that I got from DeSerres, you can’t see the reharvested copper cinder, because when it dried, it dried clear, but you can feel the texture when you are touching the various parts of the cover where it was used. The particles are in a professional grade gel medium. Product is TriArt’s reharvested series.
I used two different batches of Sludge, #29211 ( deep forest greens) Batch 27783 is deep purples. Sludge is made from 100% recycled pigments harvested from TriArt’s washing process. Remember if you want to be sure the colours are going to be similar .. use the same batch number, the shades can vary from batch to batch. Again you will find this product at DeSerres.
Crackling acquired by using Distress crackle paint, this is a Rangers product. I used clear rock candy in this project. IMPORTANT, allow the medium to dry on its own. I believe you get better results by being patient.
I’m keen to start another one, but first, I need to catch up on the cards for the church. Hearts and Flowers month will soon be here, and I need to get some special cards done for our PL Card table.
Happy dabbling and playing. When you do something, do it with a happy and joyful intent. Pl Precept # 2 To live is to Express One’s self.
Oyashikiri
La vie de l’homme est une suite d’expressions du soi.
Garlic, what is it about garlic that can make it such a special plant, not everyone likes it, but many do, and those of us who appreciate
its flavour, love to put it in almost everything we make for consumption. I myself like garlic, in Chinese cooking, it is almost a staple. When I keyed in garlic what I got was recipes of all kinds that use garlic. Garlic cheese bombs, rustic chicken with garlic gravy, roasted garlic, garlic rubbed roasted cabbage steaks, very impressive.
They all sound so tempting and so yummy, and I likely to try them, probably not. Over the years I have I freely admit, set in my ways, and although I enjoy what I cook and eat, food is not something I have a passion for, it is necessary in life, and therefore, I eat.
Many of my friends are “foodies” they love experimenting and trying something new, they chase the food trucks, all the rage now.. each truck a delight to the palate and the sensory senses.
Just the smell of fresh garlic is a savory moment.
If you are old school, and you crush your garlic on a wooden cutting board, (I use the Chinese traditional cleaver) when that aroma burst into the air, Wow!
Now to my husband who didn’t grow up with the smell of garlic or other seasonings and ingredients of Chinese cuisine, caught of guard, he can find it almost repulsive.
We are all different and unique, it comes up in our daily lives all the time.
Why do we have such issues with it, when it is on a grander scale.
Did you know that garlic is a good remedy to stop a persistent cough..
I admit when told of this, I was not really a believer.
I had a cough that wouldn’t go away. A friend said, “hey you gotta try garlic!” He told me to make a piece of dry toast, and put a fresh piece of garlic on it and eat it. Nothing else, only the crushed garlic and the dry toast. Unable to sleep because of the cough, I got up and out of sheer frustration with my situation, I made a piece of toast, minced the garlic with one wop of my palm on the cleaver… and … put it on the dry toast….. bit into the garlic and toast.
I had never eaten (to my knowledge) raw garlic (except the stems in a salad) talk about instant reaction in my mouth. It is strong, potent, and for good measure I’ll say again, strong. I persisted and ate it all…………. the cough went away. I think my beloved husband was ready to go too, the dogs didn’t mind, but even I held my breath… the moment passed, and so did the coughing.
You just never know until you try something.
PL Precept # 18 – Each Moment Is a Turning Point
Namaste – Oyashikiri
It worked! good. This recipe was found on foodandwine.com I am going to add hard boiled eggs, after all it will be breakfast. =^_^= I meant to only use this one picture of food, but when I saw all the wonderful ideas using anchovies, I wanted to share them. I do recognize that there are a lot of people who do not enjoy anchovies but then, vive la difference!
Today the meditation was about beginning each new day with a renewed sense of appreciation. I looked at my desk and found a package from the anchovies I brought back from my trip to the States the other day. Hmm yum, anchovies with capers in pure olive oil, usually I get the little fillets and use them to season my cooking and for a special treat I will do them with cloves of fresh garlic and toss that over pasta with hot chilies …(see recipe below) That got my morning thoughts interested in satisfying my taste bud. I did my best to ignore Canaille’s big brown eyes looking up at me expectantly, (Canaille is our Porti, Portuguese Water Dog) it didn’t work, mindful of her empty tummy I couldn’t very well keep teasing mine with the sight and possibility of food, and not respond to my ‘baby”. so rest easy, I took time to feed the dogs.
Such is life isn’t it, we start out with good intentions, but often our thoughts are diverted, or our attention, and we need to pause and do something else. But with a purpose, if we are dedicated to the task at hand, we finish what we started, we return to our project and we pick up where we left off. The key to achieving something is to stick to it. Don’t give up! Keep at it until you’ve accomplished what you started.
Now, I’ve posted some goodies for you to enjoy, maybe you’ll be tempted too. For now, I bid you a good day, I’m off to start my day, and decide just what I will delight my taste buds with on this beautiful sunny Sunday! Blessings all.. Oyashikiri
Tomatoes with Anchovy Dressing Found on Martha Stewart.com -Martha is one of my favourite people – she is a survivor!
Martha Stewart Tomatoes with Anchovy Dressing – Martha Stewart Recipes This looks dangerously good–I could eat this entire recipe easily.
Grilled Potato Salad for lunch or dinner hmmmm… Grill Yukon gold potato halves and combine with a mixture of tomatoes, capers, oregano, olives, and anchovies for a Mediterranean-style potato side dish. (taken from Pinterest this morning)
This dear readers is one of my all time favourite comfort dishes. Garlic Anchovy pasta. I’ve been making it for years. I found a recipe this morning while browsing the photo credit was to Helen Rosner. I copied the receipt since if you want to try and do it, it will be helpful, I myself just wing it according to my wants and taste buds at that moment. I do use the hot chillies…yum Yup this will be a for sure later today!!! I know I know, it will be a serving for one, you’ll get something else. (Hubby does not like anchovies) =^_^=
⅓ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, mashed into a paste
1 (2-oz.) tin oil-packed anchovies, mashed into a paste
Pinch crushed red chile flakes
4 tbsp. butter, cubed and chilled
8 oz. spaghetti
2 tbsp. finely chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated parmesan, for garnish
1. Heat oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 2–3 minutes. Add anchovy paste and chile flakes; cook until deeply caramelized, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; slowly stir in butter to make a smooth sauce.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti until al dente, about 10 minutes.
3. Add spaghetti and parsley to skillet and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Divide among serving bowls and garnish with parmesan.
Arugula, roasted red peppers and white bean salad……Dressing: 2 anchovy fillets, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tsp sherry vinegar 3 tbs olive oil 1/4 c chopped fresh parsley, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tsp sherry vinegar, 3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Hmmm ginger or garlic, what has that to do with Inspiration. It is about choices, Garlic is such a wonderful little plant. Not only does it add flavour to food it is healthy for us. The same can be said about ginger, Each one has its own taste, and its own uses (as health benefits) and depending on how it is used, will determine our acceptance of use of it.
Interestingly, both are roots (bulbs) the most known remedies and uses are of the part of the plant that is underground.
When out in the woods, unless you know what you are looking for the wild garlic goes unseen.
If my husband comes into the kitchen while I’m preparing a meal, he reacts to the smell of garlic (in the negative) and it in turn affects his pleasure in the meal when it is served.
IF he does not see me cooking, he enjoys the meal with much more gusto and appreciation.
On the surface, life can be tranquil and peaceful, but when we look, really look, often what we see changes our initial perspective.
All this to say, there are so many layers in life, and often we are only dealing with the top layers.
When Inspiration comes to us, it is because the Universe has cut through the layers and has given us a quick glimpse at the heart or core of that moment and blessed us with an option. I’ve used the word option, because. we are guided, it is up to us to make the choice of listening or doing something different.
Listen, accept the thought and if action is involved, do it. Go for it. Believe in your inner voice for it belongs to YOU, Have faith in yourSELF. me, myself and I, we are all ONE connected to the Universe, The Divine connection is always there, sometimes we simply are not listening. GOD/TAO is ever present. A L W A Y S
PL Precept #18 Each Moment Is A Turning Point.
“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 
This is a soup you can count on to warm you on a cold day/night. It is easy, and worth the time you spend pulling it together. I’ll list the base items first.. the final items you can change up and fix to suit your taste buds.
1 package of beef neck bones, I look for a package with good chunks of meat still on the bone.
1 good size fresh ginger that you peel, crush and dice. I like ginger so I use a good size (big thumb) to begin with.
4, 5 pieces of garlic, how much you use will depend on how fresh your garlic is and how much of a bite you want.
1 onion, again I use a medium size onion because I’ve been known to add a packet of dried onion mix if I want to enhance the stock with a more “Canadian” onion flavour.
the liquids added, Soba Tsuyu (a dipping sauce for soba noodles) Anchovy sauce (one that isn’t too watered down)
Soy sauce ( one with less sodium)
a pinch of sale
a good shake of black pepper
I dump all of the above into a pot full of cold water, and let it come to a boil, once it starts to bubble, I turn it down to medium heat and let it cook along for about 15 minutes, then I add
Carrots, sliced/shredded banana leaf, and any other veggies that I’d like to have in the soup.
Then after about 5 min. I turn it down to a simmer and let it enjoy itself for awhile.
20 minutes down the line I add either rice, potato, or a pasta. Today I’ve added elbow pasta.
Before serving, I will ad 2 scrambled eggs, 1 teaspoon of butter, and fresh baby spinach. I allow that to sit for about 10 minutes before dishing it up.
Sorry no pictures – too busy eating. Before I forget though I thought I’d best share the recipes with you of last night’s meal for the Prayer Circle evening. The meats were served on a mixed bed of Sushi rice and plump medium grain rice.
The Asian grocery store near here, actually slices the pork hocks into slices, just short of cutting all the way through the bone. This was seared in 100% coconut oil, (1 teaspoon or so) enough so that the crushed garlic and ginger wouldn’t burn and to give the meat a bit of colour. then I added some chicken stock and curry and let it simmer for a couple of hours. The curry is the cubed curry that you buy in Asian grocery stores, and you can pick your own flavour and temperature, mild, medium or HOT. While it is in simmer mode, I add sliced onion and diced celery.
The oxtails, were given similar treatment. They were seared using the coconut oil, This time I make sure the oxtails are tossed and stir fried until a golden brown, then I add ginger, black bean sauce, some hoisin sauce, and a vegetable mushroom soy, toss some more, then add cooking sake to taste, prior to adding some chicken stock.and cubed king mushrooms. This too is allowed to come to a rolling boil, then simmer for several hours,
Both of the dishes are flavourful, and provide a rich harmonizing gravy for the rice…Often when such meals are served the gravies are their own culinary dish. The reason why the rice is so important to the meal.
The vegetarian balls, are similar to the recipe provided a few blogs back, you can see a picture of the balls on that blog. This time though, I had actual mushrooms in the mix of oyster and mushroom soy, previously cooked mushrooms and carrots that had been cooked in a sauce for another meal.. they were mashed with the potatoes and chick peas providing a different flavour. I added to that minced garlic and grated fresh ginger. Used two eggs with the mix along with about a full cup of Panko (Japanese bread crumbs) They are a good size since I use the ice cream scoop to make them. They hold their shape well. Baked in an oven on a lightly greased pizza pan depending on your oven, take between 1/2 an hour and 45 minutes. When they are a rich golden brown take them out and let them cool. I store them using a muffin tin for each ball.
Obviously I do the above over a two day period. This allows for the flavours to really settle into the dishes. Then when it is time to eat, I bring the pots back into the kitchen and slowly reheat them on the stove. The vegetarian balls can be zapped in the microwave, or eaten cold. This dear reader is the reason living in a country where we have 4 seasons, I offer up these meals when it is late fall or winter and its cold outside. I can use the summer kitchen to keep the dishes cold in their pots over night.
Depending on the group you are serving you can provide along with the meal a plate of fresh veggies or a shredded slaw is good. Keep the greens simple and crunchy.
Beverage to go with the above for me is a glass of cold water, but herbal teas are offered to guests. AFTER the meal. While eating the object of such a prayer circle is to allow your taste buds to enjoy and experience all the different spices and tastes and textures.
Being mindful and exercising you brain and spirituality, is not just sitting in silence, it is learning how to bring the mindfulness into your every day life and activities. Sharing mindfulness with a friend(s) and partaking of an evening where all your senses are employed.
Prayer and “active” meditations are key to having and living a balanced life where spirituality and GOD are part of every second of your day.
after the meal and prior to bedtime, I checked on Q who was showing off her svelte figure, she can eat and it never seems to show! A great evening of sharing, eating, mindfulness. and time for creativity. Amazing =^_^=
dymoonblog 
Written
on November 22, 2013