Mindful eating

When I read about "mindful eating" is when I began truly being conscious of what I decide to eat. It made so much sense to me as to the reasons why most people live unfit lives. We are so modernized, so accustomed to everything accomplished and consumed quickly. We literally forget that in order for us to be truly nourished from the inside out, we must first be able to perceive clearly that what we eat affects us tremendously. When we eat too much starch, maybe pasta servings for consecutive meals then we feel sluggish and unproductive. When we eat too much protein, then we feel blocked, heavy and bloated. My concern is that people who are so accustomed to digesting unhealthy foods are simply unaware of the effects these foods have on the body. Awareness is key.

I heard about "Xtreme Eating Awards 2009" today and found this article online: http://cspinet.org/new/200906021.html

I am not someone who is completely obsessed with eating only foods that are super healthy. As a cook, I can't live without butter... I believe butter is irreplaceable when it comes to turning any dish into a silky delicious meal. I'm a firm believer that anything in moderation cannot be harmful. When I feel like having peanut butter ice cream, I definitely indulge however my brain knows not to consume an entire pint ;-)

In line with eating healthy here's a recipe that I made for dinner tonight.

• 1/2 lb medium shrimp, uncooked, shelled & deveined
• 1 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise in flat strips
• 1 tomato, cubed
  
• 1 persian cucumber, sliced in thin rounds
• 1 bag of mixed greens
• handful of cremini mushrooms
• home made vinaigrette- extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, 1 tsp dijon mustard, splash of fresh lemon juice, salt 'n pepper to taste- whisked until thickened
• cajun spice

Pre-heat the grill.
Season the shrimp w/ cajun spice and evenly coat with olive oil lightly tossing to coat. Sprinkle zucchini w/ salt 'n pepper toss in a bowl w/ mushrooms and drizzle w/ olive oil.
Lay shrimp on one side of the hot grill and the veggies on the other side. Pay close attention to the shrimp for it cooks quickly.
When all is cooked, set aside to cool. Cut the zucchini pieces at a diagonal.
Start assembling the salad. Salad greens on bottom of the bowl, shrimp and veggies on top then a good drizzle of the home made vinaigrette.

Happy eating!

Comfort food

The weather in LA has been erratic. Yesterday was a day of gloom so Sunday was spent relaxing at home watching movie after movie. Today began cold and drizzly however now as I'm looking out the window, the sun is in full force. I enjoy the gloom from time to time especially living in Cali when almost everyday seem to be a picture perfect sunny day.

Mondays are major cooking days for my corporate luncheons and the weather definitely helped influence one of the dishes I'm making... I thought it's time for comfort food!

I've baked penne with roasted veggies many times before so this time, I added roasted herbed chicken breast then tossed some shredded smoked mozzarella before sending it to the oven.

Simple dish that is super quick to make but does not fall short on the comfort factor.

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & cubed
  
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded & cubed
• small yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
• olive oil
• 3/4 cup green peas, frozen
• 1 1/2 lb large elbow macaroni or any small pasta
• 1 cup smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 28 oz. good marinara sauce, home made or canned
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• butter
  

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
Season the chicken breasts with your favorite poultry rub. I use a spice rub I make on my own that consists of mainly smoked paprika, cayenne, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, dried thyme and dried oregano. Lay the breasts on a baking sheet and put it in the oven for about 8 minutes.
Meanwhile chop all the veggies and season with salt 'n pepper then drizzle with olive oil and toss. Pull out the chicken from the oven and take all the veggies and lay over and around the breasts, return to the oven and cook until chicken is cooked through and veggies are perfectly roasted, about 12-15 minutes more. While waiting go ahead and boil the pasta water and cook the macaroni according to pasta directions, note not to over cook the pasta since it will be baked again later.
When chicken and veggies are done roasting, set aside the chicken until it is cool to be sliced in bite-size cubes. Save all the juices in the roasting pan along w/ the veggies and transfer to a large bowl. Add the cooked pasta, season w/ more salt 'n pepper. Add the marinara sauce, the thawed green peas, the shredded mozzarella and lastly the chicken pieces all in the large bowl, toss gently to evenly spread the sauce and cheese.
Pour into a large baking tray, top with shredded parmesan cheese and small pieces of butter. Bake until cheese has melted and top starts to become golden brown.

The Cake

My sister's birthday is coming up and I would really love to bake her favorite cake we normally buy from an LA bakery called "Sweet Lady Jane"

Mainly it would be awesome to save some cash since it seems that every time there's a special occasion we make it a point to go out of our way and buy this particular cake. Then of course, it would be more special if I could successfully re-create this delicious cake.

Minor glitch is that I'm not a baker at heart. I'm great with cooking... give me any set of ingredients and I'll manage to whip up an amazing meal but hand over a cookie recipe and I'll be a bit intimidated. Although after a lot of practice I've perfected my Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ cream cheese icing.

This cake I've been talking about is a 3 layer vanilla cake with fresh berries in between layers and topped with a light delicious frosting... sounds simple enough but not according to a recipe I recently got a hold of. From the looks of this recipe, it will take me two days to make this cake.

I will keep you guys posted and wish me luck!

Berry Cake from Sweet Lady Jane
we'll all see how my turns out soon enough.....

Thank you Joanie!

Belly Bliss was not originally intended to be a catering company. Looking back I realize that all of it began from Joanie's infamous "spinach balls" yep, small round delicious spinach balls. It's like the vegetarian version of the ever so popular meatballs. Originally all I wanted was to sell these spinach balls at coffee shops that have an offering of sweet treats or cookies thereby giving customers a healthier option.
Joanie has made a family tradition to bake and serve spinach balls every Thanksgiving- it became so popular in the family that she needed to make sure she makes large batches to avoid family mishaps over them.
Two and a half years ago, my beloved partner Chris made some of these spinach balls for me boasting that it has been his mom, Joanie's specialty. I was so proud to watch him diligently work on making these delightful treats. All I needed was to take one bite and there I was, wanting more! These spinach balls are indeed delicious!
Since then the spinach balls turned into Belly Bliss' house specialty that I now call "Veggie mini Cakes". When I started sampling it out to new customers, first request was to make it bigger so there emerged a mini cake rather than a small ball. It's been a hit and I intend to keep it as our house specialty always.
It makes me smile to think that Joanie inspired this business venture, all from her delicious spinach balls, her willingness to share the original recipe and her love for her family. Thank you Joanie!

A slight revision of the original recipe is making my own croutons



half way to forming the mini cakes... the base is a mash of spinach, onions,
garlic, parmesan cheese and eggs




Tadaan! Perfectly baked delicious, healthy and savory mini veggie cakes.

Some days......

.... without any special reason I just don't want to eat something I cooked and it does not matter what the dish is. I'm not sure if this is an experience unique to me although I certainly hope not. You will find me in my kitchen cooking all the time and despite my continued joy of cooking, there are days like today when I wish someone else would cook my dinner.

So like all the other days I end up at some food joint with very simple, fast and hopefully still fresh food.

My dinner tonight was a delicious Tilapia Taco, a side of spanish rice, black beans and some chips from Poquito Mas.... I was surprised to find out that they serve home made light tortillas- yum!

My meal was affordable, quick and certainly delicious! Cheers to these chains that actually care about the quality of the food they serve.

Weekly Lunches

Every weekend I find myself either waiting for an enlightened moment when a new and fresh menu lands on my lap or I'm scrambling around for a fresh idea for my weekly corporate lunches. Since I serve mostly the same people and Belly Bliss is their main lunch source it's so important to keep the list new and exciting. I can't imagine having to choose from the same menu list week after week. Of course keeping it fresh is a great idea but actually coming up with a new list every week could be a challenge.
For this week I was inspired by the idea of "Tapas" normally small plates that would really do well for lunch portions as well. The "Spanish Torta" is such a delicious and savory dish, filling and comforting served with a side salad and a simple tomato relish would be a delicious lunch.

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2 med size russet potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 eggs, whisked with a light splash of heavy cream
• handful of fresh parsley, rough chopped
• 2 tsp of cayenne pepper
  
• 2 tbsp olive or canola oil

Heat canola or olive oil in a 2 1/2" deep medium size skillet. Saute the onion, garlic and tomatoes until the onion is slightly brown and the tomatoes are tender.
Add the ground beef, season with salt 'n cayenne pepper (for a little heat). Halfway through cooking the beef, add the cubed potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. This will take approximately 8-10 minutes on medium-high heat.
Sprinkle the fresh parsley and give the pan a gentle stir.
Pour the whisked eggs and stir to distribute evenly, turn heat on low and cover the pan.
After approximately 12-15 minutes the top of the torta will appear to be set and more yellow in color.
Slice the torta in wedges and serve with a side salad and tomato relish or a dollop of home made creme fraiche.
Enjoy!

My mama's chicken soup

When I decided to commit to a Pescetarian way of eating which was about 2 years ago, more than any other reason, my primary goal was to eat food that would be kinder to my digestion and also foods that are more ethical to consume.

To those who are not very familiar with Pescetarian Diet, it is simply a diet that excludes land animals and birds, but includes fish, mollusks, and crustaceans in addition to fruits, vegetables, plants, legumes, nuts, and grains. Dairy products may or may not be included.
As someone who cooks all the time and runs a catering business, my work requires me to taste everything I make whether it has beef or chicken. I believe a good cook always tastes what comes out of his/her kitchen no matter how many times one dish has been made.
Although I don't ever miss red meat or poultry and it seems I've been perfectly happy with my variety of sea creatures and vegetables there is one dish that I do miss, that is my mama's chicken soup.
My mama was not adventurous in the kitchen, she was always conservative even in her cooking but those dishes she made on a regular basis were meals definitely perfected.
When I moved to LA from the Philippines she gave me the sweetest gift. I received a handwritten compilation of all her recipes in Tagalog- (Filipino native language) bound in a simple folder. It was a labor of love. She knew that being able to cook dishes that are familiar to me growing up will always bring me back home in an instant.
So here I would love to share my "Mama's Chicken Soup" recipe and I hope that if/when you try it, it will bring you warmth and comfort.

• 4 pieces chicken thighs & breasts
• 1 lb elbow macaroni noodles
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 4 celery stalks, cubed
• 2-3 medium carrots, cubed
• whole or evaporated milk

Boil the chicken pieces in water until cooked through and set aside. When the chicken is cool to touch, shred the meat by hand into bite size pieces. Set aside the broth for later.
In a stock pot saute garlic and onions, cooking slowly so the onions can caramelize slightly. Then add the celery and carrots. When the onion turns golden then add the shredded chicken. At this point, season with freshly ground pepper and salt or fish sauce (which my mom prefers to use). Give it a few minutes for the chicken to absorb the seasoning then go ahead and pour the broth wherein the chicken pieces were cooked. Let it boil then add the elbow noodles. Stir from time to time and let simmer until the noodles are tender. When ready to serve, pour unto soup bowls and top with a splash of the milk.