I Am... Super Bowl Snacks: Tacos, Nachos and Wings!
I'm not the hugest fan of sports. However, I am a HUGE fan of Superbowl Sunday because I love the idea of people hanging around a TV eating what I think of as the best foodstuffs: tacos, nachos, and wings. Recently, a friend and I were chatting about "cool girls." You know the ones: they like hanging out with the boys, know exactly which teams are playing, drink loads of beer, eat wings without getting sauce all over their faces, and are effortlessly hot.
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I Am... Crispy Crunchy Spicy Jalapeno Bacon Puff Pastry Cheese Twists
It's the wee hours of Sunday morning and if there's something I know, it's that I'm not going to be brunching today. I'm still incredibly jet-lagged (we flew back on Thursday!), which isn't such a bad thing for us night owls. I rather enjoy being awake while the entire city is asleep. I've always had a thing for that space in between, when everyone is either falling asleep or waking up.
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I Am... Friday Finds: 1.23.15
So...I'm back in Vancouver! We just finished off our Tokyo trip with a whirlwind week of train travel: up to Hokkaido, down to Kyoto and really really down to Fukuoka. And now we're home! I was dreading the flight back (sometimes I get motion sick), but it turned out to be okay. I even watched two and a half movies! But ugh, that half movie. I'm dying of suspense – I'm totally going to watch it after I finish this post. Especially since even thought I swore I wouldn't get jet-lagged, it's 3 in the morning and I'm wide awake and strangely hungry. A 3am movie and some snacks sound like the perfect way to start the weekend.
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I Am... Mini Pistachio Matcha Raspberry Puff Pastry Mille Feuille Jars
Do you have a favorite color? Usually I cop out and say that all of the colors are my favorite (yes, even brown!), but if I search deep into the depths of my soul...I'd have to say that I'm quite partial to pistachio. There's just something happy about that creamy green hue. And the nuts, don't get me started on pistachio nuts; I'm clearly obsessed with them as documented here, here, here, and here.
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I Am... Quinoa Brunch Bowl with Six Minute Soft Boiled Eggs, Creamy Avocado, Tofu Puffs and a Miso Mustard Dressing
You guys, you know what I'm the worst at? Packing. I'm absolutely horrible. I love making lists and getting everything together and ready to put into the luggage but when it comes to actually fitting things inside, I'm a mess. I've tried rolling things up, laying things flat, compartmentalizing – I've tried it all. I'm really bad at visualizing things in spaces. It's funny because when I pack, all the things end up taking so much space. Then Mike will come by, shake his head, rearrange everything and all of a sudden there will be space in our bags for extra stuff (and by extra stuff I totally mean more green tea pocky!) Read More →
I Am... Friday Finds 1.16.15
Guys, they have a toast cafe here in Tokyo where you get to pick out your own TOASTER, bring it to your table and then toast away. Basically it is all my dreams come true and I've made Mike go with me many more times than I want to admit. It's ridiculously fun because you get to choose the kind of bread you want to toast (they have American, European, and Japanese style fluffy slices of white bread) and you can order different types of butter and jam as well. It's basically heaven for a toast lover like me.
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I Am... Mazemen: Ramen Noodles with Sesame Ginger Garlic Beef, Savoury Miso Gravy, Fresh Egg Yolk, and Roasted Nori
Guys, the ramen game in Tokyo is so on point that it almost pained me to make this recipe instead of heading out to my local ramen joint. There is no way that I could ever master the art of ramen without studying for a lifetime. Tokyo is full of bowls and bowls of ramen, each one seemingly more delicious than the next. What I love about ramen, aside from the fact that it's crazy good, is that it is crazy creative. Traditional Japanese cuisine is refined and, in a way, very restrictive. Ramen, because it is a relatively new (say the 1900s compared to soba from the Edo period of the 1800s) kind of cuisine, allows for a lot of creativity because it isn't as steeped in tradition. Read More →
I Am... Carbs on Carbs: Cheesy Spaghetti Bolognese on Crispy Garlic Bread Boats
Hai! I'm really on a roll with the ... shall we call it, drunk food lately, huh? I guess there's just something about winter that makes me want to pack on a little extra for warmth. I know everyone out there is eating healthy salad bowls, but I'm totally not sorry about this unapologetically carb on carb action. It's a thing of beauty so embrace it!
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I Am... The Ultimate Hangover Burger: Egg in a Hole Burger Grilled Cheese
The other day Mike and I went on a massively long walk. The sun was gorgeously bright, the sky was a brilliant winter blue and the air was crisp but not too cold. It was one of those rambling walks where we didn't have a destination in mind – we were just walking, talking, and taking in Tokyo. Eventually we realized we were hungry and upon this epiphany, I realized that my feet were throbbing a little. It was definitely time for a snack and a drink or two.
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I Am... Friday Links: 1.9.15
I LOVE balls. Especially cute lil sushi balls. These guys can be found in the basement of any major department store in Tokyo and let me tell you, I've been eating more than my fair share. I think in the sushi world, they're probably the easiest thing to make so I'm definitely going to have to give them a go soon. But for now, I'm just going to be buying them and eating them at an alarming rate. The more sushi balls I eat the rounder I get...
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I Am... Pure Comfort Food: Braised Pork Belly Kimchi Stew Recipe
In the winter time, I'm a huge fan of stew. There's just something so cozy about starting a stew and letting it braise. It puts me in a good mood every time. I think it has something to do with the fact that your whole house fills up with delicious smells, making the anticipation unbearable in the best way possible.
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I Am... Creamy Stovetop Jalapeno Broccoli Mac and Cheese Recipe
I LOVE creamy mac and cheeses. Sometimes, when I'm making a baked mac and cheese, I'll scoop out a little bowl for myself to snack on while the rest is baking in the oven. Confession: I inevitably just end up eating ALL the mac and cheese straight from the pot, no baking required. It's an endless struggle (roll your eyes, it's a first world problem, I know!) deciding if I want creamy mac and cheese or baked.
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