Welcome Back, Salad

 

 

What I ate for lunch/supper. Haven’t had a salad in ages but my body seemed to be craving one today so the below happened.

 

 

 

Kidney beans, tuna in vegetable oil, corn, tomato, cilantro, mint, lemon juice and salt & pepper & dried herbs.

 

 

 

Needless to say, the said salad is non-vegan. I’ve been struggling eating vegan in Bangladesh, what with it’s limited vegan food options. So I caved, and I’m finally beginning to be fine with that decision, sort of.

 

 

Still having mixed feelings about my food and dietary options. But I try not to make this issue keep me up at night and rob me off my sleep. Sigh. I wish things could be simpler. I do commend myself for enjoying the meals thoroughly though.

Can’t come up with a title

Food Recap 23-24.07.12

 

Snow pea + cucumber + seaweed + red cabbage + corn + balsamic dressing.

Mum’s dinner <3

Veg cooked in Japanese-Chinese (?) style over medium grain rice.

Singaporean noodle, sauteed with with veg in evoo, dashi, soy sauce and garlic-soy sauce.

It’s been a while since I last purchased food at uni!

But I got this Vietnamese roll with chicken salad (I think it’s called bahn mi tay or something) for lunch today.

Voluminous and tastes pretty good too

It’s a steal for $4.50 if you as me. Although I would have preferred better chicken…but you can’t expect that at this kind of a price

It was pouring out today, and my bag was super heavy…by the time I got back home from running around the whole day, I was completely worn out, cold, tired and HUNGRY.

But whatd’ya know, Mum’s always waiting for me at home <3

She quickly whipped up this hot kimchi soup with a tonne of veggie and shirataki (konnyaku tofu pasta) for dinner

I wish I could live at “home” all the time….

Food That Got Into My Belly

Hello people!

So tonight I thought I’d share with you guys the photos of some of the food I’ve eaten recently (and did not look too gross to be put up on the interweb).

Persimmon love <3

Grilled haloumi and tomato sandwich on sourdough bread! I’ve been loving haloumi so much lately. I think I could even call it, dare I say, my favourite type of cheese. There, I said it. At least for now.

Afternoon tea with my beloved Mum  Okaasan <3 I think she got the spinach and feta quiche or something, and a mug o’ hot chocolate.

And I got a white chocolate strawberry muffin

Sauteed some Singaporean noodle with spinach in EVOO one night. Dinner for two, served in less than 10 minutes. (Although I’m so skilful in the kitchen that it took me and extra 10 minutes just to get the stuff out, cut packages open, burn myself on the stove, etc. I just love how attentive I am.)

Homemade zucchini and red capsicum pizza!! Okay fine, I used a store-bought thin pizza base, but hey those veggies did not saute themselves and my magic fingers had to sprinkle that beautiful mozza on top. The addition of herbs was great. It was so good, I inhaled in moments. Definitely need to make this again. When I’m not as lazy as usual (I hope that happens someday).

Unagi (teriyaki eel) bowl. I think I’ve written about how disappointing it was over here. But you win some, ya lose some. The eel itself wasn’t all that terrible, but it was the way the whole thing was assembled and the cold and hard rice that just made this outrageous. Yeah, I am capable of developing those feelings to food.

Babe spinach, rocket, tomato and crumbed chicken, with the trusty honey mustard dressing.

Sort of an open toast/grill/sandwich? Toasted multigrain bread, spinach, gouda cheese, ham.

Roasted beetroot for the first time in my life! Kind of time consuming, but the end product made it totally worth it Consumed with spinach, rocket and the honey mustard dressing.

Sushi Hotaru with Mum for lunch <3 Love those grilled nigiri.

Kangaroo burger from Moo Burger! It was made on warm and fluffy sourdough bun, with a kangaroo patty with fresh sage and garlic, beetroot relish (gotta make this thing as Aussie as possible), tomato and rocket, with homemade mayo. So ginormous. So fanfreakintastic. Party in the mouth. Need to conquer the entire recipe. Hypercholesterolaemia? Psssshhhh, kind of not worth thinking about when you have this guy staring you in the face.

Went to Maxbrenner with the girls after burgers <3 Their white chocolate chai was overly sweet but still very delish! And their magic mug is fun too; so basically you place that teapot thing on top of your glass mug and it pours automatically! It’s nice because you can pour out any amount you want, and then keep the rest relatively warm until you want to drink some more again I kind of like the novelty value of this thing

Kale, purple carrot, broccoli and mashed avo salad with honey mustard dressing. I am Asuma, and I have a serious dressing addiction.

Made some frenchie toastie for Mum and myself one lazy morning.

Mum made some udon noodle with chinese cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, konnyaku and tofu in a soy sauce and dashi based broth.

Kale and crumbed chicken salad.

Classic felafel wrap in pita bread with hummus from Yummba in Bondi Westfield! I wish I could eat this guy every week.

Baked some banana oats vegan muffins. Was quite moist and chewy and nice Recipe here.

The best grilled cheese I ever made <3 Used wholemeal bread and gouda cheese. Mmmmm….

Chickpea, celery, zucchini, red capsicum, tomato and capers – with the dressing with garlic powder and dried herbs.

Vegan zucchini bread (with goji berries and sunflower seeds) <3 My post about it with the recipe here.

Ebi chilli set from Ton Ton. It was very filling but loved it! I think it was a great deal for just $10.

Afternoon tea with Mum again The almond croissant that we shared, from Becasse in Westfield Centrepoint was delicious <3

Rice noodle with veg

I don’t know what this is called in other Asian countries, but it’s called “chimaki” in Japan, and it’s made with sticky rice, wrapped in bamboo leaves. The ones I had in Japan were plain, but this one that I got over here in Sydney at an Asian store had sweet red bean paste inside. It’s nice to try new things once in a while I feel like I’ve been experimenting more with food since Mum came over!

Tomato and pesto pizza from Bourke St bakery <3 Mum loved it a lot as well.

It’s so nice to go out to eat with Mum; that way we can order more and share to try different things

Mum made us some oshi-sushi with smoked salmon and cucumber! With a side of seaweed miso soup.

Homemade pastry with fresh pear. Courtesy of Mum <3

Bean sprouts, mushroom, red cabbage, capsicum and corn, with french onion dip.

Vermicelli salad with cucumber and ham, with soy sauce and sesame oil dressing.

Cecilia’s birthday celebration

Brown rice, tofu, kimchi, sauteed bean sprouts and spinach dinner.

Please do not report me to RSPCA. I did not eat this kitty. She was just so obedient and cute basking in the sun, and she didn’t even run away even when I approached (so I was kind of trespassing into this property…oops), I had to show you this photo.

So that ends my food recap, consumed over the course of about a month, I guess.

What was your most recent favourite thing that you cooked at home?

- Asuma xxx

Photo-log

Hey hey people

It’s Wednesday already? What?

Why does time seem to fly by so quickly these days?

I sometimes wish there were 8 days in a week…I guess that might be quite tiring, but then I could do so much more if I could have 52 x 24 = 1248 hours more per year!!!

Just adding one day to each week.

That’s a looooot of time.

But time never waits for anyone so better get moving on.

Not that there is much to move on to and share with you all today.

Hah, could my life be so vibrant to have something to blog about everyday. That wasn’t even a question.

Though the yoga class yesterday did turn out to be pretty stellar, as N’s class is always.

I sometimes think I have a girl crush on her.

I think maybe.

Anyway, here’s a short photo-log from my yesterday…

Actually, the above dinner happened Monday night.

Beans, red capsicum, zucchini and egg white cooked lightly in olive oil and onion.

I don’t like to stand in front of the stove (not even if it’s as simple as this) on week nights because I’m usually back late from the gym, but I got to attend the yoga class in the middle of the day, so yay to earlier-than-usual dinner!!!

Tuesday’s lunch.

I got this for free in my new box of muesli

It was pretty good too.

The actual dinner last night was barely anything substantial, so I had this bowl after.

Almond honey cereal + Maple rice cereal + Goat milk + Cottage cheese.

Ok bye.

            – Asuma

Post-Exam Feeling

Truth – there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING better than a post-exam feeling. I’ve never tried recreational drugs, but I’m pretty sure even that could not feel as liberating as the hours right after an exam. Everything seems bright and fresh. Doing laundry becomes fun. Every tiny little thing in life becomes lovable. Really. And it has nothing to do with how well the exam might have been

I sat for my supplementary exam yesterday morning (yes I’m finally done!!!) so I spent the rest of the day cleaning, doing some grocery shopping (the heavy-lifting kills every time) and going to the gym without having to feel like maybe I should be spending that time studying instead of exercising. I loved that I could just concentrate on what I was doing, rather than having my mind elsewhere. This is one trouble I have when I do yoga and also have an assignment due! I hope I can plan my daily routine better this year so I can focus better, whatever it is that I am doing at that moment.

The post-exam excitement did not end there, I woke up this morning bright and early to make this four bean chili with the dry beans I soaked in water last night and the fresh grocery supply from yesterday.

Four Bean Chili

The original recipe is from this amazing health vegan recipe blog of Angela’s, Oh She Glows, and here is the link to her recipe. She used canned black beans, but I substituted that with the dry four bean mix today. It was really easy, it was done even before I had my breakfast. Such a great comfort food too! It was quite spicy so I decided to have it with lots of fresh veggies for lunch today, after a good pilates class.

Arugula Salad with Chili

This salad consisted of arugula, carrots, perino tomatoes, avocado and the chili. The chili was actually really spicy, in a good way Didn’t need any dressings or seasonings to put this salad together.

Now I had to calm my taste buds with this tea from T2.

Brisbane Breakfast, from the T2 stash Austvina gave me for Christmas

This tea had a slight hint of mango in it, perfect for a gloomy weather like today to lift up the mood a bit.

Anyway, I’m off to enjoy the rest of the day now! Everything is so much more fun when there isn’t an exam to think about…well, at least for now.

Spring is finally here PROPERLY

Hey hey Good morning!!

 

So Sydney’s getting hotter by the day now. The weather was just wierd till last week – it was sort of spring already, but then it used to be cloudy/rainy pretty often and I couldn’t enjoy the glory of the warm sunlight to truly appreciate the arrival of spring. But these couple of days has been quite very warm, almost hot. So glad I got these shorts from ASOS recently, now I’m totally ready for the heat!!!

Cute polka dots, eh?

 

And the warm weather called for a refreshing breakfast yesterday…

Kefir yoghurt with frozen berries (thawed) and scooped out tamarillo.

Honestly, this was the first time I’d ever even held a tamarillo!!! I actually didn’t know what it was when I was buying it – I just thought it was some variety of a plum or something and popped it into my basket (ok, it was on sale, so I thought why not? ). I was definitely wrong. When I cut it open in half, it sort of looked a bit like passion fruit on the inside, only with less fluid. Tasted nothing like it though. I didn’t mind the sourness but it was also a tad bit bitter…I don’t think this is really my kind of fruit

Does anybody like tamarillos? 

Are all of them always bitter like this?

 

I had a molecular biology prac class yesterday from 12, which turned out to be very time-consuming but pretty dull…it was just not very exciting, but oh well, like I’d even expected a molecular bio class to be so interesting anyway And who wants to wear a lab coat in such a weather???

 

And this is what I whipped up for lunch after the class:

Green salad with tomato, zucchini, mushroom and pumpkin, drizzled with a sort of apple cider vinaigrette that I attempted to make. I guess the dressing wasn’t so bad

And some organic udon with “tsuyu” (= soup/sauce) I made with soy sauce.

It was a different kind of carb than what I usually take (I usually go for bread, or if not, rice), but variety is definitely good to avoid getting bored!!!

 

Followed by a little study sesh at home, then Zuuuuummmbaaaaa I think there are a couple of instructors for Zumba at our gym, but I like Rebecca the best Really awesome+friendly+cute+smiley person. Every instructor sort of has their own style, and I guess I sort of like hers. Gah, I’m a beginner so maybe I don’t know well enough but I do know what I like

 

And a snap shot of my post-Zumba dinner:

The last unfrozen bit of the leftover tomato brown rice recooked on the pan with the leftover lentil curry soup with an addition of the egg on top…

The salad was the same as the lunch. Yeah you know I’m pretty lazy like that

 

Anyway, now I’m off to get ready for my French class!!! Adieu, mon amis

WIAW!!!

I know, I know, it’s too late to be posting a WIAW right now, but I guess the girl just tends to be a bit too busy at the peak of a working week, like last week too.

But here is what I packed for breakfast + lunch + snack to uni on Wednesday

Breakfast: Overnight oats – rolled oats, quick oats+barley mix, kefir yoghurt, cinnamon, stevia, frozen berries and trail mix.

Lunch: Salad – baby spinach, coral, tomato, red capsicum, mushroom, zucchini, veggie burger, hummus and cottage cheese. With a slice of multigrain bread.

Snacks: strawberry yoplait and banana.

Dinner was rather boring, with the leftover salad and some brown rice. I think I’m falling into a food rut…must make something new today.

WIAW posting on Friday

 

So it’s already Friday, but I’ve sort of been busy these last couple of days and couldn’t really get the time to post this week’s WIAW yet But I do remember all details and they come along with the photos too, so do look over the delay…anyway, here goes!!!

 

Breakfast: I finally got to eat my brekkie at home before going to uni!!! And it was actually even better than my weekend breakfasts. This is an accomplishment for me I think I’ve only ever eaten breakfast at home on a weekday with morning uni lectures like twice in the past…I didn’t use to eat breakfast before, but now I just pack them into neat little boxes along with my lunch.

Oatmeal!!!!!

Cooked with:

- homemade kefir yoghurt

- water

- LSA mix

- a pinch of salt

- cinnamon

- chia seeds

- vanilla extract

And topped with:

- cranberries

- black berries

- raspberries

(the frozen berries were defrosted the night before)

- almond butter

- maple syrup

I know I should get some variety into my breakfasts, but like I always say, oatmeal’s just too good to skip on.

 

Lunch:

I had a salad with wholemeal bread and some grapes. Sadly, I only have a photo of the same salad that I had the night before (I usually try to pack leftovers for lunch to save time).

Green salad with tomato and red pepper, topped with hummus, cottage cheese and cilantro. Yes, it’s the cilantro from my own potted plant in my kitchen <3

 

Dinner:

I was pretty much worn out by the time I got back home, nothing new about that. So there was a lazy girl’s dinner (again) that night.

Microwaved red lentil veggie burger

Green salad with red and green pepper, tomatoes and butter beans

Roasted pumpkin and potatoes (leftovers )

It just could not get easier than that. Took me 3 minutes and a half in total.

Oh, and some dark cherry yoghurt later that night

 

Anyway, that’s all for this week’s WIAW. I will try to do the post next week before delaying this much

 

This is how the long weekend ends

So this is the end of the long weekend (no classes on Friday + usual Sat&Sun + Monday’s Labour day). I don’t think I’ve actually made the most of its time like I would have liked to Bad, bad, unproductive and lazy Asuma. I did go through a couple of lecture slides, but really, not as much information got tucked into my head as I’d expected. I don’t know why, but sometimes I just simply lose all passion and motivation to do anything at all. I lose my target, and honestly, I don’t even know why I bother to stay alive. I know this is being utterly spoilt and absolutely ungrateful for everything my parents have done for me, but I just can’t help feeling that way. And the surge of guilt takes over for being so. But I told myself, that this month is going to be different, so I have to make a change. Unless I start making a difference, I will never be able to change. I love my family, and I love my friends who have always been there for me. And I want to be able to love myself too. So I have to start doing something for everybody, myself inclusive.

On a positive note (I guess the optimistic side of me is still alive in there somewhere…well this gives me some hope), I went for another run at around 1pm today. It was sunny but also windy…just a 30 minutes thing, but I guess still better than nothing. I usually get an endorphine-high and feel great+strong after I do some form of exercise, but today, I ended up feeling nauseous and dizzy, with some wierd sort of an ache in my right ear Which could have been the reason why I felt this down today….

When I got home, I sat down and lounged around for a while, hoping for the headache and nausea to go away, but after a while when it didn’t, I decided to get up and make a salad lunch for myself.

With:

baby spinach + rocket

wild rice

canned chick peas

green capsicum

tomatoes

pumpkin

button mushrooms

tofu marinated in sweet chilli

topped with cottage cheese, eggplant+capsicum paste and fresh cilantro from my kitchen

And of course, homemade yoghurt with apricot+almond muesli for dessert

And back to uni from tomorrow again…but I’m not going to feel bad about it!!! Hoping to work on my group project in the afternoon in the library with packed lunch from home, since I won’t be having any afternoon classes (when does that ever happen??? I feel so lucky ). And also, Shiny + Eddie will be staying over at my place for the three MedShow nights (it’s a comedy thing they’re acting/playing for at uni), so it should be fun