Culinary Channel - Whole Wheat Banana Crepes

     May I call this dessert is crepes? It looks like a pancake, but it's a real whole wheat banana crepes.
Crepes are such fun and easy to make it, this is the best breakfast for hikers because it contains high in calcium and vitamin C, and B.

      I combine whole wheat flour, banana, black sugar, egg, milk and almond, stirring until well blended, cook until the bottom of the crepe is lightly brown, then turn and cook other side until golden brown. After cook, I add some vanilla yogurt, a little blackberry and mango on the top, then, garnish some uncooked almond on the side.Wow ! It looks delightful and yummy !

      In addition, health benefits of eating bananas  are not only a good source of B vitamins they also contain vitamin C , A and natural fiber. They also can prevent strokes, ulcers, and improve blood pressure and boost mood. They are full of nutrients for increased energy and vitality, it's one of great fruits for healthy diet too. This is simple, easy and yummy dessert or breakfast or tea time snack. You can add any ingredients you like, I like to make one with banana, since banana is low in calories, rich in vitamins, calcium and protein.

     Aha ! This is my best breakfast, it increases my energy and also boost my mood in a day. Hope is a good breakfast.....everyday is a new day !!

Culinary Channel - Dumplings

Steamed green vegetable dumplings

     Dumpling is a typical symbol of Chinese food, in ancient China, dumplings was called " yuan boa" was used as currency because its shape is symbolic of the way money is viewed in the Chinese culture. Some of Chinese families have dumplings on their New Year 's Eve or New Year Day !
     It may not surprise to you  that making dumplings was one of my social activities when I was in school or party.  I don’t remember how many different kinds of dumplings I have been eaten.  Since everyone has made different dumplings with different ingredients and family cultures. I do enjoy making dumplings, it's such an artistic creation and practice patience from kitchen. It's fun for me !!

Pork with vegetable dumplings

     The most common traditional one is filling ground pork and vegetable, but now people love to fill with different ingredients such as shrimp, chicken or beef.  My own recipes are more unusual ingredients, particularly, after having steamed green vegetable dumplings at one of famous dumpling restaurants(DinTaiFung) at Taipei, I've started making steamed green vegetable and tried filling with different kind of vegetables at each time. Besides, I also like to make turkey dumplings with vegetable, that tastes a little different from pork.

Turkey with vegetable dumplings

 The dumplings are frequently boiled or steamed. Some people make dough by themselves, but I like to buy the wrappers from Ranch 99, the one made from Hong Kong, their wrappers taste a little smooth and soft. I really like it !! However, like most of foods, dumpling are best when made fresh. Many of the fillings and dough can be made in advance and refrigerated for last minute assembly. You can serve the dumplings with a dipping sauce of equal amounts of soy sauce, sesame oil and dark vinegar, to which you can add a little chopped red chilli or garlic or ginger if you like a bit of spice.

                                                                                I love dumplings !!

                          

Culinary Channel - Whole Wheat Garlic Roll



Copied a funny garlic song lyrics from internet which describes how Garlic benefits are!

The Ingredients contain whole wheat flour, garlic mash, dill,
egg, butter, salt, sugar and black pepper

"There are spices and vegetables that you can grow Some are under the ground, some grow tall Though they all have their qualities, this you should know That the garlic is best of them all The Egyptians, Phoenicians, the Vikings and Greeks Babylonians, Danes, and Chinese On their voyages took enough garlic for weeks. And their enemies died on the breeze. From Biblical times in all parts of the earth It has cured countless sufferings and ills If we understood what the garlic is worth We would throw out our poisons and pills In Bulgaria's mountains and Russia's wide plains People live to a hundred years old For it's juice of the garlic that runs in their veins Oh it's worth twice it's weight in pure gold With its selenium, germanium, allicin too It can fight off all types of disease So if you've got arthritis, TB, or the flu Just say, "Peel me a garlic clove, please!" Plant some cloves in your garden to keep away worms And the other bad things that kill plants If you're one of those people concerned about germs You could drop one or two in your pants."

When people ask me who I am, I really know who I am, I also know what my body needs. What I feed what I can make my body functional well.  Sometimes, I envy the vegetarianism. If my body  allows me that I would like to follow a vegetarian diet; unfortunately, as personal health condition I only can choose be a semi -vegetarian diet.  One of vegetables I really love it , it's garlic! Eating a lot of garlic can help me to manage my blood pressure at normal level.  I always try to create something difference, so another idea is to make garlic roll.  My homemade whole wheat garlic roll is pretty healthy and delicious !! 

Happiness is enjoying homemade food ! I love my garlic roll and coffee !

Culinary Channel- Multi-Bean Energy Soup

Multi-bean's nutritional value : they can reduce your risk of heart disease and strokes, help prevent cancer, and even save money. I stew with pork (or beef) and various veggies to make it as energy soup which can improve immune system and increase energy !

My unique homemade energy soup contains a high level of nutrients, very digestible and easy to consume, detoxifying, clarifying and balancing. The ingredients contain swiss chard, ginger, onion, mushroom, tomato, carrot, garlic, beef or pork, pepper, salt and dill. Those natural food are safe and affordable, I add  energy soup once a week to make my life balance. 

Why the soup's color looks red? It's Swiss Chard! I like to add Swiss Chard that tastes sweeter and looks nicer. According to study that Swiss Chard  has unique benefits for black sugar regulation. In addition, Chard has an excellent source of vitamins C, E, beta-carotene and the mineral manganese, and a good source of the mineral zinc. 

This natural food  is much superior to the Vitamin supplement ; I am not the person who takes daily Vitamin supplement, it just makes me puke ! *.*

Culinary Channel - Roasted Brussel Sprouts

It was a very nice memory to visit Brussel Sprouts farm in the Sept of 2011 with hiking group, I was so happy and exciting when I saw the farm, I couldn't believe my eyes to see the real Brussel Sprouts growing on the ground, a huge farm which was so green and real. I couldn't be myself, and acted so crazy and danced around them, I just wanted to smell them, touched them and took more pictures from each angle.

Brussel Sprouts like to grow in the moderate climate of about 15-18 degrees Celsius. However, these vegetables grow on very sturdy branches and are generally considered sweeter if they are exposed to some slightly cooler whether before harvest them.  The best seasons to purchase are from November to April. It was almost the closest time to harvest,  when I visiting the farm in Sept, they looked so big already !! After visiting the farm, I went to google search to study how to cook the Sprouts, I have found so many different methods to cook them. They can be stewed, boiled, steamed, roasted and so on.

Brussel Sprouts contain more Vitamin C than Orange, it's sweeter like cabbage ! One tip to eat them: try not to overcook them, and eat them as soon as they come of the stove if at all possible !!
At the meantime, love to share this beautiful voice from Michael Smith ! Thanks God creating the beautiful voice and world for us !! Enjoy it !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6juwmfNALQ&feature=related

Culinary Channel - Deep -Fried GoBo

One of my favorites deep- fried vegetables is GoBo,  What is GoBo? GoBo is originating from the Siberian region of Northern Asia and relevant as a vegetable in Europe during the Middle Ages, gobo root is particularly popular today in Japanese cuisine and Chinese herbal medicine. The root can cook in a number of verious ways, the root can boil it, roasted, stewed, braised, or baked, a few times, I  made as salad or stewed soup with various veggies which can prevent disease or flake. But, the best taste for me is deep-fried, it tastes so crispy and sweet !  I like to serve hot, garnishing with sesame seeds or ground sesame ! I also fried some Kale for decoration.  Of course, I won't forget to  make a cup of green tea, this is the best snack food for my tea-time !!

Culinary Channel - Kale Wrapped Mushroom and Garlic Chicken

I placed chicken in a large bowl with my homemade source for one night. Before cooking I  take the chicken out of the refrigerator and brush chicken with garlic smashed, preheat the oven to a  temperature, about 375 degrees F (cooking in 10 minutes) !

• Chicken is better than red meat ! *.*

• Kale is one of the healthiest vegetables around and one way to be sure to enjoy the maximum nutrition and flavor from kale is to cook it properly. I choose steam Kale and Mushrooms together that can provide some special cholesterol-lowering benefits.
• Mushrooms contain important minerals and vitamins, that are required by human body. They are rich sources of vitamins, which include vitamin B and vitamin D. Natural sources of vitamin D are very rare and some mushroom species contain vitamin D and minerals like potassium, copper, magnesium, etc that play an important role in improving the immune system and have plenty of health benefits.

This is low cost and high nutritional value, it costs only $3.00 per person.  I add some corn pasta, it 's a great meal !

Culinary Channel -Natural BBQ Sesame Chicken

 

I am a regular Trader Joe's visitor, on each every single visiting  I just enjoy tasting food and get free coffee chatting with their food demonstration person to know what is new receipt in the current market, what I can learn or  how I can create the new one ! Aha, life is bore without creativity !
                                                            
                                                               Did you know that…? 

• Sesame flour has high protein, high levels of methionine and tryptophan
• Sesame seeds are a good source of manganese and copper, they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber
• Sesame has a high level of antioxidants (sesamin, sesamolin, and sesamol).

Got a bottle of Island Soyaki ($3.99) ...hmm looks tasted. I immediately think about BBQ sesame chicken- simple and easy to make it, this is my quick healthy dinner, plus some vegetables and  a glass of red wine. Yummy ! :)

Culinary Channel-Potato Salad Roll ( Rolled by Sushinori)

"If a woman is expecting a baby, she should not eat potatoes because the baby will  born with a considerable head." Really? Even I am not expecting the baby but I still want to eat and learn to cook the right food. So I got an idea to pick a potato-based on its shape. Oval is best for baking and smashing, round for roasting and boiling, and longer ones for frying, haha! I wish the new "born one" will be an attractive one, so let me create a especial one. First, I mix some ingredients to change its original color; I mix two steam eggs, red carrots, the content looks colorful. Then, I have to make some nice decoration, so I spread little red onions, salt, paper, and mayonnaise. Finally, let sushi nori to wrap them up. Wow!! I start mouthwatering, a yummy potato salad roll!