The Uphills of Life

When you bike uphill, you sweat and your legs are tired. Just after that time, you will experience a wonderful feeling as you approach the downhill ahead. The sweat evaporates in the cool breeze, and you quickly forget all about the tedious uphill struggle.

Life is like a long road. While running on the smooth road, one should not forget to anticipate the uphills or downhills. Many tines in this rapid, stressful society, the feelings of depression, discouragement, and disappointment squeeze out all of our energy and take away the optimism, and you want to drop everything. However, if you stop and look back to the beginning, you will realize all the things you had bean accomplished. At some point, you realize that you are on top of the hill. By taking deep breaths and looking carefully ahead. you don't need to scream out happiness from your lungs, but then you have to remind yourself that you will find many more tops and summits and will not allow yourself to go too fast when it’s time to go downhill.

Our lives are journeys because we always have many choices, but we should not waste too much of our time just to achieve the results that we want. When exhausted, just stop on the shoulder of the road to relax a little. Knowing how to stop and go in the same breath is the fastest way to recharge your energy.

Even though climbing uphill is tiresome and slow, we have to agree that it is safer than going downhill. It is a wonderful feeling that we experience while traveling at full speed towards our destination, but we did not know whether or not there is a the cliff in front of us or the brakes in our car are broken, and we cannot stop on time. There are often hundreds of obstacles, and you may never feel satisfied.

Life is a road, so when you experience difficulties in pain, they should remind of you that you are climbing uphill and that is a part of life.

Of course, when happiness appears, it does not mean that misfortune will not arrive. Because life is a long journey, you must conserve your energy and inspiration for the many different roads ahead

Source: Internet

Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Bo Bia Chay)

The spring roll or Bo Bia Chay in Vietnamese is the most popular snack sold by street vendors in Saigon. It can be made with meat, sausage, or tofu as a meat substitute. When I was young, my mom always took us children to the Temple on big celebrations, like Buddha’s birthday, New Year’s day, or Mother’s Day (le Vu Lan). the celebrations, in the Temple kitchen, Bo Bia Chay was the first course served. I remember how fantastic the taste of this dish was because Saigon during summertime is extremely hot and humid, and this dish is refreshing and perfect for a summer finger food. The spring roll is surprisingly light and full of pleasing texture. Its sweetness is from carrots and mushrooms while the crunchy jicama adds to the fresh flavor. For a simple appetizer, this recipe is must have for any vegan party. In my family circle, my sister-in-law, Anh, has her own recipe for spring rolls, which is fantastic. I had a chance to observe her to prepare this dish on my father’s memorial. I did not write down the ingredients, but hopefully my memory has served me well to re-create this one.

Ingredients:
8 oz firm tofu, drained, fried, and cut as matchsticks
1 carrot, cut as matchsticks
1/2 jicama, cut as matchsticks
2 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water, sliced
1/2 cup fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced
2 eggs
Leek, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
2 shallots, thinly sliced
Salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sugar to taste
1 tsp 5 spice
Basil, julienned
Cilantro
Roasted peanuts, crushed
Rice wrapping papers
Lettuce, cut into small side
Dipping sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup coconut juice
1 tbs peanut butter
1 tbs ketchup
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs vinegar

Directions:
In a small bowl, beat eggs.
In a sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of oil. Add shallots and leek and fry them until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out onto a paper towel.
Remove most of the oil from the sauté pan. Add beaten eggs to make about two omelettes from these eggs. Remove and thinly cut into strips.
In the same pan, add some removed oil from frying the leek and shallots and heat until hot. Add carrots, jicama, and mushrooms. Add 5 spice, salt, sugar, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir and cook for a few minutes or until the vegetables wilt but still hold their shape. Remove from pan and place into a mixing bowl with the egg strips, julienned basil, and cilantro. Mix well.
Use a wet towel to soften the rice paper wrapper and lay onto the work surface. Place a little of the mixture (about 3 tablespoons) onto the wrapper and sprinkle on top some crushed roasted peanuts with a few more basil and cilantro and form into a cigar shape (leaving enough room on each side to cover ends with wrapper folded over). Roll up the wrapper neatly, set aside, and continue with the remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce directions:

In a small pot, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients and the remaining oil from frying the leek and shallots. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Add some hot chili paste or cayenne pepper or sliced fresh hot chili when serving.

Vegetable-Mushroom Sausage Patties

Some of my family members are vegans, and they like to buy vegetable burgers in the store – like MorningStar or some other brand name on the market. In the month when my family gets together for my father's memorial, I plan to introduce this recipe to them because I think my veggie burger has a much better taste than the one they always buy. Each year, this day is very special for us as a family because cooking "green" is a way of life. We are committed to a good taste, clean environment, and caring for the world. We learn the recipes and draw inspiration from each other. Also, this recipe is a delectable appetizer for entertaining. The sweet potatoes and the nutty black and white sesame seeds make these patties very favorable for any green party.

 Ingredients:
One 8 oz firm tofu, mashed
1 cup cooked mung beans, mashed or any bean of your choice
1 medium potato, baked and mashed
1 medium sweet potato, baked and mashed
1 cup mushrooms, such as king oyster, button, etc.
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup white onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
Enough oil for pan frying
Dipping sauce
1 ripened avocado
1/4 cup ranch dressing
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbs lemon juice
Salt, white pepper, and cayenne to taste

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few seconds. Drain and finely chop.
In a sauté pan, heat oil and stir in white onions. Cook for a field minutes and then add garlic and stir until fragrant.
In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together, except two sesame seeds, and mix well.
Shape into a round 3 inch patty. Wash and drain the sesame seeds. Place each sesame seed into various places and roll each side of the patty to cover with sesame seeds. Decorate the way you want it look like. For crispier, roll patties with crush cornflakes
Heat a medium frying pan with coconut oil or vegetables oil until hot. Carefully put the patties into the hot oil. Turn heat to low because the sesame seeds are very easy to get burned. Flip the patties until each side starts to turn a golden color (about 2 minutes). Remove patties and place onto a paper towel to absorb some oil.
To make dipping sauce 
In a Vitamix machine, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients and pulse a few times. This sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Chicken Meatballs

Food has always been a focal point of every society. However, it does not always provide people with proper nutrition for a good start for most social interaction. A traditional family gathers around the table for meals to share a family quality time. Many churches serve hot meals for the homeless. Many events either big or small start with food. Americans use and abuse food to the point that they become overweight or develop diabetes. They do not know the difference between eating food for pleasure or for nutrition, and many of them do not know how to distinguish between good taste and good nutrition. My love affair with food always believes in simple and healthy recipes. The most important lesson to learn in cooking the healthy way is not to depend on fat to get flavor. There are so many substitute ingredients to combine and to flavor the food. I think this recipe speaks volumes.

Ingredients:
Sauce
32 oz marinara sauce (Costco brand)
4 pieces of sliced button mushrooms
Meat balls ingredients
1 pound ground chicken breast meat
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tbs fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine meatball ingredients and shape into 1-inch balls.

In a large saucepan, add 2 tbs olive oil. Pan-fry meatballs until golden brown.

 Pour marinara sauce on top of pan-fried meatballs, add the pieces of sliced button mushrooms, and bring to boil.

 Cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve meatballs by themselves or with pasta, such as spaghetti, penne, or angel hair. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Chicken and Eggs Cooked with Coconut Water

The following dish is very well known in South Vietnam. The meat is boneless pork butt or pork shoulder with rind attached. Growing up in a poor country like Vietnam, we think this dish is a special treat for us. I remembered this dish always appeared on the Vietnamese New Year. However, living in America where good food is not that expensive any more, I have made some changes to this recipe for healthier living with less fat and cholesterol, and still my family can enjoy it every day. I replaced the pork with lean chicken, but the dark meat of chicken can be used for this dish and still be considered very healthy.

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts, cut into big chunks (about 2 inches thick)
7 cooked hard-boiled eggs, shells removed
1 cup chicken broth
2 cans coconut water

 

1/4 cup soy sauce and fish sauce
3 tbs sugar
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp molasses
1/2 cup red onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs coconut oil

Directions:
Bring the chicken broth to boil. Add chicken, red onions, and garlic to the boiling broth. When the broth begins to boil again, skim off any residue that rises to the top. Cook further for 10 minutes and start removing the onions and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients into the pot. Turn heat to simmer and cover with lid. Cook for another 30 minutes. Serve with rice.

Seafood Soup with Vegetables

In Asian cuisines, spices and herbs play a big role in flavoring dishes – soups, stir-fried, baked, and steamed. What kinds or combination of herbs and/or spices are used for each dish depends on which will naturally enhance the specific taste of each other. In this economy, I like to take the advice from chef, Sandra Lee, for using frozen food, if fresh is out of season. Cooking the Costco way is another way to save money because buying bulk food from this store usually results in big savings. Soup has been present in Asian meals since ancient times. We like to have soup for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In Asian cuisines, soups may be divided into two categories: light and heavy. The light soup recipe that I create here is characterized by a clear broth with the addition of seafood and vegetables. This type of soup is cooked briefly so that the ingredients maintain their original textures. Adding a few herbs from my windowsill garden together with fresh hot chili makes this soup a good choice for a quick light dinner.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. seafood combo (Costco)
8 oz tilapia fillet, cut into chunks
1/4 cup dried shrimp, grounded
5 shallots, sliced or 1/2 cup red onions, chopped
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup pumpkin, cut into pieces
1 cup button mushrooms, cut into pieces
1 medium potato, cut into pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into pieces
1 cup cabbage
2 tbs fish sauce
1/2 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Fresh hot chili, thinly sliced
1 cup of fresh basil
Green onions and cilantro for garnishing

Directions:
Thaw the seafood combo (it has shrimp, mussels, squid, and scallops) in a bowl.
In a medium pot, bring the stock to boil. Add ground dried shrimp, pumpkins, potato, garlic, red onions, or shallots and mushrooms. Bring it back to boil and simmer until all the vegetables are done. Add the seafood combo and fish. Season with fish sauce, salt, white pepper and sliced hot chili. Bring back to boil and cook further for 5 minutes. Add basil and turn the heat off. Ladle into a serving bowl. Garnish with green onions and cilantro. Serve hot.

Easy Raisin Bread

I remember the first time my sister-in law offered me a slice of raisin bread back in 1984 when my family had just arrived in Chicago from Vietnam. She toasted the bread in the oven with very light butter, and that was wonderful. Since then, I have developed a taste for raisin bread. For me, nothing is better than a slice of warm, slice sweet raisin bread and a cup of coffee for breakfast. What a beautiful, simple life! Even more special for me is that I can make my own raisin bread.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
Grease an 8” x 5” loaf pan with some butter or coconut oil and set aside.
Place all the ingredients as listed above except raisins and select the dough function on your machine. Press start. About 10 minutes before the kneading circle is done, add the raisins. When the bread machine rise cycle ends, remove dough from the machine and shape dough to fit the loaf pan. Break an egg and beat well. Use pastry brush to brush dough with egg. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rise again another 40 minutes or until double in size. Preheat oven to 350°. Place loaf pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bread from the loaf pan and let it cool for 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy!

Root Vegetable Ragout

My brother gifted me a book with the title, "Wake up and Cook". This book is a Buddhist kitchen in words and recipes. Most of the recipes in this book prepare readers to celebrate life as spiritual, meditative, and religious. I found this book very interesting, not just for its simple recipes but also it taught me about other aspects in my life, as well. Every time I make a recipe either inspired by this book or some of my own creations, I remember one important thing – that a successful recipe should result in cleaning the mind.

Ingredients:
One 8 oz firm tofu
1 yam
1 sweet potato
1 medium potato
2 cups cut up pumpkin
2 cups egg plant
2 cups daikon or parsnips
1 cup green beans
1/2 onion, cut up
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 knob of fresh ginger, chopped
2 tbs tomato paste
3 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sugar
Salt, soy sauce, and pepper to taste
1/4 cup coconut oil
Cayenne, chili flakes (optional)

Directions:
Cut tofu into bite-size pieces and deep fry the tofu until golden brown. Set aside.
Peel and cut yam, sweet potato, and potato into same size as the tofu.
In a large pot, heat oil. Add onions, ginger, garlic, stir, and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add turmeric, cayenne, and chili flakes, if using. Add tomato paste. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, egg plants, and daikon or parsnips. Continue to cook the root vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and bring to boil. Season with salt, soy sauce, pepper, and sugar. Add the deep-fried tofu and green beans into the pot, cover with lid, and continue cooking further for about 30 to 40 minutes or until all the root vegetables are tender. Re-season again with soy sauce before serving. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with a bowl of rice, bread, or noodles.

Spicy Vegetarian Sausage

Since his passing, November 11 of every year is celebrated as my father's Memorial Day and also the day all my family gets together as a family reunion. Most of my brothers and sisters live very close to each other, except for me. Most of the women in my family are good cooks, so this day is properly a fun day when we women get together and share our recipes. Our family is not vegetarian, but on this day we always prepare vegetarian food. And, this is the way to celebrate my father's passing and other ancestors who passed away, too. Because we are following Buddhist tradition, the altar will have flowers and fresh fruit, and the food that we make on this day has to be without any meat. I have created this sausage recipe as a combination of the recipe for spicy Italian sausage and the Vietnamese vegetarian sausage. Some of my family members have the celiac disease, so this recipe will work for them. I am so excited about this sausage recipe. Let’s get cooking

Ingredients: (for 4 sausages)
8 oz firm tofu
6 oz dried bean curd sheets (the frozen)
1 oz dried mushrooms, soaked in water to soften
1 oz bean threads (vermicelli), soaked in water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp chili flakes
2 tbs sausage spice mix
Sauce:
2 cans coconut water
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 knob of fresh ginger, sliced

 

Kitchen twine

Directions:
Cut eight dried bean curd sheets into 8” x 8” squares. Bring the pot of water to boil and add the leftover bean curd sheets, which are the edges remaining after cutting the 8 x 8” squares. Let cook for 3 minutes and drain.
Drain the bean threads and roughly chop.
Drain the mushrooms and roughly chop, as well
Mash the tofu and cooked bean curd leftovers and place into a mixing bowl. Add the bean threads, mushrooms, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, chili flakes, and sausage spice mix. Season to your liking. (Note: for a smoother texture, use a food processor.)

On a working surface, place 1 square bean curd sheet. With another bean curd sheet, overlap 50% of the first bean curd sheet to form a 12” x 8” rectangle with an 8 inch end facing you.

 Place one fourth of the sausage mixture a few inches from your 8 inch end of the bean curd rectangle.

Roll bottom of bean curd wrapper, fold both sides of the bean curd wrapper towards the center and roll it up as a log or sausage.

Use kitchen twine to tie the sausage well.

 Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
In a small bowl, put all the sauce ingredients and mix well.

In a large and shallow pot, place all the sausages and pour the sauce mixture over the sausage.

 Bring to boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

After thickening, discard cloves, cinnamon stick, anise, fennel seeds, and ginger residue.

Remove the sausages, cut off kitchen twine, and let cool. Slice the sausages into 1-inch thick “coins” and pour the thickened sauce over them. Top with some chopped green onions and cilantro.

Sweet Bread with Red Bean Paste

I like this sweet bread because it easy to make. The bread machine does all the work, and the result is fantastic. The filling could be anything that is available on hand, such as jams, bean paste, or just dried fruits. They are rich and tender - perfect for a morning treat.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil or melted butter
2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp active dry yeast for bread machine
Filling:
1 ½ cups cooked red bean paste (store-bought)
Brush with 1 tbs melted butter

Directions:
Place all the ingredients, except the filling and melted butter, in bread machine pan. Select dough setting and press start.
When dough has risen long enough, the machine will beep. Turn dough onto a floured countertop. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle.
Add the red bean paste into the dough and roll it up as a log. Place dough in an 8” x 5” loaf pan. Cover dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until double in size. Brush top with melted butter.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

 

 

 

Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans

A leaner choice cut of beef, such as flank steak, eye-of- round roast, or sirloin roast is perfect for making stir-fried dishes. Before making this stir-fried dish, the beef should be sliced into pieces and marinated for a few hours. It will make the meat tender. When making this stir-fried dish, all the ingredients are cut to a desired size and all the preparations should be completed before the cooking begins. A simple marinade includes rice wine or dry sherry, cornstarch, and sometimes egg white can be used. Other ingredients, such as ginger and garlic should come with the marinade or added to the dish separately at the cooking time. Completing this task will tenderize and flavor the food. The intensely, high heat ensures sealing in the natural juices of the meat. The stir-fired sauce is another big part of successful stir-fried dishes, and homemade chicken broth is the first liquid choice, but water can be used, as well. Broccoli, carrots, snow peas, and green beans require parboiling and then immediate immersion in cold water to prevent them from overcooking and to keep their colors bright green. Even though making stir-fried dishes at home is a challenge, the result is endless joy because the proper amount of oil is being controlled to make a healthier dish. Investing in a good wok is a good way to create stir-fried dishes at home. I will now introduce this easy stir-fired beef with green beans dish. So let’s begin.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of flank steak
Beef marinade:
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs water
1 tsp sake
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch
Vegetables:
1/2 lb green beans
1/2 red onions, thickly sliced
3 tbs vegetable oil or coconut oil
Seasonings:
1 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs minced ginger
1 tsp miso
Stir-fried sauce:
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tbs sake
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
Garnish with green onions

Directions:
Remove all fat from the beef. Cut the beef across the grain into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Place slices in a bowl and add the beef marinade. Toss lightly and let marinate for 1 hour.
Cut the green beans into 3 inch lengths. Bring a small pot of water to boil and blanch the green beans for a few minutes. Remove the beans and place them in ice cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the beans, and then drain the marinade from the beef slices.
Heat a wok, add the oil, and heat the oil until very hot. Add the beef and stir-fry, stirring constantly over high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the meat changes color. Use a slotted spoon to remove beef slices and set aside.
With a paper towel, wipeout the wok and add oil. Heat oil until very hot. Add the seasoning and stir-fry for about 7 to 10 seconds or until fragrant. Add the green beans and red onions. Stirfry for about 1 minute over high heat. Add stir-fried sauce. Toss slightly until sauce begins thickening. Add cooked beef and toss lightly to coat with sauce. Add green onions and transfer the mixture to a serving platter and serve immediately.