Staycationing

Eeep! It’s been so long since my last post. Life without having to report to a job daily is sweet. Let me back up a bit during my last days in Japan. Since I had to consume as much of my stocked food (I hate wasting food!), my meals were repetitive, weird, and involved loads of bread. Salsa, soba, sesame seeds, and random vegetables? That combo made a quick meal when I needed a break from sorting and packing.

{Nope, not your usual oats-in-jar!}

I had no problem packing my clothes and other stuff since I don’t have loads. Ever since I read about getting more value with less, I’ve streamlined not only on clothes but also in other areas. It’s all about getting quality items over cheap things that one doesn’t end up using and just taking precious space. I couldn’t help buying these Japan-made plates, bowls, cups, and saucers. These will definitely be put to good use.

{All that for around $8! Crazy, I know.}

These were a steal from a school fund raising sale. Quality can be affordable. It’s all about making wise purchases and knowing where to get the good stuff.

What I didn’t pack though were the rice cooker and microwave/toaster oven. Rice cookers in Japan are more complicated than the usual types. There are settings for different kinds of rice, cooking methods (porridge, risotto, etc.), and timer functions. That small oven was what I used to bake my goodies. Since it isn’t a normal oven, it was simple enough for me as a way to start baking. Of course the results weren’t as great as those baked from real ovens. The rice cookers we have in the Philippines are the one-button type and I haven’t seen a microwave/toaster oven here yet.

{Only foodies would understand taking such pictures, no? }

It’s almost been two weeks since I got back to the Philippines. Aside from just hanging out at home, I’ve managed to keep myself busy. There’s a running track nearby where I run in the mornings. I also completed my first race last Sunday – a 10K run at my university. Recap and pictures to follow in my next post.

Going to the market used to be a chore. Now, it’s fun especially when I go with my friend Maria. We joke about being weekend moms whenever we go to the market after our weekend runs. We never went to the market before and our usual meet ups were at the mall, going to the movies, and eating out. Things have changed indeed.

{Watermelon, Durian, Kaki (from Korea), Jackfruit}

Philippines has tons of delicious fruits such as langka (jackfruit), mangoes, papaya, pineapples, and bananas. I’m not fond of the durian though. Vegetables were also aplenty at the market. They make pretty subjects, too.

{Various vegetables, dried fish at the weekend open market.}

Today, I’m going to my raja yoga class. It’s not the usual stretch/pose type of yoga. It’s more on meditation but I thought I’d finish the entire basic course. It would be a great complement to my running and I hope to develop more positive thinking with the exercises. Have a great day!

Life is Good

Stay positive. Keep your head up. Smile. Laugh out loud! Embrace life and all its ups and downs. For the next two months, I decided to fill my days with beautiful things. I envision my days to be relaxed, filled with laughter, and meaning. Since I don’t have to report to a job, I’d like to maximize my time.

-Run Run Run: Yup, I’ve already mapped several runs in my area. Since I’m coming from an injury, I’ll take it slow and just listen to my body. No pressure with distance or pace at all. My friend and I already have a meet-up run at our university, plan on joining a running group, and registering for a couple 10K races.

-Food: Lots of food shopping, checking out the farmers’ markets, and food experimenting. Now, cooking and baking will be twice the fun since I’ll be sharing my meals with my family. I hope they like vegetables as much as I do. I imagine myself going for a very early morning run then coming back home to prep breakfast.

-Yoga: When everyone’s out of the house during the day, I’d take time for myself to focus and relax. Yoga time is me time. There are also a couple yoga studios I might check out.

-Project Farm Wedding: My sister is having her wedding early January at our family farm. I’m so excited to help out and enjoy the preparations. The flowers and vegetables to be used are already sown and that is making me giddy already. My sisters have done countless baking tests and a bit more next month to finalize the wedding cake recipe. Right now, I’m making crane origami to be hanged down from the trees.

{Sample I made before. We are doing all white, a dozen per group string-ed to look like it's raining cranes. }

I’ll probably need thousands to hang all over the place! It would look lovely during the day and would even look prettier when the Christmas lights are turned on at nightfall.

But before I leave for home, I’m taking the train to Kyoto and Osaka. I’m looking forward to walking and eating my way through these fine cities. The year may not have been easy but I vow to end it with laughter. It’s a bit early but I’ll ask you anyway. How do you want to end 2009?

Changes

The past weeks have been crazy for me. I went home and stayed there for three weeks. Being with my family somehow made the pain a bit bearable. It’s almost been a month since my most favorite person in the universe passed away and I still cry myself to sleep. There are times when I’m okay but most of the time it feels like I’m inhaling sea water – painful as hell.

It was also the first time in years that I didn’t wake up to my Dad singing the Birthday Song on my day. He would sing it twice – the first time in the normal tempo, the second on a faster beat with matching dance moves. As for food, all other birthday eats were ordered except for my sister’s salad.

{Party Staples: Pancit Palabok, Lechon Chicken, Cake}

Another sister also bought hopia in ube and pandan flavors from Manila’s China Town.

{Pandan Hopia, Ube Hopia, and Conti's Chocolate Cake}

Cakes – I’ve had plenty! There are four of us in my immediate family celebrating September – October birthdays. Yup, including both Mum and Dad. Le sigh. We had to resort to buying from our favorite bakeshops since nobody was in baking mood.

{We couldn't decide! We got Chocolate Fallen Cake, Cheesecake, Butter Rhum, Carrot Cake, and Lemon Pie. Whew!}

Fruits back home are delicious and free. They are either presents from relatives or friends or harvested from our own backyard and farm. I ate tons of poncan and devoured an entire pomelo.

{Oh, I miss those Lanzones already!}

As a family, we also spent time at my eldest brother’s place. His son (the only grandkid in our family) is a foodie in the making. Mik joined a fruit shake making contest and prepared a pineapple shake. The kid used the hollow pineapple (after scraping the flesh) as serving glass! Mik is also excitedly taking care of his veggie plants.

{Mik's Ampalaya and Onions plus his mom's flowers.}

He is also an artist. When he was younger, one of my sisters “bought” his art pieces to encourage him to continue creating and to teach him the art of pricing and negotiating! It also made my sister feel good about being a patron of the arts.

{Paintings and Egg Shell Mosaic}

I’m back in Japan to wrap things up. I’ve decided to resign from my job, take a break, spend the last months of 2009 back home, and start a hopefully better 2010. I’ll stay in J-Town until the end of October. That means I won’t be running the half marathon in November. While that sucks, I’m looking forward to running a couple races in Manila. Yay! My friend and I are registering for two 10K races – one in Nov, another in Dec. Since I’ve been off training for a month now (gasp!), I think I may not be prepared for a half this year. I’ll save that for 2010. By the way, I ran tonight with a friend for an hour and it felt great to be back on the road again. My right thigh is still a bit tight and I’m hoping it will be gone by the weekend.

BIG changes coming up for me. I’m scared that I may have a hard time looking for a new job with the economy down, that I may get bored doing nothing, that I might not get in grad school, that I may lose interest. But I am trying to keep a positive attitude. Taking this time as a break – to refresh, to have a new start, to just be. Scary, unpredictable times ahead but I am sooo ready to embrace LIFE and what it holds for me.

Thank You

Thank you for all of your heartfelt condolences. Each of your messages provided comfort especially when I was alone. I am currently back in the Philippines and will be back in Japan next week. The past week, our family tried our best to keep the ceremonies as positive as we can – celebrating our Dad’s life, rather than mourning his death. Right now, it still feels weird not having him around and we terribly miss him.

I have to say that healthy living was pushed way down in my priority list the past days. I haven’t been running (but I hope to get back to it soon) and only did a 20 minute yoga session. My sisters announced to everyone that I turned vegetarian in Japan (I’m not – I still eat a bit of fish and meat) but I didn’t correct them so I stuck with a vegetarian diet. I was expecting family and friends to react differently to my choice of eating but was glad to learn how accepting they were. Since all meals were meat centric, I was happy to have fruits and at least a single vegetable dish at every meal.

Except for introducing my cousin to Banana Soft Serve, I haven’t been experimenting with food. I’ll share with you my food experiments from two weeks ago which seems like ages. First up is this Rye-Whole Wheat Bread. I can’t remember from what recipe I patterned this from. :s I don’t know if you can see from the sliced picture but there’s some choco-cinnamon swirl action right there.

{Rye-Wheat Bread}

Like the famous breakfast cookie, I made breakfast balls and bars. Same old trustworthy ingredients: oats, mushed banana, almond butter, cinnamon (in the bars), and unsweetened chocolate powder (in the balls). After a couple hours in the fridge, they were rolled in unsweetened coconut shreds. I’m sure my Dad would have loved this!

{Coconutty Oats}

You have to try this awesome Chickpea “Blondies” recipe. The recipe rebel that I am, Lacking some of the ingredients, I subbed the fruit spread with mashed banana and used rye flour instead of the brown rice flour and flax meal. It still came out great and was perfect topped with almond butter. If you have chickpea around (I’m sure you do!), try it out for a healthy dessert.

{Chickpea-Banana Blondies}

Again, thank you for your comforting words and for checking out on me. It means so much to me and I hope there are many more beautiful people like you in this world. May you be more blessed!

I wrote this yesterday and I’m adding that today is my 26th birthday. It’s bittersweet but I’m just glad that I’m home to spend it with my family. It would fill my heart with joy if you hug your parents, loved ones, friends, and pets for me. Thank you very much!

I have a lot of catching up to do with all of your wonderful blogs. I feel like I’ve been away for sooo long! Please bear with me.

Please Say A Prayer

My Dad (my most favorite person in the entire planet) suffered a heart attack early Monday morning. He is still unconscious, and the doctors are running tests as I write. I am devastated but I am trying to be strong for my Dad. As I am away from home, all I can do is PRAY. I pray that God stays by my Dad’s side as he fights this battle. I pray that my Dad be safe and strong.

Please offer a short prayer for my Dad. That would mean sooo much to me. Thank you.

*My Dad passed away today. My world will never be the same again. The pain is fresh and raw but my Mum told me to be strong. I seat here alone, trying to understand what all these mean. I’ll cry; I’ll weep; but I will be strong. Dad and Mum taught us to be so. And Dad would be proud to see me stay strong. Dad, I sooo miss you already!

Japanese Wedding Eats

Let’s talk about my run this morning. Oh my! It  was glorious – the chill, the pink glow of the sun, and the jogging old man’s ready smile. Okay okay, so I was just daydreaming. I’m still resting and obviously can’t wait to hit the road.

Anyways, do you daydream about your future wedding? I’d like to but I have to find a groom first! A couple weeks ago, I attended a Japanese wedding. Not the Shinto/Buddhist rites, a Christian one. Upon arrival, we were ushered to the cafe-ish part of the venue for tea and tarts. After half an hour or so, we were instructed to proceed to the lobby to register and drop our presents cash envelopes into a special box. Wedding presents are not in kind; it’s all cash here! Then we were led to the garden for cocktails.

{Rose Tea, Nut Tart, Cookie, Shrimp Cocktail, Grapefruit Juice}

After the ceremony, it was time to “party”. I write that in quotes because it doesn’t feel like one. Everything was on cue; the atmosphere lacked spontaneity. The food was delicious, though. Taste and texture were well balanced but I was most struck by the presentation. I loved how simple and uncluttered the plating was. We started with assorted sashimi and a shrimp side dish. I believe in oohing and aahing over the shredded daikon, shiso leaf, and shiso flowers before eating. This was followed by simmered vegetables with a bit of pork at the bottom. Each vegetable is simmered separately. The “lidded dish” of the meal was shiso noodle soup with tofu.

{Sashimi, Vegetable Bowl, Shiso Noodle Soup}

Broiled Tilapia and shrimp in a thick sweet sauce followed by shaved ice to cleanse the palate. Untraditional – but the couple were fond of anything blue, plus it was a summer wedding so it was a fun touch.

{Drinks, Bubblegum Shaved Ice, Tilapia and Shrimp}

The “substantial dish” came next. Loved the oversized square plates used in this dish!

{Beef and Chicken with Roasted Chilli-Potato-Tomato}

The meal ends with pickles, seasoned rice, and a vegetable soup with some tiny shell fish at the bottom.

{Meal ender: pickled daikon-kabocha-shiso, seasoned rice, soup}

Aside from the wedding cake, there was a dessert buffet at the garden which was way over the top. Tarts, ice cream, sorbet, pie, cakes, creme brulee, flan, etc. A diabetic’s nightmare.

{Dessert Buffet: 16+ choices!}

It was a lot of food but since it was spread over four hours, it wasn’t too overwhelming. This was an afternoon to early evening event so I skipped lunch and dinner that day, too.

What comes to your mind when you think “wedding food”? In my hometown, serving rice wine (and dancing!) is an absolute must. During your wedding, what kind of cake did you have? It must have been difficult fun deciding on wedding cake flavor/s!

Nutty Sweet Love

{Injury Update: Thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post. It’s been almost a week since my last run and I miss it badly; I’ve teared up most nights. I cry not due to the pain (as it’s subtle) but because I fear that I may lose it – my love for the run and the ability to run. But then something lovely happens, and I feel a bit better. Then I’m reminded that there’s no room for worries as it doesn’t do me any good at all. Breathe, ice, stretch, and stay positive. It’s just a matter of time, Mia. }

For homemade nut butters, Leslie’s creations all sound dreamy. Her recipes would definitely come in handy when I get myself a food processor. For now, I’m enjoying these organic nut butters from Auckland. First up – Almond Butter. Ingredients are organic almonds and organic sea salt. The nuts are lightly roasted and stoneground. My first taste was AMAZING. Just a small amount packs full bodied flavor!

{Almond Butter is an intense explosion.}

After a sip of water, Cashew Butter tasting followed. Unlike the AB, the flavor doesn’t attack at the start. The cashew taste sort of blooms inside my mouth after a couple seconds. Just lovely.

{Inside my mouth, this slowly blooms-swirls-dances then fades.}

When I made the lentil pockets last weekend, I formed tiny banana-PB-biscuits with the remaining dough. Just the right size for the holy trinity snack.

{AB, PB, CB: Do you believe in the nut butter trinity?}

Along with these nut butters, my sister also sent some sweets. Oh she knows me too well! I believe that a tiny amount of less nutritious snacks is perfectly okay for me. Each of us eat in various ways and I respect that. Some completely eliminate sugars; others eat raw. I love learning about different diets but this girl appreciates fun eats moderately.

{My pockets are loaded!}

The Fry’s Turkish Delight is basically a rose-flavored jelly covered with Cadbury milk chocolate. It’s a bit too sweet for my taste; a quarter teaspoon satisfies my sweet tooth. Because I have rockstar self-control of the spot-on sweetness, I’m confident that the tiny bar (55g) will last me at least two weeks as meal ender for savory dishes.

I have yet to taste these Whittaker’s Peanut Slabs but with a name like that, I am sold! Hmmm, The Original sure looks like a golden win but I love my chocolate dark so I’m really excited to sink my teeth in Classic Bittersweet.

{Peanut Slove}

With all these sweets lying around my pad, I’m actually surprised I haven’t devoured them. Being injured surely made me feel a bit down the past days but I didn’t cave in to these perk-me-up-sweets. Instead, I’ve baked bread, made a big pot of soup, and fed myself healthily.

What do you crave when you’re down? I’d usually crave freshly baked bread or dark chocolate. I’m just too happy that these days I love how my body craves veggies every single day.

Rest and Recovery

Recovery from what? Well, I pulled my groin muscle (self diagnosed!) and it’s been three days since my last run. If I would have posted on Thursday, it would have been ugly. But I let it settle; there were tears and comfort food (oats for dinner) on Thursday. By Friday, talking to my sister (who just started running last week) sort of made me accept it.  Today, I am just being positive and patient about the situation. Yoga, walking, and biking would have to do for now.

My body must not have received the message that I ain’t going for a long run this morning but it decided to wake up at 4:30 anyway. So out I went for a walk. It was still dark outside and when did it suddenly turn chilly?! Since I was walking, why not take the camera with me? Moony morning.

{Even the vendos are still lit up for the night.}

While I would have preferred a quick run, I had to focus on the advantages of walking. Mia, appreciate that you can pause anytime to smell the flowers. Did you know that okra flowers are yellow? I certainly didn’t know that before. Also, I learned that purple okras existed.

{I HEART plants.}

September is kaki (persimmon) season here. I remember enjoying these fruits around this time last year. Somehow, the fruits are taking longer to ripen this year. Also spotted were rice and some red alien-like flowers.

{What’s taking them kakis to ripen this year?}

On my way back to my pad, I passed by a children’s park. I was shocked that Alison and her angels weren’t there. Maybe I was too early for playtime? The ‘exercise machines’ weren’t bad at all.

{I could create some kind of circuit training right here. }

Now, I should rename this blog to Running With Cake Bread since I can’t seem to stop making bread! After the 4.5 walk, I wanted something savory.  I crave sweets 96.23% of the time so it was but proper to satisfy this rare craving today. I used a combination of normal, whole wheat, and kinako for the dough. Innards? Lentil curry. So simple, yet so tasty.

{Yeah, I am pretty much addicted to making bread.}

Also, my sister’s package was delivered today! Almond butter, cashew butter, and sweets. Check, check, and check. After months of drooling over these nut butters from your blogs, I finally got some to taste courtesy of my sister in Auckland. Thanks, G!

{Yes, oh yes! Finally, Almond Butter and Cashew Butter for me!}

After recovery from an injury, what’s the best way to get back into running? Tips and advice are most welcome, thanks! What is your ultimate favorite nut butter? I’ll let you know about my nut butter tasteperience later.

Taped Run

Running fuel this week is Japanese inspired. Although the banana trumped the matcha flavor in my latest creation, it was still delicious – one can’t go wrong with banana bread afterall. Dango with miso sauce for my sweet tooth and soy-sesame senbei with garlic hummus. I can’t think of any Japanese food (snacks, produce, meals, flavor, etc.) that I dislike. Tofu, miso, tea, kinako, adzuki, shiso, hijiki, nori, wakame, soy, mikan – love them all.

{Matcha-Banana Bread, Miso Dango, Hummus on Senbei}

After yesterday’s speed workout, I was considering ditching tonight’s 3 miler. I was a bit sore; it was chilly and I thought I deserved a nap instead. Mia, you running low on motivation? Get off your butt and get moving! I don’t know why I just picked up these rolls of tape, cut two strips, and plastered an X on my left hand. Silly as it may sound, I was able to draw motivation from that X and I was out the door ready to pound the pavement! The skull-crossbone looks so random but made me feel like a toughie!

{Kiddy tape powered me to my fastest 3 miler yet!}

Seriously, when you don’t feel like working out – channel your inner superhero; put on your magic cape; wear your lucky charm; and just do it. If kiddy tape is what it takes for me, so be it.   Yeah, I’m a silly kid at heart. More proof that I still need to grow up: bunny slippers, kiddy chopsticks, and Hello Kitty spoon and fork.

{Time to bring out the warm fuzzy slippers!}

Do you have silly habits that ‘work’ for you? I sing nursery rhymes in my head as timer during my stretches. What children’s items do you use? Aside from my bento, I use a kiddy toothbrush. The smaller head does a better job cleaning hard to reach areas, right?

Running on Baumkuchen

I’ve started switching to early morning runs this week. So far, I’m loving the less busy streets, the cool breeze, and not being able to pinpoint the exact moment when the darkness gives way to the light. I guess the moment doesn’t exist; the transition very gradual.

My carrot bread didn’t last the week so I had to resort to some boxed goodies for pre-run fuel. Baumkuchen are very popular here in Japan. Check out this pear shaped one from Villon. These ones are less stylish but delicious none the less and powered me enough for my runs.

{Loving the layers!}

Baumkuchen was great running fuel. Talking about running fuel, I’d love to win some Luna bars from Taylor’s first giveaway. Check her lovely blog if you’re not reading hers yet.

Here’s a look at my usual bento. I’ve been using this 360ml box for over a year already. Just the perfect size for my lunches. I don’t get bored with brown rice and veggie from Mondays thru Fridays.

{I own a kid's bento, no shame! Bonus Pic: Udon Curry}

With my evenings free, I have more time to prepare dinner. Breakfast dinners are the best. When stressed, I crave pancakes and eggs.

{Whole wheat matcha and chocolate pancakes with veg scramble.}

Today, I planned on waking up early for my 7 mile long run. Not this early though! I was up before 4 so I decided to make some whole wheat bread to pass the time. When I got back from the run (which was lovely as all long runs are), it was time to put the babies in the oven while I did yoga. They came out great. Even Edmond Dantes wants one!

{I even made one calzone. Innards? Homemade hummus! }

Aside from garlicky hummus, another experiment today was lentils. I’m using up all the garlic I got from the BBQ so this lentil dish had tons of those. Lentils taste like mung beans and even have the same texture methinks. I used yakiniku tare (fruit based dipping sauce) and I loved how the sweet sauce balanced the garlic flavor. Served with my homemade bun – the real reason I wanted to make bread was to go with the lentils!

{I had this meal in my head for days. Lentil, fresh bread, and mushroom.}

Lentil lover Sarah, how  did I do with the experiment? Thanks for introducing me to a new fave protein source!

What new produce/recipe did you try this week? What are your favorite sources of protein?