Friday 31 October 2014

Policemen with their ride...horses!

Look  what I found while I was on a light street car...Policemen patrolling on horses on the street! :D It's pretty rare to see this downtown. I enjoyed it very much :)






Red Smoothie - Tropical Iron Beet

Serves 1 (Pint size glass)

Blender: High power blender such as Vitamix

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup water
1 Small/ medium size carrot
1 Apple Gala
1 Beetroot (about slightly bigger than the siza of a golf ball)
Half a lemon
1 Handful spinach
3 Pineapple ice cubes
3 Ice cubes
1 Tsp Chia seeds (optional)

How to:

Put all the ingredients into the blender jug in the order that it is listed. Blend until smooth.


Saturday 25 October 2014

Vitamix - Buy or not to buy

Since I love watching cooking program, I keep seeing the Chefs using this powerful blender, called Vitamix. Nope, I've never seen it on TV commercial.

Few years went by, and finally I decided it is time to purchase one. The price is extremely expensive if you see it from the stand point of "It is just a blender". But if you are willing to check out the reason behind the high cost, you will soon realize that rather than buying a blender once a year because it keep on failing on you and you end up paying more at the end of the day, why don't you invest in the best quality out there to last years and years. In a sense, you safe money and your health. Yes, your health! Because once you purchase a Vitamix, you will revamp your eating lifestyle. You will see that you eat more vegetables and fruits. How nice is it?

Okay, I'm not going to review the product it self because there are tons reviewers out there that can write better than I do. So, what I'm going to do here is to share with you the process of my thought before I finally purchased Vitamix.

Below were my questions to a guy who dedicated his website in reviewing blenders. He has comprehensive information about Vitamix and other blenders, too. I found him to be very helpful and always willing to answer my questions. He is the Blender Dude.


Question 1

MAPLE

Hi, I finally decided to buy Vitamix but I also just discovered that some people experiencing black residue when they use only clear water and blend it in their Vitamix for a test. Do you experience this? What do you think of this issue? Apperently Vitamix ackowledges it and sent replacement to customer who complaint…


BD

Maple, like Vitamix, I’m aware of the issue being reported by some Vitamix owners. It is not a common issue at this time but is certainly something which I will continue to monitor. I have performed the “white bowl” test with all my Vitamix containers and have never discovered any residue whatsoever. My advice to anyone concerned over this is to perform his or her own test. All Vitamix machines come with a 30-day no-risk money-back guarantee. And, if the issue is discovered after the warranty has expired, the containers, like the blenders, themselves, are guaranteed for 7 years (5 with certain models).

Update (10/23/14): I have just returned from meeting with Vitamix management in Cleveland and had a chance to discuss this issue with them, including the CEO and COO. At this time I am permitted to tell you that they are definitely aware of the issue and plan on releasing a formal statement on the matter in approximately 2 weeks.

Question 2

MAPLE

Hi BD, thank you for your reply regarding the black residue.

Thanks to your wonderful website, I’ve learned much about the different kind of Vitamix. Now, I’m down to two models: Total Nutrition Centre (TNC) & Pro 200. My main goal once I own it is to make smoothies and puree/ soup. The following is what I’m weighing about and hope you can help me make the right decision.

1. I know from one of your reply to other that Pro 200 is essentially 5200 in a CIA package. I also know from your comparison list that TNC has the same motor as 5200. Here in Ontario, Canada, the price of TNC directly from Vitamix.Ca is $579 before tax and Pro 200 from high end Department store (Hudson’s Bay) is $529.95 before tax. So apart from the different cookbook it comes from and other aesthetic differences (color), what are the differences in their performances, noise level, durability…? If I buy directly from Vitamix, I might need to pay for shipping cost (I’m not sure) so again, the price will adds up. But if the TNC performance significantly higher than Pro 200 than I don’t mind to go for TNC. What are your thoughts on this dilemma?

2. Do you know how old is Pro 200 and TNC (when was it first came out)?

3. Would you know if I don’t buy directly from Vitamix, do they honor the no-risk 30-days trial at home offer?

4. Do you think a more quite blending, pulse dial and extra .2 speed worth paying the extra $80? Hudson’s Bay has Pro 300 which cost $609.95 before tax. I hardly chop anything that needs chopper. But I thought I’d like to ask your thought on the extra charges for the features.

Thank you very much,
Maple

BD

Maple, you’re welcome and I appreciate the nice comments about the site. I will do my best to tackle your questions in order. The performances, noise levels, and durability of both of these models is identical. They are the very same blender, built on the very same platform with the very same parts. The only difference is the model name stamped on the front of the motor base housing. You would still be entitled to free shipping to Canada buying directly from Vitamix by using my authorized affiliate code, which is 06-005956.

The TNC model name predates the 200 but, again, this is essentially a non-issue as both blender models will be newly constructed with identical parts.

If you buy from an authorized Vitamix dealer you will be subject to the dealer’s return policy. However, Vitamix will still honor the warranty for the full term. Buying directly from Vitamix entitles you to their 30-day no-risk return policy.

Your final question is definitely more customer-specific. My blending needs might not be the same as yours. Hence, what is “best” for me might not be best for you. Personally, the noise-level differences in all of these models are relatively negligible. As well, you can pulse with any Vitamix model, not just the ones with a Pulse lever. This lever is very popular with many customers, though. The extra horsepower is somewhat negligible as well but there could be some peace of mind associate with knowing you have the strongest Vitamix motor out there. The 4″ blade and shorter, wider container that comes with a Pro 300 would probably be a bigger consideration for me, personally. But, ultimately, only you can put a price on how much these extra features will potentially be worth to you. Good luck!


Conclusion

MAPLE

Hi Jonathan,

I finally purchased Professional Series 300 (10/06/2014) and very happy with its performance. I just wanted to share the reasoning behind my purchased because it might help others making theirs. I also would like to thank you for helping me making the decision.

1. If I was willing to fork out a good chunk of money towards a blender, adding a bit more will get me the best. I don’t regret it at all. I knew it will last years and years and it is a wonderful investment for our health.

2. After I watched Blender Dude’s video about Vitamix Containers: Small Recipes, I knew that I was one step closer to go with the Professional Series.

3. The shorter (and wider) container won my heart. Kitchen faucet is kind of shallow so this height was perfect.

3. The extra power on the motor and longer blades were what sealed the deal for me to purchase this G-series. I don’t really care for the pulse lever but it’s good that it’s there :)

4. Noise-level is very loud when the variable is on 10. But It is to be expected from such a powerful motor.

Ps. I ran the test for the black residue and it was non-existent.

Happy blending everyone!
Maple

BD

Maple, congratulations on your Pro 300 and thank you very much for sharing everything that went into your buying decision. Happy blending!

Matcha Latte

I’m pretty new to the world of Matcha. That is, too, Matcha latte. I love the taste of this grassy green tea mixed with sweetened milk. The first time I had it was about two years ago and it was not memorable. I bought mine from one of the giant coffee shop chain. Then about last year, my colleague pointed out that this coffee shop chain had a promotion which was 50% off for drinks for about few hours during the summer month. So there I tried Matcha again and this time it was a Matcha Frappuccino. The taste was very nice. It was that nice that I took the half full cup home for my hubby to try. He liked it, too! But because we are not a fan of the coffee shop, we don’t pursue our Matcha drinking and kind of stop thinking about it.

Fast forward to this year, I saw a different coffee shop which has Matcha latte on their menu. I tried their version. Fell in love with it and so did my hubby. Ever since then, we regularly bought Matcha latte once to twice a week. We soon realized that it was not a cheap expense. Worse than that, the more ofthen we had it the Matcha does not taste like Matcha anymore. More like a normal sweetened green tea. Eeeww. Well, the few recent visits we realized that this coffee shop actually use a green tea concentrated syrup to sweetened the Matcha latte. What a shame. The bottle syrup is available for purchase in their coffee shop. Thus, we decided to stop buying Matcha latte from this coffee shop or any and just buy Matcha powder and make it at home.
 

The rest of the story you know it. Once you tried to make it at home, never go back to the coffee shop version (unless you are outside and really craving for it, and you are out of stock at home). So how did we do our Matcha latte? We followed a suggestion from a website, which is pretty straight forward. But the result was not satisfying. Some powder was not dissolved properly, causing some small lumps. Then my husband commented one day, since I was going to buy a Vitamix, he couldn’t wait to try to make Matcha latte in the Vitamix. What a brilliant idea!! We bought Vitamix for the purpose of making healthy smoothies, it is now used to make the best Matcha latte. So creamy and smooth. Yummm!!







Review - Soup Nutsy



I felt chilly yesterday and I thought to myself let me get something to warm me up. So I rememberd I've seen people lining up in front of this soup shop and I've never tried it until yesterday. My hesitation was always been what ingredients they'd used in the soup. Because I know nowadays people put bacon in everything. Yes, I don't eat any by product of pig or anything falls under "Unclean Meat/ Food".

I looked at the menu on the wall and they have this section that said VEGAN. Awesome! So I asked the guy if there is mushroom in the soup Vegetables Beans with Quinoa & Kale and he confirmed it with a No. So I bought the soup in medium size, picked up the two free sides (corn bread & orange) and paid about $9 -ish.

I went back o the office, open the lid and there it was...a black strand of hair curled up like a loop on the surface of the soup.I pulled it out....still pulling....that was quite a long hair.

This going to be gross, I know. But I was thinking, the soup was piping hot. Surely any germs from the hair was killed. So, I took a spoon of soup, and burned my tongue (that was my fault). The taste was tasteless. I took a bit of the corn bread, it was dry, tasteless and hard. Second spoon, then third spoon...by about the fourth spoon, I can see a thin, brown colored slice of something. I inspected it and concluded that it was mushroom! I can understand people make mistake. But twice in the same dish, that showed me how careless they were. You see, when I went there it was pretty early like 11am. When I went to the cashier, there were prepping the vegetables without hair net. I raised my case. I will not be returning to the establishment any more no matter which branch.




Witches, Wiccan, modern Pagans and Satanist, Christmas and Easter celebration


“So, as you sit down to your Christmas dinner, having left a mince pie out of Santa and his elves, and given each other gifts, perhaps even kissed under mistletoe, reflect upon the real meaning of christmas: the return of pagan sun.” –Witchlogy.com

Satanic Holidays are based upon the natural cycles. What is known as “Satanism” is humanity’s original religion. The holidays listed below precede Christianity by hundreds to thousands of years. Because the Christian Church could not murder everyone, the original holidays were taken and Christianized in attempts to convert as many as possible.

The fictitious nazarene has nothing to do with xmas. Xmas coincides with the Winter Solstice and the Yule season, the shortest day of the year. December 25th is the birthdate of the Persian God Mithra, and the Roman Holiday of Saturnalis. The tree, the decorations, baking, gifts and celebrating have NOTHING to do with the nazarene. These are carry-overs from original Pagan celebrations.
“Easter” was stolen from AstarothI. Originally known as “Ashtar.” This holiday coincides with the Vernal Equinox of spring when day and night are of equal length. Known as “Eastre” to the Anglo-Saxons. As the Goddess of fertility, she was associated with rabbits and eggs. The Christians stole this holiday and twisted its meaning. Other names include: Easter, Eastre, Eos, Eostre, Ester, Estrus, (Estrus is when an animal goes into heat; mating season) Oestrus, Oistros, and Ostara. Again, the “Lamb of God” was stolen from the Zodiac sign of Aries the Ram which occurs every spring.
“All Saint’s Day” corresponds with “Halloween/Samhain.” “Assumption Day” coincides with “Lammas Day” of the “Summer Solstice.”

Ref.: Joy of Satan Ministries (http://www.joyofsatan.org/)

I And they forsook YAHWEH, and served Baal and Ashtaroth –  Judge 2:13 (Holy Bible)
And the displeasure of YAHWEH burned against Yisra’Ä•l (Israel). Therefore He gave them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them. And He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, and they were unable to stand before their enemies any longer – Judge 2:14 (Holy Bible)

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Whether you observe Yule, Christmas, Sol Invictus, or Hogmanay, the winter season is typically a time of celebration around the world. Traditions vary widely from one country to the next, but one thing they all have in common is the observance of customs around the time of the winter solstice.
For people of nearly any religious background, the time of the winter solstice is a time when we gather with family and loved ones. For Pagans and Wiccans, it’s often celebrated as Yule, but there are literally dozens of ways you can enjoy the season. Yule is the time of year when Pagans and Wiccans celebrate the Winter Solstice. Winter solstice is the great annual festival of Saturn, the Saturnalia, of Pagan Rome, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti of the Mithras cult, the Winter Solstice is a sacred time in the Pagan calendar (ref.: http://www.witchology.com/contents/december/yule/index.php )

A lot of modern Pagans find a way to blend the Christmas traditions of their childhood with the Wiccan or Pagan beliefs they’ve come to embrace as adults. Have a holiday tree, and hang stockings with care by the fire.
During the Roman festival of Saturnalia1, celebrants often decorated their homes with clippings of shrubs, and hung metal ornaments outside on trees. Typically, the ornaments represented a god — either Saturn, or the family’s patron deity. The laurel wreath was a popular decoration as well. The ancient Egyptians didn’t have evergreen trees, but they had palms — and the palm tree was the symbol of resurrection and rebirth. They often brought the fronds into their homes during the time of the winter solstice. Early Germanic tribes decorated trees with fruit and candles in honor of Odin for the solstice. These are the folks who brought us the words Yule and wassail, as well as the tradition of the Yule Log!

1Saturnalia is the feast with which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn, which was on 17 December. Over the years, it expanded to a whole week, to 23 December. (ref. wikipedia.org)
In other words, if you want to have a decorated tree for the holiday, don’t let anyone tell you it doesn’t have Pagan origins. Obviously, you probably won’t want to hang a little baby Jesus or a bunch of crosses on it like your Christian neighbors, but there are a ton of other things out there you can use.
  • Suns and solar ornaments – raid the craft stores and find stars to turn into suns
  • Gods Eyes – make then out of cinnamon sticks and seasonal colored yarn or ribbons
  • Pipecleaner pentacles — make them out of shiny chenille stems, bent into stars with circles around them
  • Natural objects like acorns, feathers, holly, mistletoe or pine cones
  • Lights, lights, and more lights
  • Magical items — cups, wands, or daggers
  • Fertility symbols — eggs, antlers, horns, even phalluses (if you don’t mind shocking grandma a bit)
So what about a tree topper? Usually, they’re found pre-made as angels, but you could substitute a star, a Santa Claus, or some other item that strikes you as appropriate — one of the best tree toppers I ever saw was actually a tin Green Man wall hanging.
The bottom line is, if you want to have a holiday tree for Yule, then go right ahead and have one. Decorate it in the way that speaks to you, and enjoy your holiday — after all, the Winter Solstice only comes once a year!
Yule is a Sabbat that reflects the return of the sun, so add solar symbols to your altar. Gold discs, yellow candles, anything bright and shiny can represent the sun. Some people even get a large pillar candle, inscribe it with solar symbols, and designate it as their sun candle. You can also add evergreen boughs, sprigs of holly, pinecones, a Yule log, and even Santa Claus. Consider antlers or reindeer, along with other symbols of fertility.
Other Signs of the Season:
There’s no limit to the number of things you can put on your Yule altar, as long as you’ve got the space. Consider some of these items as part of your Sabbat decor:
  • Fruit and nuts
  • Mistletoe
  • Snowflakes, icicles, even a bowl of snow
  • Candy canes
  • Bells
  • Sun Wheels
Ref.: about.com (http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/yulethelongestnight/p/Winter_Customs.htm)

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Saturnalia’s relation to Christmas (wikipedia.org)
There is a theory that Christians in the fourth century assigned December 25 (the Winter Solstice on the Julian calendar) as Christ’s birthday (and thus Christmas) because pagans already observed this day as a holiday. As the dates of Saturnalia are not precisely coincident with Christmas, a more refined argument is that Christmas was set on the feast of Sol Invictus2, which was on December 25, and which had supplanted Saturnalia. However, with many of the traditions of Saturnalia incorporated into Sol Invictus, it is possible that some of those traditions were also carried forward as a part of the Christian holiday.

2Sol Invictus (“Unconquered Sun”) was the Roman state-supported sun god created by the emperor Aurelian in 274 and continued, overshadowing other Eastern cults in importance, until the abolition of paganism under Theodosius I. Although known as a god, the term “Unconquered Sun God’ is not found on any Roman document.
The Romans held a festival on December 25 of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, “the birthday of the unconquered sun.” December 25 was the date after the winter solstice, with the first detectable lengthening of daylight hours. There was also a festival on December 19.
The title Sol Invictus had also been applied to a number of other solar deities before and during this period. The type of Sol Invictus, though not the name, appears on imperial coinage from the time of Septimius Severus onwards.
Though many Oriental cults were practiced informally among the Roman legions from the mid-second century, only that of Sol Invictus was officially accepted and presacribed for the army. (ref. wikipedia.org)

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By holding Christmas at the same time as traditional winter solstice festivals, church leaders increased the chances that Christmas would be popularly embraced, but gave up the ability to dictate how it was celebrated. By the Middle Ages, Christianity had, for the most part, replaced pagan religion. On Christmas, believers attended church, then celebrated raucously in a drunken, carnival-like atmosphere similar to today’s Mardi Gras. Each year, a beggar or student would be crowned the “lord of misrule” and eager celebrants played the part of his subjects. The poor would go to the houses of the rich and demand their best food and drink. If owners failed to comply, their visitors would most likely terrorize them with mischief. Christmas became the time of year when the upper classes could repay their real or imagined “debt” to society by entertaining less fortunate citizens. (ref. history.com)

……………………………………………….

My personal note:

Dear Friends,
When something, in this case celebrating a day which its history is rooted in pagananism, would it be right if we, being the follower of Jesus the Messiah (Yahushua Ha Mashiach) to observe/ celebrate it thinking it would honor our Master Yahushua by “paganizing” Him with a pagan celebration? Just because it’s been around for generations and the whole world is doing it, including those who are not the follower of Yahushua Ha Mashiach.

The following is a quote from the 2000 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 11 ; page 390.
“During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a ‘solar monotheism.’ Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities. The feast of Sol and Victus (open unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ.”
Notice how it says “both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities”? The Christians were apparently trying to get more converts so they tried to “paganize” the Messiah to make Him more attractive to pagans. They even officially brought the feast of the unconquered sun (sol invictus) into their worship in 336 AD. This is the origin of Christmas.
Joh 4:24 “Elohim (GOD) is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth.”
It is my responsibility to share this truth to you, and it is up to you to decide
1Co 10:21 You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not able to partake of the table of the Master and of the table of demons.

Which table will you choose? I hope it is YHWH’s table..

What is food

Food is anything we put in our mouth which we eat or drink. The key word here is “anything”. Is this true? Yes and No. Nowadays people eat anything as long as it does not poison them and kill them. The more “exotic” it is, the more it is sought after. But are all these stuffs really meant to be consumed by us? The answer is not all are to be consumed. They are created by the Almighty Creator (His Name is Yahweh, He is my Almighty Creator and heavenly Father) for different purposes. Take for example animals such as pigs, bears, vultures and raptors can eat (and thrive) on decaying flesh. When it comes to sea creatures, bottom dwellers such as lobsters and crabs scavenge for dead animals on the sea floor. Shellfish such as oysters, clams and mussels similarly consume decaying organic matter that sinks to the sea floor, including sewage. Consuming such by overtime will sicken or even kill us. When we eat such animals we partake of a food chain that includes things harmful to people. That is why Doctors advice their patients who have high cholesterol, heart diseases etc to avoid eating shellfish, prawns, lobster and pork etc. Now long before Doctors come to this knowledge, the Almighty Creator has already told us through His word (Leviticus 11). It is Him who separate and make the distinction for living creatures which are unclean (not consumable) and things which are clean (consumable) for us. As we already read that clinically it is not good for our health. But further understanding than that is because the Almighty Creator is holy or set-apart from anything “unclean”. Hence we who are His children are to be set-apart as He is set-apart. We are not to contaminate our body.

As nutritionist David Meinz observes: “Could it be that God, in His wisdom, created certain creatures whose sole purpose is to clean up after the others? Their entire ‘calling’ may be to act exclusively as the sanitation workers of our ecology. God may simply be telling us that it’s better for us believers not to consume the meat of these trash collectors” (Eating by the Book, 1999, p.225)

As for me, I keep the Father’s command to only consume what is clean as per His standard.

Apart for the clean animals/ sea creatures/ birds/ insects (Leviticus 11), I also don’t eat unlawful herb/ plant which don’t bare the characteristic which the Father told us.

Gen 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.


Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

I cannot explain any clearer than the following which is taken from http://reactor-core.org/food-laws.html

Not every “herb” bears seed, and not every tree bears fruit. That rules out some plants as possible food sources. If the green, photosynthesizing herb was given to us, why do we assume that the non-green, non-seed-bearing, non-photosynthesizing herbs were given to us? Since every moving thing was given to us as the green herb was, we know the flesh of moving things is also given to us with restrictions. The restrictions on eating flesh are more commonly known, so let’s start by examining the situation with herbs.

The unlawful herb most likely to be part of your diet is mushrooms. Mushrooms are fungi, spore-spreading scavengers of the plant world. All forms of fungus are unlawful to eat as food because they don’t meet the criteria of “bearing seed”. What is more, they are not “green”; they don’t photosynthesize. They live like vampires off the corpses of dead plants and animals, instead of getting their nutrients from the soil. Only experts can tell which are safe and which are not, and even the experts are fooled sometimes, and die early deaths from gruesome poisonings.

The other unlawful plants are never eaten in the West: ferns, lichens, molds, and mosses. Inuit and Japanese people are known to eat “rock tripe”, which is a lichen. Ferns, lichens, molds, and mosses have little nutritional value for humans, and can be quite dangerous to eat.

All forms of seaweed are unlawful on the basis that they are not “herbs of the field”. There are no fields underwater. Also, all the commonly eaten seaweeds like dulse (carrageenan), kelp, and rockweed are unlawful on the grounds that they are forms of algae. Algae does not bear seed.

Many kinds of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese food include seaweed, especially sushi snacks. Sashimi, which is just slices of raw fish, has no seaweed, and is lawful to eat.

Many desserts include carrageenan because of it’s good binding and gelatin-making properties. Jello, pudding and cake with pudding layers often have carrageenan and when they do, should not be eaten. Gelatin made of animal cartilage often includes pork, even when it has a kosher label. Gelatin products made with locust bean gum are lawful. Locust bean is also known as “carob”.

Isa 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The conclusion is; those which are categorized as unclean, have never been classified as “food”. Our Creator the Almighty knows what is best for us.

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Green smoothie - Delicious Kale

Serves 2 (Pint size glass)

Blender: High power blender such as Vitamix

Ingredients:

1 Cup 100% Pineapple juice
3 to 4 Handful of chopped kale leaves
2 Ripe banana
6 Ice cubes

How to:

In the order that it's given, put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.


Tuesday 21 October 2014

Red smoothie - ABC: Apple, Beetrot & Carrot

Serves 1 (Pint size glass)

Blender: High power blender such as Vitamix

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup water
1 Apple
1 Beetroot
1 Carrot
Ice cubes

How to:

Put all ingredients in the container in the way it is listed. Blend until smooth





Sunday 19 October 2014

Green smoothie - palate cleanser

Serves 2 (Pint size glass)

Blender: High power blender such as Vitamix

Ingredients:

About 1/2 Cup water

2 Celery stalks
1 Orange Navel
1 Apple (I used Royal Gala)
1 Cup chopped mango (I used frozen mango)
2 Handful of baby spinach leaves
5 cubes of ice cubes (more if you like it cold/ prefer thinner smoothie)

How to:


Put all the ingredients in the order I listed in the blender container (I used Vitamix) and blend until smooth.

Leek and Potato soup

Ingredients:
 

1 large leek or 2 medium leeks – sliced coarsely
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup instant mash potato
1 cup milk (optional)
2 tbs olive oil
Flat parsley for garnish (optional)
 

How to:
 

Heat the olive oil in sauce pan. Put the leeks. Cook to sweat. Pour the chicken broth and bring to boil. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the instant mash potato flakes. Stir to mix. Add the milk and cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Serves with home made bread sticks/ croutons.

Indian meetballs in tomato sauce

Ingredients:
– 500gr lean ground lamb
– 5 tbs plain yogurt
– 2in/ 5cm/ 1tsp fresh root ginger, finely chopped – can use paste ginger
– 1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
– 3 tbs chopped fresh coriander
– 2 tsp ground cumin (jinten)
– 2tsp ground coriander (ketumbar)
– 1 onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
– 1 tsp garam masala powder
– 1 can (400gr) chopped tomatoes
– salt and pepper/ black pepper
– 1 tbs cooking oil


How to:

– Combine the lamb, 1 tbs of the yogurt, the ginger, chili, 2 tbs of the chopped coriander, the cumin and ground coriander, and season. Shape the mixture into balls. It gives me 24 meatballs.
– Heat the oil in a saucepan. Fry the meatballs in batches for 10 minutes per batch, turning until browned. Drain on the kitchen paper and set aside.
– In the same oil, add the onion and garlic and fry for 5 minutes or until soften, stirring occasionally. Mix the turmeric and garam masala with 1 tbs water, then add to the onion and garlic. Add the remaining yogurt, , 1 tbs at a time, stirring well each time.
– Add the tomatoes, meatballs and 2/3 cup/ 150ml of water to the mixture and bring to boil. Partly cover the pan and reduce the heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the rest of the coriander to garnish.

Green Smoothie - for those who are under the weather

Serves 1-2 (Pint size glass)

Blender: High power blender such as Vitamix



Ingredients:



1/2 cup Cold 100% Pineapple juice

A handful of Green grapes

1 Grapefruit – peel and cut into quarter size (or halve it if you are using Vitamix)

1 small cucumber

2 Handfuls of baby spinach

1 Frozen banana



How to:



Put the ingredients in the order it’s written into the jug of the blender (I use Vitamix Pro 300), and begin at variable 1 and press start button, blend for 2 seconds and move to variable 5 for few seconds until you see that the blender started to blend the spinach, then quickly turn the dial to variable 10. Blend for 30 seconds, then turn the dial down slowly to variable 1 and press stop. Check the consistency of the smoothie, if you’d like it thinner, add more pineapple juice/ water/ ice cubes.



Tips:

If you have any left over, you can put it in a glass and cover it with cling wrap or foil then refrigerate it for the next day. Take it out the fridge an hour before you would like to drink it, though, so it won’t be too cold for your runny nose

Review - Oats & Ivy

Spicy noodle bowl (gluten free and vegan), costs $8.75 with tax by Oats & Ivy. It served cold. Although the box is small, the content was packed! The noodle was coated with a creamy almond satay sauce, topped with bok choy, broccoli, pickled cucumber and cashew nuts. There was srichaca sauce which they made from scratch on the side, too. Taste was very mild but tasty. I must say I enjoyed it. Will I have it again? Yes, I will. Price was a bit expensive but that was becaus ethey used wild and organic ingredients, as well as sustainable box and cutlery.