Happy to say that Week 1 of the COVID-19 Lockdown was about 80% successful. I have been able to keep up with the steps which is essentially my meal schedule rather than food prep because my brain was not there to organize my meals. Part of that is just getting back into the groove and gaining momentum to eventually food prep for bigger and better meals.
Here are my pictures from last week’s game plan meals including the Rye French Toast:
Rye French ToastAlpha Food Pot Pie Beefy Chedd’r (vegan)Kodiak Cake Chocolate Chip Protein WafflesLentil StewFettuccine with Mushroom and Steak SauceFishpeople’s Cod with garlic parmesan potato bacon toppingBacon wrapped carrotsParmesan Bacon Orzo with Roasted Carrots and Onion
We have entered week 2 of the COVID-19 Lockdown and things in New York City has gotten worse. The lock down has now extended to another two weeks. There will be no Holy Week services, which I look forward too. However, I have been spiritually more involved in watching live streaming services online.
Given all that is going on I feel lucky and blessed. I am very thankful to God and the good spirits that I have a roof over my head and a job at least for two months. So making every effort to work for the glory of God because HE controls our fate.
In order to stay in compliance, my other half went to the supermarket while I worked from home. This week’s game plan also has ingredients from last week because there were some changes to the steps from last week.
We would love to hear any feedback regarding this week’s game plan. Stay tuned for pictures of my journey through this game plan. Everyone stay safe and may God Bless America!
There is so much hysteria to the point that we are on the brink of becoming a martial law country. This lockdown game plan to “flatten the curve” is set up by NYC mayor and governor to hopefully reduce the number of new COVID-19 cases. As a result, I will be working my paid job, which funds this blog remotely. What does this mean?
This means I get the opportunity to hopefully reset and continue where I left off writing this blog. During the past few months I feel like I am getting ghosted by social media platforms such as Instagram. The only silver lining is that businesses and owner have liked my posts but there are so few of them.
When I launched this blog back in 2016, I had a vision that it would progressively grow and turn it into a career that is fulfilling and rewarding. Unfortunately I have experienced a lot of downfalls due to the lack of support and continuously fighting the powerful establishments and potential haters from the past who feel that they are entitled to any achievement on my own through emotional blackmail and spreading rumors by framing me as the evil, crazy and toxic person because I am finally free.
Still fighting the good fight as these people from the past who knew everything about me inside out are using it against me and taking credit for everything I have worked for including my degrees from Fordham, Hunter and University of Illinois. These same people are bragging to other people that without them I’ll never succeed. Ok..I’ll stop..
Given the circumstances that occurred the last month, normalcy on this end has come to a pause overall. However, I am very thankful to God and the good spirits that I have a roof over my head and a job at least for two months. So making every effort to work for the glory of God because HE controls our fate.
With the exponential increase of COVID-19 cases in NYC and in Long Island, and the origin of this debilitating and mysterious virus came from China, there is also an increase in hate crime against Chinese and Asian Americans because people are ignorant. I am thankful that I have not had that experience personally but given the fact that I am a first generation Asian American born in America with a background in public health and health communications that is passionate about food, culinary medicine, health, and research.
While COVID-19 is still hot press it is also an important public health issue because through health promotion, advocacy and communication communities are actually complying with the progressive martial law mandates such as social distancing, limiting store hours, working remotely and shutting down non-essential businesses. While these measures are implemented, the long term effects will be the disappearance of human social interaction that is essential to survival.
In order to stay in compliance, we went to the supermarket two days ago and brought 1-2 weeks worth of groceries. So without further ado and after hours of planning here’s the weekday game plan based on what’s available in the present moment:
We would love to hear any feedback regarding this week’s game plan. Stay tuned for pictures of my journey through this game plan. Everyone stay safe and may God Bless America!
Hello everybody, it has been a six weeks since my last post and I have been working and experimenting on mastering basic cooking techniques that I am proud to share on this blog.
Recently I was glancing through several articles and reviewing food labeling content when I realize do people really know portion control. For example, on a typical diet, one serving of chicken is 4 oz or 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons so for about a pound of chicken, total servings would be four people.
Over the weekend we went grocery shopping at Shop Rite and we brought several ingredients to see how many portion meals we can make and how long it would last for under $50. We created dishes, which will be shown on Instagram throughout the week. These recipes are inspired from Thai and Chinese cuisines in combination with recipes from Ideal Protein. Here is the game plan that should last at least 7 days:
Stay tuned for more. Let us know if you have any questions, concerns, comments or feedback on how to improve this blog. We are open to suggestions. Thank you for all your support.
Happy Tuesday! As I was leaving the subway station I came across a Chinese restaurant in Queens that just opened up. The owner gave me the menu and after glancing the menu, the prices of the dishes appeared to be expensive. A few months after the opening, a family friend was raving about these black truffle soup dumplings ($12.75 for six), even, Eater loved them. Therefore, I have to try them.
So what are soup dumplings?
Soup dumplings were created as a street food in Nanking, China in 1875. The dish traveled to other provinces throughout China and Japan. These dumplings are usually steamed filled with gelatin based soup broth, pork and vegetables.
Are they healthy? Well, the soup broth is high is saturated fat and sodium. However, soup dumplings are usually dipped in a sauce made with soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. This concoction can be viewed as healthy because vinegar aids in digestion and lowers blood sugar while the ginger holds many health benefits as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant.
After completing my weekend 4-6 mile walk, I decided to reward myself with soup dumplings. The Shanghainese restaurant Shanghai Zhen Gong Fu appeared to be a small Chinese takeout spot, but inside there were a bunch of tables. One of their popular dishes were the soup dumplings, so we ordered the crab and pork soup dumplings, pork soup dumplings and the infamous black truffle soup dumplings. Well, let’s just say the wrappers of these dumplings were perfectly thin and folded very well. The crab and pork soup dumplings and the black truffle dumplings were so good. The overall soup dumplings especially the crab and pork soup ones were even better than the ones I’ve had in the past. The black truffle soup dumpling were so tasty and they even have real black truffles on top of the dumplings. One can even taste the truffle oil in the soup broth.
So if you’re in Elmhurst, stop in Shanghai Zhen Gong Fu and try those black truffle dumplings. They are the best bang for your buck for an luxury street food.
Since the temperature plummeted last week, I’ve been having cravings for noodle soup made from Chinese handmade noodles or homemade ramen specifically. What I love about these noodles is that I don’t have the knowledge that the noodles are processed, what I mean is that it does not contain the durum wheat, which has been documented as a source for weight gain and obesity. In addition to the healthy appearing noodles, the broth is made to perfection especially on a cold winter night.
Below are places I’ve had ramen and or homemade Chinese Noodle soup that it’s worth the money spent and it’s filling.
Mixed Lamb Noodle Soup $8 Uncle Zhou Elmhurst
Spicy Chicken Ramen Soup – $6.95 Cafe Water Water Street NYC
Beef Stew Hand Drawn Noodle Soup – Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House – Elmhurst
Wonton Hand Drawn Noodle Soup – Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House
Kuu Chili Ramen $14 with House Sake $6 during happy hour – Kuu Ramen – Financial District NYC
This summer I was on a dumpling phase where I’ve eaten at various restaurants that serve various dumplings.
Historically dumplings were developed during the Han Dynasty in China by Zhang Zhongjing. Zhongjing was considered the “Medicine Saint” in his village.
One year, the people’s ears were frostbitten and he took a piece of dough skin and filled it with mutton, chili and medicinal herbs, wrapped it up and boiled it. This popular winter concoction helped promote blood flow to warm the body.
Today there are varieties of dumplings:
Korea – Mandoo
Italy – Ravioli
Poland – Pierogi
Spain, Portugal, South and Central America – Empanada
India – Samosa
Japan – Gyoza
Turkey – Manti
Tibet/Nepal – Momo
Below are images of the various dumplings I have had within the last two years. I definitely all kinds, but unfortunately no pictures were taken.
Kung Fu Xiao Long Bao $6.95
Loofah Xiao Long Bao $7.95
Kung Fu Xiao Long Bao Chocolate Dumplings
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao – Steamed Pork Buns $5.25
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao – Steamed Vegetable Dumplings $4.50
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao Shanghai Shumai $2.95
Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao – Steamed Crabmeat and Pork Buns $6.25
Shanghai Cafe Steamed Tiny Buns $4.95
Shanghai Cafe Steamed Tiny Buns with Crabmeat $6.95
Korean octopus dumplings and glutinous rice dumplings
On behalf of Tablespoonsandteaspoons we want to wish all mothers are very happy Mother’s Day.
My mother was a main inspiration to creating tablespoonsandteaspoons. When she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2010, we were on a mission to find the best foods that would help treat the disease. This mission led to my thesis in 2014 the assessed current research on health literacy on rheumatic arthritis patients.
This year as requested by my mother she wanted a home cooked meal. So to knock two birds with one stone I did research and found a get gift idea…
These homemade bouquet dumplings. The rose dumplings were made with pork and the leaves were made with vegetables.
The total cost to make this creative gift is under $20.
Ever since I was a child I would have family style Chinese food. This is not your typical Chinese American cuisine. Majority of authentic Chinese restaurant are identified based on the number of Chinese customers eating there. There are two family style Chinese cuisine I have eaten at, both in Elmhurst. Every year I always have to celebrate my birthday with Chinese food. I grew up with the belief of consuming noodles on my birthday signifying long life. When I eat at these family style Chinese restaurants I always request an order of pan fried noodles. Recently I had a craving a found a recipe to make it on own, which was recently posted here under Traditional Tuesday. In addition to the pan fried noodles we would order a crusted t-bone steak and honey walnut shrimp.
The top collage was taken place at China Pearl Chinese Restaurant, one of the original Chinese restaurants in Elmhurst. Total meal cost including tip was $300.
The bottom collage was taken place at the recently opened Broadway Seafood Chinese Restaurant also located in Elmhurst. Total meal cost including tip was $170.
The major differences between the two restaurants is the quality of food. China Pearl had the better house special soup, steak and honey shrimp walnut while Broadway Seafood had more street food options such as lamb chops and roast pig and duck and soy sauce chicken.
The pan fried noodles with seafood is better at Broadway Seafood than in China Pearl.
Did you know that China Grill was around for almost thirty years? Well after one of the best fusion lunches I have had in a while, I can definitely testify to that.
Earlier this week, I caught up with a friend for lunch and both of us were definitely excited to explore the options. So below are the two bento boxes we created. Both of us ordered the Peking duck salad and wasabi mashed potatoes. My friend ordered the dumplings and salmon teriyaki and I was on the noodle box and shrimp red curry. Our bento boxes were “to die for”, presentation was beautiful but more importantly the taste was on point. It was definitely worth the $19.87 spent on this meal.
Peking duck salad, shrimp red curry, noodle box and wasabi mashed potatoes
In addition to the bento box, we decided order the popular salted caramel soufflé ($20), which has to be ordered ahead of time and it is served only on the lunch menu.
Made to order dessert that serves two people available during lunch
After devouring the divine dessert, that was well balanced. The sponge cake, plus the cream and caramel definitely hit the spot.
Lychee and cucumber punch
Lotus root dumplings
It was after 4pm and happy hour begins. My other friend contacted me and informed me that I have to come here for happy hour. It turns out she was right. The menu offers a lot of options for drinks such as cocktails and bar bites from their appetizer menu. So I settled for the lychee and cucumber cocktail ($8) with the lotus root dumplings ($7). Both choices were delicious.
Overall service for lunch and happy hour were awesome. My friend and I were satisfied and I can’t wait to share this experience with my friends and peers. Cheers to China Grill and their continuing success. See you soon China Grill!
Happy Presidents Day Weekend and Post-Valentine’s Day!! Welcome to the second Meatless Monday post and deciding to “knock two birds with one stone”, this post will discuss a traditional Thai dish that is usually made with stir fry wide noodles with soy sauce called Pad Cee Eiw. In the attempt to create a vegetable stir fry dish using the ingredients from the Sunday Game Plan posted on SuperBowl weekend, I decided to make it my own. This vegetarian stir fry consists of ingredients that I grew up eating with on my Filipino and Thai dishes.
Almost all Thai menus and noodle dishes in the US have misinterpreted the title of “Pad Cee Eiw”. Pad Cee Eiw is a Thai noodle dish of Chinese origin and are relatively recent additions to the Thai culinary universe. The dish is often made to accommodate Chinese clients and is considered a “street food” dish.
“Pad” in Thai means “stir fry” and “cee eiw” in Thai means “soy sauce”.
This is a very quick dish, but one important thing is to make sure that the wok is very hot. Also, this dish can be gluten free if the sauces used does not contain gluten.
Tablespoons and Teaspoons 