Made With Love 6: Dairy Free Basil Pesto (Pumpkin Seeds, No Cheese)

My Homemade Basil Pesto and Basil Pesto Pasta. My cousin bugged me to try to cook this pasta last week but since we couldn't find any store with available basil leaves I wasn't able to try.

This pasta is Dairy free because I am trying to lessen my cheese intake nowadays. My skin is reacting in a terrible way every time I drink milk and eat cheese.

I read articles and recipe about dairy free pasta specially dairy free basil pesto until I stumbled upon this website Adventure of a gluten free ; the blogger has a number of dairy free and gluten free recipes and I am starting to love her blog.

I tried to make my own Basil Pesto using the ingredients indicated. I have asthma so I used Pumpkin seeds instead of peanuts.

Basil Pesto (Dairy Free)

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
1/3 cup Pine Nuts or Walnuts (or perhaps raw sunflower seeds for those who are tree nut-free?)
3 medium Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 and 1/2 tsp. fresh squeezed Lemon Juice (more or less, to taste)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

PROCEDURE:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves with the nuts (or seeds), lemon juice and sea salt.  Pulse a few times until mixture is reduced in volume and the mixture is well incorporated.
2. Add the garlic and pulse a few times more.
3. Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the blender or food processor is running, stop to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
4. Taste.  Add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.
5. Serve with pasta, chicken, shrimp, scallops, grilled vegetables.

These are the Ingredients I used. I'm very lucky because I always have Lemon. I still drink my Lemon Water Detox every morning.

This Extra Virgin Olive Oil came from my Aunt and Uncle who work in Italy. My cousin April is their daughter. I like using Olive oil in my food.

For this Pesto, I used one thick slice of Lemon. I squeezed the juice out of it. The remaining juice? I drank it. LOL

As for the garlic, it is fresh from the country side where my father bought it when he came to visit his father; my grand-father.

I used mortar and pestle to grind the Pumpkin Seeds. I exerted a lot of effort and my shoulders became very stiff.

And here's my Basil Pesto. Surprisingly, it taste GREAT!

This is my lunch. I toasted a slice of white bread and spread a teaspoon of Basil Pesto onto the top. I sliced one Tomato and shredded some Iceburg Lettuce and tossed a garlic ranch. Voila! Yummy Lunch!

If somebody will visit me and ask me to cook for them I will be very glad to do so. My cousin Jennifer will visit this May so I will cook this again. :)

Happy Eating! Feel free to try!

Sincerely,
Erica/Erix

Made With Love 5: Pumpkin Pancake (My Version) // Old recipe

 

 

My all time favorite Pumpkin Pancake. As I have said... I am a Pancake Lover. I did this recipe last year when I was just starting my Vegan Diet and believe me or not, this pancake doesn't taste like pumpkin at all. It's like a Pancake with hidden benefits because of pumpkin that you cannot really taste!

 

Pumpkin Pancake

Servings: 8

Calories: 145 (Approximate)

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 1/2 Cup All purpose flour

2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1 Large egg

2 Egg whites

1 Cup Soya Milk (or Non-fat Milk)

3/4 Cup pumpkin (Boiled and smashed)

2 Tsp. Olive oil for frying

1 Tsp. Vanilla extract

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

 

Procedure:

1. Combine all dry ingredients.
2. Beat the egg. Add remaining ingredients to the egg mixture.
3. Mix procedure 1 and 2.
4. Pour batter by 1/4 cup onto the pan. Cook for about three minutes.
5. Serve.

 

And it's done and ready to serve! Happy eating and good luck!

 

Sincerely,

Erica/Erix

 

Things that made me happy:

1. Talking to my students. This month... I am fortunate enough because all of my students has a good sense humor. :)
2. Korean Retail Store owner who remembered and greeted me on my way home. I was very surprised when I saw him while walking at the mall.
3. Eating my homemade Mushroom Patties. I made the recipe last Saturday night and it was a success!
4. That I am still alive even if I feel pathetic and very sorry for myself. I am such a loser nowadays. Dang!



Blog // How Exercise Improved My Life

This is a "No Photo" Post. Here, I am going to talk about how exercise improved my life.

Once upon a time, I was a lazy person when it comes to exercising. I prefer to watch old movies, read books, eat foods, watch Anime (Anime Marathon. One series in One day), lay on my bed and draw, sketch, paint etc.

I terribly hated walking and I always ride a Jeepney or Taxi even if my destination was very near. It was difficult for me to walk and I always find myself out of breath. I remember that my friends complained a lot that I was too slow in walking and they were a bit irritated in following my pace.

And then when I entered High School we were required to attend Physical Education Class wherein we needed to learn different kinds of sports and exercises. The usual Volleyball, Basketball, Table Tennis, Aerobics, Gymnastics, Ballroom Dancing, Modern Dance etc... After four years I became slender.

However, when I was in University I became somewhat plump, not fat, just plump. I started to feel lazy to move around again because I needed to study so much. 24 hours was not enough to finish my homework, to review one subject and to prepare for almost everyday quizzes and examinations. I neglected my exercise habit reason why I became very unhealthy. Additionally, I started to eat in fast food chains again due to my over hectic school schedule and I was... influenced and invited by some of my friends and classmates to eat out. BUT! I don't drink SODA... I am Soda free for almost six years now.

After getting depress and almost suicidal due to some unfortunate circumstances that had happened in my life a few years ago... I developed Insomnia and Anxiety. I couldn't sleep at night. No matter what I do; counting sheep in different languages, listening to classical music etc... I still find myself staring at the ceiling of my room and I hated it because it gave me a lot of headache every morning.

Then one day, the year was 2013... I felt like I suddenly woke up from a terrible nightmare and saw my face and body on the mirror... and I was like "What did I do to myself?" I got alarmed and started to slowly shift my very unhealthy lifestyle to a healthier one.

The first thing I did was to exercise. I always use Youtube to search for dance steps and exercises to burn fats and tone the body. I disciplined and control myself until today. Whenever I tell something that I will do... I will do it.

Due to exercising:

1. It reduces my Anxiety. I still get bothered about what might happen in the future but my fear is not that intense... my fear is the usual fear anyone will feel about the future.
2. It helps me drink more water. Of course, as I exercise I sweat a lot. Sometimes I used two to three towels to swipe the sweat on my face and body. I need water to replenish what I sweat out. Mind you, I don't drink energy drink...
3. It helps me to have a good night sleep.
4. It makes me happy. After exercising, I always find myself more happier and positive about everything.
5. It relieves my stress.
6. It eases the tension in my body.
7. It makes my Immune System Stronger.
8. It makes my body flexible. Now, I can actually say that I can dance... ALONE. :)
9. It helps me to move around with ease. I can finally walk a long distance without getting out of breath and irritated. Cost savings...

ETC. There are many benefits that I wanted to share but this post is a bit long in what I had intended to write.

So, nowadays... I still continue to exercise during holidays. One hour to two hours of Zumba and Aerobics is what I usually do because it makes me happy and helps me to set aside all the things that bothers me.

Try it and see for yourself how exercising might improve and change your life.

Sincerely,
Erica/Erix

Things that made me happy:

1. Cooking. On my recent posts... I've been sharing some of the foods I cooked. Recently, I enjoy cooking.
2. My Instagram post which was liked by one of my favorite authors "Gabriel Garcia Marquez". I am very happy. It was an HONOR.
3. When my father ate the food I cooked.
4. When my aunt and cousins told me that the food I cooked was delicious.
5. That I am still alive and doing everything to be alive.

Made With Love 4: Bell Pepper Bread Roll // Kwatro Amigas Recipe (My Version)

Today's snack is Bell Pepper Bread Roll. In the original recipe, this bread roll includes Ham. However, since I don't eat pork and beef nowadays I excluded any meat ingredients.

In my last blog post, I said that I met my high school buddies and that we cooked and ate a lot. This recipe was included in our menu that day. When I told them not to include ham in my share of bread roll they laughed at me and said that I am weird. Fortunately, the finished product was very delicious and my buddies told me to share the bread roll to my mother who surprisingly like it very much.

So, Bell Peppers? Do you like Bell Peppers as much as I do? Because my friends always give me their bell peppers whenever we eat and I can say that it's one of my favorite foods. :)

What are its health benefits?

1. Contains Vitamin A, which is good for the eyesight.
2. Contains Vitamin C, which is good for our immune system.
3. Good for pregnant women because it provides folate which helps prevent certain types of birth defects in unborn children.
4. Contains Lycopene which helps fight free radicals.
5. High source of potassium

(Source: Bell Pepper Health Benefits )

Bell Pepper Bread Roll

Serving: 28 Bread Rolls

Calories: 45-50 Calories (Approximate)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Container Gardenia Loaf White Bread (or any bread) (14 pieces)

2 Bell Peppers

Cheese (Parmesan is okay)

127 g Tomato Sauce

Bread Crumbs

1 Egg

Olive oil for cooking

 

 

Procedure:

1. Flatten the loaf of bread. You can use a rounded clean glass for this step.
2. Cut the Bell Peppers; diagonally. Cut the cheese the same way.
3. Spread the tomato sauce onto the flatten bread, put bell peppers and cheese; roll the bread.
4. Lightly beaten the egg onto a "plate".
5. Pour bread crumbs onto another plate.
6. Roll the Bread roll onto the egg then roll it onto the bread crumbs plate.
7. Preheat the pan. Pour in the oil (I use Olive oil)
8. Deep fry the bread roll until golden brown.
9. Use paper towels to absorb excess oil.
10. Cut the bread roll into half.
11. Serve.

 Procedure 1

 Procedure 2

 Procedure 2

 Procedure 2

 Procedure 3

 Procedure 4

 Procedure 5

 Procedure 5

 Procedure 6

 Procedure 6

 

And it's done! It's very easy to do. Great healthy snacks for everyone. <3 <3 <3 I want to thank my best buddies for introducing me this accidental recipe. :) And guys... you can add tuna if you life for added protein. :) Good luck!

 

 

 

Happy Eating!

 

Sincerely,

Erica/Erix







What's Up: Three Summer Activities (My Activities) // High School Buddies

 

Wednesday! Time is so FAST! I suddenly remember the Quotation from the 2006 Japanese Animated film

"The Girl Who Leapt Through Time"; TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE. So instead of waiting and waiting and waiting... let's go with the flow and see what will happen in the future... but of course PLANNING is still better to have a somehow ORGANIZE lifestyle.

 

SUMMER ACTIVITIES:

 

READING

 

One of my hobbies is READING. People often says that I am a BOOK WORM, BOOK EATER, WIDE READER and a nerd... I sometimes post my book hauling adventure in this blog. I LOVE BOOKS! Every time I see my bookshelf, I feel happy; every time I visit bookstores, I feel happy; every time I buy books, I feel happy; every time somebody give me books, I feel VERY happy; every time I read books, I am one of the happiest person in the world.

 

That was exaggerated. But yes... Books make me happy. Recently, I've been into reading History books, specifically England's History. I am interested with Anne Boleyn and King Henry VIII and I started researching other monarchs in England. Aside from that, When I visited a Government Agency's Library I saw a lot of Japanese, Korean and Asian History and Cultural books. And you know what? I was amazed with the titles available there. I asked my mother

"Ma, can I bring them all to our house?". Haha.

And this is me. I was so engrossed and absorbed with all the books in front of me.



COOKING

In my recent blog posts, I shared my versions of smoothies and pancakes. Recently, I feel the urge to cook and to learn the art of cooking. Why? Because as a woman, I think it is imperative to learn how to cook. I remember a saying
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." So, I wonder if this is really true. Will I be able to? What do you think? Haha! Cooking makes me feel like I'm a woman... physically and psychologically. Weird, right? That's why I asked my mother to teach me more recipe. The last time, I learned how to make "Beansprout rolls" and Miki Noodles with a lot of veggies and they were very delicious and healthy!

And when I met my High School best buddies, we cooked and ate a lot of foods. Who says I don't eat? I EAT of course!

Some of the foods I cooked are in my INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT ( )

WRITING

I always write. In the train, while walking, in the bath room... ANYWHERE! That's why I always have my notebook with me. But this time, I am trying to write about other things... not about my emotions, sadness and depression but about things and other people... like Anne Boleyn.

It's a little difficult for me because I need to put myself in their situation to be able to understand their feelings. It's like entering their mind, body and soul and the mind penetration process is the hardest part. Nevertheless, I am enjoying even if only few people could appreciate them.

________________________________
 

HIGH SCHOOL BUDDIES

 

 

I missed my friends so much! That's why I was very glad when I met them yesterday. I was not supposed to go out but it's once in a blue moon meeting with them so I sacrificed my other activities.

 

I had a great time with my buddies. Nothing has changed except our physical appearance. haha! I can be me with them... being with them is like FREEDOM! We can laugh out loud, we can eat in the same plate, use the same glass and spoon and fork... use the same shirt, cologne and slippers... We're like sisters... really.

 

I really hope to meet them more often but we're all have busy schedules... Somehow, I felt very happy yesterday even if there's something BOTHERING ME. I am really bothered. However, what's the point of thinking too much in the middle of Fun? Right?

Have a great day everyone!

Sincerely,
Erica/Erix

 

 

Things that made me happy:

1. Meeting up with my best buddies.
2. Cooking with them.
3. Eating with them.
4. Watching movies with them.
5. Talking, laughing and hugging with them.
6. Reading history books.
7. Cooking my foods.
8. Writing this blog.

Made With Love: Carrot Pancake (My Version)

 (Photo by: Erica/Erix)

 

I am a PANCAKE LOVER! Are you? However, since most pancakes are very sweet, high in calories and fats I couldn't eat them frequently.

 

Until... I decided to make my own pancake mixture. I had enough of buying ready made pancake mix. Yes, they are outrageously delicious BUT I prefer healthy foods.

 

I found a Carrot Cake Pancake Recipe but it's very complicated for me to follow so I made my own version.

 

Carrots are high in beta-carotene which is converted into Vitamin A; an anti-oxidant.

 

Uses For Beta-Carotene:

• Prevention against cancer and heart disease
• To slow the progression of cataracts
• To prevent macular degeneration
• To boost immunity
• To protect the skin against sunburn
• Asthma
• Depression
• Infertility
• Parkinson’s disease
• Psoriasis
• Arthritis
• High blood pressure
• Cervical dysplasia

(Source: Beta-Carotene)

However, most kids don't like the taste of Carrots... and some adults... like my cousin. LOL. <3 Including Carrots in pancakes is a great way to make your child eat the vegetable since they cannot really taste the carrots.



Carrot Pancake (My Version)

Calories per pancake: 85 Calories

Number of Pancake: 14 (Approximately)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour (Or Wheat Flour)

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp. Salt

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp. White Sugar

1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Large Egg (Lightly beaten)

2 Cups Finely Grated Carrots

1 Cup Soya Milk (Or Low-fat Milk)

1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For cooking)

 

 

Procedures:

1. Grate the Carrots.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl; flour, baking powder, cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar and salt.
3. Lightly beat the eggs.
4. Combine all the liquid ingredients (Including the egg); vanilla extract and soya milk.
5. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl.
6. Mix until blended well.
7. Preheat the stove. Use 1/4 measuring cup to measure the pancake mix.
8. Cook 1 - 1 1/2 minutes for each side of the pancake.
9. Serve with pure honey on top and butter (optional).

 

Your Carrot Pancake is done! If you don't like the taste of Soya Milk you can definitely use any kind of milk but it will increase the number of calories. I use Soya Milk because I have allergic reaction to some Dairy products. Feel free to add raisins or chocolates if you like for added flavor... again, it will increase the number of calories. Nevertheless, the health benefits of Carrots are still in your pancakes!

 

Have fun!

 

Sincerely,

Erica/Erix