Thursday, December 11, 2014

Healthier donuts and my sparkling new kitchen toy

With Hanukkah around the corner, I've been thinking of healthy-fying the holiday menu a bit. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, the Hanukkah tradition celebrates the miracle during the rededication of the Second Temple when the menorah’s candles burned for 8 nights even though there was only enough olive oil to keep it burning for a single day.   So, oil is a must, and oily food has been the tradition serving as a true symbol of the holiday miracle.

But really, with traditional latkes (potatoes deep-fried in oil) already planned for 2-3 of the 8 day long celebration, something's gotta give... And I decided that it'll have to be in the dessert section.
So, a week before hanukkah, I started planning our holiday menu. The dessert menu would include baked donuts instead of the traditional sufganiyot.  After all, I'll still be using a bit of oil in the batter and spraying the pan with non-stick spray. That should count for oil! But as luck would have it, I also found 3-in-1 cake pop, donuts and cupcake maker that would make treats more interesting year round, and the kitchen less messy, making for a much easier life! The gadget has 3 different plates that you can interchange to make mini-donuts, cakepops and cupcakes. I was hemming and hawing at first on whether I should get it, but decided that 1) my daughters love cake pops, and I can make a healthier and cheaper version than Starbucks' cake pops with this new gadget 2) and hubby  just got himself a new car, so yeah, I deserved a new toy too.

 


I stumbled upon a paleo donut recipe online, which I tweaked ever so slightly. Mind you, I'm not on a paleo diet, but I do love high-protein treats, which this recipe was.  A must-have for making donuts is, well, a donut mold. Or, a sparkling red multi treat maker like mine! Seriously, I'm sold on this new toy. I can churn donuts like I'm in a restaurant business!


And I got these beautiful, healthier donuts that my kids and husband couldn't stop eating. This recipe is flourless, and sugar-free. I made 2 batches with the intention of freezing half, but had to defrost it the following day because my cuddly monsters devoured them like they haven't seen donuts before. I also added a heaping scoop of protein powder to make it an even greater protein-packed treat after my workout, but alas... I've only managed to enjoy a few. I swear I'm sneaking in spinach, carrots and kale (gasp!) the next time I make these.
 



So, the recipe is as follows:
 
Ingredients:
1.5 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (Ghirardelli preferred; but if you find parve cocoa, it's even better)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened pure organic applesauce
pinch of salt
6 eggs (it's ok, it made 42 mini-donuts! Also, maybe try flax eggs next time for the vegan version?)
2 tbsp coconut oil (Hanukkah-required!)
6 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional)
 
Chocolate Glaze
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp coconut oil
 
Instructions: You can buy almond meal, or you can grind almonds with Vitamix, which I did. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spoon into sprayed donut tin or in a sparkling red multi treat maker! If using the sparkling red mini-donut maker, bake for 4 mins and 44 seconds.  Why? Because I'm too lazy to push other numbers in my timer. If baking in regular donut tin, bake for 15 mins. Remove and cool on wire rack. Make the glaze by melting chocolate chips and mixing with oil. Put glaze in ziplock, and cut one corner (very small). Drizzle over donuts over the sink to make cleaning even easier.
 
Other comments: I don't think this recipe will work as a "drop" because the batter is very runny.   This is super moist because of the applesauce and doesn't taste like cardboard-textured passover treats. But I bet it can be made into one for passover season.  Enjoy!

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Color me purple

On the very last weekend of Farmer's Market season, I wept and wept, and rejoiced at the same time. Wept - for obvious reasons - fresh herbs, giant heads of cauliflower, multicolored tomatoes, and gourds of all shapes and sizes all done for the season. BUT, the biggest surprise of all was that I found 2 great finds - red adzuki beans and... dun, dun, dun, purple yam! Or, purple Yummm!

Purple yam, ube in Tagalog, is one of my favorite Filipino flavors. While I'm not that fond of the yam itself, I, along with most Filipinos, loooove all sorts of ube treats. While kids in the US grew up on candy corns and chocolates, I remember running with my 25c to stores to buy ube candies, ube polvoron, and ube pastillas. To this day, whenever I'm in California, my sister and I hunt around the state (San Diego, L.A., etc.) to find the best ube polvoron in town. This reminds me of Philippine fiestas and Christmas season when halayang ube (molded solid jam dessert) becomes ubiquitous in fish shapes - no rhyme or reason for this shape. And summers in the Philippines are not complete without halo-halo with ube ice cream on top. Ahhhh...
 
So, with about 2 or, I don’t know, maybe ~25 lbs of purple yam hauled from the farmer’s market, I stingily planned things I should make. I patiently roasted these gems, peeled and mashed them to this delightful mass. Isn't it beautiful?



roasted and mashed


After that, it was time to make things out of it. First out of the oven was the ube version of Taro rolls, which I have been craving for a while now. Due to the dearth of Korean bakeries in the Twin cities, I was forced to make 3 dozens of these suckers. My youngest daughter loves these, but I froze a dozen for future emergency ube roll cravings. This is best serve warm and with honey.



roll with honey

Next I made ube loaf alongside rye pumpkin bread. Interestingly enough, the ube bread came out almost emerald green, which got my brain cogs turning.


Before baking; Ube loaf alongside Rye Pumpkin loaf
After baking

 
 
Most folks know that potatoes and yams are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins and vitamin C, and contain phytochemicals, including polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids, tannins, stilbenes and lignans, which are best known for their antioxidant properties. Although I think most people associate these compounds more with wine. Seriously. Hmmm. Anyway, the media has highlighted different studies showing the decrease in the risk of chronic diseases with consumption of these colorful tubers. As such, different shades of potatoes are starting to appear mainstream. Anthocyanins are the ones which give the vibrant color in pigmented potatoes and yams. However, these compounds are not very stable and are sensitive to pH, light, oxidation, enzyme activity, concentration, etc. especially depending on storage conditions, processing and cooking methods. So, the levels of polyphenols found in raw and cooked yams and potatoes are different, which also explains why my ube loaf was no longer purple. Also, if you heat a slice up in the microwave, it turns bluish green!

Apparently, different cooking methods also has different effects on the anti-oxidant activity. This symposia paper shows the ranking as it relate to the antioxidant activity of the unpeeled potatoes: boiled > uncooked > steamed > microwave > baked. A significant increase of the antioxidant activity in boiled potatoes and a significant decrease in the baked potatoes was observed when compared with uncooked potatoes. Hmmm. Boiling seems to be the most promising method for preserving the bioactive compounds. But, doesn’t that also take away the taste the most? Something to consider anyway.

After I’ve settled that mystery, I went on and made my ube jam. It’s not very onerous if you have a hand-held processor, but it does take a lot of patience to keep stirring so the jam doesn't stick to the bottom of your pot.

 
After putting away 2 bottles of the jam, which won't last me the whole winter through,  I went on to make the best treat of all, saving the best for last – ube pastillas.I know that technically this should be made with carabao’s milk, but I have to settle with what I have on hand.
 


And they turned out so delicious! Who ate the last piece of pastillas?  Guilty, as charged.  That, my dear, is how you settle an ube-craving for good! Is it Farmer’s Market season again yet???
 
 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Encantada, Lisboa!

Day 4 is essentially a travel day. I only had enough time to enjoy a liesurely breakfast. So, I leave you with some thoughts about Lisbon.

Indeed, three days is too short a time to enjoy this place.  But, I think that even a month is still not long enough to enjoy it. In spite of my short trip, I made the most of it, sleeping at 4 am and getting up at 8 am to really experience the culture as best as I can. - something I would not recommend doing for long periods of time.  Hence, I felt that I got to see enough to know that this city has heart at its center.  I've been to many beautiful places, which I leave with a promise of coming back.  But, there's something different about Lisbon. 


Front of Jose Saramago's house (top)
Lisbon Cathedral's entrance door (bottom)
On the way to Sintra, an acquaintance from Oxford, UK asked how I liked Lisbon. I casually replied, "I want to live here." She looked at me in surprise, and said "Are you serious?". As it turned out, she didn't care for the graffitti-covered walls (art, to me), and the loudness (festive conversations, to me).  I guess our coversation spoke volume.  Depending on your background and interests, you will like it here or you won't.  Some may see the old buildings as poor, and some will see it as preserved history.  Remember that crazy driver that I spoke about on Day 1? Who am I kidding? They all drive crazy! Anyway, he was lamenting the construction of tall glass buildings. And I completely agree with him. In streets lined with intricate period architecture next to glass and steel buildings, those glass buildings just look blah. Unmemorable.  In the city center, Praca Rossio, you will find a few of these, but in the intimate alleyways, you will see nothing but charm.






Streets and alleys
The atmosphere is friendly but not suffocating, and as you walk Alfama, you're bound to hear someone breaking into a song. If you need more art in your life, you don't even need to go to museums. All you need to do is take a walk.  Walk in Alfama, and see the Fundacao Jose Saramago's structure, or walk up to the Lisbon cathedral.  As you take these walks, look at the tiles defining Calcada Portuguese, a point of pride for the locals, and the Azulejo-covered walls of houses. On Tuesday, prior to my Tuk-Tuk tour, I just wandered the hilly cobblestone-covered streets. Some alleys are lined with the equivalent of banderitas even. Combined with locals gathering to play cards at the park, tourists milling around with maps on their hands, and Fado at night, the festivity seems to run day and night.









I was told that Lisbon is experiencing a renaissance of sort.  I just hope that it preserves its culture and history.  But judging from how it's done so far since the 8th century, I have no doubt that it will.  This city is laid-back, but buzzing in activity, historic, real, and beautiful. It was a privilege to visit. Encantada, Lisbon!

Now, to go home and convince my husband to move here.  Dum-dee-dum. And this picture is for my kids, who again sent me traveling with a trustworthy and adorable companion, "Up Above", to keep me company. You can say that he's the star of this show!
 

 

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Lisbon Diary, Day 3 - Sintra and port


"Deus quer; o Homem sonha; a obra nasce"
God wants; Men dream; the work of art is born
- Fernando Pessoa, Portuguese writer

I love my job. There, I said it. No, it's not because of the travel aspect, but that certainly adds to it. I love it because I meet people who are passionate in what they do, and believe in a greater cause, and see their contribution to that bigger picture. Today, I'm again humbled by the tenacity of these scientists. Really, they speak about the journey of one compound from bench to clinic as if it was an Opera. First, born from an idea, a compound is synthesized, where the plot twists and turns, and surprise! a new compound is born, totally unpredicted, enthalpy driven, and completely potent in vitro and in vivo. Now, its journey in clinical trial begins... If we're lucky, it could be a cure.  Otherwise, it has taught us something.

I had a handful of meeting requests during lunch, so I couldn’t go sightseeing. Thankfully, the afternoon schedule was short to allow time for the planned group excursions. There were 4 tours to choose from, which may also give you an agenda for your visit to Portugal… because you are visiting, right?  Anyway, there’s 1) walking tour of Belem (I’ve done) 2) Lisboa vineyards 3) Azulejo musem (pronounced A-shu-le-jhu; the Portuguese tiles) 3) the village of Sintra.  I really wanted to go to Sintra and to try some ports at the Lisboa vineyards; this is Portugal after all.  Alas, I had to choose just 1. Sintra it was.

 
The village of Sintra is about 30 km (~19 mi) from Lisbon, and located on the slopes of a hill or mountain, depending on who you ask.   It’s considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal, and was suggested to me by many friends and by my sister-in-law.  The tour included a visit to the Royal Palace and some free time in the village. 


After exiting Lisbon, we were  treated to a grand sight to behold.  We passed Portugal’s famous aqueduct, which is in the Guiness book of world record for being the tallest arch in the world. When we arrived in Sintra, another sight was the walls of the Castle of the Moors up on the hills, constructed during the 8th or 9th century. 





 
Our guide tells us that 'Sintra' derives from "Cynthia", the Celtic Goddess of the Moon. The Celts who settled here, worshipped the moon god on the mountain where the Moors built the castle. The village itsef was quite charming, and we were again presented with 2 difficult options – we can either explore the village, gardens, and parks, or go inside the palace.  *sigh* The village must wait for another time. And there will be one.

From the outside, the Sintra National Palace may not look impressive, with plain white walls, and the ornate designs limited to windows and walls.
But as soon as I walked in, I was transported to another time.  It has been preserved really well, perhaps because it has been inhabited throughout since the 15th century.  Even today, the President of Portugal uses a private wing in the Palace when he wishes to entertain.  The decors show off the moorish influence from the guilded and ornate cabinets, the arches, decorated doorways, bedposts... and ceilings!


picture courtesy of Palacio Nacional de Sintra

 
Why is it that we no longer paint our ceilings these days?  It seems to me that it would be a great focal point in a house. In the Palace, the room Sala dos Cisnes' ceiling featured 27 swans wearing inverted crowns on their necks in honor of the princess' (I forget which) 27th birthday and her 2 pet swans.
 
In another room, Salas das Pegas, the ceiling features 136 magpies, each holding a rose in their beak, with the words "Por Bem" meaning For Good/Honor.  The story goes that the King Afonso Henriques was caught kissing a lady in waiting, and this king commissioned the painting with the 136 magpies representing the 136 gossippers. The rose is his wife, Philippa's insignia.  In essence, he is asking the gossips to stop for the good of the queen.



The Galley room ceiling features... galleys! It features the three key players during the time of exploratoin: Holland, Turkey and Portugal, but you have to look closely at the ships' old flags to identify them.
 
 
 The most magnificent ceiling in the Palace is in the Stag Room or Heraldic Room. The room features a domed ceiling embellished with coat of arms of the 72 prominent and nobel Portuguese families, with King Manuel's arm in the center, and his 8 children around his. The entire walls of the room are covered with Azulejo hunting murals. It's really beyond words, the work that went into this room.


Inside the chimney cone, looking up
 
There are too many noteworthy and historic parts to the Palace; it's impossible to mention it all. But perhaps my favorite part is the kitchen.  The 2 big chimney cones are the most prominent in postcards and pictures of Sintra, and I was in one of those chimneys!
 




My grandparents used to cook this way in Tiaong, with burners to heat the pots (see back wall)  
Spits to cook cows, pigs, etc. (front)

The palace was really too big to visit in only a few hours, so we only saw parts. Still it was very educational especiallly for someone like me who is not too familiar with Europe's rich history, outside of what I learned in books.

After we exited the palace, our guide suggested the best pastry in Sintra. Eh. I've had enough of being herded like a cattle, so I separated from the group for my free time.  Besides, I've had way too many Portuguese pastels already, and all that history made me thirsty. And there I saw it, Bar do Binho, which just happen to have port tasting. So... you mean to say that I can do my wine tasting in Sintra instead of the vineyard?  I chose wisely then. Before you get the wrong impression, let me say that I'm neither a sot nor a wino. I just happen to have a taste for port, and sherry, and other sweet liquors.  They just make me happy.


I told the bartender (is that what they're called too?) that I was operating on limited time and wanted to taste the really special ones. He pulled a 10 year old vintage white port from the back of the fridge and said that it was unique because only a few bottles were made of this vintage. And, I happily own this one now, along with a few other Portugal wines.  I've never actually heard of Portuguese green wine before this trip, but they served it on multiple occasions at the conference, and I liked it.
 
On the way back to Lisbon, we rode mostly along the Atlantic ocean, and saw forts, mansions, fishermen boats, and a rainbow.
 
A rainbow over Tagus river; as if the day was not beautiful enough.
 
After a quick stop at the hotel to refresh and change, I took a cab to the banquest at Convento do Beato.  This historic building was constructed in the 16th century.  The story goes that with just 7 coins received from alms, friar Antonio got the monastery built, so they refered to him as Beato Antonio (Antonio the beatified). During dinner, we were treated to Fado music, which was even better than the one I listened to last night at A Severa, which was suggested by my hotel concierge. (Side note: tourist trap, mediocre food, high price; good Fado was the only saving grace for this restaurant.)
At past 11, still early for some, I bid my peers good night.  I had to get up early and pack.  It's time to go home.




Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Lisbon Diary, Day 2 A day of "Almosts" and ashes



Perhaps something was lost in translation when I ordered that decaf coffee last night.  That would explain why I was up until 4 am.  To my credit, I was still able to get up at 8 am, having only to give up the planned run in exchange for sleep. I grabbed a pastel de nata from the hotel breakfast buffet to go with my cup of science this morning. Still feeling a bit overcaffeinated (boy their beans are potent!), I chugged the latest news in drug discovery and disease targets instead. By lunch, I was raring to do something more active, and more pleasing to the eyes, which did not involve cyclic and aromatic chemical structures. 

I'll take History for $100, Alex.

After (very) briefly listening to the screeching X factor auditions on the other side of the congress center, I walked westward on Avenida India to Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, conveniently located ~1.5 miles from the congress center - an easy, peasy walk. Here's a picture of the entire building. Built in the 1500s, the monastery's ornate design draws crowd by the thousands each day. But it wasn't the structure that lured me to visit... I was trying to visit a person.

 


My memory of Philippine history did not begin with tribe Chieftains or the negritos, though in reality, it did.   Perhaps they taught us Philippine history in grade school, but I just didn't pay attention. No. My memory of studying Philippine history began with Vasco de Gama.  In high school, Ms. Arlene Canivel told the story of our country's history, beginning with the adventures of the Portuguese and Spanish explorers. Now, who can resist a good adventure hi-story?  Not I. Possibly the most famous of all Portuguese explorers is Vasco da Gama, who led the 1497 expedition to India, in search of the Spice Island. Magellan, though born Portuguese, represented the Spanish side, and eventually landed in the Philippines in 1521. We even have a song about it! 350 years after his death in India, Vasco de Gama's remains were brought home to Portugal, to rest at the Jeronimos monastery in Lisbon. I would have wanted to see his tomb, but queue and time were against me, so I walked on. So close... but no dice. Not this time.

I crossed the street to walk along the Tagus river, pronounced "Ta-ju".and to look at the Padrao dos Descobrimentos or Discoveries Monument, celebrating the worlds' explorers in stone. It features Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Cabral, among others, in a ship.



I continued walking along the river to the famous Torre de Belem, a fortress built to protect Lisbon. I was starting to get hungry, and wanted to get something to grab-and-go, but this is not quite a food truck kind of town. There's no philly cheese steak cart, or NY knishes. Instead I see this:



Tempting, but not on an empty stomach at noon.
I was hoping to climb up the tower, which supposedly offers a fantastic view of surrounding towns along the river, and to see the cannon niches, and dungeons. But again, I was out of luck.  Check the line on that picture.  I was still grateful that I got to see the fort though. 



















I'll take Recess for $1200, Alex.

Finally, I had to eat and go back to the conference.  Dare I venture to Pasteis de Belem? A friend suggested that I try one of these pastels, but I was also warned by another that the line to get these is long. Since it was only going to take a few minutes detour, I decided to check the line. It was long, indeed. BUT, there's also a sign that they have table seating. As luck would have it, I had to wait only for 1 minute for a free table. I ordered pizza and "Kok Ze-ru", and the pastel de belem.  When my server brought it, my reaction was "Oh."  Why? Because it looks exactly like pastel de nata, which I just had for breakfast.


Scratching my head, I asked my server the difference between the two. He replied, "How do I explain this?... It's like Coke vs. Pepsi. It is the same, but not exactly. Pastel de Belem is a secret recipe, and is made only in this restaurant." He goes on, "We make 21,000 of these in 1 day."

Hmmm... after a bite, I knew what he meant, and appreciated the takeout line outside. I'm just glad that this did not fall in my "Almost" category.

I'll take Science for $2000, then move to Museums for $500.

Fado!  My calendar beeps me that it's 4:45 pm, and the session has wrapped up. I discreetly walked out the building and hopped a cab to Museo do Fado in Alfama.  But what is Fado? It is music, music about fate. Fado = Fate.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. For centuries her ships sailed around the globe and brought to the European shores the first news of many unknown cultures in Africa, Asia and the Americas. In each returning ship there also came songs that spoke of the dangers of the voyage and of the fascination for the new worlds explored, full of exotic tunes and rhythms, but songs that also told of loneliness, homesickness and the fragility of mankind against the fury of the elements and the unpredictable nature of human faith. In the 1820s and 30s a new song was thus born in Lisbon, which was to become the very mirror of the multicultural identity of the city and of its people. It was called Fado, the same word that means fate in the Portuguese language.”

- from the application of Fado to UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 

 

The museum was small enough that I was able to browse and appreciate the history behind this distinctly Portuguese music. Distinct just like bluegrass is distinctly southern US, and Kundiman are Philippine period serenade songs. With 15 minutes before museum hour closing, I decided to push my luck and walked to Fundacao Jose Saramago, the house where Blindness' author and Nobel prize winner, Jose Saramago lived until his death in 2010. And it's less than 5 minute walk from Museo do Fado. If they let me in, they couldn't possibly throw me out, right?
 
But wait, gelato!

 
I ventured in just to see if they happen to have lavender ice cream, which I fell in love with in Nice.  They didn't. But they did have basil ice cream.  I skeptically tried it, and have to say that it's... quite good. Not lavender good, but exotic and flavorful kind of good.  I started to think about food you can pair it with. Coconut-based dishes? Strong-flavored fish dishes, for sure. Clearly, I was sidetracked and won't make the extra 10 meters to Fundacao Jose Saramago.  It's probably closed anyway. My good friend "Almost" struck again.

I'll take Geography for $2000, Alex.
Portas do Sol, doors of the sun. You always see the sun
as it rise in the East until it sets in the West.

I started walking around and exploring, but this city is known for its 7 hills, and tiled street paths. My feet were no match, and I've already walked 22,000 steps today. Then, I saw a Tuk-Tuk parked and waiting. My coach has arrived.

Riding the Tuk-Tuk is not for the weak-hearted. It's like riding a thrilling amusement ride, which was fun for me. For those who plan to do this, I encourage you to wear the seatbelts.  You will bounce. I am really glad that I took the Tuk-Tuk tour. (Yeah, that sounded funny.) My driver talked about history plus some from a local's point of view. She also took me to areas that are too narrow to navigate by cab, and too steep to enjoy on foot, and simply not known or highlighted in tour books. Much recommended. 

calçada portuguesa


Miradouro da Senhora do Monte,
highest point in Lisbon. View of the castle, Castelo Sao Jorge.

Azulejo, glazed ceramic tiles that cover walls
 of buildings initially to cover imperfection,
and separate one house from another.
Apparently, it helps in keeping tempearture in homes too.


National Pantheon, where Presidents, poets, and
famous Fado artist, Amalia Rodriguez is buried. 

Final Jeopardy: This is the last sentence from the book "Memorial do Convento" by Jose Saramago. 
 
I spoke to my driver about how I just "almost" made it in to Fundacao Jose Saramago. She smiled, and drove me there, and explained that I didn't have to go in to pay respect to Jose Saramago. Upon his request, his ashes were scattered under an olive tree which was brought from his village, and replanted in front of his home by the river.
 
 


What is "but (it) did not ascend to the stars, for it belonged to the earth"?