A NEW fruit has entered my life....

     In my last post I mentioned I discovered (and tackled) a (fear food) fruit. I'm glad I have~

     I have avoided this vegan essential (and favorite) fruit for years, YEARS because the idea of the texture disgusted me. The smell, shape, dog-with-peanut-butter-on-the-roof-of-it's-mouth-face you make when you eat it....gross. That is, until I started craving sorbets and "ice-creams." Finding affordable sorbet is nothing short of a mission and I've been challenging myself daily, so I figured....DA DA DUNNNNN

bananas were worth giving a shot. 

...And I have invested all my cash, fridge was looking bleak, AND they were on sale at Homeplus for a MASSIVE bushel for 3,500원!

     I've been a recent stickler for breakfast time, I want to wake up my metabolism and get my body used to getting fuel in the mornings. A frozen treat I figured would be a fun way to start the day, and I wanted to torture myself a bit with having to face a challenge for the entire day. I froze a bushel of bananas (five per packet~ 520kcal!!!!!!) and in the morning I experimented FIRST with the frozen banana, green tea powder, chia seeds, flax seeds, psylium husk, organic ginger and cinnamon, and organic sugar-free all natural cherry extract. I watched the mixture turn into a mush with fear and apprehension...imagining my tongue slap against the roof of my mouth, face drooping, and tummy punching out through my dress...I was freaking out a bit. I threw it into a bowl and before I could start screaming, I threw a baby spoonful of my concoction into my mouth....and everything in my being started smiling. HOLY SHIT!!!!

Do I like bananas? What is this high fiber, low fat, organic, AND healthy concoction? It's rich in potassium, omega 3, fiber, AND...there's bananas involved?!~

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I just got myself a bit addicted. I went back to Homeplus and bought FIVE more bushels and chopped them all and threw them in the freezer.
     I even splurged on an iherb

(my code is NUJ580) 

order JUST so I could manipulate frozen bananas even more!
     What did I get?! Chia seeds, hemp heart seeds, MORE psylium husk, smooth move laxative teas, nutritional yeast, and veggie bacon bits....AND~I am now a mama to WHEAT GRASS!!! (I've wanted to have shots of these for over a decade and now I can whenever I want to..mwahahahahahhahah!!!)

My iherb stash` photo taken by VeganBeats

     The next morning, I made myself the banana "ice-cream" again but added blueberries, vanilla, AND hemp seeds. yummm~

photo taken by VeganBeats

    After that, I did something a bit different. A bunch of bananas, raw sprouted almonds, chia seeds, psylium husk, pomegranate tea, ginger,cinnamon, hemp seeds, and WHEAT GRASS!!! Sweet, vitamin rich, grassy goodness~

photo taken by VeganBeats

    I'm really glad I've challenged myself with bananas and have found a way to take in potassium...in a smooth and rich HEALTHY and manipulated way~

Next though....Strawberries~

Sundried Tomato Walnut Pesto Pasta~

Happy MoFo kids~ 
     Considering everything that's going on, I want to keep myself a bit busy and doing some Mofo jams feels like it'd be one very good, productive, busy thing to do!!
     A while back, (I know, another backpost) I made a massive pesto pasta salad and instead of using the usual vinegar or mayonnaise-based dressing I made a sun-dried tomato walnut pesto sauce. I threw in loads of veggies too, although they look rather lost in the pictures. To go with the carb-crazy dish, I made a whole wheat and walnut garlic bread~
     As my 'itchinthekitch' adventures always go, measuring and planning out what I'm doing doesn't happen often. For the pesto I threw in a bunch of sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, loads of garlic, some flax seeds, black pepper, nutritional yeast, and some red-chili pepper. The pasta was whole wheat, and the veggies I used were onions, zucchini, carrots, kale, greens, and some eggplant. I stir-fried all of them in a little bit of oil, just to soften them up and add a bit more color to the red pesto/orangey feel to this dish.
     It was filling, there's no doubt about that...and I had loads to last me for a whole week...thankfully, ScottySoul helped me!!

      Happy Mofo Veggies~

Itchin in the Kitch backup~ and other foodstuffs

     I've been playing around in my kitchen/apartment/bedroom...(ugh) and I've come up with some pretty tasty and complex things...
     Here's just a little visual stimulation that may birth savored/taste-budded orgasms~~

Ginger jammin fusion General Tsao's tofu~ photo taken by VeganBeats

garlic ginger stir fry~ photo taken by VeganBeats

mini whole wheat thin crust pizza, topped with black pepper and garlic roasted pumpkin, zuchini, and onion, basil red pepper lettuce pesto, a dollop of tofu cashew nut chili pepper cheeze, a bit of red tomato salsa fresca and pinto bean blend, and balsamic redux...a glorious bite~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Asides from my apple days, and kitchen experiments, eating out or having a meal made for me is pretty rare. I tend to lean to the raw and easy energy providers, but last week Scotty Soul made me a special vegan (and glorious) dinner! It was complex, delightful, healthy (yay!) and right up my alley. Veggies, salad, balsamic, garlic, AND high in fiber...get to the VeganBeats heart why don't you!!
     He got a brilliant idea to marinate Asian pears in balsamic and lightly heat them up on a skillet! The subtle sweetness and rough (in the cutest way >_<#) texture sponges up the vinegar and left something juicy and savory, while still remaining crunchy! He threw this on a bed of salad~ romaine, green leaf lettuce, cucumbers, sprouts, thimbleweed, carrots, cherry tomatoes, and pecans! It was served with a balsamic redux and the drink~ lemon, pomegrante, improvised red sangria with green onion, Asian pear, and garnished with a crunchy pecan.

improvised sangria~ photo taken by VeganBeats

Scotty  Soul's vegan meal! photo taken by VeganBeats

    Healthy, fresh, inventive, almost 100% raw, high fiber, sodium free, and tummy tempting...

     singing~

Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 3: Island Hopping part 1

     The Philippines is a massive collection of islands, most of which you can't squeeze into a short week long period. But kicking it on some sandy and beachy dunes while soaking in the sun and reefs doesn't hurt, at all!!
     The third day in the 'Pines was a day set for island hopping, I'll write a bit, but let the mediocre iphone pics do the jabbering~

photo taken by VeganBeats

captain! photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     We snorkeled around the reefs for a couple hours, I never thought in my life I'd have this opportunity. Swimming with the fishes has always been left to the mob bosses and National Geographic folk in my head. But here I was, gliding around and playing tag with all sorts of sea life. I had a hard time with the goggles, I would get so stressed out and mentally close off my air source...a bit pathetic right?
     After spoiling my eyes with the vibrancy of the giggly fish and swaying coral, we were off to Exotic beach, where a meal of fresh coconut, fruits, and chicken (for Scotty Soul) was about to be thrown down...into our bellies~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     While drinking up fresh coconut water, my eyes darted around, trying as hard as they can to capture everything that was sorrounding me...impossible. Even now, I can't believe I was here~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     This is how you get all the goodies inside...pinatas got nothing on the coconut~

photo taken by VeganBets

     Ahh, some vegan meat?!~

coconut meat~ photo taken by VeganBeats

fruits~~photo taken by VeganBeats

    My fruit spread was overwhelmingly filling, and beyond healthy...I couldn't fit much more in my gut but fresh local papaya?!~ Baby sweet watermelon?!~....how can you stop?

Scotty Soul's chicken made for him~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     After snorkeling a bit more, filling bellies, we were off to another island~ more eyefuls of beauty and now a little vodka~

photo taken by VeganBeats

coconut trees~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     There are more pics to come~

Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 2: Exploring Port Barton and the first meal

paradise~ photo taken by VeganBeats

      Getting into Port Barton, we had to check ourselves in and find a place to crash. We met a friend on our jeepney that recommended Summer Homes Resort. The rooms were affordable, electricity was on for two four hours blocks throughout the day, there's wifi, a restaurant, and it's right on the beach! (It's genuinely hard not to be really) We spent 750p a night (20,000원, about $18.00) for a room with a clean bathroom, huge sun-welcoming window, a fan, and a big double bed! (the staff is awesome, kick it here.)
     After throwing our bags and jugs of water down our tummies started grumbling (so beer, nuts, and bread isn't the way of the game, eh?) Our friend who mentioned our new home (!!!) highly recommended a restaurant! But before I get into the noms...here's my cat (he stayed with us often) Mingming!!!

pretty sleepy kitty~ photo taken by VeganBeats

      Now...the restaurant is called Jumbalayas, ...

answers? photo taken by VeganBeats

     It's right off the beach front, houses the coldest beer on the island (no really, it does) and offers a lot of vegan yumms!

     The drinks menu boasts of ginger infused jams, coconut milk pina coladas, etc...what did I go for?

photo taken by VeganBeats

     For a main meal, I went with the stir fried veggies with a bed of steaming rice. The veggies were not the usual peppers, potatoes, and slobs of onions...I got carrots, zucchinis, pumpkin, cabbage, sweet onions, garlic, and mushrooms!! It was light, flavorful, and more than generous portion-wise.

yum~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     While sipping on cold flavor-filled drinks, filling my tummy with nutritious food, and setting sights on the crashing waves...the lounge-loving life was embracing me...

ginger jams and beachy spoilings'~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     I wasn't alone in the chill jam...kitties snuggling in the sun~

loungin love~photo taken by VeganBeats~

sleepy kitty~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The beach was glorious, and being that it was a temporary home, my heart was dancing in glory....soaking in the vitamin D, eating up the sun, stretching my feet in the sand and bathing in cool salt water, the adventures were waiting around the corner...

photo taken by VegnBeats

     Glory is soon approaching~

coconut pup~ photo taken by VeganBeats

Summer Homes Resort:
e-mail: summerhomes@vconn.net.ph
phone number: +63 (0) 9285944484, +63(0) 9214016906

Jumbalayas myspace

Raw Meal loving~ featuring bangin high-fiber green pea hummus poser

      Over the past couple weeks I've been playing around with more complex raw foods/meals. I usually stick to carrots, cucumbers, and any type of vinegar (load up that mustard and balsamic) but I've been wanting to mix things up! I've also been trying to keep my wallet a bit thicker for the Philippines (^ㅊ^*) so using whatever has been kicking it in my food cabinet is the only choice! This raw meal (salad) started with chopping up everything I had in my fridge, every veggie that's been chilling (hahah) got sliced and diced and sat staring at me in a bowl...balsamic (hell yea) is my go to, but I ran out of that so...the closet hunt began. I had a can of peas...0.o# I wasn't craving the lovely circular form of peas and wanted something to coat and equally be divided amongst all the chopped bits...hummus-like spread was called for! Garlic, black pepper, jalapenos, and a food processor...BOOM!

photo taken by VeganBeats

     So it may not be pretty, but it's healthy, delicious, full of flavor, and I felt super good after it! I found myself full of energy post-nomming and not feeling guilty~ 았사!!!~

yum~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     So...everything involved: red, purple, AND green cabbage, carrots, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, green onions, and cucumbers!!! Chop chop choppy~~~Then I threw in a bunch of this bangin high-fiber green pea hummus poser~

What you need:

1. can of green peas (it's what Korea's got) so maybe 1.5 cups of green peas
2. 1-2 t black pepper
3. 1 jalapeno (or more!~~)
4. 2-3 cloves of garlic (or more~)
5. water OR olive oil (I opted out)

~> got a food processor? Blend that ISH!!

Mix that raw jazz up!! 

     The salad/meal is high in fiber, got lots of protein, full of natural flavors and super filling! Hella Chyea~

VeganBeatin' Curry Play

     I feel like parts of me are still in the "college"-zone of money stretching, penny pinching, and ingredient spreading~ When trying to keep the wallet filled and deal with all them veggies that might be approaching the end of their expiration I turn to one thing...curry! Some people go with stews, soups, casseroles but for me it's always been curry! It's a meal that keeps growing!!
     Sometime last week I decided to make a massive batch of curry, I had loads of stuff that needed to be used and myself and the kids couldn't get through everything...not in time anyways! Papadams, everything in a pot and well~

white peppered papadams~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I had zukes, lentils, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, onions, carrots, peas, and beans...all of it came together to make a super thick, rich, and loaded curry meal! Curry is great, but hella filling, super heavy, and a definite "stick-to-your-ribs" meal! Every time I make curry I think which tupperware I'll have to set aside. Leftovers are always bound to happen.

~ (I'm trying to make this post about money saving but...this was a dinner made for man ^^* meh meh meh) 

pot of curry~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I usually eat curry like it is a stew but I'm not the most normal of folks~ I go to Indian restos requesting lettuce and salads versus naan, rice, or breads!! I made a lentil barley side that was spiced rasam style with some saffron in there!!

rasam curried lentil barley~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     Like most of what I make...measuring doesn't really happen, I throw everything together, cross my fingers, and hope for the best...

     Why is curry an easy way to feed yourself for a while...it gets thick...so when you want more, reheat and add water! It's the dish that keeps growing!! 

Veganbeatin' Carrot Eatin' Cake'n Wedding blitzin~

     The other week I took on the task of making a wedding cake for the beautiful and brilliant VeganUrbanite! I used to bake back in the states and since I've kicked it Seoul-side, homes without ovens is the norm so my baking endeavors took a standing still...but then~ oven gifting, and itchin'n the kitch has granted me to time to kick it baking style~
     The cake made was a carrot cake~ and the frosting was a nearly raw almond cream cheese frosting~~

pre-mix~ photo taken by VeganBeats

VeganBeatin Carrot Eatin' Cake:
What you need: 

1. 2 1/2 C whole wheat flour (you can use all purpose if you're craving so)
2. 2 t baking soda
3. 3 t cinnamon (freshly ground)
4. 1 t ground ginger
5. 1 t baking powder
6. 1 t green tea salt
7. 1 c coconut sugar
8. 3/4 c brown sugar
9. 3 t ground flaw seed and 3 T water blended
10. 1 t pure vanilla extract
11. 1 c vegetable oil
12. 2 c organic shredded carrots
13. 1/4 medium pineapple chopped and shredded
14. 1 c shredded coconut
15. 1 c walnuts
16. 1/2 slivered almonds
17. 1 c raisins

What to do:

1. FIRST, get all the ingredients prepped up...shred those carrots, pulse and chop that pineapple and throw it all in a blender/magic bullet/whatever shreds like mad! This cake takes a while to make...
2. In one bowl, mix all of your dry ingredients
3. In a larger bowl, mix all the wet ingredients except the oil, carrots, and pineapple (along with nuts and raisins)
4. pour all of the dry ingredients into the "wet ingredient" bowl and do some more mixing
5. Stir in the carrots, pineapple, nuts, etc...
6. Smooth the batter into a 10inch round cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F (or 180 degrees C) for 40-45 minutes

***I doubled this recipe and made three cakes!!***

oh hey you~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Vegan cream cheese is not available Seoulside, there's no tofutti (whine whine whine) so this was a challenge. I've made mock cheeses and nut cheeses but cream cheese Aiiii~ I wanted to go with almonds and toyed around in the kitchen and came up with this lengthy process~ 

soaking and now removing all that skin...(photo taken by VeganBEats)

I started with a cream cheese and then when that was done...made the frosting~~

Raw Almond Cream Cheese:
What you need:

1. 1 c raw almonds
2. enough water to cover the almonds for 8+ hours...then another 1/3 c for later
3. 1/2 t green tea salt
4. 1 t lemon juice

What to do:

1. soak the raw almonds for 8 hours or overnight, after, rinse and drain them
2. blanch the raw soaked almonds by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit in that jacuzzi for 5 minutes
3. remove ALL of the skins (it's hottttt)
4. add all of the ingredients into a blender and shred that ish up!!

***I TRIPLED this recipe***

Oh, Now you want frosting?!~

1. get all that yummy (COOLED) almond cream cheese and mix it with 1 c powdered sugar (I made my own coconut powdered sugar)
2. 1 t pure vanilla extract, got it? add it
3. a couple spoonfuls of vegan butter...yea add then it too
4. Blend that ish...then throw it in a fridge!

cream cheesy ~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     This cake was a lot of fun to make, but took a LONG time to make...luckily, my house smelled wonderful and I was in a little sensory heaven...minus the nomming part...

For another time!!!

All ready to go (VeganUrbanite did the decorating herself)~ photo taken by VeganBeats)

Loads of love to VeganUrbanite and David and positive vibes for their beuatiful (continuous) journey~~~

Eating Seoul...after a couple week (?) hiatus

     Whoa~ it's been a hella while! Where have I been?

     working...playing...baking...dancing...and inebriating...

     Since the camera and robbing jam, I've been trying to figure things out, naturally detaching from those "WHY ME!?" and "GODDAMNSHITBAGGINMOTHERPOOPINGCRUMBLYFACESNOTMUNCHER!" thoughts... I've been absent, not in life, but from the blog...aiaiai

     There is a silverlining though, there always is. I had a camera gigging promise and it fell on the Saturday right after the steal, but a wonderful Seoul reached out to me and lent me his camera. (Thanks Chris!!) Regardless of the favor, I was and am far more excited about the fact that I got to kick it with Chris, it's been far too long!
     We had plans to wander off in some restaurant, but it was closed. So we kicked it at his place, watched UFC, drank maekgoli, and ate some homemade DELISH miso soup~

oh hey you....I'm eat you...DEAL~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     The maekgoli was delicious...and hella strong! We shared a bottle and even after filling our bellies, got red-faced and tipsy!

Chris' miso soup~ ughhhhh (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I barely ever have miso soup, and having some with a wonderful friend may have made it even better~ a friends making it for you, sharing it with you...BEST~~
     There has been a bunch of eats from the past that...well I'm going to lay on you~
Coco Bruni is a swank and pricey cafe that kicks it around Sinsa and Apgujang and during a lunch tutoring session I got a DANK loaded, vegan sando...but only after over half an hour of explaining what I'm not very keen on shoving down my throat.
      "No mayo."
      "okay."  and then five minutes later. "Mustard okay?"
      "Yeah! Sounds great!" and then ten minutes later.
      "The mustard sauce has mayo, is okay?"
      "Ahh, no mayo, so no thank you."
      "Ahhh, aiiii, what do we do...no mustard, no mayo, it;s not sanwichi."
      "....do you have balsamic?"
      "uhhh yes....but..." scurry to the back, conversin with the boss....shuffle back "balsamic is with salad, sanwichi maybe, okay, maybe...no, yes..."
     etc etc etc....

the monstrously delish sando~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     Well WELL worth the confusion! I got a toasted ciabatta sandwich filled with caramelised onions, slivered grilled zukes, slices of pumpkin, grilled balsamic eggplant, sweet tomato slices, green leaf lettuce, spicy green lettuce, sprouts, and a generously garlic kissed balsamic...they even threw in a salad...ughhhhh~
     Hit up hospital dining also...a buddy decided to climb trees...then snap them~

hospital 비빔밥...rice niente~ (photo taken by VeganBeats)

     I've also done some itchin'n'the kitch...'cooking' for myself lately has involved grab'n'go cucumbers or carrots...I've been translating the "I'm hungry" into cooking kitch challenges~~

jajangmyeon for breakfast?~ had mine with cucumber noodles~ photo taken by VeganBeats

chickpea, black-bean, pea burgers with a sesame, garlic, tofu-sauced salad bedded on top~ photo taken by VeganBEats

 Oh...and being summer I had my first official So Delicious ice-cream!! nom nom nom

chocolate mint chip~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     I got the chocolate mint chip~ perfect for a hungover and heated Sunday! SoulScience and I went for a bit of a wander, sipping and knocking back an orange hooch (hungover healers?) and indulged in these coconut sweetened vegan darlings~ I think he got the cherry amaretto...I didn't try it but it's got to be SO DELICIOUS!!!



ahhh I'm done, mind in gutter...growing up (phbbbt chyea)

anyways~ in the next couple days (or week) they'll be loads more posting...annnnd atem~