brunch: banh tom

again, with all the traveling we've been doing, we changed it up a bit.  instead of making something, we gave each other the option of either making something, or sharing with you all the brunch we had.  

when i think about brunch, i don't often think about Vietnamese food.  so i thought to myself, if i was having a Vietnamese brunch, what would i eat?  the first thing that comes to mind is chao, porridge, which is probably because i will eat that any time of day.  i then thought about what my mom would make when we got to sleep in a little bit on the weekends.  the first thing that came to mind was banh tom, which is a sweet potato shrimp cake.  so that is exactly what i ordered when i met some friends at Minh's Restaurant in Milpitas, CA

Banh Tom (sorry, we dug in before i could take the picture)

if you'd like to make your own, which i definitely recommend, i found the recipe here on Sea Salt with Food.  This recipe looks exactly how my mom used to make them, the thinly sliced sweet potatoes patties with the shrimp nested in the middle.  a shrimp nest, if you will.  i remember walking into the kitchen and seeing the thin slices of the orange sweet potatoes and shrimp bathing in their batter, as my mom was tending over the hot frying pan.  she made platefuls of these little guys for me and my brothers to chow down on.  she made sure we ate our greens by showing us that we would need to wrap it in lettuce before we ate it.  i miss sitting down with my mom and siblings and enjoying a good home cooked meal.

i hope you try making these yourself, i know i definitely will the next time i get.

thank you for stop by and joining!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

watermelon coconut water

Hello readers!

Due to unfortunate circumstances, I wasn't able to do a style remix but I will give you my food remix. :)

This recipe is perfect for anyone who loves watermelon and coconut water. It's so simple and refreshing.

1. Scoop watermelon into blender
2. Pour coconut water into blender
3. Blend (if you want chunks of watermelon, blend for only 10 seconds or less)
4. Drink and enjoy!

<3, phu

Summer Time

I've just returned from a weekend trip to NYC where the weather's mid 90's and humid. You'd think I'd be juiced to pull out tiny sundresses and shorts. (Fog City summers aren't the warmest.) Unfortunately, a week prior, I took a huge butt flop off a bridge into a river that left both thighs and my behind black and blue. So I turned to maxis with a high-low hem for cool, effortless travel with coverage.

This sheer coral maxi from Urban Outfitters is lined with t-shirt material. So comfy! (And it was on sale ;)

Another thing that's kept me cool in the rare summer heat is this simple watermelon salad. It's similar to the Fresh Peach Side Salad from last year's July post.

Fresh Watermelon Side Salad

• Watermelon, cubed
• Feta, crumbled
• Arugula
• Mint, finely chopped
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

The key is to let the red onion slices marinate in the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper before dressing the rest of the ingredients.

Happy Summer!
<3 C

refreshing (spiked) watermelon lemonade

one word. REFRESHING.

4th of July week was HOT. And the one thing that can cool my buns were watermelons, so I decided to share and make everyone at the BBQ some fresh watermelon lemonade.  Thanks Martha for the inspiration.  I mashed, blended, strained, mix, and eventually spiked the watermelon lemonade.  My friend called it "crunk juice", I think he liked it.  We spiked it with vodka, my rule of thumb, pour until you taste it, or with what you're comfortable with.  We don't need drunken skallywags running around, or we might.  No.. definitely not.

Cool down with a glass of watermelon lemonade, and let me know if you have any special twists to it.  I have a feeling I'll be drinking this a lot this summer.

Thanks for reading!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

vegetable tian

According to Roti n Rice, a tian is "a composite of roasted vegetables sometimes with cheese on top, layered attractively in a shallow dish.  The vegetables are usually sliced into coins and arranged in an alternating manner to form a colorful display".

With summer approaching and eggplants in season, I decided to use the vibrant colors to make a delicious meal.

I originally wanted to use puff pastry to make a flaky crust for the vegetable tian, however, Safeway's The Market, didn't carry it, so I turned to Phu's cauliflower crust as an alternative.  Slicing the beautifully colored vegetables got me all giddy inside.  I was more excited to see the finished product, than to eat it.  That's a first.

This recipe is extremely simple, but be forewarned it can be a little tedious with the slicing, but it's not that bad if you throw in a glass of wine to keep you company. ;)

Vegetable Tian [will need 2 oval baking dishes]

• 1 large eggplant, sliced
• 2 yellow squash, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 5 crushed and chopped garlic gloves
• half a bunch of parsley, chopped
• couple dashes of cayenne
• Phu's cauliflower crust

1. Preheat the over to 450 degrees F.
2. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and set aside to draw out the water for about 15 minutes.
3. Place the bell peppers on a lightly greased baking pan and roast in the oven for approximately 30 minutes.
4. Spread the crust evenly in the two baking dishes.
5. Heat a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, and saute the garlic until lightly browned.  Take the pan off the heat and add the chopped parsley into the hot pan so that it just barely wilts, then add a couple dashes of cayenne.
6. Spread this garlic-parsley-cayenne mix evenly at the bottom of each baking dish.
7. When the bell peppers are done, let cool.
8. When the bell peppers are cooled, alternate the sliced vegetables in any pattern you like.  I divided the baking dish into 4 quadrants and used a different direction for each quadrant. *See picture below.
9. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and place in the oven for about 30 minutes.  Then turn the oven up to 450 degrees F and finish off in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned.
10. Remove from heat and serve warm.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Happy Summer!

Thanks for stopping by!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

lace-trim shorts & cauliflower crust pizza

This DIY is pretty simple - taking some plain jean shorts and adding a little accessory to it. :)

supplies:

2 feet lace/trim

cut off shorts

scissors

needle and thread

pins

Cut the lace into two pieces that will be used as the trim to your shorts.

Pin lace onto the shorts and sew with needle and thread.



Yay! :)

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

2 cups of cauliflower

2 eggs

1 cup of almond meal 

1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Preheat oven 450 degrees 

2. Steam cauliflower until soft and mash in food processor or with a fork into small pieces

2. Combine eggs, coconut oil, and almond meal with mash cauliflower 

3. Form pizza shape and bake in oven for 12-14 mins or  until edges are brown

Take the pizza crust out and add your desire pizza toppings (I mixed 2 tbsp of Italian seasoning into the tomato sauce then add bacon, mushrooms, and two eggs on top) then bake for another 5-10 mins. 

Sorry no picture of this yummy pizza. =/

Thanks for joining me today! :)

<3, phu

Tart to Dye For

This might be the tastiest thing I've made in a really long time. I shared it with the Mushroom Lady, and she actually ate it... ALL! Usually, she asks a bunch of questions, takes a few bites, and hides it somewhere in her van, I'm sure to dispose of later. I'll definitely be making this one again... and sharing with the Mushroom Lady.

Caramelized Onion & Cauliflower Tart

I followed this recipe from Smitten Kitchen, but used a pre-made shell.

I suggest pre-baking the shell a bit before adding the innards to avoid a soggy bottom.

Crochet Dress Turned Ombre Skirt

A while back, I bought a crochet dress that shrunk in the wash... or maybe it was just a tunic to begin with? (That's how long it's been since I wore it.) So I decided to update it with some dye, a pair of scissors, and a hidden zipper. No tutorial for this one, guys. My mom would cry if she saw how messy my sew job was. This is definitely a project to revisit.

cauliflower mac

i love a good mac and cheese, but sometimes the carb overload can make me lethargic for days, so i decided to check out an alternative.  i've done cauliflower mash, so why not cauliflower mac. it was super easy, and oh so delicious!

Cauliflower Mac [serves 4-6]

• head of cauliflower florets
• olive oil, enough to coat the cauliflower
• 3 tablespoon butter
• half onion chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded cheese, you're choice (cheddar, gruyere, etc)
• salt & pepper, to taste

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. toss cauliflower florets in olive oil, salt, and pepper, just to coat.  spread on a baking pan, and pop in the over for about 40 mins
3. melt butter over medium heat, add onions and saute for about 4-5 minutes, until tender
4. add flour and whisk for about 1 minute
5. whisk milk into pot, add cayenne and nutmeg
6. when the milk flour mix has thickened add cheese in 1 cup increments and melt
7. salt and pepper to taste
8. remove cauliflower dish, turn oven to 425 degrees
9. mix cheese mixture into your baking dish of roasted cauliflower, and return to oven for about 10-15 minutes, just to brown the top.
10. serve immediately.

Hope you enjoy this healthy take on mac n cheese! Enjoy!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

Purple Lace Cut Out Back T-shirt & Paleo Asparagus Pesto Sauce

My white tee has become over sized and not worn much so I decided to spice it up a bit by adding purple lace to the back.

You will need: a t-shirt, scissors, 1 inch lace/trim, needle, and thread

Lay your shirt flat and cut about 3 inch sections on back of your shirt

Wrap each lace around each section and sew with needle and thread.

The finish product:

Paleo Asparagus Pesto Sauce

bunch of asparagus
12 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp chopped walnuts
salt and pepper for taste

1. Chop asparagus (remove white ends)
2. Bring water to boil and add in asparagus. Cook for about 2 mins. Remove from heat and cool the asparagus with ice cold water to stop asparagus from cooking.
3. Blend asparagus, olive oil, and walnuts in blender. Add salt and pepper for taste.

I put some of the pesto sauce over some baked salmon. Yum!

P.S. Thank you so much for reading our blog. Happy 1st birthday to our baby F.L.A.N! :)

<3, phu

A Bowl of Rice and a Cup of Tea

My style of cooking consists of digging through the fridge/pantry and throwing everything together. So fried rice is a go-to, all-in-one meal at my place. This time I made fried rice with bacon, shiitake, asparagus, and garlic.

 

Some Tips:

• Day-old rice is best (it's not as moist so it won't get mushy on you)
• Sautee everything separately since they cook at different speeds
• Preheat the rice and fry with sesame oil and/or peanut oil
• Add oyster sauce and soy sauce in conservative amounts to taste
• Add a little chili oil at the end for a subtle kick or pickled veggies for a refreshing bite
• Try white pepper instead of black
• Pack the finished fried rice in a bowl, place a plate on top, flip it over, and top with a fried egg for a pretty presentation

My D.I.Y. approach is similar to my cooking style in that I rummage through accumulated odds and ends, throw something together, and hope it's palatable. As I was walking through SF Chinatown one rainy afternoon, I stumbled upon a little shop of crocheted oddities and various christening paraphernalia. I picked up two cotton doilies for $2.50. They sat in my fabric scrap bin until last night, when I realized I had been wearing the same blue, raw-edge sweater from Urban Outfitters for the last six years! Time for an update.

Instructions:

1. Tea/coffee dye the doilies - This works best on 100% cotton or silk
• Place the items in a small cup (like I did in my My Dear Darling mug)
• Add multiple tea bags or satchels of coffee grinds wrapped in cheese cloth - Tea stains more orange and coffee stains more brown
• Cover with boiling water and leave until satisfied with color
• Rinse in cold water and dry
• Note: The finished product will dry lighter
2. Use pins to hold the doilies in place and sew by hand or on the machine (I just ran a simple stitch around each doily but let the scalloped edge creep into the neckline)
3. Turn inside out and carefully cut away the sleeve to show a little bit of skin

What do you think? The manfriend was afraid I might look like a 1920's football player, but he approved of the finished project ;)

<3 C

asparagus quinoa salad

asparagus is probably one of my top veggies. it's so easy to prepare.  my most common go to is lightly boiling it, and mixing mayo and lemon together for a dip.  or i'll lightly salt with sea salt and bake it off a little bit.

today, i thought i'd try something different for all of you.  i've been eating quinoa like nobodies business lately, and needed to change it up so that it wasn't just a side of grains.

i grabbed half a bunch of asparagus, snapped off the bottoms

chopped them up in about 1/4" pieces, set them aside, took some basil, roughly chopped them, set them aside
took my pan, lightly oiled it, and heated it to medium high, threw in the aspragus to get them tender, and a spoonful of minced garlic (i like garlic)

tossed in the quinoa and halved grape tomatoes, and mixed it all together to heat through. take it off the heat

salt & pepper to taste. top it with fresh basil.
squeezed some lemon over the top. add spoon.

tada, a filling and healthy asparagus quinoa salad

Asparagus & Quinoa Salad [servings 4]

• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa (prepare according to package)
• 1/2 bunch of asparagus
• 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
• cup of halved grape tomatoes
• 2 leaves of fresh basil, cut to your desire
• salt & pepper to taste
• squeeze of half a lemon, squeeze as desired, don't need to squeeze the whole lemon

1. prepare quinoa according to package, set aside
2. wash and chop asparagus to about 1/4" rounds
3. lightly oil your pan, toss the asparagus and garlic in pan, and saute for about 4 mins
4. add the quinoa and grape tomatoes, heat through
5. salt & peper to taste
6. plate, and top with basil and squeeze of lemon
7. add spoon. enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you all enjoy this quick, healthy, and tasty meal.  Let me know how it works out for you!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

shade of new beginnings & avocado pudding

I don't know if other people do what I do - I associate things such as music, food, etc to certain memories and events that I experience. This month's color theme - emerald hues - is associated with new beginnings. :)


blouse: forever21; pink skinnies: urban outfitters



One of my favorite paleo snacks.

Avocado Pudding



2 ripe avocado

honey

almond milk

ice

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (if desire)

Combine all ingredients together into a blender. Blend and enjoy. You may put the pudding in the fridge for about 20 mins if you didn't blend it with ice.

You can add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to make the recipe into a chocolate avocado pudding :)

Thanks for joining us this month!

<3, phu







avocado salad

with my spring travel adventures upon me, comes my insatiable desire to eat everything, every where i go.  so when i'm home, i try to make my meals, quick, simple, and healthy.

what's quicker, simpler, and healthier than an avocado salad that contains just about 5 ingredients? not much.

• Avocado, diced
• Tomato, diced
• Basil, roughly chopped
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Combine all your ingredients into a bowl, mix, eat immediately, or you can let all the flavors marry in the fridge for about an hour.

Thanks for dropping by!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

snowed in with no bake chocolate cake in a mug

Ever since owning this pair of cashmere blend tights from Express, I've worn these a lot under my dresses because they keep me super warm when I'm out and about. I also love this h&m tank top dress because I can dress it up with a leather jacket and accessories or make it casual by layering a shirt over it.  :)

tank top dress: h&m; leather jacket: zara; cashmere tights: express

always laughing and smiling these days ;)



shirt: adapt



No Bake Chocolate Cake in a Mug 

WHAT?! Chocolate cake without using the oven?! Yup. I found this recipe and I knew that I had to try it. 

3 tbs almond meal

2 tbs cocoa powder

2 tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

few dashes of salt

few dashes of cinnamon 

Mix all ingredients together and set in microwave for 2 minutes. 

Surprisingly, the cake turned out pretty good. Thanks for joining us this month! I can't believe March is around the corner. I can't wait for spring here in Chicago. :)

<3, phu

Warm and Fuzzy

The brisk, and recently rainy, weather has me wanting to bundle up and stay inside. And the best way to keep the apartment warm is to put something in the oven. I used what I had to avoid a grocery run but worked from these recipes for Bittersweet Chocolate and Cardamom Cupcakes and Cream Cheese Frosting. They turned out great, substitutions and all. (HINT: For every cup of buttermilk needed, add 1 tsp of vinegar to 1 cup and fill with milk. Let sit for 5-15 minutes before use.)

As much as I want to stay inside with my baked goods, I have to go to work. Don't let the Bay Area Sun fool you. It's freaking cold. Here's my alternative to the usual scarf, coat, and boots combo: chambray, striped sweater, skinnies, and booties. I added a camisole and knee highs underneath it all for extra warmth.

Apparently, fancy hair to me translates into, "Put a braid in it."

Stay warm!

<3 C

chocolate chip & blueberry muffins

chocolate chip & blueberry muffins [makes 12]

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease muffin pans, or line them with liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Add milk, egg, and butter.
3. Mix until ingredients are moistened.  Do not overmix.  Stir in blueberries and chocolate chips.
4. Spoon batter into the muffins (about 2/3 - 3/4 full).
5. Bake in oven for about 20 mins, until the tops spring back when lightly touched.

Serve warm and enjoy!

ooey gooey fresh blueberries & melted chocolate

i love the slightly crunchy flakey tops of the muffins.  great to grab and go for breakfast, and packed with antioxidants ;)

thank you for reading, and hope you all enjoy this recipe!

<3 roe [a roesy life]

Birthday Dress & Strawberry Beet Brownies

I love lace and this dress caught my eye several years ago which has become my LBD. I wore this outfit for one of my many birthday celebrations this month. :)

dress: forever21, shoes: steve maddens, purse: katespade

necklace: charlotte russe 

I usually don't eat beets unless I order it at a restaurant and the likely-hood of that happening isn't high. As I researched for recipes, this one caught my eye and I had to try it. 

Strawberry Beet Brownies 

1 cup roasted beets

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

3 tablespoon of almond milk

4 eggs

6 medjools dates, pitted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup of coconut flour

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup strawberries, chopped 

(I cheated and used Trader Joe's steam beets and frozen strawberries)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a pan

2. In a blender, pulse beets, coconut oil, almond milk, eggs, dates, vanilla extract and strawberries until smooth

3. In a bowl, add salt, baking soda, cinnamon, coconut flour, and cocoa powder together and whisk into wet ingredients 

4. Pour batter into the greased pan 

5. Bake for 40 mins or until toothpick comes out clean when stuck in

Maybe it was because I used steamed beets instead of roasted beets and frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries but the brownies tasted interesting. It didn't taste bad but it's definitely not like a regular brownie. I did liked these brownies more with a nice scoop of mint chocolate chip gelato though haha. My roommate however said that he loved it since it wasn't too sweet.

Thank you for dropping by and reading the last remix of the year. Have a safe, blessed, and happy new year everyone!! :)

<3, phu