Our day on a plate

Breakfast: unsalted almond butter on whole-wheat toast, chia seed pudding topped with fresh blueberries, banana.

Chia seed pudding is a newfound favorite. So good, and so good for you, since it's a source of fiber, protein, and omega 3. I just mixed 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, and some clover honey (to taste) together, soaked it overnight so the seeds can plump up, and topped it with blueberries for breakfast in the morning. I heard you can substitute for coconut/almond milk and agave nectar as well. Serene loves chia seed pudding too; it tastes like tapioca pudding, but is way healthier. We had it with toast spread with almond butter and banana - I had more toast than banana, and Serene had more banana than toast.


Lunch: baby spinach and tri-colored quinoa salad with Persian cucumbers, grape tomatoes, Clementine oranges, avocado, and blueberries for mama. A deconstructed salad of quinoa, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, Clementine oranges, blueberries, avocado, corn on the cob, crunchy broccoli florets, and a pita wedge for baby.

I'm so happy to have finally checked out a local farmers market that sells fresh produce for so cheap, thanks to a friend's recommendation. I was elated in there; I think I bought a gigantic box of different fruits, veggies, and herbs for only $9.00. Therefore, we made use of some of the tastiness for lunch, with quinoa for protein. I like my salads dressing-free, and Serene is not a fan of raw leafy greens (yet?), so I made her a deconstructed salad of sorts comprising of everything in my salad except for spinach, and added a pita wedge, crunchy broccoli florets, and corn on the cob. She loves corn on the cob, and would happily eat through a few cobbettes for a meal. She ate everything else, except for the cucumbers and most of the quinoa. This was her first time sampling the seed, so I'm not surprised. Here's to hoping she'll develop a liking, or tolerance, for quinoa in the future.


Afternoon snack: baby carrots dipped in hummus, yellow cherries, grapes.

I don't like condiments in general, and will often use hummus, pesto, or avocado as substitutes. Like baby carrots dipped in tasty hummus. Serene can't have them yet, but she had cherries and grapes with me. Yellow cherries are my favorite fruit, and I was so happy to find them at the farmers market, even though it isn't exactly cherry season. Serene loves fruit in general, especially yellow cherries. She is fond of grapes too, just as Alex is.


Dinner: soy braised pork with tofu and boiled eggs over Japanese white rice, garlic sautéed bok choy, chicken soup with carrots and potatoes.

As I get older, I miss my mom's cooking more and more. We always had humble, comforting dishes over white rice as I was growing up, and I've been itching to learn how to whip up more Chinese home cooking. I think my mom makes the best Chinese food in the world, but she's so pro that she never measures her ingredients. I've been asking other family members and friends for basic recipes, and I was so excited to try a couple of them out. A Chinese meal at home almost always requires a clear soup, a protein dish, and a veggie dish. My dearest friend gave me some tips on making chicken soup with carrots and potatoes; it turned out being super easy, refreshingly tasty, and reminiscent of my childhood. The veggie dish was bok choy sautéed in a bit of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallot, and ginger. My sweet cousin shared a basic template for soy braised pork, so I played around with what I had in the kitchen, and adapted it into a yummy soy braised pork with tofu and boiled eggs. We all loved it, and I think I'll be making it more often (and will be sharing the recipe on this space soon).

See other foods we eat on a typical day here.