Figs, mustard, and toast

Today is the first day of fall! That said, though, the temperature in NYC is warm (big news, I’ve moved to New York…!). With my move from Tokyo to New York, my eyes are catching everything because there’s a whole lot of new food and ingredients that are new to me, and even the size…

Concoct your summer vegetable salad

Some people tell me I eat like a rabbit, which could be true at times, but don’t worry because I do eat other things than vegetables. I post vegetable dishes frequently because I tend to have abundant stock of vegetables at home, and I must say sometimes over stock of it that I need to…

Fourth of July watermelon granita

Happy Independence Day with watermelon granita! My goal was to make a granita but my patience did not tolerate and this turned into more like a watermelon mocktail, a drink that’s pregnant-friendly with superfoods and with no added sugar.  Ingredients: For the slush Watermelon, 1/2 of large watermelon Lime, one for slush; another for wedges…

Acai bowl at home

Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’m in search of non-heated foods and fruit bowls, and acai bowl came to my mind. My first time having acai bowl was when Amalia bought home non-commercialized frozen acai from the street vendors in Rio de Janeiro (my post here). This was some legitimate local acai, which…

Easy prep olives and cottage cheese endive appetizer (Cottage cheese substitute also on the blog)

I just did my wikipedia research and found that endive has more than ten names… what? That is a lot of names to memorize for one vegetable. So I chose to pick up endive (in Japan, they call these chicory) for a home lunch gathering since I wanted to bring something in (… and to…

Warm swiss chard salad

It was in college when I discovered swiss chard, which was when I lived in the land of USA and wandered around Trader Joes and Whole Foods for fun. During that time, I was exposed to a lot of new foods that I hadn’t known before, and this was one of them. I don’t think I came…

Valentine’s Banana Muffin

Valentine’s prepping this year was lots of fun because I was on a baking mission. I hardly bake because I don’t have an oven at home and because I’m more on the savory food making side, but I borrowed my mom’s kitchen (aka my fav and most beautiful and practical kitchen of my liking, not…

Apple cider vinegar and shungiku green juice

Many know that I love my magic bullet, which is my favorite kitchen tool after THE ultimate spatula. I use the magic bullet most often to make my green juice, which I usually end up making with whatever is in the fridge and freezer that sound like a good concoction to me that day. Honest truth: sometimes…

Health through colors

Health – is one of the biggest themes for me in 2017. I always write down my new year resolutions, and I have maybe 7-8 agenda points. Health is always on it as food, nutrition, physical, mental health. That’s why I want to make myself more knowledgeable in this field, so I not only take…

Kolinky – Favorite pumpkin recipe and roasted seeds

I often get my cup of coffee at Streamer Coffee Company in Gohongi, and I picked up a new vegetable called Kolinky from Greenman’s Market. This vegetable looks like a pumpkin, but it’s much smaller than a typical Japanese pumpkin, and it weighs more than it looks. So out of its pumpkin meat, I made…

Fermented food: natto

Kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, miso… these ingredients have been getting attention in the food industry for several years now. They are categorized as fermented foods, food that are good for your gut. From ancient food history, it has been a common practice to have fermented food in Japan. For example, miso (fermented soybean paste) and soy sauce are originally…

Savory French Toast at Grand Lake Kitchen, Oakland California

I was in Oakland, California for a day and a bit a few weeks ago, and I knew that I would be grabbing lunch in the area. I had a Mexican dinner planned and also another meal to discover for myself, so I went on Yelp to find the good eats and found this savory…