Tag Archives: Spring

Baked Almond Coconut Curry Crusted Tilapia

Poor tilapia. It’s often passed by in the store for its tasty sea cousins salmon or tuna. It’s never really the star of the show. Why? I have no idea… It’s such a wonderful little white fish. It’s so versatile, healthy, quick and easy to make, and best of all cheap, cheap, cheap!

Are you a fan of fish? Most people reply “yes, as long as it does not have the fishy taste to it.” Touché. Me, I could eat fish every day if I could. It never gets old! So many ways and unlimited possibilities to marinate, grill, bake, sear, broil, eat raw…. Yum, Yum, and YUM!

Tonight tilapia was the show stopper at our house for dinner. Plus, if you were one of those people that do not dig the fishy taste, or are new to eating fish, I have an excellent recipe below to share with you.

Baked Almond Coconut Curry Crusted Tilapia

Recipe slightly adapted from FamilyFreshCooking

Ingredients:

4 Thawed Tilapia filets
1 TSP Curry powder
1/4 Cup Unsalted Almonds
1/4 Cup Unsweetened Coconut Flake
Ground fresh black Pepper to taste
Coconut oil

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. lightly coat pan with coconut oil. Pulse in food processor the almonds, coconut flake, curry, and pepper to taste. Coat tilapia with coconut oil then dredge fish in the curry powder, almonds, and coconut flake mixture, as you would with breadcrumbs.

Once in baking pan, sprinkle a few pinches of the unsweetened coconut and curry powder on top of the fish already coated with the above mixture.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Test tilapia to ensure cooked through & flakey.

Enjoy! Please feel free to let me know what you think.

Rhythm

We have a beautiful rhythm together, you and I. I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Spring Wedding

Today was an absolute breathtaking day for a Spring wedding! The sun came out, the temperature was warm in the sun, cool in the shade, the birds were chirping, everything in budding and blooming. Ah… just breathtaking!

We attended Mr. B’s co-worker’s wedding in Seoul earlier this afternoon. Such a beautiful ceremony! It was half in Korean and half in English (how fun is that?). The pastor was outstanding too, some of the best vows and sermon that we have heard yet. Particularly the part that sticks with us is the joke he cracked about Adam and Eve. He said, “GOD, why did you make Eve so beautiful? God replied, so that you will love her. Adam then says, GOD, why did you make Eve’s skin so soft? God replied so that you would love her. Adam then asks, GOD why did you make Eve so stupid? God respond, so that she would love you…” . LOL!

All jokes aside, the vows were a strong message about upholding your marriage, your friendship, your commitment to one another forever. Once you are married your best friend is your spouse. What a beautiful reminder to each and every one of the audience attending the ceremony.

The bride and groom were such a gorgeous couple. Seriously, look how cute they are! Happy, smiling, and now not only husband and wife, but best friends forever too.

Congratulations you two! We wish you nothing but a life long of good health and happiness together forever and ever!

Promise

The weather hasn’t fully submitted yet here in Korea. As the Spring weather typically seems to do every year, it’s quite capricious, here we all feel the seasonal pangs of change. I see glimpses of the promising summer seasonal bliss while riding my bike, even if I have to still wear a heavy jacket.

At last, life is full of sweet promise, as only it can be in Spring.

Sunday Morning Poached Eggs

You know what? Poaching an egg is very intimidating and unknown territory when it comes to a mediocre cook. Truly, I can say this from experience. Believe it or not, I never poached an egg until this morning. Boy, they are tricky little guys!

I found that using a small bowl to slowly slide the egg into the almost boiling water worked the best. Thank goodness for good old Google and some tips from Real Simple magazine to help me keep calm and cook on.

Fresh eggs are key. My eggs are fairly fresh, but not fresh-fresh, like snatched right out from under the hen fresh. When I think of fresh eggs, I instantly think of my grandparents that raise chickens. Sometimes they tell me they have so many eggs, they often run out of creative ways to use them up. Maybe after they read this post they will want to poach some eggs too?

What are your thoughts on poached eggs? Have any tips or tricks to getting them perfect?

All Things Pink

Beautifully wrapped pink little packages, fresh strawberry punch, delicious pink lemon flavored cupcakes, pink cray paper pom-pom balls, and some of the sweetest ladies a girl could ask to surround herself with.

These things can only mean one thing…

It’s a girl!

This weekend was all about celebrating and showering our dear sweet friend Krista. Her special little Jilly-bean is due to make her big debut into this world shortly, and we are all so terribly excited to meet her!

Congratulations Krista and Dave, Can’t wait to meet the new addition!

While Spring Is Making Promises Outside

Hello from here, where the big news is spring. Big flowery cotton like blossoms in the most gorgeous shades of pink and white are popping up all over Korea, even this far North. While I cannot say that we’ve been up to anything earth shattering or groundbreaking as of late, we have been making it a point to get out and see all of the incredible seasonal changes occurring right around our home. One bloom in particular is the cherry blossom trees here in Korea. Breathtaking!

I took these last night while on our stroll home from date night. The moon was shining brightly, the sky was a beautiful deep blue. Ah! I just couldn’t help myself from snapping some photos to share with you all.

Have a great weekend, we’ll chat soon!

Color On A Colorless Day

We awoke this morning to such tragic news headlines. Two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston marathon, killing at least three people and seriously injuring hundreds. . . REALLY? Do we REALLY live in this kind of world? The kind of world where we have to be afraid to go outside of our own homes? The kind of world where we can never truly let our guard down? It makes me cringe and makes my heart ache. Unfortunately, it’s never going to get better or go back to the way it was years ago. All states could ban guns, weapons, you name it… it wont ever change what our society has become. There isn’t any turning back. Ever. Incredibly scary!

There isn’t a week that goes by where we don’t have family or close friends telling us to come back to the states. To be completely frank, we know that there is no true safe place in the world. No place that a person can ever escape harms way. However, days like today make our dinner conversations surround topics such as, how we feel safer with our neighbors to the North threatening nuclear war than the US where you have to worry about little Timmy shanking his kindergarten teachers and classroom classmates. Who knows, maybe those neighbors to the North will have us eating our words in a few hours, days, weeks, months, or even years. But in this moment, this is how we feel.

In honor of such a colorless day, I decided we needed something for dinner that had life and color to it. I knew just what to use for inspiration! My Cambodian cookbook that I purchased in Phnom Penh from an NGO, called Friends that I fell in love with while there.

The recipe, Green Mango Slaw. If you find yourself in the same boat as us, without access to green mango, no worries! The recipe still will work out just fine with a regular not too ripe mangoes.

Green Mango Slaw

Recipe slightly adapted from Phnom Penh Friends restaurant.

Serves four

Ingredients:

2 Mangoes, not too ripe, peeled and shredded

1 Bag of brocoli slaw, use the kind with carrots and red cabbage

1 Medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

1/2 Medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp fresh basil, thinly chopped

1 Tbsp black sesame seeds

1 Tbsp white sesame seeds

Ingredients for dressing:

1 Cup Thai sweet chili sauce

1 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions:

Pour all of the dressing ingredients in a jar with lid and shake well. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all the slaw ingredients except sesame seeds. Toss slaw with the dressing, divide between four plates and sprinkle with the seeds.

You can eat this dish completely on its own, or serve with a nice piece of chicken or fish. We opted for a side of Mahi-Mahi fish. Perfect pairing to the slaw.

Hope a little color has been added back into your colorless day too.

Tofu Parmesan

“People tend to be more tofu-like, able to absorb whatever environment they’re dropped into. But where does the adaptability end and your actual personality begin?”–Sloane Crosley

While making dinner tonight, I couldn’t stop thinking about Sloane Crosley’s tofu quote. First, I just so happened to be making tofu, and secondly it made me think of a conversation that I had with my dear friend over the weekend.

Do you think that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery? Or, do you find that it just drives you batty?

Why do people struggle to just be themselves around others? Do you think they have any idea how they come across to others?

I know, this post is just full of unanswered questions. Lately these things continue to plague my mind.

Anyone have advice, insight, or comments out there?

Tofu Parmesan

Recipe Adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:

1 large block of firm tofu

1 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Ground Flaxseed Meal

1 Tsp Ground mustard

1 Tsp Chili powder

1/2 Tsp cumin

1/2 Tsp Sea salt

1/2 Tsp Paprika

1/2 Tsp Cracked black pepper

1/2 Tsp Korean red pepper flakes

1 Pinch of garlic salt

1/2 Cup liquid egg white Egg Beaters

*(Optional toppings) Marinara sauce, fresh basil, grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 200 °C, 400°F. Prepare a baking pan and line with aluminum foil. Use Misto or cooking spray and lightly coat aluminum foil. Set pan aside for prepared tofu.

First drain the water from the tofu. You will need to continue to blot the tofu with paper towels, as well as place something heavy on top of the tofu to help the draining process. You do not need to be exact and precise, however draining the water helps the tofu texture get crispier when baked.

Cut tofu into long rectangles. Or, cut into rectangles like I did.

Place egg in shallow dish. Combine remaining seasonings/ Pank0 bread crumbs -Ground Flaxseed Meal, Ground mustard, Chili powder, cumin, Sea salt, Paprika, Cracked black pepper, Korean red pepper flakes, and garlic salt into another shallow dish.

Dip tofu into egg mixture then into the seasoning and panko bread crumb mixture. Coat the tofu evenly and place onto the baking pan.

Bake tofu for 20-25 minutes, turn tofu over 10-15 minutes into cook time.

Top with marinara sauce, fresh basil, and grated mozzarella cheese.

Hmmm… Not sure what to whip up with your tofu? Why not a side of mushrooms? These are not just any mushrooms, they are AMAZING mushrooms. Don’t take my word for it, try them out for yourself.

Moscato Mushrooms

Ingredients:

8 Whole Button mushrooms, sliced

5 Tbsp EVOO, or Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Minced garlic

1 Tsp Cracked black pepper

4 Tbsp Moscato

1 pinch Sea salt

1 pinch Garlic salt

1 pinch Italian seasoning

Directions:

Heat EVOO or olive oil in large pan, toss in minced garlic, sauté for 1 minute.

Drop sliced mushrooms into the pan. Cook until mushrooms are just starting to get tender (you can cover) stirring as needed.

Once tender, sprinkle italian seasoning, garlic salt, and black pepper on mushrooms. Pour in moscato, stir a bit, and serve.

A-Hiking We Will Go!

One of the many, many, things that I adore about Korea is the endless mountain trails that you can hike. If you have followed our blog up until this point, you know that we have hiked some beautiful places in various parts of Korea.

I feel like hiking is taken to another level in Korea. To be considered a serious hiker, you need to dress the part. I am talking dressing to the nines. Matching hiking boots, hiking pants, hiking jacket, hat, sunglasses, gloves, backpack, and walking poles or stick. PS. your backpack better come packed with the essential makgeolli or soju too. These people know how to have a good ol’ time while they get their hike on. As you can see…I am not a serious hiker. I mean come on, what tee-shirt am I wearing? “Lettuce, Turnip, the beets” ha-ha-ha!

Back to the topic of actually hiking, some of my co-workers and I woke up bright and early and hit the trails near our home this morning. I struggled getting out of bed so early knowing it was a Saturday. The snooze button may or may not have been hit a handful of times. Once I got up, grabbed a cup of joe and a banana, I was good to go!

The sun was shining! Birds were chirping! The air was so fresh! Bits of greens and flowers were starting to peak from the earth! The endorphins were pumping! Plus we beat the Korean billy-goat crowds! It was an absolutely wonderful morning and great time getting to know one another more outside of the office.

How did you spend your Saturday morning? Hope it was just as beautiful for you too!