I definitely need these bars now as I exercise more so I decided to make my own as I can’t afford to buy imported ones. The only disadvantage is that you have to freeze them and eat them quickly, otherwise if you leave it on the counter for too long, it’s going to be mushy. :( I would have to experiment to find ways to make a drier version. But for now, I really enjoy my fresh energy bar.

I always wanted a large, open, bright, interactive European-style kitchen, like the ones advertised in Ikea catalogs. You can talk to your friends while cooking; they could lend a helping hand when you need it, or put on music. To make myself feel more comfortable, I have actually started to put a small speaker on my mp3 player in the kitchen so I don’t feel so bored when I spend time there, cooking and washing stuff.

Anyway enough complaining. :P Today I decided to bake a dense bread with nuts and seeds. Usually quick breads taste better on the second day, but I know I will be too eager to eat it, so I scheduled the baking time in the evening. After baking I go to bed, and then the next morning I will have my bread ready for breakfast. ;-) This is a very versatile bread that goes well with either sweet jam or savory spreads, and I especially enjoy it when I toast the slices again so they become crispy and crunchy.

On Dec 13th, a special Swedish tradition called St. Lucia  takes place where an elected Lucia wears a crown of candles (of course nowadays it is powered by batteries, especially when it’s supposed to be worn by small kids), and dressed in a white gown with red girdle comes with her handmaidens and star boys, singing the Lucia Song. St Lucia brings light to the darkness of the world. I fell in love with it when I first saw the Gothic version of St. Lucia in Absolut Vodka’s Nordic legend advertisement series.

Since the Middle Ages Swedish people have been known to drink glögg during Advent, a spiced mulled wine. The word “glögg”comes from an older verb “glödga” which is not commonly used in Sweden anymore and it means “heated up”. The drink is usually served warm, and comes in different flavors, but the most common one is made of red wine and different spices, and this helps fighting the cold in chilly winter. Almonds and raisins also go with the wine, as well as ginger thins (a thin gingerbread-like crackers). “Glögg” also has a non-alcoholic version which is made from the juice from dark berries instead of red wine. In the winter time it’s easy to get “Glögg” in the local market or a grocery store in Sweden. In China, of course the best place to find it is Ikea. You can warm the bottle in a pot of hot water, then serve the warm contents. Or, you can also try to make it from scratch. ;-)

My best advice for those people is to start by trying meat alternatives. Soy protein or wheat-gluten have very chewy textures, and can resemble some cooked meats pretty well. Of course it’s not exactly the same, but at least it could be an easier transition. When it’s well prepared with familiar flavors, people are happy to eat it, without questioning too much whether it’s real meat or not.

So I came up with a veganized traditional meat dish. For someone from a meat-eating background, perhaps the second they saw this dish they would think of a meat and potato dish. It’s such a hearty, fulfilling and warm meal, perfect for a chilly winter evening. I finished a big plate with some black and brown rice. :D

The movie is about belief, your relationship with God, people, animals and nature. Pi has a strict and realistic father, who always tries to teach him the cruel reality of the world; while his mother, having a kind heart, understands more about his spiritual seaching. I think it’s interesting how he tries to embrace different religions and avidly practises different rituals. Though, the core message is his faith in God, the grace and truth he has been taught give him the courage and power to survive the disaster.

I particularly remember how he struggles when he has to kill a fish to survive, being a vegetarian, he cries and cries saying sorry while thanking God for saving him. It’s also sweet of him to try to take care of Richard Parker, the tiger who, although scares Pi, gives him companionship, which becomes his motivation to continue. The night scene where all the fishes form the face of his mother is very touching as well. Of course the second version of story is scary, disturbing and terribly cruel, but I’d rather believe that he made the journey with Richard Parker. There was also one line that touches me deeply: “All of life is an act of letting go but what hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.” Just like how he loses his family, and how Richard Parker never turns his head back once they reach land. I think back on my life and there were also moments like this. Some of those memories keep haunting me and I can’t let go. A proper farewell is important for one to move on.

Anyways, on a lighter note, I made some cupcakes, inspired by Indian chai tea and spices. I love Indian food and how they utilize various of spices to increase the flavor. The only disadvantage is that sometimes it’s too hot for me to eat, or the food doesn’t look so appealing. :P

The good thing about animal protein (if we ignore the animals suffering and dying) is that it’s complete, so you don’t need to take amino acids from various other foods. The bad thing is that animal protein is laden with fat, cholesterol, residues of hormones and a concentration of pesticides and antibiotics, and all these bad characteristics overwrite the good ones. It also contributes to acidifying of our body, which results in calcium leaking from our bones in an attempt to balance the body’s Ph value. An acidic environment is believed to be one of the causes of cancers. Another reason for avioding excess protein is it makes our kidneys overwork to process it.

On a lighter note, while most plants don’t have a complete protein profile, by eating various foods your body automatically takes bits from each resource to satisfy its needs. And the good news is that you don’t have to eat them all in one meal. Your body is clever enough to do its own job by combining them. Not to mention, there are certainly some foods available with complete protein, such as soybeans and quinoa. Of course, you don’t have to eat them every day, like I said, just try to combine various plant foods, your body will do its job. ;-) Here is a dish that contains tofu and its more “meaty” counterparts for the new, wannabe vegans to try.

I think the wonderful thing is that it doesn’t take much time to cook, you only need to wash one pot, and you have the soup, grain and vegetables all combined into one dish, no extra preparation is needed. Even though I do enjoy cooking, I don’t always like washing dishes. When I am busy with other things, and our ayi (housekeeper) is not available, I prefer to cook something simple like this. And it’s such a wonderful soup on a cold and rainy day, I can eat this soup with some nice vegan rye bread or whole grain bread.

Some pasta dishes are really easy to make, this one I made today is an example. Arrabbiata, literally means “angry” in Italian, it got its name because this sauce contains chilli powder so it’s very hot. It’s probably one of the simplest pasta dishes to cook, easier than pasta with basic tomato sauce. You only need garlic and tomatoes as the basic ingredients, and of course, the hot chilli powder as well. So cook one for yourself, and enjoy it in the bright sunshine. Maybe the chilli will ignite your passion; whatever it is. ;-)

I am not a frequent peanut butter eater, probably because I prefer almonds to peanuts. Unfortunately almonds are expensive here, and almond butter is unavailable. Of course you can always try to make your own, but without a professional machine it doesn’t come out smooth and creamy. Since natural peanut butter doesn’t keep long after opening, I use it as an ingredient in sauces or put it into smoothies, or make it into cookies.

These peanut butter cookies are really easy to make and with the jam inside it’s simply the cookie version of the classic PB&J toast. The natural peanut butter makes the cookies super soft and creamy, I can feel it melting in my mouth! Though due to its fat and sugar content, this is not a daily dessert. You can certainly enjoy two or three cookies per day, but definitely not 10. :P

Luckily, I don’t miss the egg dishes I used to enjoy. I just found other ways to cook food. For instance, instead of the scrambled eggs, I eat scrambled tofu. Full of protein and equally tasty, with a bit tumeric to color it yellow so it is visually appealing (or should I say nostalgic ;) ) this dish is definitely worth trying for your Sunday breakfast, or brunch.