Category: Daily Happy

Kimchi Tofu

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Crispy and golden, yet delectably soft tofu holding up a spoonful of aromatic and spicy kimchi, it’s the perfect bite for a night in.

Sometimes at the beginning or end of the day, you scour the pantry and fridge just trying to figure out what to eat. There must be some treasure at the back of the fridge, right? On these particular days, I find making tofu + kimchi the perfect dish for a lazy or worn out soul.

Nowadays, fermented foods are taking the world by storm. New food fads, diets, or just plain ol’ adventurous eater will encounter sauerkraut, kimchi, or natto. There are many health benefits that come with eating these types of foods, but I won’t get into that. I’ll leave it up to you and this informative book to aid you into further learning.

Back to the main star for tonight, pan fried tofu with stir fried (or refrigerated) kimchi is the perfect combination in any season, meal, and event. This dish can be easily made at any time of the day and provides satisfaction all the way!

Essentially what happens in this dish is lightly pan frying the tofu slices until they’re crispy on the outside then tossing the kimchi in the pan afterwards to soften and enhance the flavors of the cabbage. And that’s it! A quick and simple side dish to accompany your lunch or dinner, or maybe a simple plate for a quiet afternoon.

(2 servings; Time-20 minutes)

You’ll need:

  • 1 package of firm tofu
  • 1 cup of kimchi
  • salt
  • oil
  • sesame seeds (optional)
  • sesame oil (optional)
  1. Drain the package of tofu and cut the tofu into slices (8-12 slices, depending on the package).
  2. Pat dry on a plate and sprinkle salt on both sides. Leave for 5 minutes.
  3. Drain the tofu again, being cautious not to break the tofu!
  4. Heat up a pan and add 3 tablespoons of oil.
  5. Add tofu slices into the pan, making sure the tofu slices are coated with oil on the bottom.
  6. The tofu will start to turn color on the bottom, signaling that it is browning up to a wonderful crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Flip over when golden.
  7. Cook on the other side.
  8. After the tofu is done, arrange on a plate and let it rest.
  9. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 table spoon of neutral oil into the pan.
  10. Add in the kimchi, fry up until fragrant and translucent.
  11. When you see the kimchi is softened, arrange onto the same plate as the tofu. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds.
  12. Eat!

The variations on this is that you can also add in other vegetables with the kimchi to make it a more robust and filling dish. Kimchi can also be eaten straight from the jar or box, so you can fry up the tofu and add on fresh kimchi if you are in a hurry.

This is a good vegetarian option for those who are looking for a Meatless Monday, or want to slowly adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, without leaving out the spices or taste. If tofu is the foundation of this dish, then kimchi is the main topper for this, but you need both for it to work out. Many people have a nice bowl of steaming rice on the side and maybe a few pieces of roasted seaweed for a complete meal. Whatever way you decide to mix and match, I’m sure it’ll come out wonderfully!

Hope this post was helpful and please leave any questions/comments below~

Red Bean Buns

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Ah, finally a bread post! I’ve been waiting so long for this, but my indecisiveness was holding me captive. Today, I’ll share some tips and tricks for making red bean buns, Asia’s most popular bread!

Sold just about anywhere in bakeries, red bean buns come in all shapes and forms. In Japan, they’re called AnPan (あんパン), just like the famous superhero Anpanman. Koreans have 단팥빵 and 찐빵, where the difference is baked or steamed buns. 豆沙包 is the best in China and is also called 紅豆包. There are so many variations, it would take forever to get to through all of them!

The way I made my red bean buns is having an easy milk bread base and adding in red bean paste. I like having a shiny golden top, so I baked mine. I found it especially easy to have a base that you can build on as well as simple enough to make with limited ingredients. I adapted my milk bread from Woman Scribbles and I will put the link at the end of the post.

Beans, beans, beans! Red bean paste is super hard to make and I don’t think I would ever have the patience to do it. If you want to learn more about it, the movie An (あん), is an amazing movie and you can learn about the process of making red bean paste. So, my alternative is supermarket canned red bean paste! I do have to say though, some of them are a lot sweeter than the ones in Asia, so spoon wisely. I make the bread a little less sweet so that it isn’t as overwhelming.

To sum it up easily, I made the milk bread, bought canned red bean paste, and spooned them in before baking them.

Red Bean Buns

  • 2/3 heavy cream (you can substitute this with 2/3 milk and two tbsp of butter)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 tbsp yeast
  • 1 & 1/2 tsp salt
  • egg wash (1 egg & 1 tbsp milk)
  • 1 can red bean paste
  • optional: sesame seeds
  1. Combine the milk and cream in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.
  2. In a bowl, add together the milk+cream, egg, sugar, flour, yeast, and salt.
  3. Mix together; it will be sticky and get all over your hands, but after a few minutes it will come together.
  4. Knead for 15 minutes, or put it in a bread machine.
  5. Set in a warm place for around an hour, or until it doubles in size.
  6. Grease pans while they are proofing.
  7. After rising, knock back (or excitedly punch down) and knead for a few minutes.
  8. Roll the dough out and make around 12-13 even rolls.
  9. Open the can of red bean paste.
  10. Flatten out the rolls and spoon in red bean paste (just about 1 or 1&1/2 tbsp). (Think of it like making dumplings.) Close them up and pinch the top, roll them around to make it round and place the sealed top down.
  11. Divide into pans and cover for 30-60 minutes.
  12. Preheat to 350F/176C.
  13. Make the egg wash and brush on top of the buns.
  14. Bake for 23-25 minutes, or when the buns are golden and the bottoms are lightly browned.
  15. Cool them on a rack and eat!
  16. **Optional: put sesame seeds on top after egg wash.

Milk bread is really soft already, so it makes for a good covering for the soft red bean paste. This recipe is also fool proof for me; I’ve made it at least 5 times already and they come out to be perfect and the same every time.

The dough is also very moist and sticky and will definitely stick to your hands. My only tip is to keep kneading and punching that dough. After a few minutes it will come together and form a nice ball to knead. Also refrain from adding additional flour because it will harden the dough and it will come out stiffer.

Other recipes also call for tapioca flour, cake flour, or other additions, so be creative!

The recipe I have adapted this from is https://www.womanscribbles.net/milk-bread/

Go and check out her website, it’s amazing! Also, if anyone had any additional tips or comments, please put them down below! I would love to hear about about it.

White Castles in the Sky

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No, not Laputa, sadly. Instead, we will go high into the mountains of the Sierra Nevada to see the white villages of La Alpujarra. This section of Andalusia is still a hidden gem and you’ll find that this is a destination you won’t want to share with others. The drive up gives you Spanish “Sound of Music” feels and there are handfuls of lookout points along the way.

Lanjarón: One of the lower villages before heading up to Pampaneira

Pampaneira was our first official stop, one we knew was the main tourist site. Most tour buses stop here because the town is a lot bigger than the others and most aesthetically pleasing. There were many cafes and restaurants, as well as the famous chocolate shop, Abuela ili. Expect to run into multiple cats sunbathing on the corner of buildings or quietly observing humans!

  • Our tour guide for the day!

The streams in the middle of walkways are one of the most photographed items in the village. They do make for a great photo op! It creates the feeling of the perfect quaint village and the water has been said to have healing properties. There are many local vendors, ranging from homemade jams and marmalade to throws and rugs.

Our next stop was the second highest village. This was the one that most people don’t really stop at but the quiet and stillness of this village gave you the sensation of actually being able to settle down there. (If my memory is correct, this is village Pitres.)

The church is a great pit stop for a break before venturing on!
The white houses are an alluring contrast to the dark mountains in the distance.

One last jump to the last village, Trevélez. Probably one of the more exciting villages in my opinion because if there is a landing strip for Laputa, it may as well be here. It was supposed to snow and lots of clouds were rolling in so it felt like we were in a cloud heaven. I don’t think I’ve been so close to actually touching a cloud.

I would definitely recommend this tour to get out of the city and see other faces of Spain. The whole tour spanned maybe 8 hours, including pick up and drop off. (I’ll add details below!) It wasn’t tiring at all and there was time for our own wandering in all of the villages. The tour included a lunch option which was nice because when could you ever have Iberian ham at the top of a snowing mountain?

Because of the small group, we were able to pick out what we wanted to do (photography and wander around) rather go to the tourist traps. La Alpujarra was most certainly one of the highlights of my trip to Spain. As a mountain person, it felt like I was at home for those 8 hours.

If you need any more persuading, this is definitely one of the trips that you can squeeze in when you’ve seen all of Granada. I was recommended Nerja and Frigiliana, the beach option to contrast with Alpujarra’s mountain option. Nerja and Frigiliana were booked through so I ended up with the mountains and not a second do I regret it. You can learn a lot of history from the tour guide and experience what it’s like to be a local. The villages are small and we were given a walk through for each one, even with our time restraint.

Let me finish off with some final pictures before the links for the tours!

  • One of the best smelling bakeries in the area

I went with the GetYourGuide website and here are the websites for the:

La Alpujarras: https://www.getyourguide.com/granada-l207/la-alpujarra-day-trip-from-granada-t41379/

Nerja and Frigiliana: https://www.getyourguide.com/granada-l207/day-tour-to-frigiliana-nerja-from-granada-t153579/

Carbs for LIFE

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Today is a bread day. Sadly, I am occupied with being a caretaker most of the day so I will think about back when I was baking almost everyday.

BREAD!

  • Whole wheat loaf

The love of my life. Many people always assume making bread is hard and takes a lot of time. I agree, it does take up quite a good chunk of the day, but if you time it right, you can be even more productive in your day.

You can make bread with the stuff in your pantry now; it’s only flour, milk/water, yeast, sugar, salt, and eggs. There’s really just one main way of making bread, and a ton of variations you can do to make different types of bread.

My favorite bread in my current phase is a swirl bread. I made a black sesame bread last week and it was pretty good. Cinnamon raisin is always a party, though.

Whatta beaut.

The piece of advice I give to people for making bread is having enough patience. Rising, kneading, rising again, tossing it in the oven. God, it all sounds like an extensive exam. But say you need to do laundry or go through your mail, having small tasks in between each session is a good time saver.

People also tend to either over-knead or under-knead their dough, and that may make your bread flat and tough. Well, how you do know then, you ask? A good dough will be stretchy and smooth, rises in an even arc and doesn’t latch to the sides.

You also gotta trust your gut. I started making bread in the fall and winter (the worst times of the year) and I’ve made some disgusting bread. Some were so flat I couldn’t even categorize it under bread, some were underdone in the middle, some were as pasty as a vampire. So many failures. But I’ve made bread so much, it’s easier to touch the dough and feel it, and I will automatically know it’s ready.

I totally recommend making bread yourself. If you learn how, it’s so much cheaper than buying it, makes your house smell amazing and so inviting, and is a good hobby. It also makes for really spectacular gifts!

Cucumber sandwiches with blueberry tart. Because #classy

So take a step out of your comfort zone and create a masterpiece! Either way, it will make for a wonderful memory. Good luck!!

The Highlands

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Ah, time for reminiscing. Another episode of of “What Happened to Me” shall start again! Cue the facepalm(s).

So this time, Little Ol’ Me was on the way to the Scottish Highlands by herself on a tour early last year. It is rather odd to be the only one in a group of twenty or thirty and stand on the side, watching everyone in pairs and small groups. But this was an exciting day, full of adventure and mountains!

  • That railway is magNIFicent.

It did start with a ton of snow and slippery roads in the morning, but we got to Loch Lomond and Glencoe in a whirl. So going north a bit, we arrived at Loch Ness in a rollercoaster of narrow and bumpy roads. At this time, it was around 2(?)ish in the afternoon and we were shown around the area, then left to be free for a couple of hours.

Funfunfun. We get back to the bus and suddenly our driver gives us this weird noise through the mic and says that we might have to stand by for little while because our bus wouldn’t start.

? ? ?

There were two groups of college kids that were on vacation who had to be back in Edinburgh by the next day and a lady (not the most organized) had a flight out of the city at night. So Panic spreads in the bus and people are making phone calls like crazy, the mother in front of me is growing with concern that she’s jittery, and I am in the back on my phone.

In around a half hour, we were notified that there was a mechanic coming down from the other side of town and he very quickly figured out what was wrong (apparently some of the batteries melted some part of the system under a panel in the bus…or maybe the batteries itself?)

I am totally downplaying this because it was really chaotic and our driver was slightly freaking out over prepping to make night reservations (just in case). But would you ever expect that the bus for a day trip to suddenly break down?

Also to add, in the earlier part of the day, parked on a cliff side (remember: mountains), the bus was starting to get faulty because it was shut off, but started to move on it’s own with me, another lady, and the driver. Imagine this in your head: a group of tourists taking pictures of mountains and their bus behind them starts rolling away in circles.

  • Right before we left the Highlands~

Ah, solo travel. What an experience. It all sounds really stressful, but I knew myself that I would be back safe and sound. Also, I get this story out of it. I still recommend to go and try travelling by yourself because you learn a lot more about your attitudes and behaviors in a new environment.

Until next time!

Optimism

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Some people look naturally positive and hopeful when you see them on the street, at your workplace, at home. No one is truly always optimistic or pessimistic. It takes a whole ton of energy and effort to constantly be optimistic. For myself, being pessimistic is sometimes even harder than being positive.

So why you are here again? Optimism today, tomorrow, yesterday can definitely affect you and the ones around you. There will be times where unfortunate news hits you in the face and you just have to deal with it. Some might be angry, some might be in denial, some just bottle it up. (I am absolutely 100% the latter.)

But what I’ve realized is that while some people look happy and content on the outside, they might be slowly erupting from the inside. Being positive all the time means continually supporting others mentally and emotionally (and sometimes physically). It’s reassuring others, the silent hugs that come with a squeeze, a secret smile. Being aware of others and responding to their reactions in a positive way honestly can be a side job.

It can suck the energy out from you to constantly put others in first and make sure they feel safe and loved. It’s also very rewarding, to know that your presence is comforting for someone. Just remember that those who give more, also need a person to give back to them.

Find someone who listens to you and you want to listen to. ❤

Sunrise

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Morning Successes

It’s been three hours and I still can’t crack my pelvis area. Not that it should be cracked…? But it kept me up all night and I was awake at 4:48am and decided, screw it. Might as well be productive. It’s early but I’m definitely not going back to sleep. In this span of time, I’ve gotten two pretty good time lapses, a decent cup of coffee, and saw the sun rise. Pretty good for a crappy morning, right?

So here’s the first bit of positivity: there’s always something small that can be uplifting, no matter what circumstance. Optimism is an interesting emotion and feeling, and a tiny dose from yourself or another can really get you rolling with your day.

And yes, that is Stonehenge! I actually wasn’t as excited to visit this (because I was so excited to go to Bath) but I got there and it was like a totally different world. As something you only seen in textbooks or pictures, it’s a whole other experience to actually stand in the presence of history. It was a great day trip and learning experience!