A pinch of Japanese greatness
This chow mein is EASY, DELICIOUS, and SOULFUL! Hawaiian cuisine is a representation of different cultures, different people, and different ancestors. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, American, Hawaiian..it’s a combination/mixture of uniqueness, and that’s the beauty of it. That’s also the beautiful part of being a human …
How was your Memorial day weekend?
Oh! Mine? I thought you’d never ask! Let me tell you, it was wonderful filled with warmth, laughter, love, gratitude…
On Saturday, we went on a hike. It was pretty much rock climbing really. Although it was a lot harder than I imagined, I had a lot of fun! It was such a grounding experience for me. Figuring out where I should grab, where to place my foot, where to go next…kind of like solving a puzzle. Since, I had such a stressful week last week, it was so nice to be in tune with the nature and focus on what’s in front of me. I felt so calm and refreshed.
After we went down this steep hill, there’s a river. I don’t know what it is, but whenever I see a body of water, I feel so in peace. I am such a tiny tiny part of this huge world, the universe! My problems suddenly seemed so small.
After a hike, my roommate and I grabbed Chick-fil-A on the way home cause we felt we deserved some waffle fries, ya know? (Shout out to the workers there! They were so efficient, so nice, all around positive.) Anyways, we came home and watched a couple of episodes of “Sweet Magnolias” (a new show on Netflix, and it is AMAZING!). I am so grateful for simple moments like these. I felt so warm and fuzzy inside. My cup was overfilled with water full of magic and sparkles.
On Sunday, we did a little BBQ. We had some burgers, hotdogs, and S’Mores!! We also played hide and seek. – I was able to embrace my inner child, and I think she was happy☺️ At night, the whole vibe reminded me of camp Eardman (a camp we went to every year in high school). We, seniors in high school at the time, surrounded a bonfire and stargazed. Not everyone got along so well, but in that moment, I felt the bond. I feel like a bonfire has that interesting effect on people (We’re all in this together🎶 vibe haha)
Aaaand on Monday, I went on a little picnic with friends. Amazing company, amazing banana bread (shout out to my roomie! it was so yummy😋), and amazing weather never fail to put a smile on my face. We haven’t seen each other since January, so we had so much to catch up on. We talked, talked, and talked, and completely lost track of time. I feel so blessed to have friends like them that constantly give me positive energy and make me feel so proud. I honestly cannot even put into words how grateful I am. I feel like I don’t express it enough. So, let me just say Thank you publicly❤️
See? I had such an eventful weekend, and t’was wonderful.
Tbh, it was a little crazy though. The only thing that got me going was:
Matcha Biscuits!
Gave me so much energy and so much joy! The combination of matcha and white chocolate is just heavenly. Perfect for breakfast or a little afternoon snack😊
So, here you go❣️
All my love,
Kaori
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself
Joseph Campbell
What do you crave on a rainy and gloomy day? I usually crave something warm and soupy that would make me feel at home. Today’s dish “Nikujaga” quite literally means meat and potatoes. It is a popular taste of mother’s home cooking in Japan, and …
This morning, during meditation, I imagined what my future self would look like. I imagined what my future self would say to me. I imagined my successful and fulfilled life. So, this is what I pictured in my head: I’m in a therapist’s office (it’s …
Growing up, I used to looooove earl grey bread.
Walking into bakeries in Japan is like going into a whole new world (I watched Disney sing along last night. Hence why…..oops lol). As soon as you step in, you smell the buttery, sweet, salty deliciousness. Also, the presentation is always on point!
Being a bougie kid that I was, I loved the kind of food that goes well with some good old wine like the kind of food adults like (it was so bad though, I could not eat food kids usually love. I could also tell the difference between expensive ingredients and cheap ingredients. If my mom were to use cheap ingredients, I just would not eat that food. Wow like who did I think I was???lol). Anyways, whenever my mom and I went to a bakery together, I would always ask her to get an earl grey bread loaf. It was my absolute fav❤️
A few days ago, when I was brainstorming some cooking ideas, something came to my mind: “earl grey tea bread.” I went to the kitchen, and I saw some ripe bananas on the counter and thought, “hmmm, they will go well together.” So, there you go. It’s not too sweet, and earl grey just makes it 1000 times better. It’s such a classy little bread loaf, everyone would love it! I also added some chia seeds for a fun texture😋
Enjoy❣️
All my love,
Kaori
Rise and shine! You know my roommate and I were talking today after our meditation sesh: the importance of setting intentions. We all have busy lives, and sometimes we get consumed by the amount of tasks that we need to complete, stress, thoughts…the list can …
Hi y’all! I hope you guys are beginning the week with calm and mindful spirit. I started meditating with my roommate last week and it’s been going great so far. I feel like I can start my mornings with a good note and really it’s …
Cucumbers are just so refreshing. Whenever I eat cucumbers, I feel so clean, healthy, and overall great! I don’t know why, but I just feel that way.
Anyways, this salad is SO easy to make and SO yummy, it is perfect for the summer weather! The weather outside has been so nice lately, and y’all, I am SUPER excited to come up with new summer recipes😍 You could eat this outside in the sun, use this as a side dish, bring it to a potluck…..I promise you, everyone would be so impressed and in love!
So, lets talk about the recipe.
When you think of cucumber salad, you might think vinegar, dill, etc. But of course, my purpose here is to show you my Japanese twist, so my recipe will be a little different compared to the norm.
I am sharing with you two ways to make this (just different flavors). They are both equally wonderful, and I hope you’ll enjoy them both!
What I love about this smoothie bowl is not only does it taste good, but it’s also healthy af! I know green tea aka MATCHA is a thing nowadays. But do you know why so many wellness enthusiasts are obsessed all of a sudden?? Matcha …
These ribs are honestly so delicious, you have to try! I do love some good old BBQ ribs, but this one just holds a special space in my heart. Every Christmas, my mom would make these amazingly flavorful pork ribs. As a child, I thought …
Hi guys! I know I have a bio on this website, but I thought I should introduce myself here. First off, thank you so much for stopping by! I am SO SO excited to start this journey and share my experiences with you.
My inspiration for starting this blog is not only because I love cooking, but also because cooking/food truly makes me happy. I want others to find this joy in putting some ingredients together and making something so delicious or oishii 😋
Ever since I started cooking on a regular basis, I became more aware of this mind-body connection. I study psychology, so obviously I KNEW well about this, but I never really paid attention to my own mind and body. I realized that what I put in my body really changes the way I feel the next day, my mood, etc. I felt like, by cooking something from scratch, I was truly taking care of my soul. Cooking also helps me feel relaxed. – It is just one of the great ways to gain a sense of control in this crazy world! Of course, I don’t eat healthy all the time, I eat out sometimes, and I absolutely love junk food (anything deep fried….yum!). What’s important is that you live your full life.
Basically, my goal here is to inspire you to find that balance and feel awesome from the inside and the outside. I wanted to create this space to pass along my tips and tricks to well-being. It’s okay to feel crappy sometimes though and eat a pint of ice cream all by yourself. You don’t have to do everything perfect. This is the balance I’m talking about. Eating healthy can seem intimidating and trying to have a healthier lifestyle can be overwhelming. BUT, like Hokusai says, “Love, feel, let life take you by the hand. Let life live through you” (Keyes).
So….let’s get to the recipe!
This recipe was created by the one and only…..Candice Kumai. She has been a bridge between American and Japanese culture and she is such an inspiration! Check out her book Kintsugi Wellness for amazing recipes!
Anyways, these matcha cookies!!! Look how gorgeous they are. They are perfectly chewy and so delicious. Whenever I bake them, they are usually gone in a couple of days! It’s so easy and makes for perfect snacking for busy folks during the week😊
If y’all have any suggestions/recommendations on what I should cook next, leave a comment below!
Thank you loves💕
