A pinch of Japanese greatness
I know it’s quite cliche, but let me say it again. West coast is truly the best cast. Honestly! My boyfriend and I visited Los Angeles this past weekend (I know this is not the best timing. We tried to be as careful as possible, …
How was your Father’s Day? You may or may not know, but I live far away from my parents. I moved to the U.S. from Japan about 10 years ago, so I don’t get to see them very often. As I get older, I miss …
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
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! …
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 comes from Japan and it is finely ground powder of specially processed green tea leaves. Traditionally, matcha was used as a ritual to bring peace in ourselves. It’s not just drinking that was important, but it is the whole experience – beautiful green color, the smell, warmth, respectful space, peaceful environment, etc. A long long time ago, ever since Ku-kai and Saicho (Buddhism monks) brought back tea leaves from China, Japanese people researched how we could get the maximum benefits from tea leaves. That is how matcha powder was developed. As Eisai wrote in his book, “Matcha has a possibility to richen our mental and physical health,” it was sometimes used for medicinal purposes. They also knew that matcha can help heighten our focus, so monks often had this matcha ritual before practicing meditation.
Although it was super rare back then, we can now all enjoy this miracle powder at home!
Some benefits include: - Lots of antioxidant (much more than normal brewed green tea has!!) - Provides vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium - Boosts metabolism - Rich in fiber - Aids in concentration - Lowers cholesterol
No wonder people are so obsessed, right??
Lately, I am trying to cut back on my caffeine intake and I’ve been drinking matcha in the afternoon (I am a huge coffee lover, and I used to drink at least 3 mug full of coffee a day). It is a great alternative to coffee, so if any of you are like me, you should definitely try it!
It’s a little bitter, so you might need a little bit of getting used to at first. Trust me, this smoothie bowl is a great way to begin your matcha journey! It is honestly so delicious, and it’s such a fun way to enjoy your smoothie as a snack or even as a meal:)
I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do! Let me know your thoughts and leave a comment below:)
All my love,
Kaori
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 …
