Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

I made this tonight and it turned out well so I thought I'd share it here.  The first time I tried this dish was when a work colleague brought this sauce with rice to an office potluck.  I like that the majority of ingredients come out of the pantry. 

I tend to cook by intuition and taste so my directions are not exact.

Ingredients:
-1 pound of pasta (corkscrew would work nicely since it holds thick sauces well but I had linguine--it turned out fine.  Rice is also good with this sauce).

For the sauce
-1 large can of crushed tomatoes
-2 T of tomato paste
-2 shallots minced
-1 tin of anchovies (in olive oil)
-2 T of capers
-1 large can of tuna (in water--or olive oil)
-pepper
-oregano
-brown sugar to taste if sauce is too acidic

I drained some of the oil from the anchovies to cook the shallots first.  Then I added tomato paste, anchovies, and capers.  Then came the crushed tomatoes, and then the tuna (drained).  You can add a bit of pepper, oregano, and sugar (if it tastes too acidic).  I didn't add salt because of the capers and anchovies but then again it's up to your taste.  Another method is to use store-bought marinara and add the tuna, capers, and anchovies (I think I will cook the shallots with carrots and celery next time to give the tomato sauce more depth).

Cook the pasta according to the package.

Add a few tablespoons of the pasta liquid to the sauce, toss, and serve immediately. 

I had ingredients for a simple salad (and I made croutons with leftover bread) but I think this dish would go nicely with roasted brussel sprouts or perhaps a green salad with red onion, white beans, and artichoke hearts.

Vacation - Staycation

I've been on vacation since Christmas and it's been nice to stay home, visit local museums, and see old friends.  I've been sleeping and napping non-stop!  I must have been tired. 

Here's my list of what I wanted to do while on break (and I'm happy to say I've done most of them):
-Make oatcakes via the recipe from 3191 Quarterly and eat with apples and cheddar . . . also really good with blackberry jam.
-Buy ingredients at the Indian grocery store to make kitchari (bought the ingredients but haven't made the kitchari yet).
-Go on a long hike with Cody (this unfortunately was cut short due to spotting two coyotes).  Sigh, I don't think I can take him on hikes anymore due to the coyotes--they're everywhere in Southern California!  Cody and I did get to go on a nice long walk with my friend, Cynthia and her son Milo through their quiet neighborhood.  The last picture is from our walk.
-Visit the Autry Museum to see this exhibit.  So amazing!  I cried watching one of the artist videos . . . will have to write about that later.

Ah, I'm so grateful that I have a job that gives me this long of a break.

Banh mi: the world's perfect sandwich

I miss close proximity to good Vietnamese food.

I was in Orange County today to see my optometrist (he's so great that I've decided to drive an hour to keep seeing him--and it's only once a year). 

I needed to have lunch somewhere and I remembered my friend T telling me about this sandwich place, Tan Hoang Huong Sandwiches and Coffee in Tustin which is very close to my optometrist.

So I stopped by and ordered the spring rolls and grilled pork banh mi, and I have to say that they have the best banh mi I've ever tasted.  The baguette was warm and crusty, the meat was flavorful, and the veggies were fresh.  The spring rolls were also really good.  As you can see, I was really hungry--and it was a satisfying lunch.

If you're ever in the Tustin area, check out THH Sandwiches and Coffee (they also have other locations in OC):
14081 Newport Ave, Tustin CA

Thank you to all my former Vietnamese roommates who introduced me to so many delicious dishes!

Persimmons in fall and winter

Eating persimmons has always been a large part of my culture and childhood.  We used to live in a house with two giant persimmon trees and we'd share the bright orange fruit with all our friends and neighbors.  My favorite is the fuyu (the harder kind) versus the hachiya (the soft, almost pudding-like kind).

A post about food

Confession: my eating habits have been horrible since I started my new job almost six months ago.  The reason being that my schedule can get overly hectic, and I'm constantly working at these catered events where there's tons of leftover food (case in point--for dinner I ate some leftover fried chicken from a reception a few days ago).

But I've been trying to take time to cook and eat healthy but oh man, it's been an uphill battle.

Here are some things I'm trying:

 

Oatmeal with sliced dates instead of brown sugar (read this in a magazine), and it's really good!

 

Veggie pasta sauces (take whatever vegetables are in the fridge and blend together with olive oil--I used carrots, tomatoes, and onion).  I then sliced in some sweet red peppers and added canellini beans for protein

I just have to get more proactive and plan better for my meals during the week. 

The nice thing is that a lot of people at my church eat healthy, cook a lot of wholesome meals from scratch, and garden or are part of CSAs.  And since I spend a lot of time with church people, these good habits rub off.

The other nice thing is that my work hosts a vegan cafe twice a week where I've discovered kitchari and other delicious vegan foods.  Yum.

Must stop the car when you see sign for ice cream

Mmm, mmm, mmm . . . stopped by Mateo's Ice Cream on the way home from errands and tried the roasted milk and strawberry ice cream.  I don't live very close to Baskin Robbins or Coldstone but I can live with that now that I've discovered Mateo's.  I must try their other flavors like Yellow Cherry, Dragon Fruit, and Mezcal.  It's a chain I believe so there might be one near you!

Homegirl Cafe

This pretty picture is from the Homegirl Cafe Facebook page.  I have yet to visit the cafe but I love all their photos, and the food always looks so delicious and fresh.  I get so many 'food styling' ideas from their photos :) 

I also love their blog (beautiful photography).  Is there anything more beautiful than a transformed life?

An inspired meal

My new job has kept me pretty busy just because there's a lot to learn, and it's a busy time for us.  Hence, I haven't had much time to cook or engage in the things I enjoy. 

Fortunately, I got the chance to pick some figs from a friend's tree last night and used them tonight to make roasted pork loin with figs in a balsamic reduction (it sounds so fancy). 

It was all very inspired and came together last minute.  Plus, I just like fruit mixed into savory dishes. I made a simple glaze with balsamic vinegar, honey, herbs de provence, and S&P.  I added shallots, figs, and pork loin (on sale, friends) and roasted everything in my trusty cast iron pan. 

This meal was a nice sign that life could slow down for a moment, and my energy could go into something creative and nourishing. 

Miroco Machiko

I love the vibrant, child-like, abstract work of Miroco Machiko.  I also love the kitties napping in the artist's studio (all images from artist's website).

Summer recipes

Some food updates that I have also been posting on Facebook:
1. The dark chocolate Speculoos filled candy bar from TJs is amazing.
2. Quinoa is really good!  I tried these quinoa tacos earlier this week and they inspired me to create a quinoa taco recipe - blue corn tortillas + red quinoa + avocado citrus salsa = magic.
3. I haven't had this in a while but I've been thinking about my favorite breakfast burrito - whole wheat tortilla + fried or scrambled egg + swiss cheese + avocado + with a squirt of Sriracha.  So good!
4. Tuna salad makeover - tuna packed in olive oil (it's a lot more flavorful) + chopped kale + red onion + chopped dill pickles + served on whole grain bread.

I wish I had pictures but alas, I do not.  Maybe I'll post some when I make these dishes again.

Untitled

Sashimi feast!  Cold black soybean noodles from BCD.  New cup from a Korean home store.

More food

Mmm, this place is good.  Our family went here for Father's Day (picture is off of Yelp . . . I still can't find my camera).

Fancy soda

I recently tried Dry Soda's Lavender flavor and I liked it!  It's one of those things that's a nice treat now and then.  I'm a fan of lavender tea, so it was nice to try the flavor in soda.  It's subtle, not too sweet, and refreshing.  I'll have to check out some of the other flavors: cucumber, rhubarb, and blood orange.  Fancy.

So good!

If you love Korean food or food in general, you have to try this place: Kobawoo.
I tried the bossam (steamed pork wraps), grilled fish, and acorn noodle salad (hehe, these pictures were taken off Yelp).  How have I grown up in Koreatown all my life and not tried this place? 

Designing with a Purpose: Jihyun Ryou

I recently stumbled upon this brilliant video featuring artist/designer Jihyun Rou who creates new ways to store food while challenging our consumption and waste habits through her (practical) installations.

She writes:

Observing the food and therefore changing the notion of food preservation, we could find the answer to current situations such as the overuse of energy and food wastage. My design is a tool to implement that knowledge in a tangible way and slowly it changes the bigger picture of society. I believe that once people are given a tool that triggers their minds and requires a mental effort to use it, new traditions and new rituals can be introduced into our culture.
Jihyun Ryou, 2009

Linguine with Clams!

I made linguine with clams over the weekend and it was 1) super easy, and 2) delicious.  I don't have a recipe on me (I kind of eye-balled everything), but I think Mario Batali has a good one . . . or Giada I'm sure.  I will definitely make this more often.

Speaking of food, I really want to see The Art of Cooking at Royal T.  Food-related art will always get an A in my book.

Vegan baked goods

I wasn't always sure about vegan baked goods because I imagined they wouldn't taste as good without delicious things like butter, eggs, and milk . . . but I've been trying more of them lately and have been surprised by how good they are.

I tried this vegan lemon tea cake at a bakery in Atwater Village last week and it was a pleasant surprise. I also had an amazing vegan cookie at an Easter church picnic.  Back to the picture . . . I was in the area for a work assignment and took a short break at Proof Bakery.  I sat on the sidewalk and enjoyed my cappuccino and cake, while imagining I was on a European vacation . . . and after 15 minutes I proceeded to tackle the many tasks I needed to accomplish that day.  It was a nice 15 minute vacation on a Monday :)

Agua Frescas + Cook's

I've been drinking a lot of agua frescas lately . . . they are just so dang good!  I had a really good cucumber and honeydew version and a cantaloupe version not too long ago.  The one pictured is pureed mango, strawberry, and orange that I ran through a sieve, mixed with maybe a tablespoon of sugar, and diluted with ice water.  I added some chia seeds later on for a health boost.

I also borrowed my friend's Cook's Illustrated magazine.  I kind of like this magazine . . . it's starting to grow on me.  I used to feel like their recipes (while awesome) seemed too scientific and precise, but I've learned so much just flipping through the pages already.  I'll have to try making something soon.

Sunday afternoons are the best

Sunday was nice . . . I had a great time at church in the morning and came home for a session of soup and granola-making while watching the rain pour down outside.

Art show

Photo by Stephanie Yu

I'm taking a few minutes to post an update from the weekend as I eat lunch at my desk.  I made a bean, kale, and sweet potato soup and brought it to work in a Thermos.  It's definitely a nice way to slow down mid-day.

But back to the weekend, I was in another art show with DR96 Gallery.  This time I created a linoleum print and printed out more cards, and styled them using a hand-woven mail holder from Turkey (a gift), a thrift store stool, Ikea rug, and Bells of Ireland and eucalyptus.  It was a very relaxed and laid back show.