Work in Progress Pumpkin Bean Soup

So I finally started experimenting in the kitchen to recreate the most amazing bowl of soup I have ever had, which I ingulged in the middle of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil last year. I knew attempting this would be a long process because I, for some strange reason, did not take any notes on the flavor of the soup and relied on my tastebuds. A year is a long time to remember the flavors! Nonetheless, I loved the idea of trying to figure it out though nothing can match up to the bowl of soup I originally had.

After trying this, I realized it still needs work, different flavor, and new flavor. Of course I knew from the beginning that the flavor would probably be different from the original because of the difference in environment and produce. I need to adjust the ratio of the "thickener" agent in the soup. Mine ended up not looking the same and that was due to the blended beans and soup broth. I added too much, hence my soup came out thicker than I had wanted it to be. Maybe I shouldn't have added the thickener at all. I might also look into different beans, but I think I am happy with my choice of the Pinto Bean. I was thinking about adding the beans in at a later time so they have a soft yet firm texture to them. So for now, it was pretty good for the moment. I also went with Butternut Squash over Pumpkin due to the time of year and the similarities of the two. So this is what I have so far and I will continue to work on it and make it better and somewhat similar to the original...


The original bowl of amazing Pumpkin Bean Soup.

-Work in Progress-Pumpkin Bean Soup

By: Reima



2 T. olive oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
2-3 small pumpkins (or 2-3 small to medium sized Butternut squash), cut into cubes
1 t. cumin
3 cans pinto beans
4 c. vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Peel and cut pumpkins (or butternut squash) into cubes. Remove seeds.

2. Drain and wash 2 cans of pinto beans. Set aside.

3. In a heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until translucent.

4. Add remaining ingredients, except the remainder can of pinto beans. Bring to a boil.

5. In the meantime, drain and wash the remainder pinto beans and blend in a food processor or blender with 1 cup of the soup broth.

6. When the soup starts boiling, add the thickener and reduce heat to low.

7. Cook for 30 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender with fork. Adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving. Serve warm.

Queso Fresco Parsley Biscuits

Queso Fresco Parsley Biscuits

By: Reima

2 to 4 large handfuls of Curly Leaf Parsley
5-8 oz Queso Fresco
1 egg
2 pkgs of biscuits (or homemade biscuit dough)

*Parsley and Cheese are eyeballed so it's up to you to make the ratio of Parsley to Cheese; use to your liking.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You will need ungreased pans (or for cleanliness, you can use foil).

2. Take the biscuit rolls apart and place each 1 inch apart on your ungreased sheet. Flatten each biscuit gently with the palm of your hand. Set aside.

3. Roughly chop parsley and place into a bowl. Crumble the cheese into the bowl.

4. Add the egg to the bowl and gently mix until thoroughly combined.

5. Scoop the parsley-cheese mixture onto the biscuits. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Enjoy warm.


I grew up on these and I just love them. The combination of the slightly acidic queso fresco with the flavorful crisp and clean parsley is flawless. I can honestly say these biscuits are one of the few things I can't have self control over. After you have one, you'll definitely find it hard to pass on another one or two. Try these out on family and friends. I know you'll love them.

Bring something new to the table.

So Kong Dong Korean BBQ

I checked out So Kong Dong Korean BBQ yesterday with my friend Alexis and what an experience I had! Let me just tell you...

We first started off with the condiments.



Clockwise from top left we have: Cucumbers soaked in Rice Vinegar, Glass noodles with Sesame Oil and Pepper, Kimchi, Mondu, Broccoli with Sweet and Sour, and Mashed Potato Salad. We loved every condiment and its different flavor that each offered.

We then started with Hot Jasmine Tea. Calming and soothing on a beautiful cold and rainy day.



I ordered the Mixed Green Salad with Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette (added Tofu to it) and Pan Fried Squid with Spicy (SPICY SPICY) Sauce.


Mixed Green Salad with Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette and topped off with chopped peanuts. I was able to get some tofu into the salad. I enjoyed this light salad. Very flavorful with that lovely Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette. Not too sweet and well-balanced. The tofu was flavorless, so I just soaked them in the Vinaigrette.



Pan Fried Squid with Spicy Sauce. Sauce was made up of red pepper flakes and oil. Really, I did enjoy the flavors of this dish and loved the squid together with the rice. With that said, how spicy this dish was, was out of control! Not even kidding. The waitress said that this dish is very hot and that she would kick the heat down a notch for me. How much did she kick it down? Went from 10 T. of red pepper flakes to 9 T.? I am not a wimp and I do enjoy some heat but this was crazy! My mouth -inside and out, was numb! Literally. It did help having the dish with the rice because the rice did help to block some of the heat, but wow it was too much! I did take this home and had my sister try it (she loves heat), in which I was shocked when she said that it was mild! I don't know. But I plan on removing the spiciness before I finish the rest of this! I'm not putting this dish down because it was cooked to perfection and would get this again--minus the 9 T. of red pepper flakes! For fear of a numb mouth, Alexis passed at the offering of trying this out. And good thing because I really wasn't feeling well after this! But she said she respects me more for one, ordering a daring dish and two, eating this, even when I couldn't take it anymore! That is why I love my Alexis!

2/16/10 *Apparently I am a wimp after talking to one of my friends at work the other day after talking to her about this. :) It is "normal" for your mouth to go numb. Koreans rely on heat and don't really care much for salt. All I've got to say is...How is your esophagus? :) Love you Sandy!

Alexis ordered the Rice topped with BBQ Chicken and Vegetables.

I tried it and enjoyed it. She loved it too but wished that there was more to it, like the chicken or more flavor in it.

Overall, prices were somewhat reasonable and flavors were pretty darn good. I give So Kong Dong Korean BBQ 3 1/2 stars: ♥♥♥1/2. Only because there wasn't too many options to choose from off the menu, Alexis wished there had been more flavors/seasonings in her bowl of goodness, and me, for the simple fact that my dish shouldn't have been so ridiculously hot! I don't know if I would go back. I'd like to check out a new Korean restaurant to compare with. But at the same time, I take this as a challenge and maybe would go back and get the same dish again and see if they could make it with less heat. I'm not giving up yet.

Oh and I have one more quick thing to say: I just want to say I think it is genius that they have those self serving frozen yogurt shops! Not genius of me to eat it though, since I can't eat dairy anymore :( . But I had to. Alexis and I stopped for some frozen yogurt after our not lunch but not dinner meal.



Yes I KNOW! You can make fun of me for the ridiculous amount of marshmallows I put in my bowl! Sorry, marshmallows have ALWAYS been my weakness since the youngin years and I refuse to pass them up today! The only reason why I got frozen yogurt was because they FINALLY brought back my new favorite frozen yogurt flavor--Taro Root! Yes, I know what you are thinking, but oh goodness it is soo good! The end of the night, I wasn't feeling too good but everything was worth it! The things I do for some good food.

Next up is my own recipe for Pumpkin Bean Soup, Moroccan, and Greek. Maybe an update on my triathlon training as well. I'm currently in the process of looking for a new bike and they are so expensive, especially since I'm planning an out of the country adventure in April and saving for that as well!

The Food Network, Aquarium, and Kavika

What a productive week I had last week! I went to a taping of the Food Network Show --The Next Food Network Star, went on a fun date/hang out in Long Beach where I finally got to go to the Aquarium of the Pacific, AND went to a new restaurant to review on here (no pictures though)!

First up, The Next Food Network Star.

I have plenty of dreams in my life that I wish would come true, like travel to every country in the world, step foot on every continent on our planet, and have my own show on the Food Network, just to name a few! Now if I don't get a Food Network show, the next best thing for me would have been to just go to a taping and meet some Food Network Stars----in which I did just that!

My sister, who I'll just say is nocturnal (don't ask me why, I LOVE my sleep), found this taping randomly on the internet and sent the info my way. The second I looked at it, I knew I had to go! Bobby Flay and Duff from Ace of Cakes would be there! The next day, I filled the request to take off a day of work so I could go to the show.

Now I have to cut this short because I am not supposed to talk about what I saw on the set until it aires on TV in June. All I'll say is that I DID talk to Bobby Flay, who was very sweet and genuine. Duff was just hilarious! A very cool guy. All the Food Network Stars there were so genuine and real. Very cool, laid back people. Now that is the reason why I LOVE the Food Network. Everyone on that network are definitely different than the stars you see on other TV channels and movies.

I have also already picked the person who I think should win and become the Next Food Network Star! I can't say who, but I'll announce it after the show aires. I really hope the Food Network DOES NOT let me down this year after being ridiculous and choosing Melissa over Jeffrey in the last season of the Next Food Network Star and choosing Garci over Mehta in the Next Iron Chef Competition. I ran into a few people at the taping who also agreed with me so I'm not the only one who feels this way!

Overall, I had a great time, the weather and the beach in Santa Monica were perfect, even though it had rained the day before. Everyone was so nice and real. I'm really looking forward to this season of The Next Food Network Star. I also can't wait to hear the judges opinions of what they tasted that day and if their opinions were similar to mine. I also hope that if I'm on TV, that I don't look weird! :) After going to the taping, it made me realize that I have to apply for the next season of The Next Food Network Star! I am also starting to combine my own personal recipes and putting them together in a folder so I'm prepared for what happens next. I'm following my dream! :)

Now we have the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

If there was another career I could choose besides food/nutrition, travel, forensics, and family services, I'd also go down the Oceanography path. I am absolutely in love and fascinated with sea life, mammals, and the ocean. This is a great place to go to learn more about marine life if you are interested in this type of environment.

Admission is reasonable, though I think the price should be a little lower. The Aquarium is beautiful but small. It wasn't what I was expecting it to be like. Nevertheless, there was a vast array of creatures such as many species of fish, starfish, sting rays, sea lions, sea urchin, eel, sharks, lobster, crab, and etc. I touched some sharks and starfish. He challenged me to touch the sting rays but I was like no way! The sharks and starfish were enough for me! It was a great day learning about everything the ocean has to offer. The only suggestion I have would be to go to the Aquarium earlier when everything is more awake and active.

Lastly, we checked out a restaurant outside of the Aquarium, nereby, called Kavika.

I loved Kavika. It's a new restaurant that offers American with Global influences. I saw flavors from Argentina and Brazil. Also Asian influences. There were quite a few dishes I wanted to try out. One on the top of my head is Coconut Shrimp with lemongrass dip. Doesn't that just sound enticing? It was hard for me to choose because there were so many interesting things to try out and at the same time, the restaurant is not reasonably priced. Quite a few dishes were way too expensive.

I didn't take pictures of the food unfortunately, but I ended up getting the Mandarin Chicken because I wasn't really hungry and he ended up getting a hamburger with french fries that I LOVED. They were topped off with mozzarella, chopped flat-leaf parsley, and garlic. Hmmmmm....We ended up ordering dessert ---Tiramisu. It was fantastic but missing something---the ladyfingers! Served in a martini glass along with freshly whipped cream on the side. I enjoyed it but I thought it would have been better with the ladyfingers. I loved the ambiance of the restaurant and the firewall. Very cozy atmosphere. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant and I'd go back again if I was ever in the area.

Now get your food on, gather up your own recipes, and enjoy some time with the sharks and sea lions!

Sean's Cafe, Venice Beach Boardwalk, and the Factory

So yesterday, in the middle of January, I decided to stroll the Venice Beach Boardwalk for some good eats and the usual fun you have when being in this area. An area like no other in California! The vibe of Venice Beach has had me since the age of 16, so I may be way too familiar with this area!

So starting off is my favorite hamburger joint in Southern California, Sean's Cafe, which also made my list for the best in 2009: (2009: Through My Mouth)

If you are looking for a simple burger, this is definitely the place. The ingredients are so fresh. The fries remind me of home. And this is the ONLY hamburger I feel that I can eat and not feel gross afterwards.

Sean's Cafe is located on the boardwalk in the Gingerbread Court.





I was happy to see they finally opened up a room and you are now able to eat inside. Perfect for those days when it is too chilly to eat outside. Oh and my other personal reason...not having to be near all the bees that are outside and hanging out with the plants in that little shopping center!




There are so many different options to choose from here, including many hot and cold drinks that I hear are just fantastic and unusual. I just stuck to my usual hamburger combo for my purpose of showing you the best Venice has to offer!


So this is when you take your tray that holds your goodness together and grab a table outside the cafe. And then, of course, I saw the bees and decided to take this inside!

Much better!


Look at that hamburger! Loving the fresh tomato, onions, and arugula! Simple, yet so satisfying. Oh and I chose to indulge in this without the Thousand Island dressing and mayo that they use to flavor their burgers. I believe a good burger doesn't need all that excess stuff.


And those fries. The best fries I have ever had. Can't really describe why that is so you're going to have to try it out for yourself.

I give Sean's Cafe 4 hearts: ♥♥♥♥. It would have been 5 but there are only two things I must say about this place. One, it is slightly expensive here, though not as expensive as other eats on the boardwalk. You pay a total of $7.21 just for a hamburger, french fries, and a drink. And second, service is slow. You do have to wait awhile before your goodness is ready. Other than those two things, I do recommend you check out Sean's Cafe on the Venice Beach Boardwalk.

Oh and for you ladies.......the owners are Australian! Sexy Australian accents! OoOoOoOoh!

Other enjoyments on the Venice Beach Boardwalk...











This guy is so awesome! You're lucky if he comes up to you and seranades you and I guess embarassing at the same time, speaking from experience (waaaay back in 2002)! He especially likes to do that for the couples that he sees on the boardwalk.


What Venice is also known for. Lacey got two tragus piercings. You can ask my hand how she felt. She nearly broke it squeezing so hard!


Ended up with a few hair accessories that Lacey made me promise to wear!

On the way back, we decided to make a quick stop at the Cheesecake Factory for dinner. Lacey got the Fettucini Alfredo with Chicken and Sun-dried tomatoes and I stuck to two small appetizers--the Beets with Goat Cheese and Ahi Tartare.

Beets with Goat Cheese

Fresh Beets, Goat Cheese, Apples, Baby Arugula, and Pecans tossed with a Citrus Vinegrette. Fresh, wonderful, and the perfect amount. I definitely would get again.

Ahi Tartare

Raw Tuna with Avocado and a Soy-Ginger Sesame Sauce; topped off with fresh Ginger. I preferred this without the chips that were served along with the Tartare. I loved this as well and would get again.

Around $10 for both dishes; great deal! A good day spent at the beach and at the Cheesecake Factory.

Pho So 1

Golden Winner: 2008 Best Asian Noodles
On the Best of LA List

So earlier this week I decided I would check out a new restaurant to try out this weekend because I had an appointment in the Reseda/Canoga Park area today, in the early morning (trust me, I won't ever get up early on a Saturday morning again unless it's natural and it's to go workout) and since I'm still feeding on my new foods/only new restaurants high, I searched the area online and made the decision to retest Vietnamese since there were a few in the area. It had been years since I've had it and hey, why not! So there were a couple of different restaurants I saw in the area and went from going to Pho 999:



to making the decision to go next door, literally, to Pho So 1 on Reseda and Sherman Way:


(looks better on the street side)

You can't miss it! It's right near that shiny gold --Cash for Gold and Pawn Shop-- store on the corner.

I walked right into the restaurant and immediately loved the ambiance. Very open, spacious, and filled with friendly people. I loved how there are different tables that stand out in the restaurant. Big tables for big groups and the usual small tables that seat up to four people. What I also noticed right away and what I remembered reading in some reviews was that the restaurant seemed to always be packed and how they seat people with others at a same table. I actually find that quite neat! Of course some people may have that issue of not wanting to share their space with complete strangers, but I actually like it. Meet some new people and discuss food politics. We sat next to couple of different people throughout our time there. Everyone was friendly and opened up right away. LOVED it!

Lunch time!

So I actually had a real hard time trying to order food. Not because I didn't know what to get, but because I wanted almost everything! My inability to make decisions, which ONLY occurs when it concerns food, popped up and stayed, making it difficult for me to choose! How can you choose only one good thing when there are so many?

Starting off with drinks, I had to already cancel out the coffee specialty drinks because coffee makes me sleepy so I narrowed my choices down to Soda sữa hot gà (Beated egg sweetened milk with soda) and Nươc vưa tươi (Young coconut juice). Wanted both, but settled on the young coconut juice. ($2.50)


They made the drink 20x better by putting a couple slices of the young coconut into the water. So refreshing...

Jessica chose the Trà thái (Thai Iced Tea) ($2.50)



Next up, we each ordered two different dishes. While we were waiting for our food, they brought us a plate full of wonderful basil, lime, and bean sprouts.



My first dish was Bún bò xào (Stir fried beef with lemongrass, rice vermicelli, and vegetables) ($5.75)



Also came with a side of nước mắm to pour into the bowl:


Ok seriously, I could not put this down. SO unbelievably good! The flavors-just sensational! Had the sweet flavor with a slightly salty kick from the nước mắm, which I just poured over the bowl right away. And you know I absolutely love the taste and smell of lemongrass. Wow, it always brings me back to the Amazon where I discovered that lemongrass smells THE BEST out in the open! Nothing compares to that, but this bowl definitely came close! The vegetables so crisp, the cashews brought the crunch, and enjoyed the surprise under the rice vermicelli. This dish was so light, so fresh, comforting, and.....and I think I'm going to heat up my leftovers now and just finish the rest of it!

and second, I ordered the Com vit roti (Curry duck with steamed rice) ($5.75)



I love how this curry is completely different from Thai and Indian. Each have their own distinct flavor. Right away, I could taste the saltiness of the nước mắm. One thing I wanted to point out was that the duck was just slightly dry. Nothing to obsess about. I thoroughly enjoyed this dish and also looking forward to this leftover.

Of course when I took this to-go, I made sure to take some of the basil, although I do have basil in the garden: (Basil Fresh From The Garden).



Jessica ordered the Pho Gà (Chicken Rice Noodle Soup) ($5.35)



and Bún Thît Nương (Charbroiled beef with rice vermicelli and vegetables) ($5.35)



She thoroughly enjoyed both dishes...well her tastebuds did, not so much her stomach. She basically said, "I'm not experimenting with different cuisines with you anymore!" And I said, "Um....no! You just need to strengthen your stomach lining somehow and keep eating more random things!"

Next up: dessert! Only I indulged in this. They had their variety of natural shakes. I basically was stuck between: Chè Dau Xanh (Green bean drink), Chè Dau Çõ (Red bean drink), Sinh Tó Sàu Riêng (Durian shake), and Sinh To Bơ (Avocado shake). I narrowed it down to the Durian and Avocado shake. Couldn't really decide which one I wanted so they let me try the Durian to get a better idea of it and MAKE UP MY MIND!



And wow, what a pungent scent it has! But still had to test it out. And you know what, I loved it! It has the tropical flavor and my own opinion, I thought it had a slight flavor similar to papaya. I was going to go for the Durian shake but I thought, if I get the Avocado shake, it would be like I had both so I ended up getting the Avocado shake. ($2.35)



Avocado blended on the spot with sweetened condensed milk. Hmmmm, all I've got to say is thank goodness I have some avocados and sweetened condensed milk in the kitchen! Everyone in the reviews recommended trying this and now so do I!

Overall, the service was great and EXTREMELY FAST, the prices---VERY reasonable, and the food, SIMPLY outstanding! I give Pho Sô 1 5 hearts: ♥♥♥♥♥. Honestly, I wasn't really having a good day/week and after coming here, my mood just changed and I forgot all my problems, (like not wanting to wake up for work all week :), waking up early and having my appointment cancelled while at the location, and car problems (leaking gas..scary) earlier in the week...you know those just once in awhile life stresses that all come at once) literally. Still haven't thought about them! It was that good. I can only imagine how great the food is in Vietnam; probably better! I also wanted to mention that everything to me felt light. Nothing heavy in my stomach. It was nice to go home, chill for a little bit, and then go on a bike ride without that feeling of fullness. Nice!

For not living near an area that offers more of this culture/cuisine, this wasn't bad at all for the moment! I'd def go back! And I'd still try to convince my friend Jessica to go back too!

Next up we have Argentine, Greek, Korean, A Home Cooked Meal, and updates on my triathlon training!