In the Kitchen: Auh-Mazing Challah Bread

Challah {Pronounced- Hallah} is a traditional Jewish egg bread eaten on Sabbath meals. It's like Pad Thai, there are many different recipes with small variations to how to make Challah, mostly in the amount of eggs (egg yolk) and honey vs. sugar.

I've been a huge fan of Challah for as long as I can remember since I came to the US, but it took me a few years to really master how to make a fluffy, light, lightly sweetened loaf. Here's the recipe that I use:

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
• 1 envelope/packet of active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup honey + 2 tablespoon of sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 eggs for dough and 1 beaten egg for egg wash
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Raisins (optional)

What to Do:

1. In a large bowl (I use my Kitchen Aid mixer bowl), add yeast over warm water. Beat in honey, oil, 3 eggs & salt. Add  in the flour one cup at a time. If you are using a mixer like me, remember to switch to the dough kneading attachment (Make sure mixing speed is no higher than 2), but kneading by hand is just as good!  Knead until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky (5 minutes), adding flour if needed. Cover with a damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in bulk. 
2. Punch down the risen dough (Ok, that's my favorite part) and turn out onto floured board. Divide dough in half and knead each half for 5 minutes, adding flour as needed to keep from getting sticky. Add the raisins now to knead into the dough if you'd like. I added raisins to the dough after I made the braids.



After braiding the bread together, let rise again for 1 hour

3.  Divide each half into thirds and roll into long snake about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Pinch the ends of the three snakes together firmly and braid. Either leave as braid or form into a round braided loaf by bringing ends together, curving braid into a circle, pinch ends together. Grease the baking tray and put finished braids. Cover with towel and let rise about one hour. 
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
5. Beat the remaining egg and brush a generous amount over each braid. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.
6. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Bread should have a nice hollow sound.                                                                   

I am thinking French Toast with Challah bread tomorrow morning. ;) 

Let me know how your Challah bread turns out!

Celebrating Love: A Love Letter

I remember typing up list of what I wanted in a man back in 2007, JUST a few weeks before I met you. 

After putting together the list, I thought to myself that I was being so unrealistic. Where the hell I was gonna find a tall, dark, handsome, fancy hair, ambitious, funny, action not words,  successful, good values, athletic, loving, faithful, emotionally stable (no cray cray's), knows what he wants & what he doesn't want, knows where he's going, fit, big smile, beautiful eyes, and comes with loving & supportive family (a girl can dream,ok?)...kind of man?!  


My life was a roller coaster at the time, but something still guided me to you. You were something else. I couldn't ignore the fact that we were such polar opposites, but you were shining like a vibrant light and I couldn't look away. Polar opposites never fitted together so well.

You've shown me what a true man is all about. There are never wordy promises, only set plans waiting to happen for us. You've taught me to explore and open up my soul & potential more than ever. Love is never something we read or write on paper; love has become a lifestyle in the past 1645+ days. You never let me give up on my dreams; you tell me I am beaming on camera, even when I was so self conscious about my videos. 

You say, you just want me to be very very happy. Coming from you, I know it's not just how you feel, it's something you will ensure it stays a reality. Sometimes, I truly feel you are way more protective of my happiness than I am. Thank you.

 
How lucky am I to share this life journey with you. How lucky is our baby girl to have your enormous amount of love. Someday, I can only wish she will find a man as good as you & love her as much as her Dad have loved her Mom. :)

Happy Valentine's Day, My Love.

 
 

Celebrating LOVE: Self Love Therapy

All this time, I thought my posts in February will be all out romantic, lovey dovey, GET A ROOM! kind of posts.

It's the month of love after all. However, after the ideas had time to brew and settle in my head, I realized there are so many different forms of great love, but one kind really is the focal point of it all, the source of the extension to all other forms of love- and that is SELF LOVE.

Self Love so doesn't equal narcissism. Self Love is:


-Look at yourself in the mirror and compliment out loud, instead of criticize secretly (you can hear yourself , you know)


-Listen to your voice, that inner child tugging on your shirt saying ' I really really want to __________(insert examples: be creative, be appreciated, be in charge for once, be in love)' and let it.


-100% forgive your mistakes, allow you to BE at peace with yourself, your life.


-Eat just one more piece of rich dark chocolate. What? It's full moon.


-Take yourself on a date, treat yourself the exact way you wanted to be treated by your ideal lover/partner.


-Accept there's no perfect balance in life. NADA. Doesn't matter how organized you had Suri set your schedules.


- Know that your relationship with yourself is more important & meaningful than scoring a date(s) on V-Day.


-Dig deep for your issues, make an appointment to sit down face to face. SHOW UP.


-Re-define the FUN you. No, you don't lose it because of working for your corner office, house work,  kids, or broken relationships in the past.


-You don't NEED to be further along in life.


-You don't need to finalize the definition of YOU yet. In fact, feel free to change the definition 99 times in the next week or so.


- You are your own Coach, not referee.
 
-Be open to challenge your old beliefs that no longer serve you (be honest here), question all that bring you stressful thoughts.


-You are never really lost, your compass is in your pocket. Quiet the noises and examine what turns you on in life- that's the direction you outta head to.


-Single or Married, you are a freaking love machine, baby.


SELF LOVE CHALLENGE:

This is an exercise I do with myself all the time. I pay close attention to my thoughts about myself for a day and I write them down. At the end of the day, I look at my thought patterns about myself.  Self awareness brings so much light & many AH HA moments.

Then, I take each negative thought about myself.... turn it around and surround it with three positive loving FACTS. I thank myself for the awareness of the negative thought, and allow myself to be stoked about the other positive facts from that same situation.

OK, this exercise may make you feel like you have duel personalities at times cause you are have all these conversations with yourself, but if you make that a regular practice, you will be amazed how you've opened a clear communication channel for self love.

So what are some of your negative self images/thoughts you discovered through this exercise?? Or something you've always knew all along? Feel free to post in the comments below. Sharing is Caring! ;)


Much much love to you,

Sandy

In the Kitchen: Fluffy Banana Pancakes

What is a raining Sunday good for? Writing by the window, making banana pancakes and listening to Jack Johnson. Ah, bliss of waking up slow. 

This is a no fail fluffy pancake recipe I use all the time. I switch back and forth from adding bananas to blueberries from time to time. 

Banana Pancakes

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Cooking spray or butter for the surface of the griddle
• One rip banana, cut in 1/4 inch slices

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to "sour". It's important to give the milk sometime to sour as it really adds to the fluffiness of the pancakes.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into "soured" milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone. I normally let the batter sit for another couple of minutes while the skillet/griddle is heating up. This will give the batter sometime to expand.
3. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat, and coat with a thin layer of cooking spray (I use butter). Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. Add slices of bananas onto the pancakes before you flip them over.
4. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.

Happy Rainy Day!

Sandy

When 1 +1 = 3. Baby Annoucement

Having a child is surely the most beautifully irrational act
that two people in love can commit.
-Bill Cosby

Yes, we are having a baby!! 

I can still remember David & I sitting on the bench off the beach in Avalon Bay, watching the waves washed on shore. He was in his tux and me in my white dress. It was our wedding day and we witnessed our lives changing right before our eyes while we said our vows. We thought life was pretty sweet back then, but love ferments and it creates bubbly spirits.... and a new life. 

1 + 1= 3 Facts:

*We call the baby, Peanut. It's catchy, say it 10 times, fast. AKA Baby Stites

*It's our 1st baby, ever. Something is just purely beautiful about that.

*It really doesn't matter if Peanut is a boy or a girl, we love it either way.

*Peanut has been in existence for 16 weeks and 1 day, and 6 inches long.

* Hearing its heartbeat was the most surreal and humbling experience. It's got a strong little heart.

* Peanut's got a proud Daddy :)

* And a bunch of family freaking excited to meet & love him/her.

 Meet the Baby:

Today was our 16 week check up and Peanut's first ultrasound. Check out the images we got!

I understand there are many things to learn, much information out there to filter, and tons of oozing love for this active little creature living inside me. What an amazing realization that we are deepening the meaning of unconditional love with this baby.

Hello Milestone, it's very nice to see you here. xoxo

My 1st batch of Spring Seeds

My seeds have arrived!

I love seeds, especially the uncommon kind. This might be the reason why I am so fond of Baker Creek Heirlooms (rareseeds.com, it says it in the site address). Even though I also order from local nurseries, Kitazawa Seed Company, Territorial Seed Company, and even Burpee; my favorite so far is Baker Creek. Great germination rate from the seeds (Trust me, it sucks to buy seeds that do not germinate-you start to think you definitely have the black thumb), quality veggies and fruits and you can always find some rare heirlooms in their collection. Baker Creek peps collect rare heirloom seeds from all over the world and test them out on their own farm in Missouri.

So without further ado, here are the 1st batch of seeds I've gathered for Spring 2012!

• Echinacea Purpurea- a beautiful PURPLE (I love purple) wildflower and a well known medicinal herb.  Immune system boost, anyone?

• Slow Bolt Cilantro- this is a slow bolt (flower) variety, which is fantastic because it gets really warm in Southern California and the warm weather usually causes Cilantro to flower and seed, instead of producing more leaves (which is what we use).  

• Bok Choy (Ching Chang)- I swear they just gave it a typical Chinese sounding name, Ching Chang. Always love some Bok Choy in my stir fry's or I'd simply sauteed those, yum!

•   HOT Pepper (Chinese Five Color)- purple, yellow, orange & red. Those little fiery peppers are cute with an attitude!

• Sweet Peppers (Emerald Giant &Quadrato d'Asti Rosso)- fancy heirlooms for green and red bell peppers. Bell peppers seem to be a hit with the Stites family, especially hubby, so I will have a special pepper garden section for those, tons of peppers.

• Riesentraube Red Tomato- This was a FREE gift from Baker Creek (Thanks guys!!) Once upon a time, I was ignorant enough to think heirloom tomatoes taste the same as the generic hybrid tomatoes- NEVER AGAIN! Heirloom is so much more flavorful and sweet. So I am super stoked about getting this heirloom variety as a free gift.  

• Zucchini (Lungo Bianco)- pure Italian heirloom, light and creamy. Summer squashes remain a stable for our household in the summer. We eat both the zucchini blossoms (stuff them much?) and the zucchini 100 ways. 

• Sweet Corn (Country Gentleman)- my 2nd attempt at growing corn. Last year, I mixed yellow corn and baby corn (like in Chinese stir fry's) in the garden, and let's say the corn I got was not very successful. The kernels were not complete and the size was small. So I will be going at it again with Baker Creek seeds (last year the yellow corn seeds were from a friend), we will see what happens.

• Watermelon (Ali Baba)- Last year I grew the Orangeglo watermelons from seeds and had vibrant amazing watermelons all summer and into early fall. It's hard to imagine liking another variety of watermelon after growing such beautiful melons; but! Baker Creek contested Ali Baba (from Iraq) is their FAVORITE watermelon out of the huge collection of watermelon varieties they have. Let's see which one will turn out to be the fan favorite in 2012. 

What are some of your favorite seeds you are planting in 2012? What about your favorite seed companies to order them from? Please share below! :)

Got a seed shopping problem, 

Sandy

How to Achieve Your New Year Resolutions

Whether you had them in your head, on your vision board, in a diary, or on your iPad, a list of goals/changes, aka. new year resolutions is generally created this time of the year; however they can seem daunting after the initial excitement on January 1.

I know this because the thought of making a list of resolutions and not making them happen was so intimidating to me, I flat out did not make a list at the beginning of 2011. Obviously I took the easy way out and ruined the fun of having an intentional year for myself.

You see, setting goals and new year resolutions is FUN. They are sparkly new, packed with hope and fueled with excitement for change- a better you & life style. The not so fun part is the guilt and sense of failure we impose on ourselves- when we talk ourselves out of acting on them, or when we keep putting them off.  Just like when we pushed the snooze button a few too many times, talked ourselves out of hitting the gym and self-convinced no one really works out on Mondays @ 5 AM anyway. Genius we are to win this debate half asleep, right? We also secretly tag 'failure' to our foreheads at the end of the day, and once we collect enough of the failure tags, it's easy to give this new year resolution up altogether.  

In 2012, if you want a different outcome, and actually achieve your new year resolutions, change the recipe and add a few new flavors:

1. TAKE IT PERSONAL:

'Duh' you said. Why would anyone's new year resolution be not personal to them? I mean, take it REALLY personal.  We are emotionally driven (no matter how left brain-ed we are), period. So the more emotions you have invested in a resolution, the better.

Don't kid yourself, if you want to lose weight so you can look hotter than his ex who randomly checks in with him for no good reason (or no good intention). Write THAT down.  Attach THAT emotion to your resolution. There's no black or white, right or wrong, and no, no need to justify it.Write down what triggers your emotions and fuels your fire. Any wish-washy stuff will only lead you to writing your resolution off in the future.

2. BE SPECIFIC:

Ambiguous goals such as 'be happy', 'world peace' or 'work less' are like the fortune cookies at Chinese restaurants. You kinda get the meaning, but what the hell are you supposed to do with it? You want to be happier, work less and see world peace- what actions can you take? Interpret what you CAN do to achieve that feeling, or make that event happen. No need to stress over things you have no control over (i.e. North Korea is still a communist country), just identify your resolutions with actions you CAN do.


3. TIMELINE IT:

When I learned Tim Ferriss' dreamlining system, I learned the importance of putting a timeline on what I want to achieve. Without a timeline/ deadline for your resolution (and by the way, it's not December 31, 20xx), it's easy to put it off until tomorrow, the day after, next weekend, or next month when your schedule is supposed to be a little better.

4. BREAK IT DOWN & ONE DAY @ A TIME:

Lose 20 pounds before bikini season can seem like a bigger task than it really has to be. It's much easier to process mentally, if the resolution is broken down to smaller details: be physically active for an hour each day, or drink one Green Smoothie each morning. 

One of my resolutions is to create tons of ass kicking contents for this site in 2012, and to revamp my website- and that can sometimes feel like I am trying to rebuild the Great Wall. If (and I do) I break it down, and say hey, I can focus on putting out value in my blog post one day, one post at a time- it's much easier for me to stomach. NO PROBLEM, I can do this, one day at a time. :)


5. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS:

When you remember to push yourself a little harder at the gym, and to take in two pounds of fresh leafy greens a day, freaking celebrate it like it's 4th of July!! Even what you do right is just a small thing, pat yourself on the back rightfully. Tell everyone about it and share your joy. Continue to give yourself the motivation to keep at it, you rock star you.


Tons of love to you for even have a list of new year resolutions. Hope this step by step method will give you a head start and a little boost to kick off your new year. I'd love to hear YOUR tips on achieving goals and new year resolutions! So don't be shy to share below.

Renewing & Getting Back Up,

Sandy