Top 12 Desserts to Serve this Easter

March 23, 2016March 23, 2016 ~ Sophie ~ Leave a comment

desserts galore

We are all getting into the Easter mood which is just a few days from now. Of all the food to be served, I thought it would be great to highlight desserts we’ve made throughout the years. I hope you get to make some for your loved ones.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday and weekend.

🙂 Sophie

5 Ingredients: Watermelon Refresher

March 8, 2016March 7, 2016 ~ Sophie ~ 4 Comments

Light watermelon refresher that is great for those hot sticky scorching days.

Today is international women’s day and I got these two quotes to share with you.

“A woman with a voice is by definition a strong woman. But the search to find that voice can be remarkably difficult.” – Melinda Gates

“A woman’s guess is much more accurate than a man’s certainty.” – Rudyard Kipling

As a woman, I believe there is so much that we are capable of even when society says otherwise. But in order for us to be able to do so, we need to unite forces and have each others backs, believe in each other and support each other. It is my hope and prayer this holiday that we all take time to look deep within our souls and search what out purpose is and use it to uplift fellow women and our society. Today, to celebrate the phenomenal women in our lives, I am sharing a simple yet refreshing watermelon drink made with 5 ingredients that you can easily find. But first, I have an exciting new feature.

I have been thinking long and hard about introducing fun features here on the blog. First off is this new feature called 5 Ingredients... I will feature dishes, drinks, desserts and recipes with strictly five ingredients. Because as elaborate as cooking can sometimes get, there needs to be dishes that can be made in less time. I am already excited. Are you ready to join me in this challenge?

What you will need:

Watermelon

Water

Sugar

Lemons

Ice cubes

Method

Wash the fruits. Cut the watermelon into cubes. In a blender combine watermelon, water and sugar. Blend till smooth. Using a strainer, strain the juice till the large particles of the seeds are nonexistent. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Serve with lots of ice cubes.

PS: I did not put any specific measurements because they do vary based on each individuals taste and preference.

Get creative. Happy Women’s day!

🙂

Sophie

Colorful Tender Pumpkin Stir-fry

February 17, 2016February 17, 2016 ~ Sophie ~ 6 Comments

This is what happens when you end up harvesting a young pumpkin. In life there are times when we totally do insane things which in turn end up being masterpieces. I keep saying I have had my fair share of failed recipes in the kitchen. But see, the thing with failure is that it pushes—forces even— you to keep trying till you get a better outcome. I believe failure is necessary for success. But words are easier said than done. Having to create and develop recipes in the past couple of years has taught me to take failure as a part of the natural human process because without failure, we really would not know what success is. Now this pumpkin stir fry first fell into my category of failed recipes but over time with constant trying and recreation, it is what it is now. Because now I realize, similar to this amazing stir fry, harvesting a baby tender pumpkin is not a waste after all.

What you will need:

1 C. Young tender pumpkin, thinly sliced

1 C. Carrots, julienned

1/2 C. Green pepper, julienned

1/2 C. Green beans, julienned

1 Large onion, thinly sliced

2 Garlic cloves finely chopped

1/2 Tsp. Ginger, finely chopped

1 Tbsp. Dark Soy sauce diluted with 2 Tbsp. water

Black pepper

A pinch of sugar

Salt

Oil

Method

Place a pan on high heat. Add oil. Add the pinch of sugar and let it melt and turn slightly brown(but not burnt). Add garlic and ginger. Let it brown a little and then add the pumpkin. Keep stirring. After 3 minutes, add the green beans and keep stirring. Add the onions and carrots. Next add the green pepper. Keep stirring so they don’t burn since the heat is high. Pour in the soy sauce little by little while continuing to stir till the vegetables are slightly tender but still with a bite. Sprinkle salt and pepper and give one last stir before removing from fire. Serve hot.