“You learn a lot about someone when you share a meal together.”

Anthony Bourdain

Late Summer Seasonal Focus:

Ground + Immunity Boost. Rejuvenate Knowing, Foundational Pillars and Daily Flow. Learn how to listen to you. Seasonal food conversations with a deep passion to serve your well being and the well being of others.

This week’s recipes included: Tortang Talong and Blueberry-Banana-Pineapple Yam Frozen Dessert(Check Suzanne’s website a few days after this segment is posted. Recipes will be there too)

Research. Wisdom. Recipes. Mother Nature.

Filipino Food + Cookbooks

“A surprise to those unfamiliar with the Philippines is the great geographical diversity of the Islands and their six major culinary regions. Gerry Gelle’s contribution to our understanding of this diversity is his knowledge of these regions. His recipes include the mountain and coastal regions of Northern Luzon and the many islands of the Visayas and the island of Mindanao. We learn of the rich mixtures of people, from the Pangasinans of Luzon with their specialty of “cultured” fish, to the Tagalogs, who use vinegar and fruits to give their dishes the preferred sour taste. He explains the use of guinamos, a paste of fermented shrimp or fish in the Visayas, and the use of hot chilies and spices to make curry in Mindanao. After cooking with these recipes, you will know the aromas and tastes of Filipino cooking.” Gerry Gelle

Amboy: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream

Alvin Cailan has risen to become arguably the most high-profile chef in America’s Filipino food movement. He took the food scene by storm when he opened the now-legendary Eggslut in Los Angeles, a foodie cult favorite specializing in affordable but sophisticated egg sandwiches. Alvin also hosts the popular The Burger Show on First We Feast’s YouTube channel, with many episodes exceeding 1 million views and guests such as Seth Rogen and Padma Lakshmi. Alvin’s story of success, however, is an unlikely one. He emerged from his youth spent as part of an immigrant family in East LA feeling like he wasn’t Filipino enough to be Filipino and not American enough to be an American, thus amboy, the term for a Filipino raised in America. He had to first overcome cultural traditions and family expectations to find his own path to success, and this unique cookbook tells that story through his recipes.

Big Boi Filipino Comfort Food

Sawtelle Japantown’s Big Boi, named after the owner’s father, offers soulful Filipino comfort fare in the form of affordable combo plates. But that doesn’t mean the chef skimps on flavor, with clean takes on classic dishes like adobo, sisig, tocino, and sinigang served with a choice of rice or pancit. Open for takeout and delivery.

Tagalog Takeover

Tagalog Takeover brings you mouth-watering Filipino street food with a twist of Angeleno fusion. Influenced by her heritage and culinary training, seasoned Chef Stacy Bareng offers a true Filipino experience with her pork adobo bowl, lumpias and pancit while also featuring some Mediterranean flair with grilled whole locally-sourced fish.

Tortang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Omelette)

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

3 Japanese eggplants
12 large eggs
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, to taste
¼ cup Olive Oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, diced
Salsa
1 pint Cherry tomatoes, diced
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1/4 Cup Cilantro
1 jalapeño chili diced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 lemon, juiced
Side
3 cups cooked jasmine rice

Directions

1. Turn the oven to broil. Place the eggplants on a sheet tray and broil, turning as needed, until blackened all over, 7 to 8 minutes. Alternatively, blacken them directly on a flame over a gas stovetop, turning as needed, about 3 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel away and discard the skin. Using the back of a fork, flatten the eggplant flesh, keeping it intact. It’s going to kind of look like a pancake. Leave the stem on.
Make the salsa: Combine everything in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the fish sauce and set aside.
Directions Step
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large iron skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the stove and transfer to a bowl. Wipe the skillet clean.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium. Working with one eggplant at a time, carefully dredge it in the egg mixture and add it to the skillet. Ladle about ½ cup|120 ml of egg over the eggplant and top with ⅓ of the onion and garlic mixture. Season with salt and push any egg that leaks off back towards the eggplant to keep its shape a bit. Cook until set, 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully flip over. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining eggplant
Stack the omelets on top of each other on a serving platter. Serve with the salsa and cooked rice.

Blueberry-Banana-Pineapple Yam Frozen Yum

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

1 Frozen Oven Roasted Yam
1 Cup Frozen, Blueberries
1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple
1 Frozen Banana
1/4 Dried Coconut Flakes
1 T Local Honey
1/8 C Cocoa Nibs (optional)

Directions

Blend Yam, Blueberries, Banana and Coconut Flakes
Stir in Coconut Flakes, Honey and Cocoa Nibs
Direction Group Title
Pour into 2-3 serving bowls. Place in freezer, covered
Serve with fresh mint leaves and coconut whip cream

Fall Ayurveda:

Practice Slow Down, Find the Earth and your Feet.

Walking Deviation. Kiss the Earth as you walk.

Research, Label Wisdom. Places to start exploring, traveling, recipes and mother nature.

“Ashwagandha has been treasured for its ability to revitalise and rejuvenate for more than six thousand years; this Indian root strikes a delicate balance between strengthening and fortifying the body while bringing a calm, parasympathetic embodiment.

This potent herb is still a staple within the Ayurvedic system and by the general population as a tonic of India; it is considered one of the most important herbs in the tradition.

Ashwagandha is used in Ayurvedic medicine to promote healthy sleep patterns, support reproductive hormones and foster a healthy stress response in the body.

As a rasayana, ashwagandha is given to children (in milk) to support healthy development and the elderly as it helps to promote ease, calms the mind, and supports healthy aging.

Ashwagandha’s botanical name, Withania somnifera, provides a bit of a clue to its powers; the species name somnifera means ‘sleep-inducing.’

The Hindi name ashwagandha is derived from the word ashva, referring to the horse sweat-like smell of the root!

This translates to granting the strength of a horse to those that use ashwagandha.

Ashwagandha holds a similar place in the Ayurvedic pharmacopeia as ginseng does in the Traditional Chinese healing system, however, it has a softer energy.

Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to:

Maintain / support healthy reproductive hormones
Enhance / promote / increase healthy sleep patterns
Support healthy stress response in the body ” ~Superfeast

Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

Additional Health Benefits of Ashwagandha

“Revered for centuries in folk medicine, chaga is considered one of the most protective mushrooms for the cells.
Chaga can assist in balancing energy and supporting immunity – it’s one of our daily go-to’s for a mega-dose of antioxidants and to keep our bodies humming along.

Chaga is found growing wild in old-growth birch forests; it is not a herb that likes to be cultivated.

The ability of this mushroom to predigest the nutrients contained in the birch tree allows it to deliver a potent medicine that serves so many benefits for us humans.

Chaga also helps to increase your body’s resilience and capacity to process and respond to stressors.

Stress is a major trigger in so many illnesses and symptoms today and chaga can assist in calming the mind and supporting the body’s stress response.” Superfeast