Mushrooms-stuffed Baked Potatoes with Truffle Sauce

Sunday morning, waking up late, not too sunny - my fave weather...got starving, no food ready, looked inside my fridge, and just found only mushrooms, potatoes, and tofu skin.. as always, this lazy bumps didn't wanna go outside for grocery shopping, and staying close to bed is the best choice :p

Luckily I have an army of herbs and spices at home,so here is my accidentally brunch menu..

Saute Mushrooms
Saute all ingredients in coconut oil:
250gr mushrooms (grind few seconds in food processor)
100gr soaked and sliced tofu skin (optional)
3 cloves garlic
a pinch of himalayan salt
oregano
thyme

Mashed and baked Potatoes
2 medium-size potatoes, steamed and mashed or blend in medium speed
1 tbsp sunflower or canola butter
a pinch of sea salt

Put half portion on the base of a small spring-form baking pan (sprayed with cooking oil),
put saute mushrooms in the middle, then cover with the remaining portion of the mashed potatoes. You can add grated cheddar cheese on top if you like, or vegan cheese - I use Sheese.
Bake in preheat oven in 10-15' 160C,

Put rosemary as garnish.

Pasar Ragam

Pasar Ragam - organic market festivity - is back again in Songolas, South Tangerang from 12 and 13 December 2015. It is where I always have my fave vegan burger at Burgreens.

This community-oriented market is aimed at increasing awareness, inspiring, sharing knowledge on urban sustainable lifestyle. Personally I feel that this is a good and friendly way to remind, to create more of us to live a healthy lifestyle from early stage - surely never think too late to start.

With series of event during two days - local organic products, workshop and talkshow from the experts, Pasar Ragam provides healthy cooking demo by a certified raw cooking chef Max Mandias and Yoear, tattoo and photo exhibition by Hairil Saleh, composting at home by Afi Soedarsono, painting on wood by WA coffee (their coffee is great!), organic yoga, Go-Massage Indonesia, fermenting tempeh at home, and many more that cannot be missed. Organic veggies by Tante Sayur, Wangsa Jelita, Kemala homeliving, were some of participants in the market as well.

It is a one-stop heavenly green, cozy and sustainable spot with the jungle-like atmosphere... Love it!

#burgreens #songolas19 #organicmarket #pasarragam #healthyliving #sustainableliving

IPA Inspiring Talk on Social Investment

Indonesian Petroleum Association today presents an inspiring talk with Faisal Basri - Indonesian economist and politician, who shares forest rehab with trees adoption, as a part to sustain local natural resources, to promote green sustainability and improve farmers independent - prevent from illegal chain.

Through the act of organic local product of natural resources, Faisal Basri emphasizes to strengthen the production increase, farmers financial capacity and marketing management/chain.

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Red Juice

Let the plant be the cure. 
When I feel discomfort on my tummy or fever, I try to avoid medicine as possible, my first attempt is through plant-based food and drinks, just like this red juice...it heals me faster.. These stuff are also must-have items in my fridge.

Beet root
Lemon
Honey
Ginger
Turmeric
and sometimes I add apple too..

Raspberry Sorbet with Wheat Biscuit Creamy Crumble

Base layer:
4 tbsp wheat biscuit crumble of any brand of your fave
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp psyllium husk
1 tbsp soaked cashew (blend)
A pinch of speculoos powder to taste
Mix all ingredients, pressed, fridge about 10'

Sorbet
Frozen raspberry, blend with honey, add as the upper layer on the cold crumble, sprinkle with dried coconut flakes and gojiberry.

Crispy Oatmeal Tofu and Tofu Skin with Salsa, Roasted Pumpkin & Mashed Potato

It was quite a simple dinner I made that night after such office madness, found the almost empty fridge - only tofu, tomato, pumpkin and few potato left, so I just made something with everything on the fridge. Meanwhile, I knew I must post something as well for the competition on the Pantry Magic 7th Anniversary.

As magic always happens in the kitchen, this humble meals finally won the competition (previous post), and I also found out that my recipe was also posted on another site as well :)
http://www.sukadapur.com/blog/wow-crispy-oatmeal-tofu-tofu-skin-with-salsa/ 


I guess it's never too late to post my recipe on my own blog :) 

Crispy Tofu & Tofu Skin
250gr tofu and soaked tofu skin marinated with
5 cloves garlic (ground)
A pinch of sea salt and pepper
A pinch of non-MSG seasoning powder optional
1 tbsp Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
1 tbsp Nandos peri-peri sauce 

Cover the tofu and tofu skin with 3 tbsp ground flax seeds that previously soaked with 100ml almond milk OR eggs for non vegan, roll in oatmeal, fry with coconut oil.

Salsa
1 tomato, diced
Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Parsley powder optional
Red pepper/chili flakes
mix all ingredients

Roasted Pumpkin
1 small pumpkin/kabocha, sliced, marinated with
3 cloves garlic
A pinch of sea salt
Parsley powder or any leaves of your fave
Roast in pre-heat oven about 20-30' 170C

Mashed Potato
Steamed potatoes mixed in a blender with sunflower seeds butter and sea salt (I didn't have enough time to mashed manually, so I did a fast track by using blender, as I was hungry like hell...hahahaa...)

Homemade Vegan Almond Soft Cookies

Recipe (15-18 cookies):

150gr oatmeal

1 tsp psyllium husk

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

100gr almond meals (almond milk pulp)

5 tbsp organic coconut sugar

1 tbsp cacao nibs

100gr sunflower butter

2 tbsp roasted almond - optional

mix all ingredients and form the cookie dough, bake in preheat oven in 15' 160°C

Homemade Vegan Matcha Waffle and Ice Cream

Recipe:

Waffle
Mix and whisk all ingredients:
8 tbsp all purpose gluten-free flour from cassava
1 tbsp matcha powder
1 tbsp ground flax seeds (whisked with 150ml nut milk of your fave - sweetened with dates), this mixture will make egg replacement
1 tsp psyllium husk
A pinch of himalayan salt
2 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower butter or vegan butter 

Ice cream

1 Avocado
1 Coconut
A pinch of matcha powder
5 soaked dates
A pinch of speculoos powder
Blend and frozen 

Atop with granola or everything you like :)

The National Gastronomy Dialogue

H. E Arief Yahya, Vita Datau and William Wongso on the Opening 

Prof. Murdijati, Magdalena Wenas, Amanda Katili, Endro during the keynote session

What matters on food, is the sustainability, especially when it comes to the origin, heritage, nature resources, empowerment, cultivation, existence.

Along with commemorating the previous World Food Day, the Indonesian Gastronomy Academy or Akademi Gastronomi Indonesia (AGI) hosted the first National Gastronomy Dialogue from 23 / 24 November 2015 at the Gran Mahakam Hotel, Jakarta. Being motivated to explore and sustain the national heritage of Indonesia which is rich with various natural resources and spices, AGI is eager to place Indonesian gastronomy – this certainly includes food industry - on the world’s map and sets them on highlight by promoting, synergizing, integrating, globalizing Indonesian gastronomy, and further to make Indonesian gastronomy as a part of essential keys in diplomacy as much as bilateral relations within countries.

Through this dialogue, it is also expected that such a blue print on the Indonesian gastronomy is established, while also increasing the use of natural resources and empowering local entrepreneurship.

The programs in the 2-day National Gastronomy Dialogue covered keynote speech from the State Minister of Tourism Arief Yahya, workshop, interactive discussion and working group that aimed at establishing a covenant that will contribute roadmap of Indonesian gastronomy on global level. Some presenters who played important roles in sharing were from government, Indonesian leading culinary expert, food entrepreneur, academics, practitioner, chef, local organization, private sector and gastronomy players.

Measure, and manage!

The opening speech from H.E Arief Yahya clearly emphasized that many countries perform diplomacy and globalization through food or culinary, some key points to start will be through such programs in tourism, gastronomy and roadmap. He explained that Indonesia must have a strong branding and significant portfolio in gastronomy or culinary, positioning, differentiating, and having brand value, to be widely and globally accepted. he added that gastronomy shall consist of goal, motivation, strategy, competitive growth, environmentally-friendly character, establishment of Indonesia-corporated – business, government, communication and media. In addition, programs that also become the main subjects about creativity and creation, and commerce. Creation or cultural values will sustain culinary, in the long run, it incubates through branding and developed into commercial value. However, we should also ensure that such measurement is required, to enable us to manage this goal.

Indigenous Knowledge for Indonesian Gastronomy Sustainability.

Professor Murdijati Garjito from the University Gajah Mada, an expert of food technology and science, observer, researcher, author of some Indonesia culinary books, explored local wisdom we need to have in mind to sustain food and culinary. Started with current trend of eating, where she believed that eating pattern will impact health being in developing country. Activity, increasing numbers of working or career women, urbanization, play role in effecting our daily life style in food consumption. Less home cooking, more fast food, cause Non Communicable Disease (NCD) such as degenerative ailment, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular, hypertension, stroke, obesity, blood clogging or cholesterol, cancer and many others. There is a need to improve the national eating pattern, by remind ourselves on local wisdom by going back to traditional food or home cooking, choosing more natural resources in our very own local area. This is also expected to improve local commodity and the use of local food based cooking. She added that indigenous knowledge through food shall be intensified through using the existing Indonesian Culinary documents, supporting local farmers, setting up series of campaign with integrated players - producers of local commodity with good quality, consumers who need local and good quality of natural resources or ingredients, farmers, agrobiodiversity concept, and incentive plan on the implementation. Is it possible? Yes if we start.

Indonesian Traditional Food Development and Sustainability

Amanda Katili, Ph. D from Omar Niode Foundation, has just opened up our mind as well, that Indonesia has more than 30 spices – rich country in spices that can strongly spice up food and culinary. As the Omar Niode chairman, she emphasized to raise the awareness on food, agriculture and culinary arts quality for both aspects: education and human resources. These are the way to sustain traditional food and culinary. Very well explained in the Omar Niode Foundation’s great and precious effort through the book “Trailing The Taste of Gorontalo’’ where readers are fulfilled with the history of Gorontalo culinary, tourism and travel and so much more. Exploring various traditional foods, bringing up to other areas nationally and globally, involving public to take part and government to support, Indonesia membership within international association, seeking business opportunity, promoting its existence, getting into wider society, engagement with chefs, survey to measure public opinion and achievement of such programs, and further to manage as Arief Yahya previously said. During her presentation, Chef Sabil Al Rasyid, one of the legendary Indonesian chefs, added that what Amanda and Omar Niode Foundation have done in helping to sustain Indonesia food through the book and integrated programs, shall also be followed by others.

The keynoted speech session also reminds us on how collaboration for market space in Indonesia gastronomy is very important, according to Endro Catur from Knowledge Management. Strong development to fulfil consumers’ comprehensive and different need will validize market place, locally and globally. A well-managed market place, will be beneficial for all parties involved or respective stakholders. Transaction, collaboration, will result in a sustainable chain of activity, in this term, culinary. Surely will need strong support and endorsement from government for further development and sustainability.

Magdalena Wenas, AGI communication management expert, said all parties are responsible to communicate our local gastronomy, using 360° PR strategy for all stakeholders with the same passion in gastronomy, involving heritage, local food and traditional culinary, history, hygiene, health, from all area in Indonesia. Further, as she expected, we are able to communicate and sustain what we have, followed by audit for continuous improvement.

The afternoon session takes place in three subjects: Indonesian traditional food heritage and sustainability in which William Wongso shared Indonesian traditional food authenticity within global views, and also other theme such as Indonesian food globalization, and Indonesian food branding.

It is strongly expected that AGI and all stakeholders are able to play important role to sustain our very own Indonesian food, locally and globally, our heritage.

''I cook, I meditate''

The October 16^th reminded me of the World Food Day. Sometimes I forget the date, but as much as I care about, it is not only poverty, hunger, and food sustainability. Respecting our body, or being healthy inside and outside, is what I think equally important. This is where the efforts of a healthy balance between a healthy mind and body become a challenge. Exercises, diet and adequate sleep are the keys. Are these enough? The balance between body and soul are essentials.

It has been more than ten years I frequently exercise: running, swimming, tennis, yoga, hand-gun shooting. Healthy food is no stranger since eight years ago as well. However, I was once exposed to high cholesterol with such symptoms of dizziness, shoulder pain, tiredness, and stiff neck. Followed by skin rashes, a doctor stated upon the observation result, those events were the signs of stress, later also considered emotional disorder. I realized those were the time I had been through too much at the same time. Those physical ailments – that obviously I had experienced, were caused by stress. Stress ruined everything, impacted on body, indeed.

I believe every person must have her or his own problems with such complexity. Each has a mindset and different way in facing or fighting stress (certainly not by avoiding reality, I assume). For me, one way of dealing with stress, is doing positive activities or hobbies as a meditative action, leading or dragging my mind into certain focus, consistently, persistently, aimed at constructing perseverance inside, which along the way, will be beneficial to the body.

Cooking is my hobby. Healthy food is a necessity. I come to make a choice that cooking healthy food is a part of my meditative action – taking it as the right combination between activities and good or healthy stuffs, but at the same time a challenge for me. I hate vegetables and fruits since I was a kid, the challenge takes place when I should encourage myself to eat veggies - making it attractive and tasty to eat. I need to get kick in the ass to start eating veggies, and to get this going, but keeping in my mind the benefit of eating more healthy food. Another challenge for me is on how to stay consistent, and reassure myself that food can make my life better.

It has been always fun, therapeutic, and relieving when cooking healthy foods, trying recipe from chef, tasting various vegetable from organic to hydroponics. Sometimes I cook or eat cheating meals too. Satisfaction always comes up upon my experiment on food, its taste and presentation or plating. I can feel that this meditative action starts to give me fruitful feeling and happiness.

I cook, I shoot, I post (and I win)

Starting my Instagram account where I post my food journal and health journey (healthy menu or clean-eating meals, cheating meals, in the restaurant or homemade), is how I begin and feel some series of fortunate events. This also reminds me of the results of my habit on eating or cooking (my meditative action) as well. It is the way I am gladly to share with others, as much as I am happy to have more precious insight from others too. There is a circle of positivity within.

One great experience I had, was when I participated a home-cooking competition hosted by the Pantry Magic Indonesia on its 7^th anniversary through its #imahomecook and I won! Being proud and happy that I had a chance to cook together with Chef Bara Pattiradjawane on 14 November 2015, met with many inspiring people such as oom William Wongso the Indonesian culinary expert and an honorable restaurateur that makes Indonesian cuisine on the world’s map, Ibu Vita Datau the Chairman of Indonesian Gastronomy Academy, Ibu Shindy the the Pantry Magic Proprietor, Chef Revo with her beautiful mom Astrid Tenggara,  Tria the Food Editor of Femina magazine, Poetri Andayani the hydroponics vegetable enthusiast, and many other inspiring and lovely person in culinary.

This, is definitely a huge positive result from what I have started – cooking as my meditative action…makes me realize even more, that I have a countless chance to live, cook, eat, strive for a balance between healthy mind, body and soul, explore creativity, embrace and feel all the positivity, and surely to continue what I call meditation.

What's your meditative action?

#WorldFoodDay #FoodMatters #FoodRevolution #IMAHOMECOOK 

Homemade Pumpkin Soup

The spirit of Halloween has just teased me that I was so crazy for pumpkin soup...and surely homemade!
It was easy indeed, but this time I want to make it with less seasoning yet flavorful, just to make it simple, easy and quick.

Boil pumpkin with garlic, blend with non-MSG seasoning. Saute the mixture with coconut oil, chopped onions, served with dried parsley and pumpkin seed.

What more do I need...

Homemade Vegan Noodle with Roasted Pumpkin and Mushrooms

Vegan Noodle with Roasted Pumpkin and Mushrooms

Last week I visited Organiklub store in Tebet, found vegan noodle, made of sago or sagu. The things that attracts me, as it was my first time knowing such noodle made from sago, and it was also stated low carb, gluten free, no preservative, no bleaching..and it's a local product :)

I give it a try for my lunch then. 

The noodle needs to be soaked about 10 minutes before I cook with the rest of the ingredients: my roasted garlic and curry pumpkin, also mushrooms. I only use coconut oil, liquid aminos, garlic and non-MSG seasoning powder. Voila! This pale noodle turns out delish! Quick, simple, and yummy. 

Homemade Vegan Brownies

Vegan Brownies

125 gr canola butter

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

3 tbsp oatmeal

3 tbsp almond meals or almond pulp

1 tbsp ground golden flax seeds

1 tbsp psyllium husk

2 tbsp raw cacao nibs

3 tbsp organic coconut sugar

50 gr raw organic almond chunks

Melt canola butter with cacao powder medium heat, mix with the rest ingredients, bake 15' - 20' in preheat oven 170°C or 350°F.

Top layer: melt canola butter, raw cacao powder, stevia or coconut sugar. Spread onto the cold brownies, sprinkle with raw cacao nibs.

#veganbrownies #brownies 

There's always the first time..

Sorong and Waisai. My first trip to Papua. After few years of preventing myself from being assigned to East area, finally I really could not reject at all. I decided to go, at last.
Most people told me am a weird. But it's me, not kinda a person who's keen on travelling, but then something really made me so. Funny indeed.
It was beautiful, I must admit, but the heat sometimes prevents me from enjoying things surround me..
The seafood was always fresh, and delectable.
And at least got my shot here, with such memorable sunset capture that reminds me of life.

Life is like the sun.

Sometimes it's like sunrise, or sunset.

Be grateful, and enjoy every moment.

Throwback

A throwback moment is not about being unable to move on.
It is a moment to remember how lucky I was and I am.
I realize many good things happened for the last decade, but this post is just to highlight the rainbow I got, just right after the storm.
It was in the same month two years ago I visited Oslo, Norway.
My solo travel during the best weather (thou people said it wasn't the best moment, but I loved the color and weather during autumn). 
I loved every beautiful places I visited during in Oslo, some places in the Bygdøy area, Vigelandsparken, some restaurants along Aker Brygge, even the flea market attracted me.
Walking down in every part of the road in Oslo during autumn whereas some areas and landscape were covered in almost golden colors, while breathing fresh and crisp air, under the rain, was a joy I could never picturize more with words, 'coz it will never be enough space.
As careless as I was - and might have been over-excited, I walked down the road for almost 2 hours to reach Vigeland just to see the angry boy statue (as I had planned and wished for), I stopped by for a sandwich and coffee at Cafe Vigeland, which were sooo good, resting for a while, took some pics, walked back to the hotel, on foot again, then I realized I forgot to visit the angry boy. Didn't regret that, yet it motivated me to get back to Oslo someday, and definitely always reminds me how meaningful the journey was.

Vigeland Cafe

#oslo #norway #vigeland