All I Really Want Is To Be Happy

I want to be happy.

A friend and I were just discussing if 50% of my mood is determined by genetics (ouch!) and 10% is external circumstances I really have to do my best with the remaining 40% which is determined by my actions and thoughts. I guess eating right, getting exercise (Argh! My doctor ultimately was right with that pat advice he gave lo those many years ago when I was 300 lbs and trying to erringly convince him to give me diet pills.) That leaves the thought part. Meditation. Prayer. Thinking positively and wishing well for every living being on this planet. Throw in some comic books, Ska, Chillstep and J-Pop music and I really can't lose. Onward and upwards.

This Stir Fry is So Fly!

Last Summer I met this cool woman, Jade from Texas (by way of Seattle) and she hipped me to this great meal so without further ado I present:

Stir Fried Jade Ginger Kale in Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients: Kale, Black Bean paste, Ginger, carrots, Scallions, Basil, Red or light green peppers. adobo, Chilli Pepper Flakes

Optional: Mushrooms, Seitan, Cilantro

Do yourself a favor and get a wok! You will be flash frying these bad boys and require a high temperature.

Pre show: Make sure all your items are "mise en place!" Once everything is is ret to go it moves quickly ~ blink and you will miss stuff.

Wash your lettuce. I tend to add lemon juice while im cleaning it. I don't know why. It was suggested and I take suggestions. I am proud of my my new salad spinner! When done stick it in the fridge to crisp. I also use a plastic lettuce knife if you were wondering.

Kale: Fold them over leaves and use a sharp knife or scissors to cut out stems out. Separate them for later use

then take leaves and roll them up then slice them up in a chifonade stylee.

While you're in chifonade mode stack up some basil roll it up and chop that too.

I also minced up some cilantro and added that. it smelled yummy!

Chop your mushrooms (you can add some seitan but in my experience it doesn't preserve well despite being pre cooked. ~ Whats up with that?)

I julienne matchsticked my ginger. I tried with the carrots but they weren't big enough. Wahh!

squash and mince your garlic.

Chop your scallions/ green onions (is there a difference? its like the difference between yams and sweet potatoes!)


Now Cooking:
Pre heat your wok. Don't worry about that smoke, its how it do. add the oil and wait for it to heat up and coat the pan that hot chili oil will make you cough so be ready. throw in the garlic, ginger and onions and lighly golden and fragrant.


Add your stems. (they need more time to cook)

add black bean paste just a dab will do you so add a little at a time because you can always add more but you cant add less.

add the kale leaves and the basil and cilantro

add carrots

add peppers

add mushrooms or seitan (or both if you're feeling especially randy baby!)

add chili pepper flakes (you know, the kind you see at the pizzeria?)

Jade said will know when you are done and by golly, she was right! One website said you have to listen to the wok. the sound of the sizzle will help guide you. What is this "the Force?" but yeah, it was a little like that.

Once it was done. I have already prepared my quinoa and red beans (I was going to use black beans but that was far too OD considering the black bean sauce.)

Also my salad was ready and same with the sweet potatoes.

the result was deliciously different! I will definitely try this meal again! Yay!

Don't Know What Ska Is?

I just did a fun webisode with Alicia American where we speak about Ska Music. Note: I am no skaologist.  for that I defer to my homegirl Michelle at NYC Ska (http://www.nycska.com/)

Americast 88: Ska Lessons with Checkerphil

Step by Step: Quinoa and Beans ala Phil

Someone asked me to share my recipe for preparing quinoa. So here it is. this will garner a lot so have some tupperware on hand to create serving sizes for yourself. Ready?

1) put 2 cups Quinoa red or black into a saucepan

2) add 3 cups water flame on high

3) add 2 Caps of Braggs Liquid Aminos

4) add 1 tablespoon of Tabasco sauce.

5) add can of beans with water.

6) add adobo and black pepper to taste

7) when water boils reduce flame to a simmer then put lid on pan

8) stir occasionally

9) add an half an ounce of Bob's Milled Flaxseed

10) after 5 to 7 minutes of this shenaniganery let it sit for a hot minute and the flaxseed should sap up the last of the water

11) Dole out some to eat then put the rest in tupperware to eat later.

12) Enjoy this perfect protein plain or add to salad for extra punch!

The Independent

Walking home from meditation. Who needs fireworks?

2nd Ave looking towards 18th street. (I think.)

Phil's Day

Thank goodness its Saturday!

Woke up. Strange dream last night that I was living in a strange house with a million different roomates. Gahh. what a mess. Glad my roomate is such a chill dude.

Phone has a email message from the union. Teacher layoffs have been averted. That's good news.

Prayed. Brushed teeth. exercised, took a breakfast out of the cabinet. 3 days of prepared breakfasts left. I'd better get on that and make more. I meditated for 10 minutes. Kept being distracted by my life. Be still.

Took shower. Did a little cleaning. Spoke to Jen and Ned. I gathered some clothes to take to the cleaners.

Busting woman at the cleaners hump for not sewing my pocket like I requested. I was taken aback when she pointed out she did sew the pocket as requested and I was whining about the other pocket.

Ouch! I totally had to humble up. I got totally pwned. In my face.

I ran to class through Tompkins Square Park and got there on time. Tai Chi class was great. we went nice and slow. I like when my sensei shows me the practical applications to the moves.

Texting with my homey Tesfa about how Green Lantern could have been better and how I had no expectations on Xmen first class (in fact I expected it to suck but it didn't.)

Met up with my pal Ladd he is very wise. For lunch I went to Number 1 on 1st avenue for Steamed vegetables w tofu, cashew nuts, brown rice, black bean sauce on the side. I was trying to concentrate on my meal but there was this big mosquito with a menacing probiscus. Stay away from me! I don't want to kill you. hmn maybe i can lose myself in the place-mat about the Chinese Zodiac. I am a Fire Sheep so lets see what it says:

Sheep people are creative and elegant. Sheep are somewhat quiet, timid and prefer anonymity. Sheep tend to have a difficult time with romance. Anyone who couples up with a Sheep must be aware that this Sign has a hypersensitive streak and can be subject to periodical anxiety over seemingly insignificant things.

Gahh. No comment. Pwned by a placemat. Maybe that mosquito has Malaria or Dengue Fever!

I saw the local video store place was having a sale. They had the first season of Big Bang Theory so I snapped it up. I also bought an animated Underdog DVD I may have already had but whatever.

Today I am excited because I am making something new for dinner. this might seem old hat for you but I have adhered to a small list of maybe four different dinners for the past two years. I have all the weapons of war assembled (ingredients) but I cannot cook it in my 3.5 qt Cuisinart sauteing pan. Sauteing is for slow cooking at a low heat while stir frying involves high heat. In order to accomplish my goal, I will need a wok. Just as well because I always wanted a wok ever since I met this woman Debby at the TV station who swore by her wok and always made kick ass meals.

So off to the Broadway Panhandler on 8th st. I got a special Joyce Chen Pro Chef 14" Excalibur Nonstick Wok: 2.0mm carbon steel construction. Reinforced Excalibur nonstick interior coating is perfect for high heat and tough enough for metal tools. It has a 25 year guarantee. W00t! I also got a Joyce Chen angled bamboo spatula and 5" Stainless Steel Strainer, Handy for scooping foods out of hot oil, boiling water, or simmering broth.

From there I went to Casey Rubber Stamp Design at 322 East 11th Street (b/w 1st and 2nd aves) to order a rubber stamp for my address. John the owner keeps it so real and knows his stuff so he get my official rubber stamp of approval. I also bought 2 new stamps. One is a unicorn and an atom for my collection. I also bought 10 granny smith apples from the fruit stand $2 for 5. Ya just cant beat that for the apples size.

Once I got home I put away my stamps and washed my apples with Dr Bronners Peppermint soap. perfect for fruit and vegetables!

This would be the section where I talk about my delicious dinner but I am exhausted so I will make a separate blog for this grand event. suffice it to say I made it ate it, washed and dried the dishes and put them all away.

Ever since I bought my new sketchbook I am going to attempt to draw in it every day. today I drew a picture of myself.

From here I'm going to pray and go to bed. it is 2:09am Reminder to mention that to Peter. That's his number.

More tomorrow.

Spring Break

Ive been doing a lot of relaxing and making food at home over spring break.



My Dinner With Sen Pei: (Left plate) Black quinoa, lentil and garbanzo beans, yams, steamed asparagus.

My bowl (center) has pearl quinoa with seasoned black beans, chopped kumatoes, tabasco and braggs liquid aminos, red lettuce, baby spinach, arugula, alfalfa sprouts, crunchy sprouts, sun dried tomatoes, steamed asparagus olive oil, adobo and black pepper and a chopped up sweet potato. I will also have 2 egg whites and 2 slices of wheat bread.

The soundtrack for today: Ive been listening to "Bright Lights, Bigger City" on a loop. Maybe its that Michael Jackson vibe, perhaps its the James Bond sample in it. In any cases I'm just feeling it.