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A Vel-made Life

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01/17/2023

Pork and Veggie Dumplings

Dumplings have and always will be a longtime favorite of mine. My dad used to bring my sister and me to this local Taiwanese dumpling and noodle hole in the wall called San D**g, and every time, we'd surely have at least one heaping plateful of boiled dumplings and another order of pan-fried. I’m convinced there are Taiwanese grandmas in the back, wrapping these bad boys faster than we were eating them up.

We eat dumplings during the new year because it represents wealth (since it's shaped like gold ingots). The belief is the more dumplings you eat, the more money you'll make in the coming year.

🎥 reel and recipe coming soon!

06/20/2022

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! I’m pretty lucky to say I’m certain I have the greatest dad.

Doesn’t matter how old I am, he still always calls to tell me to drink water, asks if I’m wearing a jacket (even when it’s a blistering 90F), and (if I sneeze or cough around him) stocks my kitchen with enough cough drops and NyQuil to last a lifetime. But I wouldn’t have it any other way…bc that’s truly Papa Man for ya!

I started finger knitting this blanket since the freeze in Feb 2021. Made of wool, my dad will hopefully stay warm all the time, just like he likes it! ✌🏻

05/02/2022

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Why May? It was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the US on May 7th in 1843 and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10th, 1869, in which the majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.

It’s important to note that although that may be the historical context, more than 25 AANHPI subgroups fall under this umbrella term. And within each subgroup exist various dialects, religions, and traditions. As I am becoming more rooted in my own ethnic identity, my awareness in what makes up the Asian American diaspora continues to grow.

This month, I’ll be testing out new and beloved recipes to celebrate our collective and diverse history and cultures. Of course, I’ll have to rope my parents in as taste testers 😅 Food certainly has a way of bringing people together. I’m excited you’re here to join me!

04/01/2022

Vel made turns ONE today!

I can’t believe it’s been a whole year of bringing y’all along my kitchen adventures…lots of late night experimenting, which means there’s the good, the bad, and the real ugly 😅  But more than anything, I’m just grateful to be able to share my love of food and community with each one of you.

Whether you’ve supported me with words of encouragement, cute branded gifts (I love my new apron…I still don’t know who gifted it to me, so thank you, kind friend), or purchasing goods during my random pop-up bake sales, please know that every moment means the world to me. THANK YOU!!

And here’s to many more adventures in the kitchen and recipes to come. Hopefully, it’ll switch from late nights to early mornings (bc natural lighting is everything…where my food photography friends at?)

03/27/2022

Easy Keto Espresso Brownies 👇🏼

When I find a good product, I stick by it. I really love Miss Jones Baking Co.] fudgy brownie mix. Not only is it keto, but it's also sold at . And friendly reminder, ya girl is all about those deals. Baking brownies from the box is something I remember doing way back in middle school. Loved it then, love it now. I added in multi-collagen protein powder and espresso stout peanut butter for a nice coffee flavor. Pair it with some unsweetened almond milk, and you're good to go!

1-14 oz bag of Miss Jones Baking Co.] Fudgy Brownie Mix
2 eggs
2 tbsp water
¼ cup plant based milk
½ cup avocado oil
2 tbsp multi-collagen protein
¼ cup + 3 tbsp espresso stout peanut butter

Make brownies as directed on box, but also add multi-collagen protein powder. Pour the batter into the pan. Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter (totaling about ¼ cup) into the brownie batter. Using a knife, create peanut butter swirls. Once fully baked, drip another 2-3 tbsp of espresso stout peanut butter all along the tops of the brownies. Enjoy!

03/23/2022

When friends come visit Texas, I always make sure they have to have Tex-Mex in some way. Whether it's a fajitas dinner, a nacho bar happy hour, or breakfast tacos, I'm a true believer that if you haven't had Tex-Mex, you haven't really visited Texas.

Breakfast Tacos
1 tbsp olive oil
3 Siete Family Foods] almond flour tortilla (for hard tacos, use Siete-brand grain-free taco shells)
3 eggs
½ sweet onion, diced
½ tsp garlic, minced
1 link soy chorizo
1 avocado, sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced
½ cup salsa/pico
½ cup Siete Family Foods] cashew queso
1 cup shredded vegan cheese
Optional: a handful of tortilla chips

Pour ½ tbsp of olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add in garlic, onion, and jalapeno and cook until fragrant and softened.
Add soy chorizo into the pan. Break up the veggie meat into small chunks. Cook for 3 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
Using a paper towel, lightly wipe down the oils from the pan. Add ½ tbsp of olive oil over low to medium heat. Add in one tortilla at a time, heating each side for 15-20 seconds. Once hot, sprinkle vegan cheese on one side. spoon the chorizo and veggie mixture in.
Add in 2-3 thin slices of avocado. Top with salsa and melted cashew queso.
For an added crunch, crush a few tortilla chips and add it on top of the salsa and queso.

03/21/2022

Mango Lassi

Mangos are always a fan favorite in my family. We used to order the Chinese mango fruit cakes for birthday celebrations and mango sago sweet soup as dessert. So, when I was asked to make a mango lassi, I was pretty thrilled to test out what I know with a few pointers from some of my South Asian friends. One sip is all it took, and it's now one of my favorite go-to's on a nice summer day.

1 mango
1/4 cup plant-based yogurt ( coconut milk)
½ cup of plant-based milk
2 ½ tbsp of monkfruit sweetener
10 ice cubes

Toss all ingredients into a blender and blend on high for 10-20 seconds or until smooth.

03/18/2022

I love a good Acai bowl when the weather is sunny and warm. These days, you’ll get a sprinkle of that mixed in with near-freezing weather. It’s safe to say that I have a full closet in my car at the moment…ready for the next huge shift in temperatures. But considering today’s nice and sunny, nothing better than to take work outdoors and enjoy this açaí bowl on my hammock. Plus, perfect way to get my daily dose of Vitamin D. What do you like to do to maximize on a sun-shiny day?

Spring gala season is in full force and trying to make my bowl aesthetically pleasing is, unfortunately, not a current priority. So instead I’m re-sharing my keto smoothie bowl, but honestly, they look pretty much the same! 😅🤷🏻‍♀️

Acai Bowls
2 packets of frozen açaí puree (I used )
I large banana, sliced and frozen
1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ large avocado
1 cup mixed berries
1 tbsp maple syrup
Optional: 1 handful of spinach
optional toppings: organic coconut shreds, cocao nibs, berries, nut butter, keto granola, chia seed, and/or nuts

Using a small blender/magic bullet, blend acid puree, banana, berries, almond milk, avocado, and maple syrup together. if desired, blend in spinach, as well. Pour smoothie in a bowl and add toppings of choice. Dig in!

03/16/2022

The post before last, I mentioned tossing in walnuts and keto chocolate chips to elevate strawberry bread (and well, any kind of sweet bread). Voila, not only will your taste buds love it, but as a self-proclaimed food photographer, think my camera loves it, too! What simple ingredients do you like to add to your dishes/desserts to take it up a notch?

03/14/2022

Guess what season it is?? If you said, strawberries, ding ding ding, you are correct! I love hitting up a local farm in southern Houston and going strawberry picking. And most of the time, I end up picking waaaaay more than I need. So, naturally, I make strawberry everything - strawberry napoleons, strawberry yogurt, strawberry smoothies, and yes, even the pictured strawberry bread!

So if you’re ever finding yourself in my shoes, consider making strawberry bread - and toss in some keto chocolate chips and walnuts, too. They definitely elevate it!

03/07/2022

Kale Shrimp Salad

What a week it’s been! I’ve spent the last week at a work retreat and although I tried to pick some healthier options for my meals, I realized that my body wasn’t loving it. By 3pm, I was ready for a nap - food coma anyone? So as much as I love a good indulgent meal every now and then, my body was craving for greens by the time Friday rolled on by.

Mendocino Farm's quinoa and avocado superfood ensalada is where it's at. I can eat that salad over and over again. And since I didn’t have time to make a pit stop on my way home from the hotel, you better believe I made a similar version right at home.

Clearly, it didn't meet my expectations as a good enough replica (hence the name of this recipe doesn't say "copycat"), but it was still pretty delicious. Enough to share it with the world. So until the "Copycat Avocado and Quinoa Superfood Ensalada" makes its debut, this kale shrimp salad is the perfect stand-in.

👉🏼 Check recipe card for the list of ingredients and instructions! 👉🏼

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