Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

"Love is patient,

love is kind.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres,

love never fails."

--1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Each year on February 14th, many people exchange cards, candy, gifts, or flowers with their loved ones. This day of romance is what we call "Valentine's Day," also called the feast of Valentine.


The color of this month is red, so I chose strawberries to be my post this holiday. There are so many creative and delicious ways to use this fruit as a tasty treat that would be fun to make for Valentine's Day.You can give this as a present to your friends, or as a dessert if you have a dinner or party.

Strawberries seem to be the perfect fruit for this holiday. You can dip this with chocolate and top it with chopped nuts, sweetened coconuts, sprinkles, or anything you want. You don't have to spend a lot of money to show your love and affection to loved ones.

Ingredients:

1 quart strawberries
1/2 cup baking chocolate ( preferably ghirardelli )
1 teaspoon oil or butter

Instructions:

1. In a microwave dish, heat up the coconut oil and chocolate for about 15 seconds in  the microwave. Stir thoroughly after taking it out.

2.To get the fun heart shapes, cut the strawberries length-wise into two pieces after removing the stem, and then make a divot at the top.

3. Now dip the fruit into the chocolate. To get a smoother finish, use some skewers or fork to dip the strawberries Let the covered strawberries cool down on a cookie rack or a sheet of wax paper.

4.Once the chocolate has hardened, its time to decorate them. You can drizzle on some white chocolate. If you want to sprinkle some chopped nuts, do it while the chocolate is still wet so that they can stick.

Everyone likes it and it tastes really good! This would be perfect while sipping champagne while celebrating Valentine's Day. Spread love everyday!

Granola Balls

"Do more of what makes you happy."

--Author Unknown

A New Year, a new you! Do you have a New Year's resolution? Most people made goals about themselves, relationships, and even diets. Whatever it is, just make sure it's simple and attainable. That way, you don't end up frustrated and distressed.

As I look back on 2014, I can say that I was successful with my resolution, because I worked to be healthy. I aimed for a better lifestyle last year, although it was a challenging. However, I think I attained it.

For this year my resolution is to become a better person and be happy. They say “Happiness is a choice.” How can I achieve this? Despite our everyday struggles, I always find time to do something that will make me happy; like watching funny movies, reading a good book, and baking sweet treats.

We all have our indulgences, like good food and sweet treats. It's okay to eat sweets once in a while, and I call this a “cheat day.” The granola ball that I made is like a Rice Krispie, but I mixed its ingredients with different nuts and seeds, which are rich in protein, fiber and Omega 3 oils. You can eat it with your favorite yogurt for breakfast or a snack. This is a healthy treat that everyone can enjoy without being guilty, because there are healthy benefits to it.

This Valentine's Day, you can give this as a gift to a special someone. You can just place the granola balls in a cute container or box, then decorate it with a bow.

Ingredients

1 cup roasted oats

½ cup chia seeds

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup raisins

2 cups rice krispies

1 cup raw almonds

2 tbs butter

5 cups low-fat marshmallows

2 tbs flax seeds

3 tbs maple syrup

brown sugar for rolling the granola balls (optional)

Directions:

1. On a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add the oats, seeds (chia, pumpkin, sunflower, flax), rice krispies, almonds, and raisins

3. Add the maple syrup.

4. Let it cool, then roll it in your palm like a small ball.

5. Roll it in the brown sugar.

6. Put it in a wire rack until cooled completely.

7. Store it in a jar or plastic container. Seal tightly.

Sweet Heart Pizza

A healthy heart is a prized possession, and during February, we celebrate the American Heart month. The first Friday of this month is the National Wear Red Day. On this day we are encouraged to wear red to support women's heart health.

Red is the color of this cause because it's the color of our hearts. One way to go red this February is to live healthy. Learn new and healthy but delicious recipes that can be added to your cooking repertoire.

According to study, heart disease killed more women than men, so motivate your loved ones to participate in this nationwide awareness to beat heart disease and heart strokes.

So I made this heart-shaped pizza in honor of this celebration. For this upcoming Valentine's Day, this is the recipe you can serve for your sweetheart. :)

Ingredients:

1 lb. wholewheat pizza dough ( low in salt )
1 cup grated mozarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mini pepperoni ( low - fat )
1 cup broccoli
2 red sweet peppers ( heart shaped )
1/4 cup pizza sauce

Instructions:

1. Roll the dough into 12 inch heart shape.

2. Spread dough with pizza sauce and pepperoni.

3.Top with two cheeses.

4.Top with broccoli, peppers, and Italian meatballs.
5. Bake at 375 F until cheese is melted about 15 minutes.

Happy National Wear Red Day!

Seahawks Tini (12th man Cocktail)

The Superbowl is here! It's only a day before the big game. Since we are cheering for the Seahawks, it's gonna be a celebration for the whole weekend for us. We have the gear, the food, and the party won't be complete without a drink. In honor for the team and the 12th man (aka the Seahawks fan), I made this martini inspired by the blue and green colors.

We're looking forward to every moment of the game. They are a step closer to win the Lombardi trophy, which we predict.

Is it Sunday yet? We're excited and in a beast mode! To all the Seahawks fans: let's
CELEBRATE for their victory, to DEFEAT the Patriots, and REPEAT to being the champion of the Superbowl. Go Hawks!

Martini Procedure

Dip rims of two margarita glasses into water, shake off excess. Dip into green sugar. In a blender, combine two cups crushed ice, 1/3 cup tequila, 1/4 cup curaco and 1/4 cup frozen lemonade concentrate until smooth. Divide between glasses. If desired garnish with football party picks and lemon.

For those who don't like alcohol, you can omit the tequila and use club soda instead. Enjoy the party and have fun with the game!

Note: If there's a big party, make a bowl of punch, and double the ingredients. Drink moderately.

Sopas a la Russ (Minestrone Soup)

Since it's the Superbowl weekend, I made this ultimate game day soup called "Sopas a la Russ" in honor of the quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks. Everybody is busy preparing for the party on Sunday, so you might want to try this food. It is similar to chili soup, but instead, it's a vegetable version, and has Italian seasonings.

This is a filling and hearty soup. It's best paired with cornbread, garlic bread or any available bread in your pantry. It's very easy to make and can be prepared in advance. You can cook it in the stove top or in a slow cooker.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 medium onion

1 clove garlic, finely chop

1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes

1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans

1 can (12 ounces) vacuum packed whole kernel corn

2 stalks celery

1 medium zucchini

1 cup broken spaghetti

3 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons beef bouillon

11/2 teaspoons Italian seasonings

Cook and stir ground beef, onion, and garlic in soup pan until beef is light brown; drain. Stir in tomatoes (with liquid) kidney beans (with liquid) and remaining ingredients: break up tomatoes with fork.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until spaghetti and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Do-Ahead Tip: After browning the beef, stir in all ingredients except spaghetti: cover and refrigerate no longer than 24 hours. About 20 minutes before serving add spaghetti. Heat to boiling; continue as directed above.

Enjoy the Superbowl game! What are you preparing for your party?

Seattle Seahawks (Superbowl Gear and Party Planning)

"The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning."

-Pele

Football doesn't usually interest me. Watching it for hours seems like a waste of time. I hosted Superbowl parties before, but I only watched the halftime shows and commercials. However, it changed for me when the Seahawks won the  Superbowl last year. My family loves football, so I decided to understand how it worked, and I started to enjoy watching it. My husband is actually a longtime, diehard fan of the Seahawks.

Last Sunday, for the NFC Championship game between the Seahawks and Green Bay Packers, it was a miracle that the Seakhawks won. It was one of the most amazing and intense games in the history of NFL. How they pulled it off was mind blowing. Everyone even teared up when Russel broke down into tears. If there's one thing that I learned from that game, it was not to "give up." They fought until the very end. They demonstrated an incredible team effort.
     
This translates to our life as well. Always opt to be the best and never quit. If that miracle happened, anything great in life that you envisioned can happen.
     
To support the Seahawks and to keep up the team spirit, we bought gears to be used on the upcoming game. I embellished my beanie hat and made a necklace that matches it to make it more fun and festive.

We can barely contain our excitement at this moment, waiting for the Superbowl XLIX! It's so nerve wracking. True fans always stick and support them all the way. Win or lose we'll forever be a 12th fan, and in our hearts, they're always a champion.

Go Hawks! Aim for a repeat!

Here are some of our gear:

Game Day Food

A Look Back of the Superbowl XLVIII