Random Meals – 2/14 – 2/26/22

March 3, 2022December 9, 2022 sirisvay2 Comments

Here it is! The Kimchi Challenge I gave myself! It was an interesting experience, and I’ll go into detail why. If you recall from my previous weekly meals post, I wanted to challenge myself to have kimchi in my dinner and lunch meals. How did that turn out? See below!

A tortilla with kimchi, tempeh, avocado, cilantro and sauce for a kimchi tempeh taco.

Kimchi tempeh taco bowl with kimchi, tempeh, avocado, sauce and cilantro

A bowl with kimchi, beef brisket, broccoli, avocado, cucumber and brown rice.

A bowl of fried rice with kimchi, chicken and over-easy egg.

A bowl of kimchi soondubu jigae and a bowl of white jasmine rice.

A bowl of veggie spaghetti with pork and plant-based mozzarella cheese.

Two plant-based flatbread pizzas with plant-based cheese, pepperoni and vegan sauce.

Kimchi Tempeh Taco (and taco bowl)
- This was probably my favorite kimchi-based dish I made! It never occurred to me to put kimchi in a taco, but it was DELICIOUS! And for the “taco meat,” I tried a new plant-based meat substitute – tempeh – which is a traditional Indonesian food made from fermented soybeans. I would definitely make this again because the flavors all worked well together for a tasty experience.
Kimchi Brisket Bowl
- Another gem dish to be honest. There’s no specific recipe for it because it’s more of a put all these things together and see how the different flavors complement each other. I already eat thinly sliced beef brisk with kimchi and rice for my normal “homemade” Korean BBQ, so adding more veggies to the plate with a sriracha/vegan sour cream/mayo sauce was -chef’s kiss! The first time I made it, I marinated the meat, but I think it tastes better un-marinated because there are already strong flavor profiles competing against each other.
Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi Soondubu Jigae
- I’ve shared Kimchi Soondubu Jigae before, but I’m bringing it back because it was a great dish to eat during the cold-cold weather we’ve had recently in Texas!
Carbonara-inspired Veggie Pasta
- So, this is where things got … interesting. I ran out of kimchi before the week was over, so I did a quick trip to the grocery store to get a new container. Well, that evening I wanted to make kimchi pasta, but there was mold in my new container!!! I was immediately turned off and returned it. Instead, I just made a carbonara-inspired spaghetti dish, which was pretty good for thinking on the fly!
Plant-based Flatbread Pizza
- This was supposed to be a kimchi pizza, but see above not having any kimchi and was turned off for a bit. Nevertheless, I did enjoy making and eating this, but what’s tricky is the plant-based shredded mozzarella takes FOREVER to melt.

All in all, it was a good two weeks with a focused theme meal plan. I learned some new recipes that I will definitely incorporate into my everyday lifestyle. As far as “weight loss,” I already had a feeling it wouldn’t make a dent, especially because other items were on my plate. I don’t know if I could fully commit to ONLY kimchi and rice, but I honestly don’t need to anyway.

Do y’all like kimchi? If so, what are some of your favorite dishes with kimchi?

xo
Siri

Random Meals – 1/16 – 1/28/22

February 2, 2022 sirisvay1 Comment

To be perfectly honest, I’m struggling to share new food photos with y’all! I’m a creature of habit, and when I like something, I stick with it. Essentially I’m eating repeated meals, which are no fun to share over and over again. But here are six more!

a homemade Chipotle bowl with a spoon, chicken, pico de gallo, corn, avocado, vegan sour cream, and brown rice — Chipotle Chicken Bowl

a bowl with a spoon, crispy tofu and brown rice — Chipotle Chicken Bowl

Homemade Chipotle Chicken Bowl
- This was very delicious, but oh my goodness it is A LOT of work. It’s mostly prepping all the sides and toppings on top of the marinating and cooking the protein. My favorite part of the dish, though, was making vegan sour cream (which I think consisted of mixing coconut yogurt, lemon juice and tapioca flour).
Crispy Tofu and Brown Rice
Salmon Crisp Chips
- The salmon is supposed to be sushi-grade fresh salmon, however, I have not been able to make it to the Asian market. What I did instead was cook regular salmon fillet to medium rare!
Shrimp Spring Rolls
Bang Bang Shrimp
- Fried shrimp is SO delicious, and I will never turn it down. This dish was also yummy, however, it’d probably be better cooking it the way it’s instructed in the recipe – with an air fryer. I fried the shrimp in vegetable oil, so it’s not the best healthy way to do it.
8g Carb (Egg White Crust) Pizza
- I wanted to like this recipe more than I did, but it’s honestly probably chef maker error because I didn’t cook the crust correctly. Trying to multitask by letting it sit on heat while I wash dishes was my mistake. The eggs got too fluffy versus thin and crispy for thin crust pizza. I’m down to try it again because of its appeal of being low carb!

Aside from these dishes, I’ve tried to bring even more plant-based and low-carb recipes onto my plate. That’s always been a focus for my diet regimen, but after all the doctors, surgeries and procedures in the last couple of years, I’ve stepped this up a notch to take care of my body even more. It’s no fun to hear bad news at all your medical appointments LOL

What are some plant-based and low-carb gems you enjoy? I’m slowly discovering there’s more and more in the food world than I ever knew!

xo
Siri

health

Completing the Blogilates 21 Day Tone Challenge | Progress Pics

February 4, 2021 sirisvayLeave a comment

This post is long overdue, but better late than never! At the start of 2021, and for the month of January, my sister and I completed the Blogilates 21-Day Tone Challenge with Cassey Ho. Normally, I’m pretty active with a routine workout schedule but I know my sister has been struggling with maintaining one since the pandemic hit, so I suggested we do this challenge together virtually.

Disclaimer: Yes, I am naturally thin. I am aware and have never complained about my weight or the way my body looks. That said, I have been active and eating healthy for YEARS and maintained my fitness. Plus, there are plethora other reasons to eat healthy and work out regularly in addition to weight loss and vanity.

Every day for the 21 days, we video chatted each other, and we did the day’s video together, each one focusing on a different area of the body. Admittedly, even as fit as I am, some of these videos were challenging, but it honestly felt great to feel the sweat dripping onto my workout mat and the burn in the muscle areas. The best part? Knowing that you put in the work to take care of yourself is incredibly rewarding.

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COVID-19 · health

5 Good Habits for a Healthier Lifestyle After COVID-19

May 20, 2020December 9, 2022 sirisvay2 Comments

Some of you may already be living a healthier lifestyle as things get back to normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Or you’re a star who stayed healthy the whole time. Or some of you might be like me, who, during recovery and quarantine, didn’t have the best eating or workout habits, thus developing anxiety about all the bad food we can’t stop eating. And we want to remedy that situation.

Healthy Food No Good Meme - 5 Ways to Eating Healthier

Immediately after surgery, I didn’t eat much for two days, so as my appetite came back and my body could handle food, I was eating whatever I could to get my strength back, and I used that excuse for weeks. I was eating all the carbs, dairy, sugar and sweets, so it’s time to limit those back down again. Now that I’m back at my apartment in better shape from surgery, I’m trying to get back to a healthier lifestyle. Looking for ways to get started on healthier eating habits? Keep reading to see if what I’ve learned might be helpful for you. (And see what new FREE infographics I’ve made for you!)

Disclaimer: This is a rather lengthy post, so get comfortable as I share my experiences with you. Also, I am not claiming to be a health expert. My blog posts are sharing what has worked for me in an attempt to provide ideas to others if they’re helpful.

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health · Mental Health

Challenge: 30-Day Workout and Diet Reset

February 28, 2018March 30, 2018 sirisvayLeave a comment

Five weeks. It has been five weeks since falling off my healthy wagon. Ever since I had the flu, and been knee deep in projects (which is a good thing), I have not gotten my butt back in the gym, and on top of that, I have been eating HORRIBLY. Bread, fast food and sugar galore! Everyone knows my undying love for Wendy’s, but good lawd, they gave me so many coupons that I went almost every week religiously, sometimes TWICE in a week. Then I gave up chocolate for lent, but I ended up making 50 sugar cookies and an entire tray of lemon bar squares, which got devoured within a couple days. Horrible.

Well… tomorrow is the start of March—holy my lanta, how did we get here so fast?!—and I am determined to climb back onboard the healthy wagon with a 30-DAY RESET CHALLENGE. Yes, I realize I’m thin and don’t need to “lose weight,” but as I’ve said many time again, this is not about losing weight. Workout and healthier eating habits help maintain discipline and create a better, healthier body for myself. Plus, no one wants to feel sluggish from the food they eat and/or beat themselves up from feeling eater’s remorse.

What regimens am I incorporating this time around? I’m not going too far fetched.

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