How to Make Panda Rice Cakes – A Tutorial

There are times in the life of a freelancer where you find yourself a little burnt out and needing motivation to get out of bed and kick @$$. Even when you are pursuing a career you love.

Those are good times to take time off and work on projects like panda rice cakes. Or stay in bed, eat junk food and watch Hayao Miyazaki like it’s the end of the world.

I hope you choose option one.

Without further ado, I dedicate this post to my creative friends and family of pandas in Taiwan and around the world.

You will need:

3 cups cooked sushi rice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 tsp veggie oil
1/8 cup white sugar + salt to taste
nori sheets

Instructions:

1. Combine rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Cook over medium until sugar dissolves.
2. Cool, then stir into cooked rice.
3. Form rice into ovals cakes. Use saran wrap as the rice gets really sticky
4. Cut nori sheet into strips for arms and ovals for panda eyes and ears.
5. Create your panda (I used flower petals to make the red bow)

  

There you have it! An adorable panda rice cake for everyone.

ps- no pandas were hurt in the making of this post

French day and a recipe

I just want to share how blessed I am to have cool and lovely friends that I can’t help but blog about. It’s not easy when you have a habit of packing your bags and hopping on planes to new cities every once in a while. This is Michiko- freshly back from her backpack trip in Europe. One of my lady partners in crime in carrying out whatever art idea we have in our heads. Also, those kind of friends who have your back and tell you how awesome you are on bad days and such.

We celebrated her return by cooking up a picnic. The theme was meant to be French, but evolved to roasted veggies (asparagus, zucchini and mushrooms), Avocado, shrimp and tomatillo salad, Ham and Cheese Sandwich with Arugula and Avocado, yam chips and of course wine.

To share with you this fabulous pineapple juice recipe I am just crazy about – tasty, simple and worth chopping up a pineapple on hot summer days.

You will need:

1. Pineapple (cut into chunks)

2. Several mint leaves

3. water

Instructions:

1. Add Pineapple + water + mint

2. Blend

3. Add mint for garnish

There you have it, easy as pie and such a good start for any occasion.

Bon Appetite!