Judy Astley's All Inclusive

I've been reading this on and off, during at night when I couldn't sleep and when I'm traveling, or waiting on a queue and finally, after several months of digesting this including cocktail recipes as its chapters, I finally am done with my All Inclusive vacation at the Mango Experience Sports 'n Spa!

This is about vacationing away from your reality. Limited time to push yourself to let go of the things you worry about and just relax, rejuvenate and be well pampered for the city life, personal drama and hustle-bustle of everyday routine.

Very well plotted. You'll learn a thing or two from this book and I especially admire Ned's Beth. I think I would like myself to be seated in between her and Lesley, and will definitely give each other a pat on a back, for being honest and charming and awesome. I felt the salty breeze and the fine coarse sand in between my toes and now, I am longing to go the beach! :)

I'm excited to read another of Judy Astley's and I'm eyeing the "Size Matters!". It's quite tempting! ;)

Food Trip: Homemade Carrot Siomai + Carrot Juice

What I missed most about staying in Baguio was that all the vegetables are fresh, plus the price is way much cheaper than the limp veggies I see on the wet market here in Manila - there really IS a big difference! If you wanna live well, you have to start eating right, and eating right starts with fruits and vegetables - the usual left behind food blocks in the food pyramid! Today, in this blogpost, I will share to you my mom's homemade carrot siomai! :D

Ingredients and Materials for Carrot Siomai, Carrot Juice and Siomai Sauce:

• 1 kilo fresh carrots
• 2 cans of tuna in oil flakes or corned tuna
• siomai wrappers
• salt
• pepper
• stalk of celery
• flour
• 5 medium-sized eggs
• Juicer
• Steamer
• 5 pieces calamansi
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• a spoonful of chili sauce
• Olive oil

fresh from the steam pot! :D

Clean the celery and carrots and lightly peel the surface. Cut the carrots in medium size and process both the carrots and the celery stalks in the juicer. Measure 1/4 of the carrot-celery juice on the cup and put the rest in the fridge to chill.

Put the carrot fiber in a big bowl, add the following ingredients-

1/4 carrot juice,

tuna in flakes,

a spoon of flour (add more if necessary),

salt and pepper to taste

Crack the eggs in a small bowl, leave a spoonful of egg whites in a saucer.

Beat the eggs and mix it to the ingredients. Mix well.

Prepare the siomai wrapper.

Individually wrap the mix in the siomai wrapper and use the white eggs to seal the tip.

Cover the steam pot with a thin layer of olive oil (you could also add/use butter, if you like *wink).

Place the siomai inside and steam for 15 to 20  minutes.

Cut the calamansi and squeexe the juice in a small bowl, add soy sauce and chili sauce.

Enjoy!

That is how we do it at home. Don't forget to put some ice on the Carrot Juice and shake it well before serving. Carrot is a good source of vitamin A. It can also melt small tumors and lumps inside the body. You can replace the tuna with grinned beef or chicken as well, but our favorite is the tuna flavored carrot siomai! Mouth-watering labor of love! All those wrapping is really well worth it!

What are your favorite carrot dish and dimsum?