Saturday, December 31, 2022

New Year's Eve dinner at St. Augustine's Church

Finding a community in Canada is a challenge for any immigrant or foreign worker. You left your family and friends back in your home country and wonder if you'll ever find friends or a community in your new home.

I found friends at my first work, and I call that full-time job and my colleagues turned friends a miracle because I am so grateful to God for them.

When hubby and I moved to Vancouver from Richmond in 2017, we decided to attend Mass at St. Augustine's Church. Father Andrew, the volunteers, staff, and parishioners were all so welcoming. In addition, Ms. Jane and Father Andrew helped us with our Catholic wedding in the Philippines.


Happy New Year!

For the past years, hubby and I have celebrated New Year's just the two of us. To welcome 2023, we joined the New Year's Eve dinner organized by the Knights of Columbus and The Catholic Women's League in the parish.


A glass of red wine.

We picked an empty table and were joined by a Filipino Artist, a Filipino-Chinese couple, a Polish woman, and a Filipino couple. There were a lot of stories about faith, life, family, and travel over wine, fried chicken, roast beef, potato wedges, salad, roasted vegetables, and desserts.


Fried chicken, potato wedges, salad, roasted vegetables, and roast beef for a food coma dinner tonight.

Everything was delicious. The fried chicken was so juicy inside, and it reminded me of Max's chicken - I was so tempted to take it home to eat with rice and Mang Tomas. Meanwhile, the potato wedges were lightly seasoned with salt. The outside was crispy, while the inside was still soft. The roasted mixed vegetables were still snappy and not overcooked. I received a thick slab of roast beef and its cooked medium.

The Fil-Chi couple said that dinner was prepared by a professional chef member of the Knights of Columbus, which is why everything is restaurant-quality.


A slice of tiramisu cake.

Thank God for the blessed 2022 and for allowing us to welcome 2023 with Mass and be surrounded by our parish community.

Nanaimo Bar and Sticky Toffee Pudding at Waves Coffee House

After a food coma buffet lunch at New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant, we walked to our favourite coffee shop to hang out: Waves Coffee House. We had tea, a Nanaimo Bar, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. 


Sticky Toffee Pudding

Nanaimo Bar

I love both desserts and of course just sitting here with my husband.

Lunch at New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant

Happy last day of 2022. I made a deal with my husband that if I reached 170 lbs, my reward would be a buffet. 🤣 I achieved it last November, but I gained 3 lbs back in December. It might not be much for some, but I was more than 200 lbs at my heaviest weight!

For lunch today, we went to New India Buffet Bar and Restaurant.


The beautiful interior of New India Buffet Bar & Restaurant in Vancouver, BC.

Anyway, I tried a small amount of everything in the buffet except for the salad bar and appetizers section.

Below are my thoughts on each savoury dish.


Plate number 1

My first plate of food includes basmati rice, naan bread, chicken curry, tandoori chicken, lamb curry, and butter chicken. The first section of the buffet offers more popular dishes in North America.

The butter chicken is sweet (too sweet?) compared to the delicious and hotter chicken curry. The lamb curry pieces are fatty, while the tandoori chicken is surprisingly tender and juicy. A tremendous first plate. If you're here, I recommend the tandoori chicken and chicken curry. If you can't handle any amount of spiciness, go for the butter chicken.


Plate number 2

My second plate of food came from this section. I forgot to take a photo of my actual plate. #facepalm

Anyway, the Beef Keema was too salty. Skip it. The Fish Curry was creamy and so soft, and tender. Meanwhile, Veg Pilau is essentially fried rice. It's alright, but I recommend sticking to the basmati rice. The last thing on this plate is the Oven Baked Veg; it's not spicy and very creamy - delicious!


Plate number 3

My third plate of food includes rice and naan again. This time I tried Egg Curry, Chicken Manchurian (Indo-Chinese style), Corn Mushroom, and Aloo Gobhi (cauliflower & potato). The egg curry has a similar flavour profile as butter chicken but with a hardboiled egg. Meanwhile, the aloo gobhi is tarty, and the chicken Manchurian is unfamiliar. I'm still determining what to compare it to and if I like it. Finally, the corn mushroom is a good palate cleanser with no heat.


Plate number 4

The last two plates are all vegetarian dishes. Plate four includes Mix Daal Lentils, Veg Curry, Chana Masala, and Veg Makhani. I'm not a fan of the makhani; it's too sour for my liking. The veg curry is alright, but the better of the vegetarian dishes is the mix daal lentils and chana masala.


Plate number 5

On the last plate, we have the mutter paneer (cheese & peas), saag spinach paneer, Indian yogurt curry, and baby eggplant masala. I love the saag spinach paneer, everything else you can skip. The yogurt curry is sour, the baby eggplant has a mushy texture, and I am not a fan of green peas on curry - if you want a peas-like texture, go for the chana masala.

Losing weight has shrunk my stomach and appetite. My past self would be disappointed that I didn't go for two additional plates of things I liked - tandoori chicken, chicken curry, saag spinach paneer, rice, and naan. However, my past self would be shocked that I lost as much weight as I did and have been keeping it off. Slow and steady seems to have worked for me.

Friday, December 30, 2022

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Friday evening! We cooked the Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from our HelloFresh Box for dinner tonight.


Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from HelloFresh Canada

It's tangy and a bit spicy. A good dish but nothing to be raving about. The new bowl and placemat are Christmas gifts from my mom. Thanks, Ma!


Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Dinner tonight features chicken coated in a tangy sweet chili sauce coupled with zucchini and carrots. Don't forget our cilantro-lime rice, which infuses every bite with brightness!


Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 650 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Thursday! Hubby and I prepared and cooked the Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls with Chopped Salad and Lemony Yogurt from our HelloFresh box this evening.


Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

For breakfast, I cooked garlic fried rice and air-fried chicken sausage and made a ham & cheese omelette. I rarely spend more than 10 minutes for breakfast, but it's fun to cook in the morning. Afterwards, I reheated the Tuscan Sausage Linguine for our lunch. For the afternoon snack, I made flour tortilla chips using the air fryer from the last couple of tortillas that were about to expire.


Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

To end the food day, we enjoyed the Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls. It was so delicious. It's the best HelloFresh meal this week! The fresh salad worked so well with the lemony yogurt on top of savoury beef.


Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls with Chopped Salad and Lemony Yogurt

HelloFresh Description:

Everyone can add what they love to their bowl in this instant family favourite. Stir it all together with our delicious lemony yogurt sauce!


Kofta-Inspired Beef Bowls from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 810 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Wednesday! For dinner today, hubby and I prepared and enjoyed the Smart Shrimp Curry from our HelloFresh box.


Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

I'm back at work today. For breakfast, I enjoyed a quesadilla and hot chocolate. Then, we reheated half of the Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice for lunch.

Going back to the Smart Shrimp Curry. It lacks salt, which is my fault. Whenever I see Garlic Salt in the ingredients list, I always get scared that it'll be too salty, so I didn't add enough salt to the dish. Otherwise, it has a good curry flavour. I wish it was spicier; fresh ginger would elevate the dish.


Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Smart Shrimp Curry with Buttered Couscous

HelloFresh Description:

This silky, fragrant curry sauce built on warm spices, tomatoes and cream cheese is sure to delight your palate! A healthy serving of shrimp and a side of light couscous make this meal a wholesome wonder. Smart is based on a per serving calculation of the recipe's kilocalorie and carbohydrate amount.


Smart Shrimp Curry from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 520 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Tuesday! I took today off from work just to get an extra do nothing day. My hubby and I prepared the Tuscan Sausage Linguine with Sweet Bell Pepper, Chili and Parmesan for lunch from our HelloFresh box.


Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

I think we chopped the peppers too big. I also made some modifications to the recipe. I added a quarter cup of the salted water from the salted boiling water to the sauce in step 5. During the 5-6 minute "sauce thickens slightly" step. It added much-needed salt to the sauce. I remember having this recipe in the past, thinking it was bland except for the mild Italian ground beef.


Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

I enjoyed the heat from the chilli flakes, the crunch from the bell pepper, and the creaminess from the parmesan cheese.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Tuscan Sausage Linguine with Sweet Bell Pepper, Chili and Parmesan

HelloFresh Description:

Juicy pork sausage and garlic create a savoury flavour base for this classic pasta sauce. Enhanced with sweet peppers, chili and Parmesan cheese, this recipe is so simple and delicious, you'll want it to become a part of your weekly repertoire.


Tuscan Sausage Linguine from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 800 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Monday, December 26, 2022

McDonald's Canada Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe

Happy Boxing Day! Before heading to Millenium Karaoke for a family singing night, we grabbed dinner from McDonald's Canada and specifically ordered the Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe.

The McDonald's website described the sandwich as follows:

The Spicy Bacon Deluxe McCrispy is big on everything, including heat. With our southern-style fried chicken patty on a soft potato bun, topped with shredded lettuce, hickory-smoked bacon, tomato and our spicy Habanero sauce, this sandwich kicks crispy, juicy and tender up to the next level.


Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe from McDonald's Canada

The good news is the chicken was genuinely crispy and freshly made. It was hot when it arrived. Unfortunately, it was not spicy and did not have enough sauce.


Spicy McCrispy Bacon Deluxe Sandwich from McDonald's Canada

The tomato provided some juiciness, while the lettuce provided a different crunch. Lastly, the bacon is just there, but the taste could have been more pronounced. The flavourful crispy chicken was the dominant component both in size and flavour. I just wished there was more sauce!

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork from HelloFresh Canada

Our HelloFresh box arrived Saturday morning on the day of Christmas Eve. We cooked our first meal from this box for dinner on Christmas Day. We prepared the Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice.


Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice from HelloFresh Canada

SALTY! I didn't add any salt, and it was salty. The ginger has a nice flavour, and there's still a hint of the white cooking wine, but overall it was a salty dish.

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Hunanese cuisine is known for its spice and lots of it! We've toned things down a little in our take on a classic Hunanese dish, but packed in plenty of flavour with chili garlic sauce, ginger, soy and oyster sauce.


Fiery Hunanese-Style Pork with Green Onion-Ginger Rice from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 840 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Lumberjack Slam and Southwestern Benny from Denny's Canada

Happy Christmas! My first meal of the day is my dad's Arroz Caldo. It's chicken ginger porridge, and it was excellent. My love for food came from my dad. I seriously think they should open a restaurant.

After enjoying a bowl (who am I kidding? I had 3 bowls!) of my dad's porridge, we left their home to attend Christmas Day Mass at our local church.

On our walk there, as expected, all restaurants were closed except for the Denny's between our home and church.

After Mass, we had brunch at Denny's.


Lumberjack Slam from Denny's Canada
Buttermilk pancakes (we upgraded to get the Hearty 9-Grain Pancake), grilled ham, bacon strips, sausage links, eggs, hash browns, and bread.

Hubby ordered the Lumberjack Slam, which came with pancakes, grilled ham, bacon strips, sausage links, hash browns, eggs, and bread. My favourite is the savoury ham slice. The sausage was on the sweeter side, while the bacon strips were expectedly salty.

We upgraded to get the Hearty 9-Grain Pancake and prefer this version because it's chewier and has more bite to it. Fun!


Hearty 9-Grain Pancake from Denny's
Two multigrain wheat pancakes made with flaxseeds, cinnamon, and brown sugar.

I ordered the Southwestern Benny. The topping is a bit spicy, like a mild chilli. I got it with red-skinned potatoes, which are better and less oily than the hash.


Southwestern Benny from Denny's Canada
Poached eggs on an English muffin with chorizo and Hollandaise sauce, drizzled with five-pepper sauce, all topped with pico de Gallo. Served with seasoned red-skinned potatoes (or hash browns>

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Day celebration filled with love, hope, peace, and joy.

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Christmas Eve Dinner from Ukrainian Village

It's our family tradition to have Christmas Eve dinner (Noche Buena), and my younger sister usually picks a country where we should try the food.

In the past years, we've had the following:

This year she chose Ukrainian food to support a Ukrainian business in Vancouver. It's our family's first time trying Ukrainian / Eastern European food. There are only a few Ukrainian restaurants in Vancouver, and we ordered from Ukrainian Village on Denman Street.

Our menu tonight includes the following:

  • Borsch
  • Cabbage Roll
  • Ukrainian Sausage
  • Meatloaf
  • Kiev Cutlet
  • Lamb Shanks
  • Roasted Duck
  • Beef Stroganoff
  • Schnitzel Chicken
  • Schnitzel Pork
  • Potato & Cheddar Cheese Perogies
  • Potato & Fried Onion Perogies

Christmas Eve dinner from Ukrainian Village

The food was delicious. I love the kiev cutlet, beef stroganoff, both schnitzels, and cabbage rolls. I overate and was severely food coma during game night. 😅 It's nice to spend time with the family and sleep over at my parents' place.

Tim Hortons Strawberry Fill Powdered Sugar Donut

There was a day a couple of months ago when I did an online search and inventory of Tim Hortons donuts in Canada and internationally. My research led me to believe that the Strawberry Fill donut from Tims has been discontinued. My source is this Reddit thread, so I was pleasantly surprised when it was available in the Tims near us for delivery.


Strawberry Fill Powdered Sugar Donut from Tim Hortons

It was filled halfway and has a good strawberry flavour. The donut itself is dry, which is typical of Tim's donut.


Strawberry Fill Powdered Sugar Donut from Tim Hortons

Chicken Wrap for lunch from Tim Hortons | Day Before Christmas

Happy rainy Saturday, Vancouver! We planned to visit the Vancouver Christmas Market today but with the pouring rain and remaining snow on the ground, staying cozy at home before going to my parent's place seems to be what we need.

I ordered Slow Cooked Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap and Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap from Tim Hortons delivery for lunch.


Slow-Cooked Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap

The Slow Cooked Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap from Tims was not spicy, but a bit tangy; the shredded slow-cooked chicken was surprisingly juicy and soft.


Slow-Cooked Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wrap from Tim Hortons

Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

The Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap was good. The crispy chicken was a bit stale and dry but smothered in sauce, which helped. There are a couple strips of bacon, and the texture reminds me of bacon cooked in a microwave. The lettuce and tomato were the best part of this wrap.


Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap from Tim Hortons

Candy Cane Iced Capp from Tim Hortons

We're back to our average start of winter weather of 7°C and raining cat and dogs in Vancouver. However, since it feels warmer (compared to the past couple of days), I ordered the Candy Cane Iced Capp from Tim Hortons delivery.


Crushed candy cane on top of Candy Cane Iced Capp from Tim Hortons

I generally dislike Candy Cane and Peppermint flavours, but the flavour from the Candy Cane Iced Capp is not too pronounced. It's a subtle aftertaste which I thoroughly enjoyed.


Candy Cane Iced Capp from Tim Hortons

The Candy Cane Iced Capp is part of the "There's Snowplace like Tims" holiday menu of Tim Hortons. Other seasonal items include:

Wednesday, December 21, 2022

Pasta Day: Chorizo Arrabiata from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Wednesday! It's pasta day in our household. First, we had a quesadilla and hot chocolate for breakfast (I know it's not pasta, but that's one of our usual breakfasts). Then, we enjoyed the Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes for lunch.

We cooked the Chorizo Arrabiata with Fresh Penne and Parsley from our HelloFresh box for dinner.


Chorizo Arrabiata with Fresh Penne and Parsley and Crave-Worthy Garlic Bread

SPICY! I added all the chilli flakes, and it made the dish spicy. The parsley did add some freshness to the plate, and the parmesan cheese made it slightly creamy. I wished the tomatoes weren't sliced in half to provide fresh acidity when you take a bite.


Chorizo Arrabiata with Fresh Penne and Parsley

Overall, a delicious dinner served with HelloFresh Crave-Worthy Garlic Bread.


Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Chorizo Arrabiata with Fresh Penne and Parsley

HelloFresh Description:

Arrabiata can be known to give you a good kick in the pants with its fiery heat, but our version lets you control how spicy you want it! Quick-cooking fresh penne will help get this dish on the dinner table faster than you can say 'buon appetito'!


Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 770 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Seafood Day: Gochujang Glazed Shrimp from HelloFresh Canada

Happy snowing Tuesday! We don't get snow often in Vancouver, and I woke up to a big pile when I took a peek out our window.

It's seafood day at our household!

For dinner tonight, hubby and I cooked Gochujang Glazed Shrimp with Sesame Rice from our HelloFresh box.


Gochujang Glazed Shrimp with Sesame Rice from HelloFresh Canada

SPICY! It was spicy because I added all the sriracha. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, but I wish there were more vegetables. Otherwise, it was a delicious healthy meal.


Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Gochujang Glazed Shrimp with Sesame Rice

HelloFresh Description:

Sticky, sweet and succulent shrimp are the stars of this lip-smacking stir-fry. We've paired them with crisp, sesame veggies to make this delicious dish one to remember!


Gochujang Glazed Shrimp with Sesame Rice from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 650 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Monday, December 19, 2022

Meatless Monday: Butternut Squash Ravioli from HelloFresh Canada

Happy Monday!

We successfully did #MeatlessMonday today by having oatmeal for breakfast and the North African-Inspired Falafel and Green Couscous with Blistered Veggies and Creamy Harissa Sauce for lunch. Lastly, for dinner, we cooked the Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes from our HelloFresh box.


Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes from HelloFresh Canada

The pepitas provided an additional depth of flavour to the dish. I love the fresh tomatoes, onions, and spinach as it balances the creamy pesto sauce. This is a winning dish!


Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes

HelloFresh Description:

Summer may be over but we are bringing out bright flavours to keep those warm weather vibes going: creamy Parmesan, sweet tomatoes and basil pesto!


Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pepitas and Tomatoes

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 900 calories per serving

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Sunday, December 18, 2022

Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp from HelloFresh Canada

I'm testing to see whether individual HelloFresh meal posts will do better than weekly ones.

It's a busy Sunday!

For dinner, we cooked the Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp with Ginger Rice, Peppers, Carrots, and Bok Choy from our HelloFresh Box.


Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp from HelloFresh Canada

It was salty. It's delicious but has a little more salt than I'd like. Also, my husband mentioned that it was spicy. There's a subtle heat, but I have a high tolerance for spicy food.


Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp from HelloFresh Canada

Shrimps were cooked perfectly (so I recommend following the instructions). I love the crunch of the vegetables, especially the bok choy.

When I was cooking it, all I could think of was Beef Broccoli that you get from Chinese restaurants. 😅

Below is the HelloFresh description for this meal.


Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp with Ginger Rice, Peppers, Carrots and Bok Choy

HelloFresh Description:

Sweet and savoury meet in our honey shrimp and bok choy stir-fry. Bold soy, zesty green onions and fragrant honey lighten up this twist on a takeout favourite. Calorie Smart is based on a per serving calculation of the recipe's kilocalorie amount.


Cal Smart Spicy Honey Shrimp from HelloFresh Canada

Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 600 calories

Do you need an oven to prepare this meal? No

Do you want a discounted box? Then, click my referral link and get a HelloFresh box.

Oreo Cheesecake at Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

After a satisfying lunch at Suika, we went to Trees. We tried the special Ferrero Rochet cheesecake last year, so we opted for the Oreo Cheesecake.

Oreo Cheesecake at Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Oreo Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Oreo Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

There are crushed Oreos on top of the cheesecake, but it has become soft. I kinda want to eat this with milk which is probably an unusual thought.


List of Seasonal Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Below is a list of the seasonal cheesecakes we have tried from Trees arranged alphabetically.


List of Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Below is a list of cheesecakes from Trees that are always available.

  • Blueberry Cheesecake
  • Chocoholic Cheesecake
  • Key Lime Cheesecake
  • Maple Walnut Cheesecake

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