rice bowl

food this good can (and should) be quick and easy. i love cooking but rarely do i feel like putting together something elaborate that takes more than an hour to cook. so most nights, i make a big pot of brown rice (enough for morning leftovers!) and top it with whatever fresh veggies i have in the fridge - steamed, stir fried, or roasted.

i have a shelf full of spices but i prefer to let the vegetables’ natural flavors work on their own so just a bit of salt and pepper and maybe a dash of nutmeg - my current favorite - is all that’s needed. top with chopped scallions for a fresh twist or add some toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and a drizzle of olive or sesame oil for protein and good omega fats and your dinner is complete.

coconut cassava greens with pumpkin

aunt rose's cassava greens with pumpkin in coconut milk...

el nido, palawan, philippines

we stumbled upon this really unassuming guesthouse off the beaten path in el nido. Makulay Lodge is such an incredible secret. the guesthouse has only two rooms tucked into the jungle with views overlooking the sea. the place was quiet and very charming on its own but the owner, rose, was the reason we stayed much longer than intended. her way of always giving just a little something extra made us feel like we were guests in her own home.

there was no restaurant at the guesthouse... just a small but functional kitchen and a few cozy tables under a thatch roof in the courtyard decorated with lush tropical plants. the menu was whatever was fresh or harvested that day.

one of my favorites was this bowl of cassava greens with pumpkin in coconut milk which i made myself (the coconut milk that is)! making coconut milk is a very simple but slightly labor intensive process - but the result is so freshly delicious that, had korea any coconuts, i'd be putting fresh coconut milk on just about everything!