Christmas and More Recipes

Heyyy, Merry Christmas everyone! It’s already 11 pm when I was writing this post.

Anyway, we got another rain in LA again (heesh, hopefully it’ll clear out by Monday. I hate driving in the rain. Enough with 6 days of rain in LA).

Let’s start a bit from a day before Christmas Eve. I’ll post up most pics and less words. Too lazy to type.

PRE CHRISTMAS EVE
I decided to give a little “gifts” for my colleague: Chinese Tea Infused Eggs and Healthy Chicken Fingers.

Chinese Tea Infused Eggs (Adapted from: Tiny Urban Kitchen)

boil eggs until done

When they're done, crack the shells a bit (don't break them) - discard the water earlier and pour in fresh water

Prepare 2 Lipton tea bags and one Star Anise

Mix in the tea bags and the star anise along with the hard boiled eggs. Simmer for 1 hour - leave the eggs in the tea overnight. Oh also add some salt as well.

Chinese Infused Tea Eggs - ready!

Healthy Chicken Fingers (adapted from Zuzana’s Chicken Fingers)

Cut chicken breasts into strips - marinate with salt, curry powder and a bit of coconut milk

Prepare for the almond flour - Ground 2 cups of almonds in your food processor

2 cups of almond yield more than 2 cups of almond flour apparently

Add equal amount of shredded coconut flakes. Scoop up 1 cup of almond flour and add 1 cup of shredded coconut flakes to another container

Crack 1 egg and add a bit of coconut milk (no exact measurement, maybe about 3 tablespoons?)

Next- Dip the chicken strip into the egg mixture then the almond flour/coconut flakes mixture before align them on the greased baking sheet

Ready to be bake - pre heat oven 350F

Bake for about 25 minutes in 350 F - depends on your oven.

Or if you're impatient like me who doesn't have big oven to fit all the chicken strips - light pan fry them on non stick skillet

Healthy Chicken Fingers- Done!

Serve with steamed veggies - DELISH!

Wrap everything, wrote the card- DONE!

To my surprise, she also gave me something as well - and her wrapping looks MUCH NICER than mine..LOL

Homemade Christmas sweets - Portuguese/Indian style

Even my dentist gave me "Xmas Gift" as well - my retainers...gotta wear these fellas as often as possible..meaning I have to brush my teeth more often after every single meal.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Carby breakfast! - WW Pita Bread, Naan bread!

Some of the sweets from my colleague's gift- fruit cake slice and some deep fried sweets? Fruit cake taste good, not so much on the deep fried stuff

Vegan stir fry!: Eggplant, colorful bell peppers, shrooms

Steamed Chinese Kale (gailan) - yummy!

And off to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1!

I know I just watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallow despite it’s been out for about a month already. I like the book and the story but I am not keen to be in the crowd to watch it when it just came out. In fact the theater was empty yesterday so finding the seats was a breeze. Hm, for some reason I just wasn’t keen on some of the semi nude scene. Why did they have to do that? Totally unnecessary.

And we also watched Black Swan. I’d say: WOW, that movie was pretty intense. Not a scary movie but more like psycho and thriller at the same time.

Starving after the movie- In N Out for to the rescue!

buns for him, bunless for her (forgot to ask them no mayo..argh!)

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Got home, cut myself 2 apples and 2 oranges. yummy!

Ate 1/4 of this chocolate that I made couple days ago..not bad..bitter sweet!

CHRISTMAS / TODAY
We did NOTHING! In fact, we were cleaning and did house work and went to in laws for dinner. Got some grocery on the way back when it started to rain.

How’s everyone’s Christmas???
K and I stopped exchanging gifts on Christmas/Birthdays etc. Even when we were still dating, we didn’t do gift exchange that much either. In fact, I already got myself a Christmas present, my new camera!