Brown Rice Sushi is A-Okay With Me!

Here we go with my healthy friends again this time introducing me to brown rice sushi from Mandala Iki Asian Bistro in Kitsilano. Having the option for brown rice sushi is becoming quite popular and is making its way around to all of the local spots. In my mind, once the sushi is drenched in soya sauce, you can't taste the difference anyway so why not go healthy and give it a whirl? This night we shared a combination of the yammy roll, tofu fibre roll (LOL, it was actually quite good), spicy tuna roll, inari, edamame and the papaya, mango and avocado salad. All were delicious and reasonably priced as well. Their menu is quite extensive so if you do give this place a try, let me know what else to order next time! :)

POSH Sukiyaki Hot Pot, A Definite Contender for Chubby Lamb

Well, there is one good thing about this disgustingly cold and miserable weather. HOT POT! There's nothing better than dining over a piping hot bowl of salty soup, throwing in all sorts of raw meats and veggies in a two hour time span wearing your best turkey pants. POSH sukiyaki is definitely a contender for one of the best hot pot places (if you can recall my earlier post on Chubby Lamb).

While the number of offerings on the menu is literally cut down in half, this Japanese hot pot spot is an entirely different experience. Starting with their signature sukiyaki sauce (you can add more flavor or water to the mixture depending on your taste), you can mix and match your fave noodles, veggies and meat. I'm always a sucker for mushrooms, taro, pumpkin and greens.

Yes readers, your eyes are not deceiving you. That IS a raw egg dip beside the steaming pot. Feel free to douse your hot food in the raw egg to coat for texture. :)

Yum, I love a variety of udon, instant and 'cognac' noodles. They are filling but I just can't get enough of them carbs!

And, feast your eyes on these thin slices of beef that just burst with flavor when cooked. The below picture is not a joke, this was our first order of beef when dining with just five girls. I think we placed an order for 15 trays. My friend AF is obsessed with beef and probably scarfed half of the trays to herself! She's my idol!

Oh and don't forget you can order an all-you-can-drink-pop with pumps of flavored fruit syrups like pineapple, mango, strawberry, etc. for 3.99! (Chubby Lamb has a better offer for $1 though)

All You Can Eat Coffee Jello?

One of the only ways I actually enjoy coffee is in this jello format. Topped off with a splash of condensed milk and in my tummy it goes! Shabusen is not the best all-you-can-eat Japanese food restaurant out there but it is rare in that they offer this delicious coffee jello as part of their dessert. It's so good that my cousin had 10 of them once.

Secret Ingredient to the Best Shepard's Pie? FISH SAUCE!

MmmMmmm, one of my favorite meals from LC and so easy to cook too! Don't ask me why I chose the hottest day in July to cook this meal but sweating in the 30+ degree weather with the oven on is a suicide mission. BUT, it was all worth it for the end result!! Fluffy mashed potatoes oozing with cheese over an amazing bed of ground beef and veggies. Yum! This hearty melt-in-your-mouth recipe will have all your friends begging you for more. Plus, pair it with a fresh summer salad topped with papaya and crispy tortilla chips and you'll be everyone's best friend. :)

Ingredients:

Lean ground beef (about 1 pound or one package)
1 chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 & 1/2 cup veggie medley (corn, carrots, peas, mushrooms) - your choice!
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp ketchup
salt and pepper to your liking
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
3 potatoes - chopped, boiled and mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp butter

Cooking Instructions:

Ground beef mixture
Mix ground beef with steak seasoning, fish sauce, salt and pepper
- Saute onions until translucent
- Add garlic to beef and brown
- Add veggies and cook together
- In another pot, mix cornstarch with beef broth, slowly add to pan and stir often to thicken to gravy and add ketchup
- Spread beef mixture into a 9 x 13 inch pan

Topping
- Mix together the mashed potatoes, sour cream, and cheddar cheese (can boil and mash the potatoes while cooking the beef mixture)
- Spread evenly over ground beef mixture in pan and top off with another 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, tent with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before serving. Give it a whirl and let me know how it goes!