There’s nothing like homemade whipped cream. Seriously. The billowing clouds of cream go with just about everything. Serve it sweetened as a topping or as a filling for pies and cakes. A small dollop of savory whipped cream in a soup richly elevates the flavor. But, for the holidays, this Candy Cane Whipped Cream recipe is all about fun. Be careful not to over whip it, or the cream will become curdled-looking and grainy. A really cold mixing bowl and beaters help. Also, make sure you pulverize the candy cane because you don’t want a sharp shard ruining the fun. You can refrigerate Candy Cane Whipped Cream for about eight hours, but otherwise it doesn’t store very well. If you have any leftover, serve it with hot chocolate or stir it into your coffee. You can also use it as a dip for Christmas cookies! But please don’t do what I did (grab a spoon and eat it out of the mixing bowl). That is definitely NOT enchanting (but pretty delicious)!

Prep: 15 minutes
You’ll need… 

• 2: 6-inch candy canes (you’ll need ⅓ cup finely crushed candy cane) 
• 2 cups heavy cream 
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar) 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Let’s get to it… 
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Hi, I’m Mama… and I’m high strung. Sounds like an AA meeting. I guess I’ve always been a little neurotic, but it got worse when these same six people kept showing up in the evening expecting to get fed. I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road and follow my passion for cooking. This blog is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. 

When you hear the word fresh, the sight of brightly colored vegetables comes to mind, doesn't it?  No one ever thinks of the word fresh and then visualizes a can of food.  At Fresh Cafe in Kaka'ako, the food is always freshly made with fresh ingredients, never stale, never old, never cold from sitting around waiting to be served.  It's located smack dab in the middle of the Kaka'ako district which is known for being hip and artsy.  There isn't one thing on their menu that I have not enjoyed eating.  True story.

Here's a little about the company from their website:

Founded in July of 2009, Fresh Cafe was born into the hip and up and coming industrial district of Kaka’ako. A hidden oasis with an eclectic mix of artists, students, musicians, and entrepreneurs who need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Fresh is known for serving each coffee drink freshly pressed with our 100% Kona coffee beans. Fresh serves homemade cookies, bagel sandwiches, soups, salads, breakfast foods, desserts, and locally made product. Open early mornings and late nights, we have the latest cafe hours in town! Fresh Cafe is also known for the large warehouse space in back, which is known as the Loft in Space, where you will often find live music, art, and the largest slam poetry event in the nation!

The Fresh mission is to provide a unique gathering space for the community by offering healthy food choices and showcasing both up-and-coming and major talent in music, art, and cuisine. We strive to promote creativity, sustainability, local business, and Fresh ideas. We are here for the next-level dreamers, fearless innovators, and dedicated visionaries. We dare to inspire and be inspired.

I went there on a bright, sunny day with my fiancé to get a quick bite to eat on my lunch break while he and I ran errands.  I went in not knowing what to get and ended up ordering a combo plate which translates to a sandwich & "half" a salad.  You can see by the pictures, this isn't some skimpy side salad.  The salads at Fresh Cafe are big and delicious.


I had a very delicious balsamic vinaigrette salad.  It was an amalgamation of different veggies with nuts.  The dressing was just the right amount, perfectly balanced.  Each bite created an amalgam of awesome in your mouth that words alone cannot describe.  Does this look like a half salad to you?  Yeah, that's quite a generous portion!!


I also had a pretty basic, pretty delicious club sandwich.  It was full of meat with just the right amount of mustard and I absolutely love the addition of the alfalfa sprouts in the sandwich.  So yummy.  I was so full after eating this that I felt absolutely stuffed.  It's the perfect portion if you're hungry.  If you're not that hungry, you might want to opt for either the sandwich or the salad because the two combined is just a lot of food... (not that I'm complaining at all)!

Andrew had the Turkey & cranberry sandwich which was delicious (yeah I had a bite) and this Warm Spinach, Bacon and Garlic salad that I was absolutely obsessed with.  It sounds weird but it is absolutely delicious!!  That will be my new "must" when I'm at Fresh Cafe.

I literally can't say enough good things about the food at Fresh Cafe.  The price was right too.  I highly suggest you check out Fresh Cafe if you're on the island of O'ahu.

• Visit their website for full menu and more information here: Fresh Cafe Hawaii
• Check out their reviews on Yelp here: Fresh Cafe on Yelp

Click the "read more" link for their full menu!

I love coffee, anyone who follows me on Instagram knows my love for coffee and espresso runs deep, deep I tell ya!!  I honestly must say, without coffee in the morning, I would be a literal walking zombie unable to complete my work and function normally.  It's natural considering I don't get nearly enough sleep which is something I'm working on, but I digress.  This is about coffee and how much I love it and this literal gem of  a place tucked away in Hawai'i Kai, less than a mile away from my home.  I must confess, I don't go here as much as I wish I could but if you're ever in the area, you must check this place out!!

It's located right on the water, overlooking the marina.  Indoors is a real beautiful, clean, and beachy themed decor with wood floors that gives an overwhelming sense of relaxation. It's a quiet and relaxing scene both inside and out.  They have a nice seating area overlooking the water where you can feel the ocean breeze run through your hair ever so gently as the sun caresses your skin.  If the decor and location wasn't enough to entice you to check this coffee house out, you have to try the coffee.  It's an always delicious, never burnt heaven on earth kind of taste that soothes as you drink and gives you a burst of energy when you need it.

Here's some info about Island Brew Coffeehouse:

Island Brew Coffeehouse is a local coffee shop in Hawai'i Kai independently owned by four East O'ahu residents serving premium coffee and healthy food choices with a focus on fresh, local and organic products. Island Brew Coffeehouse uses organic Milk in all our espresso drinks and coffee beverages and offers organic rice, almond, cocounut and soy as alternatives. Along with the espresso drinks and shakes, Island Brew Coffeehouse also offers Acai bowls and smoothies.

Breakfast offerings are served all day and include freshly baked pastry, locally baked bagels, waffles, breakfast bagel and croissant sandwiches. The lunch menu at Island Brew Coffeehouse includes made to order oven roasted sandwiches made with Naked Cow Dairy butter in a variety of bread, meat and cheese combinations as well as flat-bread pizzas.

Enjoy a variety of Hawaii grown, Fair Trade and Shade Grown coffees from around the world – including Jamaica, Sumatra, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Kenya on a table with amazing waterfront views of the marina .  Island Brew Coffeehouse is partnering with local schools, businesses and nonprofit organizations to promote community service and environmental sustainability. Island Brew Coffeehouse allows guest the option of ceramic mugs and glassware or compostable cups made from corn. 

I mean, just reading that, how could you not like this place?  Here are some quick pictures that I took with my iPhone while waiting for my lavender latte on Saturday.

When Alaka'i does really well, when he works hard, when he puts a lot of effort into accomplishing something- there is little he can't do.  That's true with almost everyone, really.  If we all put 100% into the things we do whether it's work or family, how much better would our lives, nay, the world be?  Mind boggling stuff guys... Anyhow, Alaka'i woke up yesterday early and was especially eager for something and I was expecting him to be... He did get all A's and 2 B's on his report card and he worked really hard for it and I love rewarding him for hard work.

A little praise, a little fun, a little self-esteem building, and a lot of smiles can make a child feel so good about themselves that they have the urge to try hard at everything they do.  I like to give Alaka'i positive feedback as much as possible because it's so important for him to know he's worthy, he's competent and he's capable. He gets corrected when he does wrong but it must be balanced out when he does well otherwise, why bother trying right?

Well, one of his rewards for working so hard was a surprise lunch at his favorite place to eat, Hana Sushi.  In Hawai'i, raw fish is a staple and we love it.  My son has a deep love for sushi, it's a comfort to him and now that I'm working so much, we don't get to eat out very often so this was an especially nice treat for him. I think it was more of an "icing on the cake" type situation though because he was really looking forward to camping at the beach with my brother and his family.  My boy loves the beach so much and my brother loves spending time with him.  It's some much needed guy time that my boy doesn't get enough of because he doesn't have a dad- perils of being a single mother...  It's been a pretty stinkin' good weekend for my Alaka'i.  To first see a movie with grandpa, that alone time with the ultimate alpha male in his life and then follow up with some sushi, some allowance, some football cards and some camping- pretty sweet if you ask me!

Back to the sushi.  It was a rather impromptu affair, unplanned and last minute- those surprises are sometimes the best though aren't they?  We were out running errands and I asked him on the fly, what about Hana Sushi, you think we have time?  And the surprised expression on his face filled my heart with joy.  Simple things...simple that give him joy make my life all the more enjoyable.  So we went in to a just opened, almost empty restaurant and sat in the booth with a conveyor belt of fresh sushi going round and round.

Most of the pictures are of the sushi I ate as he demolished his before I could snap an iPhone picture.
As you can see from the demolished remains above, my son had a spam roll, a few tamago (egg) sushi plates and some chicken karaage (fried chicken).  He was very happy as you can see, the surprise made his day all the more enjoyable and seeing such a happy smile on his face gives me a deep sense of purpose in my life.

It's so wonderful to have just mommy and me time with my boy, even though he's growing into a young man just reaching into his pre-teen years *cringes*.  We so often have my nieces with us when we eat out because on my days off, they're usually around because my brother and sister in law work on the weekends. It was nice to have some quiet mommy and Alaka'i time before I sent him off to camp with his uncle and cousins while I spent the better part of the afternoon catching up on paperwork and chores.

Gosh, I love my son. Thank you God for blessing me with him.  More than I could ever ask for.

This is one of the songs I sang to him the last couple of years and sometimes still do when he's laying in bed after saying his prayers.  He's still so innocent, so much my baby still and I treasure every moment because before I know it, he'll be too cool and so into his friends and being a big man that he won't have time to let me cuddle up to him and sing him a lullaby.

You mamas will love this tune by Mindy Gledhill called Hourglass. Although it's about a little boy, you could really apply it to little girls too.  It's a soothing and precious song that I know you'll enjoy as much as I do.


Aloha,

Jean

So I'm back on my juice fast but this time I'm not doing a full fast.  I'm swapping 1-2 meals a day with fresh juiced vegetables and juice. Normally I drink a glass of juice a day and still eat 3 small meals but I really don't need to eat when I juice.  I was just being a little indulgent.  I haven't gained any of the weight I lost back but I need to keep going because I'm far, far from my goal.  Though I'm a full 40 pounds lighter than I was a year ago, I could healthily lose another 70 lbs or more and be at what my doctor said would be my optimum health weight.

Before I juiced, I was sick all the time, bloated, moody, I had more hair fallout, I wasn't regular on my cycle and I knew I wasn't pregnant because well...I wasn't doing anything that could lead to it.  I was just a physical mess and that's why I initially started working out and juicing.  Since we're being honest here, since we're all friends I feel  like I can tell you that... I haven't worked out at all in almost 2 months...  I know.... today was my first day back at the gym and I felt like I was run over by a train.  I need to get back into the groove and back in to shape!!

This is one of my favorite go-to juices.  It's a couple of recipes I mixed together and I always make enough for two because either I'm visiting my mom or my son is with me.  I call it the "Green Dream".  I've made a picture how-to below.  I hope it helps you if you decide to juice.  Though I use a Breville which is ah-may-zing, there are lots of super affordable juicers like Juiceman or the Jack LaLane juicer which are really affordable and do the job credibly.  I believe you can get one of those brands at Costco right now.



Now that I'm juicing a couple meals a day, I have so much energy and I feel just so much better both mentally and physically.  Eating right and working out is good for the mind, body and soul...for the whole person.  It's definitely worth missing the bad foods that taste oh so good.

You can skip the ginger if you want, some people don't like the taste of ginger.  If you're just starting out, I would use an inch or less of peeled ginger just for the taste but not so it overwhelms the flavor of the juice.

I hope that you all are having a wonderful day and night.  I can't believe how fast this week is flying by.  What are some of your health, exercise and eating tips!!  Share and link any posts you have in the comments below!!

Aloha,

I lasted all the way until day 34 of my juice fast before I gave in and went back to food.  I did, however, adopt a vegetarian diet consisting mostly of vegetables, fruits and allowing for lean chicken and fish.  It works for me, I have more energy than I've had in years.  The downside is that I am limited when I eat out but it saves me money because now I eat out less.  Smaller waist, thicker wallet! Winning.

The 20+ pounds I've lost have stayed off despite the fact that I'm not on a full juice fast anymore which is awesome.  I want to lose more weight, I need to lose more weight and even though I've adopted a healthier vegetarian diet, I haven't lost as much weight as I'd hope to have lost by now.  Most of that is because the day job has been so stressful and time consuming that I have little to no time for exercise and stay up far past the bedtime that I should have.  Bedtime...the mere mention of the word makes me feel like I'm talking about my son.  Funny how parenthood affects the way you think, speak, write, live.

Oh.... my boy, he has bronchitis.  Nasty thing, that darn bronchitis... making it's way throughout my family and extended family.  My nieces, my brother, my poor mother... all have had it and now my son Alaka'i caught it and I'm fighting it valiantly off and on.  This cold and the mucus it brings wreaked havoc on my poor mom and her one and half lungs.  She's a lung cancer survivor, it was so hard watching her deal with the coughing and aching of bronchitis.  My son caught it and though he's beyond the fever and chills, the cough remains though it is subsiding every day.  It's tough watching my big guy going through the awful stages of this cold. Thankfully he is beyond the worst although I cringe when I hear him cough.  I've got a cough and I had a fever but it's going away much faster for me than it has for everyone else and I think my diet and juice has a lot to do with it.



Back to juicing and eating.  Well now that I'm back on food, even though it's vegetarian, I still have yet to cut out one of my weaknesses... starches like rice and pasta.  In Hawai'i, rice is like the staple that comes with literally everything....everything.  I'm rather fond of it, strange as it may seem and although I have no problem cutting down pastas or adopting whole wheat pastas, cutting out rice is much harder than I thought it would be.  That's my current goal, to give up rice completely or at least only eat brown rice...which I don't hate but I don't care for it.  Rice causes inflammation for me so I need to cut it out.  I could get away with eating the other starches on my diet because there aren't many, if I could just quit that darn rice!  Le sigh.

What are some of your weaknesses?  Other than rice, I get a little too generous with my portions of nuts and dark chocolate lately, darn PMS.  I think it's good to indulge once in awhile though.  Nuts are super good for my diet and health it's just I consume a little more than the recommended portion.  I think that's one of my worst problems, portion control.  It's an American thing I suppose because when I was in Europe traveling and performing, the portions were much smaller and the food we ate was much healthier and fresher.  I think in the good ol' US we've become too accustomed to fast-everything, bigger is better, more the merrier mentality in regards to food.  It's literally killing us.  I need to really adjust my portions, even vegetarian food can make you fat if you eat too much.  I think it's time for a juicing reset while I fight this bronchitis and then cutting down portion size when I eat.  Challenging, but achievable. 

Well as you know, I love coffee... like love it.  I actually have needed it lately because I stay up way too late catching up on paperwork for the day job or blogging work.  I wake up groggy and tired and lately have been indulging in some very strong cups o' Joe... sometimes a cup o' Johan (Gevalia commercial reference)... but this post is about Starbucks.

So I was on my way to go get a latte yesterday evening to give me a jolt so I could complete my bloggy work and I was being quite indecisive.  So what happened? I went on to their website to look at the menu.  I actually ended up getting a nice Pike Place Roast with one pump of vanilla but let's talk about that later.   What caught my interest and prompted me to write this very random blog was the awesome graphics Starbucks had on their site.  I'm a sucker for a good product photo and a nice font face.  These graphics are lovely and easy ways to understand how much of what goes in to your cup o' Joe.


Oh how I love coffee.  I never am able to go to a place where I get it in a glass cup though.  I always get mine to go because I'm always on the go but I'd like to imagine sitting down with you, my friend... yeah you.  I know we only know each other in this bloggy world but let's imagine just sitting down in a nice cafe, drinking our cup o' Joe or espresso and talking about life, blogging and all of that goodness.  It's a nice thought isn't it?  I could never express it in such an eloquently beautiful way as my friend Nicole from Local Sugar Hawaii has in the past, but still I'd like to imagine having a cup with all of you!!



What did I end up getting you ask?  Well I got their Pike Place Roast.  As the daughter of a Seattle girl, I'm partial to this blend because of the name... and because it's a dark, strong roast which is just what I needed last night.  It gave me the jolt I needed to get this post and several others done that have been on my to-do list for far too long.

I like that on their website you can get the calorie breakdown per serving.  Pretty nifty!



Before I left, I ended up buying a bag of their bold flavors beans which comes from Ka'u which is in Puna, Hawai'i.  I love trying new flavors and am excited to brew this blend in the morning.

What kind of coffee do you like?  I like it all.  Good morning everyone!!

Aloha,



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