#jlocooks

[itsmejohnjen]

Triple-cheese Yellow-Fin Tuna Penne Carbonara by yours truly.. ❤️ #JloCooks https://www.instagram.com/p/B98aV_TDSh3UOM4FdlV_piwrEJG4X4-ST3ERBs0/?igshid=1hm6qj65tkozd

[itsmejohnjen]

Oven baked pork in rosemary-thyme blended cheese and cream sauce. 😋😋😋 Sorry sa mga tulo sa gilid. haha. #kunwariMarunong #JloCooks https://www.instagram.com/p/B6vM1zyhKfqPpAkjTjsjUAMjMYrDCTbsotU6aw0/?igshid=1ognprrjuxurd

[jlocooks]

Featured on Broil King's Gathering Around The Grill Blog :)  Thanks Andrea and Kris!

jlocooks <3

[jlocooks]

3/6/2014 I came across this quote the other week that really got me questioning the role I want to play on this giant rotating orb that we call home.  "My biggest worry is that we're creating a world of glittering technologies embedded in a kind of a shabby society, supported by an economy that generates inequality instead of opportunity." It took a while to sink in, but then I felt incredibly helpless. That I’ve been reluctantly encased in a wall of giant corporations and technologies that have made me feel powerless – because who am I anyway? Just another 21-year-old Chinese-Canadian gal working towards a decent living, right? But then I realized that I am not alone. That we, as consumers and people with beliefs, are ultimately the ones with the power, and it is through our choices that determine what stays and goes. That I can feel empowered enough to do my part towards change by working collectively with those around me.  In the past couple of weeks, I've developed a strong stance towards sustainable and smaller-scale practices within our food systems. I believe that growing and supporting local ingredients is the way forward – that we can produce enough for our consumption by bringing together the small guys. I want people to reconnect with their food, understand where it comes from, how much time and effort it takes to produce, and how long it takes to get to our plates. I am choosing to support the small guys, 'cause frankly, I'm a small girl who's opposed to the bulky, steroid-injected guys that walk around like they own everything. It's unnatural and you're not as intimidating as you think. This lady has found her place and is not going to be another sheep in the herd. She's going to get her hands dirty in some soil instead.  Organic farming in BC, here I come! jlocooks <3

[jlocooks]

2/19/2014 The other day, I found a bag of oats in my pantry that was begging to be used, hence the homemade granola bars! They're super easy and super tasty!

Maple Peanut Butter Granola Bars

12 servings

2 1/2 cups maple peanut butter oats (they are Grandma Emily brand from Quebec that I get through Lufa Farms, but any other oats are good!) 

1/2 cup nut of your choice

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

dash of salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coarsely chop nuts of your choice (I used almonds).

Toast oats and nuts in the oven for 5-7 minutes, take out and let cool completely. 

In a small sauce pot, whisk on medium heat - honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt until incorporated, remove from heat.

Align a 8x8 or 9x9 square pan with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray or butter. 

In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, and cranberries while pouring in the sugary liquid and combine well with a rubber spatula. 

Transfer the mixture into the pan and lay out evenly. 

Press down on the granola until even and firm.

Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Cut into 12 pieces. 

Store in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to a week.

There you have it, an easy snack for any occasion.

jlocooks <3