Seafood Udon for lunch from Sumire Sushi

It's a lazy weekend for us. We had plans to have a Korean BBQ for dinner and karaoke with my siblings, but that didn't push through, so hubby and I ended up with a do-nothing Saturday.

He asked if I wanted to go to Mass today instead of tomorrow, and I said sure.

We had a late breakfast at home and an even later lunch at Sumire Sushi. This spot used to be QQ Sushi.

Hubby ordered Salmon Sashimi Box while I had the Seafood Udon because it was cold outside. For sharing, we ordered the takoyaki and mango dragon roll.

Mango Dragon Roll
Inside: Crab meat, avocado, and mayo
Outside: Mango

I grew up in the Philippines, and we love our mangoes. I never considered seeing it in a roll, but I was willing to try it. Unfortunately, it was sweet, and it didn't work for me.

Takoyaki
Deep-fried octopus

It's standard delicious takoyaki. Yum!

Seafood Udon

The Seafood Udon taste like the sea - fish, shrimps, and imitation crab meat. The warm soup is comforting on a cold day and is not as oily and salty as ramen. I like it.

Salmon Sashimi Box
 Salmon, green salad, fruit, rice, tempura, dynamite roll, salmon sashimi (2 pieces), and tuna sashimi (2 pieces)

All Bento Boxes are served with Sunomomo (Japanese Sweet Asian Cucumber Salad) and Miso Soup.

My hubby loves bento boxes because it allows him to try as many food items as possible.

Sumire Sushi wall decor and interior.

I love the wall decor of Sumire Sushi. They updated it nicely, and it looks much bigger with the newer tables than when it was still QQ Sushi.

What's for dinner? 10th HelloFresh Box for 2022

Our 10th HelloFresh Box for the year arrived Saturday morning, and we cooked the first meal from the box for dinner.

One of the reasons I like cooking with HelloFresh is because hubby helps me prepare dinner, and it becomes our daily bonding. Hubby and I work from home, so we're together 24/7, but we're usually busy doing our own work and activities, so preparing a HelloFresh meal almost every night is a great bonding time for us.

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Experience Cooking with Hello Fresh

Hi, I am inviting you to experience cooking with HelloFresh. To get started, claim this $113 discount. Start your cooking adventure today and use the following promo code: FIH-SZLVUTCMXJG4. Happy Cooking!

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Braised Chicken and Mushrooms with Buttery Smashed Potatoes

We cooked this meal Saturday evening for dinner and Wednesday lunch.

It was surprisingly delicious. I added an extra tablespoon of milk than what the recipe requested, making the mashed potatoes more creamy. Meanwhile, the mushroom gravy was unexpectedly flavourful, thanks to all the onion and garlic salt.

Braised Chicken and Mushrooms with Buttery Smashed Potatoes from HelloFresh
Here comes the flavours of a slow-cooked homemade supper in a fraction of the time! Savoury mushrooms make this tender chicken dish taste like it's been bubbling away on the stove all day.

Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry with Broccoli and Green Onion Rice

We cooked this meal Sunday evening for dinner and Friday lunch.

I love the perfectly cooked shrimp, and the broccoli made it feel so healthy. Plus, half of the serving is only 280 calories!

Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry with Broccoli and Green Onion Rice from HelloFresh
When a stir-fry craving hits, put down that take-out menu and reach for this stunner of a recipe! You're going to absolutely love making this comforting, flavour-packed dish at home yourself!

Chili-Garlic Pork Noodles with Peppers and Celery

We cooked this meal Tuesday evening for dinner and Thursday lunch.

I love the glazed pork! The edges were almost burnt, and it was crunchy. There are a lot of flavours going on with this dish - sweet (from the sugar on the pork), salty, spicy (from the chilli garlic sauce), and umami (from the oyster sauce).

Chili-Garlic Pork Noodles with Peppers and Celery
Pork and sambal-style sauce make a playful pair in this spicy noodle dish! The savoury vegetarian oyster sauce adds a Southeast Asian twist, while the crowd-pleasing crispy shallots add a tasty crunch. These noodles will disappear in no time!

Saucy Beef Ragu with Olive Tapenade

We cooked this meal Wednesday evening for dinner and Saturday lunch.

I love the fresh tomatoes and olive tapenade at the top. If you can tolerate spice, then I recommend adding a lot of the chilli flakes. Those made the dish even better!

Saucy Beef Ragu with Olive Tapenade from HelloFresh
This twist on the classic spaghetti Bolognese is a winner! Penne replaces spaghetti, while the ragu is packed with tender ground beef and tons of flavour! Topped with a fresh olive tapenade, this dish will have everyone in your home going back for seconds!

Thai-Style Pork Beef Stir-Fry with Green Beans and Basil

We cooked this meal Thursday evening for dinner and Monday breakfast.

Unfortunately, HelloFresh sent us beef instead of pork. I used it for this dish because I had no choice and followed the instructions. I added a step of draining excess oil after sauteeing the beef. It came out alright. I'm not a fan of the beans, but I enjoyed the spiciness from the chilli being balanced by the sweet flavour from the onions and brown sugar.

Thai-Style Pork Beef Stir-Fry with Green Beans and Basil from HelloFresh
This speedy pork beef stir-fry is inspired by the vibrant flavours of Thailand! Zesty lime, sweet brown sugar, fresh basil, savoury soy, and spicy chili pepper harmonize in this flavourful dish.

Crispy Falafel Wraps with Tahini Dressed Slaw and Pickled Onions

We cooked this meal Friday evening for dinner.

It has too much slaw and the flavour from pickled onion was too strong. You can't taste the tahini flavour and there's not enough falafel.

Crispy Falafel Wraps with Tahini Dressed Slaw and Pickled Onions from HelloFresh
These wraps come fully loaded with crispy falafel covered in a nutty, tahini-dressed slaw. The pickled red onions give an acidic kick to liven up the palate!

Our next HelloFresh box will arrive on Monday.

Double Chocolate Donut from Tim Hortons

Before heading home, we bought one Double Chocolate Donut from Tim Hortons, and I decided to reheat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. Since we first ate the Maple Dip Donut, the Double Chocolate turned out not as sweet as it usually is. However, I liked the chocolate cake donut, and I am uncertain if the glaze adds anything chocolate to it.

Double Chocolate Donut from Tim Hortons
Chocolate cake donut dipped in chocolate fondant.

Happy Halloween!

Maple Dip Donut from Tim Hortons

Before heading home, we bought one Maple Dip Donut from Tim Hortons, and I decided to reheat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. I love the soft dough, but the maple glaze became unbearably sweet. Thankfully, I only have to eat half of it since I share it with my husband.

Maple Dip Donut from Tim Hortons
Soft yeast donut dipped in rich maple fondant.

Happy Halloween!

Rainbow Roll for dinner at Sushivan

Happy Halloween! Since I grew up as a Catholic, Halloween is the beginning of All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day is when we commemorate, celebrate, and pray for our loved ones and friends who have passed away.

This evening we went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to buy some candles to light up on our altar at home. Before heading home, we decided to grab dinner at Sushivan because I needed their spicy Korean-style Ramen this evening.

Rainbow Roll
California roll with assorted fish, tobiko, and sauce.

Korean-Style Ramen

Salmon Teriyaki & Sashimi Box
Salmon teriyaki, appy sashimi, appy tempura, salad, 4 pcs California roll, and rice

My husband is disappointed that I failed to update my Sushivan menu checklist. Apparently, we ordered the same exact three items last March.

Sushivan Menu

To prevent future disappointment, below is a list of items we tried from Sushivan so far.

Ika Karage Chicken Karage Spicy Chicken Karage Takoyaki Soy Garlic Chicken Karage Seafood Tempura	Alaska Roll Awesome Roll Alien Roll Spider Roll Love Love Roll Rainbow Roll
Teriyaki Box (Chicken or Beef) Sushi and Sashimi Box Teriyaki and Sashimi Box (Chicken or Beef) Salmon Teriyaki & Sashimi Box	Chicken Katsu Kimchi Fried Rice Korean Style Ramen Cream Crab Udon

Pepperoni and Cheese Pizza Slices for lunch at Costco Food Court

Happy rainy Sunday! My alarm went off early morning because we're attending the 9:00 AM Mass. But, before that, we grabbed our usual breakfast from Tim Hortons.

After the Mass, we were greeted by heavy rain. So, we took an Uber ride to Costco for our monthly grocery run. Then, we grabbed a couple pizzas and pop from their food court.

Cheese Pizza Slice from Costco Food Court

It's my first time trying their pizza "fresh" from the food court. My parents usually bring it home, and it doesn't travel well.

Pepperoni Pizza Slice from Costco Food Court

The cheese pizza is much better than the pepperoni pizza from Costco food court, but it needs to be hot. Otherwise, it's not worth it.

9th HelloFresh Box for 2022

We scheduled our HelloFresh box to arrive on Monday last week because my husband did a half marathon run last Saturday, and we don't want to hurry back home afterwards for a delivery.

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Experience Cooking with Hello Fresh

Hi, I am inviting you to experience cooking with HelloFresh. To get started, claim this $113 discount. Start your cooking adventure today and use the following promo code: FIH-SZLVUTCMXJG4. Happy Cooking!

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For this week, I ordered six meals at 50% off. Yay! I spent our usual budget for a week-worth of food, so I am pleased that I am not over budget for the first time in months.

Traditional Spaghetti Bolognese with Fresh Salad

We enjoyed this dish for Monday dinner and Tuesday lunch.

I love the bolognese sauce! It was creamy, a bit sweet, and meaty.

Traditional Spaghetti Bolognese
You can't beat a classic, and our traditional spaghetti Bolognese is here to prove just that! The delicate mixture of tomato, stock, cream, mirepoix, and thyme will please your taste buds and warm your soul.

Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chili with Cheddar Cheese

We enjoyed this dish for Tuesday dinner and Wednesday lunch.

Our apartment smells like chipotle, and that's a good thing. I love the heat, warmth, and comfort the chilli provided, especially on a rainy day, typical of Vancouver's fall season. I also appreciate that half of the meal is only 305 calories.

Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chili with Cheddar Cheese
This nourishing low-carb chilli swaps beans with lots of wholesome veggies! Spicy chipotle and melty cheddar cheese amp up the deliciousness.

Beef Banh Mi-Style Bowl with Pickled Carrots and Cucumbers

We enjoyed this dish for Thursday dinner and Friday lunch.

This is so good! It's one of the best HelloFresh meals we've had. I love the Sriracha Mayonnaise dressing and the pickled vegetables. It's really a Banh Mi meal with rice instead of a baguette.

Beef Banh Mi-Style Bowl with Pickled Carrots and Cucumbers from HelloFresh
We've taken the traditional banh mi sandwich and turned it on its head! This quick and tasty meal has everything you love about the original but is packed into a satisfying dinner with fluffy jasmine rice. Sriracha mayo, pickled veggies, and saucy meat all come together for a Vietnamese-inspired party-in-a-bowl!

Smart Korean-Inspired Turkey Salad with Gochujang-Sesame Dressing

We enjoyed this dish for Friday dinner.

The turkey salad is only 440 calories, so I decided that instead of dividing it into two meals, we enjoy it as intended for dinner. It was unremarkable.

Smart Korean-Inspired Turkey Salad
This bountiful salad is bursting with colour, Korean-inspired flavours and wholesome veggies! Spicy soy turkey and a creamy, gochujang-based dressing round out the plate for a delicious, light way to start the week!

Cal Smart Caper-Dill Dressed Salmon with Couscous, Tomatoes, and Spinach

We enjoyed this dish for Saturday lunch.

I hate dill-flavoured chips, but fresh dill is fantastic. This is one HelloFresh dish I love ordering again.

Cal Smart Caper-Dill Dressed Salmon
Capers add a briny flavour pop to this salmon dish with creamy Dijon-dill sauce! Underneath, there's a bed of lemony couscous to soak up all those delicious flavours.

Mango Chutney Curry-Style Chicken with Crispy Chana Dal

We cooked this dish Saturday morning and enjoyed it for Monday and Tuesday lunch.

I love curry but I am not tasting the mango chutney, but overall a delicious dish with a hint of heat. Your home will smell like spices afterwards.

Mango Chutney Curry-Style Chicken with Crispy Chana Dal
This chicken curry cooked with sweet mango chutney, fragrant spices, and curry paste is a taste extravaganza! You'll spoon this mouthwatering curry over buttery, cilantro-flecked rice, then garnish it with crispy chana dal to create a dish that will have everyone around the dinner table drooling!

My 10th HelloFresh Box for 2022 arrived Saturday morning, so there's an overlap. Thank God for all the provisions!