Wisdom comes with age: Life lessons from my Grandma

I won a book! Yay! :)

Earlier this week, OMF Literature, a publisher of Christian Books had a little contest in connection to the list of new book titles that they will be launching next week during the 33rd Manila International Book Fair. Among the books that they were giving some free copies of was about Grand parenting.
To win a free a copy, you must share with everyone the "Greatest lesson that you learned from your grand parent/s".

So I did.

Yey Thanks OMFLit! :)

Our grandma is the most helpful, generous, sincerely concerned, and selfless woman I know and I look up to her. The lesson mentioned in my FB post tops the list. But she has a lot more wisdom to teach to her grand kids and great grand kids. Some of which she mentioned herself and some are based on my observations. Let me share with you 3 more of my favorite words of wisdom and lessons that I learned from my grandma.

1.  What sharing and giving is all about (as mentioned in my FB post).

2. My Amma always quotes from the Bible and among the verses that she shared with me, the one that I will always remember as recited by her is from Psalms 37:25 . The verse says: "I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging bread".

The righteous, those who trusts in the Lord and obey Him, those whose faith in Him is unwavering, no matter what the situation is, good or bad, they will be sure that their Father in Heaven will never forsake or abandon them. Ever. It hit home run in my heart because I have seen my Amma walk the talk. The way she cares for her family, even for other people, her willingness to share even if there are times that she only had enough for herself, speak loudly of how her faith works. And she has years of life's journey to prove how much the Lord has blessed her and how she never kept those blessings all to herself.

3. I learned and will continue to learn how to find my niche, work and pray for it, and never lose faith in my God-given talents. I learned this by observing how my Amma's life turned out. 

Amma's passion has always been about Music. Her gift was inborn. She sings and plays the piano beautifully since she was a little girl. Years later, she graduated from The Union Theological Seminary, with a degree in Religious Education major in Music, Cum Laude. She was a music teacher from day one of her career, became a Dean at the Cathedral of Praise Music College some years later, and served several churches and schools as their choir director for many years. This is probably the shortest version of my Amma's resume. But the point is, her chosen field may have not lead her to the most lucrative career available to her during her time, but she continued to choose to follow her passion, day after day, up until her retirement. She would always share stories about how she would go from one school/church/student to the other for the whole week to earn for her family. It was not easy for her, and it does not sound easy even as she relays the story to us. But as I see it, my Amma wouldn't have it any other way. She chose to focus on doing what she is good at, took good care of her family at the same time, and retired happy, contented and thankful. Not everyone will have a chance to grab this kind of opportunity, nor will everyone decide to choose to do things they are passionate about for reasons of practicality. But I learned from Amma's dedication that with hard work and faith, it is by all means achievable. Its just up to you how to make it happen.

4. Another lesson that I have to try again and again until I finally imbibe it is: Its ok to flirt a little. ;) 

Yes you've read that right. She would sometimes ask me why I don't have a boyfriend or do I even consider getting into a relationship, much less, getting married. Each time she would ask, I would just shrug at the comment, and she would laugh. She would pout her lips and bat her lashes playfully to tell me that I should try to have that kind of demeanor, even just a tinge of it. Then it would be my turn to laugh.  ;)

But then again, hearing about my Amma's stories about her boyfriends (during and after the war! hehe), I'm sure she knows what she's talking about. She had a fair share of young love sweet love experiences in a 1930's-1940's fashion of course, until she met and married my grandfather. Their wedding was published in the newspaper and all. It was a move by my Lolo, who, by the way was a smart guy for making sure he had my Amma to be his wife, but that's another story altogether. hehe

Thanks Amma for all these lessons! You are the most interesting, vibrant, sincerely caring woman I know and I'm proud to be one of your grand children. :) Love you! :)

Our Amma Nora at 85 but looks way younger than her age. :)

On following one's Passion and chasing Dreams...

I have been living the dream for the past 4 years as a florist and I enjoy working on each project and serve more than a hundred of my clients. Putting my creative juices to work always gives me a natural high. Yes, working on my passion through my business did not always have a steady pace going up, but I knew that I shouldn't stop just yet because this is my passion and my calling, at least for this season of my life. Being on this road for sometime taught me valuable lessons that I will keep for life. And being on this road also made me realize that I should be able to help those who are dreaming of chasing after their dreams, by sharing to them what I have learned so far.

Out of curiosity, I Googled the phrase "following your passion" and found tons of encouraging articles filled with good and valid reasons why one should always go after one's passion and chase one's dreams. A few of these reasons are: 1) Work on something that you love and you will never work another day in your life again; 

2) Passion trumps money anytime, since not everyone will be happy with just having money; 3) Working on the things that you are passionate about gives you a sense of fulfillment. 

Having experienced these myself, I could somehow say, that there's truth to these statements. 

However, reading from the variety of articles, I can't help but notice that there are two important things about this topic that were seldom discussed if not at all mentioned. Let me share with you what these are.

A Fair Trade?

1. To do something that you like and earn from it also means that you have to do things you dislike or even hate

For example, you are a naturally creative person, you are good with your hands and you have a vivid and colorful imagination. However, you currently have a job that pays you to sit in front of your computer all day answering emails or pacify irate clients. Wouldn't you dream of quitting your job and be, say for example, a fashion designer instead? Maybe your hands can do magic each time you hold a set of drawing materials and sketch pad. Maybe you can actually create wardrobe fit for royalty. You have talent that way. Wouldn't you rather be an actual fashion designer to the stars if the opportunity presents itself? Wouldn't you give up a stressful job that doesn't give you the pay that you deserve to go after your passion with a drop of a hat? Some would say yes, others would say no, especially if there are other people who depend on them. 

But let's look at those who would say yes to the opportunity. 

Following your passion means you won't just focus on the things that you like. Most of the time, you would have to master the art of doing things that you actually hate. Its true when you're doing something that you really like, everything else (including doing things that you dislike) seems easier to handle. However, it is also true that when clouds underneath your feet have cleared and the natural "passion high" have subsided, you will still face the reality of answering emails or picking up phone calls and assisting and or reasoning with clients. There's actually more to it than you signed up for. 

Maybe you don't like numbers, you will realize that you will actually have to learn decent accounting and worse, taxation. Maybe you find law tearfully boring, you will realize that you will actually have to be knowledgeable about a wide variety of laws on top of the basic laws that you already know. More importantly, maybe you like to keep the sanctity of your Sabbath or personal and family time, you will learn that following your passion would actually diminish the barrier between your personal life and work. My advice is, before you jump onto the golden path, think of and possibly list down your priorities and non-negotiables, that not even your "passion" can interfere with. Think long and hard if it is going to be a fair trade. If you used to hate your job because it demanded so much from you, then guess what, following your passion would demand much more, sometimes more than what you're willing to give. What I'm saying is that you should go about chasing your dream not only with a whole heart, but most importantly with a clear mind that can see beyond the present times and with a clear goal that would help you determine in time once the passion has been followed and the dream has been lived, and be satisfied and thankful for the opportunity and for your accomplishment. Don't miss the precious moment of having to pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

2. Know the sustainability of your passion

Sustainability is important especially when it comes to raising something from the ground up. You would normally see the word sustainability correlated with words such as new business ventures and sometimes even with charitable and social causes. 

I also dare to relate it to pursuing one's passion. There are questions that need to be answered: 

1) How long will it take you to work on your dream and make it into reality? Can you actually afford to invest in such length of time? 2) Imagine yourself more than 20 years from now, do you still see yourself "living the dream"? If you find yourself really passionate about doing a particular thing, and you can envision yourself doing it for the rest of your life with no questions asked, congratulations, you are really blessed, then yes go and follow your passion.

However, as for the rest of us, I learned one thing: No dream or passion is infinite and no dream or passion is exclusive, and every dream and passion has a time frame. Our passion is modified with every change in our perspective, personal and or surrounding circumstances, series of obstacles and solutions, and even our physical and intellectual capabilities and emotional and spiritual conditions. At the end, you would need to find out if your passion/ dream can live through the changing times.

The path to following your passion actually has three connecting roads. The first one is somewhat long and bumpy because it would test your patience and determination, and would require you to work, sweat, cry, bleed for and even defend your passion/dream. The second one is the longest path that is sometimes smooth but also comes with a lot of rough road patches. The part where you are actually living your dream by the day and dealing with different challenges and difficulties one at time, not smooth all through out, but still you enjoy the ride in its entirety. The second road ends and gives you joy and a sense of accomplishment. However when pursued further, the third road becomes rough again and brings unnecessary discomfort. 

Solution? Dream of pursuing numerous worthwhile, well-thought of and time-bound dreams. Avoid choosing and being stuck with one and call it a day. Chase after it, praise it's Giver, work on it, improve yourself, learn from it, share it and mentor other aficionados like yourself, then recognize when the dream has been accomplished, and its time to chase after a new one.

I say this to myself often: "Don't be afraid to say Next because its not a sign of failure". 

It may mean that you have already transformed into the person that you ought to be by staying and following your passion for that specific season in your life. It also means that we shouldn't be afraid to grow up and grow wise. And that we should muster the courage and trust the One who lights our path when He assures us that the journey continues even though a season has ended. You just have to look up and see for yourself that there's more interesting and life changing roads to tackle. All you need to do is thank and bid an old dream farewell, and take your first step in walking through new paths in pursuit of fresher passions. I believe you can do it. Go for it. Its not failure, but courage to start anew. The most important thing is that you NEVER stop dreaming and KEEP ON following your passions, even if it means letting go of your treasured accomplished dreams and embracing and working on new lofty aspirations. Just keep on going. 

God bless you! :)

3 reasons why I love dogs and why you should too

I am without a doubt a super dog lover. When asked why I love my dogs and dogs in general so much, I have three simple answers:

1. Dogs proved to me that "Love at first sight" does exist


I have yet to meet a person who won't be moved by cute puppy face even for a second. The connection between a person and a new puppy is almost instantaneous. No rapport needs to be built, the moment you hold the puppy in your hands, you would know that its love. I brought home my dog Bruce (a.k.a. Banchi) four years ago and we adopted Chester (a.k.a. Chechi) 3 years ago and those are among the best decisions we made ever.

Banchi at 2 months old

Chester at barely 2 months old

Unfortunately, there are pet owners who keep on forgetting that puppies grow up. Sometimes they grow bigger than you hoped for. They grow big enough to make such a big mess inside your house or at your garden, needs to be fed more than once a day, bathed at least once a week, needs to go out for a walk at least once a day, needs to be brought to the vet at least once a year. In short it grows big enough that he will actually need a chunk of your time and a lot of your TLC.

Sad but true that there  are some pet owners who would rather give up their pets especially if they become too sick, hard to handle, or simply because they just don't have the space, time, and money for it anymore. And the poor dog would be abandoned to fend for himself and most of the time they would become victims of hit and run, undernourishment and cruelty from the hands of moronic people who don't know any better (redundancy intended).

Most dogs have an average life span of around 12-15 years, some live much longer. So have this in mind when you bring home a puppy because its so cute, and you felt love at first sight. Please make sure that you're ready to give it the care and love that it deserves no matter what the cost. Yes, you will have to love your dog, but remember that no amount of love that you can give to your pet could ever match the kind of love and loyalty that he will ever give to you for as long as he lives. So between you and your pet, you're the luckier one because as far as your furry friend is concerned, the love at first sight never dies down.

2. Dogs teach forgiveness and unconditional love day in and day out

There are times that I would call Banchi or Chester's attention (in a firm or angry tone) for chewing up a slipper or peeing on the rug or they did other similar (sometimes annoying) dog habits like that. The moment they hear my voice, they would bow their heads and sit quietly in a corner. I believe they knew they did something that I didn't like.

But almost immediately, I would realize that dogs do stuff for a reason. They could be bored because they need more exercise, or they're irritable because they're sick, and sometimes, they just want to catch your attention. There was one instance that Banchi literally got my phone on the couch and chewed it up (my theory was he was jealous of Milo, the new puppy, he was trying to say something to me I guess). I became mad for a minute but realized that I should check on him for he might have swallowed something sharp or poisonous from the cellphone. Thank goodness all parts were complete and he did not ingest anything.

But anyway, the main thing was, even if there were times that I wasn't in a mood nor had the patience to "understand" why they did what they did, and scolded them for a bit, they are still always happy to see me even I was just raising my voice at them 5 minutes ago. They don't care if I had a bad day or I was tired, or if I was just angry a few seconds ago, they are always excited to see me each time. I would come home and  they would prance around, bark with excitement, and announce my arrival as if I was some sort of celebrity. Because for them, I am a celebrity, I am the most important creature that they ever laid their eyes on. Not because I am special or because I took good care of them (that is my responsibility), but because dogs are naturally loving and loyal that way. All they want is to be with their pack and pack leader, and as far as Chester and Bruce are concerned, that's me. And I consider myself lucky.

That's Banchi in his favorite corner. He would always stand up and greet me with this kind of happy face each time I come home :)

3. Dogs always take away any feelings of sadness, anger, and exhaustion

I may be fuming with anger and impatience, or feeling lower than low, or feeling crazy exhausted, but the moment I sit beside Chester and he would lift my hand with his head, asking for a pat or scratch behind the ear, and my arm would just rest on his furry back, all the negative feelings would just subside. Its like hearing a word of assurance from a longtime super close friend. Only Chester  did not utter anything, he did not even bark, he just sat beside me, and everything seemed to feel lighter.

There are a lot of times that I believe that my dogs understand my sadness and frustration. They may not know how we humans call those kinds of ill emotions, but they always know when I am not ok, and they would be there for me. There a lot of books, movies, cartoon plots that are based on canine-human friendship, and I know that though the plot and characters are fictional, the love and loyalty portrayed between the friendship of man and dog is always true to life.

Chester sitting on top of our favorite hangout - a low table on our veranda. I would sit there, and he would  hop on the table and sit beside me. No questions asked.

All dogs deserve a home and a family. Sadly, there a lot of stray, malnourished dogs everywhere. Unfortunately, though organizations such PAWS and CARA strive hard to save as much animals as they can, they too have limited means, funds, and shelter space. They would need all the help they could receive from concerned individuals and animal lovers. I salute people who make it their mission to foster rescued dogs and cats alike. I was watching a documentary show called Front Row aired in GMA News TV a few days ago. The segment was called Aglahi. It was about dogs who have been victims of neglect and cruelty, and how said organizations and volunteers stay true to their mission to rescue (and some foster) animals to the best of their abilities. I must say that the situations of the dogs that they rescue are beyond heartbreaking. There was one dog (Monzo) who rescued, one of its front legs need to be amputated because of a bad injury. There was another dog (Fifi) with a permanent muzzle made of metal wire (alambre). The wire was wrapped around its neck with some parts of the wire sticking inside the dog's mouth. I can't imagine the kind of people who would do this to helpless creatures. I've read this in a bumper sticker or poster somewhere in Makati a few years ago, it says: "Those who are cruel to animals are just getting started". And I absolutely agree to this.

I only have one wish for these rescued animal friends, that they too will have a shot at experiencing what its like to belong to a family and have their forever home, that they in turn, can show their owners what its like to love, forgive, and share friendship in its purest form and essence.


To know more about Monzo and Fifi, please visit the FB page of CARA and PAWS:

https://www.facebook.com/CARAPhil
https://www.facebook.com/pawsphilippines






Inspired by the Aglahi Documentary.

And also written in fond and loving memory of my faithful furry friends, Miko and Milo. 

Miko, 9 years old, May 2011

Milo, 2 1/2 years old, Sept. 2011

Lazy no-brainer dinner: Tuna Stir Fry with Leafy Greens

Mom and I had a super lazy dinner. We didn't want to cook the usual viands because none of us wanted to wash too many dishes with pots and pans after. She wanted me to buy litson manok (roasted chicken) but I was too lazy to go out and buy some. So anyway, since we're both lazy, and I still wanted us to eat healthy, I told her I'll just whip up my quick tuna stir fry with leafy greens. Its a dish that you can do in 10 minutes max from prep time to cooking time.

So if you're having a lazy evening, you can try this out. :)

TUNA STIR FRY WITH LEAFY GREENS

INGREDIENTS:

1 small can of tuna in oil (or brine, but I prefer in oil)
3 heads of Pechay, whole leaves with ends cut off
1 small head of cabbage, cut into large (around 1" thick) strips
1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
Dried basil
Ground Pepper
Salt

Boil 3-4 cups of water, salted, in a medium sauce pan. Once the water is boiling, dunk in the sliced cabbage. Let it sit in the boiling water for about a minute, then remove from the water and arranged it in a serving dish. Set aside.

In the same sauce pan (water used for the cabbage removed),  over medium low heat, pour in the contents of the tuna in can, add dried basil (a few dashes), a pinch of pepper, mix it a bit, then add the Worscestershire sauce. Mix a couple of times, put in the Pechay leaves, then put on the lid of the sauce pan. Allow to the leaves to wilt a bit and absorb the flavors of the tuna, for around 20 seconds before stirring. Don't over cook the leaves, it should not lose its green color. Once cooked, using a pair of tongs, place first the Pechay leaves on top of the cabbage leaves that you cooked earlier, then top it with the tuna with its sauce and juices. Best served with plain hot rice.  :)

Simple dish, almost ready to eat, yet healthy and filling. Serving good for 2. :)

Happy cooking!

A little bit of vegan, a little bit of healthy: Green salad with tofu dumplings and Chinese vinaigrette

My mom raised my brother and I as vegetable-eating people. I have no problem with veggies (except for onions) even when I was a kid, so going for vegan food does not require too much effort on my part. Although, since I normally get tired of the same taste in food, I started experimenting with new recipes.

I was preparing the normal green salad one day and thought to make it a little bit more interesting. So I tried some new tweaks to spice it up.

Green salad was made of:
1 head Romaine Lettuce, washed well and tear into pieces
2 large green tomatoes (yes green! :) with seeds removed)
1 cup baby carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced (omit for full vegan diet)

Additional toppings could be: 1) Nuts, 2) Dried fruits, 3) Fresh mangoes, apples, pear or grapes

Sample salad bar:

For the tofu dumplings:

Half bar of Chinese tofu (extra firm), drained and cut into 1 inch cubes
Dumpling wrappers
Salt and pepper
Dried herbs

Wrap the tofu squares in dumpling wrapper (the same way that you would wrap siomai dumplings), seal with a little bit of water. Then sprinkle with a little bit of salt, pepper, and dried herbs on top. Or you can leave it as it is since the vinaigrette is already flavorful anyway.

Then heat up some oil in a deep frying pan, fry the tofu dumplings until golden brown. Remove from oil then let drain on paper towels.

They should look like this when cooked:

For the Chinese Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp cane or red wine vinegar
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp organic honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Set the veggies on the plate, top with dumplings and Vinaigrette. :)

Guilt free (well, a little guilt from the frying part haha) and satisfying! :)

Try it and let me know how it turns out. :)

Pics c/o Jem Sese. Thanks again! :)

Not so healthy, but oh so yummy! Boncharms chicken :)

My version of Korean "Bonchon-Style" chicken was confirmed delicious when my grandma tasted it for the first time, and she actually liked it! Amma, our term of endearment for our 85-year old beloved grandmother has traditional Ilocano taste buds. So unless the food has Pangasinan Bagoong, or has Ayungin (small tasty fish usually cooked paksiw style) or shellfish in it, she wouldn't really fall in love with the food, though she will eat it, but she will not really indulge. Cooked the Korean Chicken for the first time and served it to my Mom, Cousin, and Amma, and it got good reviews. In fact, Amma was still asking for the left over sauce even until the following days. Now that is good thing. :)

Served it too to my friends a few days back and they also liked it. They gave it the name, "Boncharms". haha So since the recipe is not really that top-secret, I'd like to share it with you so you can try it yourself. :)

KOREAN BONCHARMS CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS FOR THE SAUCE:

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup organic honey (if you don't have organic, then just use regular honey)
1/4 cup ketchup
2-3 tbsp Muscovado sugar (or brown sugar if you don't like muscovado)
1-2 tsp Tabasco sauce (if you like it really spicy, then add some more)
1/8 cup or 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
A pinch of salt
Pepper (put in as much or little as you like)
1/2 cup of ginger cut into large chunks
3 cloves of garlic sliced

How to make the sauce:
In a small sauce pan, saute the ginger and garlic in medium low heat until slightly brown (don't allow the garlic to become too brown please. If you do, you will have to do it over), then pour the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, Tabasco sauce, mix and allow all the liquids to heat together, before the mixture boils, add ketchup, sugar, salt and pepper. (Make sure to taste and adjust ingredients according to your preference.) Reduce sauce until it thickens over low heat. Set aside.

FOR THE FRIED CHICKEN:
I believe every family has their own version of fried chicken. But if you want to know how I made mine, here's how I did it.

1 kilo of chicken wings and legs, cleaned*and rinsed well

*When I was 13, my Auntie Didin taught me how to prepare raw chicken before cooking. After cutting up the parts, remove the thin slimy membrane-esq clinging on top of the flesh and underneath the skin of the chicken. If you cant pull out the slime completely, rub the chicken with rock salt while pulling out all the goo. Also remove all the brown fleshy bits and blood in between the bones. This way, the chicken won't taste "malangsa" or it won't have that "not fresh" taste.

2 cups of flour mixed with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 cup of crispy fried chicken mix

For the chicken, put flour mixture into a large bag, then put in chicken, seal the bag and shake it until the chicken becomes fully coated with flour. Heat large frying pan (the deeper the pan, the better), put in a cup or so of oil (palm oil or unflavored coconut oil is the healthiest option) but canola oil works fine. When the oil is hot, put in chicken and allow one side to brown before you flip it to the other side. Make sure that there's no more raw or bloody parts before you remove the chicken from the oil and let it drain on paper towel.

Allow the chicken to cool a little bit. Then put chicken in a deep container, slowly pour in sauce on the chicken, just enough to coat it then turn the chicken in every direction to be fully coated by the sauce. Add more sauce or serve extra sauce as desired.

Then place the chicken inside an oven toaster for about 3 minutes so the skin can get extra crispy and the sauce will become glossy and will cling on the chicken better.

Your chicken should look like this:

Really simple. If you think that you didn't get the sauce right, just practice and make it again next time. Or you could also just dip your fried chicken in some ketchup and it will be equally satisfying. hehe

Enjoy cooking! :)


Pictures taken by my friend, Jerome. :) Thanks! :)

A little bit of vegan, a little bit of healthy: Chicken tortilla burger

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned that I was in a crossing over phase to becoming a vegan. So far, I gave up eating pork and beef completely. So yes, I  have a looonnnggg way to go- I have to stop eating chicken, fish, eggs, all kinds of animal-produced dairy, condiments, etc.

I'm proceeding with baby steps so I will not shock myself with all the sudden changes. Meanwhile, I am enjoying making and eating pork and beef-free and healthier options for food. I came up with 1 new recipe which I shared with my friends. Well, its not entirely new to everyone I guess, but I made my own version of it. :) Let me share them with you too.

Chicken tortilla burger with cheesy mushroom sauce

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE PATTIES
1/2 kilo ground chicken breast
1 big carrot grated, pressed a bit to remove a little of the excess juices
2 cloves garlic grated
A few dashes (approx. 1/2 tsp) of your favorite dried herb, I used dried Basil and oregano
3-4 dashes of Tabasco sauce (if you want it spicier, then just add more)
Salt and pepper to taste (just follow your usual preference for seasoning)
1 medium egg slightly beaten
2-3 tbsp flour or cornstarch
Small cubes of cheddar or quick melt (preferably quick melt) cheese

Additional ingredients: I didn't use chopped celantro at the time I made this, but I think fresh celantro will go well with this patty mix. If you will use celantro, just use a milder-tasting herb to go with it. I'm not really a big fan of onions, so I didn't use that, but if you wish, then go ahead and add 1 small onion finely chopped to the mix.

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE:*
1 1/2 Cup cheese spread (like cheese whiz, but whatever brand you prefer just use it)
2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 1/2 cup water (if you find it too thick or runny, just adjust the amount of cornstarch)
1/4 (of 1 block) of quickmelt cheese grated
A little bit of salt (control your salt since the cheese is already salty as it is, or omit the salt altogether if you're ok with the saltiness of the cheese sauce) and pepper (I like pepper so I put in lots)
1 medium can of sliced button mushrooms, drained

*For a healthier version, omit cheese spread, instead heat and dissolve vegan cheese or quick melt cheese in 2-2 1/2 cups of low fat milk or soy  milk. Then follow the rest of the ingredients, but remove additional grated cheese.

To make the patties, combine everything together (except the cheese cubes). Mix until a bit sticky and well combined. Form a mound and make a cross on top as your guide to divide the patties into 4 equal parts. Get 1/4 of the mixture, make a ball and press the mixture down slightly on your palm to create a flat patty, place small cube of cheese in the middle then cover entirely with the rest of the mixture. Form into a burger patty, the same size or a little bigger than your palm. Make it plump so that it will not dry out when frying or grilling.

Put the patties on the grill (slightly greased) and cook for about 3-4 minutes each side. On the other side of the grill, you can heat your tortilla (I used whole wheat tortilla), to maximize the heat on the grill and cooking time. Make sure that there's no oil slipping on that side of the grill. The patty will turn golden brown with nice grill marks when done.

For the cheese sauce:

Heat the cheese spread on a small sauce pan, add cornstarch mixture little by little while constantly stirring with a whisk until you achieve the desired thickness. Add grated cheese, mix until dissolved. Add button mushrooms, then season to taste. Stir constantly until mushrooms are cooked.

For presentation, line up the burgers on a nice plate then pour cheese sauce on top and garnish with the fresh version of the herb you used.

Or you can serve individually together with the tortilla. Also best served with salsa. Yum! :)

That's it. Easy. :) Enjoy! :)

P.S. Pictures c/o my good friend, Jerome Sese. Thanks Jem! :)