Summer Salads!

Egg and Eggplant

Thinly sliced eggplant

2 eggs

1 cup of mix: equal parts Italian bread crumbs, parmesan, dash of red pepper flakes and pepper

8 cloves garlic (or one whole garlic)

1 large tomato, 1 box of red grape tomatoes

1 canned small sweet onions in sugar water

1-2 Spanish onions

Ginger paste

Ice water bath

1 hot chili

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon sugar

vegetable oil for frying

Coriander

1.     Thinly slice eggplant and place in ice water bath; add salt and refrigerate for 1 hour (this will remove toxins, and prevent grease from overwhelming the dish. The center with be moist and soft while the outside will be crispy)

2.     Heat oil (coat pan) with some salt

3.     Add chopped chili…fry for 5-7 minutes

4.     Pour hot chili oil over finely chopped garlic; roast in oven at 300 degrees for 20 minutes

5.     Fry 1 large Spanish onion in remaining chili oil

6.     Add coriander, a little bit of salt, and a tablespoon of ginger paste

7.     Cut tomatoes and keep in separate bowl; add remaining onions and chopped small sweet onions

8.     Coat bowl of tomatoes and onions with olive oil and add salt/red pepper flakes

9.     Add fried onions and roasted garlic to tomato and garlic mixture; refrigerate

10. Douse each eggplant slice in egg, then bread crumb mixture, then egg again…drop in the center of pan…turn over after about 3 minutes; add more oil

11. Once all eggplant have been fried on both sides, add in extra fresh garlic and coriander

12. Toss around with more oil

13. Done!

The key ingredients are the fresh garlic, coriander, and the sweetness of the fried onions. Also, frying it three times over provides the crispiness. Funny how I used to hate eggplant before I tried it Israeli-syle in Brazil! This will be a sensation for anybody’s tastebuds!

Summer Lovin’ Salad

1 box Strawberries, sliced

1 Mango

2 Avocado

Sliced Grilled Chicken

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mint

Hot chillies

I tried this amazing salad (with lovely, bright colors) in Paris' Hard Rock Cafe. The eclectic ingredients come together so beautifully! 

Island Love Salad

2 Mangos, cubed

1 box Trader Joe’s Coconut shrimp

Yellow and/or Red Cherry Tomatoes (2 small boxes), cut in halves

Candied Walnuts

Goat cheese

Mixed Greens

Balsamic vinaigrette

1 tsp honey

I ordered this at an island-inspired restaurant at the Miami Airport before leaving for Brazil. They put feta in the salad, but I thought it was too strong of a flavor to accompany the other ingredients. I think goat cheese might be a better match.

Colombian Creation

1 large watermelon

Olive Oil for dressing

2 Red onions

2 cans Black Olives

Feta

My Aunty Patty and Uncle Mike, her brother, brought this to my 18th birthday Memorial Day picnic. Sounds rather strange, but I assure you that the combination is EPIC. 

Marla’s Sister’s Sensation

1 can of corn

2 Red pepper, 1 yellow pepper, and 1 orange, chopped into small pieces (Roast red pepper in olive oil for 15 minutes at 350 degrees)

1 can Black Bean

2 avocado

Feta

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

For my Cinco de Mayo potluck, my dear friend Marla brought this simple dish. So tasty and quite addicting!

Berry Blast Salad (Whole Foods recipe)

Goat cheese

1 box Blueberries

1 box Raspberries

1 box Black berries

Mixed Greens

Candied walnuts

Dressing: ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 T lemon juice. 2 T honey

Yellow cherry tomatoes

Basic Brazilian Salad

3 cups cooked and softened carrots

1 choko

Canned beats

Green Beans

Coriander

At my homebase, we had this salad every other day. This salad is satisfyingly simple and sweet.

Roasted Red Peppers

5 red peppers (you can add in yellow or orange peppers, mushrooms, baby carrots, etc.)

Olive oil spray (healthier!)

Trader Joe's Everything Seasoning (I would not survive without this gem! Mixture of red pepper flakes, paprika, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper...)

Low-fat skim mozzarella cheese OR Low-fat Mexican cheese mix

Fresh shavings of parmesan

Red pepper flakes

Garlic paste (sweet or savory)

Sea salt

Mix all these ingredients together in a bowl and douse in olive oil; marinate for 20 minutes. Spread out on a baking tray (foil makes cleanup easier) and roast for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Add more parmesan 5 minutes before you remove from oven. A healthy but delicious dinner!

All BOM Things Come to an End...

30 Things to Do in Salvador

1. Pelourinho on a Tuesday night

2. Buy soccer jersey

3. Beach!

4. Run along beach

5. Find a park and picnic

6. Cook seafood

7. Samba class

8. Capoeira class

9. Portuguese class

10. Pretend fieldtrip through Salvador with little nuggets

11. Caipirinha

12. Caipiroska

13. Modern Art Museum

14. Historic Center

15. Watch sunset at café

16. Watch sunset at lighthouse

17. Complete mural on 3^rd floor

18. Buy earrings for Allegra

19. Powerpoint lessons

20. Powerpoint final presention for CCS

21. Rio Vermelho

22. Igreja Sao Francisco

23. Bale Folclorico da Bahia

24. Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church

25. Market

26. Eat green corn ice cream

27. Dique de Tororo

28. Elevator Larcada

29. Pierce my nose!

30. Try that weird cheese stick stuff

 This post marks the last time I say Oi and Tchau from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil!

So sad to leave such a beautiful, warm, and friendly environment behind as I return to the U.S.A. Today at school, I almost broke down as the children presented me with a card and star earrings. The card read "Arlene, Time to Say Goodbay. We will be friends forever. We love you Arlene". I brought them a strawberry and creme cake (moranga) to celebrate the end of our journey. You should have seen one of my favorite kids (due to his chubbiness and chic red watch that he totally pretends to read) eat the remains of the cake. He licked the plate clean...literally! I couldn't help but think of the movie Matilda when that chubster gobbles up that blood-infused chocolate cake. 

These kids are the cutest I have ever met, and I am not too sure how I am going to get through next week without them saying "Chee-ah!" or "Taank U". I will also miss practicing my soccer juggling skills with them at recess. I wish I could take the kids home with me. I will have to figure out a way to visit them next summer! Pamela, the naughtiest of the bunch, started crying when I said "No mais...fin". I think she was the only 3-year-old that realized this was my last day. It broke my heart to see her this way, because usually she is tough and just loves to spit on people. The teachers were really sweet and thanked me for all I had done. 

On Wednesday, I presented my findings on the Brazilian education system. I discussed the guidelines that stemmed from the 1988 Constitution and the 1961 National Educational Bases and Guidelines Law; they overlap in some ways and clash in others. I talked about the tiers of education: infant (optional), fundamental, intermediate, and higher education and the different criteria for entrance into the next stage. As a future teacher, I outlined the process of both obtaining and maintaining a teaching certificate. Then, I mentioned an article I read in The Economist. I spoke about how the education system has gone from "disastrous" in 2000 to "very bad".

Since other volunteers were present to see what I had accomplished during my internship, I shared with them the powerpoint presentation lessons I used to teach the children some vocabulary. I also shared my lesson plans and experience with the students at Portinari Colegio Candido, using much of my blog entries (thank you, Jing!).  This was my first presentation that consisted of 44 slides...boy, did I need water after 30 minutes!

So, since it's my last day, I am going to chill on the beach. Other than bumping into potential husbands--clad in speedos-- and soaking up the Brazilian sun, I kind of want to get my gym, tan, laundry on! I will stay until 5 so that I can watch the sunset at the lighthouse. Then, I will proceed to finish the lighthouse mural upstairs. For the night, I will go see the ballet that everyone is raving about! In the night, Ashley, Talia, and I will live it up in Rio Vermelho one last time! There is where it all begin...the craziness, the laughter, the samba sounds. All MUITO BOM (very good) things must come to an end...

Muito prazer (Pleasure to meet you), Mr. Brasil; mutio obrigada para todos!

Arlene 

P.S. I spent an hour trying to add in some powerpoint slides and  pictures but for some reason this blog website was resistant to visuals this time around....Desculpe!

All MUITO BOM Things Must Come to an End...

30 Things to Do in Salvador

1. Pelourinho on a Tuesday night

2. Buy soccer jersey

3. Beach!

4. Run along beach

5. Find a park and picnic

6. Cook seafood

7. Samba class

8. Capoeira class

9. Portuguese class

10. Pretend fieldtrip through Salvador with little nuggets

11. Caipirinha

12. Caipiroska

13. Modern Art Museum

14. Historic Center

15. Watch sunset at café

16. Watch sunset at lighthouse

17. Complete mural on 3^rd floor

18. Buy earrings for Allegra

19. Powerpoint lessons

20. Powerpoint final presention for CCS

21. Rio Vermelho

22. Igreja Sao Francisco

23. Bale Folclorico da Bahia

24. Nosso Senhor do Bonfim Church

25. Market

26. Eat green corn ice cream

27. Dique de Tororo

28. Elevator Larcada

29. Pierce my nose!

30. Try that weird cheese stick stuff

 This post marks the last time I say Oi and Tchau from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil!

So sad to leave such a beautiful, warm, and friendly environment behind as I return to the U.S.A. Today at school, I almost broke down as the children presented me with a card and star earrings. The card read "Arlene, Time to Say Goodbay. We will be friends forever. We love you Arlene". I brought them a strawberry and creme cake (moranga) to celebrate the end of our journey. You should have seen one of my favorite kids (due to his chubbiness and chic red watch that he totally pretends to read) eat the remains of the cake. He licked the plate clean...literally! I couldn't help but think of the movie Matilda when that chubster gobbles up that blood-infused chocolate cake. 

These kids are the cutest I have ever met, and I am not too sure how I am going to get through next week without them saying "Chee-ah!" or "Taank U". I will also miss practicing my soccer juggling skills with them at recess. I wish I could take the kids home with me. I will have to figure out a way to visit them next summer! Pamela, the naughtiest of the bunch, started crying when I said "No mais...fin". I think she was the only 3-year-old that realized this was my last day. It broke my heart to see her this way, because usually she is tough and just loves to spit on people. The teachers were really sweet and thanked me for all I had done. 

On Wednesday, I presented my findings on the Brazilian education system. I discussed the guidelines that stemmed from the 1988 Constitution and the 1961 National Educational Bases and Guidelines Law; they overlap in some ways and clash in others. I talked about the tiers of education: infant (optional), fundamental, intermediate, and higher education and the different criteria for entrance into the next stage. As a future teacher, I outlined the process of both obtaining and maintaining a teaching certificate. Then, I mentioned an article I read in The Economist. I spoke about how the education system has gone from "disastrous" in 2000 to "very bad".

Since other volunteers were present to see what I had accomplished during my internship, I shared with them the powerpoint presentation lessons I used to teach the children some vocabulary. I also shared my lesson plans and experience with the students at Portinari Colegio Candido, using much of my blog entries (thank you, Jing!).  This was my first presentation that consisted of 44 slides...boy, did I need water after 30 minutes!

So, since it's my last day, I am going to chill on the beach. Other than bumping into potential husbands--clad in speedos-- and soaking up the Brazilian sun, I kind of want to get my gym, tan, laundry on! I will stay until 5 so that I can watch the sunset at the lighthouse. Then, I will proceed to finish the lighthouse mural upstairs. For the night, I will go see the ballet that everyone is raving about! In the night, Ashley, Talia, and I will live it up in Rio Vermelho one last time! There is where it all begin...the craziness, the laughter, the samba sounds. All MUITO BOM (very good) things must come to an end...

Muito prazer (Pleasure to meet you), Mr. Brasil; mutio obrigada para todos!

Arlene 

P.S. I spent an hour trying to add in some powerpoint slides and  pictures but for some reason this blog website was resistant to visuals this time around....Desculpe!