Joanne L. Molinaro (이선영)

I got to spend a little time with my Dad last week (he came to California for my birthday). He’s 81 years old and although he’s mellowed in some ways, he’s still frustratingly obtuse and often says the wrong thing at the wrong time. The internet has, I think, created impossible standards for being a person. Parents, in particular, are subjected to absurd imperatives that no human could ever satisfy. It is, among others, one of the reasons I am sometimes grateful I don’t have children of my own. My father was not perfect and is not perfect and, in all honesty, I carry the wounds of that every single day. But my father has always loved me and wanted the best for ME. He always valued ME and JUST ME—not my duty or obligation or responsibility to my family, to a husband, to the world. Just me. Many people may view my videos as “man bashing,” but if you are paying attention, this video is quite the opposite. #womenstories #reallygoodsoup #healthyrecipes

I started sharing stories about my Korean American immigrant family back in 2017, the first time this country elected an administration that made its xenophobia painfully obvious. This revealed to me that a lot of people had no idea what my family was like. Too many people viewed “American” through a monochromatic lens and I wanted to do my part in diversifying that lens, mostly through food and storytelling. I didn’t want to “ruffle any feathers” or be “too direct,” for fear of making people too defensive, which would, in my opinion, cut off any meaningful or potentially productive discussion. It is really, really hard to confront the fact that it feels like I’m right back where I started in 2017. I’ve been telling my stories, sharing our food, with the hope that in addition to loving our kimchi, you’ll grow to love the people who brought you that kimchi. I’ll be honest: I’m not sure any of it worked. Sometimes, when I read the news or see yet another person being separated from their family, I wonder whether I was naive, even arrogant to think my little “experiment” could do any real good. And yes, I am angry. I feel like I’m angry all the time, these days, and I hate that. Because I loved this country in 2016, continued to love this country even after seeing just how deeply ingrained racism is in the United States, and I guess my rage proves that some part of me still loves this profoundly flawed nation. Before telling me to “go back to [insert whatever random Asian country comes to mind],” ask yourself why I complain? Why I cry? Why I’m upset? Why I care? Sometimes, I wish I could answer that myself. #dumplings #koreanfood #mandu #vlog

When times get tough (or authoritarian-y), eat eggless chocolate chip cookies. #chocolatechipcookies #EasyRecipes #egglessrecipes #vegan

I sometimes feel a little gaslit by people who claim they “love” running. Like, WHY? I mean, I can understand liking, a little, sometimes. I can also understand LOVING the benefits of running; however, to claim that you LOVE running because of what it does for you is a lot like saying, “I love paying for things because of what it buys me!” Ok, ok, I kid (sort of). I know there are legion of folks out there who truly enjoy huffing and puffing, the wind at their back (or in their faces), the thud of their feet on pavement, and just the sheer exhilaration of moving one’s body to capacity. Whether it’s a runner’s high or a human’s high, I can’t say I’ve ever experienced it, but I’m willing to acknowledge that others have. But the truth remains: I don’t like running. So, why do I run so much? Not gonna lie here: part of it is to keep in shape. I find it to be an efficient way to maintain my fitness. But marathoning? Isn’t that overkill? Well, I’ll be honest, again: I’m not marathon training at the moment (though, I like to believe I can shift into high gear training on a dime). Still, I probably run a lot more than is necessary to keep fit these days, and the main reason for that is simple: I don’t like running, but I am a runner. You see, the fallacy is that you have to be IN LOVE with running to be a runner. But that’s totally not true. Runners are a diverse and wide-ranging group, including within their ranks those who are obsessed and those who can barely bring themselves off the couch to run a 1k. Indeed, out of all the communities I’ve ever been a part of, runners are the least gatekeep-y folks you’ll ever meet. And that community is one of the main reasons I may not love running, but I love being a runner. I LOVED THIS POST-RUN MEAL (steamed broccoli, braised tofu, Korean omelet) because it reminded me of the foods my grandmothers used to make for me when I was little. I’m coming out with a second cookbook, HOMEMADE, filled with similar types of recipes—nostalgic, nutritious, comforting (link in bio). It would mean so so much if you considered preordering it. <3 #Running #runningvlog #marathonrunning #koreanfood

Hi pls don’t let them win. #icecream #idk #youhashtagthis

Happy Father’s Day to all the many folks who play the role of father in a person’s life! If I had to make only ONE dish in the world for Father’s Day, this jjajangmyeon or Korean-Chinese black bean noodle dish would be it! My dad LOVES this dish and the best compliment I’ve ever received on my cooking was the time I made it for him and he declared “You should open a restaurant!” If you want the recipe for these noodles, you know where to find it! #jjajangmyeon #FathersDay #noodles #vegan

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! My mom and I won’t be able to celebrate together, but I made these pink strawberry creme brûlées and arranged these beautiful flowers myself in her honor! I’m so lucky that I never really felt “less than” because of my gender. My grandparents and parents cherished me as much as they did my little brother (though he got to have sleepovers and take tae-kwon-do, even though I couldn’t!). Unfortunately, things were different when my mother was a child. I know my grandparents loved her VERY much, but they were also desperate to have a son, to the point where hahlmuhnee almost died. That sorta thing tends to stick with a person… I’m not lying when I say that my mother is the only person on earth who frightens me and makes me feel safe at the same time! 😅 I think that’s actually a really good thing. But more than that, she is, undoubtedly, the strongest woman I’ve ever known and the woman I aim to emulate, day-in and day-out. Whether you celebrate Mother’s Day, here’s to all the women in your life who’ve inspired you, you’ve protected you, you’ve loved you. #mothersday #womenstories #cremebrulee #vegandesserts

Posting this shorter version in case it’s helpful. This applies ONLY to gaining entry to one’s residence (not to arrests outside the home). Pls be sure to check whether a warrant is a judicial warrant or an administrative warrant BEFORE opening the door to your home. #notlegaladvice #ice #lawyer

I can’t stop ranting sorry not sorry.

Where are all my GenX peri-people at?? I started going through “the change” for real last year and it’s been a JOURNEY!! I remember thinking how much I HATED that I was sleeping in—like somehow, I was a lesser human being by requiring the needed rest! But after a while, I realized I was actually being sort of an idiot for thinking that way…? The other thing that really threw me, though, was how fatigued I was throughout the day. I realized that I could no longer take for granted that my body would just compensate for things (like lack of protein, lack of nutrients, lack of water). Again, not sure why I thought that was the smart thing to do to begin with…? But, I started adding hi-protein snacks (like this delicious @Mosh Life protein bars), hi-protein meals (like my cashew nut stir-fry that Anthony so ably demonstrated for us all), and electrolyte drinks. I particularly like the Mosh bars because they also include brain nutrients (hello brain fog…?), AND, a portion of all proceeds for these MOSH bars go to Alzheimers research! #perimenopause #Vlog #vegan #moshlife

These kimchi pancakes were so good!! LIKE SO GOOD!! Also, let me know what other recipes you’d like to see from me. What is YOUR quintessential comfort food? #kimchi #kimchpancakes #koreanfood #vegan

AITA??? #maincharacter #rant

#ad Let me tell you a story about @Glow Recipe . Over a decade ago, two Korean American women decided it was time to challenge the narrative on “what is beauty?” There were already tons of products that made women look good, but they wanted to focus on things that would make them FEEL good. Inspired by their grandmothers, who often touted the tonic-like quality of fruit on skin, these two friends launched a skincare brand aimed at healing people from the outside-in, while sharing the stories of their heritage and the women who’ve inspired them. Since then, their beautiful, fruity, delicious smelling creams, balms, serums, and more have filled the shelves of stores across the world. This new line of lip balms by Glow Recipe, Glass Balm, is inspired by the Korean dessert they grew up eating: bingsoo. And I cannot even describe what it feels like seeing these two powerful Korean American women representing stories that sound so much like my own. The BEST thing about this Glass Balm is that it is CLINICALLY PROVEN to hydrate for up to 12 hours. How? The balm imparts hyaluronic microspheres that keep your lips. moist, soft, and feeling amazing for a lot longer than your average lip balm (trust me--I applied it right before going to bed and my lips were STILL dewy in the morning!). Plus, your lips smell so yummy you’ll want to eat the balm (don’t do that). I like to wear watermelon bingsoo for everyday, berry bingsoo for going out, and ice bingsoo overnight (to make sure my lips get an extra dose of hydration while I catch my beauty sleep!). How do you make bingsoo? For this watermelon bingsoo, I blended fresh watermelon juice with some soy milk, vegan ice cream, a little maple syrup, and lots of ice. I stuck it in the freezer for a few hours, until it got nice and slushy. To serve, I added a bunch of watermelon to a bowl, topped it with the creamy shaved ice, drizzled a little watermelon syrup (you can also just use watermelon juice), and added more ice cream! A mint leaf to make it FANCY. Easy peasy, and ridiculously refreshing. Make things bingsoo and, of course, shop Glass Balm now at @sephora !! <3 #Sponsored #glassbalm #glowrecipes #bingsoorecipe #koreanfood

This is a supplement to the video I did on how to tell the difference between a judicial warrant and an “ICE warrant.” This does not constitute legal advice as I am not your lawyer. This is just a friendly video from a person who happens to be a lawyer. Share this with anyone you think might find this useful and stay safe out there today. #nokings

Photos from today. #nokings

Hey everyone! The precise ingredients for this No-Knead Rice Bread are super simple: 21/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 tablespoon brown rice syrup (can substitute sugar) 1/2 cup (70 g) cooked rice 3 cups (370 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon sea salt As you can see in the video, just mix it altogether to form a dough. Let it proof until it doubles in size. When it’s almost done proofing, preheat the oven to 450°F and stick your oven-safe vessel in. In the meantime, do the thing I show you with the parchment paper and flour. Place the dough, with the parchment paper, into your piping hot vessel and bake it, covered, for about 40-50 minutes for spongey, perfect bread! If you liked this recipe, check out my forthcoming book, The Korean Vegan HOMEMADE, which will have the full recipe for this bread, along with 100+ other fun recipes like this one! You can find it above! #bread #easyrecipe

If you’re “disappointed” in me, so be it. I believe it is possible to be enraged by what’s happening overseas while also believing it’s wrong to be hateful to anyone of a certain descent or religion. #flowerbouquet #flowerarrangement