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Category: FOOD & RECIPES

  • Hotdog Chao Fan

    Hotdog Chao Fan

    Chowking is a Philippine fast food chain.  It is the pioneer of the Asian quick service restaurant concept in the Philippines.  Chowking combines traditional Chinese cuisine with modern fast food service.  One of their best-selling meals is the Chao Fan.

    Food that Chowking sells are predominantly noodle soups, dimsum and rice toppings.  It is a light brown stir-fried rice mixed with meat bits with yellow egg bits and vegetables. It comes in Pork, Beef and Yangchow varieties.

    Of course the chao fan recipe is a corporate secret.  So this is my attempt to re-create the chao fan to get as close to the flavor as possible.  But in this case, I chose to use hotdogs for the meat to make it easier and more fun!

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups cooked rice
    • 1 tbsp garlic chopped
    • 4 pcs hotdog diced or cubed
    • 1 small shallot or onion minced
    • 2 eggs beaten
    • 1/4 cup green onion diced
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1/2 cup green peas
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tbsp garlic chopped (for rice)
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    1. In a large wok or frying pan, fry the hotdogs.  Set aside.
    2. In the same wok or frying pan, saute the onions followed by the garlic and green peas.  Set aside.
    3. In the same wok or frying pan, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble.  Mix the eggs while frying until they turn into small pieces.  Set aside.
    4. In the same wok or frying pan, saute the garlic.  Add the rice. Mix.
    5. Combine the soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl.  Add to the rice and mix thoroughly.
    6. Add in the fried hotdogs and sauted vegetables to the rice.  Cook a little further making sure that you mix it well.
    7. Season with salt and pepper.
    8. Add in the scrambled eggs and mix.
    9. Top with green onions.  Serve with fried pork siomai (dimsum) as in the picture (optional).

    chao fan

    Hotdog Chao Fan

    My own take on Chowking’s Chao Fan Rice Meals.

    • 4 cups cooked rice
    • 1 tbsp garlic (chopped)
    • 4 pcs hotdog (diced or cubed)
    • 1 small shallot or onion (minced)
    • 2 eggs (beaten)
    • 1/4 cup green onion (diced)
    • 2 tbsp soy sauce
    • 1/2 cup green peas
    • 1/2 tsp sugar
    • 1/2 tbsp garlic (chopped (for rice))
    • salt and pepper (to taste)

    1. In a large wok or frying pan, fry the hotdogs.  Set aside.

    2. In the same wok or frying pan, saute the onions followed by the garlic and green peas.  Set aside.

    3. In the same wok or frying pan, pour in the beaten eggs and scramble.  Mix the eggs while frying until they turn into small pieces.  Set aside. 

    4. In the same wok or frying pan, saute the garlic.  Add the rice. Mix. 

    5. Combine the soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl.  Add to the rice and mix thoroughly.

    6. Add in the fried hotdogs and sauted vegetables to the rice.  Cook a little further making sure that you mix it well.

    7. Season with salt and pepper.

    8. Add in the scrambled eggs and mix.

    9. Top with green onions.  Serve with fried pork siomai (dimsum) as in the picture (optional).

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Skillet Potatoes And Bacon

    Skillet Potatoes And Bacon

    Earlier, I posted a recipe called Bistek Tagalog. Fried potato chips is what we pair with this all the time. But I decided to do something different.  This time, I decided to prepare Skillet Potatoes and Bacon.

    Skillet Potatoes And BaconSkillet Potatoes and Bacon is an easy to prepare addition to any meal. Everyone will fight for the last piece! It has crispy edges, the centers are creamy and with lots of flavor. When I prepared this together with the Bistek Tagalog, this was the first to go.

    This skillet potatoes and bacon dish is so easy to do, all you need are common ingredients and does not take too much time to prepare. This dish is addictive. You might as well double the ingredients to ensure that everybody in the family enjoys this.

    Ingredients

    • 3/4 kilo potatoes quartered lengthwise
    • salt to taste
    • 7 slices bacon chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced
    • 2 tbsp green onions chopped
    • pepper to taste

    Instructions

      1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine potatoes, pinch of salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes begin to soften, but not completely cooked. Drain the potatoes and dry.
      2. In a skillet over medium heat, add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until it renders fat and becomes crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.
      3. Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook, turning as needed for about 7 to 10 minutes or until brown and tender. Add the garlic, bacon, salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir for about 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic slightly matte. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve hot.



    Skillet Potatoes And Bacon

    Skillet Potatoes And Bacon

    Skillet Potatoes and Bacon is an easy to prepare addition to any meal. Everyone will fight for the last piece! It has crispy edges, the centers are creamy and with lots of flavor. When I prepared this together with the Bistek Tagalog, this was the first to go.

    • 3/4 kilo potatoes (quartered lengthwise)
    • salt (to taste)
    • 7 slices bacon (chopped)
    • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
    • 2 tbsp green onions (chopped)
    • pepper (to taste)

    1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine potatoes, pinch of salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes begin to soften, but not completely cooked. Drain the potatoes and dry.

    2. In a skillet over medium heat, add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until it renders fat and becomes crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels.

    3. Add the potatoes to the pan. Cook, turning as needed for about 7 to 10 minutes or until brown and tender. Add the garlic, bacon, salt and pepper to taste. Cook and stir for about 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic slightly matte. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve hot.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Bistek Tagalog

    Bistek Tagalog

    Bistek Tagalog, which literally translates to Tagalog Beef Steak, is normally made with strips of sirloin beef and onions slowly cooked in soy sauce and calamansi juice. Calamansi juice is a key ingredient here. Some of you may not know what calamansi is particularly to non-Filipino readers.

    Bistek TagalogCalamansi is also known as Calamondin. It is a citrus fruit relative to lemon and lime. In Asian cuisines, calamansi juice is also used for fish, poultry and pork seasoning. It is normally used as a condiment in Filipino cuisine. It is also used in the basic sawsawan (dip) of calamansi juice and soy sauce, for fish, spring rolls, dumplings and various meats. Other terms for calamansi include kalamunding, kalamansi and Philippine lime. If you do not have calamansi available, replace the 10 pieces calamansi with 2 pieces of lemon. Sirloin is a tender cut of beef and is generally used for broiling . Since it is tender, it only takes less than an hour to cook. Bistek is best eaten with rice. You can have it with regular steamed rice or with garlic fried rice.

    Ingredients

    • 1 kilo beef sirloin, sliced thinly
    • 10 pcs calamansi, juiced
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 pc onion, peeled and sliced thinly
    • 1 head garlic, peeled and minced
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 cup water
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic and pepper. Massage marinade into meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.
    2. In a cast iron wok, over high heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove meat.
    3. In the pan, add onions and garlic (from marinade mixture), and cook, stirring regularly, until limp and aromatic. Return meat to pan.
    4. Add reserved marinade. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced.
    5. Season with salt to taste.
    6. Turn off heat.
    7. Garnish with onion rings (optional) and cover to allow onion to cook slightly in the steam.
    8. Serve hot.



    Bistek Tagalog

    Bistek Tagalog

    Bistek Tagalog, which literally translates to Tagalog Beef Steak, is normally made with strips of sirloin beef and onions slowly cooked in soy sauce and calamansi juice. 

    • 1 kilo beef sirloin (sliced thinly)
    • 10 pcs calamansi (juiced)
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 pc onion (peeled and sliced thinly)
    • 1 head garlic (peeled and minced)
    • 1/4 tsp pepper
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 cup water
    • salt (to taste)

    1. In a bowl, combine beef, lemon juice, soy sauce, onions, garlic and pepper. Massage marinade into meat and marinate for about 30 minutes.

    2. In a cast iron wok, over high heat, heat oil. Add beef and cook for about 3 to 5 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Remove meat.

    3. In the pan, add onions and garlic (from marinade mixture), and cook, stirring regularly, until limp and aromatic. Return meat to pan.

    4. Add reserved marinade. Add water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and simmer for about 40 to 50 minutes or until meat is fork-tender and liquid is reduced.  

    5. Season with salt to taste. 

    6. Turn off heat. 

    7. Garnish with onion rings (optional) and cover to allow onion to cook slightly in the steam.

    8. Serve hot.

  • Brownies For Diabetics

    Brownies For Diabetics

    If you are diabetic, bake better brownies!!!  Try Brownies For Diabetics!!!

    Brownies For Diabetics is an excellent dessert for people with diabetes. Even if you are not, this diabetic dessert is an excellent substitute to prevent onset of this dreaded disease.  What is the ultimate marker for the development of adult or type 2 diabetes? It is the excessive consumption of sugar. But wait! The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says being overweight is a major risk factor. Yet, you can still bake a cake and also eat it if you have diabetes. Certain ingredients have the power to transform traditional sweets into suitable substitutes. Your sweets will still taste great and they may even be good for you. The portion control is the second part of the equation. A little something delicious can go a long way.  Go ahead and try Brownies For Diabetics!

    Diabetes And Healthy Eating

    Healthy eating, combined with regular physical activity and weight control, is important to manage diabetes.

    People with diabetes should eat mainly high fibre carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals and vegetables and fruit. They should also reduce their intake of fat, especially saturated fat. Limiting the serving size of your meals is often required to maintain a healthy body weight. It is also a good idea to see a dietitian who can help develop a healthy eating plan.

    Healthy eating helps a person with diabetes to:

    1. Maintain general good health
    2. Control blood glucose levels
    3. Achieve normal blood lipid (fat) levels
    4. Maintain a healthy blood pressure
    5. Maintain a healthy body weight
    6. Prevent the complications of diabetes.

    No Special Diets Required

    Healthy eating for people with diabetes is no different than for everyone else. People with diabetes do not need to prepare separate meals or buy special foods, so relax and enjoy healthy eating with the rest of your family.

    Brownies For Diabetics Recipe:

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup margarine
    • 3 tsp liquid sweetener
    • 2 sq chocolate unsweetened, melted
    • 3/4 cup sifted flour
    • 1/2 cup walnuts
 chopped
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1 tsp baking powder

    Instructions

    1. Cream margarine, sweetener, and chocolate, beat until smooth.
    2. Beat in eggs and vanilla; add flour, baking powder, and walnuts.
    3. Beat until smooth.
    4. Spread batter in greased 8 x 8 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
    5. Cool in pan.

    This recipe was inspired by Lynne Bowman’s Brownies for Breakfast: A Cookbook for Diabetics and the People Who Love Them

    Brownies For Breakfast

    Best Seller Diabetic Cookbooks:

    1.  The Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan for the Newly Diagnosed: A 4-Week Introductory Guide to Manage Type 2 Diabetes by Lori Zanini RD CDE

    The Diabetic Cookbook and Meal Plan

    2.  The Complete Diabetes Cookbook: The Healthy Way to Eat the Foods You Love (The Complete ATK Cookbook Series) by America’s Test Kitchen

    The Complete Diabetes Cookbook

    3.  Super Easy Diabetic Diet After 50: A Beginner’s Guide to Prediabetes & Type 2 Diabetes with 1800+ Delicious Days of Low-Carb & Low-Sugar Recipes. Includes 30-Day Meal Plan for Building Healthy Habits by Anna C. Mitchell

    Super Easy Diabetic Diet After 50

    4.  New Senior’s Diabetic Cookbook for Beginners: 2000+ Days of Easy, Tasty & Low-Carb Recipes You Love to Master Pre-Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes with Ease| 6-Week Meal Plan for a Healthy Lifestyle by Annie H. Hawk

    Diabetic Cookbook for Beginners

    5.  The Obesity Code Cookbook: Recipes to Help You Manage Insulin, Lose Weight, and Improve Your Health (The Wellness Code) by Dr. Jason Fung

    The Obesity Code Cookbook
    BROWNIES FOR DIABETICS

    Brownies For Diabetics

    An easy to bake healthy brownie.

    • 1/2 cup margarine
    • 3 tsp liquid sweetener
    • 2 sq chocolate (unsweetened, melted)
    • 3/4 cup sifted flour

    • 1/2 cup walnuts
 (chopped)
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 
1 tsp baking powder

    1. Cream margarine, sweetener, and chocolate, beat until smooth.    

    2. Beat in eggs and vanilla; add flour, baking powder, and walnuts. 

    3. Beat until smooth.

    4. Spread batter in greased 8 x 8 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

    5. Cool in pan.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Buttered Steamed Vegetables

    Buttered Steamed Vegetables

    Buttered Steamed Vegetables is a companion dish to the Beef Salpicao that I cooked.  Nothing fancy here and is very easy to prepare.

    buttered steamed vegetables

    The only thing that comes to mind here when steaming vegetables is diet food that it is boring and bland. Alright it is a very simple dish but would you call it boring? Definitely not. Steaming is one of the speediest and easiest cooking methods for vegetables.  It is an excellent way to bring out the true flavor of just about any vegetable. Cooked properly, steamed vegetables are loaded with numerous nutrients.  Adding butter to steamed vegetables is a classic, quick and easy way to prepare them, and you can serve just about any vegetable as a buttered dish. For this buttered steamed vegetables, I only cooked what I had available at home.  I had carrots, green beans and a can of young corn.  But you can use other vegetables for steaming like baby artichokes, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, baby or fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas.  Go ahead and try this recipe!

    Ingredients

    • 1 piece large carrot, diced
    • 1 can young corn
    • 1 bunch green beans
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • salt and pepper to taste
    • 1 pinch parsley flakes (optional)

    Instructions

    1. In a steamer (I used a pot and an aluminum collander), boil water.
    2. Once water starts to boil, add diced carrots.  Steam for 5 minutes.
    3. Add young corn, steam for 2 minutes.
    4. Add green beans, steam for another 3 minutes.
    5. Remove vegetables from steamer and put in a mixing bowl.
    6. Add butter and mix.
    7. Season with salt and pepper.
    8. Sprinkle with parsley flakes (optional).
    9. Serve.

    buttered steamed vegetables

    Buttered Steam Vegetables

    Steamed vegetables with the addition of butter is a classic, quick and easy dish to prepare.

    • 1 piece large carrot (diced)
    • 1 can young corn
    • 1 bunch green beans
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • salt and pepper (to taste)
    • 1 pinch parsley flakes (optional)

    1. In a steamer (I used a pot and an aluminum collander), boil water.

    2. Once water starts to boil, add diced carrots.  Steam for 5 minutes.

    3. Add young corn, steam for 2 minutes.

    4. Add green beans, steam for another 3 minutes.

    5. Remove vegetables from steamer and put in a mixing bowl.

    6. Add butter and mix.

    7. Season with salt and pepper.

    8. Sprinkle with parsley flakes (optional).

    9. Serve.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Beef Salpicao

    Beef Salpicao

    Sundays are the times when my two college kids are at home and I usually come up with something to let them experience home cooked meals instead of the usual fast food fare they eat whenever at the university and their dorms.  I decided to cook Beef Salpicao, which is a favorite whenever we eat out in restaurants.  Most of the time, at least one of my children will order this, if it is on the menu.  Although I have a pretty good idea on how to cook Beef Salpicao, I still searched for recipes online to see if I am forgetting something.

    beef-salpicao-1During my search, it appears that Beef Salpicao is a Filipino dish.  Even with the foreign sounding name, I thought at first that this must be Portuguese cuisine introduced during the times when the Philippines was a colony of Spain.  According to the sausage wiki, salpicao is a traditional Portuguese sausage which by the way the dish is not. The Filipino Beef Salpicao is a garlicky stir-fried dish.

    I couldn’t find much on the origins of Beef Salpicao (in other words, too lazy to dig further).  But let us use some word play.  Salpicao (Portuguese) is a beef or pork sausage flavored with garlic and paprika.  Salpicado (salpicar), on the other hand, is a Spanish word that means splatter, sprinkle, dabble or pepper.  Since the dish is splattered with lots of garlic, could salpicao be just a derivative of salpicado?  I don’t know.  You be the judge.

    Beef salpicao is very delicious.  It is salty and sweet with the smell and taste of garlic.  It is as if the flavor was produced by too many spices although salpicao has very few ingredients that are readily available anywhere. It is a quick stir-fry dish with a very simple and uncomplicated cooking process.  It is a perfect main dish but is also good as cocktail food, what we call in the Philippines as “pulutan” (appetizer taken with alcohol, like beer).

    The recipe calls for beef sirloin cut into 1″ cubes but my meat shop misunderstood my instructions and cut the beef into strips.  Nevertheless, it still came out OK.

    For stir-frying, I normally use my Lodge cast iron wok because of the even heat distribution.  It looks like this:

    Lodge-Cast-Iron-Wok
    Lodge Cast Iron Wok

    Are you ready to cook Beef Salpicao?  BTW, I paired this off with Buttered Steam Vegetables and the recipe can be found HERE.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 kilo beef sirloin cut into 1-inch cubes
    • 1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
    • 1 tsp brown sugar
    • 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 head head garlic peeled and minced
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions:

      1. Combine beef, salt and pepper. Marinate for about 10 minutes.
      2. Combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red chili pepper flakes. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
      3. In a cast-iron wok over medium heat, add butter and oil. When butter begins to melt, add garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 minute or until garlic lightly browns.
      4. Increase heat to high and stir garlic continously to prevent from burning. When the wok is very hot, add beef and spread across wok. Allow to sear for about 1 to 2 minutes and then turn to sear on other side.
      5. Add Worcestershire-soy sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.

    beef salpicao

    Beef Salpicao

    • 1 kilo beef sirloin (cut into 1-inch cubes)
    • 1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 tsp brown sugar
    • 1/4 tsp red chili pepper flakes
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 head head garlic (peeled and minced)
    • salt and pepper (to taste)

    1. Combine beef, salt and pepper. Marinate for about 10 minutes.

    2. Combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and red chili pepper flakes. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

    3. In a cast-iron wok over medium heat, add butter and oil. When butter begins to melt, add garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 minute or until garlic lightly browns.

    4. Increase heat to high and stir garlic continously to prevent from burning. When the wok is very hot, add beef and spread across wok. Allow to sear for about 1 to 2 minutes and then turn to sear on other side.

    5. Add Worcestershire-soy sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Ensaladang Kangkong (Water Spinach Salad)

    Ensaladang Kangkong (Water Spinach Salad)

    This Ensaladang Kangkong (Water Spinach Salad) recipe is very easy to make and goes well with fried or grilled meat, particularly fish.  This recipe only needs a few ingredients and takes just two steps to complete! Ensalada in English is salad.  Kangkong is known in English as water spinach, river spinach, water morning glory and water convolvulus.

    ensaladang kangkong

    In Southeast Asia, kangkong is known as Chinese spinach, Chinese watercress, Chinese convolvulus, and swamp cabbage.  Kangkong is usually available at Asian markets.  In case you cannot find kangkong in your neck of the woods, suitable substitutes are either kale or spinach leaves.

    [adinserter block=”10″]

    A key ingredient that makes this salad very tasty is bagoong.  Bagoong is a Philippine condiment made from fish or tiny shrimps (krill) that are salted and fermented for several weeks.  In general, bagoong made from shrimps produce  a firmer and more colorful paste.  Bagoong made from fish is in liquid form and is darker.  For this recipe, the preferred bagoong is of the shrimp paste variety.  Amazon carries a wide variety of bagoong from the Philippines.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 bunch kangkong blanched and drained
    • 4 pcs medium tomatoes sliced
    • 1 pc medium onion chopped
    • 4-5 tbsp shrimp bagoong sautéed

    Instructions:

    1. Put everything in a bowl and toss until completely mixed.
    2. Serve with fried or grilled fish and steamed rice.

    Ensaladang Kangkong

    Ensaladang Kangkong

    This ensaladang kangkong recipe is very easy to make and goes well with fried or grilled meat, particularly fish.

    • 1 bunch kangkong (blanched and drained)
    • 4 pcs medium tomatoes (sliced)
    • 1 pc medium onion (chopped)
    • 4-5 tbsp shrimp bagoong (sautéed)

    1. Put everything in a bowl and toss until completely mixed.

    2. Serve with fried or grilled fish and steamed rice.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Lentil Soup

    Lentil Soup

    A few months back, I was in Laguna Central for a meeting. My wife, daughter and granddaughter stayed at Paseo de Sta. Rosa while waiting for me. My wife, while at Paseo, decided to buy lentils and Spanish chorizo from Santi’s Delicatessen. We love the products available at Santi’s.  This is where I get my bottles of red wine too!  So I figured it is time to make Lentil Soup.

    Lentil soup is a favorite of mine so I figured, why not post a recipe. Not wanting to waste these very good ingredients, I searched the web for a good recipe and found one at San Pasqual’s Kitchen.     This recipe is exactly how my grandmother used to make this soup when I was still a kid. I just remembered, every time my grandma cooks lentil soup, I would conveniently be at their place right before lunch to enjoy this very good dish.

    [adinserter block=”10″]

    The lentil comes from a bushy annual plant from the legume family and known for its lens shaped seeds. Lentils have the second-highest ratio of protein per calorie of any legume, after soybeans. Canada and India are the world’s largest producers of lentils.

    This lentil soup also has chorizo. Chorizo (Spanish) is a type of pork sausage that traditionally uses natural casings made from intestines, a method used since Roman times. Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with pimentón – a smoked paprika and salt. It is generally classed as either picante(spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of pimentón used.

    Why don’t you give this recipe a try? I bet you will not regret it.

    Ingredients:

    • 1¾ cups lentils
    • 1 chorizo sliced, 9 oz
    • 4 cloves garlic unpeeled
    • 1 medium onion diced
    • 1 large potato peeled and diced
    • 2 carrots peeled and diced
    • 1 tbsp Spanish paprika
    • Olive oil for sautéing
    • Salt to taste

    Instructions:

    1. Wash lentils.
    2. Place lentils, chorizo, whole garlic cloves, carrots, and potatoes in a large pot.
    3. Pour water at least 3 fingers over total.
    4. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let cook uncovered stirring occasionally.
    5. Fry onions in a pan with olive oil until slightly browned, then add Spanish paprika.
    6. Add onions to the pot of lentils. Salt to taste.
    7. Cook for 45 minutes.
    8. Remove the cloves of garlic, squeeze garlic from its skin and mash.
    9. Return to the pot. Salt to taste.

    lentil soup

    Lentil Soup

    This Spanish lentil soup (lentejas con chorizo in Spanish) is a great tasting dish. Try this authentic Spanish recipe at home!

    • 1¾ cups lentils
    • 1 chorizo (sliced, 9 oz)
    • 4 cloves garlic (unpeeled)
    • 1 medium onion (diced)
    • 1 large potato (peeled and diced)
    • 2 carrots (peeled and diced)
    • 1 tbsp Spanish paprika
    • Olive oil for sautéing
    • Salt to taste
    1. Wash lentils.
    2. Place lentils, chorizo, whole garlic cloves, carrots, and potatoes in a large pot.
    3. Pour water at least 3 fingers over total.
    4. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Let cook uncovered stirring occasionally.
    5. Fry onions in a pan with olive oil until slightly browned, then add Spanish paprika.
    6. Add onions to the pot of lentils. Salt to taste.
    7. Cook for 45 minutes.
    8. Remove the cloves of garlic, squeeze garlic from its skin and mash.
    9. Return to the pot. Salt to taste.

    Check out other recipes HERE.

  • Sauteed Camote Tops and Lady’s Finger

    Sauteed Camote Tops and Lady’s Finger

    Ginisang Talbos ng Kamote at Okra (Sauteed Camote Tops and Lady’s Finger)

    Ginisang Talbos ng Kamote at Okra (Sauteed Camote Tops and Lady’s Finger) is an easy to cook vegetable dish that has many health benefits.  It goes well with fried/grilled meat or fish.  I was surprised that my kids liked it and you will definitely enjoy this dish too!

    Talbos ng Kamote, also known as Sweet Potato Leaves or Camote Tops, is an excellent source of anti-oxidative compounds.  These compounds protect the human body from oxidative stress associated with many diseases, including cancer and cardio vascular diseases. Talbos ng Kamote is a good source of:

    • protein
    • minerals
    • dietary fiber
    • nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorous, sulfur, iron and zinc.

    And in addition, a bunch of camote tops is relatively cheap.

    Okra, also known in English speaking countries as  Lady’s Finger or Gumbo, is always used in common Filipino vegetable dishes and every vegetable stall in the markets should always have this. The health benefits of okra include:

    • its ability to lower total cholesterol levels
    • improve digestive health
    • improve vision
    • boost skin health
    • protect infant health
    • prevent certain cancers
    • strengthen bones
    • improve cardiovascular health
    • aid the immune system
    • lower blood pressure
    • protect heart health
    Ingredients:
    • 1 bunch cleaned talbos ng kamote
    • 8 pieces okra
    • 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
    • 3 cloves crushed garlic
    • 1 small piece sliced onion
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Instructions:
    1. Saute garlic and onion until fragrant.
    2. Add the soy sauce, mix.
    3. Add the okra and continue to saute until half cooked.
    4. Add the camote tops.
    5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    6. Serve!

    Ginisang Talbos ng Kamote at Okra

    Ginisang Talbos ng Kamote at Okra (Sauteed Camote Tops and Lady’s Finger)

    This is an easy to cook vegetable dish that has many health benefits. It goes well with fried/grilled meat or fish. I was surprised that my kids liked it and you will definitely enjoy this dish too!

    1 bunch cleaned talbos ng kamote

      8 pieces okra

        2 tablespoons soy sauce

          3 cloves crushed garlic

            1 small piece sliced onion

              salt and pepper to taste

                Saute garlic and onion until fragrant.

                  Add the soy sauce, mix.

                    Add the okra and continue to saute until half cooked.

                      Add the camote tops.

                        Season with salt and pepper to taste.

                          Serve!

                            Check out other recipes HERE. 

                          1. Pork Meat Loaf

                            Pork Meat Loaf

                            I was surfing channels on TV one day and stopped when I saw Jaime Oliver was on.  You see, I like the way Jaime Oliver does his cooking, he makes it look very easy.  He was doing a Pork Meat Loaf which really got me interested.  After watching the show, I figured I could do his Pork Meat Loaf and googled the recipe and found it HERE.  I was thinking of doing it as a dinner surprise for the family.  Boy was I disappointed, I did not have some of the ingredients in my pantry.  So what did I do?  Improvise!   Might as well come up with something along the same lines.

                            One of the ingredients unfamiliar to me was tomato passata.  It looked like a tomato sauce or puree and I did some research.  It appears that passata is an uncooked tomato puree that has been strained of seeds and skins. It originated in Italy but used throughout Europe.  Big problem, I don’t have it.  Checking my pantry, I saw an Italian Style Spaghetti sauce.  I figured might a well use it as a substitute.  Another ingredient that I did not have was feta cheese.  No problem, I used cream cheese.  The recipe also called for stale bread blitzed into crumbs.  None.  But I did have packaged bread crumbs so I figured this will do.  The recipe also called for chilis but knowing my family, they will not like it. I replaced them with red bell peppers.  The meatloaf was supposed to be served as a topping on spaghetti.  None also, so rice will have to do.


                            Ingredients:

                            • 3 pcs carrots
                            • 3tbsp tbsp olive oil
                            • 1 package bread crumbs
                            • 1 Kg ground pork
                            • 1 tbsp dried oregano
                            • 60 grams cream cheese diced into small pieces
                            • 1 pc egg
                            • 3 pcs red bell peppers sliced lengthwise
                            • 2 pcs onion finely chopped
                            • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
                            • 1 package 250g Del Monte Italian Style Spaghetti sauce
                            • 60 grams Cheddar cheese grated

                            Instructions:

                            1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.
                            2. Peel the carrots, quarter lengthways, then place in a roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm), drizzle with oil and cook for 10 minutes.
                            3. Use your hands to mix in a bowl the pork, breadcrumbs, half the oregano, the cream cheese, the egg and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
                            4. Shape into a loaf (roughly 20cm long), then, when the time’s up on the carrots, make a space in the middle of the tray and add the meatloaf. Cook for a further 25 minutes, or until the meatloaf is golden and cooked through.
                            5. In a pan, heat oil and then put the onion and garlic with the remaining oregano and fry for about 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Add the bell peppers and cook for 1 minute.
                            6. Pour in the spaghetti sauce and let simmer until the meatloaf is cooked.
                            7. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour the sauce around the meatloaf. Pull the carrots to the top of the sauce and arrange around the meatloaf with the red bell pepperss, then grate the Cheddar on top.
                            8. Put back the meatloaf into the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden, and the sauce is bubbling.
                            9. Once done, slice the meatloaf and use as topping for rice.

                            pork meat loaf

                            Pork Meat Loaf

                            Easy to cook pork meat loaf recipe.

                            • 3 pcs carrots
                            • 3tbsp tbsp olive oil
                            • 1 package bread crumbs
                            • 1 Kg ground pork
                            • 1 tbsp dried oregano
                            • 60 grams cream cheese (diced into small pieces)
                            • 1 pc egg
                            • 3 pcs red bell peppers (sliced lengthwise)
                            • 2 pcs onion (finely chopped)
                            • 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
                            • 1 package 250g Del Monte Italian Style Spaghetti sauce
                            • 60 grams Cheddar cheese (grated)

                            1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF.

                            2. Peel the carrots, quarter lengthways, then place in a roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm), drizzle with oil and cook for 10 minutes.

                            3. Use your hands to mix in a bowl the pork, breadcrumbs, half the oregano, the cream cheese, the egg and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.

                            4. Shape into a loaf (roughly 20cm long), then, when the time’s up on the carrots, make a space in the middle of the tray and add the meatloaf. Cook for a further 25 minutes, or until the meatloaf is golden and cooked through.

                            5. In a pan, heat oil and then put the onion and garlic with the remaining oregano and fry for about 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Add the bell peppers and cook for 1 minute.

                            6. Pour in the spaghetti sauce and let simmer until the meatloaf is cooked.

                            7. Remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour the sauce around the meatloaf. Pull the carrots to the top of the sauce and arrange around the meatloaf with the red bell pepperss, then grate the Cheddar on top.

                            8. Put back the meatloaf into the oven for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden, and the sauce is bubbling.

                            9. Once done, slice the meatloaf and use as topping for rice.

                            This goes well with Greek Salad or Buttered Steamed Vegetables.

                            There you go folks.  My family loved this Pork Meat Loaf dish and I hope you try it out too.  Not as good as Jaime Oliver’s but worth the time and effort to try.

                            Check out other recipes HERE.