Breakfast or Dessert? Easy Yoghurt Parfait

It sounds fancy, but practically a no-brainer! There is NO cooking required.

Like many "working Moms", I found out today that I have yet to do what my husband and I call a "major grocery"--that is to shop for all important household stuff, including replenishing the freezer and pantry. Goodness!

This morning after cooking the hot meals, in my fridge I saw that I still had 1 fuji apple left, 2 bananas, and a small container of pineapple chunks. I still had 2 personal-size favored yoghurt,too. I thought then of capping our brunch with something that looks fun, fancy and yummy.

This I thought was a great idea for my first-born who just had is braces on and wanted something easy to eat.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium apple, sliced into squares
• 2 bananas, sliced into small squares
• 1 c fresh or canned pineapple chunks
• 2 containers of yoghurt , plain or flavored (If you're on a diet, don't forget to read the label because flavored yoghurt may be hig in sugar or fat)
• (Other fruits that you can use: kiwi, mango, melo, papaya, seedles grapes sliced in halves)
  

After slicing the apple and banana, put these in a small bowl with a little lemon or calamansi juice to prevent it from darkening. Drain and put on paper towel to avoid making the parfait watery.

To Assemble:

• Get 4 wine glasses or any fancy glass
• Divide all fruits in 4 parts, start with the apple then spoon the yogurt on top (about 2 spoonfuls). Then the bananas, top that with yoghurt,too. Then the pineapple and top with the rest of the yoghurt. Chill in the refrigerator. Sprinkle with cornflakes, granola or rice crispies (or whatever breakfast cereal you might have in your pantry) and serve immediately.
• Remember: To spoon carefully so that you can still see the layers of fruit between the yoghurt.

TIP: If you're thinking of serving friends with this as a dessert--I suggest a color combination of fruit. So have an apple in one layer, kiwing as another layer and mango as another! Or, how about grapes, banana then melon!

Happy healthy eating!

Chicken Tettrazini--simple, easy but goooood!

My memory of this dish is of my late Father, Ben. He saw the recipe in a Sunday magazine and it caught his attention, because it was said to be a favorite of the late Cardinal Sin (Yes, that is actually a church leader's title and last name.) My dad told me to try it for a party he and my Mom were hosting. I was in high school, then.

It was a hit, especially in a household where the typical pasta sauce is tomato-based. This is a simple, creamy dish that pleases both the grown-ups and kids. The ingredients are easy to find and can be prepared like an everyday meal. I don't have the original recipe anymore, but I have taken the ingredients to heart since then.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken breast with bone
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into small squares
• 1 small pack frozen veggies (carrots/corn and peas)--really convenient
• 1 can of mushrooms, sliced
• 1 small block cheese, grated (cheddar for a sharper flavor or ordinary cheesefood for everyday cooking. It's affordable and kids like it)
• 1 can good quality cream
• 2 T butter or butter compound
• 1 pack pasta, about 400 gms cooked al dente: spaghetti, linguini,penne
• salt and pepper for seasoning

As I've said, this is really easy to do. The key is preparation. With things in place, it will turn out good everytime.

Boil chicken breast in about 2-3 cups water seasoned with salt and pepper, till cooked. Make sure that the chicken is submerged to ensure even cooking. When done, set broth aside and slice cooked chicken meat into small squares/pieces.

Prepare a deep pan and put on medium heat, add butter and saute the onions till transparent and aromatic, add the green bell peppr, then mushrooms. Continue stirring in the next 3 minutes, then add the cooked chicken and about 2 cups of broth. Should the broth not be enough, just add water. Bring to a boil.

Put the heat on low and add the frozen vegetables, cream and half of the grated cheese. I included frozen veggies for added color and nutrients. (You can blanch your own carrots and peas if you wish) Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper if needed. Immediately add the cooked pasta and turn off the heat. Toss the pasta till totally coated with the chicken-veggie-cream mix. If it appears dry, just add another half cup of broth or milk.

Transfer to a baking dish and top with the rest of the grated cheese. Sometimes, depending on the cream brand and I find the sauce runny, I put the baking dish in the microwave oven for about 3-5 minutes, let it rest a bit then serve.

This is for you Pops!

Easy Mushroom & Tofu

Whenever I go to a chinese restaurant and I'm handed a menu-- my eyes jump straight to the vegetable and the tofu selection. Tofu has gotten popular, that it merits its own section. I usually get braised Tofu with vegetables or braised Tofu with mushrooms or stuffed Tofu.
Usually, at the chiller section at a supermarket 10 minutes away from my home, you would find a choice of mushrooms from oyster to shitake. I got myself the usual button, some shitake and another favorite--enoki. I also wanted to add straw mushrooms even if they came in cans-- but unfortunately they were out of stock.

The great thing about this recipe is it can be a melange of mushrooms whichever is available(button, straw, enoki, oyster, shitake). You can mix any desired combination or in fact have it all in one dish! The squid/cuttlefish balls are a yummy, filling addition especially when serving a big group.

Ingredients:
1 medium block firm tofu
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
half a thumb size ginger, sliced thinly
2 T vegetable or canola
10-12 squidballs cut in half
1/2 cup whole button mushrooms cut in half
1/2 cup whole shitake mushrooms cut in half ( if fresh are available and are reatively big, you can slice it into quarters)
1 bunch of enoki mushrooms
*you can mix and match other kinds of mushrooms like straw and oyster)
2 T oyster sauce
1 T dark soy sauce
1/2 c water with 1/2 T cornstarch to make a slurry
ground pepper to taste
Oil for deep frying the squid balls

Preparation:
Cut tofu in 4 blocks and deep fry on high heat till lightly golden in color, drain on paper towels. Deep fry squid balls on high heat till puffed and also drain on paper towels.
(My personal taste is I don't like the paste-y texture of squid balls so it must be deep-fried first. It becomes a bit chewy to the bite.)
Cut the fried tofu in smaller cubes. Set aside.
In a wok or deep non-stick pan, saute garlic and ginger in oil till aromatic, be careful not to burn the garlic. Immediately add the mushrooms, increase heat to high. Stir-fry for a minute then add the tofu and squid balls. Sprinkle with ground pepper.
Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and cornstarch to make a slurry and pour into the pan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and adheres to the tofu, mushrooms and squidballs. Turn off the heat immediately.

Get the rice and chopsticks ready!

A wonderful discovery at Boracay

I have to say that in 2010, my most jam packed exciting month this year, thus far is this month of June. The last days of summer were spent in beautiful Boracay, with the beginnings of "hanging habagat". Two weeks later, I was savouring Cebu in a reunion with long-time friends. Then a week later, I attended a romantic Tagaytay Garden wedding.

Boracay was spent with those that were dearest to me, my 3 boys-- my hubby and my sons. I called it "ang huling hirit sa tag-init", loosely translated as the mad dash for the last days of summer. What I feared to be quite an expensive last-minute arrangement, turned out to be a blessing. My friend helped me arrange for a family room at non-peak prices and for some fortunate timing, my plane fare was cheaper than my first booking!

We left Manila very early and found ourselves enjoying Station 1 with sunny skies and a cool breeze at about 9 in the morning. I could feel the frazzle of Manila ebbing away.

One sunset walk led me to an interesting beach bar that said "Mojito to Go". This was at Discovery Shores. It was a proposition that was difficult to say no to.

I decided to take my boys for cocktails at this cool spot with low chairs and relaxing music. My husband and I with teens-in-tow got ourselves mango mojitos and lychee mojitos. I made a mental note to myself to make one of those back home. A stone's throw away, a beach buffet set-up was being prepared for hungry guests.

We bumped into Discovery Shores General Manager, Jun Parreno, a charming, charming person with a ready smile. His personality is a perfect fit for this place. We exchanged some updates and he invited us for next day's dinner at a resto he launched...his baby he said.

Bronze and glistening after another day of swimming, walking and beach combing--we found ourselves in a beautiful corner of the resort, still facing the ocean but with a bit of privacy. Actually, this place is perfect for dates and I wouldn't be surprised if it is all too often a place where marriage proposals are made. The place is called INDIGO.

We were treated to a menu of good eats--clean and refreshing to the palate. The flavours sing and my sons were thrilled with the new tastes they were enjoying. My hubby ordered fish fillet, perfectly cooked. The huge meat was naturally sweet and the rice crust added the crunch. My first-born ordered prawns and lemon pasta ( I think). It wasn't overwhelming so it leaves you wanting for more. My younger son had perhaps the heartiest meal with what is like a fish steak sitting on top of a bed of ratatouille, crowned with egg. He savoured the whole thing, down to the sauce that was drizzled all over the plate. I got myself seared tuna, crusted with white and black sesame seeds. Oh let me not forget the appetizer which is an interesting combination of salmon, apples and celery. If my children could have had a plate each, they would!

Now, what seems to be a healthy meal isn't complete without the sinful dessert. And INDIGO gave us the dessert fix we craved for! My sons didn't want to eat it at first because it looked like an abstract painting with a brush stroke of chocolate,and banana flambe and ice cream on one side and mousse-like malt chocolate on another. We also went spoon-fencing over the dark chocolate tart ala mode which was served with I figured out as crumbled macadamia pralines. No matter-- we ate them all up!

INDIGO is not just the only beautful spot there, it's truthfully the whole resort. The layout is airy--great to catch the balmy breezes on a typically gorgeous Boracay day. You get the very best of both worlds, really.

Salads and Sidings

I am not a vegetarian but I am a veggie-fanatic. Cooked the right way, slathered with the right sauce or dressing, it is definitely yummy! I figured, many people tire of veggies easily because it appears that there is not enough variety.

Ahhh but there is a wide array of options! It just takes taste-bud adventure and research.

Take for example my new discovery--Clara Ole Vinairgrette series, wittily called the "Salad Squad". They are delicious with salad greens and the customary tomatoes, cucumber, carrots and jicama (singkamas to true blue pinoys). My favorites undoubtedly are My My Parmesan, Pesto and Sesame Mucho (like the Japanese Salad Dressing in small bottles).

What I do, after a weekend of family-centered meals, I detox on a Monday and Tuesday with fruits and salad. I buy a bottle and leave it in the office. I just cross the street to Hypermart; buy about 45 pesos worth of assorted lettuce and drizzle away!

But, it shouldn't stop there. With a little imagination, the same Clara Ole has given me my veggie fix in new ways. Drawn from inspiration, I brought out my 2 favorites and whipped up a siding and a veggie meal without breaking a sweat!

Warm Potato Salad

• 1/2 k potatoes, boiled in their skin
• 1 small carrot, boiled in its skin
• 4 rashers of bacon, fried to a crisp and sliced into bits. OR 4 slices of ham cut into cubes
• 1-2 T of coaresly chopped flat-leaf italian parsley
• 2 T of grated cheese (cheddar or parmesan)
• 1/2 c of Clara Ole My My Parmesa Vinaigrette
• 1 boiled egg, sliced or quartered for topping

Remove potato skin while warm and cut into medium size cubes. Same with the carrot. In a big bowl, put potato, carrots, bacon,flat-leaf parsley, grated cheese and toss with the vinaigrette.Top with slices of egg. As an option, you may add about 1/2 c frozen green peas that have been blanched and drained. EASY!

Serve while warm and as siding to grilled sausages like kielbasa, hungarian, bratwourst or shublig. You may drizzle a little bit of the dressing as a last touch, if you like more oomph. We enjoyed this with fish fillet.

Gado gado-inspired sesame and peanut dressing

• 1 bunch blanched baguio beans
• 2 carrots, sliced into sticks or batons, blanched
• Other veggies can be potatoes, jicama (singkamas), cucumber)
• Small block of tofu, fried and sliced into strips
• 2 eggs, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 c Clara Ole ,Sesame Mucho vinaigrette
• 1/4 c creamy peanut butter
• Optional: chili flakes or cayenne pepper
  

Blanch veggies and drain. Shock them in cold water to stop the cooking to keep it crunchy. This also keeps the color vibrant. Veggies such as jicama and cucumber of course, should not be cooked. Arrange on a platter.

In a bowl, whisk the sesame vinaigrette and peanut butter until smooth. If you want more tanginess, add about 2-3 more tablespoons of the dressing. I could not wait and soon as I put the whisk down, I got a veggie stick and dunked it!

This is a good idea for a dip with veggie crudites especially if you're planning an Asian-theme dinner. Or serve as a hearty main dish for an Indonesian-inspired meal. (This is my going to be in my lunch pack tomorrow.)

Be a veggie-fanatic!

Soooo Pinoy, Soooo Sarap!

I attended the Sooo Pinoy Event spearheaded by Unilever Food Solutions together with the DOT and Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The doors opened by about 7:30, I think. And when it did, we were greeted with dancers garbed in typical fiesta-hala-bira-outfits. When you get past them, it was like a Pinoy Food- Lover who had died and gone to heaven: Before you, well across the huge function hall of the SMX are rows and rows and rows of food laid out according to "ulam".

Here, the participating restuarants presented their best pinoy offerings, shortlisted for voting.

So, if you like adobo, there is an entire row of adobo... If you like kare-kare, there is an ENTIRE row of kare-kare... There are the heart-stopping specialties like bualo...sisig and crispy pata.

There is sinigang...pancit canton...bangus...and chicken inasal...

There was so much tasting and trying to be done, I don't think it was possible to try them all! Even for a person with a hefty appetite such as mine. But I did leave room for halo-halo by Razon's. Talk about sweet endings!

I must say, it was an evening that allows you to debate with fellow foodies and even with yourself, which indeed is THE soooooo pinoy dish.

Do you look at it from a comfort food standpoint?

Do you look at it as a dish that can sit side by side with others on the global table?

From what I've read, the public has spoken and that Singiang takes the crown. True, it can be global like the Tom Yum of Thailand. For me, the beauty of sinigang is it hits the core of what is local, depending on the souring agent and ingredient that is abundant in that particular place.

Sinigang is an easy dish to make, now made easier with a pack of sinigang mix. The best tip I got is to simmer it lovingly over low heat and for a long time, till the meat literally falls-off-the-bone. And to combine beef and pork for Sinigang na Karne:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 k pork sinigang cut
• 1/2 k beef neck, sliced into chunks
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 packet sampaloc sinigang mix
• patis and ground pepper to taste

Assorted Fresh Veggies:

• kangkong leaves (Swamp cabbage)
• sitaw (string beans)
• gabi (native taro)
• labanos (white radish)
• 2 siling haba (finger green chilies)

Boil the meat separately, each with onions and tomatoes. Reason being is pork cooks faster than beef. When you combine the broth later, the taste is such comfort, because the subtle flavor of the pork balances the overwhelming flavor and smell of beef.

When tender to perfection, combine the meats in a pot, add enough broth from both as prescribed by the packet. Now, if you like "sabaw" like my first born does, simply add another flavor packet and more broth!
When it comes to a simmering boil, add the labanos and gabi first. Cover pot for 5-8 minutes. Slit the siling haba, if you want subtle heat into the dish.
Finally add the sitaw and kangkong. Cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the steam and heat cook the veggies. That way, when you serve it, it retains its appetizingly bright green color and its wonderful crunch.

Hot, steaming sinigang is a joy in itself. Double the enjoyment with fried tilapia or inihaw na isda (fish grilled over hot coals).

Make sure you serve extra rice, ok?

3-Mushroom and Tofu

Whenever I go to a chinese restaurant and I'm handed a menu-- my eyes jump straight to the vegetable and the tofu selection. Tofu has gotten popular, that it merits its own section. I usually get braised Tofu with vegetables or braised Tofu with mushrooms or stuffed Tofu.

Usually, at the chiller section at a supermarket 10 minutes away from my home, you would find a choice of mushrooms from oyster to shitake. I got myself the usual button, some shitake and another favorite--enoki. I also wanted to add straw mushrooms even if they came in cans-- but unfortunately they were out of stock.

The great thing about this recipe is it can be a melange of mushrooms whichever is available(button, straw, enoki, oyster, shitake). You can mix any desired combination or in fact have it all in one dish! The squid/cuttlefish balls are a yummy, filling addition especially when serving a big group.

Ingredients:

1 medium block firm tofu

2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

half a thumb size ginger, sliced thinly

2 T vegetable or canola

10-12 squidballs cut in half

1/2 cup whole button mushrooms cut in half

1/2 cup whole shitake mushrooms cut in half ( if fresh are available and are reatively big, you can slice it into quarters)

1 bunch of enoki mushrooms

*you can mix and match other kinds of mushrooms like straw and oyster)

2 T oyster sauce

1 T dark soy sauce

1/2 c water with 1/2 T cornstarch to make a slurry

ground pepper to taste

Oil for deep frying the squid balls

Preparation:

Cut tofu in 4 blocks and deep fry on high heat till lightly golden in color, drain on paper towels. Deep fry squid balls on high heat till puffed and also drain on paper towels.

(My personal taste is I don't like the paste-y texture of squid balls so it must be deep-fried first. It becomes a bit chewy to the bite.)

Cut the fried tofu in smaller cubes. Set aside.

In a wok or deep non-stick pan, saute garlic and ginger in oil till aromatic, be careful not to burn the garlic. Immediately add the mushrooms, increase heat to high. Stir-fry for a minute then add the tofu and squid balls. Sprinkle with ground pepper.

Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, water and cornstarch to make a slurry and pour into the pan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and adheres to the tofu, mushrooms and squidballs. Turn off the heat immediately.

Get the rice and chopsticks ready!