HEALTHY FRUIT SALAD

This is my favorite summertime fruit salad-- cooling, and refreshing. Beautiful blend of colors and flavors.

If you are tempted to put watermelon because of the bright red color - - don't! Watermelon will react with calamansi and soon will turn bitter.

Summer fruits are nature's wonderful medicine packed with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and many nutrients. Fruits are low in calories and fat and a source of simple sugars.

Ingredients:

1 c lakatan bananas (chopped)

1 c ripe mangoes (cubed)

1 c melon (balls)

1 c canned pineapple tidbits

syrup:

1 c sugar

1/2 c water

2 Tbsp calamansi juice (or lemon juice)

2 Tbsp vanilla

1. Mix all fruits together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Prepare syrup: In a saucepan, boil sugar and vanilla in water. Let
    cool. Add calamansi juice.

3. Pour sugar-calamansi syrup over mixed fruits. Toss and chill.
    serve cold.

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CHILI KANGKONG

CHILI KANGKONG is a hot and spicy appetizer that I cook with our favorite Filipino vegetable called kangkong.  Kangkong, also known as kankun, water spinach, river spinach or swamp cabbage is known all over Southeast Asia and is cooked in many Southeast Asian dishes.

Kangkong originated in East India thousands of years ago.  This humble vegetable is known as poor man's food. It grows in wild swampy areas and yet is highly nutritious.

Kangkong is a common ingredient in our all-time favorite Filipino dish called sinigang. It is also cooked as adobong kangkong, ginisang kangkong or crispy kangkong. It is rich in calcium and iron; it is a powerful antioxidant containing active flavonoids.

Kangkong has a long history of traditional medicinal use.  In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used to treat jaundice and liver problems.  The leaves are used to treat diabetes and it is also used as a sedative
to promote sleep and relaxation. So  if you cannot sleep well and are always tensed and stressed out, just eat plenty of kangkong leaves.

Here is my recipe of chili kangkong:

1 bunch kangkong

2-3 pieces red chilis(siling labuyo)

1/2 c tausi (salted black beans)

2 Tbsp garlic

2 Tbsp onions or leeks (chopped finely)

2-3 pcs tomatoes (chopped finely)

1 tsp roasted sesame seeds (optional)

pieces of dried seaweeds (nori), optional

seasoning

1. Separate the leaves from the stalks. Cut the stalks into 2" pieces. Set aside.

2. Saute garlic in oil. Add onions or leeks. Add tomatoes, seasoning and chilis. Cook well. Add mashed or blended tausi, seaweeds and kangkong stalks. Stir-fry until a bit tender. Then add the leaves.  Remove from heat when leaves are wilted. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds. Serve.  

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EGGLESS LECHE FLAN

Just as rich and creamy but without the cholesterol and slime of eggs.

Leche Flan is a traditional Filipino dessert originally made with eggs, milk and sugar, cooked with arnibal (caramelized sugar). Leche flan was introduced to us by the Spaniards in the 1560’s, along with other best known creamy rich Spanish custards such as tocino del cielo, yema or yemita and crema catalana.

Leche Flan dates as far back as ancient Rome when the Romans used egg whites as cement to build huge stone structures. The Romans had a huge surplus of egg yolks so they looked to the Greeks for inspiration on what to do with them.

The Greeks had great culinary skills. Together they developed leche flan and other custard recipes served with sugar syrup.

During the fall of the Roman Empire, leche flan survived its heritage and found its way to Spain and then the Philippines as the sweet tasting flan we Filipinos love today.

The word ‘flan’ is derived from the Latin word ‘flado’ meaning flat cake and the Spanish word ‘leche’ meaning milk.

When the Spaniards came, they applied the Roman tradition of using egg whites as cement.

Some of the oldest church structures here such as the Baclayon church in Bohol (built by the Jesuit priests in 1595) and San Agustin church in Intramuros (built by the Augustinian priests in 1570), used millions of eggs as cement.

Hundreds of native Filipino forced labor were used (obras pias) to build them.The native Filipinos cut and dragged coral blocks from the sea, using only bamboos in moving and lifting the stones in position.

In fact, all stone structures ever built by the Spaniards were done this way. And the surplus egg yolks were made into leche flan and other delicious egg custards, served to and enjoyed by the Spaniards.


Here is my recipe for eggless leche flan.

1 big can condensed milk (300 ml) 

1 big can evaporated milk (370 ml) 

1 stick gulaman (yellow color) 

4 Tbsp vanilla 

1 1/2 c water 

Syrup: 

1 c brown or light brown sugar 

1/2 c water 

1. Prepare syrup: In a saucepan, boil sugar and water until mixture becomes thick. Pour syrup in leche flan mold (llanera) or baking pan. Set aside.

2. Pour condensed milk and evaporated milk in a pot (preferably cast iron to avoid scorching). Add vanilla. Boil.

3. In a separate pan, boil one stick gulaman in 1 1/2 water. Strain and pour into the boiling milk-vanilla mixture. Stir constantly for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Pour mixture over syrup-lined pan. Allow to set. When cooled, invert pan and serve.

Note: If stick gulaman is not available, use 2 Tbsp seaweed jelly powder (Mr.Gulaman) or agar-agar, yellow or white color. In a separate bowl, gradually sprinkle seaweed jelly powder or agar-agar into 1 c water. Stir constantly until jelly powder is completely dissolved. Pour into the boiling milk-vanilla mixture. Proceed with the rest of the procedure.

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RELLENONG SILI (STUFFED PEPPER)

Rellenong Sili is one of my favorite ways to cook bell pepper--sweet, crispy, succulent peppers-- is stuffed with fried finely chopped vegemeat, fried mashed tofu or tokwa and veggies, sealed with buttered mashed potatoes, baked and served with ketchup or gravy.

Rellenong Sili or Stuffed Pepper is a dish which exists in different names and forms around the world. In traditional Spanish cuisine, it is known as 'pimientos rellenos'. In India, it is known as 'bharvan mirch'.  It is served with chutneys and sauces, and as a side dish to rice. In the Middle Eastern countries and Central Asia, it is known as 'tolma'. In Greece, it is known as 'yemista'.  In Egypt, it is known as 'filfil mahshi'. In Mexico, it is known as 'chile relleno' and in the Balkans and Central Europe, it is known as 'punjena paprika'.

The name 'pepper' comes from the Greek word 'pipari' which means the black spice although the bell pepper vegetable is green, red or yellow. Bell Pepper together with hot black pepper have been cultivated for more than 9,000 years in South and Central America. Just by looking at the bell pepper's shape, you can tell it was destined for stuffing.  There's plenty of space to stuff whatever fillings and the sharp, pungent flavor of the bell pepper blends well with sauce and rice or bread.

Here is my recipe of rellenong sili.

5 pcs sweet green pepper (large)

1/2 c vegemeat (diced, fried)

1/ 2 c tokwa or tofu (mashed, fried)

1/2 c raisins (soaked in a little water)

2 Tbsp spring onions 
1/2 c carrots (chopped finely)

1 c mashed potatoes

(salt and butter added)

1 tsp cornstarch

salt, seasoning

Procedure:

1. Wash and core pepper. Set aside.

2. Prepare filling: Saute spring onions in oil. Add carrots, salt, 
    seasoning. Cover and cook. Add raisins, vegemeat and tofu or
    tokwa. Mix well. Add cornstarch dissolved in a little water to
    thicken mixture. Remove from fire.

3. Scoop filling into the pepper. Seal with mashed potatoes. Bake or
    deep fry in oil until pepper is wilted. Serve with ketchup.

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MEDITATION

WHAT IS YOGA?

The word ‘yoga’ means union with or connecting up to God; when the individual spirit soul is focused completely on God – his mind, body, heart, his entire being is immersed in God.  This is the meaning of yoga.  This is the meaning of meditation. This is also the meaning of prayer. In yoga, one is experiencing full comfort, full protection, full security and full consciousness. In this condition of yoga the individual person is fully awake, fully alive and experiencing a type of inner joy.  He is happy within because of the condition of being linked up with God. Therefore, let us take on the practice of yoga.

                                              

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YOGA VALUES

AVOCADO

It's rainy season once again therefore it's the start of avocado season too. The best avocados I've ever tasted were the ones at Ka Ute's farm in San Jose, Anilao, Batangas where we lived. They were smooth, fleshy and plump. Ka Ute and the local folks there simply sliced the avocado open, sprinkled brown sugar on it, scooped the flesh and ate it. Nothing compares to pure goodness of ripe, freshly picked avocados from the mountains.

Avocado, also known as 'alligator pear' originated in Central, South Mexico 9,000 to 10,000 years ago. The word 'avocado' comes from the Spanish 'aguacate' which in turn comes from the Aztec Indians' Nahuatle word 'ahuacatl'.

Avocados have a very high content of monounsaturated fat, which is why it's an important staple in a meatless diet. Avocados together with corn were the staple food of the Aztec Indians since ancient times.

Today, avocados are served in salads, sandwiches, soups, sushis, makis, fruit shakes, milk shakes, or as a dip like the Mexican guacamole, spread on corn tortillas, or as a side dish to tortas, burgers and carne asada, or as our Filipino-style favorite drink 'kinayod na abukado' with milk and sugar.

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PANSIT BIHON GUISADO

PANSIT BIHON GUISADO (Stir-fried Rice Noodles) - - is a traditional Filipino snack food that sometimes can be eaten as a complete meal. I love pansit bihon guisado specially when served hot (bagong luto).

The word 'bihon' is derived from the word 'bee hoon' or 'mee hoon', which means rice noodles. Rice noodles originated in Southern China in the Hokkien, Teochew and Cantonese regions. Other southern provinces well-known for rice noodles were Juangxi, Guangdon, Gungxi, Yunnan and Hunnan. During the Qin dynasty (259-210 B.C.) rice noodles started to be made and have been consumed for more than 2,000 years in China.

When the people from Northern China invaded the South, they found there was no wheat flour to make noodles with. Wheat grew in the north and rice grew in the south. To adapt, the northern cooks tried to prepare noodles using rice instead- -one of which was bihon. Over time, bihon became popular throughout Southeast Asia.

Our local Filipino style bihon is really quite unique and different from other Asian variety. In fact, no two 'bee hoon' variety are exactly the same in taste and texture anywhere in Asia or America. If you go to Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan or Hongkong, for example, you will find that our favorite Filipino style bihon does not exist! It is because each place has a different variety of rice available, different culture, historical background and process of making the rice noodles. But their rice noodles as well as wheat and mung bean noodles are also all very tasty and enjoyed by millions.

Today, our pansit bihon guisado, as we all love, is served both as a food staple and as a side dish or merienda (snack) item, mixed with vegetables and tofu or tokwa. Here is my recipe for my simple everyday vegetarian pansit bihon.

Ingredients:

½ c tofu or tokwa (cubed, fried)

¼ k bihon noodles (soaked)

½ c carrots (strips)

1 small cabbage

½ c cauliflower (flowerets)

2 Tbsp leeks or spring onions

(or 1 Tbsp garlic, 2 Tbsp onions)

salt, seasoning, soy sauce, soy patis

pepper, calamansi (or lemon)

1. Saute leeks or spring onions (or garlic and onions) in oil. Add carrots, cauliflower, salt.and seasoning. Cover and cook. Add cabbage and bihon noodles, enough water, soy sauce and pepper. Mix well.

2. Add tofu or tokwa cubes. Remove from heat Serve hot with slices of calamansi, soy sauce or soy patis.

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