15-Minute Recipes

For working moms out there, isn't it stress / hassle free having a meal in just 1o-15 minutes? I have discovered an easy and quick step-by-step guide to delicious everyday meals for busy moms. Aside from saving time and energy, you are also exposed to different new dishes. I bet you, these are not just the simple and easy recipes but a scrumptious one! enjoy!! :)

STIR-FRY CHICKEN AND ASPARAGUS

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced medium thick
• 3 medium cloves garlic
• 1 tbs chicken broth
• 1 tbs minced fresh ginger
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups when cut)
• 2 tbs soy sauce
• 1 tbs rice vinegar
• pinch red chili flakes
• salt and white pepper to taste

Procedure:

• Cut onion and mince garlic and let both sit for at least 5 minutes..
• Heat 1 TBS broth in a stainless steel wok or 12-inch skillet. Healthy Stir-Fry onion in broth for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
• Add ginger, garlic, chicken, and continue to stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add asparagus, soy sauce, vinegar, and red chili flakes. Stir together and cover. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. This may have to cook for an extra couple minutes if the asparagus is thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

PASTA WITH CLAMS

Ingredients: ¼ lb whole wheat spiral pasta 1 medium sized onion, minced 1 TBS + 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth 10 oz can whole clams with juice 1 TBS tomato paste 1 15oz can diced tomatoes pinch red chili flakes ½ cup chopped fresh basil 6 medium cloves garlic, pressed 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil salt and black pepper to taste *optional ½ cup shredded parmesan

PROCEDURE:

• Bring water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions.
• While water is coming to a boil and pasta is cooking, heat 1 TBS broth over medium heat in a 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth for about 4 minutes stirring frequently.
• Add tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for another 10 minutes on high heat to reduce and intensify sauce. Add clams and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add pressed garlic, chopped basil, olive oil, salt, pepper and chili flakes. Remove from heat immediately and toss with cooked, drained pasta.

TOP 5 diet foodies

I'm sure some of you guys are on a diet right now specially that Summer is here. Since the top most requirement when we hit the beach is to have those sexy curves and tummy-free body, then we should already start lowering down the calories we're taking in. We definitely know how to lessen the rice content every meal, endless exercise, saying no to softdrinks and taking note of the calorie intake.. but aren't you tired of always looking into the nutritional facts just to be sure if you already hit the limit? So here, I have summarized top 5 diet foodies that are surely the best in losing weight.

1. Salads

Make salads with tomato, car rot, beetroot, cabbage, capsicum, lettuce, or cucumber all low in calories-your diet staple, to liven them up, you can use curd or lemon as a salad dressing. Sandwiches too, are a goods way to have these raw vegetables. The bread helps fill you up, but don't use butter-spread a coriander-and-mint chutney instead would do good.

2. Grapes

Instead of munching your way through a packet of biscuits after a hard day, try grapes instead. They're high in sugar, but as long as you don't overdo it, they offer the same soothing hand-to-mouth action with none of the fat. They're especially good chilled besides, a hundred grams of grapes contain only 70 calories.

3. High fiber cereals

By providing bulk, some cereal-based foods, too, fill you up on relatively few calories. They include chapattis, roasted corn on the cob, dhokla or idlis, and white rice upmas. Other breakfast choices could be oats, poha, or rice wheat-or- corn-flakes low in sugar'. Pour skim milk on the flakes. If you prefer them sweet, add chopped fruit.

4. Potatoes

The problem is not the potatoes, but the way they are cooked . Finger chips or other forms of fried potatoes are high in fat. But if baked or boiled and eaten without fatty accompaniments, potatoes are great for your diet. Have them mashed, adding pepper and a dash of lime. Or stuffed-as in aloo parathas, prepared without oil or ghee of course. (If you must have finger chips make them in the microwave). Potatoes contain only 97 calories.

5. Water

Water has no calories, so it's great for filling up. Those who find it a plain bore can quaff low-calorie drinks that contain mostly water such as buttermilk, coconut water, and watermelon juice. Clear vegetable or dal soups are nutritious and don't have many calories, avoid cream soups.

Ice Cream Sandwich

SUMMER HEAT, Can you feel it??

Summer is one of the most awaited seasons of the year. It is the time where people flaunt their bodies under the heat of the sun and plunge into the cool blue waters of the beach. For some, they just enjoy the season in their house with their favorite thirst quenching beverages. Ice cream, of course is on the top of the list. Having an ice cream on a sandwich? wow.. sounds cool and lip-smacking! Take a look on this.

ICE CREAM SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS:

Chocolate Cookies:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate
• your favorite ice cream

PROCEDURE:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In bowl of electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. First sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in the the white chocolate chips or chunks.
• Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, using either a 1 1/2 - 2 inch (4-5 cm) ice cream scoop or with a rounded tablespoon. Flatten the rounded mounds of dough slightly with your hands.
• Bake for approximately 8 - 10 minutes or until the the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Makes about 20 - 4 inch (10 cm) cookies.
• For Ice Cream Sandwiches: Take two chocolate cookies and place a scoop of your favorite ice cream between the two cookies. Gently press together and serve.

Holy week to Christians especially Catholics means "meatless" days. Good Friday is when temptation to eat meat is inevitable but devout Catholics make it a point to avoid serving meat on their dining table. Although extremely difficult, yet they sacrifice for a day or two in observance of the Holy Day.

Do they have the willpower to avoid?? Well, a whole lot of choices are offered in the market, i.e. fish, shrimps and other seafoods. Here is a delicious recipe you must serve during these days..

FISH NUGGETS WRAPPED IN NORI INGREDIENTS 1 pack fish nuggets 1 pack kani sticks 1 pack nori 250 grams Enoki mushroom 2 tablespoons butter 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon sesame oil Salt and pepper to taste AJI-NO-MOTO® Umami Seasoning 1 tablespoon chili flakes 2 tablespoons wasabi 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise PROCEDURE Cut nori into long strips. Saute enoki mushrooms and garlic in oil and butter; drizzle with sesame oil and chili flakes. Season with salt, pepper and AJI-NO-MOTO Umami Seasoning. Deep fry fish nuggets. Drain and set aside. Wrap kani sticks, enoki mushroom and fish nuggets with a piece of nori. To make wasabi mayonnaise: mix wasabi with Japanese mayonnaise. Serve.

Pinoy Adobo

I am a proud Pinoy and goes with that label is everything about different and well-known Filipino cuisines. I must say that pork adobo is my all-time favorite, in fact from different age groups, it is. At first, I didn't know that adobo could be done with just sprinkles of spices and sauce. My mom was the one who helped me out when I first tried to marinate and cook adobo. It was more of estimating the spices rather than measuring it accurately. That was an awesome way to learn, and bonding as well! :)

So here, I hope you enjoy this recipe. Is this also your first time? :) Happy cooking!

PINOY PORK ADOBO

• 1kilo pork, cubes
• 4 tbsp vinegar
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic -- minced
• dash of pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 - 1 1/2 cup cooking oil

After washing the meat with water, marinate it with the combined spices above except the oil. set it aside for 30-40 minutes. Deep fry the pork until golden brown. Pour off all remaining oil from skillet. Transfer it into a serving dish. Serve it with rice :)

low-fat chocolate recipe

Are you a chocolate addict? yet guilty with its calorie content?

Well then, take a look on this chocolate recipe which I personally made for health conscious individuals :)

Everybody loves chocolates and I am a certified chocoholic. I always crave for sweets every after meal until chocolates caught my taste buds. Years after, I grew bigger and bigger and I became conscious of my body. So, I changed my eating lifestyle to low-fat including my favorite, chocolates.

Low-fat Chocolate Cupcakes

• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• Confectioner's Sugar
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup applesauce, cinnamon flavored
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teasspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
• Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt.
• Beat the next six ingredients until combined, about 1 min.
• Stir in flour mixture alternately with milk until just combined.
• Pour batter into muffin cups.
• Bake 22 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Remove cupcakes from pan; cool on wire rack 30 min. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving: Calories 120 - Calories from Fat 20
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 16%, Protein 11%, Carbohydrate 72%

Food Connoisseur

Hello food connoisseurs!!!

It's always an exciting moment when you first set your fingers on the keyboard via blog. At first, I was hesitant to start the blog but with the ceaseless prodding of my daughters, I vowed to get into this. I hope food enthusiasts will get interested as we go to the world of gastronomy. It will be a never-ending experience especially if what you blog is your hobby cum business as well.

I couldn't forget the first time when I had my first maja blanca (as simple food as this?) after finishing a short-course vocational course (cooking) following college graduation. I inaccurately measure the ingredients and after mixing and stirring and cooking, my first set of customers (food tasters) were my helpers and of course myself. Noticing the starchy result of my first cooking, I wasted no time in cooking the same all over again. I was embarrassed cause I was very confident I could make it without fuss.

After that "disaster", I made a point that the next one would be a successful and yummy maja blanca... and it was never a mistake. A few days later, I was flooded with orders from satisfied customers and students from a nearby school. Hence, I would like to share with you the recipe which challenged me to improve my cooking/baking skill:

MAJA BLANCA INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. thick coconut milk
• 1 c. rice flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. cornstarch
• 3 tbsp sweet corn kernel
• 4 c. fresh coconut milk or water
• 1/2 c. grated frozen buko (optional)

MAJA BLANCA PROCEDURE:

• Boil thick coconut milk in a saucepan until the oil is extracted and the precipitate forms into a dark brown color. This is called latik. Drain the latik from the oil and set aside.
• Grease a 13-inch rectangular dish with coconut oil. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, blend rice flour, sugar,sweet corn kernels, cornstarch, and fresh coconut milk. Stir in grated buko (if used). Boil over slow heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until mixture is clear for about 3-5 minutes.
• Pour hot mixture into prepared dish and allow to set. Sprinkle latik on top. Cool before slicing.
• When rice flour is not available, soak 2 cups rice in 2 cups water overnight. Put through blender and process until smooth.