French Toast served with egg and Spam salad

Beef Bolognese Pasta

Diet on budget

We could say we made it. We achieved our weight loss target thanks to the The Metabolism Miracle as a guide and determination plus discipline to reach our goal. It was a challenging 6 months but we made it and ofcourse it wont end here, we need to control our food intake and excercise.  

Now, I will be challenging our household budget. I need the same determination and discipline that we practiced during our diet. Creating a budget isn't easy, but sticking to it is extremely difficult.  

sometimes words can give too much happiness

It was a sleepover night in Albert's room. While we were in bed, I showed to Albert that my hands were having tremours and he asked me why I was having tremours. I told him that sometimes when our hands are too tired or exposed to heat for a long time and if we wash them right away, this will happen. He took the Vicks and offered me a massage. He said that, next time if I needed to cook food for visitors I need not prepare and cook lunch for him. He said that he could buy at school anyway, he said that he wont get mad, sad, upset or angry and he understood that im busy. Actions speaks louder than words but sometimes words can give too much happiness. I felt like I was carebears in the clouds. Too happy that my little boy cares about me.

37th Birthday

18 Jul 2013
I'm 37 years of age now. Thirty seven years was not perfect or smooth life. Lots of downs but the ups are very appreciated more. The struggles taught to be a mature and wiser person. I thank God for His guidance during my struggles in life. I promised myself not to complicate my life and try to live simply while still fulfilling the desires of my heart. I thank God... 1. For having a kind-hearted husband.
2. For having Albert into our lives. 3. For good heath
4. For managing to lose weight.
5. For the continous recovery of my mother who is undergoing chemotherapy for her breastcancer.
6. For having a chance to be with my mother during her operation
7. For the chance to go back Philippines frequently so I could my mother more.
8. Having more time with Albert
9. Having more time with Alvin, even just listening to our favorite music or watching favorite tv show.
10. Chance to travel and see the world but still hoping to explore more.
11. For accepting to sell Tresor, my first baby business.
12. For embrasing the new chapter of my life.
13. For accepting to be a housewife
14. Learning to love myself
15. Having more "me time" even just 2 hours a day.
16. Having time to exercise and be fit.
17. Learning new hobby...painting. 18. Acknowledging my weaknesses and improving to a better person.
19. Having 90% stress-free life.
20. Having time to serve Alvin and Albert.
21. Enjoying my own pace in my kitchen and to cook quality food for my family.
22. Less time facing my computer and more time facing beautiful things and sorroundings
23. Having a 90% worry-free life.
24. Stop thinking how to be rich but to have a quality life and a good retirement is enough.
25. Be thankful to every little things happening in my life.
26. Having few good friends
27. Continue sharing posts about good things and avoid the negative part of life.
28. For listening more
29. Keeping intouch with old friends
30. Appreciating more achievements of Albert.
31. Keeping positivity and good vibes.
32. Keeping a balance life.
33. Having 7 hours sleep everyday.
34. Having time to pray and be thankful for all the goodness of our God.
35. Having time to reflect daily.
36. Motivate others more.
37. Love more and expect less in return.

Lunch box

15 July 2013

I wrote a note and put it in Albert's lunch box. After fetching him during dismissal he immediately told me that he saw the note and said thank you to me. He told me he showed the note to his friends and classmates. One of the friend told him that your mother really cares about you. I told Albert that all mothers are caring to their children. They only express it in different ways. When we reached home, I unpacked his bag and surprisingly, he finished all his meald including the apple slices. Could the note have give him motivation to finish his lunch?

Simple parenting makes children happy and us feeling blessed. To all mothers, let us inspire each other

Watch our words

This morning while he was taking a bath, i was reminding him all the steps that he needed to do and was nagging at him if he misses one step.
He said to me "Please don't push me to my limit!" It was the same statement i used to him two weeks ago when Albert and I was having some mother-child argument. Lesson learned don't use words/statements that you don't want your child say back to you.

What is emergency funds?

This afternoon, Albert and I were watching Suze Orman Show. While I was tacking in Albert's blanket before saying goodnight...

Albert: What is emergency funds.
Me: In life now there are many uncertainties that include the work of each individual. We need the emergency funds so in case Daddy lost his job, we still could eat, have your piano/swimming/french lessons, school allowances, school fees, transport allowance, pay bills and all our expenses while he is looking for new work.
A: Why do you need 8 months emergency funds.
M: It's the safest span of time to get another job.
A: Is the emergency funds the same as savings.
M: They are different piggy banks. You can use savings if you want to buy something that is not included in your monthly expenses.
A: oh dear, i only have one piggy bank. I only save for my savings. I never save for my emergency funds.
M: You don't need to save for your emergency funds yet because you're still our responsibility.
M: Can we sleep now...

Welcome to SAHM

This morning, I finished all my household chores including polishing our windows  In a while, I will be bringing Albert's packed lunch to school. Later, I'll hang some washed linens and clothes and lastly, I'll be cleaning the toilets. I can relax and have my "me" time for 1-2 hours then start preparing our dinner. This is my first month after my dear Juvy, our helper left us for good to be with her family. I must say that my experience really made me admire stay at home moms and also those working moms who are still able to do chores. This job is physically exhausting but quite fulfilling and serving your family with your hand and heart is really rewarding. Love what you do and you'll feel real happiness.

Wonderful morning

25 June 2013
It is still school holiday and Albert still sleeping. Alvin and I took our breakfast earlier. After Alvin left for work, I set Albert's breakfast and started my chores and cleaning routines. When he woke up, he said good morning to me and went immediately to our dining table to check the breakfast. I went to his room to fix his bed and he came to me and said in a joyful voice "Thank you for waking up early to prepare my breakfast" and hugged me.

Baked egg with ham, sausage, mushroom, tomato, onion and cheese

Ingredients:

5   eggs

2 tablespoon Sour Cream

1 pork sausage, chopped

3 slices of picnic ham, chopped

¼ cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 onion(small), chopped

1 tomatoes, chopped

1cup Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Beat eggs and sour cream with whisk until well blended. Pour into 8-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 10 min. or until egg mixture is softly set. Meanwhile, cook sausage, ham, mushrooms and onions in large skillet on medium heat 6 to 8 min. or until sausage is done, stirring occasionally. Drain.

3. Spoon tomatoes over egg layer; cover with sausage & ham mixture and cheese.

4. Bake 20 min. or until center is set.

Happy cooking and stay healthy! 

Chopped roast beef with pepper sandwich served with salsa and caramelized onions

Chopped roast beef with pepper sandwich served with salsa and caramelized onions
Carb: 30g per serving















Ingredients:
3 hotdog bun or hoagie rolls
olive oil
1 1/2 cup of chopped left over roast beef
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 leftover salsa
2 white onions , sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Heat a pan and olive oil in low-medium heat.
2.  Add the onions to hot oil.
3.  Keep stirring then add a pinch of salt and pepper.
4.  Continue stirring the onions until the color turns golden then set aside.
5.  In the same pan with oil, saute the red and green pepper for about 5 minutes.
6.  Add your roast beef and cook for about 5 minutes.  Let your roast brown a bit and then scrape up all those good flavors off of your pan
7.  Add the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts and is like a sauce throughout the roast beef mixture
8.  Grill the buns with olive oil.
9.  Fill the buns with the beef, cover with a large spoonful of the onion, top with a generous spoonful of salsa and serve. 

Pot Roast Beef

Pot Roast Beef
Total carb: 28g including veggies

Ingredients
Herb rub:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients:
1kg boneless beef chuck roast
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 medium fennel bulbs, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1  tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
4 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus extra, as needed
2 dried bay leaves
Steamed vegetables: young potatoes, carrots and snow peas.
 

Directions:
1.  In a small bowl, mix together the rosemary, thyme, oil, salt, and pepper until smooth.
2.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
3.  Pat the beef dry with paper towels and rub on all sides with the herb rub.
4.  In a heavy 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.
5.  Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.
6.  Add the remaining oil, onions, carrots, and fennel to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 8 minutes.
7.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
8.  Add the white wine, red wine vinegar and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
9.  Stir in the broth and bay leaves.
10. Return the beef and any juices to the pot and bring the liquids to a boil.
11. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Cook until the beef is fork-tender, about 2 and 1/2 hours, turning the beef over halfway through and adding extra broth, as needed, to keep the beef halfway covered in liquid.
12. Spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables and cooking juices together until smooth. (The vegetables can also be pureed in a blender). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
13. Cut and served with the steamed vegetables and sauce.

Shreded Pot Roast Beef Burger served with romaine lettuce, pot roast gravy and mango salsa side dish

Shreded Pot Roast Beef Burger served with romaine lettuce, pot roast gravy and mango salsa side dish
Total Carb: 27g

Banana and Cajeta Layered Crepes

Banana and Cajeta Layered Crepes
Total carbs: 30g

Lesson from a child: Cheers!

Lesson from a child:
Cheers!

Almost everyday during our meals at home or when dining out, Albert always calls for a toast with a matching "Cheers!". How good life will be if we can always be thankful for each day, regardless of how good or bad the day is, because surely there's always something to be thankful of. Most of the time we complain about our work (we should be thankful that we have a job), we envy others or simply unhappy about our situation. It's really amazing how our kids can teach us to see things in a better perspective. May we always open our eyes to see their perspective that happiness comes from appreciating the little things that we have or do.

Lesson from a Child: Unity

Lesson from a Child:
Unity

Today, Albert and I went to the Singapore City Gallery at URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority). The gallery showcases Singapore's remarkable physical transformation from past, present and even the future. Albert was astonished with the beauty of Singapore's model 270 degree sights and sound show. While looking at the wall pictures from the 1950s, I told Albert how amazing the big change of Singapore in a such a short span of time & I felt sad for the Philippines. He answered to me, Singaporeans are united and willing to work hand in hand.

Lesson from a child: Don't give up. Sometimes the reason for giving up is laziness.

esson from a child: Don't give up. Sometimes the reason for giving up is laziness.

Our house was messy because of our house painting work in progress. Our books and stationeries we're stacked. Last night he was looking for our label printer and I was so tired and lazy to look for it. So I just told him it was under of some boxes and asked him to use pen to label his notebook instead without trying to know where it was. He was very persistent and never gave up to ask for Alvin's help to look for it. And they found it. But there was no battery and told Albert again, just use pen to write. But still he was persistent to print the label, he took the battery from our aircon remote and it worked. He managed to print his name and after that he told me that "Please mommy don't give up so easily next time." Ouch..

Lesson from child: List your to do's so you won't miss any at the end of the day

Lesson from child:
List your to do's so you won't miss any at the end of the day.

I'm a little bit forgetful person. Albert was a little bit unhappy that I forgot to sign one of his worksheets. He reminded me but i couldn't really remember that he did. So he gave me a solution, he went to the room and took a white paper and pen to write my to do's so i won't miss anything. Our minds are sometimes loaded with so many things that we forget those things that we think are not so important.

Lesson from a child: On doing your best and not expecting rewards...

Lesson from a child:
On doing your best and not expecting rewards...

Today, Albert got his results for his exams and he surpassed my expectations. He didn't study last weekend because of his Natgeo and Mother's Day activities. After telling me the results, I asked him if he wanted something as a reward after getting those marks. He said, "I did my best and it's for my own good and not for any rewards" .

...I wish i could think this way. I wish adults could think this way.

Frenchtoast served with trio :)

Stri-fry vegetables and scallop

Smoked duck salad

Grilled Pork belly served with asparagus

Crabmeat cake

Sloppy Joe

Grilled Chicken served with guacamole and grilled brocolli

Ham Omelet

Cheesy Crab Meat And Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 head broccoli, florets only
• 100g button mushroom, sliced
• 1 cup Campbell cream of mushroom 
• 250g  crab meat
• 1/2 c. Cheddar cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 stick Butter

Directions:

1. Cook broccoli & sliced mushroom until tender; drain. 

2. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.

3. Put in baking dish, dash of salt & pepper,  butter, add cream of mushroom soup and shredded crab meat and mix together. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 35 minutes.

Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin served with coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1 pork tenderloin
• 3-5pcs slices of bacon
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tsp constarch
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1tsp dijon mustard
• 1tsp worcestershire sauce
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all the herbs, salt and pepper.  Rub seasoning all over the pork tenderloin. 

2. Preheat the oven to 160C.

3. Heat oil in a large grill pan over medium heat. Sear the pork on all sides until browned. Remove from the heat.

4. Wrap pork with bacon and secure with toothpicks. Take your olive oil and coat well.

5. Return the pork to the pan and roast in the oven, basting occasionally with the cooking juices for 35 to 40 minutes. 

6. Scrape up the sauce from the pan.

7.  Heat a non-sticky pan in low heat.  Pour the wine, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and sauce from the pan. 

8. Whisk together the beef broth and  cornstarch then add to the mixture. Stir constantly until the sauce begins to thicken.

9. Serve over the sliced pork.

Poached egg served with spam, salanova, tomato and half slices of cheese and whole grain toast

Salmon Cake

Metabolism Miracle Diet

Do you have metabolism problem like me?

STEP One
The Low carb diet. This will last for 8 weeks. A low carb period to rest our overworked pancreas and liver  and the best part during this stage will also shrink the FAT cells.
The guidelines:
1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water and caffeine-free fluids daily.
2. AVOID gas of more than five hours without meal or snack..Spread your food intake throughout the entire day and even into the night. Within one hour of waking up and right before bed be sure to have a meal or snack.
3. Take recommended vitamins, minerals, and supplements.
4. Choose non-nutritive sweeteners with care. Recommended: sucralose or stevia.
5. Judge the carbohydrate content of packaged food by reading the nutrition facts section.
6. Try drinking green tea daily.
7. Increase your physical activity to include a minimum of 30 minutes, 5 times a week.
8. YOU can do it!
      
      ·        Your energy will increase and you’ll feel happy.

·        You will lose weight and your belly fat will slim down. Your friends and family will notice it.

The foods you can have...

STEP TWO
 This will last for another 8 weeks or until you reach your desired weight. This stage will reintroduce healthy carbohydrates in the proper amount and at the right time, to promote continued fat burning and weight loss. Gently restart the rested pancreas and liver.
 The guidelines:
1. Must eat 11-20g of carb prior to exercising if you exercise before breakfast.
2.  Must eat 11-20g of carb during Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. At snacks between meals that are eaten more than 5 hours apart.
4. Must eat 11-20g of carb right before  going to bed at night.
5. If waking up in the middle of the night( an 11-20g of carb snack is recommended but not required.

• Steady weight loss and continued improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, blood sugar and energy

STEP THREE
A lifetime weight maintenance. Opening your diet to more carbohydrates, including the treats that you may have been missing on Steps 1 & Steps 2.

·        Keeping your health and energy levels in tip-top shape and maintaining your weight loss permanently.

MY PROGRESS REPORT:

Guacamole

Ingredients
2 avocados - peeled & cubed
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup diced onion
1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper

Directions
1) In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, salt and peper. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Mediterranean Fish

Ingredients
2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can stewed tomatoes
3 tbs medium hot salsa
1/4 tsp ground cinamon
600g firm fish (such as red snapper)
6 black olives, halved
Salt and pepper


Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 175C
2) In medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and until golden, 5-7 minutes.
3) Stir in the tomatoes, salsa, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Heat until warm, about 3 minutes.
4) Coat a baking dish with cooking oil. Rinse and dry the fish and place it in the dish.
5) Pour the sauce over the fish and sprinkle with the olives. Cover and bake until the fish is flaky, 20-35 minutes.

Chicken with "colored ribbons"

Ingredients:

1 Medium red bell pepper, cut into stripes
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, cut into stripes
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut into stripes
1 cup onion slices
1 teaspoon olive oil and 2 teaspoon olive oil and 3 teaspoon olive oil divided
1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon salt divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon pepper divided
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 boneless chicken breast halves (preferably  skinless)
2/3 cup broth
1 teaspoon  dried Italian herbs, crumbled

Directions:
1) In small bowl, mix together the garlic, Italian herbs, 2 teaspoons oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using your fingertips, rub the mixture over the chicken. Preheat the oven at 180C.

2) Heat a grill pan over a medium-high heat for two minutes with the remaining olive oil. Cook the chicken each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.

3) Transfer the grill pan the the oven and bake for 15 minutes.

4) Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven to medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the bell peppers and onions. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the onion caramelize.

5) Reduce the heat to low. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 pepper over the bell pepper and onion. Cook for about 8 minutes or until the bell pepper begin to brown. Add the broth.

6) Transfer the chicken into the Dutch oven and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a simmer. Spoon some of the broth and bell pepper mixture over the chicken. Reduce the heat and simmer again for 5 minutes.

7) Spoon the bell pepper mixture and chicken onto plates. Spoon the sauce over all.

Beef meatballs served with cauliflower

Burgul wheat, salanova, cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries with grilled sliced chicken tossed with balsamic vinaigrette

Ginger beef ribs stir-fry

Chicken with mozzarella served with salanova, orange and onion salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Ingredients:
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
600g chicken breast (boneless & skinless)
14 oz homemade chicken stock or can chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (part-skim)

Directions:
1) In large non-stick pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter..
2) When the oil is hot, brown the chicken on both sides,  10 minutes per side.
3) Lower the heat and add the garlic the add the broth and wine.
4) Sprinkle the chicken with mozzarella and heat until melted. Serve immediately.

* Serve with served with salanova, orange and onion salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Fish with sauce(Sarciadong Isda) served with cauliflower "rice"

Creamy Shrimp Chowder

This chowder is chock-full of shrimp and vegetables, so it satisfies hearty appetites. This tastes even better the next day. Happy dieting!

Ingredients:

2 stalk celery, finely chopped1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2(14 1/2 oz) cans diced tomatoes with herb/s
8 ounces peeled and cooked small shrimp
1 cup homemade chicken stock or vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup light cream
salt and pepper

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot.  Add the celery, onion and green bell pepper. Cook until tender, about 7 minutes.
2) Stir in the tomatoes and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.
3)  Add the shrimp, cream, broth and dill. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Baked salmon served with burgul wheat and salsa

Home-made Beef patty served with guacamole

We’ve been missing burger and their patties in Carl’s Junior, Burger King and McDonalds.  L  So I decided to make low-carb patties without the burger bun. I served them with guacamole as an additional treat. Happy Dieting!

Ingredients:
350g minced beef
150g minced pork
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stem celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup carrots, finely chopped
2 egg, beaten
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoons A1 Sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons  ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil
bread crumbs (if needed)


Directions:
1) Mix well all the ingredients except the oil. If it is too wet add bread crumbs.
2) Shape into hamburger patties and cook over medium heat non-stock fry pan with oit.
3) Drain on paper towers before placing to you bun or plate.

If you want to serve with Guacamole

Beautiful Sunny side-up and bacon

Scrambled egg with green bell pepper and ham served with grilled tomato and toast half multi-grain bread

Meat Loaf

This recipe is a low –carb meal. In my listed ingredients you may omit the bread crumbs if you’re in a low-carb diet. It may be a little bit tougher compared to a meatloaf with bread crumbs. I served a slice of meatloaf with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. Happy dieting!

Ingredients:
300g minced beef
300g minced pork
1 onion, chopped
2 stem celery, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup low fat milk
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (You may remove this ingredient if you're in a low-carb diet)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons A1 Sauce
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
salt and pepper to taste


Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2) In a  small bowl, combine the brown sugar, mustard, hp sauce, Worcestershire and ketchup. Mixed well and divide into two.
3) In a separate large bowl, combine the beef, egg, onion, milk, half of the sauce mixture and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste and place in a lightly greased 5x9 inch loaf pan.
4) Pour the remaining mixture of sauce over the meatloaf.
5) Bake at 175 degrees C for 1 hour.

Fried Tofu served with cucumber and turnip

Ingredients:
1 block firm or extra firm tofu (Slice into 1/2 inch cubes)
5 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup shredded cucumbers
1/2 cup shredded Jamaican turnip
1/4 cup roasted cashew nuts


Directions:
1) In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the tofu. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly crispy.
2) In a serving plate, place the cucumber, the turnip and the crispy tofu.
3) Sprinkle the cashew nuts

Eggplant Lasagna

We started our low-carb diet inspired by Dianne Kress' book entitled "The Metabolism Miracle". I substituted lasagna pasta noodles with eggplant slices as mock noodles. Viola! This recipe is a  low-carb keeper in our home!

 


Ingredients
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided plus more for baking dish
2 garlic cloves, minced
300g minced lean beef
1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon Italian herbs
1 cup grated mozzarella
2 cups own marinara sauce or simply use tomato puree
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 170C.
2) Roast the eggplant until half cook using olive oil. Turn slices halfway through, about 5 minutes.
3) In a medium skillet add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and add the minced garlic, onion and chopped Rosemary. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the beef, Italian herbs, pepper and salt and cook until well browned. Add the marinara sauce or tomato puree. Simmer for 20 minutes in low heat.
4)Brush an 8-inch baking dish with oil.
5) Spread liberally the sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4-6 slices of eggplant. Spread sauce liberally again. Lay another 4-6 slices of eggplant and finish with sauce. Top with the mozzarella.
6) Bake until golden brown, at 350 degrees, for 25-30 minutes.

Beef Stew Soup

This recipe is a total comfort food and leftover can stored for many weeks in your refrigerator. There are hundreds of variations of traditional recipe. It’s very healthy. My family loves this comfort food especially during rainy days.

 
Ingredients

1 medium onion, cubes

3 large carrots, sliced

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled & chopped

2 bay leaves

800g beef

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cup beef broth

3 cup water
1 can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon A1 steak sauce

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Dash ground allspice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Brown meat in Dutch oven with oil.

2) Add all ingredients except carrots and celery.

3) Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours in low heat.

4) Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook in low heat for another 45 minutes.

Angelhair Chicken Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed

1 carrot, sliced diagonally into 1/4 inch thick slices

300g  angel hair pasta

300g broccoli florets

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

 1) Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (no longer pink). Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

2) Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, or until al dente; drain and set aside.

3) While pasta is cooking, heat the skillet with oil that used to cook  chicken heat. Stir fry carrots for about 5 minutes, then add broccoli and garlic and stir fry for another 3 minutes. Finally, stir in broth, basil and cheese and return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

4) Place drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Top with chicken/vegetable mixture and serve immediately.

Applechops

3 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1 tart apples - peeled, cored and chopped

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C). Place a medium dish in the oven to warm.

2) Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turn occasionally, or until done. Transfer to the warm dish, and keep warm in the preheated oven.

2) In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet, and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep warm in the preheated oven.

4) Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon the sauce over apples and chops.

Meatloaf

Pork Poulet

Whole Wheat Pandesal

Carrot Cake