Ube Halaya

Ube Halaya is a famous Filipino delicacy that is normally serve on special occasion. This can be eaten as a snack, dessert or accompaniment for other Filipino dishes. This is a sure crowd-pleaser on any occasion. Watch the video below to actual demonstration on how to prepare this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can (19 fl oz) coconut cream

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter, unsalted

1 quart (4 cups) shredded, cooked ube (you can also use a store bought frozen ube)

1 cup cheese, shredded

1 to 2 drops Ube extract, optional

Extra grated cheese for garnishing

• In a wide pan over medium high heat, combine coconut cream, evaporated milk, condensed milk, sugar and butter.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure sugar is dissolved and butter is melted.
  • Turn heat to low, add the ube.  Mix well until ube is thoroughly dispersed.  Continue cooking in low heat for about 40-45 minutes or until the mixture thickens.
• Meanwhile, lightly grease sides and bottom of a baking dish (you can use llanera if you have one) and set aside.
• Add the grated cheese and mix until cheese melts.  The color of the ube mixture will lighten up.  At this point, you can choose to add the ube extract or just leave the coloring be.
• Continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes or until the mixture is thick enough to cling to the back of the spoon and at the same time the mixture pulls from the sides of the pan.
• Spoon ube halaya into the prepared dish.  Cool completely before garnishing with extra grated cheese.

Zucchini Bread – Version 3

The squash and zucchini in our garden did not produce good ones this year. Instead of throwing away the zucchini that we did harvest or let it rot, my husband asked that I make a zucchini nut bread out of it. It’s been few years since I made some, so I decided to try another version. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, room temperature                6 cups all purpose flour, sift before measuring
2/3 cup sugar                                              1/4 cup chocolate shake mix of your choice
6 eggs, large                                                2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 c sour cream                                             2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla                                                 1 tsp baking soda
5 cups grated zucchini                                1 tsp salt
1 ½ c chopped walnuts
1 c dark chocolate chips

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8×4 inch loaf pan and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, chocolate shake mix, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, then add eggs one at a time, mixing well each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add the flour mixture (when the mixture starts getting thick, add some of the grated zucchini). Gently fold the zucchini (the nuts and chocolate if you decide to use it) into the batter.

Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.  Bake for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven or until done. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes then turn out into a wire rack to cool completely.

Shepherd’s Pie (Filipino Style)

I woke up one morning thinking of Shepherd’s Pie. I looked it up and basically it contains two parts – the meat mixture and the mashed potatoes. My research also shows that it is made of lamb. Well – I don’t eat lamb. In the USA, most Shepherd’s pie recipes are made of ground beef. That’s out too because beef doesn’t sit well with my digestion.

I end up using ground pork. As a Filipina, most of our dishes contains soy sauce. So I decided, I will substitute soy sauce for Worcestershire sauce. The recipe I found also calls for diced carrots. I don’t have diced or whole carrots in my refrigerator but I have a bag of matchsticks cut carrots (that will do).

For the mashed potatoes, I prepared it the way I normally prepare mashed potatoes. My husband loves lots of sour cream and black pepper (I knew that he will add more black pepper when I turn my back) on his potatoes. I made the potato mixture a little bit soggy so it will not dry up when I put the pie in the oven.

This is my first try for this recipe but I think I hit it. There’s still some left over so I will take it to work for a taste test.

Meat	Mashed Potatoes
1 small onion, sliced	3 large potatoes, peeled, quartered, boiled & mashed
2 cloves garlic, minced	1/2 stick butter
2 tbsp oil	3/4 to 1 cup milk
1 1/2 lbs. ground pork	Sour cream (depends on how much you like)
1/2 to 3/4 cup broth of your choice
Soy sauce, black pepper
All Purpose Flour for thickening

A comfort food that fits your budget.

Procedure:

Sauté onion and garlic.

Add the ground pork and cook until it changes color.

Add the broth and soy sauce and let it boil.

Add the vegetables and cook until done.

Season with black pepper.

Add the all purpose flour one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired thickness you want.

Set Aside.

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 375F.

Butter the baking pan you want to use.  For this recipe, I use a 2-quart baking dish.

While the potatoes are still hot, add the butter, milk and sour cream.  Season with salt and pepper.

Mix well until there is no more lump.

Spread about an inch layer of the mashed potatoes on the baking dish. 

Add the meat mixture on top of the mashed potatoes.

Top with the remaining mashed potatoes.

Bake until the potatoes are slightly golden brown.  Remove from the oven and top with grated cheese.  Put back in the oven and bake until the cheese melts.

Remove from the oven and let cool for a bit.

Enjoy.

Blueberry Scones

It’s 2:00 in the afternoon and I’m alone, bored, hungry and not feeling well…. gotta get up and do something to get rid of this nasty cold.

Going around the house, I ended up in the kitchen looking for something to munch.  There’s nothing that I want.  There’s several fruits in the refrigerator so I reached out for the blueberries and decided to make a scone.

Since my goal is to gain 10 lbs, scone and tea in a cold afternoon is not a bad idea….enjoy….

 

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

4 scopes of protein powder of your choice

a pinch of salt

1/4 cup butter, cut up into small pieces

1 c blueberries

1/2 cup almond milk

OPTIONAL – 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Line baking pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl, sift together the first five ingredients.

Add the butter and using two forks, rub in with the flour mixture.

Add the blueberries, milk and cheese and mix lightly.

Flatten the mixture on a surface and cut using a 2-inch cookie cutter.

Bake for 13-14 minutes.

Yield – 6 scones

Protein Balls

Eating cereal or oatmeal in the morning is not enough. I get hungry in between meals and sometimes I crave for something sweet.  So I decided to make something that I can munch on in between my meals. The ingredients are already available in my pantry so there’s no extra expense.  Best of all, it’s a healthy snack.

Ingredients:
1/2 c cornflakes, you can use plain or the ones with nuts and berries
6 T Peanut Butter
2 T Agave Nectar
3 T unsweetened Shredded Coconut
¼ c slivered almond

Mix all the ingredients together and form into balls. With this recipe, I use the cookie dough scooper to form the balls. Chill and stored in an air tight container.

Makes 15 balls.

Today is another day…..

Today is another day that I have to thank God that I am still alive.  As Jean De La Bruyere said “Out of difficulties grow miracles.”

It’s a typical Saturday morning in my household.  The only difference is that my husband is the one doing the vacuuming while I supervise.  Since I am preparing myself for the next phase of treatment for my breast cancer, I have to be extra mindful of the foods I eat – lots of good protein (to heal fast from my surgery), green leafy vegetables and anti-oxidants.

With this in mind, I am sharing with you what I had for my lunch today.  Baked Sweet Potato Shrimp Ball, Salad (Romaine Lettuce, Spinach and Strawberries) with Yogurt Dressing and Lemon Neuro for my drink.

Baked Sweet Potato Shrimp Ball

3 med Sweet Potato, boiled and mashed

¼ c Whole Wheat flour

½ lb shrimp, shelled and chopped

1 egg, beaten

½ c grated cheddar cheese

½ c green onion, chopped

2 to 3 tsp Cajun seasoning (you can add more if you want it spicy)

1 tsp garlic powder

Bread crumbs, optional

Combine the mashed potato and flour (add flour a little at a time just to make sure the potato is not mushy and will hold it’s shape when bake).  Set aside.

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, egg, green onions, Cajun seasoning and garlic powder.  Mix well.  Set aside.

Fill the bottom and sides of an ice cream scooper with the prepared mashed potato.  Add the shrimp mixture in the middle then cover with sweet potato mixture.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees oven for about 20 – 25 minutes or freeze before baking.  If frozen cooking time is longer (about 30 to 40 minutes).

If you want a crunchier crust, you can roll the ball into bread crumbs before baking or freezing.

Enjoy.

Knock Knock Who’s There?

Knock Knock Who’s there?

Breast Cancer.

Breast Cancer Who?

We all hear stories about breast cancer from families, friends and daily news.  We think that we more or less know how it is to have one.  Here’s my assurance.  We don’t, until you yourself experience it firsthand.  With a strong family history of breast cancer, at the back of my mind, I knew that I would have a very high risk of getting the disease.

Knowing my family’s health background, it is very important for me to pay attention to my body.  A monthly self-breast exam and an annual mammogram is not an option for me.  It is a MUST.  In September of 2012, I felt a lump on my left breast.  After a week it was gone.  I felt it again in October and it stayed there.  Since I was already scheduled for a mammogram, I made a mental note of the lump.  During the mammogram, I told the tech to pay more attention to my left breast.

Right after the mammogram, I was subjected to an ultrasound and then a week later had a biopsy.  Because of the holidays, I didn’t see my doctor until December 26, 2012.  When the nurse asked if I have someone with me, I knew right there that I have to face the reality that I have breast cancer.  That same day I went to see a surgeon and an Oncologist for consultation.  More tests were conducted and both doctors say that I have an excellent chance that I will have a full recovery.  A referral to a plastic surgeon was also done.

Surgery was conducted January 17, 2013 and was home the following day.  With the prayers offered on my behalf by my family and friends, my recovery was amazing.  The only thing I didn’t know was my body’s reaction to the anesthesia.  It took me longer to wake up after the surgery and I felt nauseated at the sight of food.  My advice, after surgery, is to request for a liquid diet first and then progress to a regular diet as tolerated by your stomach.  I was able to take regular food towards the middle of the day after my surgery.  My doctors were happy to see the progress of my healing.  I was back to work within a week after the surgery (of course with some restrictions).

My story above seems so easy to have breast cancer, right?  It is not!  What makes it easy is to have the correct knowledge of the disease, knowing the options available, having a supportive family and friends, and best of all, maintaining a positive healthy outlook in life.  As my doctor pointed out – it is not a life threatening disease such that I will die right now or within few days.  It’s curable.  It is up to the individual how to face the facts.  I choose to face it head on.

The first phase of my treatment is done.  Now on to phase two – chemotherapy or radiation or both.  My oncologist told me that I will have an aggressive treatment.  I won’t say anything yet about this stage as I won’t be seeing my Oncologist until February 6.

If you know someone who is affected or suffering from breast cancer, please share my blog as I will try to post everything I experience about this battle with breast cancer.  If you are diagnosed with breast cancer – it is not the end of the world.  Follow your doctor’s advice, be aware of your options and best of all, live life to the fullest.

It is not too late to live a healthy life.  Do not wait to start living healthy until you are diagnosed with a certain disease.  Living a healthy life was my greatest advantage with this battle.  If I had been diagnosed with this disease six years ago, my recovery may be different.  But since I choose to live healthy three years ago, my recovery was amazing and hoping to continue this way.

Writer’s Note – the story above is not be used for medical reference as each patient is different from another.  This is just my story and my experience.

My Smore

Someone asked me if I have a Smore recipe.  The truth is, I have only tasted Smore one time and it was too sweet for me.  So, since I promised my follower that I will someday try to create a healthier version, I finally trim down the sweetness that I can use as my cheating food without a guilt.  Enjoy.

1 cup Smart Balance Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup chopped oven roasted chocolate almond nuts

2 scoops protein shake of your choice

1/2 c miniature marshmallows

Combine the peanut butter and chocolate chips. Heat in microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and combine well.

Transfer to an 8 x 8  pan and spread evenly.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until hard enough for you to cut into squares.

Transfer to a cookie container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wedding Anniversary

It doesn’t seem that long but today is our 16^th year wedding anniversary.  Our story started from a letter that grows into friendship and then marriage.  Just like any other marriage, we do have our ups and downs but we make sure that we talk about it.  I am not a marriage expert but here are tips on how we lasted 16 years and hope to continue as long as we live.

Open communication.  No matter how busy we are, we try to talk something – local gossip, sports, day at the office, etc.

• One thing we both agreed is to not lie to each other no matter how ugly or who may get hurt the most.  Some people will say that you won’t get hurt if you do not know the truth.  WRONG!  Someway the truth will find its way and this can cause your marriage big time.
• Support each others decision.  When we decide on something, it is always a decision based from our discussion.
• Don’t fight in-front of the kids.  Whenever we know that an argument is going to escalate, we go somewhere where kids don’t hear us.
• Leave the final decision to your husband.  This is actually more of my husband’s rule.  He made it clear that he will always have the final say which is “Yes Dear.”

Since it’s our anniversary and my husband keeps on dropping hints that it’s been years since I made him his favorite cake, our dessert for tonight is German Chocolate Cake.  I found this recipe years ago on the Internet so I cannot claim that this is my own recipe.  I made some modification but not significant to claim it as my own.

NOTE – pardon the picture as I made this cake even if I was not feeling good.

German Chocolate Cake

 

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER’S GERMAN’S Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup water

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, separated

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Cover bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with wax paper; grease sides of pans. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

MIX flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and the vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently stir into batter. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small metal spatula around cake layers in pans. Cool in pans 15 min.; remove layers from pans to wire racks. Remove and discard wax paper. Cool cake layers completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

Coconut Pecan Filling

4 egg yolks

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk

1 ½ tsp vanilla

1 ½ c sugar

¾ c butter

7 oz sweetened coconut flakes

1 ½ c chopped pecans

 

BEAT egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with wire whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

ADD coconut and pecans; mix well. Cool to room temperature and of desired spreading consistency.

USE to frost your favorite cake or cupcake recipe.

 

Strawberry Orange Treat

I love summer because fruits are in abundance.  The grocery store that I normally go to had some nice strawberries yesterday so I bought two containers with the intention of making some strawberry muffin for breakfast.  However, after working in the yard today, I decided that I wanted something cold for my afternoon snack.  The recipe below can be prepared ahead of time and is a nutritious snack or dessert for the entire family.

Enjoy…..

2 cups fresh strawberry, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups 1% milk

2 scoops protein powder of your choice

1 tablespoon Orange juice

1 tsp vanilla

1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin

2 tablespoons cold water

2 table spoons boiling water

1.  Cut strawberries thinly and place at the bottom of six dessert cups.  Set aside some strawberries for garnishing.  Set aside.

2.  Combine milk, protein powder, orange juice and vanilla.  Mix well and let stand for 20 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, mix gelatin with cold water.  Let stand for about 5 minutes.  Add the boiling water and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.

4.  Add the gelatin mixture to the milk mixture and mix well.

5.  Pour the milk/gelatin mixture over the prepared dessert cups.  Refrigerate until completely set.

6.  Garnish with the strawberries you set aside before serving.