Why do most kids like to eat junk foods? I once asked myself the same question when I was young and I don’t really know the answer. Well I think kids are fond of eating junk food because of its flavor regardless of being artificial. They haven’t eaten yet or the food that they want to taste.

            Nutritionists often say that junk foods are harmful to our health and that we won’t be able to get vitamins and nutrients by eating them. They say that MSG or Mono- sodium Glutamate contents of junk foods are very high that may cause different kinds of disease to our system. But whatever they say, kids will be kids and they would still continue eating junk foods even if their parents told them not to do so maybe we can control or limit our kids when it comes to eating junk foods but we can never stop them from eating it. It would be much better if we will guide them in choosing what they eat and don’t tolerate them too much.

COOKING EGG IN DIFFERENT WAYS

We all know that by eating eggs we cab get essential vitamins that can help our bodies to be healthy. But don’t you know that egg can be cooked in different ways? You can eat egg dishes in any meal of the day, may it be breakfast, lunch, dinner or even during snack time. Egg dishes are easy to prepare and the ingredients that you will need may always come in handy.

            During breakfast you can make dishes like hardboiled egg, sunny side up, scrambled, torta, omelette or you can even drink fresh egg like athletes do. In lunch you can serve ukoy, embutido, lumpia or chupseuy and etc. You can also make leche plan or egg salad for dessert.

There you go, so you see eggs are not only nutritious food but also delicious ones when you cook it according to what you would like to eat. So what are you waiting for? Go to the nearest market and buy eggs now!

EGG RECIPES

HEALTHY EGG RECIPES FOR BREAKFAST

EGG SALAD SANDWICH

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 hard cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped celery
1/3 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
12 slices of bread

HOW TO PREPARE:

Mix all ingredients except bread. Spread about 1/3 cup egg mixture on half of the bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices.

(Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1644,149185-240205,00.html)

SCRAMBLED EGG

 

INGREDIENTS:

6 eggs

Milk or Whipping Cream

Cheddar Cheese

1 ¾ oz. Butter

HOW TO PREPARE:

             Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the milk or cream and season well (to your liking, such as pepper and salt and so on.) Whisk gently with fork until well combined. Melt half the butter in a small frying pan over low heat. Add the eggs, and stir constantly (this is key) with a wooden spoon. When most of the egg has set, add remaining butter and remove pan from heat. There should be enough heat left in the pan to finish cooking the eggs and melt the butter.  

(Source: http://www.grouprecipes.com/88324/easy-scrambled-eggs.html) 

PANCAKES              

                                        

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

2 cups of milk

1 ¾ oz. Butter

2 cups of flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1/3 c. salad oil

 

HOW TO PREPARE:

            Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat eggs. Stir in milk and oil. Add dry ingredients. Beat to a smooth batter. Drop on a hot ungreased griddle.

(Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,175,152179-226206,00.html)

HEALTHY EGG RECIPES FOR LUNCH OR DINNER

EMBUTIDO

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground ham
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3 eggs
1/2 c. bread crumbs

HOW TO PREPARE:

In a large bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients and mix well. Divide into 2 equal portions and roll into 2 long rolls about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Beat the 3 eggs and set aside. Place bread crumbs on a separate platter. Roll each meat roll in the bread crumbs, then in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs once again. Cover each roll with aluminum foil being careful to seal all of the edges.

Place in an oven proof dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn the rolls over halfway through cooking.

( Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1818,158180-251194,00.html)

TORTANG TALONG

INGREDIENTS:

4 pieces eggplant

2 pieces raw eggs

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp cooking oil

HOW TO PREPARE:

            Grill the eggplant until the color of skin turns almost black. Let the eggplant cool for a while then peel off the skin. Set aside. Crack the eggs and place in a bowl. Add salt and beat. Place the eggplant on a flat surface and flatten using a fork. Dip the flattened eggplant in the beaten egg mixture. Heat the pan and pour the cooking oil. Fry the eggplant (that was dipped in the beaten mixture). Makhttp://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3983897866500903484&postID=5066396436651391125e sure that both sides are cooked. Frying time will take you about 3 to 4 minutes per side on medium heat. 

(Source: http://panlasangpinoy.com/2009/08/09/filipino-vegetable-food-eggplant-omelet-tortang-talong-recipe/)

HEALTHY EGG RECIPES FOR DESSERT

 LECHE FLAN

INGREDIENTS:

10 pieces raw eggs

1 small can condensed milk

1 cup fresh milk (or evaporated milk)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

HOW TO PREPARE:

            Using all the eggs, separate the yolk from the egg white (only egg yolks will be used). Place the egg yolks in a big bowl then beat them using a fork or an egg beater.  Add the condensed milk and mix thoroughly.  Pour-in the fresh milk and mix well. Put the mold (llanera) on top of the stove and heat using low fire. Put-in the granulated sugar on the mold and mix thoroughly until the solid sugar turns into liquid (caramel) having a light brown color. Spread the caramel (liquid sugar) evenly on the flat side of the mold. Wait for 5 minutes then pour the egg yolk and milk mixture on the mold.  Cover the top of the mold using an Aluminum foil. Steam the mold with egg and milk mixture for 30 to 35 minutes. After steaming, let the temperature cool down then refrigerate.

(Source: http://panlasangpinoy.com/2009/07/02/leche-flan/)

EGG CUSTARD PIE

INGREDIENTS:

Eggs
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 2/3 c. scalded milk
1 tsp. vanilla if desired

HOW TO PREPARE:

            Beat slightly with beater 4 eggs or 8 egg yolks then beat in remaining ingredients. Pour into pie shell, bake until knife inserted comes out clean. Note: The center may look soft but will set later. Caution: Too long baking will cause custard to be watery. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees. 

( Source: http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1716,150186-241204,00.html)

STREET FOODIE

(Source: http://www.google.com.ph)

Want to grab something to eat? There are plenty of foods available at your expense anytime, anywhere! You just need to go out of the streets and you’ll see them. These foods are called “street foods” or commonly known as “turo- turo”. These Are the most common food sold in the Philippines and these are also the all- time favorite of Filipinos. They are easy to prepare and very affordable. You can also make money out of it if you want to!

There are many kinds of street foods you can choose in accordance to your taste bud(s of mood. Here are some examples of street foods you can choose from: fish balls, meat balls, squid balls, kikiam, kikiam balls, adidas, betamax, helmet, isaw, bbq, calamares, kwek- kwek, itlog pugo, hotdog in stick and etc. for sure you’ll have a hard time on choosing which one you’d want to pick, but you can have them all if you like.

There is news being reported on TV that these foods causes cancer, or hepatitis, some are not properly prepared and not made following safety methods. But Filipinos are wise men when it comes to matters like that, we will not buy something that will jeopardize our health, right? We can eat these kinds of foods but not to the extent of gluttony. These foods are delicious so why deprive ourselves eating them? There is a saying that if you haven’t eaten street foods yet, then you’re not a Filipino. Eating street foods is a part of every Filipinos lives, and it is hard to change.

SIZZLING BICOL FOODS

Bicolanos love to eat, and because of this we are not left behind by some other Filipinos folks when it comes to food discovery. There are some bicolano dishes that are famous all over the country and some have captivated the taste of by foreigners as well. Bicolnon food breakthrough becomes more globally competent, that’s why we, bicolanos continue creating new recipes in order to satisfy different tongues from different places.

Some of Bicols famous recipes are: Bicol express, kinunot, dinuguang bicol and pinangat or laing/ gabi. These dishes are sometimes being served in fine dining restaurants and expensive ones. Because of its delicious taste and unique way of cooking, many of our country men borrowed and made their own version of these recipes.

When there are tourists from other country, we often take pride of making them experience the bicolnon pleasure of bicolano food. Most of the times, we are distinguished by the spicy flavor of our recipes that most people like.

It feels good when other people compliment our native dishes, that’s why we bicolanos continue on cooking these recipes as part of our tradition. If you haven’t tried these Bicol foods yet, then you are missing half of your life. You will never regret eating these foods so you better visit Bicol and try it for yourself.

These are the ingredients and procedures if you want to cook it by yourself:

BICOL EXPRESS

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo pork, cubed

1/4 cup shrimp paste (bagoong alamang)

10 pieces red chili pepper (siling labuyo), sliced

10 pieces green jalapeno pepper (siling berde), sliced

3 cups coconut milk

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 big onion, chopped

3 tablespoons cooking oil

HOW TO PREPARE:

In frying pan heat oil until hot. Saute garlic, onion, and shrimp paste. Add the pork and pour in half of the coconut milk. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Put in the remaining coconut milk, chili pepper, and green pepper and cook for another 10 minutes.

(Source: http://recipe.philippinecentral.com/bicol.html)

 LAING/ GABI

(Taro Leaves in Coconut Milk) 

 INGREDIENTS:

25 taro (gabi) leaves; shredded

1/2 kilo pork; diced or thinly sliced

1 tablespoon garlic; minced

1 tablespoon onion; minced

1 tablespoon ginger; chopped

2 tablespoons shrimp paste

3 green chili pepper (siling haba)

2 cup coconut milk

HOW TO PREPARE:

Arrange the taro leaves in a casserole. Spread on top the pork, ginger, garlic, and onion. Add coconut milk but do not stir. Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer until pork is tender. Add more coconut milk when mixture gets too dry or if necessary. Add shrimp paste and chili pepper. Simmer and remove from fire when little sauce is left.

Cooking Tip:

Do not stir the ingredients while cooking so that itchiness of the taro will not spread on the dish, otherwise it will cause an itching sensation in your tongue when eating this cuisine.

(Source: http://www.myfilipinorecipes.com/vegetable/bicol-ginataang-laing-recipe.html)

KINUNOT

INGREDIENTS:

1 kilo stingray/pagi

1 pc onion

1 stalk celery

1 pc bay leaf

1 tsp black peppercorns

3 tsp olive oil

125 gms onion, chopped

1 tbsp garlic, minced

1 tbsp ginger, chopped

1 tbsp chili pepper, chopped

1 pack 7 gms Aji-Ginisa All-Purpose Seasoning Mix

125 ml vinegar

150 ml coconut cream

Sea salt to taste

HOW TO PREPARE:

Clean the stingrays thoroughly and blanch in boiling water for one minute. When cool, remove skin and cut into quarters. Add the whole onion, celery, bay leaf and peppercorns and boil for 3 minutes. Add the quartered fish and simmer for at least another 3 minutes. Remove fish, scrape off meat with a spoon and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the garlic for 2 minutes. Mix the chopped onion ginger, chili pepper and vinegar. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the stingray meat and cook further. Add Aji-Ginisa. Adjust seasoning to taste and add the coconut cream. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.

(Source: http://lutongpinoy.info/kinunot-na-pagi/)

DINUGUANG BICOL

INGREDIENTS:

2 coconuts, meat grated

2 chickens, cut into serving portions

2 small onions, sliced salt to taste

4 cups of water

1 head garlic, minced

Salt – to taste

Pepper – to taste

1 cup chicken blood

6 siling labuyo

HOW TO PREPARE:

Pour some water into the grated coconut meat and extract milk - set aside in a pot, combine the chicken, garlic, onions, salt, pepper, chicken blood.  Add the coconut milk. Cook while stirring continuously. Allow the mixture to chicken. Add the siling labuyo and allow cooking for 5 minutes.

(Source: http://www.bicol-expess.com/best-dinuguan-in-albay.html)