Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Holiday Cookie Swap 2015

I attended a Cookie Swap a few weeks ago. Because it's my first time to attend one, I did not really know what to expect other than being ready to bake and bring 12 dozen cookies, Mish of Momma 'N Manila invited me twice in the past, but my schedule was not so cooperative both times, and I had to decline. When she invited me again this year and my schedule was free, I just knew that the stars aligned to make this happen. Hahaha!

My friend, Mish grew up in a family that loves to cook, eat and entertain. She grew up in New York and relocated to Manila almost a decade ago. When she came over to Manila, she naturally brought with her this popular US tradition. She has been hosting cookie swaps for almost 5 years now, and the older participants claimed that it just keeps getting better and better!

A Cookie Swap, while not so common in Manila, is simply a gathering of friends who love to bake. Each baker brings one kind of cookie to share. At the swap, everyone trades and ends up with a whole lot of different delicious holiday cookies. Along with new cookie recipes, too! But it's not jsut cookies and recipes that gets shared, everyone just took a short moment to share a quick background of the cookie we brought, and our experience while we were baking them.



Thursday, December 17, 2015

Mothers Who Brunch Holiday Potluck Ideas

Christmas is going to be upon us in a week! How are you coping? Thankfully, I'm done with Christmas shopping already; and almost done with distributing my Christmas gifts, the few left under the tree are for the people I will see in the coming days for our scheduled holiday potluck get-together.

One of the things I enjoy most during the holidays is getting together with friends for a potluck party. Each of us bring something special, either a creation from our own kitchen or a scrumptious foodie discovery from a trusted supplier. The first potluck party I attended this year was for the Mothers Who Brunch Holiday Potluck event hosted by Mish Ressa-Aventajado and Sabrina Cristobal-Go during the last week of November. But what makes this potluck party different is that I didn't have to bring anything. Mish & Sab invited some of Manila's best food suppliers to bring in their specialties!


Thursday, December 10, 2015

Dove Deo Getaway to the Maldives

Yikes! Christmas break is coming soon! Holidays can be a busy time for us, ladies, as we plan for get-together with family and friends or Christmas trips.

Dove Deo believes that everyone deserves to enjoy the holidays with no concern for other things that don't really matter. And underarm care should be the least of our worries this busy holiday season! Dove believes that everyone deserves to experience real care. With its unique formulation, Dove lessens skin irritation due to plucking, shaving or waxing, leaving lighter and smoother underarms.



Tuesday, December 8, 2015

School Of Rock

For a big part of my parenting life, I have always assumed that my kids all leaned towards competitive sports. I mean after all, they all swim for the school varsity. At some point, one child was even playing double varsity, soccer and swimming. 

But as they grew into their teens, my 2 girls have started showing interests towards artistic pursuits. My oldest realized that she had an interest + talent towards visual arts and design. While my 2nd daughter have started to express interest about playing an instrument.  While my li'l man is content with focusing his energies on his academics and swimming. It can be really hard to find time for swim training and pursuing artistic endeavors when they also have to deal with getting good grades, homework, and you know, have time for family + friends.

But as their mom, I always strive to help them be the best that they can be. I think that playing sports and participating in artistic endeavors help my kids cultivate skills and develop character that can be useful in their lives.  It is certainly in their best interest to try to make time for both of them.

It was such good timing that School of Rock invited me to visit them at the Teatrino located at the Connecticut Arcade in  Greenhills Shopping Center. It was about the same time when B started signifying her interest to play an instrument and we started looking for someone who could teach her piano or guitar.




Thursday, December 3, 2015

My Not So Li'l Man


"Why do you always think of me as a rabbit being chased by a zebra? 
You should think of me as a jaguar being chased by a turtle."
-words of wisdom from my newly minted 11 year old 

He prefers to be likened to a jaguar... not a rabbit! Teehee!

My son expressed his frustration as I expressed my concern that I don't see him studying enough. He insists he's on top of everything daw. Sometimes I keep on forgetting that my youngest son is already a pre-teen whose parental leash needs to be loosened... a bit!


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

As a baon-prepping mama, one of the things I often think about is what food to prepare for my kids' lunch baon. I want them to look forward to eating lunch, and not complain that they are eating the same ulam all the time. When my friends and I get-together, we sometimes compare what we serve our kids. You know, to get new ideas from each other. 

One of the things that make my life easier as a baon-making mama is to have a ready supply of lean ground beef in my freezer. I buy about 2 kilos each time, and season them before I pack them in my Ready-Wrap Freezer-Ready containers. I use meatballs as a base for a whole lot of dishes.



Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Birthday To Me! {2015}

I celebrated another birthday last week... Seems like the older I get, the more simple and uneventful I want my birthday to be. What I really look forward to is reading the birthday cards that my kids make for me. They know I prefer handmade cards over store-bought ones... because I make sure to remind them a few days before my birthday. Hahaha!

My li'l man keeps his card simple, and his message meaningful.
He writes, "Thank you for always doing your best just so you can please and make us happy even if you get tired. Thank you also for always giving us your best and loving us... I hope you will live long enough so we can have more fun memories together!"


Friday, November 20, 2015

Martin Yan's Taste of Vietnam



One Saturday last October, my friend Sabrina invited me and a few other of our common friends to an intimate dinner with well-loved celebrity chef, Martin Yan.  It was to introduce his new show, Taste of Asia.  His latest show in AFC is currently airing with its first 26-episode series “Taste of Vietnam,” where he explores the history, landscapes and well-loved dishes of Vietnam.



Friday, November 13, 2015

10 Years of Cycles and Cradle

As a mom to kids with sensitive skin, I am very picky with the products I use on my kids. Anything could set off their eczema... from the harsh chemicals found in the laundry detergent and fabric softener, to the irritants found in the body wash and body lotion.

Chemicals left remaining on clothes after washing can cause flare ups and itchiness. I make it a point to seek out products that are made from natural resources or at the very least, seek out products that are allergen free. That's why I am thankful for the team behind Cycles and Cradle for providing the market with products that are proven mild and safe!



Tuesday, November 10, 2015

5 Things We Should Know About Kids & Sleep + A Uratex Pillow Giveaway

As a concerned mother to a teen, a tween and a pre-teen, I sometimes question whether my kids are getting enough sleep. During school days, they wake up at around 6am, spend a full day in school, swim/train for about 2 hours after school, go home for a quick dinner and then do homework/study for about an hour before going to bed.

We have a big California King bed in our room. The kids don't sleep with us, but during the day, the kids love to gather in our room, and the bed is where we are all at.


Thursday, November 5, 2015

What My Daughter Wore.... From My Closet.

Just a few weekends ago, my 15-year-old daughter goes in my walk-in closet and emerges a few minutes later with one of my clothes.  She holds up my chambray button-down and asks, " Can I borrow this today?" She borrows it often enough that I haven't had the chance to wear it anymore.

My daughter loves clothes, and I've written about her love for it and some of her (misplaced) body image issues here.  She gets to indulge her sartorial choices on weekends; and this is when she shifts through her closet, and occasionally mine, as she chooses what to wear.

She went clothes-shopping for this dress without me, but I am so thrilled that she asked for my opinion via text before actually deciding on purchasing this one. 



Wednesday, October 28, 2015

{Phenomenal Tip}: How to DIY A Strawberry Costume... On A Budget!

As you may already very well know by now, we do not really observe Halloween; but when the kids get invited by their good friends to go trick or treating, then we make an easy DIY costume of their choice. Nothing scary, spooky or evil - but always just full of whimsy and creativity.

I am intentional that our Halloween costumes are DIY because I really want the kids to enjoy the process of creating something wonderful with their hands.  I love how I can show them that using a little creativity and effort, we can make something out of the materials that are already in our house.  Of course, it goes without saying that going the DIY route also means that I do not have to spend a large amount on their costumes.

So just a few days ago, my oldest daughter decided to go trick or treating with some of her best friends. She wanted to dress up as a strawberry! I thought it was hilarious, and so much in sync with her personality... funny, quirky, and just all-over happy!



Monday, October 26, 2015

Young Epicurean: A Global Academy Cooking Class for Kids


My kids have been my kitchen helpers for several years now; I think ever since they were toddlers. I love spending time in the kitchen, and so the kids naturally gravitate towards the kitchen, as well.

My two younger ones are just pre-schoolers here in this photo (this must've been taken in 2010 or even earlier), but they can manage to do a good job helping me roll out 
the dough to make cinnamon rolls


Monday, October 12, 2015

Counterflow Conference 2015: Return of the Superdad, the Rise of the Supermom and Raising Superkids

Two years ago, my husband and I attended the first Counterflow Parenting Conference hosted by CCF. We always learn a lot whenever we listen to Pastor Peter speak about biblical parenting. The lessons we learned that day are still fresh in our hearts and minds to this day, and have guided us in our parenting journey.

Counterflow Parenting Conference is the biggest parenting event in the Philippines that aims to bring together parents towards a goal of raising successful kids in today’s world. On its third year, this movement aims to change a rise in a generation of young people who have a misguided moral compass and is misled by other social factors. There are no existing courses or classes that teaches how to raise healthy families. This conference responds to the need of equipping parents in leading and bringing up successful kids. It gives a fresh perspective on the basics of parenthood that is biblically based. 

This year’s conference is all about doing a powering up and doing a full blown boost to strengthen and raise your own super kids!  Resource speakers include international speaker Cassie Carsten, President of International Sport Leadership School and Doctor Peter Tan-chi of Christ Commission Fellowship. This whole day event will include over 20 workshops that participants can choose from based on their parenting needs.

 

Thursday, October 8, 2015

A TsuperMama's Review of the CHEVY TRAILBLAZER:

Being a mom to three active kids has made me realize just how important it is to have room for all of the stuff! One of the things my husband and I consider when buying a new vehicle is if the trunk is big enough to handle all of the kids’ gear. I’ll be honest with you and say we do not have any concept of travelling light – whether by air or by land. We pack everything.:)

For the past decade, I’ve gotten used to driving an SUV. It’s just the kind of vehicle for our lifestyle. We have three kids, everything just always comes in threes. When they were younger, it was the car seats, extra set of clothing, snacks, drinks. Now that they are older, it’s the sport equipment bags, snacks and drinks (pa din!). If we are going for a road trip, expect even more!



Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Earth Kitchen BGC

Having decided to embark on a clean eating lifestyle since 2013, one of the local restaurants that we love to visit is Earth Kitchen, where we appreciate their farm-to-table concept. We first learned about Earth Kitchen in 2014 when my sister celebrated her birthday in their White Plains branch. We have since been back several times; it has quickly become one of our favorites.

As I researched for Clean Eating, I realized that the lifestyle is primarily based on the idea principle of getting more nutrition from the food we eat appealed to me.  We've been trying to eat more of fresh and unprocessed foods. My husband and I are not getting any younger, and my kids are competitive athletes who really need quality food intake, and I just generally wanted the family to start eating better.

When we got an invite from the Earth Kitchen and Got Heart marketing manager, Pinky Parra, to try out their newest outlet in BGC, it was an invitation I couldn't pass up.


Sunday, October 4, 2015

Magnum White Chocolate Almond

Nothing says indulgence better than having ice cream that is wrapped in real Belgian chocolate! Di ba? If we are going to indulge, then it has to be worth it. That's why it should only be the best - Magnum! 

Trust me, there is a difference! Magnum is the only ice cream bar that is wrapped in real Belgian chocolate! Yep! The thick Belgian chocolate coating is definitely the main draw of these bars.



Be the First to Try 
Magnum’s New White Chocolate Indulgence

Get ready for the latest indulgent and mouth-watering treat in town - the NEW Magnum White Chocolate Almond.


Friday, September 25, 2015

ReadyWrap Giveaway + Phenomenal Tips for An Organized Kitchen

Packing lunches for my three kids is something that I have to do every day of the week during school days. I’m passionate about sending them to school with a yummy and healthy meal. There are days, very few and far in between, that I ask them to just buy lunch from the school cafeteria, but my girls rarely like the food from their canteen, and it’s usually not as healthy as something from home. 

But it’s not just lunch baon I prepare, I also make an effort to prepare delicious and nutritious meals for breakfast, school lunch baon, merienda/after-school snacks, and dinner. I share the home with people who are big eaters and who look forward to each meal with anticipation.

Meal planning and food prepping are two very important areas in my life as a homemaker. But I am also a busy with other homemaking and parenting duties. Not to mention I also try to pursue other areas of interest and manage my social media accounts and update the blog. Having said that, an organized kitchen (pantry + refrigerator) makes meal planning and preparation run as efficiently and smoothly as possible, to leave me with time for doing other things.



A Well-Stocked + Organized Pantry

I like to keep my pantry well-stocked and orderly. A well-stocked pantry full of nutritious food makes it easy to prepare healthy meals for the family.

You can see more photos of my pantry and how I keep it organized in this post: 



Friday, September 18, 2015

Phenomenal Tips for Faster Breakfast Prep


For several years now, my husband and I have been starting our days with a breakfast date. I don't really remember when this started, but surely it was borne in the early years of our marriage when it was such a major production to leave the kids and schedule a date night.

Now, our daily breakfast dates are a part of our routine already that we cannot do without. My husband loves to eat, and he appreciates that I make an effort to "style" his breakfast plate. I'm not really good at styling, but it makes me want to continuously improve because I can see that he really appreciates the effort I put into it. Right after I prepare the kids' baon in the morning, I usually take a quick break for some quiet time, and then I'm back in the kitchen to fix up something quick for our breakfast.

Don't be mistaken, our breakfast dates are not elaborate. We just take about half an hour to eat and talk about matters which concern the family, our schedule for the day... just about anything. We just use the time to reconnect with each other, before we go about our own.  It's just the best way to start the day!


.   .   .   .   .


Make sure to read on until the end of the post to find out how you can be 
one of three winners of this 12-piece plate set.



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

FIRST Robotics Learning Center

When I got an invite from FIRST Robotics to bring the kids to come in for a one session, I knew this was something my 2 younger kids wouldn't want to miss. So one Saturday, I brought them to the FIRST Robotics Center in Greenhills just for them to get a feel of the practical application of Science and Math. .

The LEGO materials used in FIRST Robotics 


Thursday, September 10, 2015

Hi-Precision Diagnostics + Panorama Pre-Natal Screening

About a few weeks ago, Hi-Precision Diagnostics invited me and a group of other mom bloggers for a sumptuous lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in the city, Chef Jessie. Hi-Precision is the same laboratory who did my Food Intolerance Test earlier this year, and they are launching a revolutionary prenatal screening that is non-invasive, meaning no needle will be poked through the belly.


Monday, September 7, 2015

Seda Hotel BGC + #BestFeelingsInTheWorld IG Contest

I got an invite from SEDA BGC for a family staycation with them during the August29-30 long weekend. Since we did not have anything planned, I readily said yes and confirmed our booking. Everyone in the family looked forward to it because SEDA generously offered to give us 2 rooms to make sure that all 5 of us would be comfortable during our stay.

The invite came with a teddy bear... and a promise that we were to expect to get #TheBestFeelingsInTheWorld. Does this include getting cozy in the fluffiest sheets 
and falling asleep in style and comfort? Read more to find out!


Friday, September 4, 2015

Apericena at Seda BGC's Straight Up Bar

I got an invite last week for an "apericena" at the Straight Up Bar of Seda Hotels BGC. Which got me intrigued as to what apericena is all about. This is my first time to get invited to one, and so I gladly confirmed my attendance.

Apericena, according to the Italian SEDA Group Manager, Andrea Mastellone,  is basically Happy Hour Italian style! 

SEDA Group Manager, Andrea Mastellone is an Italian hotelier who has had an impressive record of managing prestigious properties in more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

Thursday, September 3, 2015

Jeunesse Anion

I don't think I've ever talked about intimate hygiene products on the blog. But I'm about to do so now. I've recently discovered a new product that is really worth sharing. I just found out that we already have an anion napkin in the country. I use to just see this whenever I would go to the grocery on our trips abroad.  But I'm happy to discover that I can buy anion napkins here.

The Jeunesse Anion brand of anion sanitary pads have recently been launched in the country

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Sweet Dreams With Elica

My 2 girls have been battling eczema for more than a decade now. From my personal experience, the most debilitating symptom of this skin disease is the itchiness and scratching that goes on at night because it affects my daughters' sleep. During a flare-up, one of the things I dread the most is waking up to find a my daughter's bed sheet stained with blood due to the scratching brought about by the uncontrollable itching.

When Elica invited me recently to attend their media launch with newest endorser Cheska Garcia-Kramer, I made time in my schedule to attend because eczema is a battle that I want to beat!



Thursday, August 27, 2015

What's In My Cart? Chips Ahoy!

Because my kids took after their dad, the way through their hearts is really through their tummies. And one of their recent favorite things to munch on are Chips Ahoy cookies. They are not the Chips Ahoy cookies I grew up with ha, ang dami ng flavors ngayon!

I first saw them at S&R a year ago, and I thought at that time they were a one-time deal, meaning they won't replenish when stocks run out. But to my surprise, I've seen them in almost all the leading groceries I've visited. And each time, seems like more new flavors are coming out.
 This one I saw at DEC along Annapolis in Greenhills. 
I always have several packs in my pantry for emergency baon situations. 


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Savoring Me Time With Pine-Sol

A few weeks ago, Pine-Sol gave me the chance to meet up with some of my mommy blogger friends. The invite requested me to show up at the Le Spa of Sofitel for a day of health, wellness and pampering.


Thursday, August 20, 2015

Phenomenal Tip: Guide to Mobile Food Photography



I am not a professional food photographer, and neither am I a professional chef. I am, however, a full-time homemaker who has lots of practice cooking food for my family. Naturally, it follows that I also have a lot of practice taking photos of what comes out of my kitchen, and posting them on IG.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Scholastic Readers Cup 2015

Helping our children enjoy reading is one of the most important things we can do as a parent. Having kids who have the desire to read is one of my parent goals. I want them to love books as much as I do, to develop their imaginations, to have the natural curiosity about the world around them.

I remember having snapped this photo so many years ago, I think this was in 2009 pa. 
C offered to take the kids with him so I can enjoy some uninterrupted shopping time. And of course, where do I find them during the designated meeting time? In the bookstore, of course! 
Can't resist taking a photo when I saw them all lined up like this. So cute, di ba?


I consider myself very lucky that I have readers at home. Most probably, they turned out like that because they see their dad and me reading so often, and also because there's a reading spot in every room. All the bedrooms in our home have a corner where we put up bookshelves... brimming with all kinds of books.

This is a photo I shared previously in IG lamenting the messy state of the kids' bookshelf. 
But then I realized that topsy-turvy books are to be celebrated because it means 
that the books are being read!



I've got a reader in every corner!



As Cicero so wisely observed, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”

The state of one of my overflowing bookshelves. 
Understandably, for a bibliophile like me, there's nothing quite so comforting as a 
room brimming over with books.:) 



Scholastic Books 

Scholastic, the world's largest publisher and distributor of over 600 original titles annually, continues to pursue various initiatives in its commitment to help build a nation of readers. Every year, Scholastic holds a week-long book caravan in my kids' schools. This event is highly anticipated by my kids as they get to visit and look at all those books anytime they want within that week.  They draw up a wishlist... a long one, at that!. At the end of each week, their dad gives them the money to purchase the books of their choice.

Harry Potter, the boxed set on the topmost shelf, continues to be the best-selling series among young readers. My second daughter and her friends continue to be Harry Potter fanatics up to this day, and she has that same boxed set in her own bookshelf in her room.




Scholastic Readers Cup 2015

When Scholastic invited me to join them as they celebrate the the second Scholastic Readers Cup, I knew this was an event I wanted to be a part of. The Scholastic Readers Cup is a tribute to the countless teachers, librarians, principals and school administrators whose work and leadership have paved the way for students to become better readers and good learners.

Here are some of the educators being rewarded for their efforts to help raise successful readers. They are on stage with Scholastic Asia President, Mr. Frank Wong.




Scholastic Literacy Pro

Much has been said about how technology has become a challenge for raising a new generation of readers. At Scholastic, these challenges are viewed as opportunities.  Because this generation is a generation that is always online, Scholastic has developed two key literacy programs which harness the power of the internet in order to create a new generation of successful readers. These are Literacy Pro and Literacy Pro Library.

Scholastic Literacy Pro is an online monitoring program which provides teachers with accurate and timely reports on their students' progress and performance, giving them research-based insights to make informed teaching and learning decisions. It promotes the student's growth in reading by developing an individualized reading plan, with corresponding teacher reports.


1. Students take the LitPro Test, a computer-adaptive assessment that determines their Lexile level
2. Students read short, authentic-text passages and answer multiple choice questions
3. Text complexity of the passages increases or decreases based on the student’s answers.
4. As soon as the students finish the test, they receive a Lexile score.
5. Personalized reading lists are created based on the students’ Lexile level and reading interests. 

The Lexile framework is an essential part of the Scholastic literacry framework where the titles recommended are in the students’ targeted Lexile range. This means they have just the right amount of challenge to lead to reading improvement.

My daughters are fortunate that their school already has this system in place.  A year or two ago, one of my daughters took this test, and got the top Lexile mark in her batch. I was elated when I got the letter from her English teacher, but I wasn't surprised because this is the same girl who has books living in her closet, and can be found with books even in the bathroom.



Scholastic PR1ME™ Mathematics

Math remains a challenge for many students. Most students face utter difficulty when faced with numbers, while others blame the inadequate teaching methodology as the culprit to their difficulty in solving math problems and equations.

Scholastic Vice President Dr. Duriya Aziz and her team worked closely with the Ministry of Education of Singapore, adapting concepts and components from its Primary Mathematics Project. 

The result of this is PR1ME™ Mathematics is a world-class program based on the teaching and learning practices of Singapore, Republic of Korea, and Hong Kong. These are countries that are known for the proficiency of their students in mathematics.
Singapore Math has been adopted by many educational institutions all over the world. Singapore Math is the Math curriculum of choice where my kids go to school. As such, I have personally witnessed how easy it is for kids as young as 8 years old to solve word problems that are algebraic in nature. It simplifies math concepts becasue visuals are used to connect complex mathematical ideas.




My Takeaway

We should be updated with global best practices.  Our global economy has made the modern world so small that Filipinos are not just competing with fellow Filipinos; we are competing with the world. Current studies have shown that the future belongs to those who are able to solve problems and interact with people to acquire and understand information, and persuade others for the need of action.

Modern societies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know. Information is freely available in modern times. As such, it is not enough to be knowledgeable about certain things. Knowledge + Application is what translates to success in modern society.  It is applying what we know to new and novel applications.

Thank you, Scholastic for sharing the information that you did. It changed my perspective on how to be a mindful parent in this modern and fast-changing world!



To know more about Scholastic products and programs:

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Thursday, August 6, 2015

Australian Grassfed Beef Culinary Trail

A few weeks ago, I got an invite from the Australian Embassy Manila and Meat & Livestock Australia to participate in a culinary trail as they partner with select restaurants to serve up specially-created menus featuring premium Australian Grassfed Beef.


The Australian Grassfed Beef Caravan was a one-week festival, and select media friends were asked to choose one culinary trail of our preference.  Each day lists a different round-up of select restaurants, but because I am such a big fan of chef Jessie, I chose the day where we would start with one of her restaurants.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

The Best-est Gluten Free Waffles

As you noticed I'm claiming to have the recipe for the best-est gluten free waffles. Walang kokontra, ok!:) Hahaha! But I strongly encourage you to give my recipe a try. I promise you will agree with me that it is indeed the best-est! Even my son who is not gluten intolerant have found a liking to this particular GF waffles.



Gluten-induced eczema

I've mentioned it too many times already that my girls suffer from gluten-induced eczema. All three of us went on a gluten-fast for three months, some of us more diligent than the others. Proud to say that we survived that!

My youngest daughter is so proud that ALL her skin rashes cleared up within a few weeks of gluten starvation. She used to have these marks on her upper arms, similar to the ridges on the surface of a basketball. When they appear, they would be so itchy that when she started scratching, she couldn't stop. If your kids suffer from eczema, I'm sure those itching and sugat are also not new to you. I try to limit putting steroidal cream, reserving those for the worse of attacks, which happens every now and then. The scratching would leave raw wounds on her arms, with blood staining her uniform and bed sheets. Not an exaggeration!

I am very happy to update you all that my youngest hasn't had an attack from March until now. That's four months of being itch-free!!! Woohoo! We are now slowly re-introducing gluten back to our diet. I started serving gluten once a week, then twice, then thrice. I think twice to thrice a week would be a fairly good standard to maintain.

I love baking and my kids love to eat what I bake... so I've been trying to come up with gluten-free alternative to my baked goods THAT ACTUALLY TASTES GOOD! Mahirap ha!



Gluten-Free Flour Endemic to the Philippines

Personally, I don't want to be stuck with a pantry full of expensive, imported flours which no one will touch, so I researched on gluten-free foods that are endemic to the Philippines.  And it led me to cassava starch, rice flour, sticky rice flour (malagkit), potato starch, corn starch. all of which are readily available in any local grocery, at very affordable prices.



Best-est Gluten-Free Waffle Recipe
One flour only + No Xanthan Gum

Finally! Gluten-free waffles that even my son and husband, who are not GF, are begging for


Recipe loosely adapted from here and here:
Makes for a very big batch, because batch cooking is the only way I remain sane with the way my kids eat.
*Best eaten right after cooking.

Dry Ingredients:
1-1/2 cup white rice flour*
1/2 cup corn starch*
3/4 cup potato starch
1-1/2 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:
1-1/4 cup yogurt + 1/2 cup milk  ( I use the BTIC brand because of its thick consistency)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1-1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
non-stick cooking spray

*If you are not on a gluten-free diet, then just replace the items marked with "*" to all-purpose flour.

1. In medium mixing bowl, whisk together white rice flour, cornstarch, potato starch, baking powder, granulated sugar, salt. In small bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract until smooth.
2. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Blend until batter is smooth. No lumps should remain.
3. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions. Spoon batter onto hot iron (amount of batter will vary depending on your iron) and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 4-6 minutes.



PHENOMENAL Tips:
1. This GF recipe works well because of the combination of the rice flour + starches. Potato starch is added to make the waffle light and fluffy. Cornstarch makes for the crispy exterior.

2. Rice flour is the cheapest available gluten-free flour. Not only is it the cheapest, it is also the one that closely resembles wheat in taste. Try to not use rice flour that's labeled as superfine because they soak up too much of the liquid and you will end up with a very watery batter.

3. The consistency of the batter is highly dependent on the texture of the yogurt and milk mixture. I adjust the yogurt-milk ratio based on the thickness of the yogurt I'm using.



Severin Waffle Maker

I am thankful that modern kitchen gadgets have simplified most of my cooking related chores because let’s face it, kitchen tasks are often time-consuming talaga ha!

Another important thing when making waffles is the kind of waffle maker you have.

My latest addition to the kitchen is my Severin Multi-Sandwich Toaster, which also doubles as waffle maker. It comes with 3 removable plates: sandwich plate, panini press plate and waffle plate.



But for now, I use my Severin Multi Sandwich maker primarily as a waffle maker. If I make my waffle batter thinner, then the waffle comes out in squares.


If my make the waffle batter thicker, then I am able to use the waffle maker and make these round waffles.


When my daughters and I first started eliminating gluten in our diet, the first to go was bread and pasta. Breaking from pasta was hard, but it was doubly hard when we had to let go of bread. So thankful for this waffle maker plus this waffle recipe.

I'm enjoying using my Severin Waffle Maker. My kids are also enjoying all the waffles that I have been making!



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