#TPMkitchen: Ways to Enjoy Avocado

It's avocado season! Is anyone here celebrating with me?

Fellow avocado lovers, you have to agree with me that bringing home a beautiful looking one is a good fortune that should be celebrated. When I get my hands on one, I slice them, fan them out to a long line, then turn them into avocado roses. 

 I like to play with them using my sharpest knife and make them into works of art, and show them off.

#TPMkitchen: 3-Step Spinach Dip Recipe with Anchor Philippines

By now, you already now how much I enjoy my time in the #TPMkitchen. so much so that the kitchen is the place where my kids and I spend the most time bonding. If they are not helping me cook, they are seated on the stool by the kitchen counter talking to me.

A few days ago, my daughter was in the mood to make Spinach Dip. This is something that I am confident that she can make on her own. My spinach recipe only has 3 steps and is fool-proof, but it tastes super good! You have to taste it to believe it. I will be sharing my super easy, fool-proof, 3-step Spinach Dip recipe so be sure to read until the end of the post.

Spinach Dip, Fried Kesong Puti with Truffled Honey, Candied Walnuts, Baguette, GF Waffles

Kalbi Jim Recipe Share

I originally shared this recipe in a guest post at Momma 'N Manila.

I've known Mish of Momma 'N Manila and one-half of Mothers Who Brunch since 2013. Because of the events that we attend together and because we share a common love for our family and cooking, I have gotten to know her and her family better.

DIY: Yummiest Homemade Granola

I want my family to feel good about what they eat.  As much as I can, I serve homemade and nutrient packed food that also tastes great. Let's be honest, it's a challenge to come up with something that's healthy and yummy, too. It takes a lot of trial and error on my part.

This granola recipe is both yummy and healthy... and super easy to make pa. I promise you. It's everything that a granola should be: crispy, crunchy, nutty. It's also healthy, nutrient-packed and super-simple. After you make this one, you will never buy granolas again. 

My homemade granola recipe has ingredients like quinoa, chia seeds, flax seeds, tree nuts, etc and uses natural sweeteners over processed sugar. Golden slivers of dried mangoes and red gems of goji berries add a visual delight as well.

Tips For Taking Better Care of Your Non-Stick Pans + Hard & Light Cookware by Lock & Lock

I definitely knew I hit middle-age when going to department stores, the first area I hit up is the Home & Kitchen section. And, the same thing holds true for online shopping. I spend a lot of time browsing the Home and Kitchen section, too.

Lately, I've been I've been obsessing about pots and pans.

I have all sorts. I have stainless steel. I have cast iron. I have non-stick. I think the more pans, the merrier.

What Kind Of Pan To Use?

I am lucky to have a set of solid stainless steel Salad Master that my MIL gifted me with. I use it to saute vegetables and stir-fry meats.

But for cooking food such as sunny-side eggs, fried rice, fish fillets, pancakes, crepes, nothing beats a non-stick pan. No matter what I do, dumidikit talaga pag di non-stick.

Just the other day, I was in the mood for garlic rice, and experience has told me so many times that the best pan for fried rice is a non-stick pan. It's a good thing that I have the newest non-stick pan from Lock & Lock, the Hard & Light Frying Pan.

TPM Baon Diaries: Finding the Best Lunchbox For My Kids

If you google "#TPMbaondiaries" you will be brought to my instagram page and you will find photos of all my baon postings. Although I don't always remember to take photos of everything that I pack, but what you see is basically a rotation of the food that I usually prepare for my kids' baon.

I love packing healthy lunches for my family. I think packing nourishing + delicious food is a big step to making sure that we are living a healthy lifestyle. It's also important for me that the food I prepare are not too complicated to prepare in the morning because I don't want to wake up too early. It has to be still hot by the time they eat it and delicious so that my kids will actually eat and finish, otherwise it's a waste of my time, money and effort.

I've been packing school lunches for close to a decade now - I started when my oldest was 7 and just started grade school. And now, she's about to enter senior high.  In that time, I've tried a LOT of different lunch containers and lunch packing strategies. There are a lot of good lunch containers out there, and I definitely tried many of them.

There are many factors to consider when determining what lunch container to use. For our needs and the way I like to pack lunch, my favorite lunch containers, by far, are Bubee Lunch Jars. They just work for us. 

One set of Bubee Lunch Jar includes two jars and a carrying pouch. 

It is made of thick, food-grade stainless steel which is double layered. 

It keeps cold foods cold and hot foods hot for up to 5 hours. 

Wondering what lunch box food storage containers are the best for sending to school with your kids?

Does it leak? Can it keep food hot? Will it break? Is it safe? How long will it last? 

Reasons Why I Love Bubee Lunch Jars:

I'd like to tell you more about my favorite containers, and why I love them. I realized that I've used them for several years already, but I've never actually shared why I think they're so great. So it's about time.

1. They are really versatile. They keep hot food hot, and cold food cold... for hours.

Being able to make sure that my kids can eat their lunch still hot is essential to my choice of lunch container. There's nothing more unappetizing than eating cold rice and ulam, di ba? Their lunch gets packed around 6 am, and by the time they eat it at noon, it is still warm.

I can let them bring beef stew or pork belly without having to worry that "sebo" will form because the food is still warm by lunch.

The manual says you can pre-heat the container by pouring very hot water into the lunch jar and letting it stay for about 5-10 minutes. Then pour out the water and simply put in the hot meal, and quickly cover it. I skip this step, and my kids' meal still turn out warm by lunch time.

I also use the Bubee Lunch Jars for cold foods like yogurt, guilt-free banana cream pie, and the likes

For cold foods, the manual recommends pre-chilling by simply flash freezing the container by putting it inside the freezer for 10 minutes before adding cold contents.

2. They are durable.

My lunch jars are a several years old ( a decade - give or take) and are still in perfect shape, despite having been dropped, dumped and bounced around numerous times by my kids. Parang bullet-proof lang.

3. They are safe.

These containers are made of premium 18/8 stainless steel, and the food storage jar's lid and plastic base and lid cover are BPA-free, phthalates-free, PVC-free and lead-free.

With the recent concern about BPA, nothing comes into contact with plastic with these containers because the inner lid is also made of stainless steel.

4. They are easy to clean.

 As an added bonus, they are also very easy to clean, none whatsoever of the greasiness even with just one washing kase nga stainless steel..:)

Since they are made with stainless steel, they haven't stained and they haven't gotten a funky smell like plastics are prone to.

5. They are leak-proof, vacuum-insulated, double-walled.

The containers are double-layered so they remain cool to the touch even when filled with hot foods, and moisture-free when filled with cold foods. The container is vacuum -insulated and double layered to keep the temperature longer.

The food-grade silicone sleeve on the lids protects against leaks and spills so there is no concern over spilled sauces or liquids.

The upfront cost might seem high, but I've been using mine for a decade already so the containers have already paid for itself. PLUS, there's comfort in knowing that my kids are enjoying a hot, nutritious and delicious lunch everyday. And if you factor in that these stainless steel lunch containers have no harmful plastic whatsoever touching the food, it's just a WINNER in the true sense of the word.

The good news is: I have stocks on hand!! Please PM me on FaceBook or Iinstagram.   

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{TPM Kitchen} Pink Ombre Pancakes

We all know the best pancakes are made at home!

You probably expect by now that we make our pancake mix from scratch. And you are right! It's the easiest thing to do. I can control how much sugar goes into them, and I don't have to worry about preservatives, too. Plus, I make them exactly how I want and my family can all be still be in our pajamas while we enjoy them. PLUS! If my girls feel like having PINK OMBRE pancakes, then I can definitely indulge them and be #thebestmomever in their eyes. Right?

{TPM Kitchen} CLEANer EATING: Chia Meatball Recipe {Gluten-Free + Egg-Free + Dairy-Free}

Since the start of 2014, I've started becoming interested in substituting ingredients for healthier alternatives when I am cooking.  It just started with using less sugar and/or dairy, until I made the full transition to stop using white and brown sugar altogether, and only exclusively use organic coconut sap sugar.  I've also started using less eggs, and started using chia seeds and ground flax seeds as my egg substitutes. I find it very rewarding to be able to cook a meal or bake a treat that is more nutritious and healthier for my family.  

My kids all suffer from varying degrees of eczema, which are all brought about my certain food intolerance; specifically wheat, eggs, dairy. On our best days, we just deal with the minor discomfort of itchiness; worst days, we change bed sheets often because one kid cannot control her scratching, which leads to open scabs and blood marks on the sheets.

What I am aiming for is a healthy balance of all the food groups, and minimize (not cut out) the consumption of sugar, dairy and egg...all the usual suspects in eczema flare-ups.  I noticed that the flare-ups usually follow after we binge on pasta/bread.  If they consume too much wheat from bread and pasta in consecutive days, then they start to get a little bit of itch on their arms, so I've always been the "evil mom" who puts their consumption of wheat at a minimum.

I share my recipe for my version of Chia Meatballs that is Gluten-Free + Egg-Free + Dairy-Free

I mentioned in a previous post that I have added a new section to the blog called, CLEANer EATING

CLEANer EATING

Healthy Ideas & Yummy Recipes tested in the TPM Kitchen

What To Eat When You Want To Eat Clean

BUT let me just be clear that we are not going vegan/vegetarian... we love meat too much! Neither are we hopping on the paleo bandwagon... we also love our carbs as much!  The purpose here is just to manage our food intolerance.

One of the "healthier alternative ingredients" that has been making the rounds in my kitchen is Chia Seeds. I use to just sprinkle them on our yogurts as a topping, or make into a pudding to go with my minatamis na saba.

But while I was doing research on how to go egg-less in cooking and baking, I was delighted to learn that Chia work really well in place of eggs. When soaked in water, it produces a gel like mixture that makes for a great binding agent.  I've used chia to replace eggs on many instances since then.

There are many health benefits to adding chia seeds to your diet, which you can read in this article by the Huffington Post.

Chia Meatballs Recipe
Gluten-Free + Egg-Free + Dairy-Free

I am now sharing my recipe for Chia Meatballs. This is one of the very first recipes I've played around with... taking out the eggs, adding chia gel; taking out the breadcrumbs, and adding flaxseeds and rolled oats.  Even with all the healthy modifications, it is still very flavorful.

I make a big batch, and store them in containers good for one serving. Depends on how I am going to use them, I adjust the sizes of the meatballs. Sometimes, I make them bigger than what is shown. And when I know that I am going to use them for Shepherd's Pie, I do not bother to shape them into balls anymore.

 When I am pressed for time, I do not even shape them into balls, I just put them into containers to freeze. Take them out at a later time and shape them just before cooking.

I always double the recipe because I use this as my basic meat filling. I make them into fist-sized balls and turn them into burger patties for the kids' merienda. I can also just add some curry sauce over the patties and have Hamburger Curry Rice.

I serve with spaghetti sauce on top of pasta (or quinoa pasta if they are in the middle of an eczema attack) and call it Spaghetti Bolognese.  Sometimes, I add mozzarella cheese in the middle of the balls and make some marinara sauce to make Italian meatballs.

The kids also love it when I simmer the meatballs with some chicken broth and add some veggies. The mixture of chicken broth and beef from the meatballs, makes for a really tasty soup. Add some cheese before I serve, winner talaga with the kids!

I pour mushroom sauce over it and top with truffle oil and some more mushroom for variety.

I forego rolling them into balls and use them for the meat base of my Shepherd's Pie. So many things I do with this recipe! We also eat them as is! Yummy when dipped in raspberry or mango-pineapple jam.

I take them out whenever the kids say, "We're hungry!" It has saved me countless of times when I run out of ideas to serve them for lunch baon, or when I get home late and there's not much time to prepare for dinner.



CHIA MEATBALL RECIPE (No Eggs, No Bread Crumbs)

Meatball mixture:
500 gms ground beef ( I use sirloin)
500 gms lean ground pork (I use lomo or kasim)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp sage
3 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chia seeds mixed in 2/3 cup of water
1/2 cup oatmeal (make sure it's labeled gluten free if you are trying to avoid gluten in your diet)
2 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tbsp soy sauce / Bragg's Liquid Aminos

* If you have a hard time looking for chia seeds, flax seeds, Bragg's Liquid Aminos in your grocery, you can get them at Healthy Options like I do.

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a cup, whisk together the chia seeds and warm water and let stand for about 20 minutes. Make sure to mix once or twice as the chia seeds tend to clump together as they start to form into a gel.

2. Mix together all the dry ingredients for the meatball. Add in the meat and the liquid seasoning. Make sure to mix well to evenly distribute the seasonings.

3. Divide into half and place in freezer safe plastic containers. alternatively, you can also roll them into balls.

4. Keep in freezer until ready to use.


Try it and lemme know how yours turn out!

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TPM Kitchen | Phenomenal Tip: Homemade Bacon

How do I love bacon? Hmmm... Let me count the ways...

Ever since, I've started on the path to CLEANer EATING, I've consciously tried to look for ways to cut out the "poison" in the everyday meals I serve my family.  I just want to lessen the preservatives in the food we eat.  We don't have any intentions of turning vegan, vegetarian, etc. Just a healthy balance of everything.:) Which means that we don't really give up bacon... we just don't eat the processed one from the grocery.

{TPM Kitchen} CLEANer EATING: What To Eat When You Want To Eat Clean

Turning 28 (for the 12th time) was when I started to notice changes in my body. The deepening of facial lines, the slight loosening of the neck, a few white strands of hair.... AND, the time my daughter made me realize that she is closer to being 20 than I am... Eeeep!!!

Teka lang! How did that happen? Something doesn’t add up there. Seems like I just graduated from college a few years back, eh! Then I think of my mom and dad who are in their 70’s, do they feel like they are middle-aged like I still see myself as in my 20s? Then my son answered me, “Your hands are beginning to look like ah-ma’s (his grandmother) hands,” he says as he tugs at the loose skin at the back of my hand. Ugh! Can he be any more rude, impolite, insolent, disrespectful, offensive… and truthful? Hahaha!

I also started to realize and admit to myself that I wasn’t invincible… that it’s ok to get tired and exhausted. A few years ago I was proud of the fact that I could handle being that mom who could cheer all-day for my daughter’s soccer championship match, enjoy a dinner out with the husband and some friends at night, then wake up the next day for another all-day swim meet with the kids. Sadly, nowadays, all I want after spending all-day cheering for my kids by the poolside is to have a quick dinner and be in bed by 9pm with a good book or catching up on my fave TV series. Hello, Harvey Specter!

My friends and I have started discussing vitamin supplements, the required annual medical exams for people “our age,” and when someone we know ends up in a hospital it is more about a sad and scary illness than the happy news of a birth announcement. #tandersmoment

A few months ago, I also took a Food Intolerance Test which provided the gain in momentum for me to go all the way into a lifestyle which I was trying out since two years ago. Since 2013, I was already into food substitution and trying to eat more of fresh and unprocessed foods, and less of the processed and refined foods. Realizing that I am not getting any younger, and knowing more about food intolerance made me shift my gear, and really learn more about Clean Eating.

CLEANer EATING

Healthy Ideas & Yummy Recipes tested in the TPM Kitchen

What To Eat When You Want To Eat Clean

I will be introducing a new section in the blog, called CLEANer EATING.  It will be all about sharing ideas and recipes that I have tested in the TPM Kitchen as I prepare meals for my family and get them to enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins instead of canned and packaged fruits, white rice, fatty cuts of meat.

As I researched for Clean Eating, I realized that the lifestyle is primarily based on the idea that the best way to eat is to abundantly enjoy a variety of whole foods -- that is, foods as close to their natural state. No counting calories here, thoughts on turning vegan or vegetarian not entertained also, but the focus here is on good quality & healthy food. Which is essentially my kind of lifestyle.

I cannot promise to totally eliminate processed foods from my diet, but the primary principle of getting more nutrition from the food we eat appealed to me. Hence, CLEANer EATING... because I can't promise to say no to the occasional spoonful of dulce de leche or cookie butter! Teehee!

5 Simple Steps to CLEANer EATING:

1. Eat Whole Foods, Avoid Processed Foods.

Whole foods are foods that did not come from a manufacturing plant. The foods you eat on this plan are straight from the farm: whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, grass-fed and free-range meats, low fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, and seeds.

Processed foods are any food that has a label with a long ingredient list. You don’t have to eliminate all processed foods (like whole grain pasta or natural cheeses), but if you can’t pronounce an ingredient on a label, don’t put that food in your grocery cart.

Cherries & Pomelos after lunch... My kids need a break from all the sweets!

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Dec 29, 2014 at 9:14pm PST

Snacking now! #freshfruits #mangoes #kiwi

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Sep 9, 2014 at 2:03am PDT

Loving the cherries for breakfast, as well as my lovely blue plate.

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 7, 2014 at 4:50pm PDT

2. Do-it-yourself.

One of the aspects I really love about Clean Eating is making my own homemade versions. For example, when I make Beef Bulgogi for the kids' lunch baon, instead of buying a pre-made sauce, laden with sodium, sugar and preservatives, I whisk together a little of organic coconut sap sugar, liquid aminos or soy sauce, minced garlic, and fresh grated ginger. 

I also enjoy making granola bars from scratch. I share my easy recipe for Superfood Granola Bars.

My granola bars are made with raw nuts, ground flaxseeds, organic quinoa, black chia seeds among others. Sweetened by raw honey and organic coconut sap sugar.
Get the recipe here.

Mid-morning, after-training snacking! The kids are having apple slices with cookie butter & #nutella, topped with #homemade #granola. #healthy #yummy

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 29, 2014 at 6:13pm PDT

Just finished making a batch of my #homemade #pancake mix. Instead of storing it in one of my @locknlockph containers, I placed them in ziplocks today as they are to be shared. The instructions are written on the outside for easy use. No preservatives on this #DIY mix. Recipe is on the blog if you are interested. #TPMkitchen #CLEANerEATING

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Feb 25, 2015 at 5:07pm PST

I share my DIY pancake mix here. It is very versatile as people who need to control their sugar intake can easily just omit adding sugar in the mix.  Taking out the sugar can also make this pancake mix into a refined sugar free pancake mix!

3. Eat five or six small meals a day. 

Eating clean also means that meals are taken throughout the day, three meals and two snacks. This can help reduce the chances of snacking and overeating on unhealthy processed foods because you never get hungry on this lifestyle. 

Expect to prepare meals at home often and to carry snacks with you so you always have access to CLEAN foods. I prepare a variety of salads for my kids recess baon about once to twice a week. Nothing planned, usually it is just a mix of whatever is in the fridge that day.  Some days, they have fresh fruits naman.

Celery snacking for the mid-morning. Hope everyone enjoys their weekend! This mama Will be taking the kids out for a well-deserved after exam outing!

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 15, 2014 at 6:10pm PDT

This is what my 2 girls are going to be having for morning merienda... Arugula salad with pomelo, pine nuts & @ilovewhisk tamarind dressing. Thank you @lulufilipino for the late night #arugula delivery!

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Dec 16, 2014 at 3:38pm PST

Shrimp & Pomelo Salad with tamarind dressing for dinner.

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Dec 9, 2014 at 2:57am PST

4. Un-Sweeten Your Diet.

Everyone in my family has a sweet tooth! I admit this part is where we are having struggles with. Yes, we already accept defeat! hahaha! While I acknowledge that we cannot totally eliminate sweets from our diet, we are trying to eliminate refined sugar/white sugar.  We use alternative sweeteners instead like raw honey and organic coconut sap sugar.

I help my family cut down on added sugars by limiting baking. Buhuhu! But, I have already tried several recipes where I switched white sugar to organic coconut sap sugar in the recipe.  Wait for future posts where I share my tweaked and adjusted recipes.

Today's breakfast is #chia pudding made with #coconut milk. I topped it with some saba sweetened with coconut sap sugar. My Food Intolerance Test results suggested limiting my intake of dairy, so substituting with coco milk instead. #TPMkitchen #CLEANerEATING #VeganHits #CleanEating

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Feb 16, 2015 at 4:05pm PST

When I made minatamis na saba a few days ago, my Li'l Kitchen Helper suggested using chia seeds instead of quinoa. I followed her suggestion today... I made the kids' merienda early so could serve this to the husband for breakfast.

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 5, 2014 at 5:29pm PDT

This is what's for merienda today since I have a lot of saba in the kitchen. It's a "healthier" variation of "minatamis na saging"... Your kids won't even mind the quinoa! It gives a texture similar to tapioca balls (sago). Cold milk poured on top, and a sprinkle of granola for some crunch.

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 3, 2014 at 11:06pm PDT

5. Choose Whole Grains

If your family is anything like mine, it is a struggle to get them to eat anything whole grain. Last year, I decided to come up with my own mix of grains, which made my family tolerate eating brown, black and red rice.

Whole grains include more nutrients than refined grains because the bran and germ are not removed. Look for the word “whole” with the first ingredient in breads and pastas—for example, make sure it says “whole wheat,” not just “wheat.” Outside of whole wheat, choose whole grains like quinoa, oats and brown rice.

Another bonus to eating whole grains: a study found that people who eat three or more servings of whole grains have lower body mass indexes and less belly fat than people who eat fewer.  Goodbye to mommy-belly na ba ito?:)

Getting my family to eat purely brown rice has been a struggle for some time now. So I decided to try a different approach and mixed up a variety of grains. This one is family-approved! Even the pickiest one of all {the husband} gives it a 👍👍! #blackrice #redrice #jasminerice #quinoa #brownrice

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Aug 26, 2014 at 3:54pm PDT

Just to shake things up a bit, I prepared Chicken Fajitas for the kids' #lunchbaon today. I added #quinoa to make it more filling, and grilled zucchinis to make it complete. Carbo + protein + vegetables in a wrap!

A photo posted by The Phenomenal Mama (@thephenomenalmama) on Sep 25, 2014 at 3:43pm PDT

To make Clean Eating a sustainable part of my family's life, I have encouraged them to view food as preventive medicine. "You are what you eat" is literally true as the nutrients the food we take in form the foundation on how well our bodies function.  Our bodies are in a continuous state of maintenance and repair so it is only logical that we choose the best foods to make sure that evey bone, muscle, organ of our body is is tip-top condition... dahil mahal magkasakit!

Resources:
livestrong.com
eatingwell.com

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