Strawberry Banana and Applesauce Smoothie



I have been experimenting using Applesauce in my smoothies and I have been quite happy with the results! I initially tried it with my Blueberry Banana Smoothie and it was just so yummy I decided to try it this time with some lovely strawberries which were on sale this week! Naturally, I wasn't surprised at all that it came out as wonderful as the Blueberry one. But if you don't have some Applesauce handy then why not try it with real apples - I am pretty sure it'll come out great too! Truly a healthy smoothie that's totally guilt-free! Without much ado, enjoy this Strawberry Banana and Applesauce Smoothie!

Ingredients

2 Frozen bananas, chopped
1 cup strawberries, washed and chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened Applesauce (if sweetened you may not need to add any sweetener at all) - or 2 fresh apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup yogurt (plain)
1 Tablespoon - Honey or Agave Nectar (or to taste)

Procedure

Peel the frozen bananas. I find the potato peeler or a small knife useful to remove the frozen skin. Slice the bananas into smaller pieces.

Place the  strawberries, applesauce, yogurt, frozen bananas and your preferred sweetener in the blender. Process until smooth. Adjust the sweetness to your taste. Serve immediately!

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Vietnamese Style Pho

In 2011, my hubby and I had such an amazing trip to Vietnam. First of all it, was a trip that involved only the two of us. Ever since the two tots were born we haven't done an overseas trip on our own so this was great as an "alone" time with my hubby! At that time, I was pregnant with our third child and so was feeling so nauseous all the time. But thanks to Mark, my hero for sure, he tried his best to make everything more comfortable for me - by protecting me from nasty mosquito bites, making sure I drank lots of liquids and of course, finding the best available food that would help ease the nausea while in Vietnam! Thankfully, I found two comfort food that helped me feel better - Indian Curry and of course, Vietnamese Pho! There must be something about the hot and spicy nature of these dishes that made me forget my nausea or could it just be the time spent alone with my wonderful  husband....?  Anyway, there is so much more I can tell you about our Vietnam trip (and so many photos to show too!) but I thought I'll reserve that for a travel piece and this time concentrate on food - a classic Vietnamese specialty - the Pho (pronounced as "fuh" and  certainly not "foe").

But, just to give you a little flavor of Vietnam, here are a few photos to enjoy:

One of the main streets in Ho Chi Minh was lighted up so nicely. I think it was because of the Chinese New Year which was being celebrated at the time we were there. 

This is what rush hour looks like in the streets of Saigon.

A typical scenery on the streets....lots of food vendors around. Can you see some yummy Pho?



And just me and my Cone Hat as we navigated one of the tributaries of the Mekong River.

Me and hubby trying hard to make sure we were in the photo as he was using a regular bulky Canon. This was before selfies became so popular. Taken during our tour of the Mekong River. Hahaha - I think we were photo bombed. LOL.



Ok, now let's move on to the recipe...

Vietnamese Pho is not a difficult recipe at all though it takes a few hours of simmering to achieve the right flavor for the broth, I must admit. I think 2-3 hours is fine but others do 5 or even an entire day. So, most of the time is really spent on waiting and unless you want to stare at the broth while it simmers (I do that sometimes, hahaha) -  there isn't much to do. The initial prep takes a little bit of chopping (well just the galangal or ginger, really) but once you have gathered all the ingredients for the broth then the only other thing to do is assemble the rest of the ingredients when it's serving time. In fact, the broth can be prepared ahead of time (at least a day before) which makes it even easier.

This is an even more simplified version of the Pho - but do not be disheartened or dismayed - despite the short-cut I can promise you it delivers the punch pretty well! I have adapted it to my taste preference hence the addition of soy sauce (which is not in the original Pho). You can leave it out if you wish and use more salt or fish sauce, I think it improves the flavor but it's a matter of personal taste. The broth (for me, anyway) is just perfectly seasoned and so great when mixed with the other ingredients. It is the true star in this recipe but as with any recipe, I allow you some wiggle room to tweak it to your palate's fancy. With a little help of fish sauce, salt, soy sauce and perhaps a little brown sugar - you can achieve the tastiest pho in no time! Enjoy!

This will make several cups of broth. We begin with 12 cups of water but as you simmer it uncovered, naturally, it will diminish but there's more than enough to even freeze for later use!

Ingredients

For the broth

12 cups of water
2 pounds (1 kilo) of beef chuck, rump, brisket or cross rib roast or a combo, cut into long thin strips or left whole (I have done both ways).
4 Star Anise
3-inch piece of fresh galangal or ginger, peeled
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup Soy sauce (I added this because I didn't want to use up too much fish sauce but feel free not to use it if you want a more authentic Pho)
2-3 Tablespoons Fish sauce (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
Salt, to taste

This is what a Galangal looks like. You can find this in Asian stores.

This is what I used for the recipe.



Procedure

Pho requires a clear looking broth. You can do this by either removing the scum that rises to the surface as the meat boils or parboil the meat for 15 minutes, dump the murky liquid then start again with fresh water and re-boil.

If not parboiling, place the meat into a large deep pan. Pour the water in. Bring to a boil using high heat. Skim off the scum that rises to the surface as it begins to boil. This is to achieve a clear broth. Lower the heat to a simmer.  Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 1 to 2 hours until the meat is cooked to your desired tenderness. You can remove the meat after an hour or so if it is tender enough for cutting. Let the meat cool down before slicing it (if not pre-sliced).

Place the meat in a bowl with cold water for about 8-10 minutes. This is to prevent the meat from drying out and turning dark. It's also easier to cut up when it's cold. Refrigerate, if not making the Pho right away.

Continue to simmer for another hour or until you have achieved a delicious sweet-salty, aromatic and intensely beefy broth. Yes, that is possible with patience. :) If necessary adjust the taste of the broth to your liking by adding more fish sauce, soy sauce, a little sugar or salt. It should taste strong since the other ingredients that will be added to the broth are not seasoned.

When you are happy with the flavor of the broth, and you want to have the Pho right away, strain the broth to remove the remaining bits and pieces in it with the use of a fine sieve or strainer. There may still be some fat left on the broth so if you're not in a hurry, leave the broth on the fridge overnight (after straining it) and then the next day, skim off as much fat that has floated to the surface before reheating it.

Assembling the Pho - the key here is to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time so they're all ready when the time comes to assemble them.

Ingredients

1 pack of Rice Vermicelli (about 250 grams) - cooked according to package directions
1 pack of bean sprouts (rinsed well)
A small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
4 scallions or green onions, sliced thinly
1 Fresh Red chili, sliced thinly (really spicy so you need to use only one tiny slice per bowl)
Lime, a few drops of freshly squeezed lime juice, to taste

Procedure

First cook your noodles just until tender usually about 10 minutes. See package directions for further guidance.

While noodles are cooking. Slice the beef into thin strips (if not pre-sliced). Reheat it with the broth.

Place enough noodles in a bowl. Divide the noodles among 6-8 bowls (depending on their size).

Place the heated beef strips on top of the noodles.

Add some bean sprouts, a little chopped cilantro, a few green onions and and a few slices of red chili on top. Be aware that this little red chili is really spicy so perhaps 1 one piece sliced is enough! You can remove the seeds from the chili, if you wish, too.

Squeeze a few drops of lime juice to the mix, if desired. I love the freshness of the lime juice so I highly recommend it! Are you ready to dig in? Enjoy!



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Ginger Cinnamon Cream Chicken Curry

If you follow our blog regularly, you probably already know that we love Chicken Curry! I have a few curry recipes in our blog as you may have noticed. Now, this particular recipe was inspired by an Indian and Pakistani dish called "Pasanda"- a mild and creamy curry dish which I have discovered through one of my cookbooks. However, this recipe has evolved so much that I cannot in good conscience call it a Pasanda Curry when this version is so far remote from what the original version is. For starters, a pasanda would never have fruits in it though it always has almonds and that I retained. Also, in a Pasanda the meat is marinated in yogurt with spices and then fried. I do neither and I use cream instead of yogurt. Besides, curry is not really the main ingredient here though it can be used. It's Cinnamon, Ginger and Coriander that really give the chicken its lovely flavor though the curry powder (or chili powder) along with paprika, ginger and turmeric give the dish a lovely glowing yellow color once everything is mixed in. Hence, the birth of this Ginger Cinnamon Cream Chicken with Pineapple and Raisins. I love this dish and am proud of this. I have served this to many guests and they have loved it. Think of this dish as a great introduction to someone who is scared to try a real hot curry. This is pretty mild but since it's cooked with many spices - it is surely full of flavor. The addition of the fruits is what sets this apart - you bite into the savory creamy chicken and then suddenly your taste buds get acquainted with the sweet flavor from the raisins and pineapple and all these contrasting flavors just marry so well. I encourage you to try this and let me know if you like it. Most of all, it's such an easy dish to do. If you know Manila Spoon, we like dishes that are easy to make but does not compromise on taste. Enjoy!

  

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Oil

3 Tbsps Butter

5 Garlic cloves, crushed

1 Medium Onion, chopped

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)

1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Ground Coriander

½ tsp each Paprika, Turmeric, Curry or Chili powder

1 Lb Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large pieces), cubed

1 cup Heavy cream

½ cup Water

¾-1 tsp Salt or to taste

½ cup sliced Almonds, divided

¾ cup Raisins 
¾ cup Pineapple Chunks (drained)

Garam Masala, for sprinkling (optional)

Procedure

Heat the oil in a deep pan. When the oil gets warm, melt the butter in it.

Sauté the garlic in the melted butter briefly until aromatic. Add the onion and fresh ginger and cook for about 3 mins or until the onion begins to soften. If using ground ginger, just add it with the other spices.

Lower the heat and add the spices. Let the spices sizzle for a few seconds then add the chicken and coat with the spices. Once the chicken is fully coated/glazed add the cream, water, salt and half the almonds. Stir. Raise the heat to bring it to a high simmer. Cover then gently simmer for about 20 minutes.



During the last 5 minutes, add the raisins and the drained pineapple chunks. Cook until the 20 minutes are completed or until chicken is tender and the pineapples and raisins are fully heated through. Sprinkle with Garam Masala (optional). 

Just before serving, garnish with the remaining almonds. Enjoy with rice. While this is great on the day it is made, it is even better the next day so if you can wait, refrigerate it overnight and have it the next day. The recipes doubles easily. Have this with rice, naturally!

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Spiced Applesauce Cake

I love to experiment on making bread and cakes that are low-fat and yet without having to sacrifice on taste. Sometimes, low-fat baked products can be like that - low-fat, yes, but tasteless, too or overly sweet to compensate for the lack of fat. Surely, there must be a way where you can still produce a lighter version of a bread or cake but without having to miss its delicious taste. I know it's possible because I have one recipe that has no oil or butter in it and yet still comes out as amazingly delicious - my Apple Praline Bread. Proof? It's the second most popular recipe in Manila Spoon and those who have made it have given me great feedback that they simply loved it!

With this in mind, instead of using fresh apples I decided to try using Applesauce (saves me time as well in chopping and peeling apples especially if I use the store-bought one!) paired with Greek yogurt to add flavor and moisture to the cake. To add more texture, extra crunch and nuttiness - I also added some chopped walnuts to the mix and to make it even better have thrown in some raisins for good measure. Of course, I don't want to fail to mention that all the lovely spices added also give the cake another flavor dimension that shines but does not overpower. I was happy with the overall result. It was moist and flavorful (and the nuts and raisins really worked well!).

Now, if you want a more cake-like texture, feel free to use butter or oil instead of the yogurt. But if it's a healthier and lower-fat version that you like then the Greek yogurt addition is for you! I love this with tea and I think it's great as well paired with your early morning coffee.



Can you see all the lovely nuts and raisins above? I think these make the cake really tasty! Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 cup greek yogurt (regular or low-fat version)*
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed (add an extra 1/8-1/4 cup if you want it really sweet)
1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
3/4 cup or 3oz chopped walnuts
1/2-3/4 cup raisins
Confectioners' (icing) sugar for dusting

*If you prefer the regular cake version, you can use  1/2 cup butter (softened or room temp) instead of the yogurt.

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease a round cake pan with a non-stick spray. You may also use a loaf pan if you prefer.

Whisk or sift together all the dry ingredients (flour, leavening agents, spices and salt). Set aside.

Using medium speed on an electric mixer, beat together the eggs, applesauce and yogurt until well combined. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract (if using) and continue to beat just until everything is mixed well.

If opting to use butter instead, beat together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the applesauce, yogurt and vanilla extract (if using) and continue to beat just until it's incorporated.

Turn speed to low and carefully add in the dry ingredients. Scrape the sides with a spatula as you add the flour. Beat just until combined. Do not overbeat. Stop the mixer. Fold in the walnuts and raisins.

Pour the batter into a round cake pan or a loaf pan.  Bake for about 40-45 mins (in a round cake pan - probably 50 minutes or so in a loaf pan) or until a tester comes out clean or with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool for about 20 minutes in the pan. Transfer to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar, if desired. I love having a slice while it's still warm and with a cup of tea. If you're not watching calories - serve warm with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top! Delish!

It will keep for a few days provided you store it in a tightly closed container or tupperware so it doesn't dry out. Have a slice with your favorite tea or coffee and it's wonderful with some butter spread on it, too!

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Boerewors with Scrambled Eggs, Caramelized Onions and Tomatoes

We lived in South Africa for about six months back in 2007. We have fallen in love not only with the amazing sights of this wonderfully picturesque country but also it's food, glorious food! The variety of food that we got to sample there are just plentiful and truly flavorful. Now when you say South African Food - one truly stands out - the ever-famous Boerewors. The word Boer in Afrikaan means - farmer and Wors - mean sausage so taken together it literally means Farmer's Sausage. Ask any South African and they will smile from ear to ear if you ask them about Boerewors! We got in on the bandwagon once we tasted it and - oh what a lovely sausage it really is. I would say truly one of the best in the world!

              This is what Boerwors typically look like and the jars behind are the   

usual condiments you may have with it.

We really missed it so much when we came back to Holland, MI and thought we'll never get to try it again until our next visit to SA. But, lo and behold, what a surprise - our own little butcher shop actually makes very authentic Boerewors. You're probably wondering how this beautiful sausage made its way to a tiny town in the Midwest. Of course, we asked our butcher, when we found a package of Boerewors sitting on his freezer aisle, how he managed to get hold of the recipe for Boerewors and here's the story.

Apparently, there's a South African couple that has now made Holland, MI their home. And being true South Africans - they cannot live without their Boerewors so off they went to the butcher's shop and offered their recipe (a very closely guarded secret for everyone in SA try to claim that theirs is better than everyone else's!). They'd rather give out their secret recipe away than not ever taste Boerewors ever again! The butcher at the urging (let's say begging...) from this South African couple gave in and said, ok I'll give it a try. To make the long story short, these Boerewors have now become a staple in their store and is always one of the top-sellers during summer time. It was a great and pretty authentic recipe for it tastes exactly the same as the ones we have tried in South Africa. Now we are as happy as that South African couple (who unfortunately, we haven't even met in person...) for we can enjoy our Boerewors anytime we want to have them!

While Boerewors are perfect for grilling and wonderful sandwiched in a hotdog bun complete with all the condiments, sometimes, I like to have it for breakfast too. I cook it and then combine it with some caramelized onions and grape tomatoes all mixed up together in one delicious scramble. If you cannot find boerewors, have no fear, I am sure you can try this recipe with your favorite breakfast sausage or links too! Enjoy!

Ingredients

Olive Oil (for cooking the sausages and onion)
1 lb South African Boerewors (or your favorite breakfast Sausage), chopped diagonally
1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons, butter
5 eggs
1/2 - 1 cup grape tomatoes - really small ones (however much you want)
Salt and Pepper

Procedure

In a frying pan, heat a little olive oil. Cook the Boerwors until they are nicely browned. Set aside and keep warm.

Clean the pan or at least scrape off the bits and pieces from the sausage. Add another tablespoon of  oil  and the butter. Let the butter melt. Once melted, add the chopped onions and cook until they are tender and slightly brown and caramelized.

 

While the onions are cooking, break 5 eggs and place them in a bowl. Whisk the eggs to combine. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the eggs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

 

Get another large frying pan (other than the one previously used) and add a little more oil. Use medium-high heat and wait until you almost reach the smoking point. The key to a perfect and fluffy scramble is high heat. Once the pan is hot enough, pour in the eggs. You know that your heat is just right when the eggs sizzle immediately upon contact. Let it set a little (just a few seconds) and then add in all the rest of the ingredients (sausages, onions and grape tomatoes). Stir and cook to your desired doneness. This doesn't take very long.

 

Serve  immediately and with rice (at least that's what I'll recommend!), if possible! Enjoy a delicious breakfast!

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Broccoli Soup

We're having a good winter here in Michigan so far.  There hasn't been much snow yet and it's been quite sunny and that's always a good thing. Sometimes we have days were the sun never shows its face so sunny days in winter are always welcome! It's still pretty cold though and despite the sun you still need layers of clothing when you go out and that also means you need a hot and hearty bowl of soup to warm you up.

So finally I decided to make a new soup. I wanted something healthy that doesn't rely on milk or cream to make it creamier or taste better. When it comes to broccoli soup the only ones I have tried are the cheesy ones and I do love them for sure but sometimes when there's too much dairy added you almost lose the broccoli taste. Broccoli almost becomes just a mere addition to brighten the
color and make it look healthy but nothing more.

I wanted the broccoli to be the main star of this soup and not just with a supporting role. With the help of a few wonderful vegetables added to the mix (that means extra nutrients, too!), this has become a wonderful soup indeed. The taste of the vegetables sautéed in a little butter harmonize well and the result is delicious. When puréed it is thick enough and with just the right consistency that you don't need any cream at all to make it thicker or better. A perfect winter soup indeed!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 Tablespoons, butter (optional, increase Olive Oil by another Tbsp if you want it to be fully dairy-free)
3 Garlic cloves, minced
1 large or 2 small to medium onions, chopped
8-10 baby carrots, chopped thinly
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
4 cups or 32 oz chicken or vegetable broth/stock
3 Brocolli trimmed into small florets
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Procedure

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the oil. Once the butter has melted, saute the garlic and onions just until aromatic, 30 seconds or less. Stir in the rest of the veggies and cook over gentle heat until tender roughly 6-8 minutes. Pour in the stock/broth and bring to a boil.

Add the broccolli florets and cook until tender. Remove the pan from the heat and cool a little.

Pour in the contents of the pan into a blender. Process until smooth. Return the pureed vegetables into the pan and then reheat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with some crusty French bread and some green salad! Enjoy this healthy and delicious soup!

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Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie

 

I am a happy mom because I don't have much of a problem when it comes to asking my kids to eat their fruits. They love fruits and I don't even need to ask them, they ask themselves if they want some fruits for snacks. I try as much as I can to give them better snacks and since they always want something sweet - fruits are always the best options.

 

Summer or not we always have fruit shakes or smoothies in our house. Before I came to the US, my shake and smothie combinations were very few and mainly included mangoes, bananas, papayas and avocado and occasionally guyabano (sour sop) - all tropical fruits and flavors. They are all wonderful of course, there's no doubt. But now that I reside in the US - I have all the berries that are otherwise not available in my native land to turn into wonderful smoothies.  Yay!

 

I saw some Kiwis the other day in our grocery store and then some lovely strawberries were on sale too. I thought that these two fruits with contrasting colors and texture might result to a great smoothie when blended together. I added as usual some applesauce to sweeten the smoothie and sort of balance the tartness. I think it worked well for they were gone in seconds when my two tots got a hold of them! That's what I call sucess! Enjoy!

 

Ingredients 



2-3 Kiwi fruits, peeled and chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries (chopped)*

1 cup Applesauce

1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt 

Honey or Brown sugar, about 2 Tablespoons or to taste

Procedure

Place all the ingredients in a blender. Process till smooth. Pour into glasses or jars and serve immediately.  Enjoy.

*Note: I pre-cut the strawberries because they are frozen and it's more difficult to blend/purée them when they are whole. I usually place them on the bottom of the blender to make it easier. Pulse until the strawberries are all broken down and smooth and then process as usual. Enjoy!

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Eggs, Spinach and Mushrooms Skillet

A delicious breakfast or brunch dish - Eggs, Spinach and Mushrooms Skillet. All done on the stove top. Naturally nutritious, low-carb and gluten-free!

If you are a follower of this blog or our Facebook page you would notice that I love to have eggs, spinach and mushrooms for breakfast. I have a few recipes that feature all these three ingredients together in one dish. I think they all work together well that's why. The texture and flavors of each of these lovely and nutritious ingredients all combine to produce a delicious breakfast dish. However, when you have the same recipe all over again you get tired of it no matter how great it is. That's why I make a rotation for these ingredients. I don't cook them together in the same recipe all the time. I try to make variations whenever possible. Here's another lovely recipe using this three ingredients which this time does not involve the oven but just a skillet on the stove top. Easy and pretty to.

Now, depending on how big your skillet and the number of people you want to serve this - you can make up to 5 eggs/5 servings in one go. Since we are only a family of 4, more often than not, we use 4 eggs for 4 servings though occasionally if it's just me and hubby eating, we cut it down to 3 eggs.

While Spinach is my favorite greens to use - feel free to use Kale or Swiss Chard if you like.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive oil (for cooking the mushrooms)
1 (8 oz package) mini-bella mushrooms, chopped
1 (10 oz) package fresh spinach or about 5-6 cups firmly packed spinach
3-4 eggs

A little butter (optional)

Salt and Pepper, to taste

 Procedure

Heat the oil in a large skillet or fying pan. Saute the mushrooms until they are tender and have fully released their water about 6-8 minutes. Set Aside.

Place the spinach in the frying  pan or skillet that you cooked the mushrooms in. Add a little water, 2 tablespoons more or less. Using medium heat, cook the spinach just until wilted, about 2-4 mins. Use either your hand or a spatula to pack in the spinach.

Bring back the mushrooms to the skillet. You may season the vegetables lightly with salt and pepper at this point. Depending on the number of eggs you are using, create wells (if using 4 eggs, then 4 wells) in the middle by pushing the spinach and mushrooms to the side.

Dot each well with a little butter or spray with a little oil.

Crack an egg on each well. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Cook until the eggs are fully set or to your desired doneness roughly 5-6 minutes.





Serve with toast or if you're Pinoy, with rice of course. Enjoy!

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Blueberry Banana and Applesauce Smoothie

Our friend Linda from Project Healthy Ever After hosts a  weekly Smoothie Tuesday Party at her lovely page. There you not only get so many delicious and nutritious smoothie recipes, you also learn about tips and tricks on how to make the best smoothies. One of the tips I learned from her page as shared by one of her readers was - never to use any ice on your smoothie so as not to dilute its taste.
I always used ice in my smoothie and I have never had a problem with it - though I must admit if you put just a little too much ice or perhaps a little more liquid (like milk) then you end with a watery smoothie or a slushie instead. So I thought I'd put this tip to the test with my latest smoothie creation -  Blueberry Banana and Applesauce Smoothie. Instead of using ice, I used frozen bananas and blueberries.

Sometimes when my bananas get too ripe and I don't have the time to make banana bread or muffins - off it goes to the freezer for later use. Now there's a perfect reason to use these frozen bananas. I also for the first time used yogurt instead of the usual milk and then to add another layer of flavor to the mix I decided on the last minute to add some Applesauce. Wow - this smoothie is divine! The flavor was truly more robust when there's no ice. Wonderful! My husband and little William laid claim to the smoothie once it was done! Good thing I took the photos first or else I would not have any proof of how yummy it is! Try and enjoy this for breakfast or as an afternoon pick me up!



Ingredients

2 Frozen bananas
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup unsweetened Applesauce (if sweetened you may not need to add any sweetener at all)
1/2 cup yogurt (plain)
1 Tablespoon - Honey or Agave Nectar (or to taste)
1/4 cup milk, or as needed


Procedure

Peel the frozen bananas. I find the potato peeler or a small knife useful to remove the frozen skin.
Chop the bananas into smaller pieces.

Place the chopped bananas, blueberries, applesauce, yogurt, sweetener and a little milk on the blender. Process until smooth. It will be quite thick but I love it that way. Add more milk if necessary. Adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Pour into a glass or jar. Enjoy immediately!

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Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

The Filipinos have their own version of Pasta sauce. Sweet and spicy meat sauce using tomato sauce or ketchup and some chopped hotdogs thrown in - think Jollibee Spaghetti. It may sound weird to some but Filipinos love it. I do like it, too to be honest. It is flavorful after all. I grew  up with this since this was often our snack for recess during our elementary years. I say this for a fact since  my mom was the Home Economics teacher who help managed the canteen in the public school I attended. I was content with this version of meat sauce (Filipino style for sure!) until I tasted the real thing - I am saying the real Italian Bolognese. You see, a few years ago my husband and I were walking down our street and then we chanced upon a Garage Sale and saw this lovely book "The Ultimate Italian Cookbook" by Carla Capalbo being sold for a whopping $2. I thought then  that it was expensive for a garage sale but the book looked like new and I loved the pictures [hahaha :-)]  so I said, why not? Now it has become one of my priceless treasures and am sure glad it was a $2 well-spent!

One of the many recipes in this book was this beautiful Bolognese Sauce. I was very intimidated at first because it recommended nearly 2 hours of cooking and then some red wine. I haven't really cooked with wine yet at this point (nearly 10 years ago....) and I wasn't sure if I could do this. Oh well, I am one to try a recipe at least once and then see how it goes.

I have never turned my back on this Bolognese Sauce Recipe ever since! Yes, it does take a long time to reach that perfect flavor - but that's a small sacrifice to make to achieve the most wonderful meat sauce that I have ever tasted. I have shared this recipe with a few friends, they've made this and came back to me with a big thank you! They loved it. I served this to some of our guests who came to our house for a visit and to no surprise - they have loved it, too. Now, thanks to this bolognese sauce, I love cooking with wine. I don't drink alcohol but I sure love to cook with it. Makes a huge difference in taste - so from stews, to pasta sauces or even Asian dishes I sure love wine in them!

Try this bolognese sauce - it may take a little effort than a stir-fry and some waiting time - but trust me - a dish this good is worth all the time and effort in the world! Enjoy!

Ingredients 

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

2 Tbsp Butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed  or finely minced (I do whatever strikes my fancy when I make this)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 pancetta (Italian bacon) or regular streaky bacon strips, finely chopped or cut (I use kitchen scissors to cut them and if you don’t like the fat you may trim them out, which I usually do too when I use regular bacon)
1 medium carrot (or about 8-10 pcs baby carrots), finely chopped

1-2 celery sticks, finely sliced

1 lb / ½ a kilo ground beef

¾ cup red wine (white is fine but I prefer the stronger taste of red)

½ cup milk

3 roma tomatoes, diced or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon each –  dried thyme and oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb spaghetti or any favorite pasta cooked al dente.

Chopped fresh parsley to garnish (optional)



Procedure

Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep saucepan. When the butter has melted, sauté the onions and garlic just until aromatic, about a minute.

Add the chopped bacon and cook until it begins to render its fat between 3-5 mins.

Stir in the veggies (carrots and celery) and cook for a further 3-4 mins. Add the ground beef and crumble with a fork to separate. Cook until it is no longer red. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.



Pour in the red wine. Raise the heat slightly and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the milk and continue to cook until it evaporates, too.



Stir in the tomatoes with their juice (if using canned) and the herbs including the Bay Leaf. Bring the sauce to a boil and then simmer uncovered on the lowest setting, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour (pref. 1 ½ hours). Don't worry, it's meant to be a little drier than other pasta sauces. In the end, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, to correct the seasoning, if necessary.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (if desired). Serve with parmesan cheese on the side. This recipe is indispensable for lasagna or for Baked Bolognese. Enjoy!

If you wish to print the recipe, there's a print-friendly icon at the end of the post. Click on the "remove images box" for easy printing.

This recipe was adapted from "The Ultimate Italian Cookbook" by Carla Capalbo.

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Italian Sausage Ragù

Sausage and Pasta are one of the best combinations of food I can think of. The sausage adds robust flavor to the dish while the pasta just readily absorbs the sauce that you mix with it - what a lovely marriage of flavors! When we buy Italian Sausages from our favorite butcher chances are we are having a good pasta dish for dinner! So that Mark can join in he gets his own Brown rice pasta so it's gluten-free and, naturally, everybody's happy.

A ragù is basically an Italian pasta sauce containing meat and tomatoes; in other words, a meat-based sauce. The best example would be Bolognese sauce, which is truly one of my favorite pasta sauces. I am hoping to share pretty soon the Bolognese sauce that I always make for my family so watch this space.

However, a truly super-delicious Bolognese sauce cannot be achieved in a hurry. It can take up to 2 hours or more of slow cooking on the stove-top to get that perfect taste. It is so worth the wait, I must say! Sometimes if I have the luxury of time, especially if I plan ahead, then Bolognese is my number 1 choice. But when I want something flavorful but kind of in the 30 minute range this is my next best choice. It's a pretty easy dish and doesn't need 2 hours to achieve the right flavor although I must say that when I tasted the left-overs the next day - it was even better. That's the beauty of this dish, you can enjoy it the first time and if ever you find yourself having some left-overs then you're in for a yummy treat the next day! So enjoy this easy but flavorful Italian Sausage Ragù.

Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 lb Hot or Sweet (or combo) Italian sausage - diagonally cut
1 medium onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
3 plum tomatoes, diced or pureed in a food processor or 1 (14 oz) can diced/crushed tomatoes (juice included)
1 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
12 oz Penne (or your choice of pasta)
Parmesan Cheese, to pass around

Procedure

Over medium heat, brown the sausages in a little olive oil in a deep frying pan. Transfer to a plate.

Bring a big pot of water to boil to begin the process of cooking your pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions or until al dente (tender yet still firm to the bite, not mushy).

In the same pan where the sausages were cooked, saute the onion until it starts to soften, roughly 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. If it dries out too much, you may add an additional 1 Tablespoon olive oil to it.

Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to remove the browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the diced/crushed or pureed tomatoes (if canned, add everything including the juice) and the dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Simmer on low, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the wine taste is no longer too prominent and the sauce has thickened. Add back the reserved sausages and cook until heated through, another 5 minutes or so. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. And if you wish to enhance the flavors some more,  sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar on the dish (not to sweeten) but just to balance the flavors. This is my natural substitute for MSG. Keep warm until the pasta is ready.

After the pasta has cooked, drain it well. Place in a large serving bowl and then pour the sauce on top. Toss well and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese for added flavor! Delish!

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