Baked Salmon with Pesto and Pecans

Just 3 ingredients to make this easy, quick and very tasty Baked Salmon with Pesto and Pecans. Even non-Salmon fans will love this! 

As any parent would know, it is always difficult or at least a challenge to make kids eat vegetables. Now, think about making them eat seafood, particularly fish NOT in nuggets form NOR coated in bread crumbs to disguise what it really is. Yeah, it can be tricky.

Roasted (Baked) Tomatoes with Pesto and Feta Cheese

Deliciously good, easy and healthy breakfast or brunch solution - Baked Tomatoes with Pesto and Feta Cheese. Completely gluten-free and low-carb, too!

I am not a breakfast cereal kind of person. Perhaps because I grew up eating rice and meat for my first meal of the day that my body seems to always crave something savory and more substantial. For this reason, I am often on the look-out for new breakfast recipes to try, preferably savory and gluten-free, and low-carb, if possible.

Cauliflower Fried Rice

In 15 minutes or less you can make this delicious alternative to fried rice. A versatile recipe, you can add your favorite meat (esp. left-over ones), veggies and adjust the taste to your liking!

One of the loveliest memories we have of Michigan is shopping at Meijer's - a great grocery chain in the Midwest. You're probably asking yourself, "Grocery shopping? How can that be memorable?" You see, shopping in Meijer's was our very first introduction to American culture. The moment we stepped into that huge supermarket, hubby and I were totally astounded with the dizzying variety of what's on offer - seemingly unending aisles of cereals and other breakfast products, endless varieties of ice cream, frozen pizza galore....and what have you. It was quite a sight for us who, back in 2004, were used to smallish to medium size kind of grocery stores and not of the mega-mall variety.  

Balsamic Strawberries with Mascarpone

Hello Spring! You know Springtime has arrived when strawberries are already on sale at the grocery. Over a week ago, we bought about 6 pints worth of strawberries because my kids love strawberries and I usually give them fruits for snack in their school. However, we never got the chance to eat all of them because we were away for a few days. This was the time I met my sister who pleasantly surprised me with her presence on my birthday celebration all the way from the Philippines.

Fried Rice with Aromatic Spices

Tasty and mildly spiced this fried rice is the perfect side dish for your favorite Asian food especially curries and stews. Great way to use left-over rice, too and it's gluten-free!

Since hubby came back from India last December bringing with him a good amount of spices, I have been trying to think of creative ways to use them. Since rice is a staple in our family, I thought it would be great to use these spices to add extra flavor to the usual fried rice. 

Baked Spiced Salmon

I am enjoying the perfect weather we are having this month of September. It is sunny and warm during the daytime ((without being oppressive) and cool enough to sleep at night without having to turn the air conditioner on. The lovely days of September inspire me to turn the oven on and begin baking again not just for cakes or other sweet treats but certainly for savory recipes, too.

Filipino Coconut Chicken Curry

The other night we had dinner over at our friend's house. A missionary visiting from France who spoke at our church last Sunday stayed with them. For his last night we decided to have dinner together, sort of a pot luck. I didn't have time to prepare a main dish as we toured him around the area during the day (though I made some French clafoutis for dessert in his honor). Hubby and I just decided to get a couple of rotisserie chicken as our contribution. 

Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Last week I had been craving for something a little spicy. I didn't really fancy making a curry but thought I'd make it a Mexican night in our house. Before we had kids, I used to make Chicken Enchiladas for hubby and myself but have never ever done another one ever since we had kids. Wow, that's almost like a decade ago.

Gluten-free Apple Brown Betty

We went to Boston a few months ago at a time when we were considering whether or not we would move to Connecticut. Naturally, while there, we checked out some of the historical sites particularly the Old State House. There weren't many of us there as it was winter time - really just 4 of us in the museum including the tour guide. I tried to listen though I have done the tour before and occasionally nod when the guide said something to encourage her and let her know that at least one person was listening to her talk.

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Before I converted my hubby to become a pork and beef lover (particularly ribs), he pretty much ate only chicken. Let me correct that, he ate pork but only in the form of breakfast sausages and particularly the British variety as he believes they make the best sausages in the world - I must say, I do agree. At any rate, he still prefers to have chicken over red meat as he is quite health conscious (I am obviously not as good as him as I love pork too much!).

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

It's summer time and as you know, no one wants to use the oven during sizzling hot days. Hence, the magical slow cooker becomes the numero uno kitchen appliance that comes in handy. This summer I intend to use it for making all kinds of food from appetizers, main dishes and desserts! Love that you can just dump all the ingredients in and voila a few hours later, you have the most amazing, moist and flavorful dish! 

Salted Chocolate Hills

I have attempted to make some snacks for hubby and myself that are healthier and do not contain all the bad stuff that comes from processed food. After some trial and error, I was finally able to make these coconut chocolate almond balls that were really delicious and great for nibbling when your stomach is grumbling. Now, I could have easily just named these as Chocolate Almond Balls or something like that  but hubby had a better idea. 

When he saw what these little chocolate balls looked like (quite dark brown), he said it reminded him of the famous natural wonder in the Philippines called Chocolate Hills in Bohol. Please find below the photo of what the Chocolate Hills look like. From a distance these tiny cone-shaped hills look like chocolate-covered mountains especially during the dry season when the grass has thinned out. He then told me why not name this particular dish - Chocolate Hills as they sort of look like them. Perhaps I need to work more on shaping these little mounds into cone-like structures so they look quite similar to the Chocolate Hills. In the meantime, I thought this should do. What do you think? :)

These little nibbles are a great snack as they are not overly sweet (you can adjust the sweetness to your taste) and has a great contrast of sweet and salty flavors. Since I only used natural sugar such as honey or maple syrup as sweetener, it's actually good for you. Also, these are completely gluten-free, raw, vegan and truly delicious! Enjoy each yummy bite!

Photo credit here.



Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups shredded dried Coconut
1 cup Almond Flour
3 oz dark Chocolate (70-80 %) or 1/3 cup raw Cacao Nibs*
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

1-2 Tablespoons Honey
1-2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

*As Cacao Nibs are unsweetened (not sweet and slightly bitter), you may have to increase the amount of honey or maple syrup by an additional 1-2 Tablespoons or  to taste.

Procedure:

Mix all the ingredients and pulse in a food processor until well-blended. Continue to process until it has a paste-like consistency (a little sticky). Shape into balls by using your hands or use a rounded tablespoon to shape them into hills. Or, if you're not bothered about shaping it just eat with a tablespoon!

Enjoy these yummy snacks!

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Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup (Yummy Recipe to help cure the Flu)

So my dear hubby has the flu.....I feel so sorry for him. I don't like it when he is unwell as it not only makes me sad, I don't like to see him suffer and look sick. But this is one of the hazards of winter that cannot always be prevented.

Being the resourceful person that he is, hubby researched for a more natural remedy to help cure the flu or at least hasten his recovery. He showed me this cooking video from a nutritionist who suggested that this is a wonderful cure for flu. I was skeptical but indulged my honey and watched the video anyway. I was of course intrigued. I like that all the ingredients are natural and for me has the potential of something flavorful.   Sweet potato, ginger, chili pepper and mushrooms to name a few - this concoction must at least taste nice and if it helps cure the flu, even better!

Hubby says, he did feel better after having some. He felt boosted though he's not completely recovered yet. Well, it's only been day 1 so perhaps tomorrow and the next day and a few more cups of this yummy soup then he'll be back to his full healthy self. At any rate, I am sharing this because I actually loved this soup, yes, I had some already - quite a thick one, almost like a puree - it's so flavorful and I agree with the nutritionist, this is a perfect curry base! I will definitely use this recipe for a curry next time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2-3 inch-ginger, finely chopped*
1 red chili pepper, with seeds*
1 large red Onion, chopped
1 large Sweet Potato, chopped
Shiitake Mushrooms (fresh - 4 oz / dry 1 oz), chopped*
Vegetable Stock or broth (32 oz)

*If you don't want it too gingery, you can just use the 2-inch one. That's how I measure my ginger, by it's length and not by tablespoons.

*Hubby only got 1 hot cherry pepper so that's all that I used but feel free to use your favorite hot pepper and adjust the heat to your taste.

*If using the dried Shiitake mushrooms, make sure to rehydrate them first. Just add them towards the end of cooking.

Procedure

Please watch the short video for the full instruction on how to make this flavorful soup. Hope you all feel healthy this winter!

Thai Ginger Chicken

I love stir-fries. They are  not only easy to make, they cook in minutes and the flavors are always awesome! Because it's done in a flash, the veggies tend not to be overcooked and so still retain their nutrients. So, if there is a style of cooking that also showcases fresh flavors from each ingredient, it has to be a stir-fry.

When I was growing up, we had a helper who almost always made us a stir-fry practically every night. It was really flavorful and she would always tell us that her secret ingredient in making it tasty is the fresh ginger. Of course, when I was young I didn't really care much for it. At that time, I still didn't know how to appreciate the importance of using spices such as ginger to liven up the flavor of a dish. I just wasn't much of a ginger fan then. But now that I have been cooking for more than 10 years, I am happy to add fresh ginger to a dish whenever suitable. It just lends a wonderful aroma, just enough pungency and zest to any dish, whether sweet or savory. That is what you will get from this Thai Ginger Chicken dish, a gingery flavor that adds complexity and depth to this yummy stir-fry without overpowering it. Of course, the flavorful sauce combo of fish or soy sauces plus oyster sauce makes this a truly delicious dish! Don't forget to serve with freshly cooked Jasmine rice.

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons Fish sauce or Soy Sauce, or to taste*
1 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1/2-1 Tablespoon brown Sugar, or to taste
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 lb Chicken breast(s), cut into bite-size chunks
4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
3-inch size fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced thinly (you can also cut them up like matchsticks)
1/2 cup Mushrooms,* sliced
1 medium yellow Onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips*
1-2 Thai Chili peppers, chopped (if you like it spicy though you can remove the seeds so it won't be too hot)
1/4 cup or a small bunch of Green Onions/Scallions, cut into 1-inch length
Some fresh Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Note: I used fresh Shiitake mushrooms as I had them at hand. If using this, use about 6-8 pieces, depending on their size.

I added yellow peppers because I had some but 1 red bell pepper is enough.

If you don't fancy fish sauce or cannot find it, you can replace it with soy sauce. Feel free to adjust the quantity to suit your taste.

Procedure

The key to making a successful stir-fry is to ensure that all the ingredients are prepared/measured beforehand, placed in individual bowls/plates and are within easy reach when cooking. The cooking itself would be so quick that there's no time to be looking for or measuring ingredients so make sure you have everything ready.

Combine the fish or soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar  in a bowl. I usually taste this and see if I like the flavor combo that comes out 'cause sometimes I don't measure when I cook so feel free to so use your taste buds, too. Set aside. Have the bowl nearby. 

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan on medium high. When hot add the chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Push the chicken pieces to the side and quickly add the ginger and garlic and let sizzle just until aromatic; this is just a matter of seconds. Add the chopped onion, mushrooms and bell pepper and continue to stir-fry for another 3 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the veggies are tender. You can also add the Thai chili peppers, if using. Pour the sauce then stir to ensure everything is nicely glazed. Add the green onions then give it another quick stir. Remove from the heat, garnish with some fresh cilantro and serve with jasmine rice. 

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Gluten-free Waffles

My family loves breakfast! We consider it one of the most important meals of the day. While we often don't have the luxury of having a hot and prepared breakfast everyday, on weekends I make it a point to make something that my kids love and the whole family enjoys. While pancakes are a great favorite, my kids last year began clamoring for some waffles. I told them I had to find some waffle maker first. Off we went to the thrift store - I didn't want to immediately buy a new one until I actually knew how to make a waffle. I have been wanting to buy this all-clad gorgeous Belgian waffle makers but oh-boy they are way to expensive and beyond my budget even when they are on sale so I thought, I'll have to check out the second hand store first. Thankfully, we found one that looks like new and hardly used if at all - though I must say, beside it was a gross-looking waffle maker that looks like it was never ever cleaned properly as grease and stain was all over it. I wondered why they were selling that one. We passed on that and quickly grabbed the unused and almost brand-new looking one. We came at the right time!

Almond Carrot Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten-free)

I love Carrot Cake!!! Do you? I love it so much that it was actually our wedding cake - yes, inside all that fondant is this moist and scrumptious carrot cake.... I preferred it over the chocolate cake that was suggested by our cake maker. Truth be told I don't remember anymore, what the taste was like during the wedding....I am sure it was good as I loved it when I had a taste test but I was too excited about everything that was going on during the wedding day that I probably just got one bite of it - perhaps even done for the sake of having a wedding photo showing I was eating the cake....or something like that. Nonetheless, my love for the Carrot cake didn't end with my wedding cake. I still often order it when I am in Starbucks or other cafes. I did attempt once to make it but I can't remember now how it fared 'cause this was nearly 10 years ago, just after we were married. Perhaps it was bad that I never made another one.

Well, it's been 10 years since we had gotten married - Nov. 22, 2003 so I thought it was time to make some delicious Carrot Cake. However, since hubby is doing gluten-free, I decided to try a gluten-free version of Carrot Cake, with trepidation as I was totally unsure of how it will turn out. Oh, am I so glad that I made it. To be honest, I think it's even better than the regular white flour version. It is so moist and flavorful and the cake even after a day or two - retains the moisture - and, in fact, improves its flavor as it ages. Wow! I added some spices for extra flavor and they were a perfect complement to the creamy, cheesy frosting! I honestly think this is the best Carrot Cake I've had in years, I surprised even myself. The only comment hubby had (apart from totally enjoying it, too!) was to add some raisins next time. Since this was a first time experiment I thought I'll do it plain and basic first though after the first trial I fully agree that adding raisins would totally put this over the top. Since it's already made of almond flour - I didn't add any more nuts but feel free to do so when you make this - some extra crunch in there certainly can only make it better, right? So, please enjoy this gluten-free Almond Carrot Cake! I sure hope that you will enjoy this as much the whole family did. :-)

Ingredients

1/2 cup gluten-free Flour* (like King Arthur's)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
4 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups Sugar
1-2 Tablespoons Maple syrup
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cups grated Carrots
2 cups ground Almonds

For the frosting:

8 oz (1 block) Cream Cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup Confectioner's (Icing) Sugar
2 teaspoons fresh Lemon juice

Handy Tools:  mixing bowls, electric mixer

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter an 8 x 8 square baking pan/dish. Line it with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks, sugar and maple syrup until thick and creamy. You may occasionally have to scrape the sides of the bowl. Stir in the lemon zest.

Transfer the egg mixture to another large bowl. Stir in the grated carrots, ground almonds and gluten-free flour mixture.

Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. In two batches, fold in the egg whites into the carrot mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan/dish. 

Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until top is golden and springs back when you press it lightly. 

Let the cake stand for about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

In the meantime, make the frosting. 

For the frosting:

Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in the icing/confectioner's sugar and the lemon juice. Mix just until everything is combined and has reached a smooth consistency.

When the cake has fully cooled, frost it. Generously spread the frosting all over the cake. You may have a few tablespoons left-over. The photo shows quite a thick frosting and I took the liberty of making it that way since the cake is pretty thick and since it's also gluten-free - quite dense. The light and fluffy, creamy frosting provides a great contrast of textures and flavors and so the cake warranted a thicker frosting, at least in our opinion. Feel free to halve the recipe if you prefer a slightly thinner frosting.  

The cake is great to eat on the first day but it gets even better as the days pass so I suggest make this at least a day ahead. Once you have iced the cake, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 4 days, assuming it lasts that long...I seriously doubt it. :-D Please enjoy.

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Beef Caldereta (Kaldereta sa Gata) - Beef Chunks Stewed in Coconut Milk

Kaldereta belongs to the category of comfort food in the Philippines. It is a favorite dish that is often served in weddings, birthday parties, certainly Fiestas and other special occasions. Like many other Filipino dishes, it has some Spanish influence particularly in its name which originated from the Spanish word - caldera/caldero - which means "cauldron." It's a tomato-based stew as many other Spanish-influenced dishes in the Philippines are, but the Filipinos gave it a unique twist by adding either liver spread, coconut milk, peanut butter and sometimes cheese for extra flavor. It is traditionally made with goats meat but more often the beef version is the most popular one though depending on one's diet and preference you can also find "kaldereta" made with chicken or pork. Others like it spicy, while others prefer it creamy or just more tomatoey. 

Baked Eggs with Herbs and Tomatoes

It's been awhile since I wrote a breakfast post which is funny because I have quite a few recipes for breakfast that I haven't blogged yet. I thought that for today's post, it's got to be breakfast. Last weekend we made this easy and scrumptious Baked Eggs with Herbs and Tomatoes for brunch. I love that it is such a versatile recipe --- you can vary the tastes by flavoring this very simple tomato sauce with some spices like curry or chili powder, or by adding pesto instead, or using a variety of herbs like basil, parsley or cilantro/coriander perhaps. The sky is the limit! For brunch, serve this with some crusty bread that you can use to mop up the sauce. :-D

Sweet Red Pepper and Cheese Frittata

Growing up, we always had hot breakfast. It was just the norm. We would wake up to the aroma of rice cooking in the pot and some eggs being fried or scrambled and often with some meat or fish (for my Dad) on the side.

Classic Chicken Adobo

If there is a dish that the Philippines is known for it's got to be Adobo. While the word "Adobo"  certainly has Spanish origins (the Philippines has been colonized by Spain for nearly 400 years), this particular cooking method and dish is indigenous to the Philippines.