With only 1 ingredient and just a few minutes to make these Parmesan Crisps are the perfect low-carb snacks or as crunchy topping for soups and salads!

Ever since I have tried these delicious Parmesan crisps I have been addicted to them! I have eaten these years ago but have never attempted making them thinking that perhaps it's complicated. Ha! I was totally wrong!! A few days ago when we bought some parmesan cheese from the grocery I finally decided to make it at home. It was so easy!! Crazy easy!! How could I have not done this before?

So for the benefit of everyone else who loves parmesan crisps but never dared to make them, this is for you.

I love that not only is it great as a low-carb and gluten-free snack (perfect for hubby's diet!!) it is quite versatile and may be used as topping. It's great to add flavor to soup and when crumbled over salad! However you wish to use these crisps - they are guaranteed to be delicious!

Best of all - it only requires one ingredient --- just Parmesan, that's all. Make it soon!

How to make Parmesan Crisps

By: Manila Spoon
Published: 03/11/2017

With only 1 ingredient and just a few minutes to make these Parmesan Crisps are the perfect low-carb snacks or crunchy topping for soups and salads! Gluten-free!

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Measure a heaping tablespoon of the grated parmesan. Place in a parchment lined baking sheet or silicone baking sheet like a Silpat. Repeat until all the grated Parmesan is gone. Leave a space of at least 1/2 an inch between the parmesan mounds. Gently pat down or flatten the cheese - this is to ensure they are spread out a bit and not clumpy - the thinner - the crispier the result. 
2. Bake in the preheated oven for about 4-6 minutes or until nicely golden and crisp. Cool and enjoy!

Yield: 8-10 pieces
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 05 mins.

Cook time: 00 hrs. 05 mins.
Total time: 10 mins.
Tags: Gluten-free, low-carb, snack, Parmesan Cheese, Salad Topping, Easy, Recipe

Italian Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup

In 30 minutes you have a delicious, nutritious and hearty soup for the whole family -  Italian Sausage, Kale and White Bean Soup. Easy recipe, too.

Winter season is soup season indeed! Since winter is also the season when you most likely will get sick or catch a bug, I want to make sure that I feed  my family healthy and wholesome food, too. As we all know green and leafy vegetables are one of the best sources of nutrients and Kale is certainly often considered the queen (or was it king?) of greens! Naturally, since it's not exactly candy material and the bright tint of green doesn't excite my kids either - I need to devise some ways to make them eat this healthy veggie!

12 Tried and Tested Zucchini Recipes

12 tried and tested, family-friendly, sweet and savory recipes that use summer's favorite vegetable - Zucchini!

I am a happy Mom when my kids willingly eat their vegetables. One vegetable they don't  snub is Zucchini. Perhaps because I add Courgettes (the british name for Zucchini) in breads and cakes but, certainly, they love them in savory dishes, too! Over the years,  we have enjoyed these sweet and savory recipes that all use Zucchini! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Sautéed Zucchini with Lemon and Parmesan

A quick, delicious and healthy way to use up all these summer squash is to make Sautéed Zucchini with Lemon and Parmesan!

We are at the peak of Zucchini season and it would certainly be hard to miss these tasty summer squash. They are everywhere from the Farmer's market to your favorite grocery and yes, of course, in your neighbor's vegetable garden! In our house when I have already baked 3 Zucchini breads in a row in less than a week, then you can be sure it truly is zucchini season!

Layered Overnight Oats with Fruits

Make it the night before and wake up with a very tasty breakfast! Overnight flavored oatmeal, sweetened with a little honey and layered with fruits - healthy and delicious!

My family loves breakfast and we consider it as the major meal of the day - the meal that propels us throughout the day. As you can imagine it's not just a piece of bread and coffee. Having grown up in an Asian household, I am used to breakfast with rice, eggs and some meat - yes, quite heavy. While I continue to serve hot and cooked breakfast to my family, I am glad that for busy, crazy days I have a delicious and healthy alternative that requires barely 5 minutes of prep and best of all may be done the night before!!!

Easy Grilled Asparagus with Parmesan

Simple, delicious and healthy, this easy grilled asparagus takes less than 5 minutes to make!

This is such a crazy week for us! We recently bought a home, just last week actually. We've been renting an apartment the past 2 years since we moved to New Haven, Connecticut. We knew it would be a temporary arrangement and the right time has arrived to move to a new place. Are we excited? We certainly are!!!

Taos Tumble Salad

Crunchy tortillas and cumin-flavored dressing give this southwestern-style salad its delicious flavor! With few ingredients and just 5 minutes to make - it's a winner every time!

My kids have been really feasting on this salad for the last couple of days!! I am so glad I finally found a salad that they truly love and there's no argument to be had when this delicious dish is offered. I call that a big win!

Roasted Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Lemon

Garlicky, buttery, lemony and so tasty are these roasted broccoli florets! Quick and easy to make, low-carb and naturally gluten-free!

Back when we were still living in Michigan, a good friend of ours invited us for dinner at their place. I have always enjoyed the food she served as they were simple, totally uncomplicated, yet very tasty. She had to adjust her cooking style and choice of food early on because her kids suffer some allergies and couldn't tolerate certain foods. Since she had to often use very basic ingredients - just pure whole foods - I truly loved the simplicity of her cooking and how she made them quite tasty, too. I especially loved the way she cooked her vegetables.

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.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Lassi

*These products were given to us free to sample as members of the Chobani Parents Club. All opinions are my own. #Chobani #ChobaniKids

Oh glorious autumn....the cool crisp weather, the falling leaves and the delicious flavors of the season! I am not a fan of winter at all but fall.....I love, love fall. I wish after Fall we can skip winter and proceed to spring so that after the bright reds, yellows and oranges of autumn we will immediately be treated to the delightful sight of vibrant green. 

One Pot Meatballs and Zoodles (Zucchini Noodles)

Last weekend we attended the fair at Durham here in Connecticut. I believe it is the biggest in the state, much anticipated and certainly well-attended. There was so much to see and check out that you can honestly spend an entire day during the fair without getting bored at all. My kids and I had a lovely time checking out the rides, games and exhibits and the animal shows. I have honestly never attended a fair this huge so it was something new and exciting for me.

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.

Cooking, on occasion, is a shared chore between my husband and myself. I am so glad for that because there are times when I am not able to cook and when that happens, I am not worried because I know that hubby has a few recipes up his sleeve that he can easily whip up for the family. Sometimes, he just feels like giving me a break, too and then he cooks his favorite recipes that we all enjoy. On other times, things are just hectic and that's when I need an extra hand in the kitchen to help speed things up and that's when he is so handy, too!

Like in this particular day, a few days ago, when we were all set to leave for the UK for a holiday. Our flight was in the evening but we still had to make it early enough to the airport which was in New York so things really got busy in the morning with all the last minute packing and, of course, preparations for breakfast. Thankfully, hubby and the kids came to the rescue! We divided the chore - kids set the table as usual while hubby and I set off to make the food.

We had some food we needed to eat up before we left and we didn't want to just throw them away. We had some assortment of food - quinoa, fresh tomatoes, eggs, bacon and kale. I felt like we were in Chopped trying to figure out what to make with these ingredients. Thankfully, my creative and quick-thinking husband decided he would make quinoa with some scrambled eggs and bacon - which I thought was a fabulous idea! I decided I had to do something with the kale and so my kids would eat it (they had to anyway!) I thought I'd make it a bit more palatable by adding some bacon and garlic. So in the end, we had a delicious breakfast as you can see in the photo - it all came out well. It was a sweet ending as all the food that needed to be used up were not wasted and put to good use. And most of all, I have this quick and easy Kale dish for you to enjoy. Only 3 ingredients to make this tasty and somewhat healthy side dish (it's got Kale!)! Experiment on the seasoning and use either some soy sauce or oyster sauce to replace the salt and pepper to make an Asian-flavored side dish! Enjoy!

Sautéed Kale with Bacon and Garlic

By: Manila Spoon
August 8, 2015


Who says Kale cannot taste good? Add some bacon and garlic and you're all set - Sauteed Kale with Bacon and Garlic. Naturally, gluten-free and low-carb!

Ingredients

• 3-4 Bacon strips
• 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 2 packs (5 oz each) Baby Kale
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a wok or a large skillet, cook the bacon until it has rendered its fat and has turned crispy. Break the bacon into bits. Set aside.
2. Pour out the bacon grease from the pan but leave about 3 tablespoons for cooking. Saute the garlic cloves briefly until aromatic.
3. Add the kale leaves, stir and cook until wilted. This doesn't take very long perhaps about 3-4 minutes depending on how tender you want the kale to be. Season with salt and pepper. If you fancy some Asian seasoning instead, replace the salt and pepper with soy sauce or oyster sauce, to taste (about 2-3 teaspoons).
4. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the bacon bits. Enjoy immediately.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 15 Minutes

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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. 

Ginisang Munggo (Mung Bean Soup / Stew)

With beans, spinach, tomatoes and meat this hearty and healthy soup is filling and delicious!

Mung Beans or locally called "munggo" is considered a staple food in the Philippines especially in the provinces. Just a small amount of mung beans with added meat (like chicken, pork, or shrimp) or even meatless truly goes a long, long way and can easily feed an entire family. I think that's why it's quite popular. Not only can it feed a lot of people - it is also quite cheap and also very nutritious! If you're abroad, you can find mung beans either in the Asian section of your grocery or in any Asian store.

20 Wholesome and Delicious After School Snacks

Tomorrow my little boy begins his first day of school for the 2014-2015 academic year. He is going to 3rd grade. He's excited to go though a little bit nervous because this is a new school for him as we transferred from Holland, Michigan to Connecticut this summer. Thankfully, last week he already met two of his classmates during a soccer camp. With at least two familiar faces in a different and new environment, it won't be totally alienating or strange. I hope that he'll easily gain new friends like he did in his previous school. But, as you know, being a Mom, I worry more for him than he does.

Grilled Swordfish with Olives and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Now, if you love to eat fish, you'll love this recipe. It is so truly wonderful and the proof - I almost never got the chance to photograph this dish as the only one left of it was the smallest piece of swordfish steak after hubby and I happily ate the bigger meatier pieces. Hence, what you are seeing is the last remaining piece. In fact, I had second thoughts about posting this recipe because I wasn't very happy with the photo as the swordfish steak was quite small but then when I recalled how delish it is - I said, I'll post it anyway as I didn't want any of you to miss this recipe nor let it be buried in my pile and then completely forgotten.

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!

Heart Healthy Yummy Granola

I am not very keen on cold breakfast. If it was possible, I'll always have a hot cooked breakfast. I think it's because this is what I am used to. I grew up having a hot cooked breakfast ready and prepared when I woke up. That's just the way it was. My mom or our help would make it for me and my siblings and we were expected to eat and finish it all. Often it would be rice, naturally, with either eggs and some meat or fish dish. I really loved it and to this day, I wish I can have a daily Filipino breakfast.

However, the story changed after I got married. I don't have my Mom here and I certainly cannot afford a maid so while I often still make a hot breakfast, there are days when I am thankful for a box of cereals or granola that I can quickly grab and prepare instantly. Nonetheless, since I know that many of the store-bought cereals are pumped full of ingredients that are not always wholesome, not to mention sugar-loaded, I have decided to make my own homemade granola mix. With this, even though it's a cold breakfast, I can be assured I know what's in it and can take comfort that it is actually quite healthy and good for the heart because of its naturally nutrient rich ingredients.

This recipe was handed to me by a friend that we visited a few years ago in New Jersey. I am thankful to her for sharing this as my family truly loves this. I only made very minor tweaking to it. For those who have wheat sensitivity, just replace the wheat with ground flax seed. Enjoy.

Ingredients

8 cups old-fashioned rolled Oats
1/4 cup brown Sugar
1 cup shredded Coconut
1 cup Wheat Germ (or ground flax seed)
1 cup chopped Pecans or Walnuts/Almonds (or a mix)
2/3 cup Coconut Oil*
2/3 cup Honey
Dried fruits (optional)

*If you don't have or don't like Coconut Oil, you can replace it with a good quality neutral-tasting vegetable oil.

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Mix the oats, sugar, coconut, wheat germ (or flax seed) and nuts. Set aside. Mix the oil and honey. Pour the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well. Spread the mixture evenly in a lightly greased deep pan (like a 9x13 pan) and bake for 30 minutes.

Stir the mixture after baking and then let cool completely. Add some dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, apricots, etc. if you like. Store in an airtight container and enjoy with some fresh milk.

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Fruity Kale Salad with Asian Vinaigrette

So many of us, I assume, already know the health benefits of Kale so I will not repeat all that information here. And if I am wrong in my assumption, it's quite easy to google it anyway, right? :-)