Ginger

I am a facebook follower of Wai Lana, a popular Yoga and Natural Health advocate.

Wai Lana's Kitchen tip of the day: Besides lending zest, vitality, warmth, and energy to fruit and vegetable juices alike, ginger helps conditions like asthma, cough, cold, congestion, flu, high cholesterol, water retention, nausea, irregular or painful menstruation, constipation, and poor circulation.

Here's a simple recipe of Wai Lana's ginger tea (from her post Ginger for Winter Ills, Oct. 16, 2009):

2 cups water
¼ cup diced fresh ginger
2 tsp. honey

Boil the water, then add the ginger and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain into a cup and add 2 teaspoons of honey (or to taste). If you like, you can add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the pot to increase the stimulating, heating effect. Let me forewarn you now, though: This tea is fiery! Sip it—don't gulp it down.

Fried Okra

I finally made the fried okra recipe. I had it for lunch today! I first heard about it when a high school friend mention it on facebook. I got curious, so I looked it up in the internet. It is such a very simple recipe and yet, it is really good.

I plated it and took a picture...for souvenir =)

Callos and other firsts...

I cooked Callos for lunch today...first time and more of a testing. It's just alright, looks and tastes like Callos!

Today, I bought pork liver and it's also a first time... When I saw it in the market, I suddenly craved for fried pork liver that my mama and grandpa used to cook. My first time also to clean and slice an innard, and it went just fine!

I think, what I still can't really do is clean a live fish or any other seafoods!

My Mama's birthday!

Today is mama's birthday! I missed the celebration in Bacolod. Sis said they're having valenciana...it's my favorite and I really miss it! To celebrate in my own little way, I cooked spaghetti with chicken ala king sauce. I made it extra hot and spicy by adding red pepper flakes.

My new diet snack...

Since I’m on a diet (starting when...until when? I don't know hahaha!), I decided to have that new Whole Wheat Crackers from Rebisco as my snack. It’s fine by itself, but having them everyday makes it kind of boring to eat anymore. So, I made a simple “dip” to go with it. Just a little mayonnaise – miracle whip because it claims to have lesser fat – and freshly snipped chives. I am thinking a sandwich spread would be nice because it has pickle relish in it, I just don’t know yet if there is one with less fat. The chives gave it a garlicky taste and it’s so “herb-eliciously” good! Hmmm…looking forward to my afternoon snack…

My recipe for succesful cooking...

Since I started cooking, I realized that the following are needed to make it successful!

1. Right and sufficient ingredients (of course!)
2. Common sense
3. Love and care for those who will eat them
4. Passion for cooking
5. Practice (So true, practice makes perfect!)

Now I know why in country magazines, recipes for spreads and jams are always featured. They are such a joy to make. There is the anticipation of how the finish product comes out. And when it comes out just right, you’ll be proud of yourself. If not, well, there is such a thing as next time and by then, you’ll know what to do.

The first cheese spread I made tasted like pizza flavor!
My fresh tomato jam was fine, although it’s not that sweet (the way Ilonggos like)!