What is quinoa? Pronounced as “keen-wah”, quinoa is a type of crop in which seeds are edible just like rice. Because I’m a rice lover, as well as my whole family, and time and time again we have to remember that white rice contains lots of sugar, I had to find alternatives to rice that I can incorporate in our daily menu. Since the kids will be at home because of an early vacation (I don’t want to use the recent announcement of “lockdown” in Metro Manila as a reason since I tend to hyperventilate...

Today March 8 is International Women’s Day and because I admire many women and I also strive to live up to my full potential, and most of all because my kids are at home and I have time in my hands (thank God to all of these, we are also healthy) I thought I’d bake some cupcakes which will be my ode to motherhood and to all deserving women out there. Soft, fluffy, and sweet – butter cupcakes Butter Cupcakes RecipeActually, in this recipe, I cheated because I used a prepacked cake mix Maya Butter Cake Mix. Instead...

If you haven’t had any kind of sisig yet, it’s a Filipino dish made of crispy fried pig’s head and chicken liver. However, because we all loved this dish so much, so many varieties of sisig already came out. My favorite is the classic pork and sisig but this time, I tried this squid sisig for a change. Squid Sisig using Seaking Squid Bits I always tell my husband and my kids that for us to be healthy, we need to eat a balanced diet and that we try to eat different ulam, always veggies, minsan chicken, minsan...

What can be a better way to jumpstart my passion for treats and desserts this year than a cold, chocolatey dessert? None, so I went ahead and made a couple of chocolate milk Panna cottas as our dessert for the day. Lucky for me because I happen to have a huge bar of VanHouten milk chocolate given to me as a gift from a friend from his recent trip to Japan. Knowing how this friend of mine is so much into business, I asked him if he is planning to sell VanHouten soon, and he said yes. So if ever you want to buy stocks of chocolate milk...

Are you ready for your New Year’s resolutions or are you, like others, say that you are already weary of it? As for me, if I may share it, I don’t have one either, not because I don’t believe in resolutions but because I’d like to call it more as my list of challenges come Year 2020. My 2020 list of challenges to nurture my self and make a positive difference to others Year 2020 is a big deal for me because first, it’s the start of a new decade. With God’s help, this decade will mean years...

Have you tried serving mocktails at your Christmas party? Well, there’s a lot of reasons why you should. Here’s a list I know you’ll enjoy: 1. They are fizzy and bubbly  – Sparkling wines are perfect for happy occasions such as Christmas because of all the fizz and bubbles they make as you pour in your glass. 2. They are healthy and non-alcoholic – Looks like it’s alcoholic but it’s not. Both kids and adults can enjoy drinking sparkling wines and even pregnant moms too! Heart-healthy...

Have you used your slow cooker lately? I just did. I had this craving for some sweet, smoky ribs with meat falling off from the bone. Thanks to my tiny slow-cooker, I just bought a couple of fresh pork ribs from the grocery, the pink ones, marinated them in the morning, slow-cooked in the afternoon and they were ready for dinner for the four of us. If you are having the same craving, then why don’t you try this simple recipe. The flavor may not that be complicated as the ones in the restaurants but I’m sure you’ll...

So how did the contest go? The battle for the best potato and dairy dishes was a huge success! (Read more about the Spuds and Dairy Culinary Cup in my earlier post). You’re probably wondering why I’m so excited about this. It’s simply because I’m a huge fan of cooking competitions and potatoes and dairy are just some of my favorite ingredients. They’re so versatile, don’t you agree? Also, cooking competitions bring out the best in the contestants and highlight their creativity. The event was hosted by disc jockeyChico Garcia...