Stromboli

A stromboli is a type of turnover filled with mozzarella cheese along with various fillings (pepperoni, vegetables, meatballs, or whatever you prefer). My daughters, especially my eldest, love Italian food, or anything that has cheese in it. They also enjoy this turnover because it's delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients

1 cup mushrooms

1 cup bell pepper

1 cup broccoli

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

Italian sausage crumbles

Turkey pepperoni

1 lb pizza dough

Here are pictures of the procedure:

Strawberry Banana Popsicles

Summer is almost ending, so we went to the Farmer’s Market and bought strawberries. I love going there because the produce is fresh and locally grown. At the same time, it supports the local farmers. Whenever I go to the market with my family, I often see other people buying fresh produce and crafts. There are even other foods available that can only be found in the area.

Also, the Farmer’s Market in our area is closing soon until next summer. This means that the strawberries will no longer be in season, so we want to enjoy one last treat, with these fresh fruits. As a result, we made popsicles out of them, and we also included bananas.

Ingredients

3 cups strawberries, washed and hulled

3 tbs. sugar, divided

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 tbs. flax seed

Directions

1.      Combine the strawberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2.      Divide half of the strawberries mixture between your popsicle molds. (About 2 tablespoons each). Set aside.

3.      In a small bowl, combine the bananas, yogurt, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir to combine.

4.      Add the banana mixture to the popsicle mold, about 2/3 full. Next, pour the remaining strawberry mixture on top. Freeze 4 to 24 hours until it’s completely frozen.

5.      Remove from molds, serve and enjoy!

Recipe Source: http://theslowroasteditalian-printablerecipe.blogspot.com/2012/06/scrumptious-strawberry-banana-popsicles.html

Healthy Banana Split

Banana splits are an ice cream-based dessert. It is served on a long dish called a boat. This is a classic favorite with a twist that you can enjoy without the guilt. It’s a simple dessert that the whole family will enjoy, especially the kids.

It’s summer right now, so I keep on doing posts about beverages, desserts, and cold treats to beat the heat.

Last week, we had a little picnic by the lake, and it was hot in the park, so we indulged in this snack after the whole day, relaxing.

Ingredients

• 1 banana
• 1 tbs trail mix/granola
• 4 strawberries
• ¼ cup blueberries
• dairy-free coconut ice cream
• 2 tbs. semi sweet chocolate chips
• sugar-free chocolate syrup for drizzling
• cherries for garnishing

Directions

1.) Split the banana length-wise and lay the two halves in a shallow bowl

2.) Add in the fruit: strawberries and blueberries 

3.) Scoop out the ice cream and put it on top

4.) Add in all of the decorative ingredients: trail mix, chocolate chips, and sprinkles if you wish 

5.) Drizzle the sugar-free chocolate syrup 

6.) As a finishing touch, put cherries on top 

Enjoy, and keep cool in the heat! 

Strawberry Lemonade

“Love, laughter, and lots of ice –

the ingredients of a great summer.”

-From Kichenomics

It’s 4^th of July today, where we celebrate the independence of our country. Everyone is celebrating with a party or a barbecue and this is a great beverage to stay cool and drink while you watch the fireworks tonight. This drink is also the perfect color scheme for the holiday; which is red, white, and blue. 

Happy Independence Day!

What You Need:

• Fresh strawberries
• Fresh blueberries
• Simple syrup
• 1 lemon squeezed
• Pink Lemonade Vodka (optional)
• 4 cups lemonade
• Lemon lime soda

Directions:

1.) In a bowl, combine strawberries, blueberries, simple syrup, and lime juice to cover the fruit. Let it sit in the fridge for one hour before using.

2.) Start with putting ice in a pitcher. Then put the fruit and syrup mixture. Add lemonade and top off with soda.

3.) Garnish with sliced lemon and strawberry. Enjoy!

Note: How to Make Simple Syrup

1.  Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Heat in a pan until the sugar melts, then put it in the fridge before using.

Dairy Free Halo-Halo

     

"Life is like a Halo-Halo 

Enjoy it before it melts!" - Minda

Halo-Halo is a popular Filipino dessert that is sweet and refreshing. It is typically made with seasonal ingredients along with shaved ice, milk, and other sweet treats. Since the weather is warming up now, tropical fruits are in season and are great for Halo-Halo. The word translates to "mix-mix" in English, which describes how you can mix any ingredients together to create this cold treat. Ingredients include fruits, jams, ice cream, and Halo-Halo mix which can be bought in the store.
For a twist on this classic Filipino dessert, I chose to use dairy-free products since I'm allergic to milk.

Ingredients: 

• Halo-Halo Mix (Monika Brand) 
• 1 medium mango 
• 1 small avocado
• Dairy-free ube jam
• Shaved ice (Use an ice shaver)

     Toppings:

• Dairy-free Coconut ice-cream
• Almond Milk
• Strawberries 
• Banana chips
• Almond milk

Directions: 

1. Start off with putting 2 tablespoons of the mix into the bottom of a tall glass or bowl. 
2. Slice the mango and avocado into cubes and put on top of the mix 
3. Add in any other ingredients such as the ube jam 
4. Using an ice shaver, make shaved ice and put 1-2 cups on top as the next layer 
5. Finally, add in all toppings. As a finishing touch, add in the almond milk and mix all ingredients together. 

Succulents in a Strawberry Pot

On Mother’s Day I made an arrangement out of succulent plants to give as a present. Instead of a traditional bouquet of flowers, this one is an ideal gift because you can grow them and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on these succulents.

A few years ago I bought some strawberry pots, but I wasn’t very successful with growing strawberries. Instead I planted succulents last year and I was surprised that it grew back beautifully in the spring. I mixed different colors, textures, and heights, which contrasted like weeds crawling all over the pot. This is actually a low-maintenance plant, so it’s not very hard to take care of and maintain.

If it grows very big, you can prune it and transfer it to another pot.

This is a very nice present. You can plant it in a differently-shaped pot, mug, old teapot, basket, or anything that you like.

Just make sure that you pick a variety of succulents!

Roast Pork (Crispy Pata)

I’ve been craving for Crispy Pata, so I decided to cook this for dinner tonight.

Crispy Pata is a famous Filipino recipe that uses a whole pig’s leg (or pata). It is made tender for simmering in water along other spices, then deep fried until the texture becomes very crunchy. But instead of frying it, I baked it in the oven until golden-brown and crispy.

I can’t find a pig’s leg, so I just used a picnic pork roast with a bone in it. In the Philippines, this is usually served in a party as a pulutan while drinking beer or alcohol. Many restaurants serve this as a specialty.

Ingredients:

5 lbs picnic roast pork

1 big onion sliced

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp whole pepper corns

2 bay leaves

3-4 tbs salt

1 cup Sprite

Procedure:

1.      Clean the pork well. Cut horizontal slices on both sides.

2.      Put in a pot and cover with water. Add the onions, garlic, and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.

3.      Skim off the scum that rises to the surface.

4.      Boil the pork at medium heat until tender about 1-2 hours. Don’t overcook; the meat should not be falling apart. Drain and put in a rack to dry.

5.      Put in a tray and open freeze overnight.

6.      Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the meat in the tray with racks, and bake for 1 hour, or until golden-brown, and the skin is crunchy.

7.      Serve with soy sauce and lemon dip, or Mang Tomas sauce. 

Note: You can prepare the meat ahead of time and freeze it. Bake it whenever you want to serve it.