#WeightLossJourney | DIE-ING WITH A T.

I have to lose a lot of weight. My youngest brother is getting married in October, and I do not wish to look like the mother of the bride. I have been trying to eat healthy since the new year, but that's just it, I still eat, and have not really watched how much I stuff into my mouth.

Two weeks ago, I was told that a nutritionist was downstairs offering a diet plan to employees looking at losing weight. I went and got myself weighed and tested, and whaddya know?! I was _ _ pounds overweight!!! Let me leave you to imagine those double digits, but yes, I am way, way above the average and ideal.

So to jump start that diet, I signed up. We were to follow the diet plan, which consisted of two shakes to replace breakfast and lunch. Then overall consumption for the day, including the shakes, was a certain number of calories - my magic number was 1,100. Yes, poor me. :(

My 1,100 calorie meal plan.

So far, after 10 working days, I have lost 6+ pounds. That isn't so bad. Now because I have had liver problems in the past, I have weaned myself off those meal replacement shakes, and have decided to look for green smoothie recipes that more or less give the same or lower number of calories. Because I really love green juice, I have decided to just stick to it. So far, I've found three.

Recipe is from the Blendtec recipe site.

Recipe is from the Blendtec recipe site.

Recipe is from the Blendtec recipe site.

Today, as I drank my smoothie, I kept thinking of food. I am dreading the next few days as we go on a staycation for the Easter holidays. Why is it so easy to gain weight and yet so hard to lose some? I am telling you, all that shake, chicken and fish will shoot out of my ears soon! But my metabolic age is even higher than I thought it would be! So I really have no choice, lest I want to be obese in my senior years. Yes, it is sad and crazy!

But after two weeks of dieting, I feel better physically, really. I look at how flatter my stomach is, and it gives me good vibes. Next week, I will start joining my artist at the gym upstairs, if only for cardio exercises. Yes, this is really it. I need to start caring for myself.

Cheers to Die-ing with a T. Who am I kidding? LOL! Good luck to me!

#HoarderDiaries | HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I had a low-key birthday this year.

Usually, I celebrate with a lot of food. This year though, it being extra busy and stressful, both at home and at work, I didn't have much time to prep anything - let alone cook. I had received a new toy a few weeks ago though, and had been wanting to try it out. So when my birthday came around, I thought it would be the perfect chance to test out my new Severin Wafer/Cone Maker!

My kids are really fond of Sugar Cones. I know, added sugar to an already sugar high treat. But I am not a fan of those bland cones either, thus I give in when they pick the sugary ones out at the supermarket. So when I was given a Severin Wafer/Cone Maker, the thought of making my own cones just tickled my imagination! Yes, the possibilities! I can even use this for Bento!

I went searching for a recipe that was more on the crepe side. My kids love a good crepe as well (the Severin Crepe Maker is next on my to-buy list!). So when I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, I knew that with a little tweaking, this would make a good waffle wafer cone recipe!

From my kitchen to yours.

Initially, the thought of making these cones from scratch intimidated me. But when Michelle invited me to attend the Severin and Braun event a few weeks back, I saw just how easy it was to make my own with the Severin Wafer/Cone Maker. Did I say easy? I meant VERY EASY!

Eggs and Sugar. Whisk until frothy. Nope, no need for an electric mixer!

Whisk in all other ingredients. 

Whisk! Whisk! Until smooth and thin.

Once your Wafer/Cone Maker is hot and ready, pour about a tablespoon or two of the batter in the center. Cover.

And after two minutes, VOILA! 

Once you have your waffle wafers cooked, it is important that you mold them while hot. They will crisp up once set. Use a cone molder or a cup to make your waffle wafers into wafer cups.

Mold into cones...

...or cups.

Or let them set as is and have waffle cookies instead!

I made the wafer cups early morning with the intention of taking them to the office on the first workday after my birthday (my birthday this year fell on a Saturday). While I was cooking a batch, my kids already ate about five cups! I had to make two recipes worth!

WHAT I LIKED:

Convenient

Easy to Use

Easy to Clean

Use of Own Recipe

Compact and Stores Easily

FUN!

Mmm... home made waffle wafer cups and cones with my fave Macapuno Ice Cream!

So good!

Next time, I shall bring the batter and the Severin Wafer/Cone Maker to the office. These are so good while hot and fresh from the griddle!

Office peeps excited to try it out!

My dad is happy to have some ice cream. He can eat ice cream everyday!

Yup, Happy Birthday to me!

~~~ * ~~~

Severin and Braun small kitchen appliances are distributed locally by Colombo Merchant Philippines. Aside from Severin and Braun, Colombo also carries the Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Beurer and Minox. 

ABOUT SEVERIN

Did you know that Severin has been making quality kitchen appliances for over 60 years? What actually started as a Blacksmith shop 120 years ago has evolved into one of the most prestigious German companies! You can purchase Severin appliances locally from Anson's, SM Appliances, Abenson, S&R, Rustan's, True Value, Gourdo's, Santis, Wellworth and from Duty Free Philippines.

THE SEVERIN WAFER/CONE MAKER retails for P2,395.

Titas at the Severin and Braun event. Thank you, Mish and Colombo Merchants!
(from L-R: Didi, Mish, me, Cai, Tina and Patty)

| facebook.com/Colombophils

Making Homemade Yogurt!

My little boy is a yogurt addict. We used to purchase over two dozen cups a month, maybe more. But then, I always thought the ones being sold in supermarkets (at least the flavored ones) were too sweet. My uncle makes his own yogurt at home and once, during a meeting a few years back, he told us how relatively easy it was to make your own. So, last year, I decided to get on Google to see if I can make some for RL. Apparently, most sites call for a candy thermometer. I had planned on getting one, until I stumbled upon one of those how-to videos on Youtube that claimed you can actually gauge by touch. Also, if you were to use Ultra-Pasteurized, UHT or milk that wasn't raw, then there really is no need to boil your milk to a specific degree.

Websites with homemade yogurt tutorials will tell you not to use UHT or store-bought milk because apparently, UHT milk won't set into yogurt. However, I've read on other forums, especially ones based here, that you can make yogurt with the boxed kind, even powdered full cream milk, and hello, let's consider availability. Let's be practical.  Admit it, we don't really have good milk in Supermarkets. And I don't want to have to go to Tagaytay or Market, Market, etc just to find good milk for my yogurt. My goal was to make one with less sugar. And who knows what kind of milk commercially-made yogurts have in it anyway? 

So I went ahead and tried to make a batch. I took pictures of that first batch but they are now buried somewhere among the 6,000 photos on my iPhone. So a couple of weeks ago, when we made our nth batch, I decided to take photos again for this post.

The key to good Yogurt is good milk (how bad for us, no? LOL) and starter. So far, I've made milk from whole milk - both the ones available in Supermarkets (Hacienda Macalauan, California Sunshine, etc) and the ones being sold by suppliers (Mr. Moo, Milk Man, etc). When I don't have access to good milk, then I make from boxed "fresh" milk. LOL! The batch I made for these photos, I used boxed Cowhead milk (not powdered). Apparently, according to Chef in Disguise, Sawsan, and one of her readers, you can make yogurt from all sorts of milk, even soy milk (but not almond milk)! I love this blog of hers, by the way.

Anyway, here's a step-by-step guide on how I made my yogurt.

To make about a liter of yogurt, you're going to need the following:

1 Liter Milk

1/4 Cup Starter (yogurt with live bacteria)

1/4 Cup Powdered Milk

When I don't have old yogurt to start my process, I just toss in the whole container of store-bought yogurt.

Sauce pan to heat your milk
Jar or Container for your yogurt

Step 1: Heat your milk in a pot. You must boil first if you are using fresh/ raw milk, then cool it down to about 40°C. But if using UHT or store-bought milk that has gone through sterilization, then you only need to heat until it is40°C. If you don't have a candy thermometer, you want it to be warm to the touch.

Using a pasta pot to heat my milk. 

Step 2: Transfer milk to container. You can check if milk is warm to the touch or too hot by dipping a clean finger for a few seconds. The temperature must be warm enough, but should not feel like you are burning the tip of your finger. If too hot or scalding, cool down first. You will kill the live bacteria in your starter if your milk is too hot.

You can use an ice bath or a cold water bath to cool down your milk if you've heated it too much.

Step 3: When your milk is at the right temperature, add 1/4 cup of powdered milk. Carefully mix it in. NOTE: You should only do this if you want yogurt of thicker and creamier consistency. I used Birch Tree Full Cream Powdered Milk as it was the only thing available at home. 

Step 4: Add 1/4 cup of starter. Most recipes call for 1 tablespoon, but if you want your yogurt to be a tad sour, use more. I usually just pour in the whole small container of store-bought yogurt, if I don't have old homemade yogurt to use as starter. It doesn't matter if you are using a flavored starter, the flavor will be mild, you won't notice the taste in your homemade yogurt anyway. You just need to make sure your starter has LIVE MICROORGANISMS. Or you won't get your yogurt. And yes, you can use Yakult! Also, keep in mind that your starter MUST NOT be cold. You need it at room temperature to get those live bacteria going. Mix into the milk with slow upwards strokes (please don't ask why, I just followed one of those how-tos I watched, haha).

TIP: I usually take the starter out of the refrigerator right when I'm about to make a batch. It should warm down enough to the right temperature when you're about to pour it in. 

Step 5: Cover container. In order for your milk to turn into yogurt, you need to keep it covered in a warm place. You must put it in your "incubator" (for lack of an appropriate word!) for it to set properly. Some people put their yogurt in an oven or a cooler. I usually just wrap the jar or container in a blanket, place it in a large pot and forget about it for about 6 hours or more.

The longer that incubation period, the thicker the consistency of your yogurt and the more sour it will be.

I usually just use the same pasta pot to incubate my yogurt. I wash it first, of course. LOL!

I used RL's Mickey blanket (as it is small enough to wrap the jar and fit in the pot) as a jar warmer.

After about 4 hours (and since it is warm in the Philippines), you can check on your yogurt. If it is warm enough, it would have set already. We like our yogurt tart, so we make our yogurt late at night, and leave it incubating 'til morning (about 8 hours). Usually, the right consistency and taste is achieved after letting it set for 6 hours. But really, it depends on you and your taste buds. 

Photo of a different batch. Checking after 4 hours if yogurt is ready.
Powdered milk means less whey on top. 

Et voila! Homemade yogurt! 

Yay! Homemade yogurt! In my beautiful Ball jar from Paper Chic Studio.

You would want to keep about 1/4 cup of yogurt as you make a batch - to use as starter for your next batch. Homemade yogurt can keep to about 2 weeks (sometimes more) when kept in a cold refrigerator.

I must warn you though. This is plain yogurt. You can sweeten with fresh fruits or honey. Or even sugar (at least, in your desired amount!). My son loves strawberry yogurt, but the fresh ones don't really sweeten the yogurt the way he wants it to taste like (sobrang nasanay sa store-bought ones, haay), so I use Smucker's Strawberry Squeeze. Yum! 

You guys should try Smucker's Squeeze!
Available in leading supermarkets, in Strawberry Fruit Spread or Grape Jelly.
Also in Reduced Sugar Strawberry.  

I love how I can control portions and how sweet I want his yogurt to be. I, however, eat my yogurt plain as a topping for cereals, instead of milk. Sometimes, I add a teaspoon of honey. Basta, it's good, and way, way better than store-bought.

Yogurt with fresh Philippine mangoes! Nom!

Also, I've recently discovered that you can make sour cream from your homemade yogurt by mixing in lemon juice (or calamansi) and letting it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours. I've used this as a dip for chips, too (I actually didn't wait for two hours, more like two minutes, haha)!

Homemade yogurt, anyone?

#ThrowbackThursday: Ratatouille!

Yes, again! Today is all about food. Don't ask me why.

I was going through Facebook's new timeline and saw that my old notes now appear on my info border. Stumbled upon this note, which was an original post on the SYSU Gourmet Blog (now defunct), which I initially wrote for (the first few issues were written by moi, I think this was my last post) back when I was still handling brand with the food group.

So, in honor of #ThrowbackTuesdays, and so you readers get to try something "Filipino-Mediterranean" (as I've labeled it since we tried to localize the dish), below is my post about making Ratatouille with what we have on-hand in the Philippines. Enjoy!

Rainy Days Come and Go... 

Have you noticed how terrible the weather has been lately? Well, back in June and July, we hardly had rain. Then towards the end of last month, we'd have really weird weather - scorching hot mid-days, then pouring rain in the afternoons! This makes for very lazy weather, don't you think? :P Makes you want to head to the mall and chill out, huh? Maybe take in a movie or check out some of the new food places...

Speaking of Movies and Food... (what a segue!) We were able to catch the advanced screening of the new Disney Pixar Movie, Ratatouille (pronounced as Ra-Ta-Tu-Wee). And we must say we LOVED the movie. Hmmm... not really sure about the Kikkoman Brand Manager though, she winced each time she saw all those rats onscreen (who could forget the scene where the ceiling falls and the colony is exposed? hahaha!) but the rest of us sure loved the movie! So much so that we got so curious about the real Ratatouille - the dish and not the... uh... Rat (whose name's Remy, by the way). So right after, we searched the net for the easiest Ratatouille recipe there is, only to be disappointed because all the recipes called for baking (and we didn't have an oven on hand... *sigh*). But one 5-star recipe we did find had dozens of comments, and we poured over each one, curious to see if anyone tried making the dish stove-top style. And there was this one college girl who got so interested in the dish because of the movie. Like us, she didn't have an oven, so she decided to toss everything in a saucepan instead. The end result turned out great or in her exact words -fabuloso! Ha! We decided to do the same thing. We headed over to the nearest supermarket, bought the ingredients available in the Philippines and went home to make our own version of Ratatouille. And boy, we were in for a treat because the dish we made already smelled delicioso right when we were making it. and it tasted great too (we actually zipped through the whole pan)! And yes, it didn't exactly look like the Ratatouille masterpiece Remy made in the movie... uh... ours looked a bit like mush. but hey, if mush tasted this good, we'll have mush everyday! :)

My very first attempt at making Ratatouille.

Ratatouille 
Ratatouille is a mediterranean peasant dish. Apparently, this is one cheap dish in places where all the ingredients come cheap (read: not in the Philippines, haha), but we tweaked the recipe a bit and came up with an affordable yet hearty (can we say delicioso again?) version.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp La Espanola Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 large cloves Garlic, minced (you can add more if you LOVE garlic)
1 large White Onion, sliced
1 large Eggplant, thinly sliced
1 large Zucchini, thinly sliced
1/8 Squash, peeled and thinly sliced (yes, take out the hard skin, of course!)
1 Green Bell Pepper, cut into strips
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into strips (optional)
1/2 Cup Mushrooms, cut into strips (we used oyster mushrooms)
2 large Tomatoes, chopped
Salt to taste
Pinch of McCormick Rosemary
1/2 Cup Clara Ole Three Cheese Spaghetti Sauce
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese (divide into 5 parts, parts depend on the number of veggies you are using)
1/4 Cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Procedure:
1. In a large saucepan, saute Garlic in La Espanola Extra Virgin Olive Oil until light brown in color. Add half of the sliced Onions until Onions are coated in oil.
2. Add Eggplant. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and some of your Parmesan Cheese. Mix well. When Eggplant is half-cooked, add the Squash. Sprinkle a pinch of Salt and some Parmesan Cheese. Mix well. Add the Zucchini, sprinkle again with a bit of Salt and some Parmesan Cheese. Mix well. Add the rest of the vegetables (Mushrooms, Bell Pepper, Tomatoes and remaining Onions). Sprinkle with a bit of Salt and some Parmesan Cheese. Mix well.
3. Add Clara Ole Three Cheese Spaghetti Sauce, small pinch of McCormick Rosemary and the remaining Parmesan Cheese. Mix well.
4. Put on medium heat until the sauce comes to a boil.
5. Transfer to a foil pan or microwaveable container. Sprinkle Mozzarella Cheese on top. Serve over pasta, rice or as is.

You may opt to put the dish in the Toaster Oven for about 3 minutes (or 30 seconds in the Microwave) to melt the cheese, if you wish. The good thing about Ratatouille is that you can freeze leftovers and the vegetables still come out crunchy when reheated. It actually tastes a lot like lasagna. Difference is, this is made entirely without meat, and the ingredients are good for you. What more, you can try making this dish for your kids while the movie's such a hit. Don't say we didn't warn you if they start asking for more.

Birthday Blowout - DAY 7

The next giveaway needs no introduction as I often blog about this brand, but let me give you a brief history. Clara Ole makes the best Tomato Sauce. But did you know that Clara Ole started with jams and preserves in 1987? Their tomato and spaghetti sauce line launched in 2001. Many of you think it is imported but it is Proudly Filipino. Did you know that this brand was named after a grandmother? Yes, aptly named after Clara, wife of Ruben Sysu, founder of SYSU International, Inc.

I make the best spaghetti in town (ask my family, friends and officemates, and they can attest to this fact). LOL! But it's true and Clara Ole is my secret ingredient. Have you tried making spaghetti using Clara Ole? Try it and taste the difference. I use a mix of Tomato Sauce and the Three Cheese Spaghetti Sauce. Nothing compares to the Three Cheese, I tell you. Even the imported brands pale in comparison.

Find out more about Clara Ole's history here.

TODAY'S GIVEAWAY IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU BY CLARA OLE!

Each Clara Ole gift pack contains (1) Tomato Sauce, 250g; (1) Chunky Tomato with Three-Cheese Pasta Sauce, 225g;
(1) Barbecue Marinade Hickory, 225g; (1) Ora Mix Mo Java Rice, 120g, and (1) Dips n' Dressings Thousand Island, 120g.

CLARA OLE TOMATO SAUCE
The delicious and flavorful blend of Clara Ole Tomato Sauce has NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS nor preservatives. It contains Lycopene, Potassium and Iodine.

Kaye says: I think the best thing about this product is that it contains NO ADDED MSG.

CLARA OLE PASTA SAUCE - CHUNKY TOMATO WITH THREE-CHEESE
Bring this well-loved, classic combination to your dining table with Clara Ole's ready-to-use pasta sauce. Enjoy sweet, juicy tomatoes with the full bodied goodness of select Italian cheeses. Simply as it is, try with beef, chicken, tuna or shrimp. For a more aromatic gourmet delight, combine with lots of basil!

CLARA OLE BARBECUE MARINADE - HICKORY
Clara Ole's marinades make grilling fun, easy and delicious! Take meat, marinade for about 30 minutes or more (I prefer to marinade overnight), then cook. You will never go wrong with Clara Ole's Barbecue Marinades.

CLARA OLE ORA MIX MO - JAVA RICE
I think I've blogged too much about this particular product. Hehe. This fried rice mix has NO ADDED MSG. All you have to do is heat oil in pan, put in your rice, add some Ora Mix Mo, mix and serve. Java Rice is my new favorite but you may try the other variants as they are good, too!

See my blog about Clara Ole Ora Mix Mo Java Rice here.

CLARA OLE DIPS N' DRESSINGS - THOUSAND ISLAND
Clara Ole Thousand Island Dips n’ Dressings is blended with just the right sweet and sour blend of pickles, herbs and spices. It is perfect for salads, appetizers, burgers, cocktails and chips. I'm not much of a Thousand Island girl, but this, I love.

I have five (5) Clara Ole gift packs to give away. You know the drill. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be picked over the weekend. If you're from outside Metro Manila, I think I can ship this to you, but you may have to shoulder shipping. (Sorry, single mom, limited budget). Otherwise, pick-up is from any House of Praise store.

On Facebook: /myclaraole
www.claraole.com

+K to Gourmet!

Have you checked out Kikkoman on Facebook? I have and I just love their new app - the Kikkoman Gourmet-nator! So cool!

You are welcomed by a Refrigerator. Click on it to open, then pick out the ingredients you have on hand.

Once you've chosen your ingredients, click on the "Let's Gourmenate" button...
...and Voila! The app presents you with recipes for your selection!

The app is fairly new (it was launched recently) so there are still a limited number of recipes. But this will be updated in the coming weeks. Kikkoman is adding more and more recipes to this new Facebook app everyday!

I love Kikkoman! Who doesn't? It is a classic! Did you know that the Kikkoman recipe for excellent soy sauce has been around for over 300 years? Their soy sauce is naturally brewed like fine wine. No wonder it is the world's leading soy sauce brand! Most local soy sauce available in the market today are non-brewed soy sauce - made in a matter of hours from hydrolyzed vegetable protein and caramel coloring. Kikkoman, on the other hand, uses the same centuries-old recipe, making sure we get the best seasoning with every bottle we buy. You can actually taste AND smell the difference!

PORK HUMBA

Ingredients:
600 g - Pork Kasim, diced 2 inches
1 cup - water
1/4 cup - garlic, chopped (4 cloves)
1/4 cup - vinegar
1/4 cup - sugar
1/2 tbsp - KIKKOMAN Soy Sauce
1 piece - Bay leaf
1 tsp - whole black pepper corn
2 tbsp - oil
450 g - potato wedges
4 - whole eggs, boiled

Procedure:
1. In a sauce pan, over high heat, brown Kasim on all sides. 2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to boil, then lower heat to a simmer. 3. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

But Kikkoman doesn't make just Soy Sauce! They also make other sauces to enhance your meals, and help you make easy, gourmet dishes at home. Aside from their many soy sauce varieties, Kikkoman also makes Teriyaki Marinade, Teriyaki Sauce, Sukiyaki Sauce, Tempura and Noodle Sauce.

What's more, Kikkoman recently launched their Soy Sauce in the New! 100ml stand-up pouch! Everyone's favorite soy sauce is now made even more affordable to Filipino consumers. With this new pack size, you're sure to enjoy your favorite Kikkoman dish everyday!

Transform your ordinary, everyday dishes to gourmet dishes with Kikkoman!
Available at leading supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores and selected market stalls nationwide.

Kikkoman Gourmet-nator
Kikkoman's Corner
www.kikkoman.com

Back to School!

It's that time of the year again! A is back to school, this time at her new big school! I can't tell you exactly how excited she was to be taking the school bus for the first time in her life. I know I wasn't excited to wake up at 430am (the bus swings by our place at 530am). Gaaaah! Yes, so early! Was it this early when we were kids? I don't know, really, I never took the bus service to school. But nowadays, with traffic et al, and given my situation, I have no choice but to let A take the bus (to her obvious delight).

Back to school means back to making imBento lunch! Yes, I wasn't too eager to get up so early, but surprisingly found myself creating something for my girl. My nanny found it quite amusing that I was rearranging my daughter's baon. Hey, I can't help it if I felt like making imBento so early in the morning.

This was what I made for A today. 

Homemade Pork Siomai with Rice; Oreo for dessert!

We made homemade Pork Siomai last night. And since A and I could both eat Siomai everyday, that's what she requested for lunch. A lot of my friends have been bugging me for the recipe. I don't really have a recipe-recipe, since I throw everything together and mix in the soysauce, etc. But my husband, kids, brother, helpers (you get the idea) all swear it is good. So here's the recipe for you, NappyKaye-style. Feel free to add stuff to your liking. It's a simple recipe I learned from a friend's cook. You can add a dash of sesame oil to the mixture if you want it smelling more asian. 

Enjoy! Can I just say it again, I CAN EAT SIOMAI EVERYDAY. Nomnomnomnom!