Coconut Macaroons

Finally a new post from me huh! Well, my family and I went on a trip to Missouri/Illinois that's why I was MIA for almost three weeks. We got back last Sunday...and after three days of sleeping in, unpacking, doing the laundry, uploading photos, cleaning up and attending to all those stuff that needs attention after a trip of any length, my daughters and I were finally able to bake something to share with you. It's nothing fancy actually...just a simple, easy to bake treat that's perfect for dessert or tea time especially to those coconut loving people out there. I'm talking about these Coconut Macaroons...

These treats are different from the Coconut Macaroons which are common here in the US. This kind of macaroons is what I may call the Filipino version and was the one I used to love when I was growing up. It's not the crispy cookie kind...it's the kind that's soft and chewy on the inside and a little crispy on the outside. In the Philippines, Coconut Macaroons are usually made and served during the holidays and other special occasions. They don't require much ingredients and are very easy to make. You basically just mix and bake. Sound easy enough? Well, try it and see for yourself. 

Buko Pandan

Pearl of  My Sassy Chef and Thea of Words and Nosh are January's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge hosts...and since Thea's birthday is this month, they came up with a birthday celebration theme. The challenge is to prepare a favorite birthday dish (entree, dessert, snack, or drink) and make it more healthy by making it into a vegetarian/vegan, lower fat, dairy-free or low sugar version.

My birthday falls on Dec. 25, and I grew up celebrating my birthday with lots of mouthwatering holiday food. But aside from Beef Caldereta and Pancit Canton, if there's one thing that I always want on the dining table for my birthday, it's Buko Pandan...a very simple yet so deliciously refreshing dessert that I really love.

Buko Pandan is a favorite Filipino dessert which is a combination of shredded buko(young coconut) and pandan(screw pine) jelly mixed with table cream and condensed milk.

In the Philippines where pandan can be found everywhere, this dessert is traditionally prepared by boiling pandan leaves until all the juices are released. After removing the leaves, the liquid is then used to make the jelly. Here in my side of the world where pandan is hardly available, I use pandan extract instead. To give the jelly a richer flavor, I use coconut juice in place of water. 

So how did I make my usual version of buko pandan healthy? Well, I made it low fat by using light table cream and fat free condensed milk. And instead of powdered gelatin, I used agar-agar bars. Though a bit tougher and less floppy than gelatin, agar-agar which is made from seaweed is a great and healthier substitute. It is fat free, low in calories and high in calcium.

With those simple alterations I made, I can say that I made a totally healthy version of buko pandan...

Check it out and let me know what you think! 

Cheers to good health!!!

Buko Ice Candy

Here's another ice candy flavor that you'll love...Buko (Young Coconut)! I made this for my Foodbuzz 24x24 Kamayan Dinner yesterday!

Check out this very refreshing summer treat!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded young coconut (I used frozen)
• 2 cups coconut juice (I used frozen)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cans Nestle table cream
• 2 cups milk