Ginisang Repolyo (Sauteed Cabbage) with Ground Pork and Tofu

If you want something quick and easy to prepare, then this Ginisang Repolyo is what you're looking for. With just a few ingredients, you'll have a yummy accompaniment for rice in no time. The best thing about this dish is its versatility. In this recipe that I am sharing with you today, I cooked the cabbage with ground pork and tofu, but you can also use beef, chicken or even shrimps.

This is one healthy dish that's worth trying! My daughters who aren't big fans of cabbage love eating this. I'm pretty sure you will love it too!

And in case you will have leftover, you can use it to make lumpiang gulay. Just drain it and wrap in spring roll wrapper and you'll have yummy lumpia! :)

National Soyfoods Month

Did you know that April is National Soyfoods Month? Well, it is...and though we're already halfway through the month of April, it's not yet too late to learn about soyfoods and how they can be incorporated into our everyday meals. I'm certain that many are familiar with soy and eat soy products on a regular basis, but for sure, there are some who haven't even heard of it and its benefits.

Soy is a versatile bean native to East Asia that's known as "the meat of the field" because of its high protein content. It is also low in saturated fat and contains other essential nutrients such as calcium, iron, zinc, folate, fiber, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids, and several of the B vitamins. Soy can be eaten as a replacement for dairy and meat. Soy foods include soy milk, tofu, tempeh, soy flour, soy yogurt, miso, soy beans and soy nuts. Eating more soyfoods in place of animal-based protein sources lowers saturated fats, cholesterol, and calories in our diets which can help lower risk of hypertension and certain types of cancer.

The Soyfoods Association of North America (SANA) provides information about the health benefits and nutritional advantages of soy. SANA also offers fun recipes and convenient ways to incorporate soy into our everyday meals.

Baked Rellenong Pusit

Next to shrimps and crabs, squid (or pusit in Filipino) is my favorite seafood...and though I love adobong pusit and calamares, this is how I enjoy it the most..

This is called Rellenong Pusit (Stuffed Squid) in the Philippines. Relleno is a Spanish word which means filling, but Filipinos use it to refer to anything stuffed and is one of the many culinary influences that we got from Spain. Filipinos stuff almost anything --- from vegetables like eggplant and ampalaya to chicken and seafood like fish, squid, crabs and even mussels.

The traditional Rellenong Pusit is stuffed with sauteed ground pork and vegetables like carrots, celery and tomatoes, and then pan fried. But this one that I'm sharing with you today is a little different. Not only is it baked, the filling is also different. It's made of spinach and tofu(though it also has a little ground pork, just to be sure that my daughters will eat it)!

This is really a very appetizing and healthy way to enjoy squid. It may look a little complicated but it actually isn't. Just clean the squid, do a little sauteing and stuffing, and VOILA - a delicious Rellenong Pusit! Check it out...

Pork With Tofu and Black Beans in Oyster Sauce

Since I started cooking, oyster sauce has become so handy for me. It is one condiment that I find so ideal in creating flavorful dishes. I just love how well it works with anything! Whether it be beef, pork, poultry, seafood or vegetables, the savory flavor of oyster sauce will definitely create an amazing dish out of it.

Whenever I run out of ideas of what to prepare for dinner, oyster sauce always saves the day! I just combine whatever ingredients I have and cook it in oyster sauce...and VOILA, we have a yummy dish like this...

This Pork With Tofu and Black Beans in Oyster Sauce is another one of those many dishes that I came up with using oyster sauce. It's a combination of lean pork cubes, fried tofu and freshly cooked black beans and bell pepper for added flavor. For the steps in cooking beans, go here. 

Before going to the recipe, I would like to take this chance to thank my new blog friend, Balvinder of Gluten Free Food for giving me The Liebster Blog Award. Liebster is a German word meaning "dearest" or "beloved".  I am truly thankful to Balvinder for considering my blog dear to her. :) If you haven't been to her blog yet, do check it out and be amazed with Balvinder's tested gluten free recipes!

I want to pass on The Liebster Blog Award to five bloggers that I recently came across and are becoming dear to me as days go by. They are:

Alaiyo of Pescetarian Journal

Elpiniki of Tomato Sauce

Gurshiba of Exquisite Niche

Juliana of Simple Recipes

Reena of Achu's Amma's Kitchen

♥♥♥Please take the time to visit and give them some blog love!♥♥♥

Now, let me bring you today's recipe: Pork With Tofu and Black Beans in Oyster Sauce. This is very simple and versatile! You can add whatever you think will please your taste buds. You can also omit the pork and it will be perfect for a meatless meal. :)

Happy Leap Day everyone!

Mussels and Tofu in Sweet Smoked Paprika Sauce

Today is Ash Wednesday which starts the Season of Lent for Christians around the world. For many, Lenten traditions include fasting and/or abstaining from certain food. I grew up observing the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent. I know that many Catholics whether Filipino or non-Filipino observe this. To make it a little easier for my readers who do, I'll be sharing non-meat (by meat, we only mean beef, chicken and pork...fish and seafood are not included) recipes starting today and in the next Fridays within the 40-day period of Lent. This is what I did last year, and many found it helpful so I'm doing it again.

Let me start with this mussels recipe that I came up using the smoked paprika powder that I received from La Chinata two weeks ago.  

You see, I am a fan of paprika...but only the regular or plain kind. I like how it adds color and flavor to fish, shrimps and meat. The McCormick brand is what I buy most of the time. I've also used store brand ones like that of Kroger & Walmart...but I honestly have never tried high quality brands nor other varieties of it like the pimentón de La Vera (smoked) kind nor the dulce (sweet and mild), agridulce (bittersweet and medium hot) and picante (hot) ones. 

La Chinata offered to send me samples of their Sweet and Hot Smoked Paprika Powder, and I accepted. I haven't seen this brand in nearby stores so I thought this would be a good chance to try it out.

 

From the moment I opened the can, I already smelled the difference. Unlike the regular paprika, this La Chinata paprika powder which was made from Capsicum annum and longum peppers that are dried by smoking using oak wood, has of course a distinct smoky aroma. 

Yesterday, I made this Mussels and Tofu in Paprika Sauce. This is a very easy to prepare mussel dish which I came up from the simple ingredients I have in the refrigerator. For this, I used the sweet smoked paprika that I got because I didn't want it to be too strong for my daughters. I must say it worked really well on this dish. It was just an experiment, but since it came out good, I want to share it with you. The mild smoky flavor of La Chinata Sweet Smoked Paprika brought the ordinary mussels to a different level.

So, did I like La Chinata Smoked Paprika Powder? Yes! Will I recommend it? Yes! But let me tell you that in choosing the paprika for your dish, you should consider what kind of flavor you want for it. You should decide first whether you want it sweet or hot, mild or pungent, and from there you can choose what paprika variety you prefer. 

I haven't tried other brands of smoked paprika so I am in no position to say if La Chinata is the best. But if just for the smoky flavor and aroma, it's good enough and I will definitely recommend it.  If you want to try it for yourself, you can check out CASA PONS USA and La Tienda.

Shrimp and Tofu Lumpiang Sariwa

"Delight yourself in the LORD; 

And He will give you the desires of your heart." -Psalm 37:4

I fell in love at a very young age. Are you wondering how young??? Well, I was only 13 years old when I had my first boyfriend. Though many were saying that it was just puppy love, at that time I was sure that it's true love. I believed he's the one...but HE WASN'T. Though first love relationships can last for some people, for us it didn't. He left me for another girl just two months after my 18th birthday. And yes, my heart was torn into pieces. For more than a year, I felt devastated and I cried every day for over a month. But hey...don't feel sorry for me! My love story didn't end there! Two years after that break up, God answered my (and my mom's) prayers...the right man came along and my heart became whole again. Yes, you're right...I'm talking about Ryan - the man I am happily married to! God is good you know! Just when I thought I lost my one true love, God was actually leading me to the perfect person to spend the rest of my life with. He just made me and my first love cross paths just so I can better understand what matters most in life. When I realized that, all the regrets I've been having suddenly went away...and my life turned brighter. After a few years, I managed to be friends with my ex...and as years go by and I fall more in love with Ryan, I become more and more thankful to him for breaking my heart. It was probably one of the best things that happened to me. Not only did it make me a better person, it also led me to the perfect life that I have now. What could be better than that??? Truly, God knows what my heart desires - a simple happy life with a man who really loves me and two beautiful daughters who never fail to put a smile on my face! ♥♥♥  

This month's Kulinarya Cooking Club Challenge hosts, Abigail of My Nappy Tales and Marni of Kensington Kitchen want us to share a dish that reminds us of our first love. But that's not what I'm doing. Instead, I am sharing with you a dish that reminds me of those wonderful first years of my relationship with Ryan while we were still taking up engineering at the University of Santo Tomas(UST). Those were the days when we didn't have money to eat at fancy restaurants, and a twice-a-month date at either Goldilocks or Shakey's Pizza just across the UST Engineering Bldg. in España was all we could afford. 

Aside from Pancit Palabok, Filipino-Style Spaghetti, Lumpiang Shanghai, Pork Siomai, Chicken Lollipops, Bistek Tagalog, Binagoongang Baboy, and Baked Macaroni, there is this food that we really loved to eat at Goldilocks. Not only is it delicious, it's also cheaper thus perfect for our tight student budget. Just as the two of us were falling more in love with each other, we were also falling for Goldilocks' All Veggie Fresh Lumpia which is similar to the Chinese non-fried spring rolls. We just love how good those strips of carrots, green beans, mushrooms, squash, and lettuce were rolled in soft lumpia wrapper and topped with their signature lumpia sauce. We've honestly eaten tons of it, and had I not started making it at home, we could have been awarded  Goldilocks' Most Frequent Fresh Lumpia Eaters. LOL. Kidding aside, Fresh Lumpia is really delicious that's why we really love it.

For my Kulinarya entry, let me share with you my version of fresh lumpia. This is not all veggie, it has shrimps and tofu too, so it's tastier! I'm sure that like us, you will find this irresistible to fall in love with...

 

Teriyaki Pork Chops with Tofu & Green Onions

Last Saturday, I got the chance to cook for our goddaughter's combined baptismal and birthday celebration. It was tiring but it's all worth it especially when I saw how the guests liked all the food! There's really a different kind of satisfaction when other people (who aren't your family nor friends) say that the food you cook taste good! It was such an awesome experience to be able to cook for someone else's party! It's like I'm on a different level of cooking. (LOL) Before I share with you today's recipe, let me share with you the 7 dishes from last Saturday. They are all among the favorite food that I've already featured here so this will be like putting these dishes back on spotlight in case you've missed them from my previous posts.

Pancit Canton

Chicken Afritada & Bistek Tagalog

Chicken Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes & Chopsuey

Embutido & Filipino Egg Rolls

And this is the birthday girl with her mom! Isn't she cute???!! I'm really glad to be part of her wonderful birthday celebration! :)

Now, for my Monday recipe...

I want to share with you my Teriyaki Pork Chops with Tofu & Green Onions. This is one dish that I love cooking pork chops with. It's so simple to make and is always a hit here in our house! Clarise and Cherlin just love Teriyaki sauce.  I always make it from scratch the way Ryan was taught by his office mate when he was in Japan. This is such a tasty dish that your family will love. The good thing about this recipe is that it also works with chicken, beef and even salmon. Adding tofu and green onions is optional. Even without them, the dish will be good enough. I just love tofu so much that's why I added some. :)

Ingredients:

• 6 pcs. pork chops
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 pcs. tofu, fried and cut into about 1/2 x 2 inch-strips
• 6 stalks green onions, chopped
• salt & pepper
• For the Sauce:
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup cooking sake
• 3 Tbsp sugar

Kingfish and Tofu in Oyster Sauce on Good Friday

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life"

Today is Good Friday....a day of strict fasting and abstinence for Catholics. Those who are over the age of 18 and under the age of 60 are required to fast, which means that they can eat only one complete meal and two smaller ones during the day, with no food in between. Catholics who are over the age of 14 are required to refrain from eating any meat, or any food made with meat. May this Kingfish and Tofu in Oyster Sauce recipe I'm sharing today help my Catholic followers in the observance of Good Friday.

I wish you all a prayerful day! May we all have the blessed opportunity of meditating more deeply on the mystery of God’s great love for us...and may this change us from the inside out, so that God's love might burn brightly in our heart and in our soul! 

*I'm sharing this on Fat Camp Friday, Friday Potluck@EKat's Kitchen and  Feed Me Friday.

Prep Time: 20 mins               Cook Time: ~15 mins                Servings: 4                     

Ingredients:

• 4-5pcs. fish steak, sprinkled with salt and fried in 3 Tbsp olive oil until both sides are light brown ( I used Kingfish steak)
• 2 pcs. tofu, fried and cut into 1" cube
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 thumb-sized ginger, julienned
• 1 small sized yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 3 stalks green onions, chopped
• 4 Tbsp oyster sauce
• ¼ cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

   

Adobong Sitaw with Tofu

When it comes to Filipino cuisine, I can say that adobo is the most versatile dish. You can cook adobo with almost anything...from seafood, poultry, pork and even vegetables.

Adobong Sitaw (String Beans Adobo) is the most common vegetable adobo dish in the Philippines. It is basically string beans cooked adobo style, i.e., with garlic, onions, soy sauce and vinegar. Many cook it with pork to give it a meaty taste, but it is optional. As for me, I always cook it with pork so my kids would eat my adobong sitaw. But if you are a vegan, you can cook it without the pork. I also add tofu most of the time. I just love tofu so much that I want to include it in my recipes whenever possible. 

If you love string beans, this recipe is for you! :)

* I shared this on What's Cooking Wednesday,  What's on the Menu Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday.

Prep Time: 10 mins               Cook Time: ~30 mins                Servings: 4                       

Ingredients:

• 2 bundles string beans
• 1 cup pork strips
• 2 pcs. tofu, fried and cut into strips
• 1 medium-sized onion, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. vinegar ( I used spicy white vinegar)
• 3 Tbsp. water
• ¼ tsp. black pepper
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• salt