Sauteed Ampalaya (Bitter Gourd) with Egg and Ground Pork

Honestly, I've never been a big fan of bitter gourd or what's called ampalaya in the Philippines. My mom who was diabetic used to cook it frequently when I was young...but she knew that my brother and I couldn't tolerate its bitterness so she didn't mind if we didn't eat much of it.  As I grew older, I got to understand and appreciate the health benefits of ampalaya...but I still can't make myself love it as much as I love other vegetables. I do eat it...but I don't find that much enjoyment in doing it as much as my husband does. He is an ampalaya fan, you know...and it's because of all its nutritional benefits. You see, behind its ribbed and wrinkled surface, ampalaya is a highly nutritious vegetable that is very low in sugar and fat, but high in fiber. It contains vitamins A, B1, B3, B6, C, E and K as well as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and also antioxidants. 

The hubs loves ampalaya in Paksiw na Bangus and  Pakbet, but this Sauteed Ampalaya with Egg and Ground Pork is his most favorite ampalaya dish. I usually cook it with lots of ground pork so my daughters will find enough reason to eat it. 

I learned from my mom that to get rid of the bitter taste, the white pith in the middle of the ampalaya should be completely removed. Dredging the ampalaya with generous amount of salt and leaving it for a few minutes before rinsing thoroughly would also help. I have always followed the mentioned preparation techniques, and I must say it works. The only disadvantage of doing this is you also wash away some of the nutrients in the ampalaya with all the rinsing and soaking you do. But I guess getting rid of the bitterness and allowing you to enjoy a more delicious dish is all worth it! ;)

Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce

My daughters are vegetable loving kids...and I may say that they enjoy their veggies as much as they enjoy desserts. Both of them love most of the vegetables I use at home on regular basis like spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans and squash...but when it comes to eggplant, their attitude towards it really differs! The eldest says she hates eggplant while the youngest will eat it anyway I cook it...but whenever this Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce is on the table, both of them just couldn't resist. This is one of the two eggplant dishes they really love and enjoy eating...the other one is Eggplant Parmesan which I will share with you one of these days. ^.^

I remember Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce to be a favorite eggplant dish of mine back in the Philippines. My late mom loved cooking it because it's a very easy-to-prepare dish which requires very few ingredients. With just ground pork, eggplant, garlic and oyster sauce, you can already have a yummy and healthy "ulam"(viand) ready in about 30 minutes. The other ingredients in the recipe below are my addition which makes this dish even yummier and appealing to my family's taste buds. 

Hope you'll try and like it as much as we do. My daughter who says she hates eggplant loves this a lot...so I suggest you really give it a try! 

Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Trumpet Pasta

As we all know, broccoli is a very nutritious vegetable. It is a very good source of fiber, Vitamins A, C and K, calcium and folic acid...and it belongs to the cabbage family, known as Cruciferous Vegetables, which has anti-cancer properties. With all these health benefits that broccoli has to offer, I am truly glad that it is one of the few green vegetables that my daughters love. At least I wouldn't have to force them to eat it. :)

This pasta dish that I'm sharing with you today is one of Clarise & Cherlin's favorite broccoli dishes. I frequently use either macaroni or penne for this recipe...but I have this gluten-free Pappardelle's Trumpet Pasta, so I decided to use it instead. 

The delicious combination of broccoli, cheese and chicken always makes this dish a big hit on our table...but the fun shape of trumpet pasta made it even more appealing.

But let me tell you that whatever type of pasta you use, this recipe will surely bring delight to everyone. If you want your kids to start eating broccoli, you should try this!