The Healthy Cook

05/19/2022

It's been a while..... so happy to be able to share another one of my recipes❤️❤️❤️
Chopsuey using 5 Cs:
🥬 Cabbage
🥕 Carrots
🍄 Crimini Mushrooms
🥒 Celery
🦀 Crab Sticks (Imitation)
Plus!!!!
🫑Red Bell Pepper
🧄Garlic and 🧅Onions
🧂Salt and Pepper to taste
🧈Butter

Just sauté garlic and onions in butter then add mushrooms, allow to cook about 5 minutes. Then add salt and pepper. Add remaining ingredients starting with cabbage, carrots, crab, celery and bell pepper. Mix well but gently as the crabs tend to break apart easily. Add more butter as desired (which I did😋) then cover wok with lid and turn off heat/fire. Steam should cook all veggies while keeping them crisp and not soggy. 😋🥰❤️

03/14/2022

How to properly wrap pancit molo balls... here's the link 😊

https://youtu.be/LEtOH5786tQ

02/17/2022

Ilonggo-style chicken (wings) adobo

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
1/4 cup achuete soaked in about 1/2 cup hot water
2-3 pcs bay leaf
6 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small/medium onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1 inch ginger, sliced
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1-2 tablespoon soy sauce
1-2 tablespoon sugar or substitute dissolved in 2 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon oil (Coconut, palm, avocado)

Procedure:
✅️ Heat deep pan or wok in medium heat. Add oil.
✅️ Once oil is hot enough (but not smoking hot), add cleaned, washed and dried chicken wings (or whatever cut you'd prefer) and allow the chicken to "sweat" and let it's natural juices and oil come out. About 5-7 minutes. Chicken will be half-cooked at this time.
✅️ Add garlic, onions, ginger, bay leaf, salt, peppercorns, achuete-soaked water and soy sauce. Give the mixture a quick toss to combine all ingredients then cover and allow to simmer. Remember, heat should only be in medium setting to allow the juices and flavors to slowly combine. This takes about 10-15 minutes. Check once in a while to make sure liquid is not completely dried up and chicken is not burnt.
✅️ The liquid should've reduced ag this point, last is to add the vinegar and sugar mixture. And again, after a quick toss/mixing allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.
✅️ At this point, you will notice the liquid has been reduced to a point where there's just mostly oil in there but at the same time you can feel and taste the sticky, sweet and tangy flavors that's been incorporated in your chicken.❤

Best served with rice but being on low-carb, could be eaten with a side of almost anything- hardboiled eggs, lettuce, cauliflower *steamed or riced, etc. It's all up to you!

The recipe and process are just what I've been doing in my home kitchen and sharing to you if in case you also wanna try them. Salt and other flavors may be adjusted to suit your taste and preference. Again, I'm not a professional chef or cook, just happy to share my love for food and cooking!❤🥰😍

02/12/2022

Still in the process of perfecting this recipe.... will post details soon. Meanwhile, cravings satisfied 😋🥟

01/31/2022

Good morning!!!!

Just sharing this very simple, versatile and affordable veggie lumpia filling which you could enjoy either as lumpiang hubad, regular lumpia wrapped and fried or as a side dish to pair with whatever you like! So read on.....

Shrimp and Vegetables Lumpia Filling

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, julienned
1 bag approx 2-3 cups bean sprouts or togue
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil, preferably coconut/palm/avocado (they're healthier)
1 cup chopped shrimps, deveined and no shell

Instructions:
✅️Heat wok and add oil. Keep heat to medium.
✅️Sautè onion and garlic about 2 minutes.
✅️Add shrimps and cook for 3 minutes or until color turns pink.
✅️Add cabbage, carrots and bean sprouts.
✅️Season with salt and pepper according to your taste or preference.
✅️Make sure veggies and shrimps are mixed well, at this point you may tunrn off the heat coz the veggies will cook fast with the heat that's from the wok.

Enjoy! You may allow it to cool down and wrap later and then fry with matching vinegar and garlic dip or you may eat it right away as "lumpiang hubad" or side dish. 😋

As for me, I'll definitely make some crispy fried lumpia later.....😊❤

Have a blessed day to all and stay healthy!💕

11/19/2021

Beef Neck Bones Soup (Nilagang Beef Neck Bones)
✅ boil beef neck for about 1 hour, removing any floating foamy substance that forms as you boil the meat.
✅ add 1 onion, 1 head garlic peeled, ginger about a thumb size, 1 lemon grass cut into 1-2 inch length.
✅ let boil until tender, about 1-1.5 hours depending on your meat. Check your water, you will need to add more water as it evaporates along the way.
✅ add salt, fish sauce, vinegar and whole peppercorns. Allow for all the flavors to develop by simmering for another 30 minutes. Shorter time if the meat is already extra tender.
✅ add washed baby bok choy or pechay, Thai chilis or whatever you have available and cover. At this poont turn off the heat so as not to overcook the veggies.

This is a simple beef broth soup seasoned with nothing artificial. It is very rich and satisfying, ideal if you are practicing low carb/no rice lifestyle.😍

You may use other beef portions like the shank, tendons, etc according to your preference. I just love the beef neck bones coz the bones add richness to the flavour!

Stay low carb, stay safe!♥️😊

11/04/2021

BLT w/ cucumber minus the bread….

10/30/2021

Spinach Lasagna🌱🧀🥫
Ingredients:
✅Ground beef sautéd in garlic, onions, res bell pepper and season with salt and black pepper. Then add tomato paste, little water and simmer for about 10-15 minutes in low to medium heat.
✅Mozzarella cheese
✅Cheddar cheese
✅Cottage cheese
✅Spinach blanched in hot water with salt then drained.

Simply assemble the above ingredients alternately starting with meat at the bottom, then cheese, last is the spinach. Repeat a few more layers at least 3 more times. Top off with remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh or dried parsley. Enjoy!😊

10/26/2021

Now it's easier to send The Healthy Cook a message.

Now it's easier to send The Healthy Cook a message.

10/24/2021

It’s been a while…. Tonight’s menu is fish escabeche. A common Ilonggo dish, usually any kind of fish will do. I used pompano here, I like how it’s so tasty even without any sauce. Sautéed garlic, onions, ginger and added water, vinegar, tomato catsup, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Lastly, dropped some julienned carrots and red bell peppers! Beat paired with rice but I didn’t since I’m avoiding my carbs these days😉

10/14/2021

Sardines in tomato sauce, sautéed in onions, flattened white bread and lots of mozzarella cheese!!! My kind of pizza on a lazy, rainy Thursday😋🙄🥱

10/11/2021

Kani and tempura night🥗🍤😋😍

10/07/2021

Let’s see…..yes! She does love pepperoni pizza!🍕😂😍❤️

09/29/2021

What is this monstrosity?!😲🤭🙄cheese overload spaghetti!!!🧀🧀🧀🍝🍝🍝 let’s eat!

09/26/2021

What have I been up to? Nothing much…just baked this soft and buttery mamon aka sponge cake to satisfy my Red Ribbon mamon cravings!🥰🧈🧁

08/28/2021

What do you think?

Aubergine chips 🍆 is now my family’s go-to kind of snack vs potato chips! It’s homemade and healthier, I guess!😜

This one is lightly battered in a corn starch/flour mixture, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley.

No need for dips but you may also dip it in your choice of dipping, for me I think siracha aioli would be best to counter the richness of the batter. 😍😋

Why don’t you give it a try!❤️

08/25/2021

My all-time fave Pinoy style spaghetti🍝😋❤️ I remember as a 7- yr old kid learning how to cook my very own spaghetti coz every single time we would eat out I would end up ordering spaghetti no matter what! Even if it would mean having spaghetti every day, I did not mind doing so coz “paborito ko gani!” 😜😂 Thus, my mom had no choice but to teach me how it’s done and since then, 40 years to be exact, I am still a fan of this humble dish. What’s your spaghetti story?😊😍

08/06/2021

Chicken and Pork Menudo😋

1/2 kilo pork belly
1/4 kilo chicken breast
2 pcs jumbo hotdog sliced 1/4”thick
1 big potato cubed
1 medium carrot cubed
1 small bell pepper cubed
Garlic, Onions Chopped
Salt, Pepper to taste
1/4 cup achuete oil (microwave a tablespoon of annato seeds in 1/4 cup oil)
1/2 cup ch
1/2 cup tomato catsup/sauce
1/4 cup sugar (less if you don’t want it too sweet)

Instructions:
- Sautè garlic and onions in achuete oil, leave some oil for later
- Add pork and allow the natural oil and juices to come out, stirring occasionally. About 8-10min
- Add chicken and remaining achuete oil. Allow the chicken to cook, about 4-6 minutes. Then add the hotdogs.
- Add salt and pepper accordingly, broth/water and simmer for 10-15 minutes until liquid is reduced.
- Add carrots, potatoes, tomato catsup/sauce and sugar. Mix well with the meat and simmer for another 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
- Add bell pepper and turn off heat.

This is how I made our pork and chicken menudo dinner for tonight. Please note cook times are just estimates and you could easily adjust accordingly. The same thing goes for the seasonings. As they say, “kanya-kanyang dila, kanya-kanyang panlasa.” This is just as guide and it’s up to you to make this dish yours. Add more veggies as you wish, etc. Enjoy cooking!😋😊🥰

07/29/2021

Creamy Tuna and Tomato Pasta

Testing how this works. Not really good with taking videos and photos but hopefully with more practice i’d be able to upload more videos of my cooking journey so it will be easier to share and follow. Thank you!🥰🥰🥰

Now, let’s try this creamy tuna and roasted tomato pasta dish!😋😋😋

https://youtu.be/mUhhqjZNWCU

A simple and easy pasta dish that my kids love! For a busy mom with too much to do every day, I need to find ways on how to make yummy and healthy dishes tha...

07/27/2021

Shrimp Pad Thai🦐🦐🦐

My family had always loved this dish but I never thought it was really simple to make 😉

First, soak your rice noodles in water for about 30min until you see the change in color from translucent/opaque to a more white hue just like a cooked pasta.

Next, prep the following:
2-3 cloves chopped garlic
A bunch of chives sliced about 1 inch
1 doz deveined, shelled shrimps
1 whole egg
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Sauce:
In a small bowl mix the following:
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp lime/lemon juice
1 Tbsp tamarind sauce/powder
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2-3 Tbsp sugar

Procedure:
-Pour oil in hot pan
-Add garlic and sautè for 1 min
-Add whole egg and scramble in the pan, then move to the side of the pan
-Drain and add noodles, do not throw water of noodles yet (you might need to add the water later to cook the noodles if not yet fully cooked or tender)
-Mix noodles with the eggs
-Add shrimps, covering it with the noodles then after about a minute go ahead and add the sauce mixture
-Allow the sauce to b absorbed by the noodles and shrimps, stirring/mixing every now and then
-Once you test the noodles are cooked well, add chives, beans sprouts and peanuts
- Remove from heat and mix
- Serve topped with shrimps, peanuts, chives and sprouts

Please adjust your sugar and sour liquids to your taste/liking. I had to add a few more spoons of sugar coz my kids hate sour foods!

Now it’s your turn to try!😊😊😊

07/25/2021

Beef Tripe and Shank kare-kare for dinner! Let’s eat po!😊😋

06/10/2021

Hello again! How about some sweet chili shrimps for lunch?🦐🦐🦐 🌶🌶🌶It’s a very simple, quick and easy recipe you’ll surely enjoy!

Ingredients:
340g shrimps (see pic below of the brand I used which I bought from Walmart🤫)
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoon oil or butter
3 cloves chopped garlic
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons banana catsup
1 tablespoon sweet chili catsup/sauce
1 tablespoon brown/white sugar
2 pcs Thai chilis (or any kind accdg to your liking😊)

Procedure:
1. Clean shrimps by trimming the spike and antennae. Dry shrimps with paper towel or drain thoroughly.
2. Heat pan on medium heat, add oil/butter then sautè chopped garlic about 1 minute.
3. In a bowl, mix salt, sugar, banana catsup, chili sauce and orange juice.
4. Add shrimps to sautéed garlic then pour the sauce mixture.
5. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Shrimps cook really fast and overcooking them will make the scales stick to the meat, making it hard to peel/eat.
6. Add chopped chilis and serve right away with hot steamed rice!🍚

Enjoy!

P.S.
You may adjust the salt, sugar level to your liking. I’d like mine on the sweet side but my hubby doesn’t like it it too sweet so we have to compromise. 🥰

02/13/2021

Spinach, Mushroom & Cheese Omelette
✅Prep your ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms🍄 (I used Creminis but whatever variety you like will do😊)
- 1 cup chopped spinach🥬
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar🧀
- 4 eggs, beaten
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter, salted
- 1 tablespoon oil

✅Cook
Set stove to medium and heat your skillet, add oil and butter, once butter is melted add mushrooms and sautè for about 3-5 minutes. I like my mushrooms to be well done so I let it cook longer.

Pour beaten eggs to fill entire pan/skillet then add salt and pepper.

After about 1-2 minutes, add spinach and top woth cheddar cheese. Cover and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then fold into half. Leave in the skillet for another 2-3 minutes for a firmer omelette.

A simple and healthy way to start your day! 😊😊😊

09/07/2020

Lechon Sisig🐷

What’s one of the best ways to upcycle your leftover lechon besides making paksiw? Well.... I tried to make lechon sisig just now and it tastes awesome!!!

I just have an “estimate” of the ingredients that I used so if you’re going to try this one at home, try to adjust according to your preference. 👌🏻👍🏻

2 lbs lechon, chopped/cubed
1 onion, chopped
1”x1” size ginger, chopped
5 pcs Thai chilies, chopped
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Black pepper
1 tablespoon, oil/butter/margarine

Procedure:
1. Sauté onions, ginger in oil about 3 minutes
2. Add chopped lechon meat, mix and allow to cook for about 3-5 minutes
3. Add seasonings and after 2 minutes add the mayonnaise and chilies then turn off heat.
4. You may crack an egg and squeeze some lemon/lime/calamansi juice upon serving. 🍋

Enjoy!!!😊😊😊

09/07/2020

Banana Bread/Muffin🍌🍌🍌

It’s been a looong time since I’ve posted anything here and I am hoping that in the coming days, I’d be able to share with you more of my family’s recipes or new things that I’ve been trying to make myself.

Meanwhile, you could try making this very simple yet delicious banana bread/muffin recipe. It’s perfect for kids’ school snacks or you can pair it with a cup of hot coffee/tea.

Happy Labor Day, everyone!!!😊😊😊

08/02/2018

Making good use of leftover food.... salmon fish cake is the answer! I just added a few veggies: red sweet pepper, carrots, sweet peas and onion. Sauté all the veggies, add the shredded leftover salmon. Let cool then add eggs and Kellogg’s cornflakes crumbs. Form into patties then fry in non-stick pan about 30-60 seconds on each side. Serve with tartar sauce! 👌🏻🍽
Note: I did not add salt n pepper coz the salmon was already cooked and seasoned. In case you don’t have leftover fish, canned fish flakes or chunks may be used as substitute. Just season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. 😉

01/03/2018

The Healthy Cook updated their address.

The Healthy Cook updated their address.

07/30/2017

Arroz Valenciana

Another Filipino fave that's being served at almost every occasion on my family's table. The one that I just made a few minutes ago is a simple version and does not include some ingredients per my son's request (ma, no raisins & no liver, please!), so I complied. Also, instead of using the traditional guisantes (peas) in the can I used frozen sweet peas which my kids prefer. Ingredients and instuctions follow....

1 cup Sliced pork belly
2 pcs sliced chorizo bilbao
1 cup uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup sweet peas
1 small onion sliced
2 pcs hard-boiled eggs (for garnishing)
1-2 cups broth (pork or chicken)
3-4 pcs chicken/pork bouillon

Optional:
Liver (chicken or pork, your choice)
Chicken breast sliced
Raisins
Red bell peppers

Sweet rice about 4-5 cups washed with 1 tablespoon Turmeric (Kalawag) then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook just like normal rice. Then set aside. You may also opt to cook the sweet rice with the rest of the ingredients to bring out more flavor.

Next, sauté onion in oil, add the pork belly until cooked.

Add the chorizo bilbao and shrimp. Allow for the shrimp to cook and infuse the flavors about 5 minutes. Add about 3 pcs of chicken/pork bouillon.

Add broth and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes (or until the bouillons are completely dissolved) then add the sweet peas.

Adjust heat to low, just enough to keep it warm, then mix the cooked sweet rice. Mix them well so that all the flavors come together and are evenly distributed.

Garnish with sliced hard boiled eggs. 😊😊😊

Note: if you want to cook the rice together with the ingredients, wash it with turmeric and set aside. Once the ingredients are all mixed and cooked and starts to simmer, dump the rice in and mix well. Make sure that the rice mixture is covered with enough broth just above it to ensure that it will be cooked well. Heat/fire should be in low medium to avoid burning and lid of your pot should be tightly covered.

Again, cooking is a learning process and flavors or taste depend individually. You can always try to tweak with your ingredients and adjust the proportions to suit your own palate! Enjoy!🌻😊❤️