GREEN PIZZA

Even pizza has gone green! Try this healthy, light, and so- delicious pizza verde.


Serves 2 to 4 Prep Time 20 minutes Baking time 10 to 15 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pizza dough
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 5 canned anchovy fillets in oil, drained
• flat- leaf parsley, chopped finely
• 1 tbsp chopped capers
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 10 arugula leaves

PROCEDURE:

1. Roll out pizza dough into a round or oval shape.
2. Spread evenly with mozzarella up to about 3/4 inch from the edges. Top with anchovy fillets, parsley, capers, garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil.
3. Bake in a preheated 500F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, just until crust is crisp.
4. Remove from the oven and top with arugula leaves. PARFAIT!

tip: You can put the anchovy fillets whole or you can mash them first before spreading over the pizza.

HERBED SCRAMBLED EGG ON CROISSANTS

Here's fine way to start the day: warm, creamy eggs on soft, plush croissant! Aside from chives, try other herbs you may be growing in your kitchen, like spring onions, thyme, or even dill.


Serves 4 Prep Time 15 minutes Baking Time 15 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

• 4 croissants
• 240 grams cherry tomatoes
• olive oil or cooking spray
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup cream
• 30 grams butter
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 100 grams shaved ham

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place croissant (if frozen) and tomatoes on prepared tray. Drizzle or spray with oil. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until croissant are heated.
2. Meanwhile, combine eggs an cream in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Beat mixture lightly with a whisk to combine.
3. Melt butter in a large non stick frying pan over low heat. Add egg mixture. Cook for 30 seconds. Gently stir egg mxture from outer edges going inward until egg forms creamy curds. Stir in chives.
4. Cut croissant in half, crosswise. Top with ham, then tomatoes and scrambled eggs. PARFAIT!

MONDAY: Seafood Fried Rice

This one's fully loaded with the good stuff- veggies, eegs, and seafood. Plus, using brown rice makes it fiber- rich and much, much healthier.


Serves 6 to 8 Prep Time 10 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes


INGREDIENTS:

• 12 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 tbsp peanut or canola oil
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/8 cup chopped onions
• 1/8 cup chopped green onions
• 1 chinese sausage, cut into very fine cubes
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 cup shrimp, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup clam meat
• 1/4 cup shredded dried squid flakes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sweet chili sauce

PROCEDURE:

1. In a large wok, heat oil and add the garlic, onions, and green onions: saute until fragrant
2. Ad the Chinese sausage and beaten eggs: mix until cooked
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir fry until shrimp has turned pink and all the ingredients have been well incorporated with the rice. Serve hot.

WEEKEND ENTERTAINING

APPLE PANINI


Tart, sweet, crunchy, and soft, these paninis possess a wonderful combination of flavors and textures. Making them will require a little more time than usual, but the results are lipsmacking good and worth the extra effort.


Serves 6 Prep Time 25 minutes Cooking Time 30 miutes (excluding dulce de leche preparation)


For the dulce de leche

• 1 (14- ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

For the cooked apple filling

• 4 green apples, each cut into 8 pieces
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 vanilla beans, split and scraped
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

For the walnut streusel

• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp butter, softened

• 1/4 cup dulce de leche
• 12 slices brioche
• 1/4 cup walnut streusel
• 1/2 cup butter, softened, for spreadig
• ground cinnamon for springkling
• caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, to serve

1. Make the dulce de leche: Place the unopened can of condense milk in a small saucepan. Fill the pan with cold water until the can is fully submerged. Place the pot over low heat, bring water to a simmer, and cook for 3 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and allow the can to cool at room temperature before opening it.
2. Cook the apple filling: Saute apples with butter, sugar, and vanilla beans. Cook for a few minutes until soft, then add ground cinnamon. Remove vanilla beans and cool.
3. Make the walnut streusel: Combine all ingredients together and spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 8 minutes, then use a fork to break it into small bits and pieces. Cool.
4. To assemble the panini, spread dulce de leche thinly on the brioche slices. Place 5 slices each of cooked apple filling on 6 brioche slices. Drizzle a little dulce de leche on top, then sprinkle streusel all over. Cover with the remaining 6 brioche slices. Spread butter and sprinkle ground cinnamon evenly on both sides.
5. Place each sandwich in a preheated panini press and cook until caramelized. serve the paninis with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. YUM!

DALANDAN ICED TEA

The weather now is so hot! I can feel the summer heat coming so try this DALANDAN ICED TEA to refresh your hot summer afternoon.


Mix together 1/4 cup fresh dalandan juice, 1 1/2 cups iced tea, and 3/4 cup ice cubes in a shaker. Pour into glass. Garnish with a dalandan slice and a pandan leaf. Serves 1

SPICY CORNED BEEF RICE

The fusion of corned beef, rice, and corn plus the addition of fried eggs on top makes this an instant hit among adults and kids! But don’t forget to omit the chili peppers in the recipe if you’re serving it to the junior set.

Serves 4  Prep Time 6 minutes  Cooking Time 5 minutes


1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup sliced onions
1 regular can corned beef
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 bird’s eye chili (siling labuyo), chopped
4 cups cooked white rice
4 fried eggs, cooked to your liking

1  In a hot wok, heat oil and sauté onions until tender.
2  Add the corned beef and corn kernels. Cook until most of the juices from the corned beef have evaporated.
3  Add the chili pepper and mix well.
4  Stir in the rice and mix until the corned beef mixture is well incorporated with the grains. Serve topped with fried eggs.

SPANISH TOMATOES

On a food trip in and around Mountain Province late last year, I came upon Spanish tomatoes hanging in front of a little roadside stall. The vendor informed me that these not your-typical-tomato tomatoes are referred to locally as dulsi, and are sometimes available in the Baguio City public market.

They certainly taste unlike any tomato I’ve ever eaten. Upon slicing one open, dark maroon juice oozed out. It tasted almost like the juice of pomegranate kernels—fruity with a tinge of tartness. Its black seeds had a gelatinous coating, somewhat similar to the seeds of passion fruit, and the meat had a slightly coarse mouth feel. I may not have used it for cooking, but a lot of it made it into my condiments—seasoned with just a dash of sea salt and paired with fried fish; mixed with some red onions, cilantro, and kalamansi juice for a great-tasting salsa; and even as a refreshing salad tossed with finely diced green mangoes and shrimp paste. Now rhubarb won’t be the only thing I’m going to be on the lookout for next time I head up North.—Divine Enya Mesina, Photography by Louie Aguinaldo, Styling by Angelo Comsti

BERRY SMOOTHIE

Monday is a very busy day. We mothers need to prepare a lot of things. Hubby's coffee, kids snacks in school, house chores, and a lot more! This one's delicious, nutritious, and figure- friendly Smoothie recipe to energize your busy happy monday Mommies!


In a blender, place 2/3 cup skim milk, 1/2 cup low- fat strawberry yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh strawberries  and 1 medium banana; blend until smooth. Add 1/2 cup low- fat multigrain cereal and blend for 5 seconds. add honey to sweeten, if desired. Jazz it up: Garnish your smoothie with cereal or fruit, or both! Makes 2 servings

HAVE A NICE DAY!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We transformed the classic egg- and- bread breakfast treat into one delightful fiber-and protein- rich dish. Yum!


Preheat oven to 350F. prepare 4 Whole Wheat Bread slices. Cut a hole in the center of 2 bread slices using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass. Lightly brush all sides of the 4 bread slices with softened butter. Place the uncut bread on a baking tray and top each with a cut bread slice. Sprinkle generously with grated cheddar cheese, diced red bell pepper, and chopped chives. Break 1 egg into each hole. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and egg is set. Makes 2 servings.