diabetic menu + the malunggay brew

Was looking for info on diabetic diets and found digestible literature (haha!) on healthy food choices in Reader's Digest.com:

Why Blood Sugar Matters makes a case for why we all should know what GI and GL mean (glycemic index and glycemic load), and how they measure in our lives...

25 Foods for Better Blood Sugar lists (and explains concisely) what we should be putting in our mouths, which include avocado, carrots, coffee (surprise!), peanut butter (an even greater surprise!), and yummm sourdough bread. :)

On another note, my doctor tita casually told me one lazy afternoon, that three of the world's newest food gems are easily accessible in the Philippines: malunggay, okra, and guyabano.

photo taken from palagpatfiles.wordpress.com

My parents and I have been brewing malunggay tea by the caserola everyday, consuming 4 large cups each minimum, toasting silly to our health... Many friends and family have turned converts as well--the tea is nice and green, good detox, even psychologically.. Good news is it's not all in the mind...! Malunggay, which grows almost effortlessly even in urban backyards, is the new miracle plant, with malunggay soaps and capsules already lining shops and market stands across the country..

Malunggay quickfacts from allbestofthephilippines:

• Due to its high calcium content (four times the calcium in milk), lactating mothers in the Philippines are often advised to consume malunggay leaves to produce more milk for their babies.
  
• Gram for gram, malunggay leaves also contain two times the protein in milk. Likewise, it contains three times the potassium in bananas and four times the vitamin A in carrots.
• An ounce of malunggay has the same Vitamin C content as seven oranges.
  
• The fresh root of the young tree can be used to treat a fever. Asthmatics are advised to drink the infusion from the roots of the plant.
• Tender malunggay leaves also reduce phlegm and are administered internally for scurvy and catarrhal conditions, while the flowers are used to heal inflammation of the tendons and abscesses. Unripe pods of malunggay can prevent intestinal worms, while the fruit also prevents eye disorders.
• eating malunggay fruits can lead to higher semen count.
• malunggay strengthens the immune system, restores skin condition, controls blood pressure, relieves headaches and migraines, manages the sugar level thereby preventing diabetes, reduces inflammations and arthritis pains, restricts the growth of tumors, and heals ulcers.
  

How to make malunggay tea at home (from gmanewstv):

Piliin lamang ang mga murang dahon at patuyuin ito ng hanggang apat na araw. Mahigpit na bilin na hindi dapat maarawan ang mga dahon para hindi mawala ang taglay nitong mga bitamina.

Paglipas ng apat na araw, ilagay sa isang net ang mga dahon at dahan-dahang pagpaginupang maalis ang mga dumi tulad ng tangkay. Kasunod nito ay painitan sa kawali ang dahon ng ilang minuto hanggang sa lumutong ito.

Kapag napainitan na ang mga dahon, pwede na itong ihalo sa mainit o malamig na tubig para maging healthy tea.

Foodstock: what's in your pantry?

Now starting to get consumed by the task of overhauling the food at home, I dug up old files on food and cooking from years ago. Found an essential pantry list made by Chef J. Gamboa (owner of Milkway, El Cirkulo, Tsukiji, and the newly opened AzuThai), which should be especially interesting for newlywed friends now looking to entertain at home:

The essential pantry
By Chef J Gamboa
Published on page Q6 of the December 10, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

PEOPLE have the misconception that chefs eat caviar, foie gras and Wagyu beef and drink rosé champagne when at home. This could not be farther from the truth. Most chefs, after a long day in the kitchen preparing their repertoire of treats for their guests, only need a cheeseburger, daing na bangus or sinigang na baboy to complete their day.

However, when the need arises to prepare something for impromptu guests, a few essential pantry items can get you through.

And in case you don’t cook at all, just having these in your kitchen will make you look like a pro!

1. Olive oil—If you don’t really cook at home, keep the olive oil in the refrigerator. It will last longer and be ready when you need it. Get a nice fruity one.

2. Balsamic vinegar—for dressings and mixing with olive oil as a dip for crusty bread.

3. Sherry vinegar—for tasty salad dressings, use honey as sweetener.

4. Honey—great with some brie or gorgonzola cheese.

5. Pine nuts—quite pricey nuts, but great for sprinkling over salad or pasta for texture. And store in the ref. A little goes a long way.

6. Good quality canned tomatoes—whole peeled, diced or crushed, not tomato sauce.

7. Olives—Get some kalamatas or Green Queens at the deli. Transfer to a glass jar and store with their brine in the ref.

8. Capers—Refrigerate after opening. If you can find those with stems, called caperberries, even better.

9. Sun-dried tomatoes—either in oil or dry. If you’re using the dry ones, place in a bowl and pour some hot water to cover. Let soak for a few minutes until soft, then cut to desired size.

10. Good dry pasta—Any shape you like is fine. Barilla and De Cecco brands are preferred.

11. Arborio or vialone rice—in case you want to make a quick risotto.

12. Saffron—if you want to make that risotto ala Milanese

13. Dried mushrooms—Morels or cepes keep forever. Place in bowl and pour hot water over until plump and softened. Strain soaking liquid and use in cooking.

14. Truffle oil—a few drops of this on pasta or risotto will make you look like a three-star chef

15. Good bread—get your favorite loaf at Le Coeur de France (Baguette, Country), wrap in foil, then place in a Ziplock bag. Make sure you take out as much air as possible before sealing. And freeze in the deepest part of the freezer. To reheat, preheat oven to 350 degrees, take bread out of the freezer, rub frozen bread with a handful of tap water, and bake for about 10 minutes. The water will refresh the bread and make the crust crisp.

16. Good Italian salami or Spanish salchichon—these are cured and preserved meats, ergo they last a long time in the ref. And easy to serve, too; just peel the casing and slice.

17. Champagne—it’s not a party without bubbles.


Essential Pantry Matrix:

olive oil + balsamic vinegar = salad dressing or dip for bread
olive oil + sherry vinegar + honey = salad dressing
olive oil + olives + pine nuts + sun dried tomatoes = pasta sauce
olive oil + good quality canned tomatoes + capers + sun-dried tomatoes + olives + pine nuts + good dry pasta = dinner
olive oil + arborio or vialone rice + saffron + water + parmesan cheese + butter = risotto Milanese
olive oil + arborio or vialone rice + dried mushrooms+ soaking liquid + truffle oil = mushroom risotto
olives + good bread + oilve oil + balsamic vinegar+ good Italian salami or Spanish salchichon + champagne = PARTY

Other resources googled: A Well-Stocked Pantry and Stocking Your Pantry: Essential Ingredients to Have on Hand

Will review the above alongside my new list of home-cookable dishes and will see how my old essential pantry will evolve...

who does your menu planning?

Everyone in our family loves to eat, so it's really a surprise that our kitchen is not as well-stocked or efficient as it ought to be. I haven't felt inspired in the kitchen in a long time, and have gotten into the (bad) habit of opting to eat out whenever I get a craving...

Homecooked meals are really a treat, or they should be, but how can you smile through sinigang, tinola, kaldereta and adobo EVERY SINGLE WEEK???

Our dear cook, Ate Hermie, may be getting old and lazy, and well she's had a new job to deal with since May (i.e. she Patrice's new yaya), so the blame cannot just rest on her... Doesn't keep everyone from complaining about the uninspired food at home though..

What do you guys do when you're sick of food at home? What do you even eat everyday? Does someone really have to take one for the team and labor over menu planning EVERY SINGLE DAY??

To think that, as it is, we have our lunch rationed from a Chinese lady from Greenmeadows...

Well well, today I finally decided to start somewhere and gave this messy menu planning business a shot--

STEP 1: Make a household eating profile-- List down the family's favorite dishes.

If it were completely up to me, I'd stock up on chocolate and fruits, but there are other mouths to feed in the house:
-diabetic dad, who grew up with my lola's amazing cooking (she died when I was 7)
-mom (now on vacation), who thankfully appreciates all kinds of food
-three brothers, all growing boys who eat meat and carbs and midnight snacks, and have friends over who are just as hungry all the time
-4-year old niece, who should be weaned from canned goods or anything instant and initiated into the world of vegetables
-4 househelps, who eat what we eat

Should be enough to work with the cookable items on my dream menu for now, and second guess everyone else's favorites (or better, I can just impose, haha).

STEP 2: Consolidate this list with the dishes Ate Hermie knows how to cook.

Output so far:

BREAKFAST
RICE WITH:
Fried tinapa
Fried boneless bangus
Fried Maling / Spam
Corned beef with potatoes
Omelet (plain, cheese, cheese with corned beef, vegetables: mushrooms, green bell pepper, onions)
Tocino
Tapa
Bacon strips
Adobo flakes
Longganisa (ilocos, lucban)
German potatoes w/ bacon (Flo's recipe)

SIDINGS: Egg (scrambled, sunny side up, boiled, poached), Sliced tomatoes, Red egg with tomatoes, Achara

FRESH FRUITS: papaya, pineapple, mango, watermelon, guava, grapes, apples, orange


BREAKFAST AND/OR MERIENDA
Oatmeal
Champorado
Pancake (plain, banana, chocolate)
Arrozcaldo
Suman
Taho
Corn (steamed, gata, grilled)
Kamote (steamed, gata)
Saging saba (steamed, minatamis)
Ginataang halo2 (no bilobilo)
Ginataang kamoteng kahoy
Cassava cake

SANDWICHES:
Pandesal with Quezo de Bola and Jamon
Chori/Longga burger
Wheat bread with Deli meat (Chorizo de Pamplona, Turkey), lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber
Grilled Veggie panini (eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus on bread with pesto sauce, garlic sauce or just olive oil)
Burrito


SOUPS, APPETIZERS & SALADS
Pumpkin soup - not creamy
French onion soup (terry's)
Minestrone
Mushroom and Tofu Soup

Mashed potatoes
Baked potatoes with cheezwiz and bacon
Vegetable samosas (bananaleaf)
Dolmades (rice in grape leaves with yogurt dip)

Salads: Honey Mustard or Olive oil &Vinegar Dressing
Raw pineapple salad with chili, lime juice and cilantro
Salmon salad (gourmand)

Spinach/artichoke dip with crostini (italiannis)
hummus with pita bread
curry dip with roti

DIMSUM:
Chicken feet
Sio long pao (soup dumpling)
Siomai



LUNCH / DINNER

CHICKEN
Grilled chicken breast
Chicken kebabs with pineapples & bell peppers
Chicken curry
Baked chicken with tomatoes
Tinola with malunggay
Turbo chicken
Chicken barbeque (whole)
Fried chicken

BEEF
Nilaga with cabbage & saging
Kansi (nilagang Bacolod)
Callos
Kare-kare
Tortang giniling
Beef steak (bistek)
Salpicao
Steak (cooked with garlic & butter or grilled)
Corned beef sinigang
Kaldereta
Beef with oyster sauce and potato slices
Sweet and sour meatballs
Lengua (tomato sauce)
Yakiniku rice (UCC)
Tacos


PORK
Menudo with liver
Adobong liempo
Crispy pata
Lechon kawali
Inihaw na liempo
Patatim with puso ng saging
Grilled porkchops (italianni's)
Fried pork chops
Pork with tausi
Bopis
Batchoy
Babyback ribs (gastof/hawaiian bbq)


FISH / SEAFOOD
Sinigang na Miso/Salmon head
Paksiw
Ginataang Tilapia with Spinach
Ginataang adobong pusit (lola ludy's)
Kinilaw na tangigue
Fried tawilis with suka dip
Sauteed snapper (cafe med)
Grilled Fish with Herbs and Lemon or Calamansi
Steamed lapu-lapu (dampa)
Steamed dori fillet
Hot shrimp salad


PASTA
penne/angelhair putanesca
penne with liver pate (cibo)
spinacci cannelloni
spaghetti bolognese


PIZZA
pita eggplant/zucchini pizza (greca)
seafood feta pizza (fat michael's)
garlic & cheese pizza (shakey's)
4-cheese pizza
pepperoni pizza


VEGGIES
Ginisang Monggo with malunggay
veggie pho
fresh veggie rolls
crepe dracula (cafe breton)
laing with gabi bits
pako with gata
grilled tomatoes with garlic sauce (behrouz)


RICE
Garlic
Fried rice Bibimbap style: with fried egg, sesame seeds, seaweed, thin slices of carrots & cucumber, vegetables
Fried rice Chinese style: with salted fish, green peas, carrot cubes
Rice with knorr
Machang (no meat)
Callos paella
Veggie rice (sagada)
Nasi lemak


DRINKS
Fresh juice (buko, cucumber, orange, apple)
Iced tea
Orange Juice
Tipco
Honey with Apple Cider Vinegar in Water
Lemon Water
Lemonade
Fruit smoothie
teh tarik (hot and cold)
Tsokolate
Red wine
Fresh goat's milk (Mr. Moo's)
Choco carabao's milk (Mr. Moo's)
Strawberry milkshake


SAUCES/CONDIMENTS
chinese chili
garlic mayo
viet peanut sauce


DESSERTS

chocolate pudding
creme brulee (plain & flavored: lime!)
cheesecake
lemon squares
kalamansi muffin (real coffee)
dayap cake (choc kiss)
mango a la mode (jade garden)
halo-halo (razon's)
ube jam (good shepherd)
mocha gelatin (tita non/nels)
strawberry salad (sagada)
blueberries & cream crepe (cafe breton, cuisine)
flambe
roasted marshmallows


STEP 3: Organize. Schedule.

Looks like a pretty workable list so far. Will print as a real "menu" and try having the adults "order" their meals in advance.

Also, looking at that list is encouraging me to take a real shot at my 2008 goal of learning to cook my dream menu. It's already October, but three months is still a long time. :)

where i look for food advice

When I was younger I liked GQ more than Vogue or Seventeen or the crap of all craps, Hello magazine, which I found were often full of useless stuff like make up and clothes and gossip. GQ wrote about the finer things in life-- money, travel and fitness-- AND still featured boys on the cover!

First impressions do go a long way, and to this day I still read men's publications more than women's. Case in point-- best food advice I got recently:

www.menshealth.com
Fix Anything With Food
When life hands you lemons, eat yogurt—and 47 other super foods

* When You're Stressed
* When You're Sad
* When You're Feeling Fat
* When You're Low on Energy
* When You Need a Brain Boost
* When You Want to Increase Metabolism
* When You Need to Get Some Sleep
* When You Need to Wake Up and Go
* When You're Hung Over
* When You're Under the Weather
* When You Want to Get ''In the Mood''
* When You Want a Baby
* When You Want to Look and Feel Younger
* When You Want the Most from Your Workout


www.menshealth.com
15 Secret Restaurant Swaps
Simple, smart, fast ways to change your body, one meal at a time

* Cheeseburger
* Pizza
* Turkey Sandwich
* Tuna Melt
* Burrito
* Caesar Salad
* Breakfast Sandwich
* Cinnamon Roll
* Doughnuts
* Banana Split
* Milkshake
* Chicken Meal
* Tacos
* Beer
* Fruit Smoothie

Concise, meaty, no dillydallying. Not a typical recipe repository. Won't waste your time.

:)

My Essential Pantry

milk: goat
oils: olive, coconut
vinegars: balsamic, ilocos (sugarcane)
sugars: honey, muscovado
herbs: basil
lemon, calamansi
peppers: black, labuyo, spicy (for bicol express)
eggplants, sundried tomatoes
sprouts

My dream menu

I made it my goal for 2008 to learn to cook everything on my dream menu. Or at least a decent part of it. Step one was to come up with the menu, which was just a delight to do!

Created while on Holy Week holiday in Bicol last March 19, 2008.

Appetizers & Sidings raw pineapple salad with chili, lime juice and cilantro (santi) pumpkin soup - not creamy french onion soup (terry's) minestrone salmon salad (gourmand) mashed potatoes vegetable samosas(bananaleaf) dolmades (manos)	Breakfast & Merienda champorado (max's) ginataang halo2 (no bilobilo) ginataang kamoteng kahoy banana pancakes german potatoes w/ bacon (flo) kopi roti coffee bun deli sandwiches (santi's) cassava cake arrozcaldo (cuisine) banana chips fresh guava with kiamoy dried figs, apricots suman taho grilled corn (baguio style)
Lunch & Dinner
Vegetables veggie panini veggie pho fresh veggie rolls crepe dracula (cafe breton) veggie burrito (mexicali) laing with gabi bits pako with gata grilled tomatoes with sauce (behrouz)	Pasta penne/angelhair putanesca penne with liver pate (cibo) spinacci cannelloni spaghetti with tomato sauce
Pizza pita eggplant/zucchini pizza (greca) seafood feta pizza (fat michael's) garlic & cheese pizza (shakey's) 4-cheese pizza pepperoni pizza	Rice machang (no meat) callos paella veggie rice (sagada) nasi lemak
Meat lengua (tomato sauce) callos yakiniku rice (UCC) babyback ribs (gastof/hawaiian bbq) chori burger baked chicken roll (pricemart) tacos chicken feet sio long pao (soup dumpling) bola-bola siopao kansi ilocos longganisa grilled porkchops (italianni's) italian sausage (amici) chorizo de pamplona (Terry's Selection)	Seafood ginataang adobong pusit (lola ludy's) kinilaw na tangigue fried tawilis with suka dip sauteed snapper (cafe med) steamed lapu-lapu (dampa) hot shrimp salad
Sauces & Dips chinese chili spinach/artichoke (italiannis) garlic mayo viet peanut sauce hummus curry dip with roti	Drinks fruit smoothie lemon water teh tarik (hot and cold) tsokolate red wine fresh goat's milk (Mr. Moo's) choco carabao's milk (Mr. Moo's) strawberry milkshake
Dessert
CHOCOLATE decadent cake (nina intengan) devil's food cake (choco kiss) chocolate pudding postre de timbaon (madrid) tartufo (cafe med) french truffles royce truffles royce choco-covered chips turtle pie (coffee bean) choco cupcake (mom & tina's) choco cupcake (sonja's)	FRUITY creme brulee (plain & flavored: lime!) blueberry cheesecake lemon squares kalamansi muffin (real coffee) dayap cake (choc kiss) mango a la mode (jade garden) halo-halo (razon's) ube jam (good shepherd)
COLD mocha gelatin (tita non/nels) strawberry salad (sagada) gelato (strawberry, hazelnut) yogur berry	HOT blueberries & cream crepe (cafe breton, cuisine) flambe roasted marshmallows

My comfort food

At home
Cerelac wheat banana
Toasted bread/pita with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, basil
Chorizo de pamplona (Terry's Selection)
hot chocolate
pita pizza

Restaurants
AMICI DI DON BOSCO - spinaci cannelloni - 4-cheese pizza - gelato (strawberry, hazelnut)
CAFE BRETON - blueberries and cream crepe, dracula
CAFE MEDITERRANEAN - vegetable sandwich with garlic & hot sauce - sauteed fish with veggies - greca pizza - tartufo
CAUSEWAY - machang, hakaw, chicken feet
CIBO - vegetable panini with chips & mayo dip - penne with liver pate - red grape / pomelo shake
FIGARO - grilled eggplant sandwich
KOWLOON WEST - bola-bola siopao with hot sauce
MAX'S - champorado
MEXICALI - veggie burrito
MEY-LIN - sio long pao - chicken feet with chili dip
PANCAKE HOUSE - banana pancakes - western salad - rootbeer float - tacos
PHO HOA - veggie rolls with peanut and hot sauce - veggie noodle soup
SHAKEY'S - garlic and cheese pizza with extra cheese, extra garlic
UCC - yakiniku rice - xanadu! - blueberry cheesecake