Cuba was the first and the last colony of Spain in the Caribbean. It is no surprise that Cuban food is largely influenced by Spanish cuisine. However, Cuban food also have hints of African, Chinese and Portuguese cuisines.

The most common cooking methods in Cuban cuisine are sauteing and slow cooking in low fire. Deep frying is almost very rare and there are hardly heavy creams and sauces in Cuban cooking. For its flavor, the cuisine centers on several spices such as garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay laurel leaves. The Cuban cuisine’s basic recipe is the Sofrito, which is composed of sauteed onion, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and ground pepper. The Sofrito is the Cuban’s base recipe when cooking black beans, stews, many meat dishes, and tomato-based sauces, and it is what gives Cuban food its distinct characteristic.

The typical breakfast fare is composed of tostada and cafe con leche. Toasted buttered bread is paired with a mixture of espresso and warm milk. Croquetas are also a favorite breakfast meal, which are slices of lightly breaded rolled ham that are deep fried.

Lunch is usually a light fare of sandwiches and meat pies, widely known as empanadas. Their sandwich is made of ham, Swiss cheese, mustard, pickles and egg bread.

Dinner for Cuban cuisine is a slightly heavier fare. An entree of either meat, chicken or fish is paired with rice, black beans and/or fried plantains.On the side, a light salad of sliced tomatos and onions, and sometimes avocados, is served. Dinner is followed by a dessert, usually flan or rice pudding.

The most famous Cuban dishes are: Malanga Fritters, Cuban Ajiaco, Ropa Vieja, Bistec a la Palomilla, Ham Croquettes (Croquetas), Bacalao and Boliche.

Photo by: captivatingcuba.com

The freshest ingredients no doubt make the most delicious of dishes. In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, however, not everyone has the time to visit the farmer’s market every day. So, you do the best you can with what you have – the refrigerator.

Proper handling and storage of vegetables in the refrigerator will help in keeping them fresh and safe for your family to consume.

Here are some techniques you might like to use when storing vegetables in the refrigerator.

Keeping Veggies Fresh

• All vegetables should be placed in separate netted bags.
• Grean and leafy vegetables stay fresh longer when wrapped in newspaper. The newspaper keeps the leaves from getting moist.
• Put a small, dry sponge close to the vegetables. The sponge will absorb the moisture in the refrigerator, keeping the vegetables dry and fresh.
• Another way to keep veggies dry is to line a try with a towel, place the vegetables on the towel and cover them with another towel.
• The tops of root vegetables (like carrots) should be removed when storing them in the fridge.
• A few sheets of newspaper in the refrigerator also helps in absorbing moisture.

Vegetables provide us with many great health benefits. It is only fitting that the food we eat should always be fresh, not only for our palate’s sake, but also for our health.

NB. This is a scheduled post. I have written several posts for this week and will be published on a schedule until I get back on Wednesday.

Pizza is most probably the first choice when a family decides to order in for snacks or dinner. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s so yummy, plus it has both carbohydrates and protein in it what with the dough and the meat toppings. Those who love to eat healthier have the option to add veggies, too. Pizza is very versatile, you can have any topping you want.

That said, why not make your own pizza? Homemade pizza can be just as delicious. It is easy to make and can be a great bonding activity with you and your kids. Besides, teaching kids how to make their own food is a very productive way for them spend their afternoon. Not to mention, homemade pizza is less expensive than ordering in.

One lazy afternoon, the kids and I made 3-cheese French Bread Pizza. Needless to say, it was so much fun! There are very few ingredients and there are even less steps in making this pizza.

For this yummy homemade pizza, you will need the following:

• French Bread (Baguette)
• Tomato Sauce
• Three types of chese. I used Mozzarella, Cheddar and Apetina.

During my last trip to the supermarket, I saw Arla Apetina and had this idea of making the pizza at home, so decided to buy a brick. Then I bought the Coon shredded cheese, as it already has both Mozzarella and Cheddar in one pack, which made things easier for me.

All I did was cut the bread in half, lengthwise, spread some tomato sauce on it (make sure not to put on too much or the pizza will turn soggy) and sprinkled a generous amount of the grated Mozzarella and Cheddar. I then crumbled some Apetina on top. I didn’t even need to call Dominos and speak with their call center to place an order this time! I think you’ll agree that my French Bread Pizza is snack perfection.

Really nice, isn’t it? Have a closer look.

Finally, I popped the bread in the oven for eight minutes until the cheese have melted and the bread crisp on the outside.

Try this at home – it’s quick and easy. Making homemade pizza is a fun and filling way to spend an afternoon with your family.

Save money and cut back your food waste by preserving your food correctly! This article could forever change the way you think about and execute your meal planning regiment. So how should you preserve your food? Read on to find out.

food preservation methods

Canning

Before canning, wash your jars and foods meticulously. You can sterilize the jars by boiling them for 15 minutes. Place food in jars either hot or raw, depending on the type of food. Pour boiling water, broth, juice or syrup over the food in the jar leaving space for expansion. It is recommended by the US Department of Agriculture that if you are canning at home, you must use a water bath or pressure canner to avoid food poisoning. Store the canned food in a cool, dark, dry spot for optimal preservation. For more information see the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Vacuum Sealing

Vacuum sealing is arguably the most efficient way to preserve your food. Invest in a vacuum sealer to keep your vegetables, fruits, and meats fresh before putting them in the freezer.

Drying

Drying keeps food fresh because without moisture, there is nothing for micro-organisms to feed off of, leaving the food unspoiled. Because drying avoids the drastic heating process (like canning or cooking), more nutrients are preserved. For example, iron and fiber stay strong while vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin are only slightly depleted. The easiest way to dry food is with a food dehydrator, but you can also try your hand at smoking, oven drying, air drying, or sun drying.

Freezing

Lastly, freeze your food. You may want to use a vacuum sealer before putting your food in the freezer, as opposed to putting it in a Ziploc bag. There are very few foods that cannot be frozen, making this a versatile way to preserve food. Never try freezing salad greens, eggs, sour cream, potatoes, or fried foods (to name a few). Always date your packages before throwing them in the freezer.

Now that you know many ways to preserve your food, you hopefully will not waste much food again. Preserving food is cost efficient and delicious!

My family embarked on a gustatory adventure this past summer.

Thirty-five days of the last days of May until the middle of June, we dined at different restaurants, tasted different dishes and learned to appreciate food in all its glory – the taste, the texture, the aroma – it was heavenly

We have tried different cuisine – Greek, Italian, Mediterranean, Spanish, Japanese, American and of course, there are days when we go back to the basics and just enjoy fast food.

I am not sure how much weight I have gained this summer. Neither do I intend to know. If I may need to buy apidexin, you will be the first to know. But for now… dieting and exercise will do.

Family life is keeping me so busy yet so happy. January had been a month of appointments, errands and important life decisions that I am sure got you wondering if I had been away on vacation, on hiatus or residential rehab. None of the aforementioned. I am a busy mom with a very active family.

Yesterday had been one of errands. However, it took a different turn. We were supposed to just go to the grocery store two minutes away from home but A decided to go to the mall, have dinner and finally do our grocery shopping.

But it’s not the eventful day I want to share. It’s about what we had for dinner last night.

We decided to go to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. A had dined at that restaurant before (albeit at a different branch) but I had never eaten there until last night. I’m not particularly fond of Chinese cuisine, especially the dishes with really strong flavor or aroma. Then again A is Chinese, so he told me I should learn how to eat Chinese cuisine and like it.

We had Tai Pao for starters. I have never really liked siopao before, but A wanted to share the giant steamed bun between the two of us. It was a good thing I tried. It was heavenly. I only had half of it, but I was almost full by the time I finished the bun. I could hardly finish my noodles.

Which brings me to the main point of this blog post. The soup was fantastic; it was very flavorful. There was one thing I noticed, though. The egg noodles had that particular odor, at first I thought was like “rubber”. I asked A if he could smell it, too, he said yes but didn’t seem flustered at all. I let it be.

This morning, I couldn’t get it off my mind. I just HAD to know what was up with that egg noodles. So I Googled. I found out I was not alone.

A discussion thread at ChowHound explained this phenomenon very simply and accurately.

Halu’s noodles and certain kinds of Chinese noodles (usually non-egg) are made with alkali water to give them a firmer bite and texture. Cooked in enough water, the residual amount usually dilutes and dissipates. But sometimes the kitchen doesn’t change the boiling water often enough and the alkali gets too concentrated such that you can smell an ammoniated odor.

So it happens after all, and there’s nothing so wrong about it. Although I think I will not really get used to my noodles smelling like ammonia.

Photo credit: Dreamstime

Breakfast is known to be the most important meal of the day. When I was younger, I’ve always had a hearty breakfast. My usual breakfast food included rice, eggs, ham, bread, bagels, pies. She never let me go to school without having breakfast first.

I enjoy having breakfast very much. It kept me going for a morning full of schoolwork when I was younger. Now, I function so much better with breakfast, what with doing all the chores around the house. I am more focused and more alert.

But that is just a personal account.

There are numerous literature that supports the theory that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. One Google search and you will surely get hundreds of scientific studies, blog posts and forum discussions.

Breakfast Improves Performance in School and In work

Studies show that children who eat breakfast do better in school. It doesn’t take much further thought to realize adults will feel better and perform better at work as well. Whether you work at home, on the farm, at the office, at school, or on the road, it is not a good idea to skip breakfast. Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day. – Don’t Skip Breakfast, about.com

Breakfast Helps with Weight Loss

First off, let’s consider how breakfast relates to weight loss: You’ve just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours. Your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in “starvation” mode, while eating a good meal will give your metabolism a boost. This is because being inactive (and not eating for this extended period of time) causes your metabolism to plummet. If you’re trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is keep your metabolism at this lowered state. Partaking of a morning meal will rev up your fat burning ability. – Mom was Right!, about.com

Also try to look for the best multivitamin that you can find. Vitamin supplements can help give you that extra boost to your immune system and overall health.

However, there are some who refute the importance of breakfast.

This highly geared survival mode is primarily dominated by part of the autonomic nervous system known as the SNS (sympathetic nervous system). At that state, the body is in its most energy-producing phase and that’s when most energy comes from fat burning. All that happens when you do not eat the typical morning meal. If however you follow what “normal guys” do and eat your morning bagel and cereal and egg & bacon, you’ll most likely shut down the above energy producing system. – Diet Fallacy, chetday.com

I still personally believe that breakfast is very important. I try to not to miss it. But I always make it a point that my son would have a hearty breakfast meal. After all, he is a growing boy. He needs breakfast to keep him going at school and during playtime.

What about you? Do you eat your breakfast before you go to work or school? What are your usual breakfast food?

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I finally did it. I have been losing weight steadily – and healthily!

It’s a slow grind, but I am seeing and feeling a difference. No, I did not ditch the carbs or got into some crazy diet program. And even though weight loss tablets can ensure speedy results, I passed. It was simple, really, what I did.

I only cut down on the portions.

You don’t really have to starve to lose weight.

I have had a healthy appetite in the recent years. And I remembered I wasn’t always like this, eating like I were a big guy instead of a tiny female. In fact, when I was a teen, I ate very little. Too little to be healthy.

So I adjusted my eating habits. I still eat the same food, but I moved my appetite level to the center of the spectrum. Not too much, not too little.

It’s working so far. And I’m loving how I look.

Garlic is among the most famous and in demand spices to ever grace our dishes. However, not everyone may like its flavor. To some, garlic provides a very distinct aroma to a particular dish, but to others the flavor can be too strong.

I have two homemaking tips to share on how to neutralize the flavor of garlic in your food.

Baking Soda Helps Absorb the Strong Flavor of Garlic

While doing a taste testing before you take the dish out of the stove, you find out that you put in too much garlic and somehow ruined the recipe. I know it’s bad, but there’s hope for you! If you have baking soda in your pantry, you’re in luck! Add a pinch of baking soda into the dish and stir well. The baking soda absorbs the too strong aroma and flavor of the garlic, saving your precious recipe.

Parsley Effectively Neutralizes that Strong Garlicky Flavor

Put a few flakes of parsley inside a tea infuser. Place the brew into your sauce and let it steep while the dish simmers on the stove. The parsley then absorbs the heavy flavor or garlic.

Well there you have it. Two easy but effective ways to neutralize the strong garlic flavor in your dish. No need to panic, your special dinner party is saved.

As someone who grew up watching cooking shows during weekends on Philippine TV (this was before Cable TV, Jamie Oliver, Ina Garten and Nigella Lawson), I am really fond of learning new dishes. And as someone who loves the internet and the new media, I am excited to let you know about Nestle Club’s YouTube channel.

For their first video, Julius Maggi Kitchen’s chef, Ms. Tess Sutilo, demonstrates how to make Pancit Palabok.

I also would like to encourage you to join Nestle Club. As a member, you will not only get yummilicious recipes, but articles and tips on household management, parenting and wellness, too. There are a lot of benefits of being a Nestle Club member. Best of all, it’s all for free! I am a member myself, so I can assure you that you will definitely enjoy their newsletters, recipes and promos. Click here to to join Nestle Club.