Treasure Jar

I have featured the dish (below) here as it was done in a cooking class I was invited to go to.

Last Wednesday night, we had it for dinner with a few minor changes according to what I have at home.

I plan to cook more using olive oil even if it is a bit of a strain in the pocket but if the benefits are good for the family’s health, why not?

I usually use soybean oil for cooking and I still do especially in frying (fish) which requires more oil.

Tags: cooking, cream dory, family, fish fillets, food, food and dining, food photo, health, healthy eating, Lasang Pinoy Sundays, olive oil, pasta

Chocolate Heaven Cake from Red Ribbon is not an average chocolate cake.

It has four kinds of chocolate goodness: chocolate brownie, chocolate icing, chocolate curls and chocolate mousse.

These cakes will be made available on February 7, 2010 at Red Ribbon stores atPhP560.00 for the regular size and PhP335 for the Junior Size.

We had this with coffee and it was really good. For those who do not have a sweet tooth like me, a thin slice will do.

Just perfect to end a wonderful dinner served on contemporary coffee tables Al fresco would be fine too since it is getting hot at night.

Tags: cake, chocolate cake, chocolate curls, Chocolate Heaven, chocolate icing, chocolate mousse, Red Ribbon

Hearty Meal Recipes from Dona Elena Cuisinera Club presented last January 30, 2010. Click here for more recipes.

Tilapia Fillets

For Tilapia Fillets:

• 150 – 200 g tilapia fillets (2 pieces)
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• pinch of paprika
• 1/4 c almonds, salted, crushed finely

Season tilapia fillet with salt, pepper and paprika. Coat with almonds and bake at 180C for 4 minutes.

Pasta

For pasta:

• 10 g butter
• 15ml Dona Elena Pure Olive Oil
• 30 g diced white onions
• 3 g minced garlic
• 50 g diced tomatoes
• 50 g (Dona Elena) capers
• 30 ml (Dona Elena) white wine
• 250 g spaghetti noodles

In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil and melt the butter. Saute the onions and garlic then add tomatoes and capers. Add the white wine and simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the spaghetti in the sauce.

Sauce:

• 30 ml garlic sauce, reduced until thick
• 15 ml balsamic vinegar, reduced to a syrup

Serve using medium pan. Place pasta on one side and the fillets on the other side. Drizzle the fillets with garlic sauce and balsamic sauce.

Enjoy.

UPDATE: I made this last night (Feb3, 2010) though I still have to write a post.

UPDATE 2: here is the post as promised

Tags: almonds, baking, cooking, Dona Elena Cuisinera Club, Dona Elena Pure Olive Oil, fish, food, food and dining, food photos, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, pasta, Philippines, spaghetti, tilapia fillets

Chunky Chocolate Cookies with Dona Elena Pure Olive Oil?

I associate cookies with butter and not with olive oil because that is how I bake our cookies. Why not, this is the tried and tested ingredient for baked goodies. So when I saw cookies being prepared with olive oil, I was surprised.

I didn’t think I would be enjoying cookies with less guilt 

Here was how these cookies were prepared:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Dona Elena Pure Olive Oil

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 pcs large eggs, beaten

3 tbsp fresh milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

chocolate chunks

Continue Reading »

Tags: baking, chocolate cookies, Dona Elena Pure Olive Oil, olive oil

I have been using Body Flavors Pure Virgin Coconut Oil with Gugo Bark as my facial wash for several days now. One time after using the soap, I asked my youngest daughter to touch my face and she remarked “Wow, soft (soft = smooth) walang dots (dots = pimples)”. Of course, this soap is a rich blend or pure virgin coconut oil and gugo bark which aims to restore a more youthful looking skin (youthful looking skin = anti-aging product).

I love the Pure VCO and gugo bark soap! It is the best soap for sensitive skin I have tried so far.

My eldest daughter, a teenager, is always on the lookout for a good soap for skin problems. She tends to have pimples every now and then.

We have tried other natural products as well and she approves of this Guava and Orange soap that is she currently using. Why not? guava is said to be a rich source of natural astringents and orange makes the skin glow, just the right combination to detoxify the skin and treat skin problems common with teenagers.

When my Pure VCO and Gugo Bark soap runs out, I will try the other soap I got: Seaweed and Molasses with  Tea Tree, an anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial soap to help tone and cleanse the skin.

I thought at first that the soaps can only be ordered online but when I went to their site, I found out that these can be purchased at HEALTH BUFF WELLNESS SHOP located at Unit 212 (2nd level) Doña Anita Building E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City.

By the way, these soaps are wrapped in recycled paper.

Tags: anti-aging, Body Flavors, gugo bark, natural, orange, organic, papaya, Philippines, skin, skin care, soap, virgin coconut oil