Arm yourself with four basic ingredients and easy to make Filipino recipes while keeping healthy at home
Good health starts right in the kitchen. And more so now, with a global health crisis caused by the coronavirus, we have to arm ourselves with healthy dishes to defend against this pandemic. Here are four basic ingredients that do wonders for your immunity and health, together with easy to make recipes that you can try out while keeping safe social distance at home.
1. Moringa: The Miracle Leaf for Salads and Stews
Ever heard of the miracle tree? Well, moringa or malunggay is truly a wonder-thing. First found in the cold Himalayan hilltops, this tree has since been cultivated across Africa and India for its powerful superfood benefits. Its leaves are usually used as is or grounded into a green powder. Sometimes people replace spinach with moringa leaves, or it's simply tossed into salads. For this recipe, I used roughly a cup of its leaves into a beautiful Filipino squash stew, or Ginataang Kalabasa, an all-time favorite of mine, ever since I was a kid! One thing, I usually cook the kalabasa (squash) until it’s mushy- it creates this wonderful fusion of textures, and sweet, intense flavours when the kalabasa and coconut milk simmers into a thick gooey sauce.
2. Eggplant: A Rich Purple Antioxidant-Boosting Veggie That’s So Versatile
The deep vibrant purple, sometimes almost black hue of eggplants are incredibly rich in antioxidant properties, particularly the kind that’s shown to prevent cell damage, especially in the brain. Another thing I love about this vegetable is that it makes for an addictively quick salad. This Ensaladang Talong recipe, or Filipino Eggplant Salad is so versatile, you can make it on the fly, and serve as a side or an appetite-inducing appetizer before your meal.
3. Tomato: Lycopene-Essential Sweet Tangy Fruit
This Filipino Beef Pochero, or Beef Stew is my mother’s go-to dish, and this soupy, saucy tomato-y stew takes me right back to childhood. The essential health benefit in this recipe is lycopene, the brilliant reddish hue you see in tomato, watermelons, and pink grapefruit. The powerful antioxidant has been shown to reduce cancer-risk and more by preventing cell damage, so try out this pretty awesome beef stew recipe with tarty tomato sauce balanced by slight sweetness from bananas. Yum!
4. Bell Peppers: One of The Best Sources of Vitamin C
Whether red, yellow or green, bell peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C that come from food, providing over 160% of your suggested daily vitamin C requirement. And the best part? It leaves a slight peppery, fresh taste in any dish. In this Filipino Creamy Pineapple Chicken Stew recipe, or Pininyahang Manok, it’s a much-needed balance to the all-over creaminess of evaporated milk. But be warned, there’s a fair amount of pineapples which not everyone’s a fan of. I love it though, as the pineapples really cuts through the heavy-ness of this stew.
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