Geeky Mom's Kitchen Lab

Aesthetique Revitalize Microdermabrasion Device

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 17:25:00 +0000

Aesthetique Revitalize Microdermabrasion Device

This was released last year and as a product junkie and person who enjoys pampering facial treatments, I was instantly curious. Yep, just curious because I couldn't afford the hefty price tag of Php 10,000.00 for the set. But later this year, they have been offering it at Php 6,999.00 as an anniversary blowout sale for everyone. Their Facebook Page says it's until June 2, 2017 but I PM'ed them anyway to inquire further and they said it was extended until now. Hmm, that got me thinking to check Zalora too, since it's one of their authorized dealers and I do have a BDO shopping code for an up to extra 70% off. Oh well, since I have been saving for my birthday last June, I might as well give myself a treat. (As an online shopper, consider this a tip. Before you buy anything, check your emails and text messages for coupon codes that you missed, that is if you subscribed to them.) Meanwhile, in my case, I tried to encode the BDODEALS at Zalora and voila! Happy Birthday to me indeed. I got the device for Php5,600.00. That's additional less Php1,400 almost 50% off the original price tag!
Mwah! Love you BDO, Zalora and Aesthetique.
And yes ladies, you have until the end of this month to get them there. So, go, go, go!

Box closed

Box opened

So much for the intro. I got so excited to share that with all of you. So what is this thing that got me worked up? Its a portable handheld microdermabrasion device that you can use in the comfort of your own home. This sounds like a dream come true for those who love to get diamond peel facials at the derma clinic. FYI, those treatments costs Php600 to Php800 a session. And if you do this at a regular basis, say once a month, that would be roughly about Php7,200 to Php9,600 a year and that wouldn't be enough treatments for years to come. So in my humble opinion, this device is worth the investment.

For those who aren't familiar with diamond peel, this is another form of microdermabrasion using a non invasive, mechanical cosmetic procedure with an instrument that has an abrasive diamond tip that gently loosens the dead cells, dirt, and debris while it vacuums them away. It removes excess oil, dirt, and dead cells on the surface of the skin to reveal the younger, brighter, invigorated skin cells underneath. A diamond peel can improve the appearance of fine wrinkles and lines, even out a patchy complexion, and reduce the occurrence of mild to moderate acne breakouts, which I'm really after since I have acne prone skin. However, do not use on skin with existing acne, open wounds and warts. Word of advice, always ask your dermatologist first if you're skin is okay with microdermabrasion at home and also, if you do own the device and not sure on how to apply the correct pressure on the skin, you can always ask your dermatologist too.

Don't fret. There is an easy learning curve here because you will know how much pressure you will need apply because it's your own skin. And eventually you'll get the hang of it on your next session. I guarantee that your skin will improve if used correctly. You will only need a maximum of two sessions per week. Not necessarily the next day but skip a day or two to let your skin rest. Your regular beauty creams and moisturizer will also be absorbed better thus making it more effective. The device itself is so similar to the derma grade one that even my facial attendant was amazed on how small it was.

Package inclusions:

1 Microdermabrasion Device
1 Charging Base
1 Charger Adaptor
1 USB cable
2 diamond exfoliation tips (standard and fine)
20 Disposable spare filters
1 Cleaning brush
1 Velvet pouch
Instruction manual

Brush and disposable filters.

Device and inclusions.

1 set Aesthetique Revitalize Skin care products that includes:

Gel Cleanser
Cooling Gel
Gel Sunblock SPF 50

Aesthetique Revitalize Skin Care Products

Aesthetique Revitalize Skin Care Products back.

How to start and store:

Initially charge for about three hours at first and then 2 hours after you have been regularly using it.

Initially charge for about three hours at first and then 2 hours after you have been regularly using it.

Always keep the unit in a dry place at temperatures between 65 to 80 fahrenheit and away from direct sunlight. There is a protective pouch included.

How to use:

Quick start guide

User Guide

How to clean:

Remove the tips only from the device and clean them with warm soapy water with the brush. Do not immerse the microdermabrasion device in water. Wipe them with soft dry cloth only.
Make sure that the tips are thoroughly dry before storing them back in the pouch or inserting them back in the device.

Warranty: One year

Additional accessories that are sold separately :

Body tip- for body use. Yes, you can diamond peel those areas like armpit, buttocks, elbows, knees, back and stretch mark.
Additional filters
Fine tip
Standard tip
Skincare products

Source: http://aesthetique-solutions.com/?route=information/information&information_id=7

Product images from their website:

Pros

Hygienic and personal (Mine and only mine. You can buy another tip for another family member if they want to use)
Portable (Using it at the comfort of your own home at your own time.)
Affordable (Compared to P800/ session at your derma.)
Durable tips (Very similar to the ones used at the clinics.)
Replaceable tips (In case it gets lost or damaged)
Effective (See results in just two weeks with 2x a week usage)

Cons

Highly addicting
Price (Kinda contradicts to the Pros but for a struggling starving artist like me, it does)

Website:

Aesthetique Solutions

Authorized Dealers:

Zalora

Calyxta

Beauty MNL

Ikkousha Ramen Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:22:00 +0000

With ramen houses sprouting here and there in Cebu, only the ones that serve authentic tongkotsu broth are the best. And as a certified ramen freak, I am forever on the lookout of the best authentic ramen that each place has to offer.

Tonkotsu Standard. The egg is just there because my hubby shared his ajitama (soft boiled egg) with me.

Ikkousha Ramen is one of the ramen gems in Cebu with its first branch in JY Square, Lahug. It is an acclaimed international ramen restaurant with branches worldwide. Originally from Fukuoka, Japan, it is the place where tongkotsu broth making as well as the masters of this craft are originated or so I am told. Ikkousha also means "one happy place" which reflect their motto, "to bring happiness to the people".

Ikkousha’s secret to its broth are the different pork bones used , the broth is simmered over a low heat for over 12 hours to create that signature creamy texture. This method of slow-cooking draws rich, skin-smoothing collagen into the delicious broth. Yes ladies, eating ramen regularly makes your skin young looking. :)

Ramen orders start from Php 290 for the Tongkotsu Shio, a light version of the tongkotsu based ramen and Php 320 to Php 470 for the other ramen variants. Check out the menu below.

Ordering is personalized and made easy with their order sheets. Not everyone likes green onions or black fungus in their ramen so you can personally cross them out on the list. It'll save you from forever picking it from your soup next time.

Instructions on how to use the Order Sheet.

I usually order the most basic ramen and gradually build up to the next best order on my future visits. That way I can choose my favorite staples in each ramen place.

This. Is. Soooooo. Good.
Rich. Tasty. Thick. Sticky.

Gyoza. My essential ramen partner.

Condiments are my favorite thing in a ramen house. For me, it's like a trip to the candy store except that its just condiments. I get the thrill if mixing spices and see what it taste like. Weird me.

Theres the gyoza sauce, katare sauce, black pepper, sesame seeds, pickled ginger and some fresh mined garlic... yeah, I almost finished the whole jar. hehehe.

They also have a loyalty card that earns you an ajitama, gyoza/karaage and free ramen when you reach a certain amount of stamps on the card.

The Ikkousha Ramen Cebu Loyalty Card

Their recent promo is the Gyoza Ticket where you can get Gyoza for Php 1.00 only.

Gyoza festival!!!!!!

Ikkousha Ramen Cebu is located at the ground floor of JY Square Mall in Lahug.

They have access doors inside and outside of the mall near the back parking.
You can call them at (032) 514 5927.
Check their Facebook Page >> IkkoushaCebu

What on earth is a Bellabeat?

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 16:06:00 +0000

My Bellabeat in Leaf Urban Silver

You have probably seen its ads popping out countless of times on social media and on the web. Yes they have been aggressively marketing this product through internet advertising and has created quite a hype. But what is Bellabeat and what does it do?

Bellabeat is simply a health tracker for women. Obviously, men can't wear this. But it's a beautifully designed, lovely piece of gadget/accessory appropriately dubbed as a smart jewelry that you can wear as a necklace, bracelet or a dress clip. You will need the Leaf app (available in AppStore and GooglePlay) in order for it to work.

It basically does the following:

Records your daily physical activity.
Monitors your sleep cycles.
Facilitates your meditation.
Shows and alerts your stress level.
Tracks of your monthly period and fertility cycles.

Other features:

Smart hardware.
Motion sensor.
Smart vibrations.
Secure data backup
No charging up to 6 months of battery life (CR 2032)
Reminds you if you are inactive with its Inactivity Alert.
Daily customizable Smart Alarms for vitamins, pills or waking up.
14 day memory when you need to change batteries.
Wireless sync with both iOs and Android
Water resistant (Leaf Urban models only).
Sustainable materials from wood composite.

The leaf jewelry front and back. The material looks like a piece of stone jewelry mounted on a stainless leaf shaped frame.

I'm constantly complaining nowadays on how stressed I am until I found about this health gadget that helps women focus and take control of their well being. Curiosity got into me and I did some routine background check and read some reviews and what got me hooked was that it's supposed to predict stress levels based on your lifestyle habits. It claims to be the first wearable technology that predicts it.

The OCness in me started to tingle like Spidey's sense when it mentioned STRESS MANAGEMENT. Technically, the Leaf app analyzes and calculates the physical stress you made while you're wearing the Leaf jewelry it so it will be easier for you to predict and manage it when both are synced together. Believe me it tracks your every move. Sounds complicated but it is actually easy to use.

I asked my sister in law in the States to get one for me while they had it at 30% off during the Black Friday Sale. I just got it recently and gave it a week to test it before I wrote this review. Normally, it retails from $119.00 to $199.00 depending on the model with more accessories. I got this Leaf Urban design since its water resistant compared to the Leaf Nature which is not. But design-wise, I prefer the latter. The most basic set came with the Leaf, the Stainless Steel Chain Necklace, Genuine Leather Straps, Battery Replacement Tool and four spare screws.

Whats inside the box. The Leaf, Stainless Steel Chain Necklace, Double Wrap Genuine Leather Straps, Battery Replacement Tool, four spare screws and a manual..

It comes in two leaf designs, the Leaf Urban and Leaf Nature. The Shell is a separate device that helps you listen to your baby's heartbeat if your'e pregnant but that's another story.

Like I mentioned earlier, it's versatile design and construction allows you to wear it as a necklace, bracelet or a clip. It comes in two leaf designs, the Leaf Urban and Leaf Nature in black, gray and natural color with Silver or Rose Gold combos. You can buy the pricier set that comes with both Silver and Rose Gold Tone clips, necklaces and different colored straps or purchase them separately as additional accessories. I opted for the Silver Tone set only since I wear silver toned jewelry most of the time and it's within my budget. It goes pretty well with my everyday outfits but in case if it doesn't, I can still wear it as a clip under my shirt, on my bra and it doesn't fall off. Admittedly, I'm addicted to wearing it often as if it were a part of my anatomy. (Except when I shower or when I'm swimming.)

Pull the plastic tab to activate.

The Leaf jewelry and the Leaf app.

When you get your brand new Leaf, you need to pull off the plastic tab that activates the batteries and sync it with your app. Just follow the app instructions and your Leaf will vibrate briefly when it pairs with your phone. Set up your basic Profile and other preferences. Take note that you will need to input the data manually at first since the Leaf is getting to know you and your routines. In my case, it took me about three days of manually putting in the details when I realized that you need to do this only about once. After this, you will just have to tap to sync it everyday to get the readings on the app. In my case, I usually sync it in the morning when I wake up. Remember to sync every time you make changes in your preferences in the app so the leaf will remember it next time. You may sync it as often as you like. DOUBLE TAP the leaf every time you sync. I didn't get this at first and I thought my Leaf was broken.

So let me take you to each interface:

Once you open the app, it will take you to an interface that will look like this (2017 version)

The Activity (orange), Sleep (purple) and Period (peach) tracking and guided Meditation (mint) exercises and Stress Awareness (salmon) tabs will help you understand your body, take control of your health and hopefully uncover your hidden superpowers. Tapping the tabs will take you to the following:

ACTIVITY

The Leaf tracks my day's number of steps, my active time, distance and calories burned.
I sync it each time I made new steps so it will show up in the app.

The Activity tabs shows the records of activities that the Leaf has counted while you were doing your usual routine whether running, dancing, biking or just simply walking in the mall. You get real time overview of your daily activities, steps taken and calories burned, and understand how your movements affect your health. You can customize your activities and set your goals and adjust them according to your preference. Like mine, I set my activity goal to 12,000 steps per day or roughly 9 kilometer and burn more or less 400 to 600 calories depending whether I walk or run.

SLEEP

The chart shows when and what time I had light sleep and deep sleep. The yellow bar shows the time I was awake.
It also assesses the quality of my sleep at the bottom part. Don't get stressed out if you find yourself having "Disturbed Sleep" like in my mine (but slept for 8:21 hours).
Focus on the number of hours you slept. My goal is 8.

What amazes me is the Sleep tracking feature. We spend up to a third of our lives sleeping so it's important to get it right. The Leaf monitors your sleep and helps you understand what your body goes through during the night, so you can get better rest and wake up easier. It accurately tells what time you fell asleep, what time you woke up and my favorite, how well you have slept. Yes, you will need to wear it while sleeping. I wear the Leaf securely clipped on my shirt (they also recommended it that way) and it does not bother me at all. It also vibrates gently to wake me up in the morning.

MEDITATION

It has built in session recordings that you can download for free (internet needed) and listen to.
It tracks your Duration and Sessions.

I don't use the Meditation feature often because I listen to Coldplay as my meditation. 😁Hehehe. 😄 Honestly, music is my happy pill. But seriously, the Meditation sessions has breathing exercises that is beneficial and tremendously effective in de-stressing one self, find calm, and regain our focus. Quite useful once in a while.

STRESS

By swiping left or right, you can see the summary of your activities, sleep, meditation sessions and period cycles and assess your stress level in this tab.

Our activity levels, sleep quality and reproductive health all affect how stressed we feel. By monitoring these elements Leaf Urban can create an overview of your lifestyle and detect patterns that may cause stress before it takes a toll on you. (Source: Bellabeat)

PERIOD

It tracks your period, fertile days and ovulation.

Leaf’s period tracking and fertility calendar help you understand your body’s natural rhythms and cycles, it predicts your periods and give you valuable feedback about your reproductive health. So you’ll always know what’s going on, whatever the time of the month. (Source: Bellabeat)

SMART ALARMS

Note: You will need to sync your Leaf after every change to the alarm’s settings as this will transfer the new settings onto the Leaf itself.

Alarms (Source: Bellabeat)

Your leaf has the ability to have 3 alarms set up along with one daily recurring alarm that you can use as a pill reminder. When your Leaf vibrates for an alarm, it will vibrate with 5 consecutive longer vibrations. The pill reminder will vibrate with 4 longer vibrations.To access this feature, you will need to go into the app’ Settings, select the Leaf that you wish to set an alarm on and then select the Alarms label. Then it’s simply a matter of adjusting the time you want your Leaf to vibrate, setting a name for the alarm, setting the days that you wish to have the alarm repeat on and turn it on.

Inactivity Alert will trigger vibration on the Leaf if you are not moving enough.
You should also set up a Do not disturb period to tell the Leaf not to vibrate when you are usually sleeping. Having this turned on will make the inactivity alert not work during the set hours, but any alarms that you have set will still go off.

Inactivity Alert (Source: Bellabeat)

You can set up your Leaf to remind you to be more active if you have not been moving for a certain period of time. To do this, go into the app’s Settings, select the Leaf that you wish to remind you to move and then press the Inactivity alert label. Depending on the level you select there, your Leaf will remind you to move more or less often, by vibrating consecutively with 8 short vibrations when you’ve been inactive.

Keep in mind that you will need to do a certain number of steps to not have the Leaf remind you to be more active and the exact number depends on your usual activity levels.

WAYS TO WEAR YOUR BELLABEAT

Worn as Bracelet.

It comes with genuine leather strap in Capuccino. Looks rather good with you other accessories don't you think?

Worn as Clip

Either clipped on shirt or pants, its snug enough that doesn't move around nor ruin or puncture the cloth. It doesn't require any pins.

Worn as Necklace

Adjustable high grade stainless steel necklace.

What to love:
It looks really stylish and so nice and functional too. It has what I need for now. It's also versatile since it can be worn as necklace, bracelet and clip. It comes in different color variants too (if I have the budget I'd get them all). Good quality sustainable materials. Easy to operate. Easy to find inexpensive replacement CR 2032 batteries.

True to their company mission: Women are constantly under pressure about their appearance. They are expected to look and act a certain way, to be thinner, to look younger and sexier, to follow trends and look up to idealized forms of femininity. We believe that women need to focus on their own strengths, their own capabilities, and their own beauty.

The future of health care lies in prevention, not correction. By obtaining data from people, we can predict and improve their lives and prevent irrevocable consequences. The biggest challenge in preventive health care is changing the way people see health. Our future focus is to shape new mindsets and behaviors with the help of our products. Together we can change people’s perceptions about health and inspire them to live better, healthier lives.

Pros:

For a health tracker with all that features plus with a stylish and versatile looks, this would be worth investing if you are serious and diligent enough to use its functions. It is useful for an active woman who is concerned of her well being. It covers most essential health issues that should be aware of like exercise, sleep, meditation, menstrual period and stress management.

Cons:

However it's features would not be enough if, say, you're a professional athlete or an individual competing for a game. It doesn't provide a timer or count laps for swimming (it's not waterproof, it's just water resistant) or gather comprehensive detailed information of your other important athletic data like heart rating etc. You might be considering getting a Fitbit or other professional health tracker instead. (Fitbit doesn't have Period tracking by the way.)

It is pricey but considering of getting this or a Fitbit or an Apple Watch, this would be the least priced gadget with the basic health tracker features a woman might need. If you have the Apple Watch, forget about getting this. You would probably download a more complete set of health tracking apps than the Leaf, unless you really want one because it looks pretty on the wrist (compared to the bulky Apple Watch).

I would have wanted to have the heart tracker feature soon.
Make it waterproof with a secured strap for swimming.
I wonder if they can come up on how to track emotional stress too? Just a thought.

Let me know what you think.

Shop at https://webshop.bellabeat.com/

Lovely snapshots from their Instagram

#bellabeat #leafurban #healthtracker #review

Recipe: Turbo Broiled Bacolod Style Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 14:55:00 +0000

The I don't claim this to be authentic because nothing beats the real Bacolod Chicken from Bacolod. My hubby always reiterates this whenever he eats this kind of chicken anywhere in Cebu. It was his love at first bite. Oh well, I can't be in Bacolod all the time, well actually I've never been there at all. One of these days I'm gonna invade their city and their chicken as well. .

I'll just settle for this recipe that I found online and tweaked the salt and sugar level down a bit.

Ingredients
1/2 to 3/4 kilo chicken breast (you may also use chicken with bone in.)
2 tsp. ginger, minced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup lemongrass, chopped
1 cup Mother's Best or Mama Sita's (or even better the authentic) Sinamak vinegar
½ cup lemon or calamansi juice
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 cup sprite or 7up
½ tsp. ground black pepper

Basting Oil/ Sawsaw Oil:

3 tablespoons annatto oil (atsuete seeds heated with palm oil or atsuete powder mixed with palm oil )
½ cup margarine, melted
the remaining marinade mixture (don't worry, we will cook it before using)

Procedure:

1. In a ziplock bag, combine chicken, lemongrass, salt, ground black pepper, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, vinegar, sprite or 7up, and calamansi juice.

2. Knead and shake the bag mixture until every ingredient is well incorporated. Marinade for 1 to 3 hours or overnight.

3. In a bowl, combine all the basting ingredients and heat until the marinade bubbles. Set aside.

4. Arrange the chicken in an ovenproof dish and turbo on medium heat for 30 mins. Baste with the annato-margarine basting mixture once in a while to prevent it from drying.

5. Turn the heat high and turbo until the surface is nicely caramelized and browned.

6. Serve with sinamak, and the remaining Sawsaw Oil .

Tips: You can barbeque this recipe too. I'm just feeling lazy today.

Happy Eats!

#latepost #bacolodchickeninasal #geekymomskitchenlab

Recipe: Homemade Gyoza

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 12:31:00 +0000

For the gyoza lovers out there, here's a recipe you can recreate at home without spending Php 150-200 for 5 to 6 pieces per serving at the restaurants. This recipe has more veggie proportions than the usual 1:1 because I want my kids to eat more veggies. They absolutely love gyoza and they don't mind if I hide them there. :)

This makes about two to three dozen gyozas depending on your filling size.
Happy Gyoza Festival at home!

Ingredients:

1 cup Minced Chinese cabbage (bok choy, or napa)
1 cup minced chives (ganda leaves) 
1/2 teaspoon table salt (or 1 tsp. chicken powder, not boullion cubes) 
1/2 kg ground pork 
1/2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (with a Microplane grater) 
2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced 
1/4 cup green onion, minced 
1 teaspoon sesame oil 
1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper (optional) 
1/4 teaspoon sugar (omit this if using chicken powder)
1 pack Dumpling wrappers (please buy when you need it because it will eventually dry up and crack if stored for a long time. Dry wrappers are useless.)
Water mixed with cornstarch to make a paste to seal the dumplings

Sauce:

Mix vinegar, soy sauce and julienned ginger with optional chili oil.

Procedure:

1. Mix the first 10 ingredients. Everything should bind together without cornstarch or flour.

2. Prepare dumpling wrapper by peeling it off the rest of the wrappers in the package individually.

3. Fill dumpling wrapper and seal with the cornstarch mixture. You can watch on how to wrap a Gyoza here.

4. Pan fry the dumplings in a little oil preferably in a non stick pan. Careful not to let each one touch each other. When the bottom part is brown, add a small amount of water and continue to steam cook covered for about 2 mins or until water evaporates and the wrapper is translucent. The bottom part should return its crispness.

Pan fry the dumplings in a little oil preferably in a non stick pan and when the bottom part is brown, add a small amount of water.

Cover and continue to steam cook for about 2 mins or until water evaporates and the wrapper is translucent.

The bottom part should return its crispness.

5. Serve with the sauce mixture.

Enjoy.

Tip: Its perfectly alright to use a bit of fat in the ground pork mixture. It actually makes it more tasty and retains its juiciness inside. But if you prefer lean meat, you can optionally add a small amount of corn, canola or olive (pomace) oil to make it moist.

Recipe: Four Cheese Savoury Bread Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 03:56:00 +0000

Turn your "bahaw" na bread (day old bread) into something special for breakfast. This dish was inspired by my daughter's suggestion of turning my usual sweet bread pudding into something savoury with her favorite Virginia Bacon. 🥓

Four Cheese Savoury Bread Pudding

3 slices day old bread, cubed

1 tsp. melted butter

1 pc triangle cream cheese

1 slice cheddar cheese

1 tsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp. Mozzarella cheese, grated

1 egg beaten

1 cup milk

Paprika

Pinch of salt and pepper

Virginia Bacon sliced in 2 inch strips

1. Toss the first six ingredients and arrange them in a small ramekin.

2. Beat the eggs together with the milk, paprika, salt and pepper.

3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread mixture making sure the bread is well soaked.

4. Arrange the bacon slices on top.

5. Broil in turbo broiler on medium heat for 30 mins. And on high heat for the last 15 minutes or until the bacon is browned and the bread is fluffy and evenly toasted on top.

To test if the inside is cooked when the inserted fork comes out clean.

@Virginia

#breadpudding #bread #milk #eggs #cheese #bacon 🥓 🍳 🍞

Recipe: Lechon Belly Sinigang

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 16:36:00 +0000

Can you recognize Belly Buster Lechon when you see one? Turning leftover lechonbelly into something else other than paksiw or pritchon. Presenting saliva-inducing, asim-kilig Lechon Sinigang. So easy to make, you don't need to season it.

Lechon Sinigang

Ingredients:

250 grams Belly Buster Lechon (with some of its herbs included to flavor the broth)

5 cups water

1 medium tomato

1 cup sliced camias (iba) or unripe sampalok

1 small pack of Knorr Sinigang sa Sampalok Mix (if no camias or sampalok fruit is available)

1/2 tsp sugar

1 medium radish sliced

A small bunch of Chinese kangkong

Procedure:

1. Add the first four ingredients and simmer until the camias or sampalok has made the broth sour enough to your liking. Remove fruit.

2. Add sugar to offset the sourness. No need to season with salt since the Lechon is already salted.

3. Add radish and simmer until it's cooked.

4. Add the kangkong and turn off the fire immediately. The remaining heat from the soup will cook the leaves further.

Serve piping hot from the stove. Perfect compliment to other Christmas leftover meals

Recipe: Lechon Belly Paksiw

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 09:41:00 +0000

I have been having Belly Buster Lechon for three consecutive parties and yes, I brought some home. Guilty as charged. This has to be one of the most popular food item that's being re-cooked as another dish this holiday season.

There are about 101 ways of cooking lechon paksiw and it varies in every household. In this recipe, I use balsamic vinegar to flavor the liquid. I didn't add much aromatics since the lechon is already seasoned with them. Balsamic has intense flavor compared to white vinegar and sukang tuba. Although all vinegars have their own distinct taste, grape based balsamic vinegar compliments equally well with the lechon paksiw.

Ingredients

250 grams Belly Buster lechon (preferably meat and skin)

1 small onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/2 tsp crushed peppercorns

1 bayleaf

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 pc. jalapeño pepper (optional)

Water

Procedure

1. In a deep pan, add the lechon, onion and garlic and lightly stirfry them on medium heat until the lechon has browned a bit on its sides. This process eliminates adding additional oil. The existing fat from the lechon will do the browning.

Drain excess fat if present.

2. Add the peppercorn, bayleaf, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Jalapeño pepper is optional. Add water until meat is partially covered.

3. Simmer on low heat for 30 mins.

4. Season with salt or light soy sauce according to taste. (I personally don't add salt anymore since the lechon is already seasoned well.

Tip: For a thicker, glaze-like sauce, add a thin cornstarch slurry towards the end of cooking.

Serve piping hot with rice.

Lechon Paksiw also keeps well in the freezer in sealed containers. Great for breakfast during chilly mornings.

Might as well keep these until 2017!

Recipe: Beef Osso Buco

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 16:44:00 +0000

The original recipe calls for veal shanks but we popularly substitute it with beef shanks since we don't see that much veal in our local groceries. But you still get that meaty flavorful texture of the meat and the buttery bone marrow that melts in your mouth. In my recipe, I baked my tomatoes separately instead of adding tomato paste in the stew and sprinkle gremolata over the dish just before serving. I also love to add potatoes to this dish to make it more hearty.

This is also a great party dish since a slab of shank is usually large and can serve a lot of guests. When serving, make sure you have lots of risotto or rice on the side, everyone is bound to have second helpings.

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 1-1.5 hours

Serves 4-5 guests

Ingredients:

500 grams beef shank, cut into 2 inch thick slices across the bone

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Flour for dredging

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic

2 stalks celery sliced

1 medium carrot sliced

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 medium potato cubed (optional)

1 beef cube

1 cup white wine

Water

Roux:

Heat 2 tbsp butter in a small separate pan until melted and add 1 tbsp flour. Turn off heat.

Gremolata:

Mix together

2 tsp chopped parsley

1/2 tsp rock salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

In a small bowl

Oven dried tomatoes:

Slice 300 grams of cherry tomatoes in half. Arrange them in a flat baking pan. Drizzle olive oil, chopped parsley and salt on top.

Procedure:

1. Season beef shanks with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.

2. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the shanks on both sides. Remove and transfer the meat inside a pressure cooker.

3. On the same pan, add the onions, garlic, carrot and celery. Sweat until fragrant. Add this to the meat inside the pressure cooker. Set the pan aside.

4. Add the thyme, rosemary, and potato, beef cube and white wine inside the pressure cooker. Add water until it barely covers the meat. Pressure cook for 45 mins.

5. Depressurize after 45 mins. and remove meat from the liquid. Arrange in a deep dish. Reserve liquid.

5. Use the same pan in step 2 and 3 to make the roux. Deglaze with the remaining liquid. This should thicken the sauce.

6. Pour sauce over the meat in the deep dish. Sprinkle with gremolata on top and serve with the tomatoes on the side. Alternatively you can add the tomatoes on top.

Strobing with Sleek Highlighting Palette

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 09:13:00 +0000

Strobing is just a fancy schmancy term of highlighting in makeup. Strobing can also mean lights in photography. The makeup industry actually adopts so many photography terms in their makeup line such as HD (high definition) foundations, Blue Ray Mascara, Strobing creams, powders and so on. More and more cosmetic brands are hitching on the fancy terminology bandwagon that we love to watch and follow. However it's really up to you which brand you particularly like and more importantly which suits your budget. I want both budget and performance. So I want to share with you my favourite makeup item that is useful this holiday season.

I admit this is super filtered photo but I like how the strobing technique gave me that youthful glow that I wanted. It brightens your face instantly. A strobing palette is a perfect addition to look your best this Christmas season.

Strobing technique in makeup became a thing last year and I haven't really tried it because I was afraid it would make my very oily skin appear oilier. Strobing simply means, to highlight. And I have seen how others practically apply highlighting all over their face that makes them look like a lechon. The key is to apply it where the sun naturally hits your face. I know this mantra has been written in all strobing articles in magazines and blogs and it proves to be true. And so is applying it in thin layers until you achieve the effect you like.

A client approached me and she would like to have that strobe effect on her evening makeup for an important event. Hunting for nice highlighting palette was easy thanks to Instagram. I have been a follower of Sleek makeup since I bought my first Sleek Face Form contour and blush palette at Sephora years ago. Sleek is a UK based brand with moderately priced makeup range with fantastic palettes and wonderful color payoff. And recently, SleekMakupPh featured their Cleopatra's Kiss highlighting palette on IG and I instantly loved it. I headed to SM City Cebu to get one. I was lucky since it was the last box and the rest were the Precious Metals and Solstice set. Cleopatra's Kiss has colors that suits well with most skin tones so it's an ideal palette to keep in my MUA traincase. The client was older than me with smooth but sallow skin since she smokes a lot. But the strobing effect gave her that glowy look that she wanted. Well I got one happy client that day but she declined if I asked to photograph her for this blog. So i'm sticking to me, myself and I again just to demonstrate my point in the following paragraphs.

Nice metallic gold case. Measures approx 2.5 x 4.375". Retails for Php 875.00

Cleopatra's Kiss palette. Top L-R: Sphinx (powder) and Delta. (cream) Bottom L-R: Dynasty (cream) and Goddess (powder)

Swatches. Top L-R: Sphinx and Delta. Bottom L-R: Dynasty and Goddess

L-R: Goddess, Delta, Dynasty and Spninx

Back label.

I like to strobe with a bit of contouring to give my face depth and warmth. The highlights make your skin bright, dewy with a youthful glow. I helps blur out fine lines and makes you look younger. Honestly, I'm not afraid of strobing any more as long as you know where to station your highlights. Strobing could be a for fortysomething like me, your best friend.

Left: I started out with plain face. Just a thin layer of Maybelline BB Stick, Nyx eyebrow gel to groom my eyebrows and a thin layer of Sleek Matte Me liquid lippie in Birthday Suit.
Right: With a bit of contouring using Sleek Face Form Light. No blush.

Left: Just contouring. It looks fine and matte which I usually prefer before.
Right: With strobing on the brow bone, cheeks, nose bridge and above the cupids bow on your lips. It gave me a dewy look that I have grown to like.

How and where to strobe:

Sphinx on the brow bone.
Delta on the cheeks.
Dynasty on the nose bridge.
Goddess on the top of the cupid's bow on my lips.
Remember to apply sparingly in thin layers until you achieve the right amount of glow that you want. This is a no filter photo.

Tip: You can apply the powder based highlighter over the cream based highlighter to make it last longer like I did with the inner corners of my eyes.
I used Sphinx over Dynasty.

Same photo applied with smoothening filters.
Strobing looks also good with filters for more gorgeous selfies.
No eyeliner, no blush.

Pixi Correction Concentrate

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 03:27:00 +0000

I rarely use a concealer when I was younger because I felt I don't need it. And even if I don't get enough sleep and get dark circles under my eyes, the foundation was enough to cover it. But as I age, those ubiquitous shadows seems to appear even if I get enough sleep. Though I randomly use it in my late thirties because I don't like to keep on tugging and pulling the delicate skin around the eye area, it is however rather effective when it comes to hiding and blurring out blemishes, spots and other imperfections. But as I approach the ~~dreaded~~ fabulous forties. I realised that I needed it almost everyday. Dark circles under my eyes makes me look older, tired and haggard even if I just woke up from an eight hour sleep. And since it's supposed to to be applied under the eyes, I needed a formula that is nourishing for that delicate, sensitive area that is prone to premature aging.

One universal shade of Brightening Peach. Peach is a combination of pink and yellow undertones that neutralises the purplish, bluish or greenish circles under and around our eye area.

A friend of mine let me use her favourite Pixi Correction Concentrate last year and I instantly loved it. Its a corrector (not a concealer) with a peach undertone that neutralises the dark areas around the eyes and a very tiny amount of shimmer from the silica that helps diffuse lines, brighten the eye area making you look refreshed, well rested and yes, look younger. What I really liked about this product is that it has Rose Hips Extract for cell regenerating and skin elacticity boosting properties and Vitamin A for anti aging.It also has Vitamin C that brightens and revitalises and Vitamin E that nourishes and protects. It's so concentrated that you only need a minuscule amount to apply. It glides and blends in your skin beautifully like magic. It's totally different experience from using a traditional creamy concealer that if you need to apply a bit more, you will end up looking weird in photos with white patches under your eyes.

TIP: The tiny amount of shimmer from the silica helps diffuse lines and brightens any area.
I also use it on my brow bone and the bridge of my nose.

It has a very tiny amount of shimmer from the silica that helps diffuse lines, brightens any area.

I like using it with a concealer blending brush instead of my pinky finger. I find that the bristles blend it more delicately and naturally rather than dabbing it around you eyes like fingerprints. You can find Ecotool Airbrush Concealer Brush which is specifically designed for under eye blending in specialty cosmetic shops and in Rustan's and Watson's. This is an indispensable tool especially if you are a concealer/corrector user. I would also recommend using this.

I like using it with an under eye blending brush instead of my pinky finger. I find that the bristles blend it more delicately and naturally rather than dabbing it around you eyes like fingerprints.

Pixi by Petra is a UK brand that has been in the market for more than 10 years already.
Her products are paraben free and not tested on animals.

NET WEIGHT: 3g

INGREDIENTS: Petrolatum, Diisostearyl Malate, Silica, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polybutene, Polyethylene, Sorbitan Isostearate, Alumina, Microcrystalline Wax, Glycerin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Phosphatidylcholine, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Vitamin C), Retinyl Palmitate. (Vitamin A), Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Alcohol, Water, Simethicone, Dimethicone, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492), Red 40 Lake (CI 16035:1).

Got mine for $16.00

Available locally at
BeautyMNL
GlamourBox
ZaloraPh

Follow them on Facebook

Recipe: Fish Head Stew

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 14:48:00 +0000

Large massive heads of fish calls for traditional Fish Head Stew. It's one of the tasty ways where you can nitpick those meaty parts of the fish, whether be the cheek, forehead and neck (do they even have one?), the sticky, slippery fish lips, cartilage, gelatinous eyeballs (yum!) and all. My grandfather loves fish and he used to make this stew using the whole fish itself. His method was to fry the fish first then, stew it. My version uses the traditional method of simmering it in a tasty Japanese inspired sauce.

Mamsa fish head. Grouper or Lapu-lapu fish head is also ideal since it contains more cartilage and makes the sauce sticky.

I happened to purchase a fresh mamsa fish head (eyeballs still bright and bulging) just enough size for two people. Perfect for me and my husband. Grouper or Lapu-lapu fish head is also ideal since it contains more cartilage and makes the sauce sticky. All you need is the mirepoix of Chinese cuisine which consist of ginger, leeks or green onion and garlic. Soy sauce, sugar, mirin, are also included and a piece of jalapeño for a touch of spiciness.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 2-4 persons

Ingredients:

350 grams fish head, cleaned with lemon juice
1 two inch ginger , julienned
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large stalk green onions, green separated from the white
1 tsp. oil
1/4 cup light soy sauce (Kikkoman)
1/4 cup mirin
1 cup water
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp rice wine vinegar (optional)
1 piece Jalapeño
Dash of white pepper

Procedure:
1. Prepare the mirepoix of ginger, green onions and garlic. Slice the green part of the onions in bias. Reserve for garnish. Slice the white part in strips.

argh! I forgot the garlic in the photo again.

2. Heat the oil in pan and sauce the mirepoix until fragrant.

3. Add the fish head.

4. Place the jalapeño on top and add the water, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar.

5. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

6. Remove cover and reduce the sauce until slightly thickened by rapidly boiling it on high heat further.

7. Turn off heat and add a dash of white pepper. Transfer to a deep dish and serve warm with lots of rice.

Fish Head Stew

Recipe: Chasyu for Ramen Topping

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 16:03:00 +0000

Chasyu

This October and the months ahead means frequent cold and rainy weather. A perfect time to stock up on Chasyu topping for piping hot, ramen noodles. I found this recipe online and tried to make one at home. I adjusted the salt on a lower volume and added soybean paste to the seasoning to make it more flavorful. You need to watch over this since it is slow cooked and you need to reduce the liquid until it becomes syrupy. You can also use pressure cooker to hasten the cooking time in half.

Sliced Chasyu

Preparation time: 30 mins.
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 3-4 as ramen topping

Ingredients:

350 grams pork ham slab with a bit of fat (rind trimmed and removed)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. oil

2 inch ginger, sliced

1 green onions

1 1/2 cup water

1/3 cup sake

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp soybean paste (or miso paste)

white pepper

Clockwise from left: water, sake, ginger, soy sauce, salt, soybean paste and white pepper.
Center: Pork ham slab.

Procedure:

1. Wash and pat the meat dry with a paper towel. If the meat is big, you can cut in manageable size. I like my meat in square proportions so it's easy to handle when searing.

2. Season with salt on all sides.

3. Sear the meat until all sides are lightly browned.

4. Add all of the remaining ingredients.

5. Cover and slow simmer for about an hour until meat is tender when pierced with a fork but not flakey.

5. If water is almost dry and meat is not tender enough, add a bit more water and continue to slow simmer.

6. When liquid is reduced, it should be thickened almost like syrup.

7. Remove from pan and let it cool before slicing. You can also wrap it in cling wrap if you plan to store in freezer. Keeps for a week.

You can keep the reduction as a sauce or you can add it to the ramen.

Pressure Cooker Version:

Follow steps 1-4, then cover and seal the lid.
Heat until pressure builds up and reduce the heat to a slow simmer.
Pressure cook for about 30 minutes. Then turn off heat, depressurise, and open the lid.
If the sauce is still watery, turn the heat on high and reduce it with an open lid until it resembles like syrup. Do not leave the pot when reducing the sauce or else it might get burnt.
Remove from sauce and let it cool down and rest before slicing.
You can keep the reduction as a sauce or you can add it to the ramen.

Tonkotsu Broth Recipe here.

Chasyu as ramen topping.

Recipe: Homemade Tonkotsu Broth for Ramen

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 15:31:00 +0000

I have been a self proclaimed ramen girl myself and these are my all time favourite top three ramen houses in Cebu in no particular order. Click on the links for more info.

Barikata Ramen Bar- They serve only three kinds of ramen of unrivalled taste (IMHO). Simple toppings but unforgettable taste. My experience here was love at first sip.
Yushoken Ramen - Super Yummy. They make their own noodles and gyoza wrapper which are amazing.
Sachi Authentic Japanese Ramen Okonomiyaki- Their Nokou Kotteri is the best ramen in their ramen menu. So as their Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki. A must try.

All three of them has their signature tasty tonkotsu broth...and yes, all their signature ramen dishes starts at P300- up per bowl. Quite expensive alright but as soon as I learned to make this kind of rich, pale cream coloured, intensely flavoured, tonkotsu broth that leaves a sticky feeling on your lips, I realised that the ingredients, method, time and effort that the chef has put into this process was well worth it. You get what you pay for and as a working individual, you don't want to get underpaid either. You gotta respect the chef too. Unless you want to settle for a P20 instant ramen...or a P200 ramen that thats actually worth less than its amount just because it is named in the menu as "japanese" ramen when its not.

A P300- per bowl is already a luxury splurge for me that's why it's always a rare and occasional treat to have one. This brought me to decide why not make one at home which I did. Well actually I made a few but it turned out to be plain nilagang baboy broth. Tasty though but no cloudy color and no sticky texture that I was looking for. I always get frustrated if I don't get to eat what I want and i'm no chef so I was up for a challenge to learn this.

The broth with the ramen.

My finished product.

GOAL: To get that rich, pale cream coloured, intensely flavoured, tonkotsu broth that leaves a sticky feeling on your lips. (I reiterate)

RESEARCH: I searched, googled and read several articles about the broth and watched videos and demos on YouTube. I learned a lot from well seasoned cooks and other experienced food bloggers their techniques and scientific explanations as well.

PLAN: I bought the ingredients which was mostly pork trotters, pork leg bones (pork pata without the meat. You can ask the butcher to debone them) and chicken bones (I used whole bisaya or native chicken, deboned and made Chicken Halang Halang with the meat or use breast of a plain chicken and have them deboned to make chicken breast fillet with the meat). The pork trotters have more cartilage around the bones so this is ideal for giving the broth its sticky feel. The pork leg bones has marrow for that added porky flavour. The chicken bones adds and compliments its flavour to the soup as well. Pork fat can also be added for that additional rich full bodied taste to the broth. I used the skin with a bit of fat from the pork ham cut. The meaty part ill make it into Chasyu later on for the ramen topping. The flavourings for this broth are simply toasted garlic. ginger and caramelised onions plus the remaining reduction of the Chasyu that I will also be making. Recipe links are also provided below. Other tongkotsu recipe calls for additional fish bones too but I skipped this one fearing that I might use the wrong fish and give a fishy aftertaste with the soup. Sounds simple doesn't it? Wait till we go to the next process.

EXECUTE: Like I said, I'm no professional chef but I have been cooking since I was in college back in 1988. I have learned a lot from my family who also loves to cook as well as learning "survival cooking"(that's cooking on what's available on the pantry and ref) or whipping up something new from the left overs. My curiosity and the "scientist" in me helped me understand the rationale behind techniques they are using so I decided to tweak this version a bit. The original recipe calls for 8 to 12 hours of slow simmer which I don't have the luxury of time so I cut it down to 2 hours minimum. I didn't get that white, creamy, milkiness that I want but I understood that you can only achieve this with the slow, long simmering to emulsify the fats with the broth. One hour wasn't good enough. It left the broth clear and some of the cartilage is still visible. The 2 hours did gave me a cloudy pale, milky beige color instead but the flavours are exactly the same. Likewise with the rich and sticky texture, the two-hour slow simmer dissolves everything leaving you with the bones and bits of meat. The blanching and cleaning of the bones also contributes to its creamy color so I didn't skip this one.

DELIVER: So here it goes. This recipe takes about thirty to forty five minutes to prepare and cooks about two hours plus 30 mins post preparation. Patience is a virtue with this recipe. :)

This batch makes about 10 cups or 2 litres of broth. You can pack and freeze the rest for future ramens. Keeps for a week or so in the freezer.

Ingredients:

1 kilo pork trotters (pork feet without the actual feet)
Bones of one pork leg (pork pata. not in photo. I forgot to take one)
Bones of one chicken (or bones of three to four chicken breast. Do not include the meat)
10 cups water + - (water should be an inch above the bones when filled)

1 medium onion sliced thick
1 whole bulb garlic, smashed
1 ginger sliced (about a 2x2" size)
3 large stalks green onions, sliced (white part only, reserve the green for toppings. Not in photo again)
Pork fat and skin of 250 grams of pork ham cut (keep the meat part for Chasyu. Use the fat only)
Salt and white pepper to taste
Reduction from the Chasyu (optional)

Procedure:

Wash the pork trotters, pork bones and chicken bones well. Place in a pressure cooker pot and fill with water until the bones are covered. Boil for about 20 minutes and drain.
Discard the water and wash the bones again under running water. Remove any remaining scum that sticks to the skin and bones as well as the brown bits of the cooked blood. This will make the the broth turn brown and we don't want that.
Clean the pot and place the blanched and cleaned bones back. Cover with water and let it boil again. Turn off and repeat process number 2.
Finally repeat process 3 without turning the heat off. While simmering, remove any remaining scum that floats. Continue to simmer while preparing the aromatics.
Toast the onion, garlic, ginger and green onions until golden brown but not burnt. (or it will make the broth bitter).
Add the aromatics to the simmering broth together with the pork fat and skin. Cover the pressure cooker pot and set it to boil. Once pressure is on, lower the heat to its lowest and simmer for about two hours. Watch the liquid doesn't evaporate before the 2 hour timer that is why you should slow simmer this in the lowest heat setting. You may add more water if it does.
After 2 hours. depressurise the cooker according to its manufacturers instructions. Remove and discard the bones. There should be no cartilage left sticking to the bones.
With another clean stock pot, transfer the broth though a fine sieve a little at a time. Use a pestle to force the remaining bits to soft cartilage, fat, garlic onions, ginger and meat through it. (You can keep the ones that didn't pass though for pet treats which I did. My little dachshund gobbled it up in less than a minute.)
Season with salt, pepper, and the Chasyu reduction.
You can use a hand held blender to emulsify the broth again. This time, it will become pale, creamy and cloudy.

CLOSING: I sound like a project manager with this post. Hee hee har har. Blanch some fresh ramen noodles and arrange them in a bowl. Top with slices of Chasyu, Ajitsuki Tamago, Bamboo Shoots (you can get them at your local grocery in vegetable canned goods section) Green onions and ground sesame seeds. Ladle the piping hot tonkotsu broth over the broth.

I forgot to top the green onions this time. Ugh. But it taste really good.

Happy Eats!

Recipe Links:

Chasyu Recipe (A sliced pork boiled or baked in aromatic marinade.)

Ajitsuki Tamago (Hard boiled brown eggs with soft runny yolks in the centre.)

Recipe: Longanisa Cebuana Aglio Olio

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 11:53:00 +0000

If you need some protein to go with your pasta without the heavy sauce, this one is for you. It's a meal itself and its very easy to prepare in no time. The sweet, mild spicy flavor of the Longanisa de Cebu compliments well with the garlic and pasta.

Preparation time: 30 mins.

Cooking time: 30 mins

Serves 2 to 3 persons

Ingredients:

200 grams linguini cooked in salted water, al dente (reserve 3 tbsp of the cooking water
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced ( I love lots of garlic)

finely minced garlic

2 pcs. Virginia Foods Longanisa de Cebu, sliced thinly

Virginia Longanisa de Cebu

A pinch of chili flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Heat olive oil in a deep pan.

2. Add chorizo slices and cook until slightly brown. It will caramelize a bit but careful not to burn it.

3. Add the minced garlic and toss for a minute until fragrant. Do not brown the garlic.

4. Add the reserved cooking water and salt.

5. When the salt, dissolves in the water, toss the cooked linguini in the chorizo mixture until liquid is absorbed.

6. Add chili flakes.

7. Turn off heat and drizzle with a bit more evoo if preferred.

Serve warm with a slice of crusty bread.

Buon appetit!

Recipe: My Chinese Humba

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 15:37:00 +0000

Humbalicious!

Humba is a dish of Chinese origin. It comes from the Chinese dish called Hong Ba because of its similarities in taste, ingredients and appearance. Like its Filipino counterpart, the Adobo, this dish has a different version in every household and its leftover gets better and better as it gets older. Adobo has his pinoy salty-sweet-sour taste while the Humba has more sweetness, salty and a bit of sour with aromatic Chinese spice aroma.

I remember my Ama used make this using lean pork with thin soy sauce (because she doesn't use cornstarch slurry in the end of the cooking) and its wonderful five spice aroma wafts though the house while she slow cooks the meat to its flaky tenderness. But I realized that by adding a bit of pork fat (well a load full of it actually) makes it sinfully yummy. Forgive me but please pass the atorvastatin 😁😁😁 (an old Lipitor joke). But seriously, high cholesterol and high blood pressure is no laughing matter so please adjust the fat content according to your diet requirements.... and eat responsibly.

My version has hard boiled eggs, dried Shitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage and honey in it. This recipe is very similar to my Patatim recipe here except that I use pork data instead.

Preparation time: 30 mins.

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Cooking oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1pc Chinese sausage sliced thinly
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 kilo pork belly, cut in 2 inch serving pieces.
1 whole piece star anise or 1 teaspoon five spice powder
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lightsoy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 bay leaves
1/4 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
2 tablespoons tausi
5 pcs. small dried Shitake mushrooms, soaked (reserve liquid to be added to the mixture)
3 cups water
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in /4 cup water
3-4 hard boiled eggs peeled or 8 pcs hard boiled quail eggs

Procedure:

In a pressure cooker pan, sauté garlic and Chinese sausage lightly and remove them from the pan.
Add 1 tsp of the brown sugar and caramelize them until lightly browned. Careful not to burn the sugar or else the dish will turn out bitter.
Quickly add the meat, the garlic-sausage mixture, star anise, vinegar, soy sauce, cooking wine, the rest of the brown sugar, bay leaves, peppercorn, tausi, mushrooms and its liquid and water.
Cover and pressure cook until meat is tender about 20-30 minutes.
Uncover, add honey and cornstarch mixture until thickened.
Add the eggs.

Happy eats!

Add caption

Lily of the Valley Night Mid-Rise Brief Period Panty

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 14:38:00 +0000

Front and back packaging.

This is another review on period panties of a different brand, Lily of the Valley. I bought this together with the other brand at Zalora just to try it out. It is locally made which I appreciate since I encourage everyone else to patronize and support our very own products.

This one has a different and unique design that has multiple features which I absolutely love.

What is a period panty? A period panty is a special panty worn during your monthly menstrual period typically lasting between 3 to 7 days. It is also called a “menstrual panty” or “sanitary panty”. These are normally made with leak-proof material that will keep clothes and sheets from period stains.

- Lily of the Valley

It has sweat-resistant and breathable material with multi-directional stretch fabric that contours to the shape of your hips.

Photo from zalora.com

The front panel is reinforced for tummy control (I like this idea).

Reinforced front panel for tummy control.

The crotch area has double lining that discreetly tucks and folds In the napkin wings thus prevents skin contact on the inner thighs and minimizes irritation, itchiness and skin darkening. The central part on the crotch area also has this firm core material that prevents the napkin from twisting and shifting. It is made of special sturdy and hygienic material that withstand repeated washing. This is also an ideal panty to use when exercising or going to the gym during your period or just for daytime or night time use on your red days.

Double crotch lining with inner core lining.

The crotch and back panel design has leak-protective interlining that prevents clothing stains when sitting and lying down in prolonged periods of time. Shirring at the back panel brings the panty closer to your body and gives you a better fit, securing the napkin in place.

Crotch and back panel design has leak-protective interlining that prevents clothing stains

The LOV Period Panty System

What does research say?

Lily of the Valley period panty was designed with these unique features and benefits.

True to its claims, I love my lilies and as soon as I put them on, I can walk, run, drive, hit the gym and even lie down without worrying about what's going on my behind. 😁

I bought mine at Zalora at a special price of P247.00 from P380.00.
Online store promo varies from store to store.
Use code ZBAPRsM for a 15% off Zalora storewide for first time shoppers.
Terms and Conditions Apply

Comes in Nude and Black color and in sizes:

Small (24-27")

Medium (28-31")

Large (32-35")

XL (36-39")

Also available in Day Low Rise Bikini

More information on their website at

www.mylilyofthevalley.com

For ladies only: Guardian Period Panties- Leakproof Underwear

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 13:35:00 +0000

Yes. I've been looking for these in local department stores and finally found it in Zalora. I've heard of these when I was in college and been using the Wacoal brand. But they have been out of stock for a long while plus the brand is a bit expensive. About P500.00 a piece.

It's really annoying that no matter how your sanitary napkin has all this anti-leak, winged and dry cover features, its bound to stain a part of your panties anyway. Especially the back part when you sit or lie down in prolonged periods of time. Then thanks to Google, I discovered Guardian Leak Proof Underwear. And I'm happy that it's available locally at Zalora and Lazada.

It comes in two colors, black and nude.

And in sizes in

Small (28-30")

Medium ( 30-32")

Large (32’-34)

Extra large (34-36")

Photo from guardian_period_panties in Instagram

The fit is midi, falls comfortably around the hips and is snug enough to hold your sanitary napkin in place.

Photo from guardian_period_panties in Instagram

Outer part is made of premium cotton, lightweight and soft while the inner back portion is made of breathable waterproof nylon lining. This is where the panty feature lies. This area stops the leaks from getting through your clothing on your sofa, car seat or bedsheets.

When the panty is turned inside out, this is the back portion that is made of breathable waterproof nylon lining. This is where the panty feature lies. This area stops the leaks from getting through your clothing on your sofa, car seat or bedsheets. (Taken with a flash so the cloth can be seen in the pic. The nylon materials including the elastic looks shiny.)

This material extends up to the crotch area. (Taken with a flash so the cloth can be seen in the pic. The nylon materials including the elastic looks shiny.)

Back Label

I got the promo pack of three for P499.00.

Also avaialble in pack of two for P299.00 or singles for P199.00.

Online store promo varies from store to store so better check and compare first before purchasing.
Use code ZBAPRsM for a 15% off Zalora storewide for first time shoppers.
Terms and Conditions Apply

Warning: Must be worn with Sanitary Napkin since the crotch is made from waterproof nylon material, not cotton.

Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

Ribpublic Diner opens at SM City Cebu

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 13:35:00 +0000

Get their incredibly satisfying ribs and more as Ribpublic Diner launches it's second store at SM City Cebu, 3rd Floor Main Wing (beside IMAX Theatre) this coming August 20, 2016!.

Tune in to Y101 fm Cebu for a chance to win Php 500.00 gift certificates everyday from August 16 to August 20!🤗

Another favourite is the Pork Belly.

Finger lickin' Spicy Chicken Wings...oh, so good!

A huge slab could be shared for two.

Follow them at Facebook and Instagram

How I prepare my Pork Steak or any steak.

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 13:52:00 +0000

The I happen to spot these beautiful pork steak cuts at the butcher shop yesterday and decided to make Pork Steak ala Pobre at home.

I marinate the cuts with worschestershire sauce, light soy sauce and cracked black pepper. Just enough to moisten the meat not to soak them. My grandma taught me to add cornstarch to the surface of the meat to seal in the juices when searing.

In a hot, flat pan, drizzle the surface with a tablespoon of oil and sear the meat on one side for about 2-3 minutes. Turn them over and sear the other side and add a tablespoon of butter, 2 cloves of crushed garlic and a teaspoon of dried rosemary.

Spoon the melted butter, garlic and rosemary all over the meat. Turn off heat and transfer the steak to an ovenproof dish and finish cooking in a turbo broiler for another 10 minutes or so.

GRAVY

In the same pan, add more butter and slices of fresh mushrooms. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of flour and mix them well over low heat make a roux. Add water and chicken powder mix to taste and stir until thickened to make gravy. You may add additional Worcester sauce to brown the gravy further.

Assemble everything in a serving dish with buttered veggies and mashed potatoes.

Happy eats!

Recipe: Fresh Mushroom Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 03:33:00 +0000

The rainy season calls for comfort food like mushroom soup. I got these beautiful shiitake mushrooms at SnR for Php176.00 for 350 grams. Yesterday, I sautéed them with just garlic, lots of butter and a dash of Kikkoman. Today, I'll make a simple classic cream of mushroom soup.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

200 grams fresh Shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly

1/4 cup butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup fresh milk

2 tbsp. flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

Chopped parsley

Salt and white pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Sauté garlic in butter. Careful not to brown them.

2. Add the sliced mushroom. Stir for about a minute.

3. Add chicken stock.

4. Dissolve flour in milk to make a slurry.

5. When stock comes to a boil, add the slurry slowly. Stir constantly in a medium heat until the soup has thickened.

6. Add the cream and parsley and turn off the heat. Stir until the cream is incorporated into the soup. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm with toasted buttered bread.

Happy Eats!

Storing and cooking Kale

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 11:22:00 +0000

My husband brought back a huge bale of kale (funny it rhymes. It was a lot so I thought bale would fit the description :) from his random trip to one of the Luigi's Urban Farm's plantation in Busay. This was the Russian Red Kale variety and the leaves were so lush, firm and green. I don't come across as fresh as this often. Most kales on the market here in our humid city are either half-wilted, dried up or rotten. Maybe because groceries store them with the plastic top open. Kales don't store for a long time even when refridgerated. Though you can place them inside a tightly closed plastic bag in the fridge crisper to make it last longer, but I have about a garbage sized bagful of them right now. So wiith this in mind, I decided to steam and pack them in convenient serving size inside ziplock bags. It keeps in the freezer longer just like spinach. And I just need to thaw and cook them whenever I want them.

Super healthy raw kale is a rich source of vitamins A, C, K, B6, folate and manganese. Kale is also a good source of thiamine, riboflavin, panthotenic acid , vitamin E and several dietary minerals, including iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorous. Today's health craze includes kale in juices, salads and side dishes. Cooking them longer will lose some of its nutrients but a simple quick stir fry won't hurt as much.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 seconds

Ingredients

1 salad bowlful of washed kale
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper or
1tbsp. Oyster sauce

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a wok until it's smoking hot.

2. Quickly stir fry the chopped garlic in the oil and add the kale just before the garlic turns brown.

Stir fry for about 30 seconds only. Turn off the fire and let the remaining heat from the pan continue to cook the kale. Don't over cook.

3. Season with salt and pepper or oyster sauce.

Serve with the main dish.

Video Recipe: Tomato Basil Focaccia (No cook)

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 07:00:00 +0000

If you have been to La Tegola Cucina Italiana in Cebu City, then you will know what a Focaccia is. They usually serve this while you are waiting for your order. They use super thin flat bread that resembles like crackers. Traditionally, it is an Italian flat bread with texture very similar to a pizza crust, seasoned with herbs, olive oil, cheeses and other variations.

In this recipe, you can buy similar crispy thin crackers like the ones in La Tegola at Leona's Bakeshop in Cebu. They label it simply as Crackers. This is an excellent dish that you can whip up in no time. If you plan to store this Tomato Basil mix in the fridge, don't add salt because it will make the mixture watery in just a few hours. We don't want a soggy focaccia. It keeps rather well for a few days in a tightly sealed container with just a drizzle of olive oil. Just add salt just before serving.

Simple store bought ingredients like tomatoes, basil and olive oil. Crackers available at Leona's Bakeshop.

Video Recipe: Tuna Pokébowl (No cook)

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 15:14:00 +0000

My first video recipe.   I find that it takes a lot of my time to edit it compared to just writing about it. But it was fun to make nonetheless. If there was a #BTS, you could have witnessed my messy kitchen and loads of utensils to wash. I was a #tryinghard #OneWomanShow using an iPhone clamped on a tripod  I know it needs a more consistent lighting (heck, I was just using ambient light and the pesky led bulb overhead which I can't avoid) and a nicer music (scouring for royalty free music- HELP). I also need to remind myself of using a checklist because I forgot to include the cubed mangoes on the video. Kayo nalang mag add. Hehehe.  This is a simple no cook Hawaiian dish called Pokébowl. Other variations can be used other than tuna like sashimi grade salmon, grilled pork chops, steamed chicken cubes, flaked adobo or even lechon belly bits.   More videos soon?? Hmmm, perhaps if I have the luxury of time. Meanwhile, I hope you do enjoy this. Feel free to critique and comment. Thanks for watching.

Recipe: 5 Minute Mullberry Jam (No cook)

noreply@blogger.com (Geeky Mom) — Thu, 25 Feb 2016 08:29:00 +0000

I like my Mullberry jam on top of cream cheese on toast or Fita crackers.

The Busay mountains in Cebu has been one of our favourite places to retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. It's just a quick short thirty minute up to an hour drive depending on your destination. No tickets and suitcases needed. Armed with a camera, sweater, jeans and favourite Jimmy boots, me and my family prepare ourselves for another scenic and gastronomic adventure. Well, its actually the same scene and the same food (sweet corn!). But there are times when the atmosphere changes from sunny to shady to foggy and refrigerator cold. Nothing like a dose of cool fresh mountain breeze to perk your spirits up.

We have a friend and his wife who has a little farm up there where they grow vegetables commercially. His wife who happens to be a green thumb and a great cook (can't get over the Roasted Native Chicken and Tinola and Sautéed Gizzards!) recently gave us a bunch of homegrown mullberries for tasting. Imagine mullberries in Busay! These berries however are not commercially grown, mind you. Thank you for this and the rest of the vegetables by the way.

So I have this bunch of berries in the kitchen. I googled on how to wash, hull and prepare them. I also found out that blackberries contain compounds that may help you protect your heart, brain and cell damage. I remember watching an interview of Dr. Zen Obagi saying that berries and other sour fruits are beneficial to the skin. Hmmm, basta pang beauty lagi, go! Lets all eat berries for health and beauty's sake.

This juicy bunch had a mix of sweet and sour ones so I decided to make them into a jam. As you all well know that you need pectin to thicken up a jam. I have no idea where to get them locally so I'm using chia seeds instead. Chia seeds swell up and turn into jelly-like consistency similar to a jam. And these little superfood guys is loaded with massive amount of nutrients and is considered one of the healthiest food in the planet as well. This jam recipe is quick, easy and doesn't need any cooking at all so all the goodness is retained.

Makes a cup of jam.

Ingredients:

1 cup mullberries (You may use any other frozen berries if you wish)
1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
1 tablespoon raw honey

Procedure:

Place everything in a food processor and pulse until everything is mixed together.
You may pulse in a short time if you want your fruits to be chunky or pulse longer if you want it mushy.
Pack them in sterilised glass jar and refridgerate for about an hour to give time for the chia seeds to thicken.

For IG moments :)