Category: Food

Babaylan Knowledge: A Complete Tutorial About Herbal Medicine in the Philippines

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi LanakilaLeave a comment

Certain herbs, even some fruits are used as traditional and alternative medicine in the Philippines. This Buzzle article presents information on some popular medicinal plants, which are approved by the Department of Health, Philippines.  […]

Source: A Complete Tutorial About Herbal Medicine in the Philippines

Health:  How To Put Coconut Oil In Your Hair To Prevent It From Going Gray , Thinning Or Falling Out – Healthy Solution Team

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi LanakilaLeave a comment

We reveal a few of the most essential benefits of the usage of coconut oil for your hair:   Repairs Hair Damage Coconut oil is even better than mineral oil and sunflower oil, in the avoidance of hair damage. It is the only oil which decreases protein loss and enhances the shaft. Apply it on […]

Source: How To Put Coconut Oil In Your Hair To Prevent It From Going Gray , Thinning Or Falling Out – Healthy Solution Team

Vegetarian Lentil and Chickpea Meatballs with Lemon Pesto Recipe on Food52

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi LanakilaLeave a comment

I love meatballs of all kinds, and these are one my favorites. They are really healthy, but you wouldn’t know it when you eat them. It’s perfect for summer when I don’t want to have the stove on a long time and heat up the kitchen. The lemon pesto is great on all sorts of other things as well, and I like it as a dipping sauce for veggies in summer. A nice hit of citrus really brightens up the meatballs too.

Source: Vegetarian Lentil and Chickpea Meatballs with Lemon Pesto Recipe on Food52

Recipe ~ Bok Tong Go dim sum ~ Sweet Rice Pudding Cakes

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi Lanakila4 Comments
Click here for recipe
Bok Tong Go, Chinese steamed rice cake, owes its unique flavor and texture to a fermentation process that sours the rice flour. Click here for recipe.

This recipe comes from the Golden Palace Seafood Restaurant on O’ahu, Hawai’i.  Oh, how I love eating dim sum for breakfast, and especially my all-time favorite, Bok Tong Go, those slightly translucent, milky-white sweet rice cakes with the interesting texture.  My brother, Jeff, and I grew up eating lots of these cakes while growing up in Hawai’i, Washington State and California.  My parents were foodies, especially when it came to Chinese cuisine, and we learned our way around a Chinatown at an early age.  In fact, the very first place we stopped in as we drove into San Francisco for the first time was the Golden Gate Bakery, where Mom and Dad bought a huge pink box full of beautifully steamed and baked treats.  If you folks have never experienced a Chinese bakery or dim sum food, you’ve missed out big time and its definitely an experience for that bucket list.

Here’s the Bok Tong Go recipe from the Golden Palace … ah, I can still smell and taste these goodies as I write … wow.  Enjoy!

Bok Tong Go

>> Step 1:
1/2 pound rice flour
1 cup water

Combine flour and water; cover with plastic wrap. Set aside at room temperature 3 days, until it smells slightly sour.

>> Step 2:
1 pound rice flour
1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
2 cups hot water

Combine flour and cold water to form a claylike paste.

Dissolve sugar in hot water. Add paste to sugar water.

Stir fermented flour/water mixture from Step 1; add to Step 2 mixture. Mix well.

Remove 1/2 cup of this mixture and refrigerate (this becomes the starter for your next batch). Cover remaining mixture and set aside at room temperature 12 hours.

>> Step 3:
Vegetable oil to grease pan
1/2 teaspoon potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate solution

Prepare steamer: Bring water to a boil in a wok or large skillet. Place 12-inch steamer basket over wok. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans (pie pans may be used, but this will give your rice cake a sloped side).

Add sodium bicarbonate to the fermented mixture. Pour mixture into pans. Place 1 pan into steamer for 30 minutes, then remove and steam second pan. Cool, remove from pans and slice.

=======

2018 Update:  Due to several folks who complained that the above recipe didn’t work out so well for them, we have researched more and found the following alternative recipes for you to try.

Bok Tong Go

Alternative Recipe #1:  This recipe uses Pandan leaves, which is a grass (like lemon grass) native to Asia. You can buy Pandan flavoring (which is green in color) at any Asian food store.  It imparts a wonderful fragrant body to rice, especially when added to a pot of steamed rice during the cooking process.

https://theburningkitchen.com/bai-tang-gao-pak-tong-go-recipe/

Alternative Recipe #2:  Here is another version of the recipe, without using Pandan.

http://mealsteps.com/recipe/sweet_rice_pudding_cake_(bok_tong_go)

Alternative Recipe #3:  And a YouTube video to walk you through this recipe.

The article listing the full recipe shown in this video appears here.
http://yummyeasycooking.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/how-to-make-steamed-rice-cake-bak-tong.html

 

Recipe ~ Meatless Meatballs

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi LanakilaLeave a comment

meatballs

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 5 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 8
“Make vegetarian meatballs with browned mushrooms instead of meat and you’ll be amazed by their hearty taste and perfect texture. Approved for use on spaghetti!”
 
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs fresh white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 pinches salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 ounces very finely shredded
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley,
packed
4 eggs, divided
2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 pinches cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 pinches dried oregano
6 cups pasta sauce
2 tablespoons very finely shredded
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian)
parsley, or to taste
Directions:
This recipe’s ingredients is scaled to yield a servings amount of (8). The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of (4).
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms to the hot oil, sprinkle with salt, and cook and stir until liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Stir butter into mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and cook and stir mushrooms until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

 
2. Stir onion into mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir garlic into mushroom mixture until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.

 
3. Mix oats into mushroom mixture until thoroughly combined. Gently stir 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into mixture. Add bread crumbs, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 egg; season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Mix together with a fork until crumbly. Stir in remaining 1 egg. Mixture should hold together when pressed.

 
4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. For best flavor and texture, refrigerate overnight.

 

Health & Wellness | Stay Hydrated This Summer With This Watermelon Green Juice

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi Lanakila1 Comment

WatermelonSlicingOnCuttingBoard-850x400

This watermelon juice has loads of fresh, hydrating greens like cucumber, romaine lettuce, and celery, not to mention our superfood friend, kale! Plus, it’s got lime and watermelon to sweeten it up and hydrate the body. Next time you need something refreshing, give this a go.

Watermelon Green Juice
Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 1 small-medium head of organic romaine lettuce
  • 3 cups cubed watermelon
  • 1 cucumber (peeled if not organic)
  • 2 small limes (peeled)
  • 5 stalks of organic celery
  • 5 stalks of organic kale

Directions

Wash and prepare all of your produce, cutting to fit your juicer’s shute if necessary.

Start by juicing your romaine lettuce. If your juicer has settings, use the lowest one for the lettuce.

Then, juice the remaining ingredients.

Fresh juice is best immediately after you make it; however, it will pack a good nutrient punch for up to 24 hours after it’s made if stored in an airtight container, filled to the very top, and sealed with a lid. (Sometimes I’ll add a little water if I don’t have enough juice to fill it to the top.) Mason jars with resealable lids work great for this.

Store in your refrigerator.

 

RECIPE ~ Vegan Eggplant Meatballs

Hālau ʻĀha Hūi LanakilaLeave a comment

Image

 

Ingredients:

cooking spray
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup cooked white beans (or drained, rinsed canned)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs or panko (use gf crumbs for gluten free)
pinch red chili flakes (optional)
2 cups quick marinara sauce


Directions:

Heat the oven to 375°. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

Place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When hot add the eggplant and 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor.


Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil to the skillet with the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add to the food processor along with the drained beans and parsley and pulse until well combined and chopped, but not pureed.

Combine the mixture with the breadcrumbs and red chile flakes if using. Taste for salt then roll into 12 meatballs, about 2-inches in diameter. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake until firm and browned, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm the marinara sauce and serve with the meatballs over pasta, zucchini noodles or on a whole wheat roll.


Servings: 4 • Size: 3 meatballs with 1/2 cup sauce • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 260 • Fat: 7 g • Carb: 43 g • Fiber: 9 g • Protein: 8 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 307 mg • Cholesterol: 0 mg