Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw (Squash and Yardlong Beans with Coconut Cream)

-
The start of the year hasn't been great for the Philippines with the Taal Volcano eruption. Shortly after, news of a new corona virus was reported. It spread like wildfire infecting and killing a lot of people starting from China and to other countries around the world. And the Philippines wasn't spared. We are all battling this COVID-19 and with cure nowhere in sight all we can do is to take extra precaution with better hygiene like washing our hands with soap and water as often as we need, use of hand sanitizers and alcohols, wearing masks if we feel sick but had to go out, taking multivitamins and vitamin C, drinking enough water and generally eating healthy foods to boost our immune system. No one is safe no matter how poor or rich you are so we should do our part to help contain and prevent spread of this disease.

To make sure my family gets to eat nutritious food, I prepare food that are full of nutrients. I made Ginataang Kalabasa at Sitaw for lunch. Just like other vegetable dishes, we like to eat it with fried fish. This simple dish is affordable with ingredients that are easy to find and very nutritious. Adding pork or shrimp is optional. Basically, you just need garlic, onion, squash, yardlong beans and coconut cream.


YOU WILL NEED:
Canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 - 2 finger chili pepper
1 cup sitaw (yardlong beans), cut about 2 inches long
1 cup kalabasa (squash), cut half inch thick
1 cup coconut cream
Salt to taste

HOW TO PREPARE:

  1. Saute the garlic and onion in oil.
  2. Add the kalabasa and fish sauce. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the coconut cream and finger chili pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  4. When the kalabasa is soft but not mushy, add the sitaw and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with salt.
Serve with steamed rice and fried fish. Adding pork or shrimp adds flavor to the dish but if you are on a tight budget, this is good as is. Other veggies such as okra can also be added.


Eating healthy doesn't have to be costly and bland. Budget-friendly recipes like this one is both nutritious and delicious! So mommies, try serving this to your families. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ginisang Bitsuelas (Green Beans Stir Fry)

-
Image
Many homemakers have this question plaguing their minds on a daily basis - what am I going to cook today? Others might think that is an easy task but when you have to cook 3 times a day, 7 days a week, you have to meticulously plan a variety of dishes that will be suitable for the whole family. One quick and easy vegetable recipe that is also budget friendly is this Green Beans Stir Fry. Not only is this healthy but also delicious. Green beans are cheap here in the Philippines. They are also available all year round which is why they are a staple in every household. Other than stir frying them, they can also be used in lumpia filling, pancit, beef nilaga or bulalo, pochero etc. The ingredients needed are garlic, onion, tomato, and green beans. You can add pork strips, beef, or chicken. In this recipe, I opted to use some ground beef. This is optional. This goes well with fried fish. Green beans stir fry paired with crispy galunggong or daing na bangus is my family's favor
Read more

Easy Banana Loaf

-
Image
One of the most common fruits that is readily available in our homes are bananas. They are sweet and very nutritious. There are a lot of ways to serve them to our family and one of them is by turning them into banana breads. They are perfect for breakfast or snacks. You can have a variety of toppings too. Some prefer the classic plain one while others love them with nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate. This banana loaf is seriously moist and delicious! Now, who wouldn't want a slice or two of that? This banana bread recipe is so simple that, even if you don't know how to bake, you can make it with confidence. The ingredients are very common, too, that you most likely have them in your kitchen. Give this a try and let me know how it turns out for you. YOU WILL NEED: 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup bananas, mashed 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 stick of butter, melted ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup gran
Read more

Mantis Shrimp in Chili Garlic Sauce

-
Image
I love seafood. I would choose them over chicken and other meat. And mantis shrimp is one of the few that I get to cook when bigger ones are available in the market. I have been curious about mantis shrimps for a long time as I have seen them on social media and in my local market so when a vendor asked if I wanted to buy, I said yes right away! Since it was my first time cooking it, I did what we love - cooked in chili garlic sauce. I had a difficult time eating them because I didn't know how to properly get the meat off of the shell. Upon checking online, I sort of got the hang of it and realized there was very little meat in small ones. The next time I was at the market and saw these babies, I bought again and my eating experience was better and I certainly enjoyed it more. I still think bigger ones would be best. Since not all of us have premade chili garlic sauce available on hand, I will be sharing something that does not use that but definitely tastes great just the same. YO
Read more