Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas

Shakes, Smoothies, and Juices

By livelifeandlove on July 12, 2021

All fruits are infinitely mixable according to your own likes. It is the simplest thing to make and most refreshing after a hard work. Nowadays, almost all recipes are printed in cookbooks and magazines that serves as a kitchen reference, we all eat and serve the same kind but there’s changes every season, the process of making adding new flavors and variations. What do you think? When the next idea will come from? Unless you’ll try to make and remake to love it first before sharing with others. You don’t need to order shake in the restaurant if you know how to make it yourself and it’s economical, you’ll also feel the good mood knowing you are saving energy and money. With too many fruits around, you can do more for it.

I devoted a bit of my abundant free time in making different kinds of shakes, smoothies and juices using fresh fruits in season such as; mangoes, papayas, cantaloupes, strawberries, blueberries, pears, apples, bananas and many more. There are many ways to do it, like the mix together ways. I’ve combined blending the mild sweetness, sour, delightfully sweet and others which includes; a low calorie shake for diabetics, trendy summer delight for dieters and delightful drinks for weight gainers.

I never break the habit of bringing our favorite fruits on the table no matter if it is a juice, shake or smoothies as long as anything nutritious is made out of fruits.

Few creative props added like fruit slices and mini umbrellas for good presentation.

Some of our healthy drinks is an everyday fruit choice for the family. I will always welcome any family member to make the right choice and suggestion on what kind of fruit to blend for the day. This is how I value our health and handle their cravings.

My everyday habit to make fruit shake for the family. Literally, there are many ways to serve fruits, one favorite of mine is turning fruits into drinks too. It’s not only refreshing but also healthy and nutritious.

There’s no shortage of these fruits, It’s always available in the market and you can even use the leftover fruits in the refrigerator.

Shakes, Smoothies, and Juices that you’ll love

Try one of these and see!

Sweet Papaya Smoothie

Refreshing Watermelon Shake

Apple-Kiwi Berry Shake

Pear and Pineapple Shake

Peach-Mango Shake

Pineapple Juice

Avocado Shake

Guyabano or Soursop Smoothie

Kiwi Shake

Always remember the health benefits of fruit shakes, smoothies and juices. Way to ensure you’ll receive all these vital nutrients that we need to stay healthy, full of energy and fight off diseases. All the goodness on the inside will have a positive effect on the outside. Ok fellas! Stay safe and healthy. Fruit shake and Smoothie recipes coming up next. See you again next posts..

Thank you for reading my blog!

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Attractive Serving Dish for Fresh Fruit Medley

By livelifeandlove on May 7, 2021

There are times when you want to do something a little special that you may also want to produce an eye catching and attractive serving dish for fresh fruit medley. You can try this! After all, it is accompanied by a helpful photography to give you an idea on how to be creative and it is also easy when someone shows you how. This is very simple, it is a quick entertaining idea, half an hour is sufficient to prepare everything.

Instead of using a glass platter or bowl, you can also make use of fruit boats and cups as serving dishes for fruits itself such as; melon bowl, pineapple boat, dragon fruit boat, avocado boat, orange cup, watermelon bowl or winter melon bowl to name a few.. you can also use vegetable salad shells as well.

Different serving dishes for fresh fruit salad

Fresh fruit medley usually beautiful containing variety of nutritious fruits with contrasting colors and flavors.

Pineapple boat

Melon bowl

Dragon fruit boat

Watermelon Bowl

Avocado boat

Orange cup

Ripe fruits are best eaten in its natural state, it usually brings a nutritious flavor on its own. Can be served as a healthy snack or a perfect dessert in any meal.

Note: To follow> Attractive vegetable serving dishes next blog…

Stay healthy and always remember the benefits of eating fruit everyday

Thank you for reading my blog!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas

Rattan Fruit Tasting Experience

By livelifeandlove on April 16, 2021

My second time to taste rattan fruit and hoping that this time will seduce my tongue. Once again, let’s see if I can tolerate it. I think it’s one of the best fruits to eat during COVID-19 Pandemic because sour fruits usually rich in Vitamin C. This would be my tasting review the second time around. I can remember my first tasting experience was memorably terrible. Golly! it was incredibly sour that I couldn’t take.

Rattan fruit is a beige scaly fruit (fish-like scale) an oval fruit like lanzones or langsat. It tastes like combination of strong vinegar and green lime.

A good friend of mine gave me these fruits with other kinds such as lemons and pineapples. I was forced to taste it again since it was already there. I first picked up the rattan fruit, it seems interesting to try once more. I took one and my first bite, can’t finish the whole thing, Yakks! Strange and mysterious sour, it seems my eyeballs popped out from its socket. I had mentioned it once and again, it was so terrible. I felt a sharp pain through my tongue and decided to throw it away but with a last- minute looks, I’ve saved it and dry under the sun because into my mind, it looks good for home decoration. I ‘ve kept inside the clear glass jar. Holaa! it is good on the table better than to taste and love it as a good fruit. I will never taste these fruits again.. I swear!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas

Weird-Shaped Radish

By livelifeandlove on October 26, 2020

It’s unusual to come across veggies that are outfitted with peculiar characteristics, and the sight of a completely white radish with an atypical form is an interesting example. Vegetables can develop into a strange bizarre form due to environmental conditions, and most farmers have to deal with this kind of difficulty at some point throughout harvest season.

**There’s a deformity at the end roots that looks like a fork in a distance.**

In the same family as turnips and mustard, radishes are among the simplest plants to cultivate for their peppery edible roots. The giant winter variety and the long variations are the two sorts of radishes available. Grown for use in salads and vegetable soup, usually eaten while they are fresh and tender.

Other radish produced strangely funny features but remarkably unusual. It’s quiet amusing! My best example, the long variety in form which is common in the supermarket. Instead of growing long and straight, it produces unusual course and abnormal fibrous in form.

These vegetables are a comical gag gift that look like a human limb has been split in half when there is an issue with their growth.

Thank you for stopping by, I love to share funny vegetable features.

Stay safe and healthy!

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas | Shakes, Juices and Smoothies

Fresh Fruits in a Cocktail Glass

By livelifeandlove on October 24, 2020

Serving whatever you have on hand is the most laid-back method to host guests. There’s no need to scramble to come up with a meal idea; just open the fridge and pull out whatever gives you the most energy. I’m sure they’d appreciate a plate of fresh, healthy fruits as they arrived, and any variety of fruit is always on hand and ready to be presented.

The good thing about serving fruits? It can be ready in a matter of minutes and is an excellent way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals. The option for today is healthy and delicious. Serving fruits in cocktail glasses isn’t my normal procedure, but when time is of the essence due to a rush, I always go for it! Self-prepared fresh fruits have no equal, and they only take around 10 to 15 minutes to prepare, requiring no cooking on your part.

Fill your fridge and table with as many different kinds of fruit as possible. You can often tell which fruit flavor goes best with which by experimenting with different combinations. I have experimented with combining fruits of varying flavors and textures, as well as arranging fruit slices in a wide variety of containers, including bowls, plates, cups, boats, and cocktail glasses.

To ensure a clean cut, I used a paring knife because it is lighter and more manageable than a regular knife. The fruits should have a high concentration of sweetness and aroma for the best possible mix.

Note : When buying fruits ,make a good selection of family favorites. It must be firm, free of bruises and fresh.

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My Indoor and Outdoor Photography | Recipes for busy moms/Fruits/Desserts/Salad/Decorative Ideas | Shakes, Juices and Smoothies

Home Cooking during Pandemic

By livelifeandlove on October 12, 2020

Note: This is the continuation of my blog, ”Home Cooking during Coronavirus Pandemic”

Home cooking during this season offers another marvelous opportunity to cook more and to eat more, it’s a day entirely dedicated to enjoying home-cooked meals. These days, planning a meal for the family is simple, but it can be difficult to accommodate everyone’s preferences. As a result, many households end up preparing more than one meal at the same time, which results in more time spent cooking.

The pandemic has made it more difficult for everyone to go out and shop, as there are now more factors to think about (such as the best days to go out shopping) and less readily available food. Due to a rise in the number of home cooks, both experienced chefs and those just starting out are finding themselves short on staple ingredients. Thank goodness there are plenty of grocery stores close by. Because I am alone in the kitchen, I have to work quickly when time is of the essence and I need to get dinner on the table as soon as possible. By planning meals in advance or the day before and taking advantage of a few shortcuts, I save not only time but money as well. The high price of food is beyond my means. I always choose the cheapest option.

Since the pandemic began, my life has taken a turn for the worse, and I often feel hopeless about the future. I’m sure I’m not the only one who shudders at the thought of what comes after a pandemic; in preparation for it, I’ve been extra careful ever since, and I even made some rules for the house to ensure that everyone stays healthy and safe. Like all mothers, I have to enforce strict rules at home.

No matter what the norm of the future turns out to be, the food we eat every day won’t change. Home-cooked meals are unparalleled. I feel closer to my family now that I have experienced a true taste of home. Agreed, it’s a pleasure to prepare a meal for a loved one.

Here are my tried and true family meals during the pandemic

At home, I served two different types of recipes, along with a soup or salad as an appetizer. In order to maintain a healthy diet, I focus on selecting foods that are high in the essential nutrients. In an effort to model healthy eating behaviors for my children, I prepare vegetables on a daily basis. Creating special versions of dishes we eat on a regular basis is one of the ways I try to brighten my family’s day and communicate my love and concern to them through the medium of food.

My before and after cooking pictures

Before

If I’m going to cook, I want the scent to permeate the entire house; believe me when I say that it almost always gets everyone in the family gathered around the table right away.

After

Here’s one I prepared earlier, it’s a Classic Morcon a dish that is well-liked by all. I usually make extra food so that I can save some for the next day or keep some on hand for a quick dinner the day after that. Also, I like to have something ready to go for lunch the day after that. Since it is a meal that has already been prepared, heating it up on the weekend will be relatively simple.

Before/After pictures of Mango Float

Mango Float, an icebox cake layered with fresh ripe mangoes, graham crumbs, condensed milk, and, of course, the Alaska Crema whipped cream, is a cold delights dessert. Making this sweet treat is a breeze.

Before/After Pictures

Cholesterol Free Pancake with fresh fruits for breakfast. My cholesterol-free pancake routine is getting boring, so I’m going to switch things up by adding fresh fruit. When we make our own breakfast, I can control what goes into my family’s food.

Before/After cooking pictures of Garlic Buttered Crabs

We prefer male crabs because their larger claws hold more white meat, but the female crab’s meat, especially the orange fat they call “aligue,” is tastier in my opinion.

Before/After pictures of Oysters omelette

My Oyster Omelette is a wonderful addition to the table, and because it is so simple to make, it is an excellent choice for a speedy meal on hectic days. I purchased these oysters at SM Supermarket, where they were contained in a transparent plastic brick and priced appropriately. When shopping for oysters at the grocery store, it is important to be aware of the different types available and determine which ones are best suited for cooking. Oysters purchased there are safe to consume, but when I go to the wet market, I always make sure to ask the vendors there where the oysters originate because this is a common question. I don’t buy oysters or any other shellfish that comes from Cavite waters because I just think they are dirty. The red tide poisoning that comes from Cavite oysters is extremely dangerous. Oysters can be obtained in an easy and risk-free manner by purchasing them from supermarkets; however, they need to be cooked on the same day that they are purchased.

Easy Beef Nachos our favorite snack.

My homemade Assorted Fruit Shakes and Smoothies

I love surprises! This is something a little special to serve.

Pineapple-Pear Shake

Kiwi-Strawberry Shake

There is nothing better than foods that have been cooked at home, especially when the kitchen is in charge. It takes a little bit of patience to achieve great results when using any of my cooking methods, whether they are modern or traditional. However, this is all worth it in order to make our house a better place….

I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog. Maintain your safety and good health.

Take care and Goodnight fellas!

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Mid-Autumn Festival / Mooncake Festival 2020

By livelifeandlove on October 1, 2020

My greetings to all Chinese worldwide

”Happy Mid-Autumn Festival”

It’s time again to celebrate the brightest full moon of the year, the ”Mooncake Festival also known as Mid-Autumn Festival” it falls on this day Thursday October 1, 2020. In Hongkong and Singapore it is also referred to as a celebration of harvest and ”Lantern festival” Every year on the 15th day of the 8th month of Lunar calendar Chinese countries such as China, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia and all countries throughout East and Southeast Asia celebrated this important event.

Today, fellow Chinese families will gather to celebrate the moon fest with good luck food, family reunion, moon gazing and it is already a tradition to go out in the evening to admire the brightest full moon of the year while partaking their favorite mooncake and it is usually accompanied by a tea. This is also a romantic time for lovers, they usually stay up late to view the dramatic full moon outdoors.

This year 2020 would be a different celebration because of travel restrictions and to practice social distancing, not to gather in groups but still celebration will go on as long as you ‘ll legally take safety measures.

Wishing you all good health and safety!

Mooncake is a sweet Chinese delicacy usually rounded in form contains a thin or thick pastry including the yolk of salted duck eggs to symbolize the moon. The sweet filling is made from red bean paste, mung bean paste, lotus paste to name a few..

Versions of Mooncakes

Mooncake with sesame

Other versions depends on the Chinese country you’re in.

Thanks for reading my latest blog!

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Rare Pink Atis or Sugar Apples

By livelifeandlove on September 28, 2020

Sugar Apple or Annona Squamosa, a tropical fruit in the Philippines with a pink or green heart-shaped fruit with pronounced green scales. Widely considered wild fruits thrive rapidly in any types of soil, grown from seed and can be planted in rough corners of the garden, it also looks attractive outdoors bearing many fruits at the same time and the tree never become tall enough with no disturbance to other plants. It is well adjusted even in a small spaces, the garden doesn’t need to be spacious to plant this kind of fruit.

I was so excited to discover the first fruit of an atis grown in our own backyard, it’s a pink Thailand variety, the fruit tree was abundant. Thailand varieties are much larger and far more luscious than the native ones.

My First harvest, pink in color with no bruises and black spots at all. The sweet taste is refreshing especially when it is cold but the most intriguing is to see the scaly- rough skin and the fruit itself contain numerous seeds. I’ve collected more than 15 seeds from one medium Atis alone.

Freshy-picked, you can see the internal parts, the creamy white in color of the flesh and the big stalk inside. From the picture itself, you can now imagine how many seeds inside it. To eat this kind of fruit, you need to be patient to remove the seeds however, it’s worth to taste the sweetness.

One thing good about picking fruits in your own backyard, well assured to be guaranteed fresh, clean and first hand to touch it. I’ve reduced and produced my expenses for fruits growing in our own backyard, it’s a big help and the excitement to get up early to pick the fruits is a blessing!

Atis tree continuously bearing fruits all year round, indeed, it is designed for our weekly consumption throughout the year, I just hope the tree will live longer.

When Picking Atis

Fruits can be left on trees until fully ripe or you can pick it after maturity, that is, if you know the indicator of maturity, you wait 2 days after picked up. If you have this kind, the only problem after maturity, birds and bats present a big problem in growing sugar apples and maybe necessary to cover the fruit before ripening time.

When buying Atis

Having bruises and black spots is not good, just represents how many people have touched it. Blackening of scales makes the fruit dirty and annoying to see, much as safer to buy a fresh one and the first hand.

Take care everyone, see you next posts…

Thanks for reading my blog!

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For Snails, Fork or Toothpick? Helpful Tips

By livelifeandlove on September 24, 2020

In the restaurant, they serve some of my seafood favorites like; Black tiger prawns, crabs, lobsters, oysters, octopus. Beside the seafood platters, there’s a separate saucer for toothpicks to extract flesh of snails. If you noticed, toothpicks are often provided when snails are served especially in buffet restaurants. Informal way, they provide toothpick for snails and for formal is always with tongs accompanied by steel snail fork.

Now, in Buffet restaurants, what are those toothpicks for? If you hear the word toothpick, would immediately come to mind the definite purpose is normally used for picking the dirt of teeth and now we are using for food, that’s two different thing which is not good for two different purpose of one kind. Is it a yucky thing? It is already a common practice around. Oftentimes, following a good dinner when guests are dressed up and toothpicks are served first when snails are present for appetizers. However, after eating, usually you ask for the same kind.

It is already a common practice that you can see around. It’s probably the easiest way to keep table setting simple because of the number of guests involved that they can’t provide the proper fork intended for the purpose. Normally, in rural areas, they don’t use toothpick for snails either, they use their mouth to suck up pieces inside.

Ginataang Kuhol

I will now share with you my unforgettable but funny experience. I never forget the first time I tried snail in the province. At first serious sampling,I threw up! I’ve tried it again the 2nd time, this time is a more serious tasting. The good recipe was Ginataang Kuhol, the aroma you can smell inside the house and thought it was delicious. I carefully imitate what the olds are doing. Following it, I carefully picked one and goes directly to my mouth and sucked it. Glorious! I’m a damn sucker! I sucked everything including the flesh, watery part and sandy portion. The bad thing? I almost sucked the whole piece of shell. LOL! It was here that I learned to love the taste minus the shell.

My helpful tips calling for a change

For more successful and safe results, I suggest to use and select the best fork suited for seafood. It is improper and unpleasant to see toothpicks beside the food itself. Simple rules are easy to learn following basic rules in using appropriate fork. We have different kinds of fork for seafoods like; lobster fork, prawns fork, fish fork and cocktail fork for squid and octopus too.

Which fork works best for snails? Seafood is considered safe and special using appropriate fork which is easier intended for this purpose. If you don’t have the steel snail fork or silver one, there’s a decorative fork which is plastic but firm and disposable like toothpicks too, the price is just right especially the small ones just like the price of toothpicks in a box. Check photos above of Ginataang Kuhol with decorative snail fork that has a firm pointed tines.

Home Cooking During the Coronavirus Pandemic

By livelifeandlove on July 31, 2020

The pandemic season has given us more opportunity we never thought we would experience but up to now we are still facing similar crisis following the given protocols and restrictions under each level of quarantine from ECQ—MECQ—GCQ and of all measures, ECQ is the strictest. The COVID 19 stay home orders to keep us safe and minimize the risk of spreading, the great concern to wear mask and comply with social distancing measures to stay homebound but our country cautiously to loosen slowly back to the new normal life adopting to new rules to follow. Since it is impossible to predict when the pandemic will end or how long it will take to recover, people should not be expected to remain indoors indefinitely.

There are many things to ponder in times of great unpredictability, such as the current state of our economy and the hardships faced by those who have lost their jobs or are struggling to make ends meet due to the closure of businesses hit hard by the pandemic. However, I would like to express my gratitude to the government aid programs that have provided unemployed citizens with cash handouts and food packages.

I think I’ve finished up after the lockdown. Since everyone in my family now works remotely, I’ve been spending most of my time seeing to their needs and ensuring their safety. I’m afraid the worst is yet to come. I’ve recently deleted Facebook for five months so that I can devote my full attention to my family and their needs, shop online, and narrow my focus to the bare minimum.

Despite the difficulty of the situation, I was able to maintain a positive outlook by taking pleasure in learning about exciting new cooking techniques and delicious new recipes. The summer season (March–May) was fruitful, with a plentiful supply of in-season fruits at discounted prices, including nearly the best fruits and some of my favorites at their peak. Having a stocked fridge gives me a wide variety of meals to choose from. The only way I know to keep loving and happy while quarantined during a pandemic is to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen. Do you agree that everyone needs a break after being locked up for so long?

Here are the meals I cooked for my family at home and documented with photographs before serving them during the pandemic

Breakfast in the garden (with Frosty, the family dog, joining us, of course).

Cooking from the garden features seafood dishes that can be prepared quickly and easily.

My Chicken Congee with Century egg

We look forward to our favorite breakfast together each and every Sunday. The most important meal of the day is breakfast, and it’s even better when it’s eaten with people you care about.

Bulalo is a dish made with beef, and the bone marrow that is present in all of the bones can be plainly seen in the dish. It has always been a fan favorite.

Steamed Crabs with Black Bean Sauce

Sizzling Sisig They can be made to look like this with some extra work on your part. This is the type of recipe with which I grew up, so I know I can trust the results.

Sizzling Spicy Squid with Vegetables is another sizzling recipe of the day.

Beef Burger with Mushroom Gravy, Additional side dishes, such as steamed broccoli and French fries, are presented in a base formation.

My Japanese Gyoza

My Special Cheezy Morcon is delicious and addictive.

Steamed Shrimps with Fried Slices of Eggplant. Beautifully arranged on a plate, the circular order or rounded form presentation, my family will be able to enjoy the rest of the meal.

Snacks and Desserts

My sister Anne is a registered nutritionist-dietitian, so she is an expert when it comes to calorie counting, but I am not, so I gained a little bit of weight while cooking, cooking, and more eating.

During the pandemic season, it seemed like my family’s meals were specifically designed to be exciting new experiences. It’s easy and straightforward no matter which of the many available simple courses you choose to pursue. What should I do to get ready? Sorry, but you’ll have to wait until your next post to share more photos.

Late afternoon, I’m fortunate to view the sunset from our own garden.

The fact that we have our very own pomelo tree gives us a sense of pride, and the presence of pomelos in our very own backyard is exciting.

I used to wake up earlier on Friday nights so that I could blog, but in order to make up for lost time on Saturdays and Sundays, I made it a point to turn off all electronic devices, including my laptop, my cellphone, and the television, so that I would not be disturbed while I was trying to fall asleep. It’s almost time for me to head off to dreamland now. Good night to everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read my blog!

Stay Home and Keep Safe Always

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