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

My Quarantine Activities

By livelifeandlove on July 3, 2020

Its been more than 3 months since ECQ but still infection rate is high, to the rest of the world we see similar numbers raging. Coronavirus pandemic, dangerous as it sounds, more and more people being infected, it’s effecting the entire country and the world.

From my previous blog last month, I have mentioned (with back-up photos) on how pandemic has quitted Pasig city and my hometown Piat Cagayan. Before I forget, today is the feast day (July 2) of ”Our Lady of Piat” the patroness of Cagayan Valley, the Sambali celebration deferred this year but devotees will gather for a special mass at Santo Domingo Church on Quezon Avenue, Quezon City. You can just imagine how coronavirus disrupted our lives, no more public events, no gatherings, the need of wearing mask and social distancing, it seems to be a normal part of life already. This year 2020 is a big blow following 2 patterns of events, after the major eruption of Taal volcano in Batangas last January and now faces COVID 19 pandemic, this is a big blow to our economy and its relatively hard to face the crisis.

The government COVID 19 Task Force extended quarantine measures with new rules to adopt, we are still undergoing new restrictions except for essential purposes following appropriate measures. During challenging times, we are experiencing concerns, many have been working from home for almost 11 weeks now, we don’t know how long coronavirus last with another new rules to adopt upon reopening this coming July and still raising hopes there is vaccine. Other countries cautiously reopening from months long shutdown and Phils slowly reopening.

Oftentimes, my sisters would talk about fiestas, missing social events like birthday celebrations, fancy night out parties, graduations, buffet gatherings, get- together with friends and traveling. Mindful of social distancing blues, no more face to face bonding, other people are very eager to go out as I’m also missing social gatherings with my buffet friends too. Months of March-April-May and July, it was a summer homebound for the family and now, rainy season coming up next, we are really facing a new phenomenon, summer 2020 is not like no other this year. Coronavirus has disrupted everything and I’m trying to live by it.

What’s the impact might be? Would be sharing some of my quarantine activities here, got 5 family members here, a sort of, like prisoners staying inside the room for long hours working that I have to feed them, preparing home cooked food and of course clean water for them, not to mention all the alcohol, hand sanitizers all around ready to use.

Mobile Palengke in Pasig to lessen public trips around, it is ”Presyong Palengke” and it’s very convenient.

My daily life is no boredom, being flexible coming up with a schedule that keeps me busy all day long, the entire day devoted to my family, it’s a home to share bringing family closeness together, the good bonding and dedication will hold us firmly.

While at home, it’s really a homey feeling of togetherness, my family is complete and I’m keeping a master list on hand, there are a hundred things to do and this is also the best time to appreciate the beauty in our own backyard, we are the Backyardigans experiencing beautiful adventures in our own backyard. Moving productively, more and more things done in one day and in the coming days and months. The things I’ve missed before, those things I’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet, this is the perfect time to get things done, it’s a big opportunity to finish and not to rush. Cheers!

Here’s sharing with you my stay home ECQ activities that keeps me going from day to day, just a few list of stuffs:

Enjoying my daily cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My Mango Float is an easy recipe and it’s everybody’s favorite.

Everyday Photography

I have captured few morning visitors in the garden, this kind of pleasurable activity keeps me going from day to day.

Gardening/Landscaping

Gardening includes planting, morning visit in the garden and harvesting fruits. Photo above, just one of few snapshots taken around, a lovely butterfly pollinating a wide variety of flowers.

Morning walk with my favorite pets

Excellent date to take out our dogs and cats for a morning sunshine.

Among others, of course I need to update my blog, daily exercise, cleaning, afternoon nap, playing piano and electric guitar, listening to my favorite songs, reading my latest books and watching TV for the latest coronavirus pandemic updates. All these activities saved me from boredom blues during this pandemic season and dreaming we would be back to normal life soon, to welcome friends without any mask and social distancing.

Take time to take to check my daily photography snapshots going on for the best subject in our own backyard. I’m really hopeful we will overcome this crisis soon and hoping our economy will bounce back before the end of this year. I wish you all well and keep updated.

To all those who are in the frontline,”our COVID Warriors” I’m inspired by your courage, Thank you very very much and May God bless us all. Keep safe and Take Care!

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

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood

By livelifeandlove on November 2, 2019

The Double-boiled Winter Melon Soup with assorted seafood standing on a large holder for support. The winter melon shell is a very attractive serving bowl for soup although it’s quite heavy and tough but it can hold up to the heat of the soup. Peking Garden, 4th level, Greenbelt 5 Makati City serves the best Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood. The big size is suitable for 10 to 12 persons, it is a hot clear soup almost boiling when served. The most delicious soup is when you bring up the total hotness on the table, the natural freshness of seafood and vegetable brings up the good flavor.

Peking Garden, 4th level, Greenbelt 5 Makati City

Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood, the shrimp tails hanging over the edge of the winter melon bowl.

It’s not oily, it is clear and tasty as I’ve mentioned previously, you don’t see any tiny floating particles on top.

Individual serving, Small bowl of Winter Melon Soup.

How it was served? The Double-Boiled Winter Melon Soup brought inside the room by the server.

The winter melon flesh It’s still smoky hot!

Wheeled by the server using a service cart ( 2 shelf cart with wheels) along with soup bowls and a ladle.

The server carefully ladled in assorted seafood inside the shell and scraped the flesh of winter melon using a long-handed cup-shaped spoon followed by the clear soup to fill each bowl. For our finale, picking a piece of shrimps over the edge of the winter melon bowl.

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

Best Selection of Fruits for Growing Teens and Kids

By livelifeandlove on October 24, 2019

One way to encourage a family member to eat fruits regularly is to buy some and store it in the refrigerator. Once they arrived earlier than expected especially during hot days,they go directly to the refrigerator and see something refreshing that will attract their taste buds, it would be tempting for them to take a bite of fresh cold fruits. Another way to make it easier for them to pick it up, make it readily available and ready to eat.

While it’s simply tempting to young kids and growing teens from buying junk foods, fruits make the best alternative for them, it is a good source of fiber, vitamins and natural compounds that helps the body to fight against diseases. For moms out there, when shopping food or planning family meals, vow to be organized, explain the nutritional value and make buying fruits a weekly habit. Be open to special requests, you ask your kids to make a list of their favorite fruits. It’s good to serve fresh fruits any meal of the day better than turning into unhealthy junks or fast food items.

Sliced fresh fruits with some selection. For the kids, it’s a choice of their favorites. Choices to choose from; kiwi, strawberry, dragon fruit, oranges, apples, grapes, avocados or any fresh fruits with the natural sweetness.

Shown here, our daily selection of fruits for good health and everyday freshness.There’s no substitute to self-prepared fresh fruits, it requires only 10 to 15 minutes of your time to serve these kind, just a short time preparation without cooking at all. What a handy effort to rush on. You may also want to add more ripe fruits and additional drops of Pineapple sauce, Yogurt, Ice cream, Cherry syrup and Sweet honey flavor is good too.

Have fun and enjoy eating fruits!

Thank you readers/ viewers for visiting my website! See you next posts!

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

Creative Ways to Serve Fresh Strawberries

By livelifeandlove on August 2, 2019

Strawberries that are picked fresh have the best flavor. They also look perfectly ripe and moist with redness. Often, we only consider the fruit’s sweetness, which is significant, but many fruits have additional qualities as well; they may be sweet, scented, nutritious, colorful, and healthful. Strawberries have everything!

The nice kind of strawberries grown in La Trinidad, Benguet, were all planted in rows, a foot apart from one another. La Trinidad has good soil and a climate that is conducive to various types of crops. Strawberries are popular, and they are also my personal favourite.

At the La Trinidad strawberry farm, you can pick your own strawberries. Owners will guide strawberry pickers and charge 500 pesos per kilo. It is expensive when compared to the public market prices in Baguio City. Heavy farming and collecting takes place from March to April, when the fruits are abundant. The benefit of picking on your own is that you can feel the enthusiasm and fresh aroma surrounding you, which gets you even more enthusiastic. It’s worthwhile!

Strawberry fields of La Trinidad, Benguet

Growing in numerous rows, the strawberry field is a great illustration of a tidy environment. The white blossom that is visible here is the strawberry flower, which will shortly develop into a white fruit. Details: The fruit next to the blossom is not entirely white, rather it is partially red and white. Fruits are white while they are unripe, but they progressively turn red as they ripen. A strawberry can only be picked when it is completely ripe.

Freshly picked strawberries in a box

I’ve made a variety of arrangements with fresh strawberries, including the traditional grouping of strawberries, letters made out of strawberries, and heart-shaped strawberries on a platter. Here are some suggestions for serving it at the center table on a platter. Serving strawberries in the garden or backyard while having a barbecue outside is also a good idea when guests are present.

I made delicious fruit salads with these fruits, and they also look good when combined with other fresh fruits. Along with being a tasty dessert and a healthy snack, it works well in shakes, ice cream, jams, and jellies.

My Valentine masterpiece

I’ll show you an example of how to please your loved one on Valentine’s Day. This is a simple piece of art that features fresh strawberries as the centerpiece of the table. It is appropriate to serve strawberries on this special day because the red color and heart shape, as well as the sweet fragrance, represent love; it is similar to serving your love with these fragrant fruits.

Strawberry Valentine

This is a big Valentine party arrangement on the table.

Heart-shaped Strawberries

Lovely Strawberry Hearts

A heart-shaped arrangement strawberries on a platter.

Modern Ways to Serve Strawberries

Rounded Form or Circular-Shaped Strawberries

To create a circular form, it is best to choose the firm and the ripe ones.

Strawberry Robot

My illustration of a Red Robot using strawberries, this is a big strawberry robot. It’s just a funny arrangement of fruits.

Strawberry Alphabet

I’ve arranged strawberries using the letter M it represents the first letter of my name on a platter, you can create one for you too.

Strawberry Pink Sprinkles

Strawberries in a Cocktail Glass

Unequal-sized strawberries, the big one must always at the center. This kind of arrangement will create specific mood on the table.

The freshness inside, strawberry slices with other fruits.

Strawberry Cocktail Delights

I used a pristine white plate to highlight the red hue of the strawberries and show off new ideas for serving them on a platter.

Serving fresh strawberries on the table without removing the stalk, it serves as a holder as you eat and it would be easier to pick it up, that’s the natural way to hold a piece of strawberry.

Strawberry Fan

Strawberries with other fruits.

The trendy arrangement of strawberries.

This method of serving will highlight the freshness of the fruits.

One way to introduce strawberries as a visually appealing snack and dessert on the table.

Individual serving of fresh strawberries

You will enjoy the freshness in its natural state more if you pick your own strawberries and eat them with your hands. You can serve it fresh by simply washing it, leaving the stem and calyx intact to demonstrate freshness and to show the entire fruit. It’s just a ready-to-eat fresh fruit. You only need to pick, wash, and consume. I sincerely hope you will find ways to give this presentation a try at home.

Thank you for reading my blog!

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

How to Arrange Fresh Fruits in a Small Glass

By livelifeandlove on March 23, 2018

It’s an easy way to serve dessert or a pick-up healthy snack that’s refreshingly good and in addition, the simplest individual touch to catch your own mood. Here’s how to arrange all-time favorite fresh fruits in a small glass, Fruit medley on the table gives you the freedom to choose your best favorites as well, a few slices of Kiwi, fresh pineapples, red strawberries, green/red apples and pomelo as the best example of my favorites.

You can try-out mixing different kinds of fruits to enjoy the balance of sweetness and refreshing taste.The basic arrangement and good combination applies here, fruits on the served should be fresh, bright and not cluttered.Using the appropriate size and right glassware for individual serving, it looks elegantly clean and at the same time, it’s safe for your health better than the plastic containers. I’m avoiding using plastic containers at all cost. Check other fruit servings and arrangement next posts..

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

Biggest and the Longest Avocado I’ve Ever Seen

By livelifeandlove on March 15, 2018

I haven’t seen a fruit like these before, it was exceptionally long and big avocado ! I was lucky to discover such a huge one. Awesome! It was shiny greenish skin, firm and hard fresh. When I bought it, it was still hard and green, it aren’t ripe yet. Day after, the color starts turning into a reddish one and the next day, it was already dark reddish and purple in color. That means, it was already perfectly ripe. However, some varieties when ripen stays the same in color but this one undergoes color changes.

Avocado is good when ripened on and off the tree. Ripening affect the flavor and texture so, it is good to eat when it is still firm and perfectly ripe. When underripe, it tastes bitter, however, when overripe, starts to become soft and the taste you might not like it. For a sweeter version, it is best eaten raw with honey and all purpose cream. Others, they like to eat it with a full cream chocolate milk. Other uses; avocado is good for snacks, salads, soup, sandwich, dressing and sauces.

Avocados nutrition facts is good. It is rich in potassium and vitamins. It is also very rich in fat and high in calories. My dietitian always reminds me of some benefits you can get with it and at the same time, it is bad to people with high cholesterol level and high blood pressure. You must also think of what you can get for the calories that counts also, just eat moderately to be safe.

Here’s the funny thing, I’ve measured it with a piece of foot rule, one foot in length or 12 in inches I’m curious, I want to find out how long?

Got 2 big avocados to measure. Amazing! You can see the foot rule here in between 2 avocados. The foot rule is by inches and centimeters. The measurement of one avocado is 12 inches in length while the other one is merely closer.

Viewing per piece, both avocados has tapered neck and this one is longer than the other one.

It was completely ripe inside, the color is just right, the flavor is perfectly great. The big size is just enough for the whole family to enjoy. Now, I want to prepare something using these fruits, there were many uses and what I have in mind is to make Avocado shake.

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

Sinabalu / Piat Cagayan

By livelifeandlove on March 9, 2018

Sinabalu is a local specialty famous in Cagayan Valley especially in Piat and neighboring towns of Tuao and Rizal. Sinabalu is a staple of local cuisine; it’s made by roasting glutinous rice flavored with salt and coconut milk in a bamboo tube over a low fire while wrapped in banana leaves.The subtle flavor is wonderful and pairs perfectly with brewed coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. I’m confident that you’ll enjoy it because it has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. When cooked over real wood charcoal, the aroma and flavor are at their peak.

Cagayan residents have spent generations perfecting their distinct regional cuisines and delicacies. Sinabalu and other local specialties like Pawa, Puto, and Patupat (all dekats fairly beginning with letter P), to name a few, are essential components of each Christmas, wake, fiesta, wedding, or other special holiday celebration. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid, and not just for breakfast or midday snacks. Because I live in the city and don’t get to eat the same favorites all the time, I always look forward to my brother and his wife’s monthly visits, because they always bring some local specialties from Piat. A relaxing way to spend time with friends is over a cup of freshly brewed coffee and some Sinabalu slices.

The good quality you can buy it fresh in Piat Public Market first hour in the morning and food stall vendors near “Basilica Minore de Nuestra Senora de Piat Church” You can find the best Sinabalu in a reputable source from Barangay Accusilian, according to my relatives from Tuao, a 2nd class Municipality in the Province of Cagayan.

Both the traditional White Sinabalu and the more recent Brown Sinabalu are available, with the latter offering additional health benefits, particularly for diabetics, thanks to the use of brown glutinous rice in the cooking process. It has a very short shelf life and can only be frozen for 2 days before rapidly losing quality.

Visit my birthplace Piat Cagayan to taste all local specialties. I’m sure you’ll love it!

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

My Chopsticks-Special and Memorable Collection

By livelifeandlove on November 27, 2017

I’ve been keeping different kinds of chopsticks for quite sometime now. I know for sure that’s it’s not that valuable but it holds a memorable value, a very sentimental one that I will cherished forever. I inherited this chopsticks from late ancestors, we’ve been keeping it for centuries passing from hand-to hand and it has been in the family for generations. Some of it was more than a hundred years old, it is already a traced of history. Let me show you. Here are my beautiful chopsticks collection.

Everyone in Asia loves chopstick. Nowadays, It is already common to all. According to my grandmother, it was first introduced in China throughout the Ming Dynasty. What is chopstick anyway? How do you use it? I can just simply describe it as,” 2 small sticks use to pick up foods”. If you want to know more about chopsticks history here.

How to use

Hold the top stick like a pencil, a little above the middle, small end down. Grip loosely between the tips of index and middle finger; anchor gently with the thumb. Hands must be relaxed and flexible. Do not hold and pressed it too tight. Practice to move sticks few times till you get it.

Next slip lower stick into position. Rest it lightly in V-formed by your thumb and index finger and on the first joint of the ring finger. Resist temptation to watch the lower stick with the middle finger. Do not move the lower stick. Keep it still.

The most challenging to pick up is a whole peanut, it’s slippery and quite hard to hold but constant practice makes it perfect.

Beautifully prepared. We used chopsticks for most foods just like this. It’s the proper way and easy to pick-up foods using chopsticks and spoon for the soup. In using chopsticks, rice is usually served on a bowl. It would be easier per serving on a medium bowl, just like this.

A modern classic colored with a very unique design. A beautiful black/red bamboo inspired chopsticks. Engraved as an art of Southeast Asia.

See how beautiful it is!

A unique ceramic chopsticks. It’s a bit heavier compared with the traditional ones. This is durable and an attractive reward selection. It was a delicate art design , It’s my favorite.

This type of chopsticks reflects the style of old tradition. This piece was inspired by a late eighteenth century. It is made of fine wood, lighter in weight, and has its own box holder with a Chinese art design. I prefer to use the lighter ones for everyday use.

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

Fresh Fruit Salad in a Pineapple Boat

By livelifeandlove on October 16, 2017

Serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

Do you know that a Pineapple boat makes an attractive serving dish for fresh fruit medley? I’ve made the right one to show you a beautiful piece of nutritious art work and a fresh fruit salad on the go! I like fruit salad because they added the advantage of being quick and easy to prepare and generally involve no cooking at all. I served Fresh fruit salad for my family every Sunday more traditionally as dessert but it can also be served as snacks too although, my choice will be guided by seasonal availability of fruits here in the Philippines. Living in the Philippines means enjoying the different kinds of fruits.

How to prepare Fresh fruit salad

A combination and assortment of close-but- different flavors such as; honeydew, ripe mangoes, kiwis, cherries, papaya, grapes, strawberries and watermelon. Almost any fruit mixture looks good and tastes good anyway, there’s nothing to worry about it as long as you know how to choose the fresh, soft and fragrant ones for this preparation.

Ingredients

I fresh pineapple

1 cup watermelon

I cup strawberry

1 whole nectarine

1 small pear

1 cup melon dew

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons sugar or golden syrup

Prepare the pineapple boat as your serving bowl. Cut all fruits into a bite sized pieces; watermelon, strawberry, nectarine, and pears.(It’s up to you what kind of soft fruits you like to include) Photo shown below. Combine in a large bowl with lime juice and golden syrup. Spoon all fruits into pineapple shell. Cover and refrigerate it for 1 hour. Serve.

Pineapple bowl

Fresh fruits

Note:

This can be made several hours ahead

Be guided by the seasonal availability of fruits

Keep covered in refrigerator. Not suitable to freeze.

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

Fruit Farm

By livelifeandlove on October 11, 2017

With so many kinds of fruit and vegetables to choose from; Kiwi, banana, strawberry, red watermelon, papaya and grapes. With a combination of different kinds, I’ve made the right selection suitable for my design to complement everything. Combining fruits and vegetables looks attractive with the striking effects even though, it was irregularly shaped forming all kinds in many shapes and sizes to a beautiful farm effect. All fruits was arranged and shaped according to today’s theme, full view of landscape farm on a plate .

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