Leche Plan

A custard experience from a deliciously-rich leche plan recipe I'm sharing today that I got from the internet.   Following carefully the procedures of this recipe, gave me a delicious and delectable taste of this custard dessert. The combination of milk, sugar, and egg yolks made the leche plan perfect and very luscious in taste.

Leche Plan is a well-known dessert in the Philippines.  It is use for toppings on halo-halo dessert - a Filipino dessert with mixed ingredients of sweetened beans, coconut (macapuno), gelatin, purple yam, sweetened banana, boiled sweet potato, with grated ice filled with milk.  Leche Plan can also be eaten as a dessert.

There are two types of cooking Leche Plan, it can be baked or steamed.  In this recipe, I used the baking with the help of bain marie procedure.  A bain marie is also known as "water bath" in English.  It is a French term for a piece of equipment in cooking to heat materials gently and gradually to fixed temperatures or to keep materials warm over a period of time.

Bain Marie procedure is perfect in cooking for leche plan.  It gives even portions and an even smoothness of the whole plan.

5 egg yolks

2 whole egg

1 can condensed milk 380g

1 can evaporated milk - small can

1/2 tsp. vanilla

PROCEDURE:

1.   Caramelize sugar in tin.
2.  Mix together egg yolks, whole eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla extract.
3.   Pour the egg mixture in top of the caramelized sugar.
4.   Bake for 1 hour using bain marie procedure.
* Put the leche plan mold in a baking tin, put water around the tin.
5.  Test the Leche Plan by inserting toothpick.

TIPS:  Strain the mixture 2 times for smooth finish.

Mango Upsidedown Cake

Upside Down Cake is one the easiest baking recipe, because of its healthy ingredients, easy to follow procedures and a very comfort food.  It's fun to make - from arranging the peeled/sliced mango at the bottom to tilting the baking tin, when it is done.  Seasonal fruit like mango is one of the best flavor for an upside down cake.  Mangoes are very healthy yet is cheap during season, so I get the chance to make a very yummy recipe that I will share today.  It is good to pick the ripe fruit for this recipe.

Mangoes are also known as "king of fruits".  It helps to prevent cancer and lower the cholesterol.  Other health benefits of mangoes are:

1.  Clears the Skin:
Can be used both internally and externally for the skin. Mangos clear clogged pores and eliminate pimples.

2.  Eye Health:
One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A, which promotes good eyesight and prevents night blindness and dry eyes.

3.  Alkalizes the Whole Body:
The tartaric acid, malic acid, and a trace of citric acid found in the fruit help to maintain the alkali reserve of the body.

4. Helps in Diabetes: Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood.  The traditional home remedy involves boiling leaves in water, soaking through the night and then consuming the filtered decoction in the morning. Mango fruit also have a relatively low glycemic index (41-60) so moderate quantities will not spike your sugar levels.

5. Improves Digestion:
Papayas are not the only fruit that contain enzymes for breaking down protein. There are several fruits, including mangoes, which have this healthful quality. The fiber in mangos also helps digestion and elimination.

6. Remedy for Heat Stroke
Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm to the body. From an ayurvedic viewpoint, the reason people often get diuretic and exhausted when visiting equatorial climates is because the strong “sun energy” is burning up your body, particularly the muscles.  The kidneys then become overloaded with the toxins from this process.

7. Boosts Immune system
The generous amounts of Vitamin C and vitamin A in mangos, plus 25 different kinds of carotenoids keep your immune system healthy and strong.

The sugar content of Mango Upside Down Cake can be reduce because the fruit itself gives the right amount of sweetness.  A serving of this cake is good for person in diet, for it gives the right taste of sweetness craving.  For me, Mango Upside Down Cake is a non-guilt food, I get to enjoy the cake with my favorite hot beverages - coffee or hot chocolate.

For the Toppings:

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 cup, sliced mango

Procedure:

1.   In a sauce pan, melt together butter and sugar.
2.   Arrange the mango in baking tin.
3.   Pour the sugar mixture at the arranged mangoes.

For the Cake:

2 eggs

Procedure:
1.  Separate 2 eggs from white.
2.  Beat egg whites until soft peaks.

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg and 2 yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mango puree
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Procedure:
1.  Cream together butter and sugar.
2.  Gradually add eggs.
3.  Add the vanilla and mango puree to the batter mixture.
4.  Gradually add flour, baking soda and salt.
5.  Fold, soft peak egg whites to the cake batter.
6.  Bake for 350c for 60 mins.  Insert toothpick to check if done.

Source: Health Benefits of Mangoes

TIPS:

• For best results, it is best to put mango tidbits together with the cake batter.  It will be much more even in taste together with the mango extract.
• For creamy cake, just simply whisk cream and put sliced or chopped mango and fill it to the cake.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal and Raisin are my favorite foods for my diet plan. I get to enjoy this cookies because it gives a great break for my favorite ingredients.  I choose rolled oats for this recipe because they give more crisp in every bite, plus the sweetness of the raisin gives the cookie its natural sweetness.  Today, I made this delicious and easy to make recipe, a buttery dough with rolled oatmeal, full pack of raisins and nuts.  Healthy yet very easy to make.

Raisin are gluten free and can be consumed by people who do not tolerate gluten as an alternative healthy food.  Raisins like dried apricots, figs and prunes are concentrated sources of energy, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Other health benefits of Raisins:

• It contains phytochemical compound resveratol. Resveratol, a polyphenol anti-oxidant, has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood cholesterol lowering activities.

• Resveratol, reduces stroke risk by altering the molecular mechanisms in the blood vessels. It increased production of vasodilator substance, nitric oxide.
• Raisins are very high in anthocyanins, another class of polyphenolic anti-oxidants.  Anthocyanins have been found to have anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activities.
• Raisins are dense sources minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium copper, flouride, and zinc. Copper and manganese are an essential co-factor of antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. 100 g provides 23% daily requirement levels of iron.
• In addition, they are rich in heart healthy electrolyte potassium. 100 g provide 749 mg of potassium. Potassium reduces heart rate, blood pressure by countering sodium and thereby helps prevent stroke, CHD, and peripheral vascular diseases. 
• They are also good source of some B-complex vitamins such as thiamin, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid.

I also love eating oatmeal because they are pack with health benefits and helps to lower
the cholesterol level and it can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Other Health Benefits of Oatmeal:

•          It’s Full Of Antioxidants
•          It Prevents The Arteries From Hardening
•          Oatmeal Can Prevent The Development Of Breast Cancer
•          It Stabilizes Blood Sugar
•          It Will Also Prevent The Development Of Diabetes
•          It Gives The Immune System A Boost
•          Eating Oatmeal Can Prevent Weight Gain
•          Those Who Can’t Eat Gluten Can Eat Oatmeal

 

3/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp.vanilla
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 cup rolled oats
1 cup nuts
1 cup raisins

Procedure:

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2.   In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar.
3.   Slowly add the egg and vanilla into the mixture.
4.   In a separate bowl, incorporate together flour, baking soda, salt and cinammon.
5.   Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
6.   Stir in the oats, nuts and raisins.
7.   Using an ice cream scooper, put the cookies in a parchment paper or cookie sheet.
8.   Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes.

* Put the cookies in an airtight container for its freshness.

Sources: Health Benefits of Raisin and Oatmeal

Giada de Laurentiis

 One of my favorite chef that inspired me to do my baking is Giada de Laurentiis. I saw her first at Lifestyle Network on her TV cooking show "Everyday Italian", where she made her chocolate chip cookies. The thing I like her is she is so slim, that I bet every girls would be very jealous even though she eats a lot on her tv shows, including "Giada Weekend Getaways" and "Giada at Home".

Photo Credits: www.dashrecipes.com

By: Food Network - http://www.foodnetwork.com/chefs/giada-de-laurentiis/index.html

Emmy Award-winning personality Giada De Laurentiis has become a household name. With an impressive background of culinary training and a unique, personable charm, she is a globally revered celebrity chef who continues to prove her skill and accessibility not only with her expanding presence beyond Food Network but also with the great success of her cookbooks, brand alliances, newly launched food products and recurring role on Today. 

Born in Rome, Italy, Giada grew up in a large Italian family where the culture of food was a staple in and of itself. As the granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada consistently found herself in the family’s kitchen and spent a great deal of time at her grandfather’s restaurant, DDL Foodshow. After graduating from the University of California in Los Angeles with a degree in anthropology, Giada’s passion for cooking remained. She eventually made the decision to commence a culinary career and began her professional training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, specializing in both cuisine and pastry. She subsequently returned to Los Angeles, where her training included positions at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Fine Dining Room and Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills. She later founded GDL Foods, a catering company in Los Angeles.

Giada’s career started on Food Network in 2002 when she was discovered by a network executive who read an article about her and the De Laurentiis family in Food & Wine magazine. Since then, Giada has earned an Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Host and has become one of Food Network’s most recognizable faces. Her Emmy Award-winning daytime cooking show, Everyday Italian, featured quick, healthy and satisfying Italian dishes. Her prime-time show, Giada’s Weekend Getaways, debuted in January 2007 and followed Giada to popular destinations in and around the U.S. as she explored cities’ most notable restaurants and activities. Giada can also be seen in Food Network specials, such as Giada in Paradise: Capri and Santorini, and as a judge on the highly popular series Food Network Star. Giada at Home premiered in 2008 and shows Giada in her kitchen, where she plans and prepares meals and parties for family and friends. In addition, Giada joined fellow chef Bobby Flay as a judge in season 7 of Food Network Star and took on a new role in season 8 as a team leader of five cooks competing against Bobby Flay’s and Alton Brown’s respective teams.

Photo Credit: http://www4.images.coolspotters.com

The foray into cookbooks was an obvious decision, allowing Giada’s loyal viewership to reference, prepare and share their favorite recipes. Giada’s first book, Everyday Italian, showcases many of the delicious recipes from her cooking show of the same name. Her second book, Giada’s Family Dinners, quickly became a #1 New York Times best-seller as did her third cookbook, Everyday Pasta, which was released in April 2007. An eagerly awaited fourth book, Giada’s Kitchen, hit bookshelves on September 30, 2008, and did not disappoint. In the first week of release, Giada’s Kitchen landed at #2 on the New York Times best-seller list and has maintained a top 10 ranking ever since. All four books are published by Random House/Clarkson Potter. Giada’s fifth book, Giada at Home debuted on March 30th, 2010 and landed in the #1 position on the New York Times Best Seller List. Her most recent book, Weeknights with Giada, was released in March 2012. 

Giada had also been a recurring guest on the Today show up until her stint as a correspondent during the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino secured her a role as a contributing correspondent. In 2009, she was officially named a co-host on the nation’s #1 morning show, where she highlights current trends in travel, cuisine and lifestyle. 

Giada’s overall success and notoriety yielded her a role as spokesperson for Barilla, the world’s largest producer and manufacturer of pasta. Giada took her relationship with Barilla one step further, entrusting the Italian arm of the brand, known as Academia Barilla, to license and produce four products under her name. The products, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Tuscan Herb Mix and Sea Salt with Fresh Lemon Zest, debuted in January 2008 for a limited run and were sold at Crate & Barrel stores as well as specialty gourmet shops across the country. 

In January 2010, Giada partnered with Target to launch her own exclusive products for their chain of stores nationwide. The Giada De Laurentiis for Target collection offers guests the craftsmanship, quality and affordable prices they expect from Target. The assortment ranges from pasta sauces and flavored coffee to kitchen essentials, such as stainless steel cookware, ceramic bakeware and nylon tools, all designed with the at-home cook in mind. The collection captures Giada’s signature style with a fresh, modern twist on the tools, gadgets and food needed to make easy and affordable meals every day.

Giada currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Todd, and daughter, Jade.