Sunday, March 18, 2018

Inspiralized Chili Boss Bowl Goodness

Hello friends! I made this chili bowl today from the Body Boss method cookbook and it seems a lot of my friends and family on social media are interested to know how it's done. So here I am blogging to share how I made it + the spiralizing part. (It really is quite easy to do) Hope you'll like it! :)




Whenever there are recipes from fitness sources, I would apply caution and not expect too much because they are usually not so tasty. Healthy, yes but the tasty part is still up for debate. Before deciding to make this, I checked first from the community page for reviews. And what do you know, it seems that this is one of the fan faves in the group! Of course I had to make it! Aside from the fact that it is included in the Week 1 menu plan. Hah! :p

INGREDIENTS:


2 onions, finely diced
2 large carrots, grated -- in my version, I spiralized it, it looks like carrot pasta - see video below
4 sticks of celery, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
500 g lean beef mince
4 Tbsp tomato paste
800 g tomato puree -- I just use Spaghetti sauce
2 red bell pepper, deseeded & chopped
800 g red kidney beans, drained
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
a bunch of cilantro, chopped
200 g baby spinach leaves
1000 ml water
salt & pepper to taste
1 avocado, chopped
1 lime, juice only
2 Tbsp nut oil of choice -- I use almond oil because it's what's available now 

The "Trinity" of Cajun Cooking -- Onions, Celery and Red Bell Pepper

PROCEDURE:

1. Heat 2 Tbsp of your nut oil and saute the onion, carrot & celery for approximately 3 minutes, until softened. 

Obviously, I forgot to add the carrots during this step teehee... :D

2. Add cumin, paprika, beef mince and cook until meat has browned for approx. 5 minutes.

It looks so *EXTRA* hahaha..

3. Add bell pepper, beans, tomato paste and puree (or spaghetti sauce). Pour in 4 cups of water and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until thick.

4. Season with salt & pepper and add in the cherry tomatoes. Since I made a big batch, I didn't add the tomatoes right away for the entire thing..just for the portion I will.

5. Before serving, fold in the cilantro (love this!!) and spinach.

6. Divvy into bowls, add some chopped chili or chili flakes and avocado. Also a squeeze of lime juice if you so prefer.

7. Heap on top of veggies or brown rice. I prefer quinoa :)

That's it!!! :) You can refrigerate or freeze to be consumed for later. Or otherwise, feel free to halve the recipe :)

I love it, I've had 3 bowls today and it's really filling. Eat with steamed quinoa or veggies, or even toasted bread...ahhhhh, heaven! :)

About the Spiralizer

I'm using Cuisinart's CTG-00-SPI Food Spiralizer which I purchased from Lander's Otis. When I was still shopping around, I would much have preferred the Paderno spiralizer as it has more blades / spiralizing options but it was a few thousands more expensive and I was not willing to shell out more money that time for a device I wasn't sure I'd get to use often.

I learned to love Cuinart's spiralizer version because it's simple to use and not too cumbersome to clean up. Plus it also has a "catching bowl", if that's what it's called haha. The only thing is that it only has 3 spiralizing options - thick julienne, thin julienne, and ribbon. That's okay though because it covers what I need to do. 

I usually make "Zoodles" or zucchini noodles and use that as the "veggie pasta" for spaghetti or even simple pesto pasta concoctions. You can also spiralize cucumbers for an interesting looking salad. What I'd love to do next and I hope I get to do it correctly, is to spiralize a potato, similar to how they do it during parties, and then air fry it. But, no luck for now hahaha :)

Cuisinart Spiralizer
See how I do it in this short video. I used my phone's front camera so this video is showing the mirror image. 

Spiralized carrots using the thin julienne setting. It does look like pasta, right?




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In order for me to support my blogging and social media activities, I may receive monetary compensation for links to products from this post, at absolutely no cost to you. However, I only recommend products that I personally love and use myself.


Thursday, March 1, 2018

What's your favorite activity? Here's mine..

So I've been asked this question - "What's your favorite activity"? 

I know it's really simple to answer... I mean it's almost a tie between cooking and *ahem* eating *ahem* but this question has got me thinking. You see, there's a lot and a whole new facet to marriage & motherhood and the many things we moms must do that sometimes, in the sea of parenting, work and other adult responsibilities, we lose the sense of our personal hobbies and activities that brings us joy.

Riding the cable car -- Family time in Tagaytay Highlands

So after thinking long and hard, I guess preferences for certain activities indeed change with the passing of time and the changes in one's life. Speaking for myself, I guess it's not just in the physical act of cooking or eating out -- it's in sharing not only meals, but also time, stories and adventures with family and friends alike. 

And not only that, I realize that it's also become a favorite activity of mine to document these dining and out of town trips through blogs and vlogs - wherein the calories may have long gone, but the memories still remain! That's a win in my book! Hahaha pak, ganern! :D

Seriously, I know how they say that this season of life where the kids are still small are all so fleeting? I completely agree! That's why whenever I have the time, I make sure to always bring my camera so I can always document whatever small, big or even silly milestone we are privileged to witness.

Me, documenting my girls who are also co-brokers :) Taken at La Cocina de Tita Moning

I'll be sharing some of the vlogs I've made, memories of which I still hold dearly and often reminisce about :)

Our trip to Real, Quezon with the family. The kids really enjoyed the sun, sand, and waves


A nice staycation in Zambales. It's not as roughed up as when I was still single (camping, trekking, etc.) but still a nice way to spend time with family (minus the traffic)


This time with friends. We were wrapping up a short beach vacation in Batangas and decided to have our meals in Twin Lakes Tagaytay. Special time with my friends and their kids too!


The first ever vlog I made using my videocam. The longest time I spent editing as well! :) I was still learning the editing software but still had fun when I produced this output :p


I hope you enjoyed my vlogs! When I sit and edit these on my computer? I don't actually notice how long I've been there, except when my little baby calls out for his mommy :D 

I'm happy to share these with you because vlogging captures the real me. If you have the time and a nice phone camera especially with Expert & Ultra HD features like #OPPOF5, please try vlogging to document your trips because I'm very sure that it will definitely, also #CaptureTheRealYou :) 

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Things I blog about..

#CaptureTheRealYou #OPPOF5 100 day wedding 168 18th month 1st birthday 2nd birthday 3rd month 50th birthday 6 months 7th month 8 millennium development goals 8th month a day in the life absolute accessories accessory activity books afritada aggy's Agico alex franco cake algo all of me almost gourmet alphabet altrenergy Alveo amazon amazon kindle anniversary anthem Anthony bourdain apatite appliques araneta architect aromatherapy art deco asking a godparent AVIDA ayala baby baby back ribs baby food baby gatsby baby gatsby party baby girl baby k'tan baby meal baby ootd baby routine baby shower baby shower games baby wearing BabyComfyNose babywearing babywearing week 2014 back to work bad bird bag bag of beans baked dory baking ballerina ballet ballet kids Bananagrams Banco De Oro band Banking On Your Future baon baptism baptism candles baptism dinner baptism reception baptism seminar barbecue barbeque bargain finds barong batangas bayleaf hotel bazi BDO beach bed sharing beef beef kabsa before five in a row belgian chocolate cake BF1st1000days BFIAR BGC big bad wolf bike billingham digital hadley binder binondo binondo tour binyag birthday birthday mtv birthday party birthing class BKS black and white blender body boss Boni boo book book club book fair book review books boppy pillow botejyu boutonniere Boy Kastner Santos boyce avenue BOYF bracelet brazil brazil breakfast breast cancer breastfeeding breastfeeding in church breastfeeding pinays bridal shower bringing baby to church broker brownie BSP budget buffet buhawi bukas palad song burgos circle buwan ng wika buzzfeed tasty cake caldecott caleruega call me tita cambridge satchel camcorder camera camera for baby camera for new moms can't breastfeed cannondale canon canon d10 canon d20 canon d30 canon sx50 canva career caren resurreccion carlos celdran cash benefit casserole cast iron cast iron skillet caterer catholic Celadon century city mall century mall cesarean section cfa champorado changi airport chapel on the hill charaptor charcoal berry charlie puth charms chayno cheese steak shop chef laudico chicken chicken rice chiffon childbirth children's book chinatown chinese books chinese fables chinese food chinese new year chinese nursery rhymes chinito Chinkee tan chinky christening christmas christmas party christmas spirit chunky chewelry church cisco clara ole cleaning co sleeping Colgate colors conch shell congee Conti's cookbook cooking cooking time cooking tips cordfree cordless corduroy corporate girl costume crib crystal healing crystals CS csb hotel cubao cupcake cwc cyclone dance date dawani de-cluttering dear future husband denise laurel design destination wedding devotional diagnosis benefit dice game dictionary diffuser dining dinner disinfection distributor divisoria divisoria mall DIY diy candles dlsu Dr. Seuss dry erase dslr dust proof dutch oven Dyson dyson cyclone v10 absolute Dyson v10 dzi beads e-books early bird breakfast club early pregnancy earrings easter eat all you can eating out ebook ecopark educator elena ferrante eleventh month Elin engagement engagement dinner escolta essential oil essential oils essential rewards essentially prudent estrel's estrels etc handmade etc handmade goodness Eucharist everio exercise exercise while breastfeeding expo markers extravagances fabric family fashion fat tuesday father's day feature feng shui feng shui sunrise fernwood gardens fifth month filipiniana filipino food finance financial advisor financial planning financial wellness fine jewelry first birthday first birthday party first day first month fitness flashback fridays flu buster fo GUANG shan fontana food food tasting food trip foodie forbeswood formula 1 fortress fourth month free to grow freeze proof friends friendship fruits fuji fuji x100s fuji x20 fujifilm fully booked gatsby gatsby first birthday gatsby theme gemstone gifts girl bonding glorietta 4 God good night good reads Goya Chocnut ganache pancake grandparents day greens grilling grolier guevarra's gumbo gymboree gymboree philippines habagat Hai Shin Lou halloween Hampton Inn & Suites hanamaruken ramen handheld happy folks Happy Folks Studio haunted history tours hd videocam headpiece health healthy heart rate monitor hearts of jesus & mary heirloom hello kitty hiit hole in the wall hollyland lark m1 homecooking homeopathic homeschool homeschool life homeschooling honey glaze cakes hong kong hospital bag hospital kit hotel hotel intercon hotpot how not to die how to hurom hurricane hwayugi i will take you forever ikea induction cooker infanta instant pot instruments insurance insuravest intramuros investment ipo ipo jac jacatel Jamie Oliver japanese jesse bear Jesus Jesus blesses the children Jo-Anne Wong joe cross john legend johnny air cargo johnson chua jolly phonics jolly songs joy JSC juice diet jujube jumbo jumbo Bananagrams Junior Savers jvc jvc camcorder jvc everio kamagong Kanto freestyle KAP kaya toast kiam peng Kiddie Account Program kiddie party kids kidzoona kidztown ph killiney kindle korean kris lawrence kyowa la cocina de tita moning la mesa dam la sallian lab set labor kit lace lactation brownie lactation room laguna lamco landers otis lcm le bayou legarda house let's eat pare letter of the week library life insurance lifestyle treats lillebaby lillebaby carryon airflow lilleletsme little note lodge lolong lotw luck chinatown mall lucky chinatown mall lugaw lzm restaurant madison events madre de dios chapel magallanes church makati malacanang mall of asia Mama Mary mamaway bamboo charcoal belly band mambo no 5 mandaluyong Mandarin Chinese Mango Bravo manila manila doctors manila hotel manila international book fair manila ocean park manipulatives mardi gras Marina Bay Sands marriage mary grace cafe mass maternity bag mayon volcano medela medela freestyle medela house medela moms mega prime meghan trainor men's wear messenger bag metromix mexico ferry mibf michael greger microinsurance midnight snack milestone cards milk mama milk mama diaries carnival mirrorless camera miss universe MoA mobler moira mom and tina's mommymeowmeow cooks mommymeowmeow finds momzilla fair money kit monkey king mosso mother nurture motherhood mozzarella-stuffed meatballs mushroom music video my loves my loves babywearing My Sunday narra hill Nasal Aspirator nasugbu national museum of natural history neapolitan novels nesting new orleans New Zealand tapa nicholas sparks nikon nikon l820 ninang ninong ninth month niu noir et blanc non-traditional party nosefrida novotel nursing station Nursing Wear nutrition nuvali oakley oily mama oilymama omelette ongpin Online Shopping ootd orb diffuser outback steakhouse outing paht chee pandemic paperwhite parenting parenting emporium paris partner appreiation night party party doll manila party planning party suppliers party tray party video passion cooks personal finance philippine homeschool conference philippines phonics photography picture books Pigeon Pigeon Baby Cotton Swab pilillia 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