My 9-year old daughter woke up past midnight last night and declared that she was hungry. She did not get to have her dinner because she fell asleep before nightfall and so I understood her gastric rumblings. Off to the kitchen I went and whipped up a bowlful of adobo rice from the “take-two” batch I saved. In a matter of minutes, the whole bowl was wiped clean as if a kitty licked it and my daughter sat contentedly by my side with a satisfied grin on her face. You wonder how such a simple treat as adobo rice could bring such feelings contentment and satisfaction – not only for her but for me as well. It was well worth having to bring out the pots and dishes even as I am about to knock off for the day and then not being able to sleep at all because it was too close to waking up time already.
Cooking for my family is such a privilege. I’d like to think that all the love and care I put in every dish I prepare makes even the simplest of dishes truly special. These special ingredients are what make my adobo rice better tasting than any other resto offerings anywhere. The best thing about it, aside from not having to get dressed and go for a drive to get it, is that it is healthy. It does not contain any of the unhealthy add-ons that resto cooks put in for an extra kick of flavor -- definitely none of those ingredients that cause your bodily functions to go haywire.
Healthy eating is something that we have tried to put to practice early on in our married life. It is not easy to eat healthy when you lead a busy life – or so I thought. During the years when I was still working, eating out was norm so that all the energy we have left could be spent playing and taking care of our baby when we got home. And, while I prepared healthy stuff for my baby to eat like boiled and osterized meat and veggies and hand mashed pears or potatoes, my husband and I were eating restaurant food most of the time. We ate really tasty food but we had no idea that instead of nourishing our body, we were harming it. My daughter continued to eat healthy while we continued to eat the way we did for a couple of years until our bodies finally caught on and said “enough!”
In the past 10 years, my husband was diagnosed with hypertension and chronic kidney disease and I with thyroidism and gall bladder stones. I had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy a couple of years back and my husband is continuously being treated to maintain his kidney function. There is nothing else to point to other than genetics and poor diet as causes for these ailments. Now, I understand why my mom tried really hard to feed us healthy food while we were growing up. I remember how, even when we were already out of school and earning our own money, she would often reprimand us when we bought soda and chips for our “stash.” Now a mother myself, I understand that I am not depriving my family of “enjoying” these unhealthy food when I limit them in our diet. By striving to eat healthy, we are actually increasing our chances at longevity. And so, while my daughter and I still go for occasional burger dates, we now take a more conscious effort to make sure that we are eating healthy food most of the time. That basically means low fat, low sodium, and balanced amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. It is with passion too that we invite our family and friends to join us in our campaign towards a healthier lifestyle. Here’s to striving to live healthier and longer lives! Adobo rice, anyone?
Some tips for healthy eating:
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| Pasta Aglio Olio (spaghetti with loads of garlic, basil, olive oil, and a dash of chilli pepper flakes) |
1. Stay away from fatty, greasy, salty food – did you know that the regular fastfood burger patty contains about a thousand milligrams of sodium? That’s already about half of the maximum sodium requirement on a normal diet. Add all the grease both from the meat and from the cooking oil in the griddle and you have got a tasty treat that could clog your arteries and cause a coronary. Home-cooked meals let you control the amount of fat and sodium in your diet. If you can help it, skip that fastfood meal and take an hour to whip up a healthy meal for you and your family. Oh, and keep the fish sauce and salt shaker off the dinner table please.
2. Use herbs and spices – instead of using salt and other condiments, try using herbs and spices. Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are more than just herbs of song. They can add a subtle layer of flavor to the food that you prepare. Herb and spice rubbed chicken fillets pan-roasted with root vegetables is a much more palatable and healthier choice than deep-fried chicken coated in salty batter dripping in oil.
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| Fish Fillet in Lemon Caper Sauce |
4. Limit your intake of red meat – pork and beef are harder for the body to metabolize. You might not notice it but there are layers of fat in between the grains of meat – notice that your meat shrinks and your pan fills up with oil when you fry your meat. If you must have your meat, go for less fatty cuts, slivered and stir-fried with ample amounts of veggies. Tossing together sukiyaki cut beef with snow peas, julienned carrots and cucumbers, broccoli florettes, and shitake mushrooms with oyster sauce only takes a few minutes to prepare.
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| Italianni's Herb Roasted Chicken with garlic veggies and mashed potatoes |
5. Read the labels – you can get loads of information about the food that you buy from your grocery store by reading the labels. Pay particular attention to the fat and sodium contents. Also, look at the list of ingredients. If it contains a long list of ingredients that sound more like a list of compounds from your chemistry book, put it back on the shelf and look for healthier options. You can also try to look for healthier options in restaurant menus. Going for grilled or roasted options is a good way to go. We usually request the kitchen to hold off the salt when we go to restaurants that prepare food as ordered.
