Healthy and safe food and drinks you can prepare at home

In observance of World Food Day October 16, 2015
Dr Abe V Rotor
 Living with Nature School on Blog
Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid (People's School-on-Air) with Ms Grace Velasco
738 DZRB AM Band, 8 to 9 evening class Monday to Friday (www.pbs.gov.ph)

Bulanglang (diningding Ilk) is still the most popular vegetable preparation at home. It is a completre one-dish meal best for lunch and dinner.  Regional variations make the dish. Dinengdeng is a  vegetable stew which originated from the Ilocos region. The main seasoning in this dish is bagoong (a paste of fermented fish or shrimp) with onions, ginger, tomatoes  and sometimes. Broiled fish or unshelled shrimps may be added. Dinengdeng with  bagnet (lechon kawali) is a specialty in Vigan. The following vegetables are commonly used in cooking this dish: okra, young malunggay pods,  ampalaya, eggplant, squash, string beans, flowers of squash and katuray, patani, kamote (for buridibud to thicken the soup).   

 

Pinakbet (also called pakbet) is an indigenous Ilocano It is similar to dinengdeng in many respects, in that it is made from mixed vegetables steamed in fish or shrimp sauce.^] The word is the contracted form of the Ilokano word pinakebbet, meaning "shrunk" or "shriveled." Left photo shows indigenous ingredianet: patani, himbaba-o (alokong Ilk), wild ampalaya amd eggplant.

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Squash Okoy [grated squash, small shrimp or anchovies (dilis), egg and flour]
Buko is the healthiest food and drink. It is complete in nutrrients the body needs, including the well-advertised "virgin coconut oil." Buko is the safest food and drink because the coconut tree filters out toxic metals and other undesrable substances in the soil, water and air. Newly opened young nuts are most refreshing. There's no need of ice or chilling. 
Anti-cancer fruit, guyababo, is eaten directly when ripe.  Or it is made into puree with a blender.  You may preserve the puree in the refrigerator for a few days as mother stock.   There is no substitute to eating with the hand.  

These are easy-to-prepare drinks and recipes. Advantages: low cost (50%or more  savings), natural and fresh, locally available ingredients, nutritious and balanced, devoid of artificial ingredients like MSG, Aspartame, carbonate, bromate, sulfite, aflatoxin.  They have low cholesterol, low fat, free of possible pathogens, vermin and toxic substances.  Other than gustatory delight cooking and eating at home strenghtens family bonding. (Photos by AV Rotor)