Exercise - To A Healthier and Slimmer YOU!

I love exercise! It makes me feel great inside and out. Good thing the company that I work for established an aerobics program for us employees to join in. We sweat our bodies away twice a week. Since I joined the class, here are some of the remarkable changes that happened:

1. Goodbye, PMS!
   - a day in every month, I get to suffer from this terrible pain. Luckily, I found the secret, just have a regular exercise and you'll be pain-free!
   
2. Healthy body - exercise helps keep the blood in my body well-circulated thus keeping me healthy. Note also that it reduces the risk of high blood pressure.
   
3. No more muscle pain - before my regular exercise, my upper back used to ache extensively.
4. I feel & look better - I lost several pounds since I started with this regimen and my skin looked brighter.

There are more, and I mean more benefits of exercise but those things listed above where the things I notice on my body.

So what about you? What health tip can you share? Post on my comment to share...who knows you may be of help to someone.

Vegetarian Afritada

Afritada is a tasty Filipino dish that you can try in your home. But of course this applies for non-meat lovers since this is a vegetarian recipe.

1/2 kilo gluten or vegemeat, cubed
1 cup potatoes, cubed, fried
1 carrot, cubed
1 cup canned or frozen peas, drained
1 bell pepper, squared
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
3/4 cup tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup water
Salt to taste
Cornstarch or bread
crumbs (optional)

1. Saute garlic and onion in vegetable oil.
2. Add tomatoes and cook until well done.
3. Add soy sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Add gluten or vegemeat, potatoes, bell pepper, carrot, and peas. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes over low fire or until mixture is well-blended.
5. Add water then thicken with cornstarch or bread crumbs, if desired.
6. Season with salt.
7. Serve hot.
   

TOFU STEAK

3/4 kilo tofu, sliced, slightly fried
2 tablespoons catsup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 onion, ringed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt to taste

• Saute 1/4 part of onion slightly. Set aside the rest for garnishing.
• Add soy sauce and catsup.
• Dilute cornstarch in water, then add to mixture. Stir until evenly mixed.
• Add tofu and season with salt.
• Simmer for 2 minutes.
• Garnish with onion rings.
• Serve hot.
  

HARD BOILED EGGS WITH TOMATOES

This is a very simple easy-to-do recipe.

6 eggs
18 tomatoes, sliced as desired
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Salt to taste
Lettuce

• Place eggs in kettle and add water just enough to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil. (Boil with kettle uncovered)
• Once water begins to boil, set time for 12 minutes. Immediately remove eggs and place in tap water.
• When cooled, remove shells and slice as desired.
• Mix eggs and sesame oil.
• Season with salt.
• Arrange mixture on platter.
• Garnish with tomatoes and lettuce.
  

(This recipe is from the book Cooking Smart by B.M. Varona and D.A. Varona)

HOT & SPICY ONION GLUTEN

3/4 kilo gluten, sliced to desired sizes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced lengthwise
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon water
Salt or seasoning to taste

• Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl.
• Add gluten and mix well. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• On a separate bowl, mix in remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili paste.
• Heat skillet and pour in vegetable oil.
• Add onion and garlic. Stir until onion is tender.
• Add gluten and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until lightly brown.
• Stir in the soy sauce-chili paste mixture.
• Stir in remaining cornstarch and the water.
• Season with salt, then cook until sauce thickens, stirring constantly.
• Serve hot.

GLUTEN CURRY

3/4 kilo gluten, cubed, slightly fried
2 cups potatoes, peeled, cubed, fried
2 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
2 red or green bell peppers, sliced
2 cups thick coconut milk
1 tablespoon calamansi extract
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste

• Dilute curry powder and cornstarch in water
• Saute garlic and onion in vegetable oil
• Add bell peppers, coconut milk, and curry powder-cornstarch mixture. Simmer for 1 minute.
• Add gluten, calamansi extract, and potatoes.
• Season with salt.
• Serv hot.

(Source: Cooking Smart by Blecenda Miranda-Varona & David Arsulo Varona)

GLUTEN STEAK

3/4 cup gluten, sliced big
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato catsup
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Brown sugar to taste
Vegetable oil
Parsley, onion rings, and bell pepper rings (optional)

• Soak gluten in soy sauce, water, and catsup for about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside mixture.
• Fry gluten in vegetable oil and set aside.
• Saute onion, then add soy sauce-catsup mixture and mix.
• Add sugar and salt to taste.
• Add cornstarch and stir until sauce thickens. Simmer for 2 minutes.
• Pour sauce over gluten
• Garnish with parsley, onion rings, and bell pepper rings.
• Serve hot.

(Source: Cooking Smart by Blecenda Miranda-Varona & David Arsulo Varona)