Category: In the Kitchen

Simple Sunday Snack: Tarragon Tea

My mom bought a Tarragon plant after being inspired by the fresh Tarragon tea that we had at Mother’s Garden (Baguio) last December. This tea fascinated our family because it was a healthy, warm treat and it tasted like rootbeer! So cool!

DSC09541 - Copy

Every now and then, when I hang around in our kitchen’s veranda, I snip a few leaves from the Tarragon plant, rinse them, and infuse them in a cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.  I just love how easy it is to prepare this natural drink.

DSC09554 - Copy

I brought a tall cup of Tarragon tea to work recently and had a conversation with my officemates about it. One of them mentioned that drinking tea in the morning is very beneficial for us. She even said that after our bodies have fasted overnight, the first thing that our stomachs must have is tea. It has relaxing properties that help calm our bodies and its nutrients aid in refreshing us, giving us a nice start to the day.

DSC09532 - Copy

I still have to do more research about drinking tea in the morning. But, what my officemate shared to me made me think about the first few minutes of each day. What do I usually do when I wake up everyday? What do I allow myself to take in first?

DSC09546 - Copy

If I could spend 10 to 15 minutes preparing tea in the kitchen to refresh and calm my body, I know that I could also spend at least one percent of the day (15 minutes) with God and His Word first thing in the morning. By doing so and by His grace, I believe that He will certainly give me a refreshing start each day as I spend time studying and reminding myself of who He is, His promises for me, and the joy that I have in Him.

Hopefully, I can continue disciplining myself in this aspect. :)

DSC09540 - Copy

“Life is about competing priorities. What you give time to shows what you think is important.” – Peter Tan-Chi

DSC09551 - Copy

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” –Psalm 143:8

RECIPE

1 tbsp. of fresh Tarragon leaves (4-6 leaves)

1 cup of hot water

a few stevia leaves or 1 tsp. of honey (optional)

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Eggplant Parmigiana

It is quite a challenge for me to eat and enjoy bitter melons and eggplants. I guess it does take time for some to appreciate these vegetables. Maybe in a few months (or years), I might start to like them. :P

Interestingly, a couple close to our family (Thank you, tito Albert and tita Rosiel Noel) recently gave us a huge plastic filled with asian eggplants and okras from Palawan. As soon as I saw the bag, I immediately felt the urge to cook the eggplants first. I didn’t know why. Hahaha.

And so, I gathered some of my favorite ingredients and prepared this dish: Eggplant Parmigiana.

DSC09270 - Copy

Because I wanted to know more about the main ingredient before cooking the dish, I did a little research on the internet. After a few minutes, I learned from Alton Brown (Host of the show: “Good Eats”. Episode: Berry From Another Planet) that purging the eggplants help remove the bitterness and moisture from the eggplant, which allows them to absorb the liquid in the dish more.

DSC09199 - Copy

DSC09203 - Copy

I purged the sliced eggplants by salting them and letting them rest for a few minutes. When the eggplants started to ‘sweat’, I used a tissue to remove the moisture from them.

DSC09211 - Copy

After that, I prepared the tomato sauce and fried the breaded eggplants with a tablespoon of oil.

DSC09228 - Copy

Layering the eggplant parmigiana was fun and easy! I added the ff. ingredients to the bowl and repeated the process twice. :)

Tomato sauce > a few shrimps > Sliced Mozzarella cheese > Cooked eggplants

DSC09247 - Copy

DSC09251 - Copy

DSC09255 - Copy

Finally, it was time for us to taste the eggplant dish. I remember slightly cringing while I was getting my share because I didn’t really like eating eggplants. Haha. But, by God’s grace, He continues to change me for the better and help my taste buds cooperate and appreciate more food. Woohoo!

Also, by His grace, my family and officemates got to taste the dish and enjoyed it too! My dad even sent me a text message the next day: “Your eggplant dish is soooo good, anak! I just had a wonderful breakfast… Thanks!!!” Hahaha. Thanks for the encouragement, dad!

DSC09260 - Copy

It was a helpful experience for me because God encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things with Him. Even though the eggplant wasn’t (and still isn’t… haha!) my favorite vegetable, He still used it to speak to me and remind me of important principles in life.

Purging the eggplants reminded me of how God’s Word works in our hearts. The salt helped remove the bitterness (found in the moisture) in the eggplants which made them absorb the flavor of the oil and the tomato sauce more. In the same way, God uses the Bible to help us see and remove the unnecessary and unpleasant things that we keep in our hearts, so that we can absorb who He is and the promises and truth that He has for us, and grow into the person that He desires us to be.

DSC09261 - Copy

It says in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Looking forward to learning more about God through His word this week! Hope this encourages you to do so too. :)

 

Encourage yourself one treat at a time.

 

RECIPE for Eggplant Parmigiana

Estimated ingredients:

8 Asian eggplants

4 cloves of garlic (crushed or diced)

Half an onion (white, chopped)

2 tbsp. oil (1 tbsp. for sauteing sautéing the shrimp; the other for the breaded eggplants)

1 cup of Japanese bread crumbs. (Feel free to use other kinds of breading. We only had the Japanese crumbs at that time.)

4-5 cups (1000g) of crushed tomatoes (in a can). I used the brand: Doña Elena.

McCormick’s Italian seasoning and/or fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, and oregano)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Mozzarella and Parmesean cheese

Optional: 1/3 kilo of your choice of meat (I used some of the shrimps that we had in the freezer).

 

Notes:

1. After cooking the tomato sauce and layering the ingredients, you may heat the dish in the oven or in the microwave. The melted mozzarella cheese is perfect for this dish. :)

2. You may also enjoy this dish with sliced plain baguettes.

Simple Sunday Snack: Pineapple Ice Cream

My Sunday afternoons are usually spent at home with my siblings and our two dogs. Most of the time, we would hang out in the living room, eat, and watch movies together. Of course, to make the experience more pleasant, our Sunday routine always included using the air conditioner for an hour or two. However, since the start of summer, turning it on for an hour wasn’t enough anymore. We would eventually use it for four or five hours straight just to keep us cool in this extremely hot weather.

DSC09304 - Copy

 

DSC09316 - Copy

Besides enjoying the air conditioners, another thing that I like about summer is that we get to appreciate cool and refreshing drinks and desserts more during this season. I usually am satisfied with a glass of cold water or homemade fruit shakes. But today, I decided to use my eldest sister’s anniversary gift for our parents: Say hello to the lovely YONANAS machine.

DSC09384 - Copy

DSC09325 - Copy

DSC09332 - Copy

I froze pineapples yesterday and my younger brother helped me prepare the ice cream using the Yonanas machine. It was amazing!! The pineapples from Tagaytay were also affordable (Php 7.00 each) and were naturally very sweet, so the dessert was really delightful!

DSC09337 - Copy

DSC09342 - Copy

DSC09347 - Copy

I find this kitchen tool very interesting because it turns frozen fruit into ‘ice cream’ instantly! We don’t need to add milk, sugar, or any artificial flavors and colors to it — just pure, awesome fruits made by God.

DSC09394 - Copy

DSC09357 - Copy

It reminded me of how God’s pure and perfect love is more than enough for us. In the same way, there’s no need for us to mix it up with other temporary pleasures and treasures just to try to satisfy the cravings of our hearts. God already gave us the best kind of love through His son, Jesus, when he died on the cross and rose again so we could spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

DSC09396 - Copy

“Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You.” –Psalm 63:3

DSC09398 - Copy
It’s really refreshing to be reminded of God’s love on a hot summer day while enjoying a bowl of pineapple ice cream. Thank You, Lord, for this simple treat! :)

DSC09400 - Copy

 

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

The Squid Ate a Fish

“Aaahh! Guess what?! The squid ate a fish! The squid ate a fish!!” I ran around the house with a lifeless, baby fish on my hand and told my family about the awesome moment I had with mom.

While I was helping her prepare our dinner last night, she casually told me that she found a baby fish in the belly of the squid. Before I could even react, she immediately threw the fish in the trash bowl near her. “Mom! Why’d you throw it away?” I said. “Hahaha. I want to see it!”

DSC088220

So, she got the fish and placed it on my hand… and I couldn’t believe it. It was amazing!!! I was so amused by it that I had to tell everyone about it. I went back to the kitchen with the baby fish and asked mom why she wasn’t surprised or excited about it.

She told me that it wasn’t her first time to see a fish in a squid. And when I asked her how many times this happened before, she couldn’t give me an estimate. They were too many to count.

“What?? Hahaha. That’s funny. I’ve never seen a fish in the bellies of the squids I’ve cleaned before. This is so cooool, mom.” I replied.

DSC088160

That simple moment with my mom reminded me of the privilege of freely spending time with my parents and learning from their experiences and wisdom. They know so much more than I do — and even if I, sometimes, am tempted to think that they don’t, I trust that God will continue to work in and through them as they speak to me and lead me. Besides, God doesn’t make mistakes and He certainly didn’t make a mistake in choosing them as my parents and making me their daughter.

Proverbs 1:8 – “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”

DSC088180

If I didn’t spend time with mom in the kitchen last night, I would have missed out on a rare opportunity: to see a baby fish in the belly of a squid. Woohoo! But, God allowed it to happen and I really enjoyed it! By His grace, I pray that I will continuously make an effort to spend time with my folks as much as I can. :)

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” –Exodus 20:12

folks

Encourage yourself one treat at a time. :)

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

About Me

My name is Nicole Obligacion and I started this blog because I was inspired by Hebrews 10:24 and Hebrews 3:13. I love to eat, cook, bake, read the Bible, and encourage. :)

copyright © 2012 - 2024 encouragingtreats.com this site is designed, managed and optimized by sean si of seo hacker