Vegetables for children

It is often quite difficult to encourage children to eat vegetables. But there are exceptions. There is this young girl, now eight years old who, when she was four, took a bite of ampalaya like she was relishing hotdogs and hamburgers. She has just arrived from the US, and the ginisang bitter gourd must have looked strange to her. Yet, when we asked her to try the dish, she liked it and continued to eat her meal. We have another four-year-old who likes the sayote in tinolang manok, mashed into her rice with the broth. Then recently she tried and enjoyed Chinese cabbage.

Well and good, but not all kids take to vegetables as easily. Vegetables are now being produced into a variety of refreshing beverages and  delicious food. Among these are bottled four-in-one juice, with four types of veggies, sold in supermarkets.

Now comes “The Malunggay Book,” which predictably will be a big help to homemakers who need to supplement their families’ diet with healthy nourishment.

Until recently, malunggay’s usefulness was limited to making soup for pregnant women or those who are lactating. Today it is called “the miracle vegetable.”

Our friends Jimmy and Becs Galvez-Tan, who co-authored the book “Medicinal Fruits and Vegetables,” through their research, found that malunggay has high levels of beta-carotene, Vitamins C and E, calcium and iron and is a good source of potassium and ascorbic acid. Its medicinal attributes are good for maintaining wellness and can help those suffering from rheumatism.

There are now many ways to include its leaves in our daily diet through the recently published “The Malunggay Book” of healthy and easy-to-do recipes. Its authors are chefs Day Salonga and Mon Urbano, who are successful partners in a culinary consultancy.

Try the scrambled green egg and bacon, M vinaigrette dressing, Thai-style curry, chicken roulade, even M cookies and crepes. They may sound strange, but they are healthy and have been made flavorful by the creative duo.

Those who have missed the Italian restaurant Buona Vita on Daang Hari, Molino, Bacoor would be pleased to know that their favorite restaurant has moved to the Molito Mall in Alabang, which is more accessible.

It is bigger and continues to serve all the dishes that have captured the palette of discriminating foodies in the area and beyond. Their paella is what we always go there for. On a recent visit, we tried to venture away from our usual second course of lengua and chose the fish fillet (cream dory) with lemon. Very good choice. It was perfectly crispy, very soft and tasty and came with a small mound of mashed potatoes.

We got a complimentary copy of the “Korean Cuisine” book from the Palms Country Club where  Korean food was recently  featured in their main dining hall. It says the culinary treasures of the country have “hansik,” an energy source with philosophy and science, meaning it goes beyond providing physical strength but also that of the mind and soul.

It is a comprehensive guide to dining in Korea from table setting, to street food to royal cuisine and temple food to table manners. And yes, it gives instructions on how to prepare kimchi, considered the country’s most popular dish made of fermented cabbage and lots of spices plus what the locals call  “healthy bacteria” (lactobacilli), supposed to  help digestion. The latest info is that it contains some elements that may prevent cancer.

Observe the elderly Koreans in the streets of Seoul or any other city. The generation is old, no offense meant, but senior men and women walk alone, no alalays, a testimony to their well-being, indeed.

Eat healthy.

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