Fried Dishes Made Nutritious with Quaker Rolled Oats

The most difficult things to do during the pandemic is to stay away from eating too much, and how to get your previous active lifestyle to still happen. Truth be told, the fear of going out has gotten us all confined within our homes, and since it's still okay to eat.. we transformed a little pudgy over the years in lockdown. When restrictions eased a little and we started to have access to gyms, we got to run again on treadmills and lift weights... but going back into shape was a harder because our metabolism got a little slower. I think it's just not enough, so we got to think smart!

Now I know I'm not alone with my obsession with Fried Chicken. In fact, I know your kids like it. So I'm going to give you my personal recipe for Southern Fried Chicken. I use a half kilo of chicken pieces (or half a chicken would do). I usually put them in brine the day before and in the fridge, but it's okay if you're not keen doing that because having it lightly salted and dusted with pepper would be okay. I dredge them in flour, then egg, then instead of the usual panko bread crumbs, you can use a cup of Quaker Rolled Oats (you can leave it chunky but I prefer to blitz it for a few seconds). It's going to have the same crunchy texture you love in fried chicken. I usually pan fry them til it gets brown on both sides. Preferably, make sure it's got enough oil to cook it on low fire so the coating doesn't burn before the actual meat cooks. You can opt for pork (for some breaded pork chop action) but chicken is always a good treat for kids).

Putting Quaker Rolled Oats on the mix means you are getting 7x more fiber per serving and about 1.7x more protein than usual fried chicken. Aside from that, you get energy, beta glucan to help you lower your cholesterol. This is healthy and if you put oats in your diet regularly, you'll have more fiber to aid in digestion. Having these in your usual fried favorites would be a smart thing to do, add to that your regular breakfast and snacks, even overnight oats (to eat the next day), wouldn't that do wonders for your health?

 

See, it's quite easy to change the way you prepare food. Remember, it's not enough to just work out these days to have your desired body. You've got to weigh in on how to be smart and put nutritious ingredients in what you consume at home. As my personal trainer told me, it's not just working out that is important. Abs actually are sculpted in the kitchen, makes sense no?

Well there you go, get yourselves some of the good stuff I'm mixing in things that I cook as Quaker Rolled Oats is available in leading grocery stores, supermarkets, and online on Shopee here https://shp.ee/tfczkfj

An ASHTAN Valentine’s Date at POPEYES

Oohhh it's the 11th Popeyes in the country and they've set up this new branch at the 5th Floor of Robinsons Place Manila. I'm sure a lot of people will start getting their fix of fried chicken and biscuits in this joint because it's just so good!

Consequently, it's also Valentine's Day and what can be better than that by seeing two lovely people who seem to be loved by many fans since PBB happened last year. I'm talking about Ashley Del Mundo and Tan Roncal. Admittedly, this is like the second time I've seen them (since PBB) so I was raring to get to know who they are off can. They're very nice, very reserved, but seem to be having lots of fun during the Popeyes event.

Ylona Garcia was also there with her family, it was nice to see them enjoy the biscuits. Which reminds me, they were all heart shaped just for a limited time.

#AshTan was quite new to me, but fans were already rejoicing seeing them together. According to their latest hashtags too, they were treating this as the pairs Valentine's date. Is this for real?!

Well as far as I know, body language says a lot. Not to mention they're quite cute together. :)

Popeyes also had several booths for us to try so we could win gift certificates as prizes. Let's just say I'm having fried chicken fix for a couple of months after this LOL!

As you can see, the biscuits actually look so cute just like #AshTan. So if you're looking for good fried chicken and want a romantic touch to it, I guess your best bet is a bucket of Popeyes right?

PS Thank you to all the #AshTan fans who retweeted and followed me on social media! Thank you also for subscribing @kumagcow on YouTube!

Here is our interview with them:

Have a great day ahead!

Andok's Launches Spicy Dokito with Piolo Pascual

We all love Andok’s and how it has been part of every occasion, every meal on the Filipino table. I must say, I am a huge fan of the Lechon Manok and their lovely, crispy Pork Chop. I just feel it actually tastes better especially in their Boracay branch when it is freshly cooked, I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but it just is super good. Add to that their throng of products including their famous Liver Sauce which I have at home. It’s too good that other brands copied it, or try to as their CEO says. 

Mayor Leonardo Sandy M. Javier Jr. the President and CEO of Andok’s mentions “My children are all my inspiration, also our Andok’s family. This comes as a pleasant surprise as I prepare a new venture in Congress but I never forgot about the Spicy Dokito. It has been planned for months. Back in 2003 we were in Boracay and we got hit by slowness of business, but we knew how to survive in the island. There were tons of people who wanted good food but things were not affordable, but ours were comparable, we really have the best chicken in the country. Let me recognize our Andok’s management team, they are trained to be the best, I thank them for all the support they gave in the Andok’s family. It’s been years since I have served my constituents, Andoks didn’t start from business tycoons, we started from scratch. We did advertising, through plywood so people would remember us. My father passed of Cancer, my brother is Danny Javier, and they gave a lot to alleviate pain, I didn’t, but I promised him I will make his name famous, and this is Andok’s. I always tell people not to worry about making mistakes, just don’t do it again and learn from them. I also know recently that people get tired of the usual, it was why the lechon liempo happened, sorry for those who got sick of it (he kids), I had to be sensitive with the market too so we thought about a smaller but filling one, it’s the Andok’s fried chicken which we call the Dokito. It took us 6 months before we perfected it, we learned the ropes, we wanted to be better than the others, when we knew it was already perfect, (against the colonel and the bee) we learned to be the best. It was the thing that saved us hence our market grew. We knew innovation was important, so we are now coming up with a real good, real hot spicy chicken, this is our Spicy Dokito. This is our blockbuster.” 

Then his son Maverick Leonardo Javier came up on stage and said “I love Dokito and I have been eating it everyday, as you can see (he kids). I think I am Dokito being I am Leonardo too. I created this product and I personally love it. Spicy, Crazy, Feisty, but first time in history of Andok’s we will have an endorser. Our endorser is spicy, hot too, maybe guapo like me but maybe times 20. With his help I hope we reach every corner of the country, and elsewhere in the world.” 

Piolo Pascual their new endorser was frantic, jokingly told the audience “I’m sorry I was eating the new Spicy Dokito backstage. I wanted to be part of the one brand which is at every corner of streets. It’s a no brainer, I am now with Andok’s. Whoooow! Tikman niyo na ang Andok’s Spicy Dokito!” 

Oh and yes, the latest Spicy Dokito did not disappoint! Super crunchy, hot and fresh from the fryer, the spicyness is just right from the bits of chili in the meat. It’s like they took time to really marinate, prolly brine so the chicken stays juicy inside. Obviously you’ll see how this is different from the ones served in fastfood joints, it’s very affordable too. 

Now this world class Filipino brand is present in other countries, and truly, they are just starting with their expansion. Hopefully, Piolo Pascual and his charm would make Andok’s even better in the next few years as they take on food giants here and elsewhere in the world! 

Be ready for the Spicy Dokito!

Easy Parties with Red Door Kitchen

My life is crazy. Even if people think this is fun, it's packed with events left and right and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone. I must say, I appreciate TIME so much that I really spend it wisely on weekends to catch up on sleep, or do a fine job of reconnecting with friends and family. Now since I sleep late and wake up late, I don't have (sometimes) the luxury to actually cook for about 6-8 people. It's a scary task and I don't have the hands to wash the dishes, but if I do I would. Last Saturday, I woke up around lunch time (okay my Mom woke me up) because I forgot I scheduled a feast for the weekend. My Mom was already cooking Spaghetti and I forgot to tell her to relax because everything is taken cared of. Just look at this spread, this is from RED DOOR KITCHEN.

I always pass by this area when going to Manila or nearby Banawe for events or restaurant hopping (as they are located between D. Tuason and Cordillera streets). They have their establishment in one of the shacks there identified with an actual Red Door (so you can't miss it!). They specialize pickup or delivery of great party food which you can even schedule ahead of time. That to me is convenient especially if you're not the type who cooks or have the time for it. I'm a schedule freak so if you can arrange for it before it happens, that's a life saver.

Aside from that, they can accommodate orders even if you need it within the day. Ask them and it should be easy. Like if you have relatives from Canada (oh yes it happened to me just now!) and they need to take something from home, I'll let you in on some great pasalubong items which you can order from them too!

This is UBE ENSAYMADA. Imagine swirls of soft baked bread intertwined with semi sweet ube and loads of salty grated cheese and glistening sugar on top. It was good baby, it was so good it was gone once I opened the box it came with.

My favorite on the other hand is the CHEESE ROLL. I like how this one mixes the love that the ensaymada has but got a thick stick of cheese in the middle. Perfect for cheese lovers like me.

Oh my, I wonder what's inside these wonderfully packaged round things. Now the way this works is that you have to BUILD YOUR OWN COMBO. You have to CHOOSE YOUR NOODLE, then CHOOSE YOUR MEAT and ENJOY.

This is the CHINITOYO. This one is their own recipe. I like how it's packaged well and has got a life of it's own. What I mean about that is the combination of flavors. It's a little sweet, boldly savory and a little spicy too. It's their best one, their best seller. Building the combo, I chose the CHICKEN CHOPS as meat for this dish. I like it a lot because of how they did the breading, I mistook it for that Taiwanese Porkchop I so love from Chinese restaurants, so this one is a healthy option. They even packed the vinegar neatly, so I could put it in a smaller dish and enjoy lunch with my family. I would strongly suggest you order the same, the generous servings and tasty accompaniments are just awesome.

Oh don't get me started about the PALABOK. Their version is with thick rice noodles, really thick eggy sauce, scrumptious shrimp and is super good. They have the pork cracklings on a separate packet so it doesn't get mushy when it arrives. They also provide calamansi for those who would like some. The meat paired with this is the LIEMPO BARBECUE. It's meaty, but hell of a lot soft because it's cooked perfectly. I don't know how they marinated this thing but man, it kinda threw me off as it felt like barbecue from Aristocrat. I definitely dig this the most, so if you're a meat lover... don't trip on your way out because this is so precious. Nothing was left for my Dad LOL. 

 Now this was a surprise. We had company who didn't like the SPAGHETTI of the other take out place (you might know what that is), but this one didn't just pass with flying colors.. she was raving about it. True enough, when it was my turn to get some on my plate, this was wonderful. I felt like a kid again. Now you know those things that could kick some of your childhood memories? This was it. It's sweet, a definite challenger to the more popular Filipino spaghetti without tiring you at all. It's something you would come back for more. Oh and if you're not doing anything, please try the LUMPIANG SHANGHAI. It's meaty, not too hot, has that crunchy exterior you love.

If you're a little more adventurous, please do help yourself with the KUNG FU SHRIMP. It's a very good version of Kung Pao Pasta, hotter than usual so it's right for me. I love extremely hot stuff but even though it was just enough, it was lovely! I also like the mushrooms and peanuts, it was a play of textures. I was a little full already during this time but the spice was just so inviting, I had seconds of this. You can also order the pasta and noodles individually, but I strongly suggest you get the combo instead. It's the better option and could save you a few bucks.

For those who would still need a little more carbs, take a LOAF BREAD with your combos. You don't have to go out and buy it from the local bread shop or bakery. They already have some available upon order so don't hesitate to add this on your list.

Now what's a celebration without a cake. Good thing my family loves UBE CAKE, but if you're the type who couldn't make up their mind... they've got one they call CANT DECIDE CAKE wherein they put around 4 flavors in one putting. I super duper love this ube cake though because it's fluffy outside, and the cake wasn't really too sweet which was perfect for the diabetic people in my house. It felt like eating a jar of that lovely ube jam you used to take home from Baguio, and it's really good. I would get one for my Dad's birthday on Sunday. He deserves a treat!

I took photos of the brochure so you get an idea. You can always look it up or ask them while you order. They are also on Facebook

For those who are already tired about the same old food you order for birthdays and special occasions, RED DOOR presents itself not just as a super great alternative, but an equal or even greater promise to be present in your special days. It's affordable, it's so good and if you're going to ask me, it's even better than the usual. I would personally feed this to my friends and family, and it's complete with protein on the combos so you don't have to think about stuff to add because they've got a menu that's really well though of. Add to that the lovely cakes and baked goodies which you can take for a ride, hey it's a home run! 

They also have the CHOCOLIQUOR CAKES BY MARICAR REYES POON which is so popular nowadays, you don't have to look further. Call the RED DOOR KITCHEN office hours at 442-9888 or their mobile number 0999 477 7333. I am already hungry from editing this article, but I'll have to hold it. You go ahead and call them, your family will enjoy something new, something real good for a FUN PARTY!

Hope someone orders a cake for me!