At home at "A Taste of Home"

My family attended "A Taste of Home" at the Filipino Community Centre in Petone last weekend.  It's an event showcasing Filipino food and culture.  But to be honest, we were actually more interested in seeing MasterChef runner up Leo Fernandez in action!

There were of course, a wide assortment of Filipino food for sale.  What would a Filipino event be without food?!

Sisig - crispy, spicy bits of pork meat, ears, skin, usually served on a hot plate with a raw egg on top.  I love this dish, though I do need to ease up on the pork dishes...

Chia Seeds in drinking water

Chia Seeds are a new thing to me.  I first saw this in my colleague's drinking bottle.  He's from Colombia so I guess this is something that's common in their region.  It actually reminds me of tadpoles swirling about as he gives the bottle a good shake before taking a couple of gulps.  When I inquired from him what it was about, that was when I learned they were Chia Seeds and that he's taking it to help control his weight.

Chia Seeds are touted as a superfood, with a host of benefits and nutrients:

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one ounce of chia seeds (approximately 28 grams) contains 138 calories, 8 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrate, 10 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Eating one ounce of chia seeds per day would provide 18% of daily calcium needs, 27% of phosphorus, 30% of manganese and smaller amounts of potassium, zinc and copper. When compared to flaxseed, chia seeds provide more omega-3s, calcium, phosphorus and fiber - all essential nutrients that most people are not getting enough of. (source: medicalnewstoday.com)

Another interesting article can be found at draxe.com.

How to make crispy and juicy fruit pudding

Macaroni salad

Macaroni salad always reminds me of happy days.  My Nanay would make this on special occasions, especially at Christmas time.  She would always make a big batch and there would always be some left for me to snack on all throughout Christmas eve, Christmas Day, and a couple of days thereafter.

Last Christmas, I decided to start this tradition of making Macaroni Salad in our home.  This recipe is easy to make, and is sure to please.  One tip: make this a day in advance for the flavours to develop.

Leo Fernandez makes it to Masterchef NZ Top 3

Let's zoom along, shall we?  In this 2-part episode in Dubai, the 4 contestants duke it out in the open dessert (that's part 1) where the boys won the round.

Oh no! We've got a man down! #MasterChefNZ pic.twitter.com/ag7OYJlkYs

— MasterChef NZ (@MasterChefNZ) September 20, 2015

Seriously, I cannot imagine how it is like to cook out in the dessert with the grill and frying pan on high.  Especially for Kiwis, who are accustomed to the cool climate.

On part 2, they headed off to the Dubai Marina to replicate a three-course dish at chef Gary Rhodes' restaurant.

Whisked away by boat to a Dubai market with nothing but a list... No worries! #MasterChefNZ pic.twitter.com/SIdIkfZzRN

— MasterChef NZ (@MasterChefNZ) September 21, 2015

It was a pretty tight contest, with each contestant getting at least one great review with their dish.  I have listed the ones for Leo below, complete with screenshots! (literally, I took shots of the show from the TV with my camera)

Entree: Smoked Haddock with Welsh Rarebit & Tomato Salad

"It's a stunner, isn't it?"
"It looks beautiful"
"I thought it was a more complete dish, certainly with the oil, pepper and the salt, and the seasoning"
Get the recipe on TV3.co.nz