For me breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I make sure that I prepare breakfast meals for my family. My hubby needs to eat  a lot before going to office, while my kids they need breakfast in order for them to have energy in answering all their assignments. Usually we do their assignment after breakfast because their school ours is lunch time.

Many of us find preparing and eating breakfast to be yet one more of the daily challenges we face in starting each day. We may basically know that breakfast is important, yet it is a meal that is often a hurried affair, with food that is the most convenient to cook  (as in fried fare) and eat, while some of us skip it altogether.

In an initiative to encourage a good breakfast habit and make the first meal of the day exciting, Nestle Philippines has launched I Can't Believe It's Breakfast! - a book of 30 easy-to-follow recipes that offer a variety of breakfast ideas to excite the palate and spice up the mornings, from the very "quick" when you don't have much time to spare, to the "not-so-quick" for mornings when you can invest a little more time and effort for the most important meal to jump start your day!

Wow, this is really a big help for me as a full time Mommy. Creating different kind of meals especially in breakfast is a must for me. Usual food makes them suffer food fatigue, so it is needed to have a variety. The Recipe book gives me more idea to serve anew food in our table.

The recipe book highlights the importance of breakfast as part of the Company's long-term advocacy of helping consumers Choose Wellness through proper diet and physical activity.
Speaking at the launching of the cookbook, Nestle Philippines Consumer Engagement Services head Aurora Alipao cited the most common reasons why people skip breakfast. "Working parents like us are always pressed for time, so preparing a nutritious breakfast for our children early in the morning may prove to be a daunting task. Children themselves, especially adolescents, prefer to get more sleep than rise up early to have breakfast. And then of course, there are those who purposely miss breakfast in a misguided attempt to lose weight. Others simply are not aware of the benefits of eating breakfast."

Studies show that those who skip breakfast become easily irritated, feel weak and uncoordinated, and tend to ever-eat later in the day. Performance at work or in school also suffers and weight management becomes difficult.

Nestle Philippines Corporate Catherine Sarmiento highlighted the importance of eating breakfast in order to start the day right and make the most out of it. "Breakfast not only gives you the right fuel to perform your day's tasks, it also sets the pace for the types of food you choose to eat throughout the day, helping you better manage your weight." Ms. Sarmiento said. "Aside from promoting bone, gut and hearth health, breakfast also helps you focus and do well mentally and emotionally. When it becomes part of your daily routine, breakfast promotes a healthy lifestyle for you and your family."
Recognizing the time constraints everyone faces in the morning, Ms. Sarmiento suggests for parent to have a weekly breakfast plan that allows for food variety (to avoid taste fatigue) and optimize nutrition, while sticking to the budget. "Planning ahead will save you time during the wee, and will ensure that the breakfast you serve daily helps meet your family's nutritional needs," she said.

Ms. Alipao said parents play a big role in building the breakfast habit among their children. "Parents are regarded as role models by their children, so when they see their parents eat breakfast, they will be encouraged to eat breakfast too. Another way to encourage kids to eat breakfast is to involve them in breakfast planning, and to ask them to help you prepare breakfast on weekends and holidays when their is more time. This gives you an opportunity to bond and connect."
A highlight of the recipe book launch was a cooking demonstration by Nestle Resident Chef Tess Sutilo, who developed  all 30 recipes featured in the book.
Mommies, watch our for my upcoming blogs about the recipes from the book. I will definitely try most of the meals there and I'll share it to you all.

I Can't Believe It's Breakfast! is available exclusively to members of the Nestle Club. For more information on the Nestle Club and how to get a copy of the recipe book, visit https://www.nestleclub.com.ph

Mommies need to be creative in serving meals for their families. Food fatigue is one of the problems happen to families if you usually serve the same dish or menu. Most of the time we need to prepare delicious and healthy home meals for our Family to make sure that we give the adequate amount of nutrition they need.
Gladly, I was invited at the launch event of a cookbook entitled “Healthy Choices, Delicious Result: Easy Recipes by Nancy Lumen”, the cookbook demonstrates how quick and easy preparing delicious and healthy home meals can be with the help of Philips Kitchen Appliances.

Philips is one of the known brand in kitchen Appliances and lighting materials here in the Philippines. Philips has partnered with renowned food writer, critic and media personality Nancy Reyes –Lumen for a new collection of recipes made especially for home.
In this cookbook there is a wide range of wholesome, healthy, delicious recipes personally prepared by Lumen. These include starters like Sushi Rice, entrees like Oil-less, Really Crispy Adobo Flakes, fixings like Lazy Girl’s Pad Thai; desserts like Queso de Bola Muffins; and drinks like Yakult-Strawberry Smoothie and Cucumber Ginger Mint Mojito.

As I browse the cookbook I was like in awe and super like to try all the recipes. It is really simple yet unique and unusual for my kids and my hubby. I will definitely do my best to serve this simple, unique and unusual dishes to them in order to make our dining experience at home more a memorable.
“Nancy Lumen has a well-deserved reputation for being a terrific cook, food writer, and critic, as well as an advocate of good health through eating,” says RJ Buenaventura, General Manager for Consumer Lifestyle at Philips Philippines. “For years, she’s helped home chefs take their cooking to the next level, all while promoting healthy, delicious home cuisine. Because our mission is to help people achieve a healthier and better life, teaming up with her thus makes perfect sense.”
“Philips” Consumer Lifestyle sector is all about helping people live healthier and better lives and a big part of that is being able to easily prepare nutritious homemade dishes for the family right” he added.

Featured throughout the cookbook are Philips Kitchen Appliances that may be used in the preparation of the recipes, such as the Philips Food Processor, the Philips Digital Airfryer and the Philips Electric Pressure Cooker and the Philips Juicer among others.
During the launch I personally witnessed how Chef Lumen used the Philips Kitchen Appliances. I would love to have them all to make cooking a lot easier and of course improve my cooking abilities. “These appliances are so simple to use, a first-timer could pick them up and get great-tasting meals from the get-go” says Reah Ronsayro, Business Development Manager fro Philips Domestic Appliances.
The Philips Food Processor for example is a versatile little machine that can be used for a wide variety of recipes, making short work of everything from cakes to gratin and salads with its diverse selection of inserts and attachments.
Meanwhile, the Philips Airfryer’s patented Rapid Air Technology lets home chefs prepare fried favourites with up to 80% less fat than conventional methods. In addition, the Philips Airfryer can be used for roasting, grilling and baking. Love to have that Philips Airfryer, who wouldn’t want to eat lechon, me I love it, so hopefully before end of this year I will have that. I will tell it to my husband, to invest on our kitchen appliances soon.

Home Chefs who want to get slow-cooked taste at a fast-food pace can turn to the Philips Electric Pressure Cooker, which features a highly efficient design that retains all the flavour and nutrients in food, while giving that right amount of tenderness that everyone loves.

The Philips’ Juicer on the other hand offers a compact extractor that guarantees maximum juice with minimum fuss, all in a safe, easy to use, child-friendly package.
“For Philips, technology has to be centered around meaningful human experience and the power of homemade food” explains Buenaventura. “Instead of designing technology for technology’s sake, we always try to deliver experiences tied to the social and emotional needs of our customers. We want to help bring about those important human moments: as steaming cup of coffee in the morning, a post workout smoothie between friends, or a hot , delicious meal at home with the kids after school. It is these moments that matter most after all”
Thank you so much Philips and Chef Nancy Lumen for the opportunity to witnessed the benefits of making home meals. You enlighten mo on what should I serve for my Family, that’s the big role as a Mommy of 2 kids and as a wife as well.
For more information, visit www.philips.com.ph or check out Philips Home Living Philippines Facebook fan page.

The holiday season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than by sharing a special meal with family, friends, and loved ones?

Make each celebration extra special with Bounty Fresh Chicken, a brand recognized and trusted by Filipino families as "Asia's best chicken." As one of the most versatile and healthiest meats available, with distinct native taste and juicy, tender goodness, Bounty Fresh Chicken is the centerpiece of innumerable great recipes fit for all seasons and reasons. Bursting with natural flavors and juices, and always vacuum-sealed to prolong refrigerated shelf life, the Bounty Fresh Chicken brand stands for healthy, nutritious poultry products (fresh chicken, Chooks-to-Go, and processed meats) that respond to various styles of preparation and reward Filipinos' creativity.

Christmas, New Year's Eve, Easter, birthdays, fiestas: it doesn't matter what the occasion is: Bounty Fresh Chicken is the brand consumers have come to look for as they prepare the food that makes every moment with loved ones memorable.

In collaboration with popular food blog Pepper.ph, Bounty Fresh Chicken is serving up the Chicken Dish Collection, perfect for families looking to celebrate any special occasion with the freshest, healthiest, and most delicious chicken meals.

Chicken Alfredo Pot Pies

Looking for a quick and delicious chicken casserole recipe to satisfy loved ones' cravings? Try chicken Alfredo pot pies, made more delightful than ever with Bounty Fresh Chicken.

Ingredients:

• ½ 15 oz. package (1 crust) rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust
• 3 cups frozen vegetable blend
• 3 cups cubed cooked Bounty Fresh Chicken
• 10 oz. container refrigerated Alfedo pasta sauce
• 1 tsp. dried thyme, marjoram, or sage, crushed

1. Let piecrust stand according to package directions. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook frozen vegetables in a small amount of boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Return to skillet. Stir in chicken, Alfredo sauce, and the dried thyme.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll pie crust into a 13-inch circle. Cut four 5-inch circles and place on top of casseroles. Press edges of pastry firmly against sides of casseroles. Cut slits in tops for steam to escape.
3. Place casseroles in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until mixture is heated through and pastry is golden. Makes 4 servings.

BonChon Soy Garlic Chicken Wings

Go for a Korean-inspired treat with this fresh take on a classic: chicken wings. With Bounty Fresh Chicken, these tasty BonChon soy garlic chicken wings are bound to make every gathering of family and friends more special and memorable.

Ingredients:

• ½ kilo Bounty Fresh chicken wings
• Salt and pepper, to season
• 2 cups corn starch
• ¼ small onion, shredded
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ cup light soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. corn starch
• 1-inch ginger, peeled and shredded
• White sesame seeds for, garnish

1. Pat dry chicken wings. Season then dredge chicken in corn starch. Deep fry until cooked all the way through. Place on paper towel to drain excess oil and allow to dry.
2. To make soy-garlic glaze, combine onion, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic powder, and ginger in saucepan. Place over low-medium heat and stir until sugar is fully dissolved. In a small bowl, place corn starch and a tablespoon of the soy-garlic mixture. Mix to dissolve. Add to the saucepan and stir until slightly thickened.
3. Flash fry chicken in hot oil. Place on paper towel to drain excess oil. Toss chicken wings in glaze. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Jamaican "Jerk" Chicken Waffle Sandwiches

Bring out the juiciest, most flavorful part of the chicken (the thighs) and sandwich it in between waffles. The result: Jamaican chicken waffle sandwiches, a zingy, Caribbean-inspired dish that will fill the heart and soul of everyone who takes a bite.

Ingredients:

• ½ kilo Bounty Fresh boneless chicken thighs, chopped to bite-size pieces
• salt and pepper, to season
• 5 red bird's eye chilis, de-seeded
• 2 leeks, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• Juice of 6 calamansis
• 6 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 2 medium waffles, sliced to wedges chopped
• kesong puti, to garnish
• chopped green onion, to garnish

1.  In a mini-food processor or spice grinder, place chili, leeks, garlic, allspice, and calamansi juice. Pulse to make a paste.
2. Transfer to a bowl and add chicken thighs.
3. Rub chicken all over. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
4. Grill the chicken pieces until cooked all the way through. Toss in barbecue sauce.
5. Place on top of waffle and sprinkle with kesong puti and green onions. Cover with another waffle wedge.

For more recipes, visit www.facebook.com/bountyfreshchicken and www.pepper.ph.