Pork Adobo

I have been searching recipes for Adobo Chicken/Pork and none I found online seem to do justice to what I remember my Filipino friend serving.  So I decided to take a crack at what I remember. 

Yield: 5 servings, plus leftovers

5 pork chops
1 tbs coconut or peanut oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 cups rice vinegar
 4 large green chilies
2 large tomatoes
1 large onion
3 tbs fresh minced garlic
2 bay leaves
fresh cracked black pepper to taste
pinch of sugar

Heat oil in large, deep skillet or dutch oven.  Cook pork chops until browned on both sides.  Remove from skillet.  Using a fork, "scrub" the pan to pull up all the crispy bits.  Add soy sauce,  chopped vegetables garlic and bay leaves.  Simmer until onions are soft.  Return pork to pan and add vinegar and sugar.   Simmer until pork is falling apart and sauce has thickened.  Add pepper to taste.  Serve over brown rice.

Spanish Gazpacho

This chilled soup is a great recipe for veggie garden bounty. Serve it as a side or as a main dish on those too-hot-to-cook summer days.

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes + chilling
Yield: 12 servings

5 pounds tomatoes, peeled and quartered
3 medium carrots, quartered
1 large cucumber, peeled and quartered
1 large sweet red pepper, quartered
1 large green pepper, quartered
1 sweet onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In batches, place ingredients into a blender; cover and process until soup reaches desired texture. Pour into a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

Tips and Tricks
This recipe is not dependant on exact amounts. I have left out the red pepper before, and also used only half a cucumber once, and it still turns out great. Serve in any consistency, some people like a puree better than a chunkier version, although it's easier to hide vegetables from picky kids in a puree. In place of balsamic vinegar, use red wine vinegar. I did not peel my tomatoes.
Make It Healthier
Omit salt. This soup is already very healthy since it is chock full of vegetables and uses heart healthy olive oil.
How Kids Can Help
Older kids can use a veggie peeler to peel carrots or cucumber. Younger kids can add the batches to the blender and push the buttons.

Nutrition Facts
1 cup equals 118 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein
Diabetic Exchanges
3 vegetable, 1 fat

Speedy Spanish Rice

Prep/Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 1/2 cups instant brown rice
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup picante sauce

In a large skillet, saute the rice, onion, green pepper and garlic in butter until rice is lightly browned and vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the water, cilantro, cumin, bouillon and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Stir in picante sauce.

Tips and Tricks
You can use non-instant brown rice, but prepare it separately first, according to package directions. The cumin can be omitted without changing the taste too much. To make this dish heartier, I add sliced cooked Italian sausage and serve as a main dish.
Make It Healthier
Use trans-fat free spread in place of butter. Use low-sodium chicken bouillon granules.
How Kids Can Help
Measure ingredients. Chop vegetables with food chopper.

Nutrition Facts
3/4 cup equals 201 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 8 mg cholesterol, 615 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g protein
Diabetic Exchanges
2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Grilled Eggplant in Tomato Vinaigrette

This recipe is from About.com by Lisa & Tony Sierra.

Eggplants are a very common vegetable in the Mediterannean, particularly in Spain. This eggplant dish is great to serve as a tapa or a side dish, especially in spring and summer. It is the perfect make-ahead dish that you can take out a few minutes before serving. With two eggplants in the recipe, it serves 6 as a side dish and 12 as a tapa.


2 Eggplants, Medium size or 1 large
1/3-1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Roma Tomatoes
3 Tbsp Spanish Sherry Vinegar
2 Green Onions, finely chopped (optional)
2 tsp Capers, minced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 cup Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped
2 Basil Sprigs for Garnish
1 Loaf French-style Bread


Cut and Grill the Eggplant
Trim off any stems or blemishes on the skin of the eggplants. Cut eggplants crosswise into slices about 3/8 inch thick.

Tip: Slices 1/4 inch thick are a bit too thin. They will burn easily and fall apart after they are dressed with oil and vinegar. Slices 1/2 inch thick take too long to cook under the grill and the skin can be hard to cut or chew.

Turn on broiler to heat. Place slices on a baking sheet and spray with oil, using a “mister” if you have one. If not, lightly brush each slice with olive oil. Place baking sheets under broiler on second shelf from top, so that they are not too close, or they will burn. When one side is slightly browned and soft when you press lightly, turn slices over, apply olive oil and return to broiler. Depending on your broiler, the distance from the pan, it may take 20-25 minutes to cook.

Tip: You may find that slices that are directly under the broiler cook much faster than those at the far corners of the pan. Keep a close eye on the pans and rotate the slices on the cookie sheet. Remove slices individually as they are done cooking and place on a large platter or serving plate. Don’t be afraid to overlap slices on the serving plate. It works just fine for serving and will be more appetizing.

Chop Tomatoes and Other Ingredients
While the eggplant is broiling, finely chop the tomatoes and place them into a medium size mixing boil. Finely chop the green onions and put the garlic cloves through a press or mince them by hand and place in the bowl with tomatoes. Remove the capers from the jar with a slotted spoon, so that they drain. Chop the capers and mix into the bowl with other ingredients. Make sure that stems are removed from the basil leaves, then chop the basil and place in bowl.

Add Olive Oil and Vinegar
Pour Olive oil and vinegar into the bowl and mix with the other ingredients.

Dress the Eggplant with the Vinaigrette
Allow the eggplant to cool a few minutes. Then, spoon the tomato vinaigrette sauce over the eggplant. Serve immediately with sliced bread or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you refrigerate this dish, be sure to take it out of the fridge a few minutes before serving, so that it warms up. You will not taste the rich flavors of this dish if it is served ice cold.