5 Cheap Dishes For Health-Conscious Eaters
In making food choices, three things we often consider are — is it affordable? is it healthy? And is it delicious? Unfortunately, as the country’s inflation rate increases, food product prices are getting higher. Nowadays, thinking about what to eat while ensuring the dish is budget-friendly and healthy might be baffling. These factors may be hard to achieve, but there are ways to achieve them.
There is this notion that healthy foods are expensive. However, nutritious foods do not have to be costly. Even though you are health-conscious, many Filipino dishes are easy to prepare and nutritious at the same time.
Below are five Filipino dishes you can try at home, especially if you’re a health-conscious eater
Gising Gising
Gising Gising literally translates to “wake up, wake up.” Because this dish wakes you up with its unique flavor and spice. Creamy and spicy, this dish is simply bursting with rich flavors. For the ingredients, it uses chicken, winged or green beans, chili, onions, garlic, and coconut milk. Similarly, this dish resembles the Bicol express when to the ingredients and method of preparation.
Ginisang Ampalaya
Bitter yet healthier than other foods. Ginisang Ampalaya is a sauteed vegetable dish using a bitter gourd as the main ingredient. Famous for its distinct flavor, bitter gourd is a nutrient-packed superfood with numerous health benefits. Also, this dish is easy and only takes a few minutes to prepare. If you are not into bitterness, soak it in salty water for a while, then rinse it to reduce its bitterness. To make Ginising Ampalaya, you need a few ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, garlic, and scrambled eggs. This dish works wonders and is very nutritious.
Tinolang Tahong
This dish is prepared with fresh mussels and in ginger broth, similar to the popular dish tinolang manok. With almost the same ingredients as tinolang manok, you need ginger, onion, garlic, spinach or malunggay, green pepper, green papaya, fresh mussels, fish salt, and salt and pepper to taste. The broth of tinolang tahong is refreshing and aromatic. With less than 30 minutes to prepare, you can savor and enjoy this tinola-style mussel soup with your family.
Pinakbet
Pinakbet is a famous Filipino stew originating in the country’s northern regions. This dish consists of vegetable ingredients such as squash, eggplants, okra, green beans, bitter gourd, and sweet potatoes. In addition, you can add shrimps and bagoong alamang or fermented fish to make it more flavorful. Various versions of Pinakbet exist, but this dish is excellent for those who love to eat healthily because of its nutritious ingredients. Serve this stew alongside steamed rice to complete your healthy main course.
Lumpiang Sariwa
This spring roll dish has an element of Chinese cuisine. It is fresh because you do not have to fry it like other types of spring rolls. Lumpiang Sariwa is eaten unfried and is good for a light snack. The spring rolls contain shrimp, green beans, carrots, and cabbage. What makes this dish more delightful, it comes together with sweet peanut sauce and fried garlic. Lumpiang Sariwa is often eaten as a snack and gets you through the day. Plus, this dish is one of the healthiest delights you can make at home.
