January 2, 2024

How Sweet It Is! Delightful Holiday Desserts

The holidays always call for plenty of desserts. Whether I’m throwing a party, giving gifts of food, or reliving holidays past through sweet treats, desserts are integral to my life this month. I’ll share a few of my favorite recipes with you. Brazil Nut Tarts Every year I host a Christmas caroling party at my home. Choirs from churches all over the area stop by to sing in my living room. Sometimes a Filipino celebrity or two will perform. My guests just love it. I like to put out a dinner buffet so that the choirs have something to eat […]
August 16, 2023

It’s a Picnic, So Let Them Eat Cake!

No one lives by bread alone. Every so often you need something delicious, like cake. I truly believe that eating well doesn’t mean sacrificing the foods you love or special treats. With an eye toward healthful ingredients and the right kind of recipes, you can make luscious desserts like cake work for you. Both of my cookbooks contain indulgent recipes that provide important nutrients such as antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Now that it’s summer, I enjoy taking picnics to the beach or outdoor concert venues like the Hollywood Bowl. When it comes to dessert, you want something that will pack […]
January 23, 2018

Health Benefits of Baobab

Nutritionists have identified baobab popularly called ‘Kuka’ in Hausa language as one of the foods with health benefits. The tree, which is widely grown in the northern part of the country, is said to be high in fibre , vitamin C and nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus. Baobab fruit is also high in calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, B6 and bioflavonoids. It also acts as a prebiotic, that is a type of dietary fibre that feeds the friendly bacteria in your gut. This helps the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your colon cells and leads to a healthier […]
June 7, 2017

BBQ Ribs with Baobab Sauce

These ribs get their boost of flavor from a sauce made with baobab—an African fruit with a rather dry but antioxidant-rich pulp. I think baobab may be the next most exciting superfood. The dry, powdery fruit pulp has a tangy, lemon-like flavor that goes very well with barbecued ribs. You can use lemon juice or lemon zest (1 Tbs.) in place of the baobab powder, but it won’t have the same health benefits. Serves 4–6 Ingredients 2 lbs. pork baby back ribs 1 cup barbecue sauce 1 Tbs. baobab powder 2 Tbs. olive oil 1 Tbs. minced garlic ¼ tsp. […]
April 10, 2014

Baobab: Superfood from the Tree of Life

When I first started looking for a U.S. source for baobab four years ago, the market was quite limited, but I was sent several bags of Baobest’s Organic Baobab Powder so I could create recipes for my Age Beautifully Cookbook. The more I looked into the benefits of baobab, the more excited I was to create recipes with the powder. My Baobab Butter Bars are one of my favorites, and I serve them often at parties and events. Today there are more than a dozen companies selling baobab powder on Amazon. The fruit looks almost like a velvet-covered yam dangling […]