Cook and Brew.

Do have an idea the right amount of food your child should be taking in? Check out this USDA’s Food Pyramid, which was updated late last year. It emphasizes more on protein and vegetables opposed to the grains.

To see the specific requirements for your kids, check the following tables:

1. What’s your favorite frozen heat-and-eat food?
: Hmm, pizza.

2. How sensitive are you to cool temperatures?
: Given a very hot and humid summer weather now, I can lock myself all day in an air-conditioned room.

3. How many ice-cube trays are there in your freezer?
: Just 2 since we have our water dispenser.

4. What aspect of your life seems to be frozen in place?
: my 2nd year college life.

5. What’s your favorite blanket like?
: fleece blanket

Pina Bistek

If I remember correctly, this is the 3rd main dish I tried. Got it from Del Monte’s Kitchenomics Cookbook Vol. 3. Yummy! the pineapple’s taste blends well with the beef and salty overall taste of the dish.

Inredients:
1/4 kilo beef sirloin, sliced, tapa style
1 large onion, sliced into rings
1-3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. calamansi juice
1 can (234 g) Del Monte Fresh Cut Pineapple Tidbits, drained (reserve syrup)

Marinade:
8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. calamansi juice
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 pineapple syrup

Procedure:
1 Marinate beef for 1 hour. Drain and reserve marinade. Fry in 1/4 cup oil until light brown. Set aside. Retain 2 Tbsp. oil in pan.
2 In the same pan, sauté onion. Add soy sauce, 1/8 tsp. pepper, calamansi juice and marinade. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add beef and DEL MONTE Fresh Cut Pineapple Tidbits. Simmer once. If desired, serve with fried potatoes.

“Breast milk is still best for babies up to two years.”

A must-reminder shown towards the end of baby milk formula commercials.

I am breastfeeding my little Asher (and will continue for as long as he’s willing) because of the following reasons:
1. Breast milk is an infection-fighter. The antibodies passed to the nursed baby lowers the occurence of many conditions, infections or illnesses such as ear infections, meningitis, respiratory infections, etc.

2. Breast milk is a “perfect food”. All the minerals and vitamins needed by a newborn is contained in the breastmilk. It likewise prevents the baby against diarrhea and constipation as it tends to be more easily digested than a formula milk.

3. Breast milk is costless. Formula is so expensive nowadays that you have to allot much for a month’s supply. Breastfed babies are less sick so there’d be fewer trips to the doctor which consequently means less medical expenses.

4. Breast feeding is more convenient. No bottles to wash and sterilize. Mom (or dad) doesn’t need to stand up at night to prepare a bottle. No warming up of bottles as breast milk is always at the right temperature.

5. Breast milk prevents childhood and adult obesity. According to studies, breast fed babies tend to gain less unnecessary weight which help them be less overweight later.

6. Breast fed babies are smarter. According to recent research, children who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months have 5 to 10 IQ points higher than formula fed ones.

7. Breast milk enhances mother-child connection. The skin-to-skin contact enhances the emotional connection between the mother and infant. Nothing beats the experience of such bonding.

Infant formula will still help the baby grow and there’s actually no right or wrong choice between the two. Nothing beats the advantages of breast milk though, not only for the baby but to the mother as well.