Healthy Cravings

For people who have a sweet tooth like me, I have to find my fix and find answers to my cravings. Yes, most often they are very unhealthy with all the sugar, cream and gooey delicious stuff!

We have become such milk drinkers. 10lts of Goat and 10lts of Carabao's, a week, between two adults. Sure, Goat's is healthy...but I get my fix from Carabao's milk. So creamy and yummy without preservatives. Besides, milk is a complete food. I don't get hungry...but then, I still love to eat :)

Today, all alone in Manila...I wake up with cravings. Shouldn't be the case as I had three (3), yup three huge slices of Mango Bravo last night as midnight snack! Stood up to get some Goat's milk and opened a pack of Almond Crunch. I get those packs of nuts and keep it my pantry.

Nuts and milk...healthy cravings are not impossible :)

Leche Flan Please

My favorite food blogs have posted about Leche Flans in the past few days. Maybe coincidence that they have thought about this light and creamy dessert from eggs and fresh milk.

I like using real fresh carabao's milk please for my Leche Flan( you might want to try my recipe). If you used eggs from grass fed Sunshines, you end up with glorious golden Leche Flans that you'd otherwise would have thought to have been artificially colored...just like the street kwekkweks :)

If your clients know that the eggs you used came from grass fed hens, used good fresh milk, and it all adds up to delicious flan, you will have a market for your creamy dessert.

My Leche Flan

Sandy's Leche Flan
Ingredients:
• 1 C carabao's milk or goat's milk
• 1 C coco sugar
• 6 whole eggs from grass fed, pastured hens
• 4 whole calamansi or 1 whole dayap, do not squeeze, just take out seeds
Directions:
In a bowl, combine milk, sugar, eggs and calamansi or dayap (including the rind). Mash the ingredients using clean hands, do not beat the mixture. After you have mixed it well, remove calamansi or dayap and any seeds that may have been left. Set aside. Using 4 llaneras, put some coco sugar in each and set on top of stove one at a time, over low heat. As it melts, tip the llanera side to side to coat the bottom. Set aside to cool. Pour egg mixture into the 4 llaneras, cover with aluminum foil. Put llaneras in a bigger pan. Pour water until it reaches almost halfway through the height. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 mins or until firm.If you have no oven, cook in a steamer for 30-45 mins. Check after 30 mins if done.

I like adding grated Dayap rind just before steaming.

The touch of mint gives a wonderful flavour, though some people don't like it. Instead of Dayap or Kalamansi, you may get fresh mint leaves and have it as you mash the ingredients. Take out the mashed mint leaves. Then before steaming, top with fresh leaves.