Okra

Kale is becoming the most popular vegetable nowadays because of the health benefits it provides. It has cholesterol lowering properties which is good for me because my cholesterol is quite high according to my doctor. It also lowers the risk of certain type of cancers like ovarian cancer which I battled with two years ago….

Patola is what we call the luffa gourd. There are two types of this gourd but I am only familiar with the one that has angles or ridges on the skin. This is the specie called Luffa Acutangula. The other specie must have been introduced in the Philippines at a later date. We call it…

I have been experimenting on almost every new things that come out of seed catalogs. I find it very interesting and challenging at the same time. One of those experiments is planting this “watermelon” radish. I planted them just like other radish seeds. They grow fast and as soon as you can see the roots…

Papaya (Carica) can be eaten as a fruit or vegetable.  If you wait till papaya turns yellow then it can be eaten as a fruit. It is smooth and sweet and have this enzyme papain which is good for digestive functions in your body.  The green ones on the other hand can be prepared as…

Bixa Orellana Achuete is probably the most important ingredient in the Filipino cuisine. The bright red color that imparts in the food makes the food more palatable and presentable. It is most used in recipes that we inherited from the Spaniards like the dish we call “menudo” or the famous “paella”. Achuete is an evergreen,…

Kohlrabi is in the family of brassicas which includes cabbages, brocolli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens and brussel sprouts. The word kohlrabi is a German word meaning cabbage and turnip. I guess its because it look like a turnip but tastes like a cabbage. I decided to plant Kohlrabi because I was curious about the taste…