Compared to the Italian, Mediterranean, and other versions, Filipino Macaroni Salad is the sweeter and heartier counterpart. If it’s up to me, I would eat a whole bowl as entree and dessert (and I have). There’s something irresistible in the creamy elbow macaroni, sweet and tender pineapple, and savory touch of garlic powder, salt, and pepper. But…
Bay Area Vegan Potluck 2016
Once a year, my friends and I would throw a vegan potluck for family, friends, and anyone who wants to celebrate vegan food in the Bay Area. We call this potluck “Bay Area Vegan Potluck”, usually held at Temescal Regional Park in Oakland. We’re on our third year this year and it attracted close to 100…
Vegan Calamari (Astig 2.0)
I thought vegan Calamari would be perfect to eat at a game night – the NBA Finals Game 7 to be exact. I was ready with my ingredients and ready to make vegan Calamari for my family. But time flew by especially because the game was on the same day as Father’s Day and we took our dad…
Kalamansi Marmalade
Kalamansi Marmalade has a special place in my heart -and in my kitchen. Growing up in the Philippines, I never had access to lemons and limes. If there’s a Filipino equivalent, that’s kalamansi. Most Filipinos use it to make fresh kalamansi juice,which is perfect on a hot, scorching day. Filipinos also use kalamansi to flavor condiments and marinades or…
Vegetable Lumpiang Shanghai
Vegetable Lumpia vs Lumpiang Shanghai In Philippine cuisine, there are two kinds of fried lumpia: Vegetable Lumpia and Shanghai. To tell which one is which, you can see the differences in their size, filling, and dipping sauce. As far as size, the Shanghai rolls are usually small bites whereas Vegetable Lumpia rolls are big and thick. For…
Easy Vegan Bibingka Bites Dipped in Chocolate
When you don’t have much time but want something homemade, creative, sweet, and vegan Filipino, the Astig Vegan Bibingka Mix could come in handy. All you need to do is combine the Bibingka mix with coconut milk and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Dip the bibingka in…
5 Vegan Filipino Dishes for a Cocktail Party
Aside from family gatherings, the holiday season also calls for get-together of friends and co-workers. Sometimes these events involve finger foods and cocktails. If you’re a guest, you may not need to worry about what dish to bring. The host usually provides the food (unless the host is not vegan and you want to be a…
Vegan Filipino Spaghetti
There used to be only one way I knew how a spaghetti sauce should be -savory, sweet, and meaty. Growing up in the Philippines, I was exposed to only the Filipino-style spaghetti sauce. While the Italian version focuses on the flavors of the tomatoes, the Filipino version focuses on the sweet meat. You could just…
Vegan Lugaw Buffet
Lugaw is a Filipino rice congee either known as arroz caldo (with chicken) or goto (with beef). Sometimes, it has other kinds of ingredients like shrimp, tofu, and eggs. My old neighborhood eatery had one with ground beef crumbles (I suspect out of budget restrictions). And of course, it could be vegan too! Lugaw by itself is…
How to Make Vegan Pancit Palabok (Newly Improved Recipe) (Gluten-Free)
Undeniably, Pancit is one of the most recognizable Filipino dishes in the US. After all, it’s a savory noodle dish always present at parties and potlucks. But unknown to some, Pancit comes in many forms –Palabok, Bihon, Luglog, Malabon, etc. Out of all, my favorite is Palabok. That’s because Palabok is savory and “eggy”, with orange sauce…