As someone who’s just starting to WANT to learn her way around the kitchen (as mentioned here), I appreciate cookbooks with easy-to-follow recipes. So when Philips recently released a collection of home recipes by renowned food writer, critic, and celebrity foodie Nancy Lumen, along with a web series that shows how to follow them, I eagerly attended the launch to snag my own copy.

Healthy Choices, Delicious Results: Easy Recipes by Nancy Lumen also features useful references for non-domestic divas like me, like how to use salt correctly, temperature equivalents table, most used measurements table, and these 10 Good Cooking Tips:

1. Use rock salt correctly and sparingly. Season after meats are tender.

2. Toast spices before use.

3. When cooking with coconut milk/cream, do not cover the pot.

4. Cook onions until soft and transparent.

5. For fried rice: Use frozen day-old rice.

6. Use alkaline water—better flavor.

7. For meat soups, start with cold water to bring to boil.

8. To sweeten food, use sugar syrup or apple juice, or other fruit juices.

9. Learn practical uses of baking soda/baking powder in batters.

10. Calamansi (or lemon) and soy sauce are good for marinade.

The cookbook demonstrates how quick and easy preparing delicious and healthy home meals can be, especially with the help of Philips Kitchen Appliances. The cookbook has a wide range of wholesome recipes personally prepared by Nancy. These include starters like Sushi Rice; entrées like Oil-less, Really Crispy Adobo Flakes; fixings like Lazy Girl’s Pad Thai; desserts like Queso de Bola Muffins; and drinks like Yakult-Strawberry Smoothie and Cucumber-Ginger-Mint Mojito (I’m so excited to try this last one, haha!).

The cookbook is actually FREE with every purchase of P5,000 worth of Philips Home Living products. Since the dishes in the cookbook may be prepared using Philips Kitchen Appliances, you may want to purchase one of them to snag this helpful kitchen guide free and learn various ways to use it. Here are some suggestions: Philips Food Processor, Philips Digital Airfryer, Philips Electric Pressure Cooker, and Philips Juicer, among others.

These appliances are also prominently featured in Nancy Lumen’s how-to web series now on YouTube. This collection of companion videos showcase Nancy’s light and easy take on a number of family favorites, ranging from pressure cooked meals and body-loving juices to a healthier take on traditional favorites like lechon kawali.

And speaking of which, check out Nancy’s video of how to make her healthier version of one of my favorite pork dishes, “Lechon Wakali,” (find out in the cookbook why she tweaked the name) using the coveted Philips Air Fryer—and without using oil!

The Philips Airfryer’s patented Rapid Air Technology lets you prepare fried dishes with up to 80% less fat than conventional methods. It can be used for roasting, grilling, and baking.

For more information, visit www.philips.com.ph or check out the Philips Home Living YouTube channel.

Photos by Trixie Reyna
Except photo of Nancy Lumen (courtesy of Philips Philippines’ Facebook Page)