Meatless Meal Ideas You'll Want to Recreate this Holy Week

Lent is a time to reflect and focus on our spiritual well-being. During this season, my family and I observe abstinence every Friday. This means that we avoid eating meats such as pork, chicken, and beef.

It may sound easier said than done, but skipping red and white meat during Holy Week is actually a bit challenging if you are used to having meat all the time. Personally, I am running out of ideas of what to prepare. Thus, I am happy to find these meat-free meals that are delicious, healthy, and easy to prepare. 

Below are some easy to prepare Lent-friendly meals you’ll want to make this Holy Week:

TIP: Some of the ingredients are available from Unilever's official store in Shopee. You can simply order them online hassle-free. Sharing the direct links as well. :) 

Salted Egg Prawns

Tickle your taste buds with this rich Singaporean dish that's crispy on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside.

● Prawn Preparation

1. Season the prawns with Knorr Rostip Chicken Seasoning Powder.
2. Add the egg white. Coat the prawns with rice flour.
3. Heat oil to 340F. Deep-fry the prawns until crisp and golden brown.
4. Set the cooked prawns aside over paper towels until ready to use.

● Sauce Preparation

1. Heat oil in a small wok. Add margarine and stir until it melts.
2. Add the curry leaves and the finger chilies.
3. Add the fried prawns, gently tossing them with the sauce.

● Presentation

1. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Star Ingredients: Salted Egg and Chicken Seasoning

Tofu Mushroom Cauli Sisig

Enjoy a plate of sizzling sisig without the guilt with this veggie-and-mushroom-filled variation of the classic Filipino dish.

● Breading

1. In a bowl mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Set aside.

● Tofu Preparation

1. In a bowl season tofu with Knorr Rostip and black pepper. Deep fry until golden brown and set aside.

● Mushroom Preparation

1. Using the breading, dredge the mushroom and tap excess. Deep fry in the same frying oil used in tofu until golden brown, set aside.

● Cauliflower

1. Using the breading, dredge the blanched cauliflower and tap excess. Deep fry in the same frying oil used in tofu until golden brown, set aside.

● Eggplant Soy Dressing

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

● Assembly

1. In a wok, heat margarine. Add onions and chilies and saute until they are soft. Add in tofu, mushroom, and cauliflower. Saute for 3 minutes.
2. Season with Knorr Liquid Seasoning and turn off the heat. Fold in Eggplant Soy dressing and mix until well combined.
3. Transfer to a sizzling plate and garnish with cherry tomatoes, leeks, and spring onions.
4. Serve with calamansi on the side.

Star Ingredient: Knorr Liquid Seasoning

Fresh Ube Lumpia

Give your regular lumpia a twist with a hint of sweetness from ube strips. With the combination of sweet, nutty, and salty, flavors, you’ll surely be in for a surprise.

● Lumpia Filling

1. Add oil to the wok and apply medium heat.
2. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft. Then, add ube to the wok and saute.
3. Pour water and Knorr Shrimp powder and bring to boil.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss lightly. Cover for 1 min, then apply high heat and remove cover. Toss and mix well until it's cooked.
5. Transfer to a colander to remove excess liquid. Set aside to cool.

● Lumpia Sauce

1. Mix everything (except cornstarch and water) in a pot. Apply heat.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-3 minutes.
3. Add Slurry (cornstarch and water mixture) to thicken the sauce.

● Ube Savory Crepe/Wrapper

1. In a bowl mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Rest the batter in the chiller for 30 minutes.
2. In a Teflon pan: add oil and cook 1/3 cup of the crepe batter.

● Assembly

1. Add lettuce on top of the crepe, top the lettuce with filling, then fold.
2. Drizzle with Lumpia Sauce and sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Star Ingredient: Knorr Shrimp Powder

Commit to your Lenten practice with these timeless meatless recipes for you and your whole family. Find all the Unilever Food Solutions ingredients you need for these recipes and more at Shopee.

Share your favorite recipe on the comment section below.

Investing During a Crisis: Is it a Good Time to Buy a New Property?

The health crisis has been going on for quite some time and with the news that the cases are rising again these past few weeks, it seems that we are now back to square one. 

Initially, we thought that 2021 is going to be our recovery year, however, the current situation with an average of 5000+ new cases per day brought out negative sentiments from the market making the economy dive down once again. 

According to Wall Street Journal, as of March 19, the PSEI YTD is down by 9.85% and this may continue to go down as more lockdowns and restrictions are looming in the next few days. Recent NEDA reports also indicate that the unemployment rate is still at 8.7% while other economic indicators and statistics do not really look good. 

What does it mean for ordinary consumers? 

Given that the market is unstable, shaky, and volatile, it means that economic recovery may take longer than expected. However, this is not all bad. 

"In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity" - Albert Einstein

If you are investing in the stock market, experts say that the best time to buy stocks is when the market is down. 

If you are planning to invest in real estate, now is also a good time to invest since the prices are cheap and there are good deals all around. Many real estate companies such as Ayala Land and SMDC are now offering lower monthly amortization and interest rates. 

Is it a Good Time to Invest and Buy a New Property? 

Just like other investments, before you make a decision, you have to be an active investor. Don't be speculative because speculative investing entails high risks as if you are gambling. Instead, you have to study and understand what you are doing. 

In general, real estate is a good investment option as it is tangible and it can produce cash flow without you losing (selling) it. In times that the market is down, leasing or rental income can still continue thus, you do not really have to liquidate it even when the market is unfavorable. Real estate investments can also withstand the influx of inflation. 

To answer the question if it is a good time to invest and buy a new property - it actually depends on your cash flow. If you are planning to mortgage, make sure to check interest and payment computation. There are a lot of free mortgage calculators online. Some even have graphs of loan repayment along with monthly and yearly amortization tables that are very helpful in making a decision. 

Determine if you can afford the monthly payments by estimating mortgage affordability based on income plus your outstanding debts, etc. This will also give you insights into how much you can borrow or how much the bank could possibly approve. 

Thus, as long as you can ensure that there will be adequate cash flow even during a crisis, then it would be a good time to take advantage of the great offers and low-interest rates available in the market today. Having a stable job and  enough savings is a good indicator as well that it is the right time for you to start investing.