As a mom, my first errand on weekends is usually preparing breakfast for the kids. I look forward to it because it's the only day where I can dedicate ample time for mommy duties. I have two different kinds of palate to please. One that's adventurous and another that belongs to the more challenging group of picky eaters. Hence, it's quite tough to come up with food varieties from time to time. Nonetheless, the challenge of preparing something in between is always a welcome dilemma.

This year, I'll be starting some food series for the blog and one of which is Weekend Breakfast. It'll basically chronicle all our weekend servings of good food at home. I just couldn't emphasize more on how important family meals are. With a big sigh, weekends are our only time to get the best shot of gathering our loved ones. That's why personally, these are really treasured days for me. So let me start this series with an Italian and French combo meal - Penne Alla Norma and Choco Banana Caramel Crepe.

I simply love this plate! It speaks of subtlety. Although the main course I chose is meat, it's well complemented with a mildly flavored pasta and bread. I've been having this menu in mind for the entire week; thinking of the different ways how the pork chop will be cooked. In the end, I opted for a kid friendly recipe. Also, I decided to rest for a while from the sinful baked goods. We still have to stick to the diet plan for my eldest tot who's really going beyond the right range of weight for his age. Hence, that explains for the healthy dessert this time around.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio with Swiss Brown Mushrooms

What you need:

500g spaghetti

1/2 cup of pasta water reserve

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, chopped horizontally

2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped

4 pcs Swiss brown mushroom, sliced thinly

salt & pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese

How to make:

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a pan. Sauté garlic until fragrant. Don't burn. Add in mushrooms and sauté until tender. Add pasta water reserve. Season with salt & pepper. Add cooked pasta and basil.  Stir well.

3. Serve with parmesan cheese on top



Mixed Berries Parfait

What you need

1 pack fresh strawberries, halved

1 pack fresh blueberries

3 bananas, sliced horizontally

2 small tabs vanilla yogurt

pistachio nuts

1 tbsp sugar

How to make:

1. Add sugar into the berries. Mix well. Allow to sit for at least 10 mins to neutralize the acidity of the fruits.

2. In small serving glasses, layer the mixed berries first then add a dallop of yogurt. Add bananas and pistachio nuts then another layer of yogurt. Continue layering and end it with mixed berries on top.

note: Choco bits or drops can be added for a more enjoyable texture and crunch

When it comes to having  the best tasting mango in the world, a number of countries want to claim the crown. In Asia alone, it will be a contention among countries like the Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia just to name a few. Having tried the varieties of these countries, I would say that Philippines definitely top the list. It got the right balance of sweetness, juicy and succulent. Its quality is definitely world class. So imagine my excitement and delight when a collegue generously shared some fresh mangoes from her recent trip to the Philippines. And so fortunate I was, that the mangoes even came from Zambales. A town that's made popular for its sweet and delicious mangoes. Instead of consuming the fruits as it is, I immediately thought of making a mango cake out of it. Still fresh from a Blueberry Crumb Cake indulgence (another cake recipe which I've yet to blog about), I decided to make another version with no less than the best tasting mango in Asia. The recipe is actually a take off from Ina Garten's Blueberry Crumb Cake. I just removed some of the ingredients to suit my own liking and replace the fruit with mangoes.