My mom’s nickname is called Malunggay, named after a superfood leafy green that grows abundantly in the Philippines. So for Mother’s Day, I’m paying homage to her cute nickname as well as giving her the gift of health and longevity. I’m planning to give her artisanal Malunggay powder.
My mom’s name is Malou, hence “Malou-nggay”. You could give all the credit to my dad’s sisters who cleverly came up with the pun. My mother didn’t seem to mind at all. After all, Malunggay or Moringa is a kick-ass superfood, the kale of the Philippines. Moringa has high levels of calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A, protein, and potassium. You could put Moringa leaves in Filipino dishes like Tinola or you could put Moringa powder in Pandesal bread rolls or in green smoothies.
I realize that the powder form is more accessible than the fresh ones. For Mother’s Day, I decided to go with Roots Food Moringa Powder which could be ordered online. Roots Food Malunggay/Moringa powder is directly sourced from the Philippines, supporting the livelihood of Filipino farmers.
Here’s a bonus recipe, a green smoothie with Moringa powder:
- 1 large avocado, peeled and deseeded
- ½ cup spinach
- 2 bananas, peeled
- 1½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
- ½ tablespoon Moringa powder
- 4-6 ice cubes, optional
- Put everything in a blender and blend until smooth. Add more coconut milk and/or ice cubes until you've reached desired thickness.
The similarity of my mom and the superfood Malunggay doesn’t stop with just the name. Like Malunggay, my mom is strong yet nurturing. She has taught me lessons about compassion, kindness, and creativity. Through my mom, I’ve learned to veganize Filipino food. I hope she will love the gift I will give her this Mother’s Day.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! Mabuhay po kayo!
*The Moringa package was sent to me through the kindness of Roots Food. All opinion stated here are my own.