Happy Christmas, Bagel!

Before anything, thank you to all the 20 participants of the contest I had recently. My sincerest apologies for the delay in the drawing of the winner.

Congratulations Bagel! You are the lucky winner of the Haagen Dazs Gift Certificate and a Baby Cakes treat of your choice. Please watch out for my email so we can coordinate delivery of your prize!

Thanks again everyone and till the next time!!!

Cheers to Christmas!

24 days to go till Christmas!

In just a few short days, one of the most wonderful times of the year will come upon us again :-) Pardon the carol-y description, but that's really what the season is all about right? Christmas time also brings out a wide array of gastronomical treats, many of which are indulgences we either try to avoid or have limited access to during the rest of the year. In my family, the major indulgence is a homemade roasted turkey with matching bread stuffing and candied yams. Even though it is a constant figure in the Christmas table, it never becomes old! Like many Filipino families, we also have fruit salad as a big favorite.

For me, I love having rich and indulgent ice creams and cakes, which I try to scrimp on during the rest of the year. Bizu cakes, Haagen Dazs Ice Cream and food for the gods are just a few of these things!

As I count down the days to Christmas, I will do so with another blog contest here!  It will run from December 1-14, 2009. It's so easy to join and there are so many ways to increase your chances of winning!

All you have to do to join is as follows:

Countdown to Christmas and Win with Yapatoots!

1. Answer the question: "What is your favorite Christmas treat?" by leaving me a comment below. (required) Please leave your email address below so I can contact you should you be the winner!

2. Become a follower or subscribe to my blog via email (required). Steps 1 and 2 automatically give you 2 raffle entries.

For additional chances to win, you can also do the following:

1. For 1 extra entry, tweet about this contest! Please leave the URL of your tweet in the comments section so I know you did it :-)
2. While you're at it, for one point, follow me on Twitter too!
3. For another extra entry, plurk about this contest! Again, please leave the plurk URL here so I can verify.
4. For 5 extra raffle entries, blog about this contest! You can even just cut and paste the entry mechanics :-) Don't forget to link your entry to the contest post and send me your post URL so I can take note of it!

What's at stake? A Php 500.00 gift certificate to Haagen Dazs and your choice of one of the following Baby Cakes Treats: a 6-pc box of Date Walnut Bars, a small box of Walnut Tea Cookies, a 6-pc box of Orange Poppy Seed Muffins OR a 12-pc box of Choco Banana Muffins.

That's not it...

For a chance to DOUBLE UP your prize, leave me a comment here :-) Please note that only unique commenters from December 1 onwards qualify for the Double Up Promo!

CONTEST is open to METRO MANILA residents. However, if you are from the provinces you are welcome to join as well, provided you make your own provisions for the use of the GC's.

The WINNER will be via an online randomizer on December 15.

Yummy Christmas Treats

 It's just about that time of the year again and everyone is scurrying about trying to get their Christmas lists all filled out. Here's a yummy suggestion: BABY CAKES PASTRIES AND GOODIES.

 

*Date Walnut Bars
our classic recipe, still at it's best quality! delicious chewy bars just the way it's always been.
small (6pcs) Php 120.00
medium (12) 220.00
large (18 310.00
xl (24) 400.00

*Walnut Tea Cookies
delectable sugar coated, candy-sprinkled walnut cookies perfect with cocoa, coffee or tea! rich and scrumptious, one is never enough!
small (1 doz) Php 115.00
large (2 doz) 200.00

*Orange Poppy Seed Muffins
soft, yummy muffins with the fresh, sweet goodness of oranges...a perfect choice for breakfast, snacks, or anytime of the day!
6's Php 155.00
12's 295.00

mini muffin packs
6's Php 68.00
12's 128.00
24's 230.00

* Banana Muffins
an old favorite with a new twist. Old fashioned banana muffins with chocolate and/or walnuts.
Choco
6's Php 80.00
12's 150.00

Walnut/Choco Walnut
6's Php 98.00
12' 190.00

Sampler: 12's (3pc/variety) Php 210.00

Mini muffins
any variety 6's Php 45.00
12's 80.00
24's 135.00

Please give 3-5 days lead time for delivery. Free delivery to most areas.
Send me a comment or email, or text 09159545294  for orders and to coordinate delivery.

The Evolution of M&M's.

In the past month alone, I have come across two new variants of the popular chocolate candy M&M's.

Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M's

The first one was the Strawberried Peanut Butter M&M's variant. It was an interesting blend of sweetness and saltiness all wrapped up in that famous candy shell that melts in your mouth, not in your hand. Being a big fan of peanut butter and strawberries, I definitely enjoyed this one. It took a whole lot of willpower not to gobble these all down (especially since the bag was my neice's!).

 

Orange M&M's

This afternoon when I dropped by my local grocery store, I saw this on the shelf. Interesting, huh? I don't know if it's a special Halloween flavor (the color kinda suggests Halloween, don't you think?) or if it's just coincidence. Anyway, it says limited edition on top so I don't know how long this will be around. I happen to enjoy the mix of chocolates and oranges, but this, I'm not such a big fan. The orange flavoring comes across as a little too artificial for my liking. To be fair, however, it does have an interesting flavor.

It's amazing to see how much M&M's have evolved since it first came out in the market. I remember how thrilled I would be back then when the Blue M&M was introduced, but now, there's more than just the colors to choose from. While the brown bags of milk chocolate M&M's and the yellow bags of it's peanut counterpart are still the front-runners, there are so many other options out there. I personally love the Dark M&M's that come in purple bags and the Peanut Butter ones that come in the orange bag. There's also the Crispy M&M's one. That's so-so for me :-) However, whenever I go see a movie, my favorite silver screen treat is still a bag of popcorn, iced tea, and a bag of Milk Chocolate M&M's.

Good Eats at the Good Earth.

fter a brief hiatus, The Good Earth Tea Room reopens at the 2nd level of Greenbelt 3 with a revamped look and a spruced up repertoire of authentic Asian dishes. To mark it's reopening, an eat all you can buffet awaits diners. It's sure to be a pure gastronomical treat, what with 12 sumptuous dishes to indulge in for only Php 299.

Good Earth has been known for its fusion cuisine. Described as  a merging of Chinese with Western influences, Chef Henry Cheung's dishes are sure to give diners a modern taste of traditional Chines cooking. One of their most popular dishes is the Tunaquitos, which is made from raw tuna with spring onions served in a taco shell with white sauce and wasabi. The Duckquitos, also a big favorite, is The Good Earth's version of the Tex-Mex taquito made of roast duch with white sauce and black sesame seeds in a traditional taco shell.

For dimsum lovers, there is also Lily on the Pond, a delectable steamed dimsum made of a mix of vegetables and prawns in a spicy curry and while coconut cream sauces. Other dishes to choose from include the Crispy Chicken Pao and Duck Siopao.

Beef and pork specialties offered at the Good Earth include Spicy Nanking Beef, Beef in Oyster Sauce, Spareribs with Mandarin Sauce and Crispy Pork. If you're looking for healthier choices, try Popoy's Delight, which is a delicious harmony of steamed fish with ham. Other seafood dishes to choose from include Crab Claws with Tamarind Sauce, Pan Fried Lapu-Lapu with Mango Sauce and Lobster Ball. If it's chicken you go for, try the Sauteed Chicken with Pine Nuts and Lettuce, Drunken Chicken with Centrury Egg, Shantung Spicy Chicken, and Crispy Peking Chicken.

The Good Earth Tea Room is located at Greenbelt 3, Makati City
For inquiries and reservations call tel. no. (02) 757-4561 to 62.

The Lunch Box Project

A few weeks ago, I wrote in one of my blogs about my realization that my daily take-out lunches is my way of contributing to the destruction of our earth. Because I am always in a rush, I often find myself buying lunch from a food stall outside the school. The meals are packed conveniently in a styrofoam box. I said that I will make a conscious effort to bring a lunch box or reusable container everyday so I can stop adding to the trash and non-biodegradable wastes that are piling up all over the world.

A few days later, I came across a fan page in Facebook called The Lunch Box Project. They describe themselves as "a bunch of people ask that their fast food & jolly jeep orders be placed in their lunchboxes instead of styro containers in an effort to shrink the toxic trash pile" and their mission is to "save the world from the styro monster". Cool huh?!? :-)

I will admit that I have not yet gotten into the bandwagon completely with this. I still forget every now and then to bring my container. Today, however, when I ordered my food from Ate Ems, I was pleased to see that she has switched from a styro box to a paper bowl. Yey! While there is still waste with this, at least it's better than the styro, right?

Filipino Flair at Sentro 1771

When dining out, I often make it a point not to go to a restaurant that serves Filipino fare. It's not that I do not appreciate our cuisine, it's just that coming from a household of good cooks, I get my fill of our our own flavors. From tinola to sinigang, kare kare and dinuguan, I get to savor most of these at home so when I eat out, I look for something else.

However, during the 8 to Educate dinner, my fellow bloggers and I were treated to a sumptuous Filiino feast with a flair at Sentro 1771. Known as the First in Modern Filipino Cuisine, Sentro definitely gives the classic Pinoy a fresh new take. Since it's opening in 2002, it has wowed both local and foreign diners.

Sentro 1771 is one of the 8 restaurants participating in Virlanie's 8 to Educate Campaign. By ordering their Fried Chicken Cutlets or the Catfish Adobo Flakes you dontate to educate a child care of the Virlanie Foundation.

Read more »

Note to My Diet: Do Not Disturb!

Next to my food I eat in secret, ice cream is probably one of the things I eat in the privacy of my own room. There's something about scooping spoonfuls of this cold, smooth and creamy treat right out of the pint that is just so comforting. This is exactly the message conveyed by the three act show presented to the media and Bloggers, as well as special guests, during the launch of Haagen-Dazs in Robinsons Place Manila. The show, slyly captioned Do Not Disturb, Slow Melting in Progress, highlighted snippets of the lives of three very different ladies, each going through their owns ups and downs in life, and in the end, whether in comfort, as inspiration or in celebration, one thing is common: savoring spoonfuls of sweet indulgence straight from a tub of slow-melting Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream. These definitely are moments of solitude to be relished!

The event marked the formal opening of Haagen Dazs in the said mall and was graced by American Ambassador Kristie Kenney, who, along with Robinson Land Corportation Business Unit General Manager Mr. Cornelio Mapa, cut the ceremonial ribbon. Ambassador Kenny also gamely scooped up the first scoop of ice cream together with Haagen-Dazs Philippines General Manager Ms. Tess Panganiban.

Ambassador Kristie Kenney poses with the
crew of Haagen-Dazs Robinsons Place

As I mentioned, I love my ice cream straight out of the pint. Strange as it may seem, I enjoy it more on a cold rainy day while curled up in bed while watching my favorite shows on DVD.

What about you? How do you enjoy your ice cream best?

Haagen-Dazs is located at the Ground Floor of Midtown Mall in Robinsons Manila

It's Coming!!!

Today I came across the best news! I was blog hopping and I dropped by one of my new favorite blogs to read, dessertcomesfirst.com, and I was greeted by a post about the infamous Starbucks Red Cups...not just that: this year, my favorite Peppermint Mocha Frap is going to be BACK!!! Yup!!! Back!!!

Being a Starbucks collector, this news that this years planner is going to come in three designs is BAD BAD BAD...for my pocket that is! To top it off, my best Starbucks buddies (Janine and Grace) have left so who's gonna help me with my stickers now?!?

Not So Jolly at Jollibee.

One of my most favorite things to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon is to get some take out at Jollibee with Bubba. However, lately, I've been getting more and more disappointed with the service I am receiving from the drive through counter, particularly here in BF Homes.

I have made several complaints to the manager on duty, but I don't know if it's gotten any attention. My main complaint with the drive through here is that there are always people loitering around the drive through counter. Sometimes, it's kids selling sampaguita. Sometimes, it's worse. It's someone the counter person knows and is chatting with while you try to give your order. They (the "guests") even have the audacity to complain when you drive in. My worry is that one day one of them gets sideswiped by a car or something and it will be the drivers fault.

Read more »

Say it with me: I Ate To Educate!

Eating out is one of the few luxuries my college friends Che, Monsi, Angie, Cathy and I love to indulge in. Whether it is in a fast food chain or a nice new restaurant, splurging for good food and enjoying each others company is definitely something we still value. I think we value it even more now, especially since we barely get a chance to see each other as often as we'd like.

Over the years, we've developed some sort of a criteria for choosing restaurants we go to. For example, for a brief period of time, we boycotted Jollibee because of environmentally un-friendly practices they were reportedly doing. Up to now, we avoid using plastic straws whenever we order drinks because of the same reason. Other things we consider would be food quality (of course), serving size, service and quality for money.

From October 26 to December 31, 2009, 8 great restaurants and food places in Serendra and Bonifacio High Street are on my list to watch out for, mainly because of one good reason: by simply ordering a specially marked dish from their menu, you get to say "I Ate To Educate!".

The 8 to Educate project aims to raise support for the Virlanie Foundation, a private, non-sectarian instutution that cares for street and abused children. They do not just offer a roof over the heads of these children, but they aim to empower them by educating them to work for a better future.

You can also support the 8-to-Educate project by pledging an amount or sponsoring a child for Php 800.00 a month for one year. Donation envelopes are available when you dine in the partner restaurants. In the next two weeks, I will review each of the partner spots with with a blog post dedicated solely to them. I hope you look out for them!

Remember: check out the specially marked dishes in ArAma, CAV, Chelsea, Cupcakes by Sonja, Fu, The Healthy Kitchen, Sentro 1771, and Xocolat and say you ate to educate!

A Refreshing Way To Burn!

When the ad campaigns of Del Monte's Fit 'n Right first came out, I quickly dismissed it as yet another marketing ploy to get you to buy something you don't really need to begin with. I thought, how can a juice drink (especially since I had previously been told juice drinks are sugar loaded and unhealthy) can actually help you lose weight.

However, after being invited to the Fit 'n Right Bloggers Launch last week, I changed my mind. Fit 'n Right's unique blend of L-Carnitine and B Vitamins 1, 6, 12 are scientifically proven to aid in weight loss. This was proven by a study conducted by the University of the Philippines headed by Dr. Leonora Panlasigui. Results of their study showed that when combining diet, exercise and recommended servings of Fit n' Right, participants lost of as much as 16.7% body fat in a six-week period.

The secret behind this breakthrough drink lies in the L-Carnitine which helps turn fatty acids into energy by transporting these acids to the body's mitochondria, which is known as our cell's powerhouse. As such, fat is burned more quickly. The Vitamins in Fit 'n Right also help speed up one's metabolism. If taken 2 hours before a workout, you maximize fat burning potential thus aiding in weight loss.

Fit 'n Right is available at most leading supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide. Flavors include Blueberry and Grape, Apple, Pineapple, Pine-Orange, Grapefruit and Four Seasons. Fit 'n Right is available in either 300 mL or 1 L bottles.

Yummy Baby Cakes Date Walnut Bars

Hand's down the best Date Walnut Bar(also known as Food For the Gods) recipe I've tried! Rich, buttery and chewy, these scent of these bars baking mark only one thing for me: the Christmas season. You see, every Christmas my cousin and I roll out our cutting mats and baking pans to get ready for our 3 week baking marathon. Among our favorite and best-selling recipes is this handed-down top secret recipe. It's so secret that we only have pre-packed mixtures of the ingredients for us to work with!!! Nonetheless seeing the packs of walnuts, dates and the stacks of butter all lined up always elicit almost instant salivation. I personally like my FFG kinda overdone because it makes it more chewy (or makunat to be exact).

Okay, you might say I'm a little bit biased with my statement that this is the best FFG. Then again, many of our loyal customers can attest to our claim on this delectable treat! For inquiries about Baby Cakes Date Walnut Bars (Food For the Gods) and other products, please call or text 09087568789 or email yapatoots@gmail.com.

More Yummy Yogurt Madness.

I've written several entries about frozen yogurt before but I think I found the best one yet...Red Mango. A lot of my blogger friends have been raving about it but because it used to be only available in Eastwood (which is SO far from me) I've been putting off trying it. Finally, a branch opened up in Greenbelt 3 so last week, while waiting for the special screening of the Informant, I decided to give it a try. It was well worth the wait!

I ordered a large frozen yogurt with mangoes, bananas and crushed graham. I loved the yogurt a lot. It was very creamy and had a good tart flavor to it. The crushed grahams weren't too fresh for my taste, though. It wasn't old what-not, but it just had an aired out quality to it. I personally would have preferred to if it was not crushed so much that it was kinda powdery. Nonetheless, the deliciousness of the yogurt well compensated for that.

I love how yogurt, whether the frozen type or those sold in the market, is slowly becoming a popular fare for the Filipino taste buds.

A Lethal Fruity Mix.

Losing weight is really such a struggle. Sometimes I wish there was an easy answer to my weight woes. In fact, I have been tempted MANY times to try one of those supposedly "tried-and-tested" diet fads such as the oatmeal and hard-boiled egg diet, the 3-day diet, South Beach diet, Cabbage Soup diet, and even the Grapefruit Diet. These are just a few of the many lose weight quickly plans that have been popularized.

However, because I am taking medication for a health condition, I have to think twice about trying one of these fads. Apparently, some of the food items we take can counteract with medications we are taking. I had no idea, however, that grapefruits would be one of them. Because it is a fruit, I assumed it would be healthy and safe to take no matter what. After all, it comes from nature, right? Who would think that fruits when consumed in tandem with prescription medications can be a lethal mix?

According to CBS news something in the grapefruit juice causes a negative interaction with some drugs which can result in dangerous side-effects. AOL Health also explains that something in the juice which still is a mystery to scientists latches onto an enzyme in the intestine which breaks down the drug thus more of it is absorbed into the bloodstream. This is harmful when you are taking statins or cholesterol lowering agents because it can cause abnormal high blood levels which can cause liver damage. Other medications that can have a negative interaction with grapefruit juice are certain antibiotics, cancer medications, allergy and cough medicines, and even drugs like Zoloft and Cialis. No wonder in an episode of Grey's Anatomy, a patient made a comment about delaying taking her contraceptive pill for about half an hour because she had just consumed a glass of grapefruit juice! I just dismissed this as a quirk of the patient but now I know there is so much more to it after all. As always, before trying out any diet and going on new medications, consult your physician about what you can or cannot take together.

photo from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/20/health/webmd/main668105.shtml

No Diet Tomorrow!

I am not a big fan of Krispy Kreme.

Yeah right!

Seriously, one of my biggest Waterloo's in my diet is walking past a KK store and not wanting to stop in and grab a doughnut. The problem is, I often end up with more than just one!

However, tomorrow, October 11, 2009, I have the perfect excuse for breaking my diet: it's for a good cause. Yup, it's for a good cause indeed!

By indulging in one of the sweet delectable Original Glazed Doughnuts, I get to help victims of Typhoon Ondoy as Krispy Kreme Philippines pledges all proceeds to Philippine National Red Cross Rizal Chapter and the ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya foundation.

Come join me and get one tomorrow. Diet starts again day after that!!!

Yapatoots meets The Sandwich Guy.

One of my most favorite restaurants ever is Subway. However, for Philippine standards, it's kind of high-end even though it is large and worth the money you pay for. Lucky for me, I was introduced by a friend of mine to The Sandwich Guy.

TSG offers a wide array of freshly made sandwiches ranging from Php 55.00 to 110.00 only. This is a great deal! I like how the sandwich is well-filled, and not like other sandwiches that are all bread and mayo and a little itty-bitty piece of something stuck in the middle. With TSG, it's a pretty good size. Like in Subway, the sandwiches are made as you order them, so you can be sure of its freshness.

My friend and I ordered two sandwiches the day we went to the McKinley Hill branch of TSG. We tried the H.B.L.T (or the Ham Bacon Lettuce and Tomato) and the Crabstick and Mango sandwiches. I liked them both, although I would have preferred a slightly crunchier texture to the bacon. The crabstick one was great! It came with some wasabi mayo on it and it had a good kick to it.

TSG is now one of my favorite sandwich places, although I must be honest...Subway still tops my list. Comparatively, however, while Subway has more veggie options, I think TSG is a better choice in terms of dieting because of its portion control. With regular sized wheat bread over a six-inch wheat sub, you definitely will not be tempted to eat more than you should!

You can try TSG at the following locations: McKinley Hill and Total Corp. Bldg at the Fort, Cybergate Tower at Pioneer, Sun Plaza Building at Mandaluyong, Standard Charter Building at Makati City. They deliver too! Check out www.thesandwichguy.com for delivery numbers and menu.

Kain Na!!!! (Let's Eat!!!)

Isa sa aking pinakapaboritong pagkain ay pizza. Kahit saan, mapa-3M o Greenwich, Pizza Hut o Yellow Cab, basta pizza, siguradong swak na swak sa akin yun. Ito ang aming tinanghalian noong isang linggo...ang napakamurang promo ng Gourdo's pizza! Bihira ako magpakuha ng litrato na naka-wacky mode, pero sa sarap ng pizza, di ko napigilan!

Pizza is by far, one of my most favorite things to eat. No matter where it comes from, be it 3M Pizza, Greenwich, Pizza Hut or Yellow Cab, pizza's are definitely a sure win for me. Last Friday, my co-teachers and I decided to have lunch out and try the Gourdo's pizza promo. I read it in my friend Rowena's blog, Animetric's World. Imagine this: 3 gourmet pizzas all for the low price of Php 499. That's about the equivalent of one from most pizza chains, and at some, not even their large pizzas.

There were four variants to choose from, but I personally liked the vegetarian one best. Even my co-teachers, who aren't big fans of veggie pizzas, enjoyed it a lot too. On the other hand, the Hawaiian, which was incidentally the most expensive technically, was a bit disappointing as the ham they used wasn't so good. The Margherita pizza was quite good too.

Overall, it was a good deal that we got at Gourdo's! Would I try it again? OF COURSE! We were so full we weren't even able to try the gelato!!!

I'm sharing this shot as my Litratong Pinoy for the week. Come see more LP's here!

Healthy Options from the Backyard.

Many Filipino households have malunggay growing in their backyards. However, not every one may be aware of the health benefits this miracle vegetable can bring. However, cooking malunggay leaves tends to lessen it's potency. A solution: CHRIMI Malunggay Products.

I may not be the most healthy eater, but given my fervent desire (but admittedly lack of effort) to lose weight, I didn't hesitate to sign up for a health and wellness event featuring the health benefits of the moringa or malunggay plant. I initially thought products like this would be limited to nutritional supplements but I was amazed at how many products the company has been able to create with malunggay. Products now available include the following: coffee, hot choco, dalandan orange juice, and malunggay health soup.

To be honest, I was skeptical about how something like this would taste but I was surprised that the coffee and choco drinks were quite yummy. I didn't really like the soup much, but I think if used as a base for a pasta sauce, it would make a tasty sauce.

Aside from food items, CHRIMI also offers malunggay supplements, whitening soap and body lotion. Amazing!

Other health benefits of malunggay include the following:
7 times the vitamin C in oranges
4 times the calcium in milk
4 times the vitamin A in carrots
3 times the potassium in Bananas
2 times the protein in Yogurt
Anti-aging
Lowers cholesterol
Balances metabolism
Memory enhancer
Anti-oxidant
Strengthens the body's immune system
Improves mental alertness
Enhances nerve tissues

During the launch, the founder of the product explained to us that CHRIMI malunggay products are more than just a business venture, but a mission. I am impressed at how thier operations go beyond providing a means for personal wealth, but that they aim to provide jobs and opportunities for people and industries around them. As their advocacy goes, we have a bountiful nation, why leave the Philippines?



Read more about CHRIMI and their products at Malunggay Republic

*photo from Rochelle Sy Chua of rochellesychua.com

Sicilian Express Disappointment.

I don't always blog about complaints with my orders in restaurants because I figured, if I am not happy with a dish, that's not always the restaurants fault. For example, if a dish is a little too salty for my taste, that's on me, not them, right? However, when you find something that's not supposed to be there, that's another story.


Last Thursday, July 23, 2009, my friend and I went to McKinley Hill to grab a sandwich from The Sandwich Guy (it was good...watch out for my post on that soon!) However, as we walked towards the stall, I chanced upon Sicilian Express. Being the pizza lover that I am, I couldn't resist but get one for take out, especially since McKinley Hill isn't so easy to go to. I also checked out the list of other branches and since there was none in the Paranaque area, I figured reheating it the next day, albeit not as great as fresh, would be good enough to give me a taste.

The next morning I heated myself two slices of the pizza, stuck it in a ziplock and got in my car to go to work. After taking two bites, I was shocked to feel a sharp pain suddenly in my mouth. I had bitten into something sharp and hard in the pizza. After spitting out what was in my mouth, I was appalled to find a chicken bone in my pizza. My white cheese pizza. I emphasized the white cheese pizza because there's supposed to be no toppings at all, what more a frigging chicken bone!!!I was disgusted by it and couldn't eat the rest of the pizza. I don't know if that bone had come from another guests' dish or what, but regardless of whether it was "clean" or not, it is unacceptable to have food waste on your order, right?

So at the end of the day, I can't say if the pizza was yummy or not. All I remember is that I was sorely disappointed by a pizza place I was so excited to try.

To be fair, however, I did receive good service from the waitresses and when I called the resto to inform them of my complaint, the manager Bhel was attentive to my complaint.

TGIF...even on a Thursday!

TGI Fridays has always been one of my favorite restaurants. From the tender and yummy Cajun Chicken Fingers, to my all time fave, the Shanghai Chicken Salad, there's always something great to have in Fridays. Though somewhat pricey, the dishes are always good to share. Today I tried something new. Because I'm trying to make healthier choices, I tried the Tortilla Crusted Fish. It was delish! A little spicy, but good nonetheless. It came with rice through, so my no rice dinners was a fail hehe.

To top off my Fridays dinner, I was able to claim a prize I won recently! A Mocha Mudpie :-) Okay, not a very good dieters choice...but I shared it with my friends anyway so I didn't eat it all! That should count for something!!!!

Wanna win your own Mocha Mudpie?!? Click here!!!

A Perfect Start and End to Any Day!

I'm sure we've all been told at one point or another that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. However, as times have changed, so has our so-called important meal of the day. Enter brunch!

While many may do brunch in the spirit of rushing, the phenomenon is slowly becoming trendy as many of Hollywood's elite start their days mid-morning with a brunch. Remember that infamous Bass Brunch in Gossip Girl? Yes, brunch is indeed the new "it" meal.

Recently, bloggers were invited to Brunch and Desserts with World Asia Café Star, Bobby Chinn.

photo courtesy of Azrael Coladilla

We, too, can now enjoy brunch in the cozy interiors of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. With selections such as their Brek O'Day, Salmon Scramble (which I heard is really yummy!), assorted muffins and Eggs Ben, weekend mornings can definitely be an event to look forward too. Let's not forget the wide array of Tea Lattes and Ice Drinks CBTL has to offer.

Brunch, and any meal for that matter, would not be complete without dessert. I am a sucker for dessert, seriously. I've said time and again I can go without a full meal so long as I have a great dessert. And great desserts I got! We were treated to a whole bunch of delectable treats.

Choco Fudge (uber yummy and chocolatey to death!!)
Lemon Squares (yum. yum. and yum)
and Triple Berry Coffee Cake (served warm wih coffee, good, not a personal fave though)

My personal favorites: A Chai Tea Latte, Camembert Oreo Cheese Tart
and Chicago Cheesecake

Truly, CBTL offers you a perfect way to start or end any day!

Sushi with a Twist: Terriyaki Boy's Crazy Rolls

I am a big fan of sushi. In fact, I'm willing to give almost any kind of sushi/maki a try, at least once. I used to love going to those buffets in Saisaki because of all the sushi! The other day, my friend J asked to have dinner in Terriyaki Boy. It's been a while since I've indulged in Japanese food so I agreed.

I had my mind set in ordering a dish of Agadashi Tofu or Tofu Steak, after all, I'm trying to watch my weight, right? However, I got tempted by their Crazy Rolls. Even though it is rice based, I decided to go ahead and try some. It took me a long time to decide which one to try because there a dozen varieties to choose from. Finally, I decided to try the Firecracker Roll. I chose this for two reasons: first, it was made with salmon (others were made of chicken) and second, it was had the best photo appeal! I know the second one was kind of an airhead reason for choosing a dish, but I went with it.

The Firecracker Roll is described as "a display of color and various flavours. Minced fresh Norweigan salmon smothered with chili oil with our very own chili dressing rolled in green fish roe and black sesame seeds, topped with shoestring wanton" and was served with their crazy dip. I didn't particularly like the dip much, but the sushi was delish! I liked it better with soy sauce and wasabi. The Firecracerk Roll sells at Php 240.00.

Taking it Seriously.

Okay...so this time I will try to take my diet a wee bit seriously. Its about time. Haaaaayyyy....I know it's not gonna be an easy journey but like my friend told me, it needs some internalizing. So I am tapping into my inner motivation reservoir and saying I will make this work.

I have decided to take it slow, however, mainly because I can't afford to buy Xenical or Reductil or any of those diet pills in the market. (hint hint to med reps and researchers...need a sample for a study, I'll volunteer!!!). For now, I am committing to doing the following in an attempt to lose at least 10 pounds by the time the first term of classes end:


1. I will not park closest to the entrance anymore. Not a big step, but one towards the right direction, I think. By parking farther from the entrance, I guess I'll be forced to walk.

2. Increase the pace of my typical walk. I think I walk too slow nowadays. I guess it's an offshoot to having a heavier butt harhar!!! Seriously though, when I was very huge years ago, I never realized how heavy it was to lug around my weight. But when I lost a huge chunk of it then gained some back, I realized that it is indeed a heavy load to carry. So now I will try to walk at a quicker pace, after all, they say that exercise can be done in bursts, right? So walking to and from class at a quicker pace should be a good start.

3. No more softdrinks, even diet sodas. This is one thing I really became lax about after losing weight. After a carbonated drink fast for two years, I started having it on occasion then now it's back to almost everyday...and every meal. Enough of that!!! Now iced tea...well....limit will do!

4. One cup of rice a day for now. When I first lost a lot of weight, I completely swore off rice. As in 100%. Pasta too. I'm probably not ready for this at this point, so 1 cup at lunch time and thats it.

5. Stock up on chicken, fish and veggies. I will limit pork and beef intake for now. During my rice-less days, I also went almost 100% vegetarian. Maybe by October I will explore this again, but for now, chicken and fish stay!

6. Walk with Bubba at least once around the village park as much as possible. Given that it's the rainy season, it would be difficult to commit completely to this. In lieu of walking, half an hour of hula-hooping should suffice.

7. Sweets and treats in strict moderation. I've tried to give this up, but everytime I deprive myself I end up indulging. So I will honor the urge when it comes, but only enough to give it a taste. No more pints-of-ice-cream-in-one-sitting or giant slices of cake.

8. Monitor the numbers. Much as I am inspired by iMom and her fitness project, I am not yet comfortable writing those numbers in my blog. It's going on my calendar though :-)

That's it for now, I suppose. Wish me luck!

Frozen Yogurt Delight.

Obviously I love ice cream. Who doesn't?!? But when you're trying to go on a diet, ice cream can be your worst enemy.

Enter frozen yogurt!
This is one of the many new (or relatively new) yogurt places around. I've tried. I got this at the Greenhills branch. I didn't like the fact, however, that it was inside another store so they did not have places to sit, although there was a food court right outside, so that made up for it. The frozen yogurt was worth it though, in my humble opinion.

Because I am attempting to lose weight, I opted for the more healthy toppings as opposed to the chocolates that were available. This is a strawberry and cherry blend, too bad there was no kiwi available. I would definitely try that next time!

Brighten Up Mom's Day with Red Ribbon

Mother's Day is just around the corner. Just in time, Red Ribbon Bakeshop, the country's premiere bakeshop, launches a sweet treat that's definitely going to brighten up her day!

To celebrate our dear Mothers, drop by any Red Ribbon branch and take home a feel-good, bring-you-back-to-your-childhood Cookies and Cream with Oreo cake. With a layer of oreo cookies between layers of chocolate and vanilla chiffon cake, made even more yummy with luscious layers of creamy cookies and cream filling and icing, topped off with our favorite Oreo cookies, it sure will bring a smile to mom and kids alike!

For kids (ok, ok...those who still feel like kids!) like me who are trying to watch their diets, don't worry. While mom enjoys her Cookies and Cream with Oreo Cake, I will delight myself with a no sugar added mamon!


Thanks to Red Ribbon and LetsGoSago.net and for an early mothers day treat for my mom!

An Indulgent Treat.

Nestled in the hustle bustle of the metro is a cozy little café that offers a wide array of indulgent dishes....not a great idea when you're on a diet, but how can you resist something like this?!? Looking at the dessert assortment alone is enough to make you gain ten pounds!

amaretto cake

I personally preferred their tiramisu, but this was quite good too. Indulgence Deli Café offers a cake and coffee combo at Php 100.00 only. Much lower than many of the more popular cafés around. I also tried their hungarian sausage and must say it was well worth it! At a little less than two hundred pesos, I had a great meal.

For the more health conscious, however, not looking at these indulgent delicacies is highly advisable. This doesn't mean, however, you can not have a good meal here. Aside from desserts, Indulgence serves pastas, pizzas and rice meals. A friend of mine tried the pesto pasta and said it suited her liking well, unlike other pestos which have too much of an herb-y taste.

According to Leirs Pagaspas, manager of the resto, they also have salads, soups and more low-calorie pastas. Their specialties, however, definitely don't fall under that category! A must-try is their Pizza Pinoy, which offers a unique Filipino blend to the typical pizza.

Indulgence Deli Café is located at the ground floor of Mayfair Mansion, 116 Perea St., Makati City.

Cool Summer Treats at Bizu.

A patisserie or pastry shop may not be the wisest resto choice for a dieter...but who can resist the call of Bizu Patisserie?!? It's inviting store decors and set-up alone is are enough to lure you in...

Thankfully, this summer they are featuring a new item on the menu: cool summer sorbets. We often think "sherbet" when hearing the word "sorbet" and for the most part, perhaps the most commonly available flavors, especially here in Manila, are buco and calamansi or lemon. In Bizu, however, Chef Sander was whipped up a batch of delicious and cool sorbets for you to enjoy on a hot, summer day. While it may not be 100% guilt-free, it definitely is a way better choice over ice cream...



My personal favorites was the mango and passionfruit. It had just the right blend of sweet and tangy. It was definitely quite refreshing! I was also looking forward to the green apple and mint variant, but it was not as good as I thought it would be, despite it still being good nevertheless. It just seemed to lack a wee bit sweetness for my personal taste. Chef Sander said his favorite was the raspberry and merlot, and I can see why. It was indeed a special blend.

To satisfy the sweet tooth, try out their new Yoga Cake. Their new masterpiece, as they'd like to call it, is describeas as "a blissful union of tropical passion fruit and hearty yogurt, spread with just the right amount of lemon custard ,placed in between layers of moist sable and genoise sponge". Yes, it is still a cake but for someone who is looking for a lighter and yet just-as-filling option, this is definetely a welcome treat!

I enjoyed this cake a lot, despite it missing the requisite chocolate in desserts :-) The combination of fruits, yogurt, lemon custard and moist sable and genoise sponge cake was hit the spot just right. An added bonus of getting a Bizu cake is that it is available in those mini cake sizes, that way I am portion controlled, even if unintentionally :-)
Bizu is located in many malls in the metro, including Greenbelt 2, Greenhills Promenade, and Alabang Town Center.

Hoop to Fitness.

Today I dusted off my treadmill and stepped on...and lasted a good ten minutes. I remembered why I hated it...but because I need to find a way to get back in shape, I decided to try my old favorite: the hula hoop.

Boy, did I have fun!!

In a span of 15 minutes, I was dripping with sweat!!! Not only that, I was feeling quite good...as they say, exercise triggers a rush of endorphins which makes us feel happy.

In trying to lose weight, I think an important factor to getting one to exercise is the fun factor of it. Perhaps if we find it more fun, we'd be more consistent with it, don't you think? I have this friend, for example, who loves tennis and because she kept on doing it (and continues to) she has lost a ton of weight and she is loving it.

I heard (and saw!) that the Wii has a hula hooping game. I wanna try that!!!!


In trying to lose weight, I think an important factor to getting one to exercise is the fun factor of it. Perhaps if we find it more fun, we'd be  more consistent with it, don't you think? I have this friend, for example, who loves tennis and because she kept on doing it (and continues to)  she has lost a ton of weight and she is loving it.   Of course, there are also hospital beds occupied by people who had not exercised in many years and had decided all at once to exercise to excess. So be careful not to make this mistake.

photo credit: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/wii/image/942009.html?gs=1

Summer Treats.

There is nothing better than a big scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day. From popsicles, to ice cream cones, parfaits and banana splits, there is no doubt that in some form, shape or way, ice cream will make a cameo during the summertime.

Where does that leave us dieters?!?

Well, while browsing the ice cream freezers in the store, I came across a healthier option!

Nestlé has a new variant for the health conscious: Fruit Selections Yogurt Ice Cream. If you like their fruit selection yogurt cups, then this is something you definitely will enjoy! I used to buy the regular yogurt, stick it in the freezer and wait for it to harden then eat it like ice cream...but not anymore! The yogurt ice cream comes in two equally delicious flavors, strawberry and mango. What I like about the yogurt ice cream over the yogurt that is frozen is that the ice cream has the consistency of real ice cream, unlike the yogurt which sometimes is not as smooth as real ice cream.

With only 85 calories per serving, this is definitely a treat one won't feel guilty indulging in! Nestlé Fruit Selection Yogurt comes in three sizes/styles: ice cream on a stick ( approx. Php 15.00), single serve cups (Php 25.00) and pints (Php 135.00). It is a bit difficult to find in the typical grocery, however, but it is (supposedly) exclusively available at Mercury Drug store.

Another alternative is this:
A O% fat, no sugar added ice cream by Nestlé as well. I got the vanilla flavor because it was the only one available then, but I think there are other flavors like mangoes and cream and ube. To be honest, however, I did not like it so much. There was something different about the consistency of the ice cream, which I suppose is due to the fact that it was fat-free. It seemed to have lost its smooth, creamy ice cream quality. However, I used it as a base for my banana smoothie, and it was great.

So here's to a cool, yummy summer with less calories!

Diet Diary.

I have probably been a small, medium, large and extra-large at one point or another in my life.

To be honest, I have always struggled with weight ever since I was a little girl. Maybe its the lack of willpower to really go on a diet, or perhaps because there is really just too much good food out there, but whatever it is, I always maintain that I'm on a diet. Or at least I try.

As such, this is my attempt to be more than just a food blog. This is my attempt to go on a diet, chronicle it online and present to you, my readers, good food, places to eat, and hopefully a glimpse at more-figure-friendly-food in the menu. But then again, sometimes they may not always be figure friendly!