Minute Maid Pulpy: All Natural Liquid Sunshine

I just drank a bottle of Minute Maid Pulpy. They say it’s got ‘no preservatives added’. Aw, c’mon…It’s bottled juice. Is that even possible? So I thought maybe... it's yet another one of those things people just say...but you know, it really is a bottle full of freshly squeezed liquid sunshine.Yuummmy!!! Being the beach lover that I am, it sure hits the spot whenever I am off for a weekend beach getaway :)

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard it’s got no preservatives added.  So I read the ingredients (even the fine print) and everything checked out! It really has NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED!  That means it doesn’t have ingredients that may turn out to be allergens, or worse...carcinogens!  Whew! Now that’s healthy goodness that tastes so good, I... can enjoy it's yummy goodness without worrying about anything at all!

So okay, it’s got no preservatives added. That’s really good, right?  Not just because it doesn’t have those icky, harmful ingredients, but it also means... it's a better alternative to sodas and those sugary powdered juices that are heavily laden with sugar...which means excess calories that will definitely work against my quest at becoming a Fat Girl no More!

So far anyone who still has a hard time believing that Minute Maid has got no preservatives added - meaning it's THAT natural, it's almost like it's plucked straight from the tree, it's just as Mother Nature wanted your orange juice to be, it's got nothing but the good stuff yes, none of those potentially toxic stuff that can harm your brain, kidneys, heart; cause tumors aargh- the list of preservatives' bad effects just go on!!! Anyway, just to prove a point on just how good Minute Maid Pulpy is 'cause it's got NO PRESERVATIVES ADDED, I'm gonna make sure I've got me some Minute Maid Pulpy Orange stocked up in my refrigerator so I can grab a bottle of my favorite liquid sunshine any time of day :)

Feels good to know about the real pulpy deal, right? C’mon show me a smile on the comment box, and you might win yourself a Really Pulpy Deal! (That’s a chance to win a Minute Maid gift pack simply by commenting. Sweet! C'mon you just might be picked as the lucky 'commentor'!)

Love,

Ria

Do you like Minute Maid Pulpy too? When I heard about this contest from Ms. Janette Toral, I knew I just had to share my thoughts on it.

You too can share your love for Minute Maid Pulpy and get the chance to win up to Php 20,000 by simply blogging about it! Drop me a comment here too and stand the chance to win that gift pack!!!

Homemade Tofu Burgers

Because I've been trying to diet (yes, totoo na!) I tried out tofu burgers because I've been craving for the real thing in a major way! But because I am determined to lose weight, I compromised.

I must say, these burgers taste better than they look, and seem for that matter.

Before making this, I Googled various recipes for it but I ended up just making one up along the way :-) This is my recipe. However, since it was an experiment, I didn't really measure stuff.

1/2 a block of tofu (the firm type. if you're using the small squares, two of those would suffice, I suppose :-)
a handful of oyster mushrooms, diced
1 slice of bread, chopped into small pieces
1 egg
5 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Crumble the tofu in a large bowl.
2. Add in your garlic, mushrooms, and bread.
3. Mix well. Add in the egg until incorporated well. Season as you desire.
4. The mixture appears a little wet, but it holds when shaped into a patty (not as nicely as a meat patty though)
5. Fry in olive oil (regular oil will suffice).

That's it :-) Even Bubba enjoyed sharing my burger. When I share regular fried tofu with him he spits it out, but this he liked.

Some other recipes called for breadcrumbs instead of the bread that I used, and some added onions to it, but since I've been too lazy to go to the grocery, I ran out of onions!

An alternative I plan to try in the future is making it a Turkey Tofu Burger. Yum!

Healthier Options at TGI Fridays: Shanghai Chicken Salad

One of my favorite dining places has always been TGI Fridays. Albeit on the more pricey side for everyday, going to Fridays is always is a pleasurable dining experience. However, since I have been trying to work on having a healthier diet lately, I had to think twice about what I would order from their menu. My standard favorite has always been the Chicken Fingers, which are hand battered chicken tenders, fried to a golden brown and served with a honey mustard dipping sauce. It is served partnered with a plate of fries just the way I like it: thick with the skin on. While the chicken tenders may sound relatively heathy, I think the fried part plus the side dish of fries takes away whatever healthy features it may have. So today I decided to get the Friday's Shanghai Chicken Salad (Php 440.00).

I know ordering salads can often be a trap because not all salads are technically "healthy". While the greens may be good, the add-ons plus the dressing can be heavily laden with calories. Take for example a Ceasar's Salad. Salad, but lots of calories! The Shanghai Chicken Salad, on the other hand, seemed to be better choice given what it has on it.

The Shanghai Chicken Salad is a mix of Romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges, chilled fire grilled chicken strips tossed lightly with a yummy cilantro lime dressing. The dressing is oil based as compared to other dressings which are creamier or more on the mayo side. I opted to have the dressing on the side so I can cut down on extra calories, which I did by using only half of the dressing served. I love this salad a lot because it has a nice balance between sweet and tangy. It's a refreshing and light salad, with just enough protein to make it filling and satisfying

The only downside is that their lunch size serving is no longer on the menu.While I finished the entire salad (after about three hours!), it's a little on the expensive side for an ordinary lunch date on your own. 

Cucumber with Yogurt Dressing

Inspired by the Greek appetizer tzatziki, this cucumber with yogurt salad is an very refreshing and nutritious alternative to a green salad. There are many variations of tzatziki. Some add dill to it or even grated cucumbers but being the lazy cook that I am, I enjoy just making a simple yogurt dressing to throw over fresh cucumbers. It is also a good variation to the typical cucumber salad with vinaigrette that we Filipinos serve. Making the yogurt dressing is the simplest thing: just mix the unsweetened natural yogurt with crushed garlic, season with salt and pepper and viola, instant dressing. I sprinkle it with a little bit of sugar just to give it a sweet-sour taste. It is best to peel and remove the seeds of the cucumber before mixing this together because the seeds and the center of the cucumber kinda water down the dressing a lot. I love serving this with fried fish because the flavors mix so well. It also goes well with pork chops and inihaw na liempo or grilled pork belly. But to be honest: even on it's own, it's wonderful. An added bonus: great for weight watchers!

Scrambled Tofu: A New Way to Enjoy an Old Favorite.

I have to give credit to my colleague L's mother for introducing me to the idea of scrambled tofu. The first time I heard it, I was a bit skeptical. I had never thought of cooking tofu this way. However, after trying it once, I was hooked! I can honestly eat this for days on end. What I like best about it, besides the fact that it is uber healthy, is that cooking it is so easy and flexible.It can be prepared totally vegetarian or mixed with meats or hams for those who want the added flavor. I have mixed this up with so many different ingredients and I have yet to find one that does not sit with me well. My favorite add-on to this is fresh shitake mushrooms.

This is how I prepare my scrambled tofu:


Ingredients: 

• 2-4 squares (or 1 big block) of tokwa (I prefer the local tofu compared to the Japanese kind because it is firmer), crumbled
  
• half of a large white onion, chopped
  
• tomatoes (amount depends on you. I like lots of tomatoes in my dish), chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons butter (may be
  
• spring onions (optional)
  

Procedure:

1. In a pan, melt butter and sauté onions and tomatoes.
2. Add in crumbled tofu. Mix until tofu is cooked, about 5 minutes.
3. Add in spring onions and whatever add-on you prefer. 

Possible add-ons:

• strips of Spam (I love the hot and spicy kind!)
• fresh mushrooms, Shitake being my favorite!
• cooked shrimps
• ham or bacon bits
• whatever floats your boat! 
  

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!

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!