Sexy Nomnom

Hotdog Potato Spinach Medley

2012-02-09T05:19:00.000+08:00

There are days when I couldn't help myself and I eat the kinds of food that are a no-no for people with GERD like me (like chocolates,coffee, alcohol, anything with tomato, garlic and onions even in small amounts), thinking that I can get away with it. Well, sometimes, I can but when I do it for two or three consecutive meals, I end up not feeling so good afterwards. Tsk, tsk.

On this particular day, I was running out of groceries and food I can eat. Actually I've been running out of groceries for a week now (been doing 18-hour shifts at work coz I need the moolah to fund my summer escapades beginning next month... will be visiting Bacolod and Cebu again; will be living in Siargao for two weeks and learn how to surf in Cloud 9 as promised; have plans of diving in Anilao and surfing in Baler, plus of course my addiction to windsurfing. So you see, I really need a lot of funds. Hehehe.). Anyhoo, our fridge don't have much in it at the moment except for a few hotdogs, potatoes, a bottle of mustard, and some spinach. Good thing that my hubby, Peter, has a talent for concocting wonderful homemade dishes out of scrap. So this is what he did to come up with his yummy Hotdog Potato Spinach Medley :

Cleaned and boiled the baby potatoes and set it aside.
Microwaved the hotdogs in hot water and set it aside.
Microwaved the spinach in hot water. (Contrary to poplar belief, microwave is not bad.)
Mixed honey and mustard and whatever herbs he could find in the pantry (pesto, rosemary, thyme)
Once the baby potatoes were cooked, he poured the mustard and honey sauce in it
He added the hotdogs and the spinach.

Voila!

I now have a healthy dish filled with nutrients and vitamins I need to last me the entire day.

Bon appetit!

Cheap Filipino Food @ Caliraya Sunrise Viewing Lake and Eatery

2012-02-06T08:43:00.001+08:00

Every time we'd visit Caliraya for a an afternoon of windsurfing, we'd always drop by Stop Over Kitchenette for lunch. This particular weekend though, we wanted to try a different venue.. somewhere nearer Surf Kamp for a change of scenery and ambiance. Luckily, we noticed this place called Caliraya Sunrise Viewing Lake and Eatery. We usually pass by this area but this was the first time we really noticed it.

The entrance to the eatery was quite narrow. Good thing we brought Zac (our Toyota Yaris) with us. Had we brought Rachel (our Toyota Revo), Peter might have had a hard time going in its narrow entrance.

Inside the premises though, the parking lot was quite spacious. Aside from the main eatery at the side of the property, there were two other nipa huts where customers can dine in. We chose the one with the nicest view of the lake, the one on the right side.

The ambiance of the place was quite tranquil and laid back. It was a breezy late morning and the view of the lake was very refreshing.

When we checked the menu, we noticed that they were serving Filipino dishes, much like the ones also served in Stop Over Kitchenette, but here, the prices are much cheaper. For example, we ordered Tilapya in Oyster Sauce (Php80), Chicken Tinola (Pho100) and 2 cups of rice (Php20) for only Php200.00.

When we ordered the same dishes at the other eatery before, it would normally cost us at least Php 100 more. Maybe it's because Caliraya Sunrise Viewing Lake and Eatery is nearer the Tilapya Farm we saw along the way. The serving size of their food was also enough for me and my husband and the taste of both dishes was quite palatable. Over all, this eatery was a really nicediscovery! Bon appetit!

Uncle Cheffy Panizza

2012-02-01T18:35:00.001+08:00

It was my first time to try Uncle Cheffy when my hubby, sis and I visited Nuvali in Laguna the other Saturday. We were there in the afternoon and were looking for a nice place for snacks. I was in the mood for pizza so after going around (there were lots of restaurants to choose from), we opted to dine at Uncle Cheffy. Their super thin pizzas caught my attention which are sliced into strips. We can then roll them with greens and other vegetables and that's when we have a rolled pizza. This reminded me of Focaccia's Pazzo Rollio in Fort Bonifacio.

I wondered why Uncle Cheffy is known for their Brick Oven Panizza and when we tasted it, I wondered no more. The pizza, or shall I say the panizza, tasted great! We ordered Larry's Craving with smoked salmon, escargot, shiitake mushroom, chili flakes, onion and 3 cheese (Php495).

The panizza came with tomato and arugula insalata. This would be the stuffing you put on the pizza, after which you roll it up and voila --- a rolled panizza!

The dough was very crunchy like they say it is and the cheese was just so creamy that we loved it! I was hoping to get a generous amount of salmon though. There were only 5 slices in there. Oh well. I guess with the mushrooms and the onions, it was filling enough.

I hope to try their other dishes next time. I heard they also have good pastas.

Bon appetit!

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® Comes to One Archer’s Place

2012-01-30T19:22:00.001+08:00

Taft Avenue just got more exciting as the famed street welcomes the latest addition to its line of dynamic dining and lifestyle establishments —The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®

Set to open in One Archer’s Place on Fidel Reyes St. near De La Salle University (DLSU), the new The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® shop will be ready to open its doors to its first customers starting January 30—serving everyone with their full selection of internationally-acclaimed signature blends and gourmet treats and dishes.

“Manila is a good market for us,” shares Walden Chu, President of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®. “A place that’s right in the center of a burgeoning coffee culture in the country, this new branch will not only compliment the busy lifestyle of people in the area, it will also make it easier for more to enjoy the specialty drinks that our brand is known for.”

The One Archer’s Place store will be located near prominent establishments around DLSU and will cater mostly to students and young professionals working and living in the vicinity. In addition, it will serve as a haven for both cult-like followers of the brands as well as coffee and tea aficionados of all sorts.

In line with its debut, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® branch in One Archer’s Place will be holding a special promotion that will coincide with DLSU’s 100th year celebration. During the promo period that will run from its opening day till February 05, 2012, customers can come to the store from 12:30 to 1:30 in the afternoon and purchase any of their favorite drinks for only Php 100.

Isdaan at the South (Laguna)

2012-01-29T06:06:00.004+08:00

We discovered that a new branch of Isdaan has opened in Calauan, Laguna when we went windsurfing in Caliraya one time. It's just along the national highway somewhere between the towns of Bay and Victoria. It was so packed when we got there in the evening. Twelve people/groups were waiting for tables before us so we checked out the place first, took lots of photos, bought some pasalubong at their shop and finally, we were able to get our own floating nipa hut.

The prices of their food are of course similar to the ones in Gerona, Tarlac. It was already quite late then, around 9 pm. We were anxious to get home so we just ordered my usual pinaputok na tilapya while they ordered kare-kare.

The services were quite slow that evening. Maybe because the place is really popular and anyone touring nearby places were surely dropping by there for dinner. Or maybe the place is still quite new and the waiters were getting overwhelmed by the volume of food orders coming in. Our waiter specifically did not get my order right. I asked for pinaputok na tilapya and after almost an hour of waiting, gave me fried tilapya which I cannot eat. I almost got mad. Good thing he finally gave me my correct order after another couple of minutes.

Anyway, that's that. Isdaan is still a must-see dining place for everyone. With its eclectic design of Southeast Asian inspiration, you'd feel like you're somewhere in Bali, Hong Kong or Malaysia. (^_^)

Harbour Square Manila Bay Dinner Date

2012-01-28T01:15:00.000+08:00

My hubby and I used to frequent Harbour Square back in 2007, when I was still working in GSIS, and my hubby would pick me up from work to have dinner there before heading home to Alabang. My officemates and I also used to hold our meetings in their Starbucks branch. It's really been ages since I was last in this place, perhaps the most recent was in 2010 after we watched Ballet Philippines in CCP.

Anyway, Harbour Square, located in Manila Bay, is such a scenic place where couples and families can enjoy their time watching the sunset, cruising along the bay, and dining in one of the numerous restaurants. It's only a few minutes away from other major establishments like Mall of Asia and Resorts World Manila (where we partied all night in Republiq after dinner) and the ambiance at night is really very romantic.

On Friday evening, my hubby and I dined at this cozy restaurant called Jazz Simple Ambiance. We find the name a bit weird but the Filipino dishes they offer are one of the most affordable in the area considering the big serving and the great taste. Aside from the tasty food, the restaurant also offers live bands, house music and booze.

My hubby and I chose a table that was overlooking Manila Bay. It was so beautiful.

We ordered Pinaputok na Tilapia (one of my favorites) and Chopsuey, plus 2 cups of rice for only Php540.

It took a while for the food to be served because they were full of people that night. But we didn't mind. The food tasted great and Peter and I had a very good time. Til our next Harbour Square visit!

Soyami - Snacking Without the Guilt

2012-01-27T18:48:00.001+08:00

I was invited to a bloggers event featuring Soyami products last Jan. 25, hosted by Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez. Unfortunately, my work schedule has been very hectic that it's been impossible for me to take some time off my job. It's one of those food events that really got me interested because of these three reasons:

Since October last year (when I started exhibiting symptoms for GERD), I have changed my eating habits and started including soy or soya in my meal preparation. Suffice it to say that I am a huge soya fan now.
I am also a huge fan of snacks and because of the many ingredients that I can no longer eat due to my condition, finding fun and yummy snacks that are healthy and good for me have become such a major blessing, albeit rare these days, until I was made aware about Soyami.
I've just enrolled myself in a gym, hoping to trim down a bit and tone my muscles. With healthy snacks like Soyami, it may help curtail my cravings for unhealthy snacking in between meals. After all, my doctor says that I do need to eat healthily 6x a day.

Personally though, I haven't tried this product yet but it really got me curious. How about you? Have you tried Soyami yet? How was it? I hope you can drop a line or two and let me know how you like the product. I may just get myself some Soyami Soya Chips which they say is made of Real Soya, high in protein, with no MSG, and with 0% transfat. That's really good news, don't you think? I may get some when I do my groceries this weekend. (^_^)

Figaro New Dinner Meals

2012-01-25T12:07:00.000+08:00

I'm so happy that Figaro is now introducing healthier meals! Hurray!

The answer to a healthy dinner is here. Figaro, the first Filipino coffee company believes your promise to a healthy start this year with new Dinner Meals to develop your plan to wellness. Introducing Chicken Rice Bake (P150), a cup of flavorful chicken, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, rice in creamy white sauce baked to perfection and topped with mozzarella cheese baste. A complete meal of meat and vegetables baked to perfection, Figaro's Chicken Rice Bake is the answer to move away from the oily fried dishes you promised to keep away this year. Be full without the guilt because Chicken Rice Bake is just a cup to regulate your cravings for more rice at 2012. Paired with a cold glass of lemonade, Figaro's Chicken Rice Bake is the answer to complete you this year.

The answer to all vegans and the meaty without the meat meal is here as Figaro brings you Tofu Steak Rice (P150), sumptuous deep-fried Tofu glazed with special sauce, onions, topped with white sesame seeds on steamed rice garnished with parsley. Tofu, believed to have miraculous health benefits of providing a good source of protein, contains numerous other nutrients necessary for good health like helping you lower your cholesterol level and helping you avoid atherosclerosis or diabetic heart disease. It's also a very good source of iron, copper and manganese believed to aid in transporting and releasing the right amount of oxygen for the body. Tofu is the food to those who want to be buff as tofu will provides you enough protein to grow your muscles. A powerful antioxidant to the body, tofu contains selenium and Omega-3 fats to protect your heart. It's the promise of a vegan meal to nourish you after a long day at the office. Have a meal without themeat with Figaro's Tofu Steak Rice paired with a complimentary cold glass of lemonade sure to make you vegan this year!

Never go hungry again with your diet with Figaro's Healthy Dinner Meals of Chicken Rice Bake and Tofu Steak Rice now available at all selected Figaro stores and outlets nationwide. It's the answer to your call to change for the good this year as Figaro continually believes in you.

Baking My Eggplant Harvest

2012-01-24T03:09:00.003+08:00

I shared with you before how I harvested my Kangkong, Okra and Sili and cooked them for lunch. It's my usual healthy meal at least once a day and I couldn't be prouder. Last week, I started harvesting my eggplants and I've been baking them since. Frying them is also a good option but I try to limit my oil intake as much as possible.

Here's how my black beauty eggplant looked like after I sliced them:

I sliced some carrots as well, dashed them with a bit of salt then popped them in the oven.

Here's how they looked like after 10 minutes in the oven:

My eggplants tasted quite sweet actually. Take note that it's very important to have the eggplant cooked very well especially its seeds. Otherwise, they may prove dangerous to your health (or so I read before in one of those health sites). If you're not accustomed to his kind of "semi-raw" cooking, you can lather some oil on your eggplant before baking or grilling them in the oven. Or you can resort to regular frying. Bon appetit!

Tikoy Experiment for the Chinese New Year

2012-01-23T02:44:00.000+08:00

We don't usually celebrate the Chinese New Year the way we do Halloween or Christmas. But my sister wanted to buy some Tikoy as pasalubong for her girlfriend back in Zamboanga. So Peter bought a small box of Tikoy as well. From what I remember, tikoy is supposed to be cooked by frying it in oil. Since I should refrain from eating oily foods as much as possible, Peter found a way to cook it and even made it healthier.

Here's what he did:

He made a couple of slices of Tikoy and arranged them on a plate.
On a separate bowl, he beat an egg.
He poured the beaten egg on the plate of sliced Tikoy.
He sprinkled some brown sugar on top.
He popped the entire thing in a microwave oven for 2-3 minutes.

The Tikoy experiment tasted really good! And there was no oil needed. Hurray! bon appetit!

Eating My Own Harvest = One Healthy Meal

2012-01-05T12:38:00.001+08:00

I've shared on my projects blog before that I've already been harvesting my own Kangkong and Okra. Just recently, my Tomatoes and Eggplant have started bearing fruits, and this morning, I've also harvested my own green peppers (sili). Suffice it to say, that soon, I'll be pretty much eating my own harvest on a more regular basis (I hope) but for now, here's what I prepared for lunch:

I took out the kangkong leaves from the stem, washed them and set them aside.

I got my okra, sili and tomatoes and sliced them up. Then I mixed everything on a plate with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of soy sauce and a tablespoon of honey.

I popped it in the microwave and voila!

I now have a very healthy salad plate which I paired with brown rice, smoked bangus, hardboiled egg and a glass of soya milk (from Soyfresh Susu Soya).

Cheers to a healthy lunch!

Bon appetit!

Vegan Dishes at Red Kimono - a sign of things to come for 2012

2011-12-31T21:54:00.000+08:00

It used to be quite a challenge every time my vegan friend, Jem, would visit us from the U.S. But since I am almost a vegetarian now (since I mostly just eat vegetables, fruits and other non-dairy products on a daily basis), we were more than prepared for her diet. (^_^)

So I first thought of grilling tofu and spinach for her. But I was also craving to dress up and have dinner out. I figured, we can go back to Red Kimono in Westgate, Alabang, one of the few restaurants in our area that offer vegan dishes.

As a vegan, Jem doesn't eat anything that come from animals, insects... practically anything that comes from a living thing with a face (as Peter puts it, LOL), including honey (I was shocked!) since it comes from bees. According to http://vegetarian.about.com,

Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes meat, eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients. Many vegans also do not eat foods that are processed using animal products, such as refined white sugar and some wines. Most vegans also avoid the use of all products tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool. Vegan refers to either a person who follows this way of eating, or to the diet itself.

So it's a good thing that the vegetarian dishes in Red Kimono also pass up as vegan dishes.

Here are the delectable Red Kimono vegan / vegetarian dishes we had:

Layered Spinach Tofu (with sweet miso paste) - This is what Jem had. OMG! I want to make this at home!

Crunchy Veggie (a crunchy vegetarian sushi dish filed an topped with "mock crab" salad) - Another dish that Jem had which Peter and I tasted too.

Red Scorpion Maki (Maki rolled with soft shell crab, salmon and scallops-topped with bits of tuna) - Peter was the one who chose this dish for me. I wanted to try something new and not the usual sashimi, California Maki and sushi that I order in Japanese restaurants.

Sukiyaki (Tender beef with noodles, veggies and tofu in a sweet broth) - This is what Peter ordered. I ate one of the tofu, teehee.

Then of course, we all had miso soup, and water for drinks (although I ordered mango banana shake too, hehe.)

Jem, brought me a lot of happiness this latter part of the year. Her way of life rekindled my desire for a life well-lived. I may just go vegetarian one of these days since I am already practically like that! As for being a vegan, we'll see. I already gave up chocolates, cakes and ice cream. I'm not about ready to give up honey, yogurt, skim milk and eggs just yet. (^_^)

Have a prosperous and healthy new year! Til our next healthy food date! Bon appetit!

A Simple Noche Buena Good for People with GERD

2011-12-28T04:33:00.003+08:00

My hubby and I have always had simple Christmas celebrations. Since both of us are not huge fans of the season, we prefer not to make a fuss about it. Actually, if it weren't for my family being with us, we probably would have slept through it. Anyway, last Christmas, Peter just prepared food enough for the five of us (my parents and sister included), making sure that I won't be eating oily and fatty dishes since I have special food requirements, although I did have Pancit Canton from Amber's, two glasses of strawberry wine and a glass of Coke. Luckily, I didn't feel bad afterward so maybe my GERD has already healed. ^_^

Baked Chicken

I only ate the meat inside and avoided the skin.

Baked Hotdogs and Cold Mallows

I just had the baked hotdogs and avoided the marshmallows. I did have some chips though even if they're forbidden.

Lettuce and Pineapple Salad

This was meant for me... the only truly safe food I can eat that night.

Sweetened Ham

Because this ham was mostly meat and Peter just baked it, it's safe for me to eat.

I'm really feeling a lot better these days, health-wise. Even when I ate food not good for my GERD, I didn't have any heartburn nor acid reflux afterward. I'm praying that I'm healed and that perhaps I can slowly try some other dishes that I've been missing (like coffee, cake and ice cream). Cheers to a healthier me this new year! ^_^

Good Food at Bono Yaki

2011-12-15T17:08:00.000+08:00

Every time Peter and I would eat out, it's always a challenge finding a restaurant offering dishes I can eat. It get can pretty depressing actually but it's a good thing that I've gotten the hang of it. I'm starting to think that after a month of GERD medication, my taste has already change. I no longer crave the foods I used to eat before. I'm now more into bland, a bit salty, less sweet and less tasty but healthier foods.

What usually happens when we're out is we'd start by entering a restaurant, asking for the menu, scanning if there's anything in there that is not oily, not creamy, with no dairy, no cabbage/tomatoes/cucumber/broccoli, no vinegar and other citric substances, no caffeine, and with limited amount of sugar only. It's miracle I haven't lost so much weight. I guess it's a testament that there are still places and dishes out there that I can enjoy to the fullest. Like this Asian buffet restaurant we saw along Libis --- BONO YAKI.

We were thinking of ordering a la carte. But having seen the many choices of dishes available on their buffet table at Php580.00 per person, we opted to try that instead.

In the video above, I am cooking fresh seafood while Peter is enjoying all kinds of meat.

We asked that our frying pan be replaced with one that has no oil in it and voila -- I was finally having a great time cooking healthy food I can eat.

I had salmon, tuna, blue marlin, squid, mushroom, leafy vegetables, sushi and sashimi. My desserts were fruits and jellies. I hope more restaurants would be this GERD-friendly.

Bon appetit!

How to Make Spinach Tasty Using a Microwave

2011-12-02T14:02:00.004+08:00

I'm now on my third week of medication and I realized that these dishes I'm making aren't really a big jump from my previous eating habits. The only thing missing from my diet now are those cakes, ice cream, chocolates and cocktails I used to enjoy after my healthy meal. Now, I have macapuno, sweetened langka, and honey for desserts. Anyway, bottom line is, it was stress and lack of sleep that really made me sick. If only I listened to my body sooner, I could still be enjoying my junk food now. Oh well. I don't mind. Now I'm really forced to eat healthily.

Anyway, since I can no longer use vinegar, tomatoes and onions for my salad dressing, I invented another way to make my spinach tasty and not bitter. I do this for my Kangkong and other leafy vegetables too. Here's how:

Ingredients:

Spinach leaves
guava juice or apple juice
egg
Italian herbs
salt (optional)

Procedure:

wash the spinach leaves, put them on a plate and set it aside
beat an egg (you can put a dash of salt if you want)
pour the scrambled egg onto the spinach leaves
pour a little guava or apple juice
sprinkle with Italian herbs
put in the microwave for about two minutes

It tastes good! And it's healthy too! Couple it with half a cup of brown rice and smoked fish, it's already a complete meal. The egg contains protein and Spinach is a rich source of all kinds of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients!

Spinach has a high nutritional value and is extremely rich in antioxidants, especially when fresh, steamed, or quickly boiled. It is a rich source of vitamin A (and especially high in lutein), vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, manganese, folate, betaine,iron, vitamin B₂, calcium, potassium, vitamin B₆, folic acid, copper, protein, phosphorus,zinc, niacin, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, opioid peptides calledrubiscolins have also been found in spinach.
Polyglutamyl folate (vitamin B₉ or folic acid) is a vital constituent of cells, and spinach is a good source of folic acid. Boiling spinach can more than halve the level of folate left in the spinach, but microwaving does not affect folate content.^[8]

Try it! Bon apetit!

Tofu Heaven - Healthy and Tasty

2011-11-24T19:17:00.003+08:00

It was a chilly night and both our pantry and fridge were out of stock. No more eggs, no more veggies, no more fruits. All I have in there were two bottles of Vodka Ice and a bottle of Mudshake (from Halloween's... Actually, we still got 2 cases of San Mig Light and Vodka Ice in there, tsk, tsk)). If I were still my old self, I'd forego eating (or maybe I'd order several dishes from Jollibee) and just drink the Vodka Ice. Unforunately, I can no longer afford to be my old, unhealthy self. This GERD has completely changed my eating habits and has made me more conscious of the food I ingest.

Then I saw this square piece of package at the far end of the chiller. I completely forgot we bought tofu the last time we did the groceries.

What to do with it? I can't just grill it. I can't fry it. I can't put vinegar in it. The feeling of depression over food was slowly returning but I clawed my way back to my happy place and that's when it hit me.

Inside one of our kitchen cabinets were some condiments I can use. I've got a bottle of soy sauce and a half bottle of honey. They're not included in the bad food list. Plus, there are still some tarragon and salt in the pantry. Perfect!

That was the time I invented a new kind of sauce - soy sauce and honey. Now I use it in practically every bland dish I have. Before, I can only relate soy sauce with vinegar and calamansi. This is totally uncharted territory for me. LOL!

So I took off the tofu packaging, placed big block of tofu on a dish, put a bit of salt and tarragon on all sides, and poured my newly invented soy and honey sauce. I placed the whole thing in the oven and baked it for 20 minutes in 250 F degrees. I covered the top with foil so it doesn't get burnt.

Voila!

It was truly Tofu heaven! Even my hubby loved it! <3 Bon appetit!

Healthy Weekend Feast

2011-11-22T18:44:00.012+08:00

When Peter and I do the groceries, we can be very efficient. We already know where to go and we typically get the same items every time. But since I had GERD, I have to be more choosy and creative with the food we buy. No more chips, dips, cookies, cakes, ice cream, and chocolates. Even tomatoes, onions, pepper, spices, and all those things on my bad food list are a no-no now.

Thank God for the emergence of whole and organic foods, I am still left with a number of choices that can cater to my sweet tooth and my need for scrumptious dishes.

Below are just some of the food Peter and I prepared last weekend when two of our dear friends (Peachie and Marichit) stayed with us. If you have a desire to be healthier, or if you're having problems with heartburn and acid reflux too, but have a natural inclination towards sweets, know that you are not alone. There are still so many choices out there to choose from. It's not yet the end of the world. (^_^)

Herbed steak with Honey

This is a beef rib-eye steak, dashed with a bit of salt and tarragon, and poured with honey. It was baked for 20 minutes in an oven at 250 F degrees. Just make sure you cover it with foil so it doesn't get burnt.

Brown Rice

This is always a healthier choice.

Mango Pudding by Dole

Peachie said the pudding tastes like eraser (LOL!) but I liked it! The mango bits are sweet and complement the bland taste of the pudding.

Yakult Drink

Salmon Steak

This is cooked the same way as the beef rib-eye steak.

Smoked Bangus with Lettuce

You just have to heat the smoked bangus for 10 minutes inside the oven at 250 F degrees.

Smoked Salmon with Olives and Boiled Egg

Graham Crackers and Honey

This is absolute heaven! You can add cinnamon for more flavor.

Cinnamon Apple Tea

This has no caffeine and won't trigger acid reflux.

Nata de Coco, Langka / Jackfruit / and Macapuno

A very good and healthy alternative to other sweets.

Bon appetit!

Herbed Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots and Lettuce

2011-11-18T18:52:00.006+08:00

Here's another dish I made that's good for people like me who are suffering from acid reflux or GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) ---> Herbed Chicken with Potatoes, Carrots and Lettuce. It's tasty, it's colorful, and very, very healthy. Here's how you can do this too. It's very easy.

Ingredients:

skinless chicken breast
lettuce
baby potatoes
carrots
taragon
rosemary
thyme
salt

Procedure:

Thaw the frozen skinless chicken breast.
Pour the spices on the chicken (taragon, rosemary, thyme, a bit of salt)
You may or may not skin the baby potatoes as long as they've been washed.
Cube the carrots.
Boil the baby potatoes and carrots.
Put everything on a plate (except the lettuce) and put it inside the oven.
Bake it at 250 degrees F for 20 minutes.
Add the lettuce before serving.
Serve it with 1/2 cup rice.
Serve mineral water for drink.

Bon appetit!

Smoked Salmon on Toast - good food for acid reflux and GERD

2011-11-16T18:21:00.009+08:00

I've been taking my medicines for 6 days now (Domperidone GI norm 10 mg and Omeprazole Omepron 20mg) and I am continuously learning my lesson... One of which is to not eat anymore when I'm about to go to bed. Though it was only a bowl of fish, eggplant and rice that I ate on Saturday evening, which are all included in the safe foods for GERD, I woke up nauseous the next day and threw up everything I ate several times! Tsk, tsk, tsk.

When I did further research on GERD and joint pain (which I have also been experiencing on my left knee for sometime now), it's because food eaten 3 hours before bed time does not really get digested properly, they just rot in your stomach, thereby producing lots of acids, and for people like me with GERD, the effect can be painful and unnecessary. Since then, I space my meals; I eat every 2 hours; I finish only a third or half of what's on my plate and reserve the rest for my next meal time. You can say that it's like the way J.Lo eats her food --- small portions, 6x a day.

Furthermore, I have eliminated sugar (ice cream, cakes, chocolates --- I know, it's depressing) in my diet because I think that's the main cause of my joint pain and eat only those on my doctor's list of good foods.

At first glance, you'd think that my diet is now boring. But I found a way to make it like it used to be before -- colorful and flavorful but without the unnecessary and bad ingredients. I actually feel much better now, 6 days into my new diet and medication. Even the pain on my left knee has subsided a bit.

My husband, Peter, did an experiment on dishes I can eat and I super liked the first one! Now that he has new job and can't stay home anymore, except to sleep, I've been following his lead. After I ate my share of Smoked Salmon on Toast, I didn't feel any heartburn at all and I slept like a little baby.

Smoked Salmon on Toast

Ingredients:

toasted whole wheat bread, halved
sliced carrots
romaine lettuce/green lettuce/mustard leaves (blanched)
honey
green olives
a little rosemary and thyme
slices of smoked salmon

This food is so easy to prepare and tastes so delicious! Actually, since I've had GERD, both Peter and I have been discovering and making homemade gourmet-like dishes that don't take too much time to prepare and are very healthy. Well, except during breakfast. I always have a half cup of instant oatmeal in hot water with cinnamon, honey and a few slices of banana.

Cheers to better health and better eating habits! Til my next gourmet-like meal. Bon appetit!

GERD and Acid Reflux Foods - My So-Called Healthy Diet Before. WHAT WENT WRONG???

2011-11-11T12:55:00.010+08:00

So it's official. I'm not pregnant but I do have GERD. Its symptoms started exhibiting in October when we were in Misibis Bay. Just so you know, you would have GERD if you have the following symptoms:

You feel like you want to burp but you can't.
It feels like there's something stuck in your throat.
It's hard to swallow. Worse, it's painful to swallow.
You're experiencing heartburn more than usual.
You hear a regurgitating sound in your throat like there's air twirling in there.
You throw up your food (this has never happened to me but it happened to Peter and it was painful watching him).
The food you've already swallowed backs up to your mouth (this always happen s to me).

Early signs and possible causes of GERD:

You're always stressed.
Your voice is hoarse for no reason at all (and I thought it was just because I'm always by myself with no one to talk to).
You burp even when you haven't eaten anything yet.
You skip meals then eat a mountain of food when you get really hungry.
You like eating fatty and acidic foods.
You drink coffee/tea/carbonated drinks like it's water.
You sleep within 0-3 hours after eating.
You seldom rest.

So anyway, I didn't know I had GERD then. I thought I was just unhealthy because of my non-sleeping habits. So I started to take care of myself a little bit more. I slept more than 4 hours a day and I started paying attention to Reader's Digest October issue saying that adding fat and more lean meat to your diet can actually help you lose weight rather than skipping meat altogether and eating more high calorie foods (It's true by the way! More meat less carbs can make you lose weight). So the following became my diet the whole month of October:

My breakfast: Sustagen, a table spoon of apple cider vinegar mixed in my mineral water, oatmeal with honey and cinnamon, banana, and vitamin C, iron and calcium tablets. ***I later on found out that iron and calcium shouldn't be taken together and that there are studies saying that iron is related to reducing life span rather than lengthening it. Vitamin C shouldn't be taken especially if you already take it with the foods you eat like vegetables and fruits. Calcium is the only vitamin according to health studies that can actually help lengthen life.

steak, brown or red rice, and veggie salad for lunch or dinner plus a glass of white wine

green leafy vegetables with apple cider vinegar, onions and tomatoes as my in between snacks

Yakult for my tummy, tuna, olives, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and wheat bread for dinner.

AND... I always drink Vita Plus, tomato and cranberry juice.

So what went wrong?

Apparently, LOTS of stuff in my previous so-called healthy diet were wrong for me! Here's what my doctor recommended after my check up yesterday:

Foods that must be avoided if you have GERD:

spicy foods and condiments
caffeine-containing beverages, even decaf ones
tomatoes (OH NO!)
citric juices like orange, calamansi, grapefruit, cranberry (yikes!)
alcoholic drinks (goodbye cocktails and wines, huhuhu)
dairy products - whole milk (good bye cakes, chocolates, cheese)
high fat salad dressings like sour cream and cream cheese (waaaah!)
gas-forming vegetables like broccoli, brussels, sprouts, cabbage, garlic (and I eat them whole most of the time!), onion (which I eat raw ALL the time), cauliflower, cucumber, green pepper (one of my faves!) and turnips.
Further research also showed that oily foods would be a no-no too.

Foods to include in your diet when you have GERD:

caffeine-free tonics
all lean, tender meats, skinless poultry (thank God!)
fish and shellfish (hallelujah!)
eggs (yay!)
soy beans including tofu
low-fat skim milk products
whole grain crackers, Graham crackers
white or brown rice
noodles/spaghetti
all vegetables except tomatoes
limited amount of butter

So at least, my world hasn't ended yet. Peter made me an awesome dinner last night which is a start. I didn't experience any of the GERD symptoms and I slept very soundly. It made me feel like I can be happy with eating again. I'll share that with you next so stay tuned. (^_^)

Misibis Bay Scrumptious Buffet Meals - Where it all started

2011-11-10T20:43:00.013+08:00

When I changed the domain name of our food blog from dietmotivator.blogspot.com to www.sexynomnom.com, it was also around that time that I started exhibiting symptoms of GERD or Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It may have been triggered by all those buffet meals (breakfast buffets, lunch buffets, dinner buffets) we had at Misibis Bay in October made worse by drinking lots of coffee every single day for so many years now, eating lots of chocolates and ice cream, sleeping right after eating, or days when I don't eat at all then I suddenly eat a mountain of food in one go, and a whole month (or had it been months? I can't recall anymore) of not sleeping well. In short, I was not taking care of myself, coupled with stress from work and problems at the home front.

I didn't realize these things then. I figured, I just needed to sleep 8 hours a day again and eat at least three complete and healthy meals a day. Anyway, I went to the doctor today and the gastro specialist said that all my symptoms point to GERD but I do have to know whether I'm pregnant or not so I can take the right medication (Yikes!).

Anyway, before I deal with a whole new diet of sorts, I want to remember those days in Misibis Bay where my hubby and I may not have only conceived a baby, but where we had a lot of scrumptious buffet meals. They were so delicious that my hubby actually couldn't say no to them. Unfortunately, on our last night, he had a bad acid reflux which kept us both awake all night. That was also the time when I started having this bad heart burn and it never went away since then. I actually sleep every night with a heavy feeling in my chest and wake up feeling anxious and panicky because I know I will feel the pain all over again. It's triggering my depression and making me feel sad all the time. Moderation (in everything) is really the key to happy eating. Tsk, tsk.

Now that I reviewed the photos of the food we had, it's really no wonder why too much of a good thing can be bad for you. Tsk, tsk. I should have been more cautious of what I was eating. But how can I resist? Take a look...

To think I actually skipped two buffet meals the whole time we were in Misibis Bay. Plus, I eat a ton of vegetables every day. I also stopped drinking Vita Plus. I should contact my upline tonight and order some more. But now I know it's not enough. I should've said no to all those jobs and slept more. Now, I'm suffering the consequences. I can no longer eat all these foods you see here. It's time for a brand new set of diet plan. In a way, it's a good thing. I finally have the proper motivation to trim down and rest more. I'll share my creative meal plans with you in the coming days. Just because I have GERD doesn't mean I can't enjoy my meals. Bon appetit!

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe

2011-09-26T00:55:00.006+08:00

Peter and I just got home from our dinner date with my best friend, Mer, at Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe located across Tiendesitas. It was our first time there and oh my!!! Looks like we have to keep coming back there. The food is so delicious!

We ordered Callos, Lengua Con Setas, Beef Stew, all with extra rice...

Lengua Con Setas

Callos

Beef Stew

...then capped off our dinner with brewed coffee and 3 types of cupcakes: Mocha Butter Cream Fudge, Beehive and Chocolate Mousse.

Beehive

Mocha Butter Cream Fudge

Chocolate Mousse

All the food was really good and I think I overate a little bit. That said though, it was pretty busy tonight and although the waitstaff were all very friendly, service simply wasn't as brisk as we would have preferred. Still, the food and the patient staff's easy smile more than made up for the many delays.

Homemade Cocktails with Tang Adventure Drinks

2011-09-22T19:22:00.002+08:00

Wow, it's been a while since I last shared anything new with you here. We've just been recycling our old vegetable dishes and other recipes the past three weeks and when that gets pretty boring, we just order in pizza from Pizza Hut, or get those 39er meals from Jollibee, or go to Goldilocks and order their yummy but inexpensive junior meals. We try to live as frugally as possible without sacrificing our cravings and sweet desires. What happens to the money that we save? Well, that goes to either our savings, our travels, or to buy stuff that last like the water fountain we got from Kenko last weekend and that really awesome trampoline from Festival Mall.

Anyway, when we were doing our groceries, we noticed that Tang came up with new adventure flavors. We got one that's blue called Underwater Adventure.

When we tasted it, both Peter and I were reminded of those colorful ice candies we used to drink from thick plastic tubes we usually buy outside our school. This juice definitely brought back some happy childhood memories! The sweet taste is a mixture of grape and lemon. Loved it! Now, to make this drink more fun, I made a homemade cocktail out of it by adding vodka apple from The Bar and a stronger vodka from Cossack.

Both vodka drinks are also very inexpensive but totally swag. I was a bit tipsy after my first glass!
That's it for now. I'm gonna try Tang's new Galaxy Adventure next. Cheers!

Losing Weight with Fat Burning Soup

2011-08-30T04:15:00.004+08:00

Because of the current weather we've been experiencing lately, we've also been eating a lot. It's just so nice to vegetate and eat when the weather is cold, rainy and stormy... until we realize that we've gained a few more pounds and it's not pretty.

So recently, my hubby and I started on our fat burning soup diet. It mostly contains vegetables like carrots, onions, pepper, tomatoes, etc. Because of its low calorie content, we'd surely burn more fats a lot faster. In fact, just yesterday, my husband's aunt commented that Peter seems to have lost weight. I definitely believe that it's because of this fat burning soup diet. Check out the complete recipe on the link and try losing weight a lot faster this way too.

Bon appetit!

BRGR: The Burger Project

2011-08-24T02:21:00.020+08:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I have a list of the top 5 burgers you can find in the metro. I've been planning on doing a full blown post on it for quite a while now but unfortunately, I haven't really had the chance to visit these burger joints recently and I felt it would be better if I have new photos to go with my post.

Anyway, I've decided that it might make better sense if I just featured my top 5 burgers one at a time. So today, we take a look at The Brgr Project which has very recently taken the number 5 spot on my list. I've been hearing a lot of really good things about the place so I was quite happy when Jen and I found ourselves in this cozy little burger place on 122 Maginhawa St. Teacher's Village, Quezon City a few weekends ago.

One of the key attractions of the place is that you can customize your own burger. To order, they give you a form where you indicate what you want put in your burger. Naturally, you start of with the patty and they offer certified Angus beef (php125 per patty) 100% beef (php95 per) patty) chicken (php95 per patty) and even tofu! (php75 per patty)

You then get to choose the buns and the cheese. You can then add premium and then basic toppings; they have a fairly good selection you can choose from; then you can opt to finish it off with one of their specialty sauces.

Sadly, they didn't have any Angus beef patties available when we visited so Jen and I settled for the 100% beef patties. Jen got a single patty between a sesame seed bun. She added some Gruyere cheese, Canadian bacon, sauteed mixed mushrooms and topped it up with mango salsa, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and marinara and pesto sauce.

Jen's Burger Project Order Form

She named it the "Sexynomad BRGR"

I kept mine a bit simpler although a bit heavier. I had 2 100% beef patties, withe Gruyere and cheddar cheese, some bacon, caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes pickles and sun dried tomatoes, in between a poppy seed and sesame seed bun.

My order form

I dub thee, "The Mordo Basic"

We also got a side of perfectly cooked, beautifully well battered onion rings.

Lighter and tastier than fries

There are 2 primary reasons why the Burger Project shot up to top 5 on my list. The first would be the patties. And here's the thing really, burgers are all about the patty. If the patty is no good, it doesn't matter how good your sauces or your toppings are. That burger will be inferior. Now, although we didn't get to try the Angus beef patties during our visit, the regular beef patties were actually pretty damn good. Mine were beautifully cooked, just a shade over medium rare. They were tender, juicy, very flavorful and perfectly seasoned, which sets the stage for my second reason. All the add-ons they offered were also quite amazing, particularly the sauteed mixed mushrooms and the caramelized onions which were cooked fresh and did not add any unnecessary grease to my burger. Simply put, the toppings worked to complement and to highlight their rather wonderful beef patties. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I know Jen did.

nom

NOM!

I really do have only one complaint about BRGR: The Burger Project and that's they only have the one branch all the way in Quezon City. I certainly hope they can open one closer to where I am; I'm not even asking for one in Alabang; I'd be happy to find one in BGC or Makati. Seriously, it makes little sense to me that such a great burger place like The Burger Project only has one store and yet there are Crave Burgers and their flavorless patties popping up all over the place.

Anyway, in spite the distance, I am hoping to drop by again as soon as possible. Because a good burger is worth the drive.