My Zoobic Diet

We went to Zoocobia and Zoobic last weekend for free! Wee! And as part of the tour, we were also provided with lunch and dinner. Not that I was expecting an ostentatious display of exotic food, but I was hoping for something more... delectable. After all, we did walk a lot and it was so very tiring. Oh well. Thank God for the yummy Sisig Siopao breakfast we had at 7-11 that morning, at least I wasn't that hungry.

But anyway, I was happy with what they served us. For lunch, there was a mini buffet of ham, eggs, salad, toasted bread, juice and french fries. It was enough to keep our strength up. It just didn't go well with the time of day. This meal is more of a breakfast than lunch. I was hoping for adobo or kaldereta. Hehehe. Peace!

For dinner, I started salivating the moment I saw the waiters handing out Chicken Inasal to the other people we were with. Unfortunately, by the time they got to us, there was only fried pork left. Blech! I personally don't like pork and this one wasn't really particularly tasty. Oh well. Gotta be thankful for free food. At least, I didn't feel so bloated that my Zoobic getup actually felt quite loose after the trip. Hehehe. Peace!

Impressca and the Story Behind the Healthy Food Choice

I had the opportunity to try out the salad and sandwich offerings at Impressca when I went shopping at the 3-day sale of SM Cubao. They had just opened that same day and I have a feeling that it will be a brand that many food lovers, particularly vegetarians and health conscious folks, would surely patronize and enjoy. I read about how it started and I was very inspired. I thought, why not publish here the very essay written by its owner on how it all started? So here it is. The following is an essay by Elizabeth Ella Echano, the brain behind the new and very impressive food outlet, Impressca.

“For the Love of Creation”

I came from humble beginnings but with enormous dreams. My parents were teachers, thus, I was nurtured to broaden my horizon leading to a personal intuition towards entrepreneurship. I learned in college that success is “One percent luck and ninety-nine percent sweat”. In everything I do to try to gain headway in my pursuit for a meaningful business, I am always guided of this line from Martin Luther which consistently become my cling in every step I’m on … “I have so much to do (today) that I should spend the first three hours in prayer.” I am starting my entrepreneurial story with the above lines because IMPRESSCA’s birth is 100% guts plus 100% faith.

Toasted Chicken Liver + Fried Baby Potatoes + Salad

Here's how I did it:

I dried everything with a piece of tissue, put them on a clean plate and put a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

I popped them in a toaster oven and let it run a full clock on each side. After one run, I take out the liver and spread them on a piece of tissue for the natural oil that dripped from the fatty liver be absorbed by the tissue then I popped them back again inside the toaster oven, but this time, I make sure that the other side gets toasted too. Then I set my toasted chicken liver aside.

I prepare my baby potatoes same way I prepared the chicken liver, only this time, instead of toasting, I fried them in about 4 tbsps. of canola oil.

Grilled Angus Rib Eye Steak with Sweetened Vegetables and Fried Baby Potatoes

My sister is currently staying with us. She has never tried any of my cooking so I wanted to impress her a bit. I prepared my favorites for her --- grilled rib eye steak, sweetened mixed vegetables and of course my fried baby potatoes.

The trick to making the perfect rib eye steak is to thaw the meat properly, wipe it with a clean cloth or tissue afterwards so that it will brown well, dash both sides of the meat with lots of pepper and salt and grill each side of the meat on a nice oiled hot grill pan for four minutes each. This amount of time would be enough to brown the surface, keep the meat tender while keeping the inside pink and medium rare.

Buttered Salmon Delight, Honeyed Veggies, White Wine and Almond Vanilla & Pistachio Ice Cream

This has got to be the best salmon I've ever tasted so far and I made it myself! I cooked it the way I grill rib eye steaks, only this time, each side must be fried in butter for 2 1/2 minutes, medium heat. This will ensure that the salmon turns pink and not brown.

What I did first was to thaw the two pieces of salmon we have. Once they're all thawed out, I wiped the fish using a clean cloth. This made it easier for the salmon to turn pink later on. I then sprinkled both sides with salt and pepper. Afterward, I put one in my pan with the melted butter. Once the first salmon was done, I did the same thing with the second one.

Grilled Ribeye Steak with Veggie Salad

Had I known how easy it was to make this, I should've done so a long, long time ago. So what I did was thaw my frozen ribeye first. Once it's soft, I take it out of the plastic, dry it with a clean cloth or tissue (so it will brown better while cooking), dash both sides with salt and pepper as I let my pan heat up  on the stove. Once the pan is hot, I then grill it, 4 minutes each side. While it's grilling, I slice some tomatoes, olives, Chinese pechay, onions and garlic. When everything is done,  I place them on my big square plate, garnish them with my fave herbs - basil, thyme, and rosemary. Voila --- Grilled Rib Eye Steak with Veggie Salad!

Bon appetit!