Hotdog Potato Spinach Medley

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 :

Soyami - Snacking Without the Guilt

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:

Figaro New Dinner Meals

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.

Eating My Own Harvest = One Healthy Meal

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:

Healthy Weekend Feast

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.

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

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:

The Red Rice and Vegetable Diet

We originally made this blog to journal the food we make at home. But because of time constraint brought about by our busy work schedules, we ended up eating out more, or ordering food delivery or take out. Moreover, when we travel, we of course have no choice but to dine at a restaurant we like which we also share here (more to come on this after this post).

Lately though, Peter and I have fallen into our old routine of making our own food at home. This was due to the following factors:

1. We're not getting any younger and if we want to eat healthily in order to lose weight then we might as well start making our own food again.

2. Making our own food at home considerably brings down our food expenses.

3. We have complete control over what we want to eat.

4. Peter recently resigned from his job in order to set up his own digital PR/Advertising business. He's currently enjoying doing work from home half the time which means, if he doesn't want to keep eating what I make (mostly Adobong vegetables), then he has no choice but to start making dishes for us since he is the better cook anyway. ^_^

Below are some of the dishes Peter prepared the past week since we got back from our Cebu-Bohol-Siargao trip...

vegetable salad with cheese and citronella dressing + pâté on french bread

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.

Scrambled Vegetables and Eggs

One egg a day can prevent breast cancer in both men and women by 24%. This is why I try to have one egg everyday. The manner of cooking doesn't matter. It could be sunny side up, scrambled, poached or whatever.As long as we eat one egg a day, we're helping ourselves get rid of breast cancer by 24%. So today, for brunch, I made scrambled eggs with vegetables.

Ingredients:

• sliced onion
• sliced bell pepper
• sliced tomato
• sliced garlic
• 3 tbsps. of canola cooking oil
• Italian seasoning or herbs
  
• a pinch of salt
• a inch of pepper
• 2 eggs (for two servings)

Tofu, Walnuts and Oils - Good Fish Substitutes

What if I don't like eating fish?


Fortunately, I do. It's a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce risk of getting a heart attack in the future.


But for people who do not like the taste, smell, or even the sight of fish, well, fret not because there are other sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The levels are not as high (less 10%) as those of fish, but they will have to do. These are: Canola and Soybean oils, Walnuts, Tofu, and Flaxseed.

Eggplant in Scrambled Eggs For Breakfast

I seldom buy eggplants coz from what I learned about it back in grade school, it doesn't really have any nutrients in it. Just water. But anyway, I was craving for eggplant lately so I tried to make some "Tortang Talong". Unfortunately, Peter wasn't around to help me get it done right so what I did was:

• Sliced the eggplant in the middle without cutting it from its stem
  
• Fried it on both sides
• Put a dash of salt and pepper
• While it was frying, I poured a bowl of 2 scrambled eggs.
• When the scrambled eggs were cooked, I folded the whole thing on both sides.

It was pretty tasty. It even lasted until lunch. Plus, I know it's quite healthy. According to an article on Reader's Digest, an egg a day will help reduce by 24% the likelihood of breast cancer in women. So these days, I try to eat 1 egg a day. I just have to come up with other ways of cooking it. ^_^



Bon appetit!