On the Third Day…
I forgot I’m on a diet!
Fruits are forbidden for two weeks when you’re on SB. The objective is to wean your body from sugar, including fructose. I absent-mindedly had a piece of pomelo while catching up with birthday girl Angel during lunch.
Come dinner, birthday boy JM invited us to his intimate party. I did not have the heart to turn down his Mom’s spaghetti and macaroni salad. Also couldn’t resist a piece of siomai, a little pancit and a tiny slice of dark chocolate mousse.
Now I am filled with remorse. Tsk, tsk. I shouldn’t have weighed myself this morning. The complacency must have kicked in after seeing I’ve already lost two pounds.
Day Two: No to Tofu
One of the things I struggled with during my initial attempt at SBD was the tofu breakfast dishes. Tofu just doesn’t cut it for me so early in the morning.
This time around, I requested the caterer not to send me tofu for breakfast. But I still got this:
Good thing I didn’t touch dinner last night (I had pork sinigang in my Mom’s place. No rice, of course. Just a piece of meat and veggies). I ended up having steak for breakfast. I hope it’s okay that I’m moving meals around.
Meanwhile, hubby started his day content with leftover pizza…
* I complained about the tofu. Caterer promised to deliver an extra breakfast for me after my 14th day. Hope they remember!
Beach Time
All the sweets and the junk and the carbs and the indulgences have finally taken its toll. I gained five pounds in two weeks. Eeeccckkk!!!
After much deliberation and computation, I’ve resolved to go on a strict diet for the remaining days of September. The goal is to lose the five, plus more. Eight would be okay. Ten would be most ideal so I can have some buffer for the imminent holiday feasting.
South Beach is my diet of choice. It strictly prohibits sugar and carbs for fourteen days and gradually integrates them back into one’s diet.
I am not a heavy carb-eater. I can live without rice but to deprive me of chocolates is to deprive me of air.
Exag, I know. So shoot me 🙂
I first tried SBD in March. I ballooned to an unbelievable weight following my failed pregnancy. I was at my heaviest, literally and figuratively. Despite religious supervised work out, the pounds stuck. I had more bulges than usual and they just won’t budge.
It’s all that sugar, my doctor said, after I confessed that I coped with our loss with copious amounts of chocolates. She suggested SBD saying controlling my sugar intake would be best for me and my future baby.
I looked up SBD delivery online and figured it would actually be more practical ordering it than attempting to make the meals myself. That said, the prices are far from cheap! Especially, since I went for the more expensive alternative whose food seemed way better than the more popular caterer.
The good news is their food was really good! There’s enough variety, all dishes were tasty and the portions were generous enough for me to sometimes share with the hubby.
I would look forward to their daily menu. They sent me steaks and salads, shrimps and satays. One day’s theme could be Asian, the next day Mediterranean.
Since all meals were neatly packed into reusable containers, I had no problem bringing them to the office or sneaking them into restaurants. Hehe.
And I did lose weight! Four pounds on the fifth day, seven after a week. By the time I finished their last delivery, I was ten pounds lighter. I regained the two in a month so it was just eight pounds total. Not bad.
I also successfully staved off my sugar cravings…until last month.
So, today I head back to the beach. And you are all free to join me. Let’s all hope that my first time wasn’t a fluke! 🙂
Breakfast of fish and eggs (hmmm…the serving’s smaller now! What happened?!)
Shrimp and Tofu snack
The President that Didn’t Disappoint
Went on a spontaneous trip to Old Manila where we paid our respects to the President — the President’s Grand Palace Restaurant. A Binondo institution for more than three decades, this President is the kind you’d wish we had.
Straightforward (menu), knowledgeable (servers), reasonable (prices) and quick (service). This President certainly did not disappoint 🙂
Started with bird’s nest soup
Really good chicken with garlic served on a bed of kangkong
Salted squid and chili for the win!
Yang chow, yum chow!
We wanted to order more…paging the other Yakkers.
We shall return for this…
Should this President need a First Lady, Maey will gladly take on the role 🙂
UNO
My first day back at work falls on the first day of September, which Filipinos consider as the first day of the holiday soon.
This day deserves a slice of the elegant Fallen Chocolate Cake from Uno.
(P.S. On the table next to ours was the equally elegant Gilda Cordero Fernando. Regret not asking her for a photo! Hope she’ll be there again on my next Uno visit…)
My Biggest Mistake
In my 32 years of existence my biggest mistake is (over)indulging my sweet tooth. I have not done anything to correct it. I don’t think I ever will.
Presenting some of the recent reasons why I will never have Venus’ 22-inch waistline.
1. Enderun’s Louis XIV (or chocolate delight)
Chocolate ganache on top of praline enrobed in silky, dark chocolate. Magic happens as soon as it touches your tongue 🙂 Thanks to my dear friend M’s new job for leading us to this enchanting dessert. Now I have another excuse to see her more regularly!
2. Crinkles from ADB.
I have another close friend’s career shift to thank for these goodies! Enough of crinkles that could pass of as paperweight. These are firm on the outside, rich and gooey on the inside.
One piece is actually big enough for two. But if you’re a cookie monster like me, one just won’t do.
3. Addie’s Ensaimadas
Addie is another friend from way back. I’ve always liked the sound of her real name, Adeleine. I find it so feminine, sweet and romantic. Like a little princess in an Old English novel who sips tea with her cookies in a manicured lawn.
Addie now bakes beautiful, cloud-like ensaimadas that would make you feel like royalty with every bite. Believe me, hers is the only name you should remember when it comes to dreamy ensaimadas.
4. Chocolat’s Death by Tablea
Yet another good friend is responsible for this lethal concoction of local chocolate and condensed milk. I’ve been addicted to these for some time now. Got even more hooked early this year when it was the only thing I wanted to eat during those “dark” days.
There you are Sir Baldwin, some of my biggest mistakes. Not! Try any of these to make you forget about any major, major problem that you have done in your life. Thank you soooo much!
(Please note that everything tastes better than they look. Mea culpa. I’m always too excited to eat to take better photos 🙂 )
Soup for the (Frantic) Soul
No appetite today.
Been glued to the boob tube like most everyone. Yesterday, it was for the cinematically pathetic hostage drama in Quirino. This morning, it was all about Venus.
I’m beat despite just staying at home.
What to eat when you’re tired and unsure of what you want? Soup is my standard hunger-buster.
Clam Chowder from a food court in Maryland. Around 7 dollars.
Chicken and Corn from Baang Coffee. Around 70 pesos.
Tomato Chicken Cabbage from our kitchen. Around 7 minutes to make (from whatever was in our fridge and pantry).
1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil and butter.
2. Add 1 piece chopped fresh tomato.
3. Add some fish sauce to taste.
3. Add half a cup of diced chicken breast.
4. When meat changes color, pour one can of crushed tomatoes (I use Capri brand from Italy. Available in major groceries).
5. Add some water, depending on the soup consistency you want.
6. Simmer then add one cup of chopped cabbage (You may add or use other vegetables like potatoes, carrots, etc).
7. Wait for veggies to cook. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Done!
I’m sure this would taste better with fresh basil and/or grated parmesan cheese (no more in stock! Must buy later 🙂 ).
Serve with crusty garlic bread. Turn off the TV, shutdown FB and enjoy!
Italiano? No. Ilocano? Wen.
From Italy we move to Ilocos.
Meet Dennis the GI. Genuine Ilocano. For forty pesos, he can make you a mean empanada.
Meat pie is the closest English translation for empanada. The Ilocano version is stuffed with shredded papaya, Vigan longganisa and one whole fresh egg.
It is deep fried until it becomes bright orange (Villar orange?!).
I prefer eating my empanada this way. I crack it open on a plate and then douse it with local vinegar. For an additional five bucks you can ask Dennis for extra longganisa 🙂
The best thing about this? The stall is just a stone’s throw away from GMA. No need to travel 10 hours to Ilocos.
La dolGelato!
Sometimes I wish we were living in Italy…and have access to all the gelato I want.
I still remember my first scoop of authentic gelato on a wintry night in Venezia. Despite the chill, I was craving for some ice cream. The hubby wanted me to wait the next morning but I was insistent. Please, I pleaded, just one tiny scoop 🙂 I got a small cup of hazelnut for 1 Euro at this corner gelateria by Basilica San Marco.
During our short stay in Italy, I would have a scoop or two every single day. I was hoping to sample as many flavors as I can. But there was just too much variety. I would probably need a year to cover all of them.
Our favorite was Roman gelato. We found theirs creamier than elsewhere.
R took this family’s stolen shot while we were in line at a shop near the Colosseo. Sadly, we forgot to take photos of the actual shop. Their gelato was the best we had in the trip!
Having my fill in Firenze.
Another day, another flavor. Yay!
Gelato, compared to ice cream, has less butterfat and is served 10-15 degrees warmer. Several restaurants in Manila have their own versions of gelato. But only Gelatissimo transported us back to Italy.
Tried Gelatissimo in Cebu last year. Heard it now has a branch in Greenbelt. Hope it finds its way to our area soon!
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This Is EAT! 