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Our Orange Whisk #FoodTrip Field Trip

September 16, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 20 Comments

One fine Saturday, the ABC ladies (sans Jane, who was off enjoying a super fun weekend in Bohol) went on a quick lunch trip to Orange Whisk in Better Living. I’m sorry I can’t explain how to get there, but I can say that the restaurant is not hard to find, that is if you’re familiar with the area. Or if you have Waze.

 

Orange Whisk
You’ll know you’re there when you see the sign!

 

I always knew that there were these really good, homey restaurants and cafes hiding in that area. MrC used to live in Parañaque, and I’d see these establishments all the time when we’d drive around. After all these years, I finally got to try one.

One of MrC’s work friends had lots of nice things to say about Orange Whisk. He’s from Better Living, and my husbandry asked him for help with directions a few days before our visit. He says that the steak is a must-order. We didn’t have that, but we did get to try a version of steak. I’ll tell you more about that later.

 

But first, let me tell you about Orange Whisk

 

Orange Whisk Restaurant and Patisserie is owned by the award-winning tandem of Chef Isaiah Ortega and Pastry Chef Korinne Lirio (who are engaged in real life, yeehee). Honestly, you feel the chemistry between these two through their food. What stuck with me was how sophisticated yet simple the flavor combinations were. Remember that scene from Ratatouille where Remy was talking about how combining flavors created something new, with matching colorful visions and all? That’s what it was like for me at Orange Whisk.

 

Chefs Isaiah and Korinne, their wall of fame at Orange Whisk, and the restaurant’s super cute light fixture

 

Chef Isaiah whips up Filipino and international dishes at Orange Whisk. Chef Korinne is in charge of pastries and desserts. There are a lot of dishes to choose from, and they can even customize a dish for you, provided that they have the ingredients needed on-hand. Winner, especially for particular, picky eaters. They also recently started carrying Chef Anna Chua’s amazeballs Pink Wasabi Kashi Maki as part of their menu. Super yay for that! 

 

Starting off with bread and coffee

 

Chewy buns!

 

The boys and I had come from football before our Orange Whisk lunch, so we came hungry. While our gracious hosts were busy in the kitchen, we were served some pastries and coffee to start with. Seriously, I am not over these Chewy Buns. They are sorta like a cross between crusty rolls and mochi balls. These were really good while they were warm, and they were perfect with a cup of coffee. I regret not buying a few to take home. I also regret not trying the coffee buns.

 

Good news! They serve good, strong coffee at Orange Whisk.

 

We also shared a plate of Calamansi Chiffon. You know how I love calamansi-flavored pastries. These were the bomb. They were light, fluffy, soft and moist. They were perfectly tart yet perfectly sweet. My matakaw self wishes that they were bigger, but I feel that they really are just the right size. These go great with coffee, too.

 

Calamansi Chiffon

 

Finally, the kitchen was ready for us

 

Isol Salad

 

After a few minutes of snacking and chatting, we were told that we were ready to be served. First came the Isol Salad, which Joei and Mish were a little scared of. In case you didn’t know, isol is chicken butt. I’ve had it before, but never in a salad. I have to say, this is not your ordinary isol sa kanto. Chef Isaiah’s treatment is a bit more refined. This dish had crispy chicken bottom, heart of palm, cucumber, cilantro, key lime and Japanese mayo. Isn’t it so pretty?

 

Calamansi Sherbet

 

After the salad, we were given small portions of calamansi sherbet to cleanse our palettes. Afterwards, they put big bowls of rice on the table, and there was just no way we could skip rice with the dishes that followed. It was a “Diet? What diet?” kind of day. Here’s a rundown of all of the dishes that we got to try.

 

Aubergines in Char Smoked Coconut Cream Sauce

 

The Aubergines in Char Smoked Coconut Cream Sauce is pan-grilled eggplant slathered in a smokey coconut cream sauce. This cannot and should not be eaten without rice, in my opinion. I like eggplants but only done a certain way because I don’t enjoy them when they get soggy. These were cooked perfectly, firm but not tough, and sliced thick. The sauce worked so well with the eggplant! If you like coconut cream, you will enjoy this.

 

Steamed King Fish in Crispy Mashed Soy Bean Sauce

 

The one problem I had with the Steamed King Fish in Crispy Mashed Soy Bean Sauce was that the fish was bony. A bigger fish would have worked better for this, most likely. Absolutely no complaints as far as flavor goes, though. MrC really loved the crispy crumble on the fish. I’m guessing that’s the crispy mashed soybean? He mixed it in with his white rice, and it was just perfect.

 

Grilled Mustard Tuna Loin in Bacon Saffron Cream Sauce

 

The Grilled Mustard Tuna Loin in Bacon Saffron Cream Sauce was my favorite dish of them all. And no, it’s not because it has bacon. I’m not super gaga over bacon ya know. I really love tuna, and the bacon saffron cream sauce made everything so rich and flavorful. I could have finished this entire plate of mustard marinated tuna loin with rendered bacon, saffron and cream, but I had to share it with the rest. I am coming back for this one for sure.

 

Wagyu Saikoro Steak in Blue Ginger Sauce

 

Little MrC happily ate the Wagyu Saikoro Steak in Blue Ginger Sauce. You know how this kid loves his steak. He really has sophisticated taste buds for such a small boy. I’m just happy he loves to eat good food. They used Japanese beef for this dish, and it was melt-in-your-mouth soft. I love that it is lightly seasoned with bell peppers, garlic, blue ginger and soy caramel, so you could really taste the beef. 

 

Braised Butabara Steak n Blue Cheese Tomato Red Wine Sauce

 

Finally, another dish that must be eaten with rice, Braised Butabara Steak n Blue Cheese Tomato Red Wine Sauce. This was my second favorite, next to the tuna. The skinless prime pork belly was super soft with layers of melty fat in between the meat. So bad, I know. But that does make it yummier, right? I liked the combination of tomato sauce, red wine and blue cheese in the sauce. Though, being a super bleu cheese fan I would have asked for extra cheese in mine. Maybe I’ll do that on my next visit.

 

Of course, there’s always room for dessert

 

You know the boys were happy with their sweet treats

 

After the amazing chewy buns and calamansi chiffon, I was really looking forward to what Chef Korinne prepared for us for dessert. She surprised us by bringing out not just one or two sweet treats, but a sampler plate of desserts for each of us. Sweet tooth heaven!!!!! We each had a Chewy Choco Walnut Bar, a White Chocolate Spoon with Dark Chocolate Mousse (so cute!), and Sticky Date Pudding. 

 

Black Sesame Panna Cotta with Strawberries

 

There was also a Black Sesame Panna Cotta with Strawberries, which was my favorite among Chef Korinne’s desserts. It was light and delicately flavored. I love that the panna cotta wasn’t the Jello-ed out kind. I seriously wanted more.

 

Reggie’s Cheese Kashi Maki from Pink Wasabi

 

And of course, I saved Reggie’s Cheese Kashi Maki from Pink Wasabi for last. I’m biased because I already love them. And really, what could be a better combination than cheese and chocolate to end a meal with such an amazing mix of flavors? 

 

Our little lunch group – Timmy, Joei, MrsC, Little and Big MrC, Chef Korinne, Chef Isaiah, and Mish

 

THANK YOU for having us, Chefs Isaiah and Korinne! We really enjoyed Orange Whisk and we can’t wait to take the family there. Thanks also Chef Anna and Reggie for the invite, and Michelle for putting all this together for ABC. 

 
Orange Whisk
35 Michael Rua St.,
Betterliving Subdivision, Parañaque
(02) 501 6454
Open on Mondays, and Wednesdays to Sundays 11AM – 11PM
Closed on Tuesdays!

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: Better Living, Food Trip, Orange Whisk, Paranaque, Pink Wasabi, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Restaurants Manila

7 Must-Try Breakfast Dishes at Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets #SundaySeven

September 7, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 27 Comments

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. Oh yest it is. So when Jane invited our ABC group to have brunch with her at Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets in Westgate, I said YES in the most enthusiastic way. I love that Tus’ is open for breakfast from 7AM to 10:30AM. See, MrC and I are always looking for places to eat early in the day. We love going out for breakfast or brunch, and this place is now officially part of our morning restaurant list.

Yes, our outfits are color-coordinated – Mish and Nino in white, Jane and Jeff in black and white, Joei and Timmy in blue, and MrC and I in yellow. No, we did not plan this.

 

The restaurant is owned by Chef Krsna Algenio (who happens to be the sister of my sister’s friend) and Maricar Sason. Both pretty ladies are also from Alabang, and event went to the same high school that MrC and I went to. TUS has a special meaning there. Joei and Timmy know this coz they’re also from La Salle. We actually asked if they chose this name because of that. The answer is no. The word tus simply means yours in Spanish. 

ABC and friends hehe!

 

So, when you go to Tus’ for breakfast (yes, I said WHEN and not IF), here are seven dishes that you absolutely positively have to order. As in. It doesn’t have to be all at once, but make sure you come back to try the ones you missed. Ready?

1. Pulled Pork with Coleslaw Breakfast Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Seasoned a slow-cooked pork, pulled apart and served with coleslaw

I cannot get over this dish! The pulled pork was perfectly seasoned. It was nice and toasty, like it had been cooked so long that the sauce dried up. The coleslaw was a perfect complement to the meat. If I had this plate to myself, I would have sopped up the egg yolk and baked beans together using the yummy slice of bread. I would go back just for this. 

 

2. Egg Salad and Asparagus Sandwich with Pan Seared Tomatoes (PHP 245.00)

Homemade egg salad with asparagus and chives served with pan-seared tomatoes and basil

My lola’s go-to dish at our favorite pancake place was their chicken asparagus sandwich. If she were still with us, I’d totally take her to Tus’ to try this egg salad and asparagus sandwich. I’m pretty sure she would love it. I ate a lot of this. It was really good. I loved the potatoes that came with the sandwich, too.

 

3. Spicy Beef Gozleme (PHP 290.00)

Savory paprika spicy beef cooked with garlic and cheese wrapped in gozleme dough and served with a cucumber salad

A gozleme is a traditional Turkish dish, made by filling a hand-rolled dough with various savory ingredients. The dough pocket is then sealed and cooked. I love exotic flavors, so this really worked for me. The cucumber salad has a very clean taste with a hint of dill. It worked well as a palate cleanser after a bite of the bold-flavored gozleme.

 

4. Bacon and Eggs Breakfast Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Three big strips of perfectly cooked bacon served with eggs, roasted tomatoes and baked beans

It’s bacon and eggs. Need I say more? Though I have to admit, I enjoy bacon more with rice. The good news is you can choose to have your breakfast skillet with either toast with butter, plain rice, or steak fat fried rice. 

 

5. Breakfast Sausage Skillet (PHP 350.00)

Homemade sausage with south style potatoes

THAT is the steak fat fried rice??? I didn’t get to try it, but I’ve already promised myself that I will soon. The homemade breakfast sausage is juicy and flavorful. It goes so well with the potatoes. This, for me, is the perfect big breakfast.

 

6. Margherita Pot Pie (PHP 380.00)

Filled with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and cheese
Filled with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and cheese

Pizza for breakfast? Yes please! This is like a mini deep-dish pizza, and it is so good. Little MrC would super enjoy this. I have to take him to Tus’ to try this. Maybe when I go back for the fried rice. 

 

7. Half-baked Cookie with Vanilla Ice Cream (PHP 160.00)

Trust me, you should not leave Tus’ without trying this.

There is always room for dessert, even after breakfast. My sister couldn’t stop talking about it for days after she first tried it. To be honest, I’m not a fan of raw cookie dough, but this one was good. I happily ate all the edges with ice cream. It’s a good thing my companions really enjoyed having the gooey center hehe.

These seven are my faves, but there are a few more things that you should also try at Tus’.

Fritatas (PHP 180.00)

There are three kinds – the two pictured below plus a Garden one with tomatoes, basil, asparagus and onions. These are served with toast and butter.

Potatoes, Onions & Cheese and Bacon & Spinach Frittatas

 

Chicken Ranch Pot Pie (PHP 360.00)

For when you don’t feel like having the Margherita hehe.

This has pan-seared chicken tossed in buffalo sauce inside, topped with cheese and ranch dressing

 

Hot Chicken Sandwich with Jalapenos (PHP 290.00)

For those who like spicy food. MrC loved this!

Pan seared chicken fillet on romaine lettuce topped with cheese and red onions, served with jalapenos on the side

 

Pineapple Float (PHP 390.00 for a pitcher)

I don’t drink pineapple juice, so I didn’t try this. Between the adults and kids who were there though, the pitcher ended up empty. So I say go, go, go and try it!

Pineapple juice + vanilla ice cream. Totally matched mine and MrC’s outfits. Next to it is the breakfast sausage with bread instead of rice, just because I felt like posting a photo of it again

 

BIG THANKS to Chef Krsna and Kai for feeding us and making us super duper happy. I cannot wait to go back there with my kiddo. I already know that he’s gonna love your food! Thank you also to Jane for organizing this yummy brunch. Promise I will not be late next time!

So, are you guys convinced? See you at Tus’?

 

Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets
D1 Westgate Center,
Filinvest Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Phone: +632 8283178
www.tusrestaurant.com
#/tusrestaurant
Serves Breakfast 7AM – 10:30AM, Lunch 10:30AM – 2PM, and  Dinner 5PM – 10PM

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: Filinvest Alabang, Tus’ Clay Pots and Skillets, Westgate Center

September #BaonPlan

September 1, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 21 Comments

Hello, September! I can’t believe you’re here. It’s been a full and eventful 2014 for me so far. It feels like the end of the 3rd quarter is coming around so quickly, and yet it also feels like this year is such a long one.

September, just like the months that came before it, is gonna be a full one. MrC and I are celebrating our anniversary in 10 days. This month also marks my 3rd blog anniversary, and I’m thinking of a nice give-back giveaway for my mommy blogger and WAHM friends. It’s the 4th month of school, and a start of a new term for the kiddo. The third grade has been quite challenging, but it looks like we’re doing okay. I have a bunch of blog events and activities on my calendar also, and that’s sure to be fun.

I have to admit that between mommy-ing, homemaking, MrC time, and writing for work, it’s becoming a challenge finding time to blog. I really want to continue posting often, regradless of how busy I become. Guess I just really have to make time for it and streamline my writing process. Or something. One adjustment that I’m making as of this moment is instead of 2-week baon plans, I’m going for a monthly post now. I feel that this will allow me less writing time and more cooking time, which is something I need.

Baon Sept
More baon, more fun!

 

I’ve made sure to put a hyperlink on all the recipes that I took from the internet, whether they’re from this blog or elsewhere. It’ll make recipe searching easier on all of us! And, just like before, if I get to try a recipe that I particularly like, I’ll make sure blog about it so that I can share it with you guys. Oh, and I also hope to make use of my newly acquired bento skills. Sana.

So, here we go with September’s Baon Plan. I included a pasta dish each week, and I’m extra excited about those. You know how pasta is my happy food. I also added lots of baked stuff as snacks, since my oven and I are now friends again. Hope you guys like the dishes I put together!

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: Baon Plan, cooking, Cooking at home, Lunch Box Ideas, Make ahead meals, Meal Plan, Meals for Kids, Packed Lunch

Recipe: Banana Swiss Miss Muffins

August 19, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 21 Comments

Have you ever tried baking with Swiss Miss? As in the hot chocolate mix? Me neither, until yesterday.

Banana Swiss Miss Muffins

  

I decided to make peace with our 20+ year old oven by attempting to bake a nice snack treat for Little MrC. Since it’s exam week, he’s home way before lunch time, so this week is filled with more mommy time than WAHM time. I could see he was getting bored with his usual afternoon cartoons. Blame it on him being stuck at home with a fever over the last 5 days. Because Cartoon Network and Toonami weren’t doing their usual magic, I had to think of a quick activity that we could do. And so, I went ahead and cranked up the heat on our old-timer oven. Bahala na if the temperature on the right is hotter than the temperature on the left. Lol.

Making this kid work for his food!

 

I got the little boy all excited about mashing bananas, put an apron on him and set him to work. I realized too late that I should have checked that I had everything we needed in the pantry before I involved the little boy. The original plan was to make choco banana muffins like these ones by Nigella, but using tablea instead of cocoa powder. Toinks, my stash of tablea apparently went bad in the freezer during that Glenda storm, and my mom had gotten rid of them already. We also didn’t have any cocoa powder. I could have just gone with plain banana muffins, but I already said chocolate (the magic word) to the little boy. I had to think fast. I decided to use Swiss Miss. The dark kind.

“Mom, are they done yet?”

 

They came out yummy. There’s not a lot of sugar in the recipe, so the sweetness comes mostly from the bananas. The riper the better. I like to use the nearly rotten ones for baking. Those are the best. The end result was not as chocolatey as it would have been if I used proper cocoa, but for a quick meryenda fix, a fun bonding afternoon with my kid and quick snack box fillers for today, these are more than good enough.

“Time to get a plate?”

 

Banana Swiss Miss Muffins
2014-08-18 18:37:40
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Ingredients
  1. 3 overripe (as in borderline bulok) bananas
  2. ½ cup vegetable oil
  3. 2 large eggs
  4. ½ cup brown sugar
  5. 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  6. 1 packet Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate Sensation
  7. 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. The cuter the better!
  2. Mash the bananas to baby food consistency.
  3. With an electric mixer on low (or by hand), combine the mashed bananas and vegetable oil. Add in the egg and sugar.
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, Swiss Miss and baking soda.
  5. Gently add the dry mixture to the banana mixture. Do not overmix! It's totally fine if your batter is lumpy.
  6. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups. I use an ice cream scoop for this so that I get relatively uniformed muffin sizes.
  7. Bake in the preheated over for 15-20 minutes. These should rise significantly and become a nice shade of cocoa brown when done. Cool the muffins slightly in the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
  1. This tastes super awesome topped with fruit preserves or with cream cheese frosting.
By MrsC
Adapted from KITCHEN Recipes from the Heart of the Home
Adapted from KITCHEN Recipes from the Heart of the Home
At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Baking, Banana Swiss Miss Muffins, Muffin, Recipe

Recipe: Perfect Pork Steak

August 6, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 16 Comments

As you know, I am one of those home cooks who likes to make meals ahead and freeze them. Whether it’s a marinate and freeze dish or an extra container of soup or stew, you are sure to find quick to cook or easy to reheat meals packed away in my freezer. Yes, takot ako magutom, and this is proof!

I love marinating meat ahead and then freezing it in portions that are just enough for our family. I find that dishes really do end up tastier this way, and for me, tastier is definitely better. I also prefer to put things away in exact serving portions already to minimize leftovers. I get to maximize our refrigerator space that way.Since we share fridge space with a whole lot of people, it’s best to keep things at a minimum.

This week, I decided to make a batch of Pork Steak for the boys. We’re a small family, so 1/4 kilo of pork loin is actually good enough for 2 meals for us already. Tipid! I have a feeling that this won’t last long, though because Little MrC is slowly but surely starting to eat like a big boy. 

Pork steak was something that I got to eat at MrC’s family’s house more often than my own house. I know for a fact that he misses his family’s homecooking, and so I thought that I’d try to make more of the food that I’d eaten there before. So we started this week off with a yummy, soft pork steak that I am actually pretty proud of. 

Pork Steak by MrsC
Pork Steak by MrsC

 

Pork Steak
2014-08-05 21:39:21
Serves 4
A quick and easy pork recipe. Perfect as a marinade and freeze meal.
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 kilo pork tenderloin aka lomo
  2. 1 tbsp calamansi juice
  3. 3 tbsp soy sauce
  4. 2 tbsp water
  5. 1/2 tbsp sugar
  6. A few dashes of cracked black pepper
  7. 1 small white onion cut into rings
  8. Garlic powder
  9. Vegetable oil for frying
  10. A pat of butter
Instructions
  1. Wash and trim the pork loin. Cut into 1/2" thick medallions.
  2. Make the marinade by combining the calamansi juice, soy sauce, water, sugar and black pepper.
  3. Arrange pork loin in a food keeper and pour the marinade over it. Marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. At this point, you can transfer your container to the freezer if you are making this ahead.
  4. When you are ready to cook, heat some oil in a skillet.
  5. Once the oil is hot, pour in the meat and the marinade and allow to simmer until brown.
  6. Add a dash or two of garlic powder for added flavor, and a pat of butter to add richness to the sauce.
  7. If you prefer your pork steak to be more saucy, add water a tablespoon at a time.
  8. Once the meat is done, add the onion rings. Allow to cook until the onions are a bit wilted but still crunchy.
  9. Remove from the heat and serve over steamed rice.
Notes
  1. If you are marinading and freezing this, remember to thaw the pork steak completely in the refrigerator before cooking.
By MrsC
At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

 Oh hey, if you try this recipe at home, please let me know how you liked it okay? 🙂

Filed Under: Food & Recipes, Recipes Tagged With: Cooking at home, Freezer Meals, Make ahead meals, Pork Steak, Recipe

The Good Box PH and #MrsCsWellnessProject

July 29, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 10 Comments

You know that you are starting to get older when your tummy begins to feel funny after a night of pizza and beer. Or burgers, fries and milkshakes. Or greasy Chinese food. What I’m saying is that, yes, I feel my body getting older, and that it’s my tummy that’s telling me so. 

Now is as good a time as any to start making better food choices. But you see, I do love to eat. Asking me to cut certain things out of my diet, or having me abstain from eating particular types of food would result in a very sad, very cranky MrsC. That’s why I choose to go for calorie counting. It allows me to have a little bit of everything that I like, but within proper proportion, or less, if only to satisfy my cravings without wiping out my caloric allowance for the day.

The thing with calorie counting is that it can really be tedious. I know this because I had to monitor my serving size and log them while I was pregnant with Little MrC. My blood sugar started to spike halfway through my pregnancy, and controlling my food intake was the only way for me to manage my gestational diabetes. The nutritionist monitoring me was pretty strict, so I was lucky that we actually had a book of meal exchanges at home.

Fast forward to today. When I discovered that there are groups who offer meal plans that can be customized according to your calorie requirements, I got super excited. Oh, if only guys like The Good Box existed years and years ago when I was preggers!

 

My pretty pink bag of 1200 calorie goodness from The Good Box PH
My pretty pink bag of 1200 calorie goodness from The Good Box PH

This amazing opportunity to try The Good Box was specially arranged for members of Mommy Bloggers Philippines. We were to be given a full day’s worth of meals, and that included breakfast, lunch, dinner, and AM and PM snacks. Our total calorie count for the day was 1200 calories, which is super manageable for me. I know that others might find this to be too little, especially those who are heavy rice eaters. The first thing I noticed when it was delivered was that the meal was packed in wither reusable or biodegradable containers. Plus points agad!

 

My food for the day!

With The Good Box, you can choose from several meal programs, starting from 1200 calories to 2700 calories. There are also special programs available – South Beach Diet, Diabetic Diet, Hypertensive Diet and Pregnant-Diabetic Diet Programs. They take food allergies into considerations, too, which I feel is really important. Oh, and the price will vary depending on the weekly meal program that you choose.

Here’s what I had during my one day trial:

 

Breakfast - Fruit and Nut Pancake + Coffee
Breakfast:  Fruit and Nut Pancake + Coffee

Breakfast was a fruit and nut pancake and coffee. I love that they thought to include coffee with my meal. I saw that the other moms had juice with theirs. You know how I need my caffeine fix in the morning, and I like that this one was nice and creamy without being overly sweet. I wish that I could order bottles and bottles of this and store them in my fridge. The pancake was good, and the fruits in it made it sweet enough to not need any syrup, but I kind of had a hard time with the nuts. I’m used to eating smooth, fluffy pancakes kasi. The chunkiness is something that I could eventually get used to, though.

 

AM Snack: Chewy Caramel Apple Cookies
AM Snack: Chewy Caramel Apple Cookies

For my AM snack, I was given two chewy caramel apple cookies. Like I shared on Instagram, I left the house for a bit for a meeting after breakfast, and I came home at a little past 11AM already. I though I’d be dying of hunger by then, but I wasn’t! I excitedly tore off the wrapper of my cookies though, simply because I was so excited to be eating cookies. These were good. As in really good. They were soft and chewy, and not too sweet. And they were pretty big, too. These did not feel like diet food at all. I ate them cold, straight out of the refrigerator, and I think this is the best way to eat these cookies. 

 

Lunch: Lemon Poached Chicken and Potato Salad, Vegetable Sticks and Dip
Lunch: Lemon Poached Chicken and Potato Salad, Vegetable Sticks and Dip

I did a bit of work in between my snack and lunch. By the time I started to feel hungry, I was happy to have a ready meal that I could just pop into the oven. Since the boys are out during the day, I usually have lunch with my mom or alone. This makes my solo meal a no-brainer, and I like having that sort of convenience in the middle of a busy day. Lunch was a lemon poached chicken and potato salad, and come vegetable sticks with thousand island dip. This was my favorite meal of the day, and I am already planning to make my own version of the chicken at home. So, so, so, good, and the serving was just right to carry me through until snack time. Yes, even without rice. The potatoes did the trick.

 

PM Snack: Pita Chips and Guacamole and Hummus Dip
PM Snack: Pita Chips and Guacamole and Hummus Dip

Like I usually do, I had my PM snack at my computer (attempting to squeeze in a little bit more work for the day) while my son had his after school snack across the table from me. The pita chips and tiny tub of guacamole and hummus dip looked really small for a snack, but I was fine with it. I couldn’t figure out though if the dip was actually hummus, guacamole, or a combination of both. 

 

Dinner: Salad and Eggplant, Ricotta and Tomato Pappardelle
Dinner: Salad and Eggplant, Ricotta and Tomato Pappardelle

When dinner time rolled around, I was actually pretty hungry. It’s a good thing that we have dinner early at home, otherwise I might not have made it, given the small afternoon snack. I was excited that I had both a salad and pasta, two of my favorite things to eat. The salad came with a vinegar-based dressing and a few salami slices. The pasta dish was an eggplant, ricotta and tomato pappardelle. I really liked the pasta, which was light and fresh-tasting. This I can also make myself at home.

I went to bed completely satisfied with my food for the day. I enjoyed my experience with The Good Box so much that I’m actually thinking about ordering from them for at least a month. This whole experience jump-started my #MrsCsWellnessProject, and I’ve been monitoring what I’ve been eating since that trial day.

My Good Box day was on a Thursday and the next Friday I prepared a 1200-calorie meal plan for myself at home. Over the weekend, I didn’t count calories, but I tried not to eat too much. I’ve been doing the same thing also so far this week. Honestly, I’ve had fewer hyperacidity and hypoglycemic episodes since I started. Guess it really was time to make a change.

If you feel that calorie counting would work for you as a weightloss or a wellness program, I recommend that you try The Good Box.

THE GOOD BOX
105 Hawaii St., Pasig Greenpark, Pasig City
Mobile: 0917-7111732
Email: thegoodboxph@gmail.com
Website: http://thegoodboxph.com/
Facebook: The Goodbox PH
Twitter: @thegoodboxph
Instagram: @thegoodboxph

Filed Under: Food & Recipes Tagged With: 1200 Calorie Meal Plan, Calorie Counting, Diet, The Good Box, The Goodbox PH, TheGoodBox, Wellness

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Hi, I'm MrsC, a happy wife and mom, a help-less but not helpless homemaker, who is learning to live simply in this complicated world.

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