I’ve been always curious about HOTBOX, a self-heating Filipino innovation of food boxes because I saw people who have tried it and posted their experiences online. Actually, I’ve tried it before, and I’m excited to try it again since it was really a unique approach when it comes to packed meals.

I love cooking since I was a kid. I may not be the hard-core chef-type of cook with culinary experience and everything, but I love to experiment when it comes to cooking. Whatever ingredients that I have in our refrigerator, or in our pantry, may it be raw or ready to cook meals, I can find a way to turn them into a dish that my whole family could simply enjoy.

As Conti’s Bakeshop & Restaurant celebrates its 24th Anniversary comes another sweet offering that surely everybody will love. Check out Conti’s BRAZO MEDLEY!

Craving for some Japanese dishes? Karaage, Ebi, Sukiyaki and more? You might want to check out and try Japan’s number one Tempura Tendon chain, Tenya, with their newly launched farm to table menu… TENYA LOKAL. I have tried some of it and they are 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼.

With TENYA LOKAL menu, it’s not just offering good and delicious Japanese meals, it was also made for a good cause too. That is to help local food producers may it be from poultry, vegetables, fish and meat sectors and use these as raw materials in their restaurants all over the Philippines.

I love to cook and eat.  Whenever I’m in our kitchen and there’s limited ingredients in our refrigerator, I improvise and experiment what I can do. For me it is just easy, as long as I have sauces available to add flavor to my improvised dish or at least a good sauce or “sawsawan” is a must. Then I will pair it with steamy hot rice? UHHHMM! YUMMMY!(Even though I’m limiting my rice intake already, I WILL DEFINITELY EAT! hahaha!)

On the other hand, us Filipinos, when we are eating a certain dish, even though it’s already flavourful, we would still add condiments and sauces to enhance the taste. And you what? got some cool news for you. Because Heinz, a global leader in condiments since 2012(same brand as the tomato  ketchup that we love), just made more of their sauces available here in the Philippines and Asia. Heinz goes Asian!

From simple meals to gourmet dishes, Heinz Asian Sauces provide enhanced taste and premium flavours to your cooking. Heinz has been serving up quality, taste, convenience and innovation like no other food company on Earth.  It has to be Heinz.

I tried using some of the Heinz Asian Sauces particulary the Heinz Blended Sesame Oil, Heinz Premium Oyster Sauce, and Heinz Garlic Chili Sauce during our food trip in a restaurant at Quezon City. I must say that I love them all. The extra flavor really blended well to my chosen ingredients. So excited to try other Heinz Asian Sauces and incorporate them to my cooking.

Heinz Asian Sauces are available in leading Robinsons Supermarkets, Unimart Supermarkets, Makatisupermart Alabang, All Day Supermarket, Citimart Supermarket, and Landmark Supermarkets. Check out the prices below.

For updates, recipe ideas, and other information, follow the official social media accounts of Heinz Asian Sauces: @heinzasianph for both Facebook and Instagram.

#HeinzGoesAsian 

If you’ve been to Taiwan, you’ll know that milk teas, fruit juices and street food are a thing there. Of course that includes the famous big serving of crispy fried chicken. And if you haven’t tasted it yet, you know what? good news because MONGA, a Taiwanese-style fried chicken, is now available here in the Philippines!

So… who’s excited to try it?.

Created and established by Nono, a well-known Taiwanese comedian, this newly opened food establishment in SM Megamall(near Toy Kingdom) will surely entice and fill up every foodie’s palate with its well-spiced, big serving chicken especially one of their best-sellers… the spicy Chee-Z Signature- a must-try!. If you don’t want the spicy variant, you may choose the regular one. You may also upgrade it into a full meal set(with rice and drinks).

The Chee-Z Signature was the only chicken main meal that I tasted during the opening and thankfully got the right choice(will choose it again and try other flavors when I go back). Very worth it!. It’s big, crunchy, and the way the spices burst its flavors in my mouth. YUMMMMMY!. The cheese on top compliments well with the chicken and balances the spices with every bite😍

Monga also got different side dishes like seasoned fries, fried mushroom, fried brocoli, and chicken skin(oooh sooo tempting!) just to mention a few. I super love the fried broccoli, even though it was deep fried, the brocholi itself is not overcooked. And the serving is quite big as well for a side dish. ❤️❤️❤️

Your Taiwanese food trip will not be complete without milk tea and fruit juices. In fairness, their milk tea is not that sweet compared to other milk tea joint. And since I’m cutting my sugar intake, I would consider it. Hahaha. Will try more of Monga’s refreshments when I go back.

Overall, from what I tasted, I would recommend Monga to be on your list for your next food trip. It may be a bit pricey to some, but it is worth your bucks. No need to go to Taiwan just to munch on these chicken goodness!

For more information and updates about Monga, you may follow them on their Facebook Page www.facebook.com/mongaphilippines.

Living a healthy lifestyle is not easy. It is clearly no joke. It takes a lot of motivation, patience, discipline, and positive mindset in order to surpass all the stuggles(cravings, inactiveness) and be able to achieve our fitness goals. When you want to lose your excess weight or just decided to become healthful, aside from exercise, hydration, and good sleep, eating a well-balanced and healthy diet is a must. Yes, A MUST! No buts and ifs.

A lot of us have some reasons(or maybe excuses ahaha!) when it comes to healthy food. Bland, lacks flavor, takes time to prepare, cluelessness on what ingredients to buy or use, just to mention a few. Aside from these reasons, if we were to dine out and look for restos or food hubs, we all know that it is kinda hard to find restaurants that serve healthy meals right?(I meant really healthy meals).

So here’s a good news. I just found a good place located at Timog Quezon City which serves wide array of good and healthy. But before anything else, I just want to let you know that everything that I will say about this restaurant were based on my honest observation and experience which I always do whenever I write reviews. Your experience may be different.

I was invited to dine in at HEALTHY MEALS PH to try out what they are offering. We were given the liberty to order whatever we want in their menu(oh yes!).

Let me tell you what I think about the place. I love the ambiance of this healthy food hub. It has a nature theme which is very visible to the furnishings and fixtures being used(wood, plants). The spa-like background music playing while you dine was very relaxing and calming. Love it!

The staff were very nice as well-serves with a smile, though they are quite spaced out- keeps on forgetting my requests(it happens) hahahah! But I understand because they were taking and serving multiple orders that time.

Pesto Pasta(Protein), Homemade Chicken Embutido(meal), Baked Chicken Hardinera(meal), Baked Fish and Tofu(meal, Baked Kare-Kare(meal), Beef Salpicao(plain).

Food presentation was good. And I love that they serve it on wooden plates. Really fits their theme. Look at the photos above. I did not order for these meals, these were orders of other guests(I only took photos) so I wasn’t able to taste these dishes. Just showing you how HEALTHY MEALS PH serving looks like.

HEALTHY MEALS PH has wide array of healthy choices that you can choose from( you may choose plain- a la carte or meal with rice/pasta), starting with appetizers, main dishes, vegan and healthy bowls, salads, drinks and even bread.

So here’s the first that I ordered. The Chicken Peanut Strips(Php150-Plain/Php190-meal). It was made of baked chicken rolled with  nuts, coconut and secret herb. It also comes with salad as side dish and dressing.

To be honest, the dish served was not heaty(I know we took photos of the meal for about 2-3 mins but its just a short time span for the meal to really cool down that fast). The brown rice was well cooked, the chicken was quite hard, dry, bland and I hardly taste the peanut(not sure though if that’s the way it’s supposed to be). But as I chew it more, that’s the time that I can taste the peanut a bit. I suggest you ask for an extra salad dressing, which I did(their salad dressing is really good!) and I used it as a sauce to this chicken dish. It worked. I enjoyed my meal after that.

This one was REEEEEEAAALY GOOOOOD! I will definitely come back to eat it again! One of their best sellers and my instant favorite… the High Protein Chicken Tacos(Php210). A very unique and well presented appetizer dish(please see photo above). They used chicken as the taco base holding all the veggie components. The taste of cumin really captured my tastebuds and compliments well with the vegetables and chicken meat itself. If you love eating Persian or Mexican food, you will surely love this meal. A really must-try!

For my refreshment, I oredered the Booster Moringa(Php 85). As we all know, Moringa is also known as “Malunggay” which is very high in calcium and antioxidants. I love it that it’s not that sweet and the leafy taste is not that dominant. You just have to stir it from time to time, because the Moringga sediments settles at the bottom of the glass. Will try others drinks when I go back there.

For dessert, I ordered Adam’s Ice Cream which is made of ALL NATURAL ingredients. I chose the Black & White(made of Coconut Milk and Dark Chocolate). At first, I find the taste a bit weird because of the coconut milk, not the usual creamy ice cream that is smooth inside your mouth. With this ice cream, it’s like there were small particles which eventually dissolve. The dark chocolate  is very dominant but the coconut milk kinda tapers down the bitter taste. Love it!

HEALTHY MEALS PH also sells different organically-made products(from local partners here in the Philippines) such as Coconut Cider Vinegar, Turmeric Powder, Fish sauce, Mushroom chips, Stevia Oatmeal Cookies with Malunggay and many more.

You should try their Banana loaf! It’s really good. It’s moist, chewey and not too sweet. Plus they use muscovado sugar for its natural color and sweetener.

Photo Source: Healthy Meals PH’s Facebook Page

Just in case you want to binge on healthy meals, HEALTHY MEALS PH offers buffet at their Torre Venezia Suites branch in Timog every Friday to Sunday for just only P399/Head!. Check out the schedule below.

Friday
6pm to 9pm (Dinner)

Photo Source: Healthy Meals PH’s Facebook Page

Aside from the restaurant, HEALTHY MEALS PH also has some “meal plans”. Each individual has his or her own caloric needs per day. For those who want to lose weight or just eat the right amount of nourishment, you may avail this. I must say, looking at the price list, they are much cheaper compared to other diet delivery services around the metro. How I wish they can also deliver in Rizal area huhu.

Who says healthy food tastes bad?. No… No… No… It’s just a misconception. You can actually enjoy delicious meals without that guilt feeling. Overall my dining experience was good and I enjoyed it so much. Would definitely go back and bring my boyfie for a healthy-dining date. Want to try more. For me, it is really a good dining place for those fitness enthusiasts, those who wanted to make the switch, or those just want to eat healthy meals.

You are what you eat. If you have unhealthy habits especially when it comes to what you are taking in your body, sooner or later will suffer. So better start eating right now and live a healthy lifestyle so you can enjoy life more.

Photo Source: Healthy Meals PH’s Facebook Page

HEALTHY MEALS PH BRANCHES

Timog Branch
Torre Venezia Suites
Timog Avenue, Quezon City
Contact us: ‭+63 917 183 1368‬

 Congressional Branch
#42 Congressional Avenue, Proj 8, Quezon City
Contact us: 0977-1725606

Follow their Social Media Account
https://www.facebook.com/healthymealsphBRT/
IG Account- HealthyMealsPh

It’s amazing how the world of desserts continuously create inventive delicacies for ultimate dessert devotees. Creatively crafting unbelievable flavors and unexpected combinations, there’s always something new to try!

And because there’s always room for dessert, here’s a list of excitingly sweet treats for you to enjoy this 2019!

1.Hokkaido Cheese Tart by Bake Cheese Tart

Photo Source: https://ph.cheesetart.com

Overflowing with dairy goodness in a deliciously flaky golden brown crust, the famous Hokkaido cheese tart is love at first bite.

Made from an exquisite blend of Hokkaido cheese, the filling has a perfect balance of creaminess, tartness, and an unexpected salty bite. But the filling is not just the start of the show, the crispy crust is also made to perfection by a distinct blend of flour and by using a unique baking method. Each tart is made fresh and absolutely addicting, you won’t be able to resist another one!

The original Bake Cheese Tart has branches at The Podium and Powerplant Mall.

2. Tiramisu Ice Cream by Kiss the Tiramisu

PHOTO SOURCE: www.facebook.com/kissthetiramisuph

Treat yourself like royalty and give your taste buds a delightful experience with Kiss the Tiramisu’s decadent tiramisu ice cream.

Specializing in tiramisu, the creative mind behind this dessert has innovatively created an exciting variation of the usual coffee cake and transformed it into a blissful masterpiece of creamy, mouthwatering ice cream with mascarpone cheese. Luscious layers of authentic Korean ingredients make this dessert absolutely worthy to be tried!

Adding more to its beautiful burst of flavors is the elegant acrylic goblet where its served. Which, by the way, you can take home as well!

There are four interesting flavors for you to choose from, the Classic Tiramisu, Matcha Tiramisu, Injeolmi Tiramisu, and the Midas Touch.

You can find this sweet treat at Three Central, Salcedo Village, Makati.

3. Matcha Float by Tsujiri

PHOTO SOURCE: http://ph.phonebooky.com

A true haven for Matcha enthusiasts, Tsujiri is the house of matcha infused desserts.

Tsujiri is an authentic Japanese brand from Kyoto, making its way to the adventurous flavor palette of the Filipinos. You’ll never go wrong with Tsujiri as they have been expertly serving the best quality green tea for over 155 years! They have perfected the technique on how to bring out the best aroma and flavor of green tea to ensure satisfaction of all Matcha lovers. 

They offer a delectable array of matcha desserts- from cakes to ice creams and pastries. But one of their most impressive creation is the Tsujiri float- literally the matcha lover’s dream dessert. A succulent combination of iced matcha topped with creamy vanilla ice cream. You can also add red bean balls or a gooey type of mochi called Shiratama. What a feast of sweet treats!

Tsujiri has certainly captured the hearts of the Filipinos as it has a lot of branches all over the Metro. You can find them at S Maison, The Podium, SM Aura, Vertis North, Greenbelt 5 and Rockwell.

4. Chocolate Dream Cake by Le Sucre Lab Chocolates

A sinful confection made of exquisite chocolate layers, topped with cocoa powder dusting, this dessert gives enough credence to its name, Chocolate Dream Cake.

Dressed in a beautiful copper tin can, this cake is not just a blissful feast in your mouth, but in your Instagram feed as well!

This showstopping cake is just six inches in diameter and two inches deep. But don’t let it’s size deceive you, this petite cake is filled with mouthwatering chocolate flavors and textures for an irresistible chocolate experience. Famous for its subtle sweetness and hints of bitter chocolate taste, you can finish one can on your own as every bite leads to another one!

You can check them on their Facebook page for inquiries and you may order in their walk-in store at Market Plaza Building, Sta Ana, Manila.

5. Bacon Brickle Rolled Ice Cream by Elait

PHOTO SOURCE: www.facebook.com/elaitph

Hands down to this fearless flavor combination of sweet and savory rich ice cream topped with pretzel, bacon, and caramel sauce.

What makes this even more worthy for your time is watching your ice cream dessert come to life in an artisanal masterpiece that tastes as good as it looks. Truly gives happiness in a cup!

Elait’s name was actually inspired by the word “Elate”, which means to make someone ecstatically happy and “Lait”, a French word for milk. A genius play of words for a genius ice cream dessert.

Elait is also actively supporting the Philippine Deaf Community by having deaf partners to serve you. There’s a guide posted in their store so you can conveniently order using basic sign language- giving you a new skill as well!

You can find Elait at Century City Mall, Makati.

If your taste buds haven’t landed yet on these amazing desserts, you’re missing a treat. So make sure to add these delectable desserts on your bucket list for 2019!