Healthy Morning Routines and Habits

It must have been a little too hard for people to absorb the term work-life balance. Whoever coined it must have been buried in work still to take credit for it, but I fully understand because we all have such a fast paced lifestyle. This makes you think a lot about how you could start your day right.

Yes, a good routine would certainly be beneficial for folks like us. Starting at breakfast, we need to make sure we have the right amount of food that can increase our energy levels so when it's already time for work, we have the power to induce productivity when we need to. A short prayer, meditation, would clear your mind off things before ticking off tasks in the office.

Waking up with a meal like yogurt and oatmeal would be sufficient, something fruity and light so you don't feel sluggish in the first hour, to last throughout the day. Like Dr. Angelica Carsula who does this most of the time, she feels it's best to have a low fat yogurt, and team it up with something that is good for digestion (oh oatmeal does that!).

Aside from the usual fare, you could add activities to help you get into the mood. There are tons of exercises that Eloiza Regaliza suggests you do, particularly running and riding a bike. It gives her focus to do a lot, but never forces friends to over exert themselves, just encourage them. She even adds eggs, veggies and bread with the yogurt too.

Popular host Show Suzuki can be seen extra energetic every time we see him in events. He does the same routine to make sure he has the energy to also make the audience feel his vibe, as it is one of his priorities. He gets one of these Nestle Yogurt cups to push him at the start of the day. This is with the help of over 1.25 billion live healthy bacteria that not only gives the energy, but also strengthens his bones and boosts his immunity. He makes sure it is part of his breakfast, because he cares much about his gut health. If you want to see the possibilities, go follow Nestle Yogurt FB and IG accounts, their website, or simply but a cup off fridges in leading supermarkets and stores nationwide! 

As they say, #YoGurtThis!

Hearty Filipino Comfort Food for Everyone: GoodAh!!!

I am so hungry I could eat a bear (quoting from Goku of Dagonball Z) and I know what would satisfy my craving. I've always had my Mom cook me a bowl or two of Arroz Caldo but these days, Mom spends so much time working at home that she needs hours of sleep everyday to recoup. I can cook but it's a chore to do that every day. I eat lugaw/goto/arroz caldo quite regularly and we have that for lunch or dinner because I request for it. Yes, you can say I'm a monster for that because it's very comforting. When it's raining, or just a little nippy because of the cold front, I would rather have it than eat things with rice. It hits the spot.

 I write and work in the wee hours of the morning, I am what you can say a nocturnal. If I don't have the strength to go down and work in the kitchen, I order through Grab Food. I'd say the convenience kinda outweighs the cost and really, I don't want to wake up people just for that. If it was a bit early I could order and have it picked up in the GoodAh! Timog Branch, but since GoodAh! is open 25 hours, you can order via Grab Food or Food Panda instead. What's good is that almost all the items on their menu is cheap and the variety of things you can order are plenty so you don't grow tired of what you eat which is a plus in my books.

 So I did the next best thing... I ordered (almost) everything!

Beef Nilaga, this was quite tasty. I love the broth, like they spent hours making this in the kitchen.

Sizzling Sisig, now all I want is a cold bottle or two no?

Fried Bangus, now where did I put that spicy vinegar... it's here somewhere.

Crispy Tokwa... I thought this was Tokwa't Baboy, but I guess my sister ate it all LOL

Lumpiang Shanghai, crunchy, needs ketchup so I'll have to open the cupboard

Now for a healthier alternative, get the Lumpiang Gulay, the perfect pair for my Goto.

Crispy Pata, for the whole family.

My personal favorite in the menu is this, they call this the GOTO SPECIAL. It's got beef tripe, crunchy pork bits, crunchy garlic, hard boiled egg, very hearty serving.

Arroz Caldo, wherein their version is very gingery. A few chicken bits, fried garlic, how can you not love something like this?

 So for those who are looking for a hearty and comforting bowl of Filipino GOTO, it's easy to get one from an institution. Since I've been working in Eastwood, or just lounging around in my home in Quezon City, GoodAh! has saved me from hungry nights all the time. You don't even have to spend too much for a meal that could satisfy even your classy office-mates or family members, because they serve things that are closer to home. That I think is the value of this place, it doesn't have to be too fancy shmancy, just real food that's good, affordable, which can be appreciated by everyone.

 If you would want to have it delivered, call their branches at Sucat 88299009/7357844, Bicutan 779431210/88243166, Metrowalk 82345870/84707070, Market!Market! 85192472, Eastwood City 86617558/83533888, Timog Avenue 83729002 or Granada QC via 88758124/82473188. Check out their menu also on their website coz it's all there!

 

How To Make Quaker Oats Cream Pie

It was a long night and I decided to not just stay in my room and be awake til 6am the next day. I started tinkering around the kitchen and I remembered that I have a bunch of Quaker Oats on the cupboard which arrived yesterday. Chef Miko Aspiras and Quaker Oats partnered up to make this recipe called Quaker Oats Cream Pie so I took out the old cookie sheets and steel bowls and started this show.

Recipe calls for:

Cookies

1 and 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Large Egg

2 Teaspoons Vanilla

1 Tablespoon Molasses

1 and 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg

3 Cups Quaker Rolled Oats

Filling

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter

3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

3 cups Confectioners Sugar

Just combine the dry ingredients, use a bowl and slowly put in the whisked wet ingredients. Fold in the oats then form them into cookie sizes. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to do that and baked it for around 10 minutes. Make sure you watch it carefully, I left one batch a few minutes late and it got burnt. While that is cooking, combine the wet ingredients for the filling, then whisk in the Confectioners Sugar. I didn't use any mixer and just did it by hand and it turned out okay. My first batch was actually superb! I sandwiched it in two heart shaped cookies and that photo above came out. You would be proud to have that for dessert, snacks or even breakfast!

The batch I made during this time was absolutely loved at home. I stored the rest in the fridge and cooked another batch the day after, unfortunately I made the mistake of wanting it to be super crispy and burned 4 of them haha. Chef messaged me and said, "As long as you had fun doing it, that's okay! That's what is important."

Quaker Oats is a good source of protein and fiber, things that can improve your immunity and make your body strong so you wouldn't get sick. I made use of the Whole Grain Rolled Oats during the baking session because it keeps its shape even when baked and you can feel the chunky bits in it. Aside from that, it actually tastes good too after a few minutes in the oven.

Keep your family safe during these times. You need to make food that nourish available for them at home and oats are made of good stuff. I also love the Honey Banana variety because it only takes a few minutes to prepare. You're getting nutritious food on the table and protecting your family. 

Oats doesn't have to taste like cardboard, you can make it into a good meal. 

That's a good thing!