#caloriecounting on your Birthmonth

September. Could you believe it? We're now on the 'Ber' months and sooner than we will notice, we would be bidding goodbye to 2017. We're aging faster than we could notice.

Speaking of aging faster, September i my birth month. 2017 just could not say goodbye without adding another year to my age, can't it? Hahaha

Do you also get that inkling to feel extra nice about yourself on your birth month (or on your birthday, at least)? Its like..a preparatory emotion for your bigday. I'm sure you know what I am talking about! The most common thing we do is get an up-do or some splurge on a new blouse or dress.

That feeling drove me to this ⬇

Yes, #caloriecounting, #dietinabox (but don't be fooled, I will be getting that up-do too! Hahaha)

Today is my second day and expect to hear more about it after my 5-day trial. Another blog for another day.

For now, is are you a September baby too? Happy birthday and cheers to us!!!, if it is.

What do you usually do to feel extra nice on your birthmonth?

Xoxo

Travel: Sumilon Sandbar

This island has 2 sides.. the resort-owned, expensive side and the government-owned, cheap but equally beautiful side. No offense to Maribago Bluewaters (and maybe I should not judge it any more than what I saw of it from photos of friends who have visited it), but the other side of the Sumilon island also has its grandeur and beauty.

You can reach Sumilon Island by taking a 3 to 4 hours land trip from Cebu City to Oslob, where you can take a 15-minute boat ride to the island.

Boats ranges from Php1500 to Php4500 and the bigger boats can transport 30-50 people. There is a Php20 entrance to the island.The boats don't station in the island too (because they transport other customers) so make sure to arrange the time of pick up with your boatman before they leave the island.

Bring your own food and beverages if you plan to stay for hours because there are no stores in the island. There are shaded benches that you can use to leave your food, relax after swimming or just chill and enjoy the sea breeze.

Just see how clear the water is!!

oppss.. please excuse our failed attempt for an underwater selfie. :)

Have you been to the Sumilon Sandbar?
Are you planning to go?
Let me know what you think of it..

xoxo

Crazy.China.Rich

 The movie inspired me to read.

Well, for this case, the news of an upcoming movie inspired me to read the novels. At first, it was just the Crazy Rich Asians. But the first novel gave me so much hangover that I failed to resist and moved to the next novel - China Rich Girlfriend. And then to the third one - Rich People Problems. I was done in less than 2 weeks!

My hangover was so intense that I cannot stop reading. I am reading while commuting, during lunch breaks, when I am not eating with someone during dinner (which at some point came to me breaking our rule of no gadget in the dinner table), while the little one is watching Disney Junior, in the bathroom, during coffee and restroom breaks, and on wee hours of the night. I was crazy over it! Kevin Kwan's novels are addictive and I wish he would write more books.

See if you would like to read them..

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia's most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back. Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick's formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should--and should not--marry. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazilyrich.

On the eve of her wedding to Nicholas Young, heir to one of the greatest fortunes in Asia, Rachel should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond from JAR, a wedding dress she loves more than anything found in the salons of Paris, and a fiancé willing to sacrifice his entire inheritance in order to marry her. But Rachel still mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. Until: a shocking revelation draws Rachel into a world of Shanghai splendor beyond anything she has ever imagined. Here we meet Carlton, a Ferrari-crashing bad boy known for Prince Harry-like antics; Colette, a celebrity girlfriend chased by fevered paparazzi; and the man Rachel has spent her entire life waiting to meet: her father. Meanwhile, Singapore’s It Girl, Astrid Leong, is shocked to discover that there is a downside to having a newly minted tech billionaire husband. A romp through Asia’s most exclusive clubs, auction houses, and estates, China Rich Girlfriend brings us into the elite circles of Mainland China, introducing a captivating cast of characters, and offering an inside glimpse at what it’s like to be gloriously, crazily, China-rich.

When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside--but he's not alone. It seems the entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe, ostensibly to care for their matriarch but truly to stake claim on the massive fortune that Su Yi controls. With each family member secretly fantasizing about getting the keys to Tyersall Park--a trophy estate on 64 prime acres in the heart of Singapore--the place becomes a hotbed of intrigue and Nicholas finds himself blocked from entering the premises. As relatives claw over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu, but tormented by his ex-wife--a woman hell bent on destroying Astrid's reputation and relationship. Meanwhile Kitty Pong, married to billionaire Jack Bing, finds a formidable opponent in his fashionista daughter, Colette. A sweeping novel that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a schoolyard kidnapping to a gold-leaf dancefloor spattered with blood, Kevin Kwan's gloriously wicked new novel reveals the long-buried secrets and rich people problems of Asia's most privileged families.

Synopsis are from www.goodreads.com

Does the above inspire you to start reading them?

Or have you read any of these novels? How did you find it? Let me know...

If you want e-book copies, leave a comment below. :)

Banana Oatmeal Muffin

It took me 3 tries before I was able to perfect it. The first one was overcooked and slightly dry. The second one tasted like oatmeal muffin only, no hint of banana at all! I used the wrong variant of banana..and learnt in the process that not all bananas are equal.

So first lesson, use Lacatan variety. They give more banana-ish flavor. You can, of course, use artificial flavoring, but I personally prefer, the natural tastes (the artificial once kinda have like cough syrup or some child medicine tastes).

Second, I always hear this from cooking shows - "every oven is different". I thought that is just a cliche. But lo and behold, this Banana Oatmeal served me that lesson, in a cold saucer holding an overcooked muffin. Ahahah So.. (1) I learn to get to know my oven and (2) to test the muffins 5 minutes shy from the cooking time specified. Stick a toothpick and if it comes out clean, its time to get those muffins out of the oven and let them rest.

They say 3 is a charm. That is definitely true for me with this Banana Oatmeal Muffin experience. After the 2 attempts/mistakes, I finally got it right. AND yummy! *big smile


You'll Need:
3 ripe Lacatan Bananas (mashed)
1 Egg
2 cups Rolled Oats
1 and 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tbsp. Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
1 and 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1 and 1/4 cups Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tbsp Butter

For the Toppings:
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
2 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp melted Butter

You'll Do:
1. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients - oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and brown and white sugar.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix the wet ingrediets - egg, oil, butter and vanilla.
3. Combine both wet and dry ingredients. Add to it the mashed bananas.
4. Divide into 12 sprayed or lined muffin tins.
5. In another bowl, combine the toppings ingredients. Sprinkle mixture over each muffin batter.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

A few things:
1. You can use 5 tbsp of butter instead of using oil + butter. I just find using the combination giving better results. The butter gives the muffin a creamy taste while the oil keeps it moist.
2. I saw in some Nat Geo - People show that freezing the Bananas for at least 24 hours before using it for baking would result to more banana-ish flavor. I've still got to try this trick (or myth).

There you go folks. Enjoy and may this have alleviated (somehow) the burden of baking. :) hahaha

Xoxo

Some Serious Planning - Meal Planning

If you are a mom, you can relate to me when I say that meal planning is a constant and real struggle. Constant? Like, how many times do one eat in  day? Struggle? Like, people have incredibly HIGH standards when it comes to food.

No matter how many food blogs you follow, recipe newsletters you subscribe to or food shows you watch, when you go to the grocery and plan as you shop, you can really say (or post) #thestruggleisreal

That is why when I came across Rustan's Supermarket holiday promo the Weekly Meal Planner, I immediately grabbed it. Actually, I was teased to availing it by a magnificent, glistening prize - a 50's retro style SMEG fridge too (I have always WANTED ONE!). But I also know that the planner would really come in handy, specially on work days when one is multitasking work deliverables and feeding hungry tummies.

I used the planner ever since and it has shorten my grocery shopping time and helped me improve the meals I serve to my family. I get to plan a balance meal for the family and it helped me stay on budget too.

The planner is quite bulky to carry during grocery shopping so usually I only take a picture of it, and use the digital copy as my grocery list/guide.

You, how do you do your serious planning? Please share your tips. :)

Xoxo

Hey, how's it going?

Short, I know.

I know it's been a while and a short and simple "hey, how's it going? isn't enough. But for now, let's keep it at that. I know I would have a lot to tell. A lot happened and one at a time I will tell it all - from the new baby to the new career.. still figuring out where to start though.. and how to start.

I guess, this is the start.

After the baby and the career change, I finally had the time to cope with all the changes. Now, I am sitting down and writing again. :) Which is totally nice, I say.

I am still into cooking, not much with travelling (new baby and new career, as I have said), into twisting, changing and building little things inside our house still (just like most wives), and hmm, what else? into planting now, particularly herbs, cactus and succulents. I suck tremendously on the last part. I started with 5 varieties and now, I am down to one. Gladly, life is a balance. I fail on the cactus and succulents department but I am flourishing on the herbs department. Currently I have a few healthy Basil, Parsley and Dill and my cooking gets to benefit from them almost everyday.

What I did recently, which almost depleted the leaves my these herbs is herbed butter. I made one batch which came so handy with a grilled and fried pork, beef, chicken and even fish.

 

It sounds so fancy and complicated, but really, it is very easy to make. Don't be deceived!

Really all you need is butter, any fresh herb you like and plastic cling wrap. I had basil, parsley and dill on hand (did I mention I have mini herb garden?) so that's what I used. Make sure that your butter is soft enough to be mixable with the herbs, at room temperature is preferred.. but I know, we don't always have all the time to wait for the prima donna butter to soften so.. soft enough is enough.

I make a bunch and just store it in the fridge. I pare it with pork chops, fried or baked fish, baked veggies and one time, on toast!

Enjoy!

Travel : The City of Pines

Four hours and a very comfortable ride, we arrived at the City of Pines.

We arrived early dawn and even at that holy time of the night, there were Dept. of Tourism representatives who met passengers to provide assistance. Unfortunately, we found out later that it would be better to scout the net for hotels and hotel rates then let the tourism people guide you to the hotel of your choice, rather than letting them give you choices (they have tie ups with certain hotels, not necessarily the hotels that would give you the value of your money). Oh, sorry if I am starting with a not-so-good note. Promise this is the first and last, as my Baguio experience was as Fine as the Pine trees! lols

View from our hotel. No more pines, just houses -and McDo.

Right after settling our things in the hotel and grabbing breakfast, we started our IT. (Sorry, I cant recommend our hotel, as it turned out, it was not the best choice. It had good location and "okay" rooms but as we soon found out, we could get a better room with the same level of accessibility in a cheaper price..just my thoughts why I should not recommend our hotel.)

First stop : Mines View Park ~ Strawberry Taho, picture taking in rental Igorot costumes, more vanity and picture taking and a lot of pasalubong shopping. Yes, first day and we went pasalubong shopping right away! The cheapest pasalubongs is in Mines View, that's why.

A must-see - the Cordillera World. They have handmade products from Cordillera and Sagada. The store has this nostalgic feeling.

Second stop : Good Shepherd Convent ~ The famous Ube jam and the refreshing Strawberry Lemonade. I am not a fan of lemonade and strawberries, but the combo, in a drink, it was surprisingly delicious and refreshing! Of course, if I could only hoarde as many ube jams without paying $$$ for extra baggage, I would!

Good Shepherd Convent is just a block away from Mines View Park. In the sidewalk leading to Good Shepherd, a lot of pasalubong and Mt. Province and Sagada produce are in display. Hays, the produce are so "beautiful"! It makes me wanna live in Bagiuo.

We had a little detour, we went back to our hotel to drop what we shopped so far and to have a quick lunch.
Third stop : Wright Park Riding Circle ~ The Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum venue and a few minutes of scary horse back riding.

Fourth stop : The Mansion ~ Wright Park is just a few meters away from The Mansion -there is no need to take a cab! We knew that Wright Park is just near The Mansion, but how near, or how far is relative..specially if you are not familiar of the place. After like a block of uphill walking, we thought both points is not as near as we hoped it would be. So.. we took a cab. And, to our humiliation, it was just another block away! Lols! (Had Sagada oranges, jump shots and more picture taking)

Fifth Stop : Baguio Botanical Garden ~ The epic Igorots in costume and their wacky/korean poses! The funniest part of day! You have to give any amount to any native who would join you in the picture. But mind you, ALL of them would join so be ready with a few coins. They would insist for a wacky version/pose too!

We made it up to the gates of PMA but we were wearing slippers so we were not allowed to get in. Tip, PMA has dress codes. No shorts and slippers!
Sixth Actual Stop : Camp John Hay ~ I was surprised to see Starbucks inside. They made it like the shopping stores in US, no two-storey stores. There were store, a posh hotel and even IT/BPO companies inside.

We also made a stop at SM Baguio, and.. its still a mall. :)
Last Pits off for the day : 50's Dinner ~ It's a cool place to cap the day. Good food with generous serving. It's not a wise choice if you are already very hungry..we had to wait 30 minutes before we can get a table. Apparently, the place is famous to the local.

I hope I could share where 50's Diner is. My apologies, I already forgot. What I could remember is that we had a hard time locating it too. Not because its hidden or something, we are just not familiar with the streets.

So there. End of Day One. Wish to share a not-this-long Day Two!

xoxo

PS: I googled 50's Diner and this is the address.
Gen. Luna Rd, Lungsod ng Baguio, Philippines
You can use google maps to locate it. Its in an intersection, that's what I could remember. :)