The Joy of Juicing

Because I am now a proud owner of few extra pounds, I decided to eat healthy. I am now into juicing. I cut back my coffee, tea and soda intake. I make my own fruit and vegetable juice. There are many recipes or fruit and vegetable combination that can be found on Google. 

Lucky me, I don't need to buy a juicer because I found an old Imarflex juice extractor just sitting at the cabinet. I tried it and it still works. If you don't have a juicer, a blender will do. Just strain the juice after to separate the pulp. Some were saying that we need the pulp as it contain the fiber we need. For me, it's just a matter of preference.

And I search for juice combination recipe around the whole wide google and I found so many. But some ingredients are hard to find here in the Philippines so I just made a substitution. 

Here are the juices I made for the past weeks. Sometimes, I add a little bit of sugar and water for better taste. i love sweet things you know.

Orange 1

• orange
• apple
• carrots

 Red 1

• beets
• pineapple
• cucumber

Green 1

• malunggay (sometimes I use spinach)
• pineapple
• cucumber or apple
• lemon

 Orange 2

• carrots
• apple
• grapefruit

Green 2

• bitter gourd (ampalaya)
• pineapple
• lemon

Red 2

• beet
• carrot
• apple
• lemon
• lime

Red 3

• watermelon
• lemon

Yellow  1

• Malunggay (boiled)
• Pandan (boiled)
• Calamansi

I'm not brave enough yet to try other combinations. So far, I noticed some changes in me since I started my juicing journey. Everyday, I'm making a big batch of juice for my whole family.

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Pasalubong from Ilocos: Bagnet, Longganisa, Chichacorn, Sukang Iloko and Marsha's Delicacies

One thing i love most about going to places is the goodies I will bring home to my family and friends. Here are some of the pasalubong I've found in Ilocos.

BAGNET

We bought bagnet at the Vigan public market because it's much cheaper. Bagnet is crispy fried pork belly. Parang lechon kawali. We bought ours at Php 350.00 per kilo.

The meat was so soft and the skin was so crunchy.The pork is boiled until tender and it's deep fried...twice! The twice frying is what gives it the unique taste. It is serve with sukang Iloko or chopped tomatoes and onions with bagoong isda dip.

LONGGANISA

And there's the Vigan longganisa for P120.00 per dozen. I don't really like the taste of their longganisa because it's too garlicky. I remember when the first time I went to Vigan and rode the Partas bus on my way home, hindi kami umalis ng terminal hanggang may naamoy na longganisa ang kundoktor sa loob ng bus. Lahat ng longganisa ay dapat nasa baba kasama ng ibang mga bagahe. Amoy na amoy kasi ang bawang. I like the Pampanga longganisa that's sweet with a little bit of garlic.

CHICHACORN

Ilocos is also famous for the chichacorn. There are many brands but my favorite is the one with yellow packaging that has a label " The Original Ilocos Chichacorn, made in Ilocos Sur. I love the garlic flavor. We bought ours at their store at the town outside Vigan.

SUKANG ILOKO

Sukang Iloko is a chemical-free organic vinegar made from sugar cane and plant extract called samak that turns the color dark preserved in earthen jars. This is good for chicharon and bagnet.

MARSHA'S DELICACIES

And our last stop is the Marsha's Delicacies. You can bu all of the goodies I've mentioned above here. But Marsha is famous for the royal bibingka and brownies. They also have a coffee shop and a clean restroom perfect for stop over.

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Batac's Pride: Empanada and the Ferdinand E. Marcos Presidential Center

Do you ever wonder if the remains of former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos is real or just a wax? And so we headed to the town of Batac in Ilocos Norte to see it for ourselves.

 We hurriedly went to the Marcos crypt because it will close at 5PM and its already 4:45pm. At the door, there were 2 securities to assist you. Picture taking is prohibited inside the crypt. 

Once inside, it was so creepy. There was a instrumental music playing and CCTV cameras and securities. Do not temp or even try to take a picture.

The mausoleum is built of adobe blocks and is stepped towards the top of the structure. The solemn interior is divided into an entry hall styled with old English standards and a bust. The family's mortician confirmed that the corpse is real, although people suspect it is a wax replica, and the real body was secretly buried in ground.

Then we went outside for the museum. There is an entrance fee of Php50.00. We didn't get inside as our minds were still full of what we learned at the Malananang of the North. And we were hungry too.

Few meter away from the presidential center, we crossed the bridge and we were at the Batac Empanada Plaza or now called Batac Riverside Empanadaan right beside the Batac churh.

There were so many stalls that sells the famous Batac's empanada. Its like a big food court. 

There are many variants of empanada. For first timers, we ordered the special. We happened to captured its preparation. 

The empanada taste delicious specially when paired with their local vinegar.

A visit to Batac will never be complete without having a bite of the empanada.

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A Different Jollibee Experience

My mother is craving for Filipino food. She is not fan of Chinese foods that's why we looked for the Jollibee outlet while we were in Central Hongkong. 

While walking, there were two Filipina who overheard my sister that she's looking for Jollibee. They gladly helped us with the direction. We walk for about 15 minutes and before we saw it, we immediately know that we were so near because of the distinctive smell of fried chicken.

The outlet has 2 levels and when we enter the building, it was so crowded and noisy. It seems everyone was talking at the same time. We Filipinos loves to talk to each other while eating. There were so many eating and we can't find any seat. We waited for almost 30 minutes until one lady called our attention and gave us their seat.

When our food arrived, the chicken were so big and smells like the chicken joy in the Philippines but they doesn't taste the same. They were more expensive too.

I'm happy that there is a Jollibee outlet here in Hongkong were Filipinos can meet and mingle during their free time. Maybe it somehow reminds them of home.

JOLLIBEE

Shop Z4, G/B Eurotrade Center, 13-14 Connaught Rd. Central, Hong Kong
Tel. No. (852) 2522 7930, (852) 2522 7553
Fax No. (852) 2854 1977
MTR Exit A

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Where to Eat in Baler: Gerry Shan's Place Chinese and Seafood Cuisine

Maraming kainan sa Baler. Mga local na kainan. Kung fastfood ang hanap mo, wala kang makikita dito. Isang maliit na Jollibee on Wheels lang ang meron sa bayan. Puwede kang kumain sa mga restaurant ng ibang hotels/inns kahit hindi ka naka stay sa kanila. 

Kapag kainan sa Baler, sikat na sikat ang restaurant ni Mang Gerry. Ang Gerry Shan's Place Chinese and Seafood Cuisine. Buffet ang peg. 

Marami kang pagpipilian. Mahigit 20 klase ng putahe ang pwede mong tikman. Nothing fancy. May baboy, manok, baka, isda at gulay. May desert pa at fresh fruits. Kasama na ang drink all you can na iced tea. Not bad for its price. Just be there early para makauna sa pagkain!

 Dessert

Mangoes

Unlimited Drinks

 The price:

Meron din silang ala carte...

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Where to Eat in Quezon City: Ma Mon Luk

I remember when I was just around 12 years old, we ate at Ma Mon Luk in Quezon City. Akala ko ako lang pero kami ngmaga kapatid at pinsan ko, hindi namin nagustuhan ang lasa ng mami at siopao. Siguro dahil sanay lang ang panlasa namin sa Chowing kaya ganun. Sabi nila kung gusto mong matikman ang authentic na mami mula China, kain ka sa Ma Mon Luk. 

Ngayon, after almost 20 years, we found ourselves ordering their famous mami and siopao.

Pagpasok pa lang, may kakaibang amoy sa loob. Parang amoy ng pinakuluang sabaw na ewan. Hindi rin nami alam ang aming gagawin dahil walang nag-a-assits at walang maupuan. Ikaw ang bahalang maghanap ng sarili mong mesa. On our part, we looked for a table na may malapit ng matapos na kumain and we waited for their table. Kung hindi mo gagawin ito, wala ka talagang mauupuan. Nang maka-upo na kami, wala ding waiter na lumapit. Lahat ng waiters ay busy. Kaya kami na ang kumuha ng sarili naming order at kami na mismo ang lumapit sa waiter.

After almost 30 minutes, ayun dumating na ang order namin. Hindi naman ako masyadong gutom pagdating namin pero sa tagal ng paghihintay namin para makakuha ng table at pagdating ng food, ayun nagutom tuloy ako.

Dahil sa gutom,naubos ko ang siopao at mami. According to my Uncle Boy, the mami and siopao still taste the way he remembers it decades ago. He said, when he was still a college student in FEU, he used to take his girlfriends at Ma Mon Luk.

 If you want to taste an authentic mami and siopao in the metro, visit Ma Mon Luk.


Ma Mon Luk
Banawe Street, Quezon Ave, Quezon City

(02) 712 3560

Ma Mon Luk 
Quezon Avenue corner
Banawe Avenue
Quezon City. - See more at: http://baffledchichi.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-family-favorite-combo-at-ma-mon-luk.html#sthash.YhDXXhmr.dpuf

Ma Mon Luk 
Quezon Avenue corner
Banawe Avenue
Quezon City. - See more at: http://baffledchichi.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-family-favorite-combo-at-ma-mon-luk.html#sthash.YhDXXhmr.dpuf

Ma Mon Luk 
Quezon Avenue corner
Banawe Avenue
Quezon City. - See more at: http://baffledchichi.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-family-favorite-combo-at-ma-mon-luk.html#sthash.YhDXXhmr.dpuf

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