West Coast Series: Salads and Sweets

[caption id="attachment_1635" align="aligncenter" width="415" caption="Get the message?"][/caption]

Being a part-vegetarian tourist in the land of organic, Trader Joe’s and cereal, there was only one established mission:  To partake in 10 Salads. The possibilities and choices are endless, but also come with the sweet and sinful competition—where Ben & Jerry’s can come in close battle with Arugula.

Ending with a tally of 6 for the greens, leaving out the side salads and toppings which came in almighty abundance, I let the desserts fill the rest of the list. Not to be dismissed as the anti-thesis of salad, I deem them just as healthy in my overly biased eyes.

[caption id="attachment_1638" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Caesar Salad, Bonnano's @ MGM Hotel"][/caption]

Mexican and Greek salads, my heavenly fares, made quite an impact on my palate that I will never view salad eating as a mere dieting scheme again. Chipotle on its own combines a zesty, sour-punch yet fresh flavor that is greatly enhanced by its colorful condiments: guacamole, jack cheese or even sour cream. Pico de gallo is plebeian knowledge and feta cheese is a fierce commodity. For me, these Mediterranean and Mexican fiestas combine gastronomic splendor and my ultimate enjoyment, as I return home tearful that such a brief exchange was too short lived.

[caption id="attachment_1639" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Greek Salad, Wraps @ Caesars Palace"][/caption]

Salads from Chipotle Mexican Grill and even the simple Chick Pita Mediterranean at the food court provided such organic and savory excellence, their tastes are forever carved in my mental palate and will serve as a lasting benchmark for future sampling. There is something very authentic and fantastic in the way they served their salad—not to mention the leviathan serving all for myself—that should I not find the same quality back home, it’s time I learned to prepare homemade guacamole!

[caption id="attachment_1640" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Salad Bowl, Chipotle Mexican Grill"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1636" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Greek Salad with Chicken Shawarma, Chick Pita Mediterranean"][/caption]

Credits too for El Pollo Loco, which dished out a Grilled Chicken Salad that was flaming with Mexican goodness. If our local franchise served salads and condiments in that size and flavor, I’d be loca for Pollo Loco as well!

[caption id="attachment_1637" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Grilled Chicken Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing, El Pollo Loco"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1672" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad, Panera Bread"][/caption]

While the ice cream and yogurt did not present the same mixture of merriment and glee as the salads—or I just failed to visit the right places—they were just as amusing to eat and provided the necessary sugar high.

[caption id="attachment_1633" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Cookies and Cream Yogurt, Mrs. Fields"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1631" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Sugar Free Chocolate Gelato, The Venetian"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1632" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Yogurt Parfait and Oatmeal and Raisin Cookies, McDonald's"][/caption]

The cakes and cupcakes though, well, that’s a different story and in another post. Best to stay tuned then.

Lazy Black Goat @ Cyma

Now I know how it feels to be a celebrity, courtesy of the waiters and patrons of Cyma (Trinoma). The stares and gawking have definitely contributed to my ever growing ego, and the really obvious-but-trying-not-to-be side glances cannot escape my omniscient radar. If people could probably tweet their thoughts, it'd be something like: Saw @LazyBlack_Cat being such a Lazy Black Goat at Cyma. Again.

Oh fame, if only you were for real, but it wasn't me they were staring at, but rather, my plate. Amidst platters of pasta and cheese seen on other tables, only the Tonnos Salata has landed on mine.

While I love Cyma's Roka Pasta, Chicken Gyro and Saganaki, call me living in peasantry, but it's the salad that would cause us to conquer this Greek Restaurant in proper phalanx formation.

Lately, I have dined and lived off on the Tonnos Salata, family size of course (good for 2 people from MY family). The toppings are endless, lively and would make Poseidon proud: seared tuna, anchovies (Gavros), black olives,  feta cheese, roasted bell peppers, onions, potatoes, boiled egg, etc. The summer herb vinaigrette dresses the salad with that light sunny, cream-free feel. No other salad can give us this leviathan serving, magnified further with its fresh and dainty ingredients. Other local joints present us with shoddy counterparts that would make Zeus so mad, he'd throw a thunderbolt right through that iceberg lettuce.

The seared tuna is normally the first to disappear in our Tonnos Salata, but the salad on its own has created its Greek standard that I can never replicate in other local buffets. I have tried, failed and always ended up with a balsamic vinaigrette-hard cheese salad instead. Good though.

Back to being a celebrity. Well, I suppose we will always have our 15 minutes of shame at Cyma, but then again, maybe being a goat suits me. I feel, though, that the waiters are getting to know our strange diet habits. The once look of horror has transformed into that of slow comprehension.

Maybe next time we eat there -  no, i will not give them the finger, don't tempt me - I could wear a shirt that says: Teach your kids not to stare. Or are you also a kid?

I sure am one. Meeeeeh!

 

 

Nuts About Soy Butter

There was a time when peanut butter was banned entry in our fridge because it triggered the rise of our adolescent bestie, the zit. Poor Peter Pan and Jif had to live a life of neglect along with the vegetables, as we favored cheese and eggs for our sandwiches.

Lately though, Peanut Butter has slowly been making its way back in our sandwiches, being protein-deprived most of the time. Lounging around the supermarket aisles and reading nutritional labels of peanut butter brands gave me a pretty clear direction on future purchases.

Actually, the peanut butter mantra is rather simple (I apologize in advance for committing treason):

•  NO to local brands, unless you want a weekly visit to the dentist (and we do admit that an annual visit is already a pain).


• As for foreign commercial brands, NO to Goober and my childhood sweetheart, Peter Pan.


• YES to Skippy Natural (the one with "no need to stir" printed).


• YES to Laura Scudder Organic Peanut Butter (love)!


• MAYBE to PB Co. Dark Chocolate and Green Tea Peanut Butter because they're new and I only bought them because they're so kawai and cheap!


• Last but not the least, NEVER to crunchy peanut butter! Damn, you make chewing such a difficult task!

[caption id="attachment_964" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter and Skippy Natural"][/caption]

By default, the calories and fat level of peanut butter are normally high, so for those seeking a "healthier" option, go for an ingredient list that shows mainly Roasted Peanuts, as is the case for organic brands like Laura Scudder.

In the supermarket though, I've found that Skippy Natural already presents the least damaging nutritional data with 190 calories, 18% Saturated Fat and 3g sugar for every 2 tablespoons. That serving isn't particularly diet-variety, so you can probably imagine that what to expect from other brands: flab or an early death.

Healthy Options, the store, provides other " nut butter" categories that are health-friendly but on the budget-averse side. Seriously, I am still in the process of saving up for the almond butter, which costs as much as a facial (see why I'm torn) so I've settled for an interesting alternative: SoyNut Butter.

I.M. Healthy Soy Nut Butter has a dubious sound to its name and blue jar but with 170 calories, 8% saturated fat and 3g sugar for 2 tablespoons and without a speck of NUT, it's an adolescent's dream cream. Soybeans replace the nuts, so the protein content isn't compromised. For anti-nuts, pimply kids or soy aficionados, here's the sandwich spread we've been looking for (I'm the anti-nut, soy aficionado).

[caption id="attachment_965" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="(Left) I.M. Healthy and (R) Skippy Natural"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_963" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="I.M. Healthy Soy Butter, Peanut-Free!"][/caption]

Don't expect it to taste like peanut because it's soy. The soy butter resembles the texture, color and overall "feel" of peanut butter but with hints of the soy flavor.

Don't know what this "soy flavor" I'm talking about? Think soy milk or taho (for the Pinoys) and incorporate that taste with peanut butter.

Weird? Not really, my stash is half empty already.

Whether it's peanut butter or soy or even to-die-for almond butter, what's important is that every jar contains mainly these nuts or soybeans and less of the non essentials (like sugar, salt and other ingredient we more than 3 syllables). Even if I did look like a fool reading every jar in the grocery, I'm glad I found what I wanted: Skippy Natural and I.M Healthy Soy Butter. 

Glad to have you in my fridge. Now if only we can keep you long enough.

Let's Jamba! (Jamba Juice BGC)

Pacquiao will probably hate me, but chaos-free EDSA during his match vs Marquez was too tempting for a swift drive to Jamba Juice at Bonifacio Global City. The nation might scorn me for abandoning local pride in pursuit of fruit, but I can never ignore the whimsical reasoning of my stomach. That, and my sleepless nights over acai have got to end!

[caption id="attachment_924" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="The JJ Balloon, a better navigator than Googlemaps"][/caption]

It was a dehydrating trek to the Jamba area (it's across R.O.X. or follow the balloon) located in this pristine lot with sawdust still layering some seats. There was a country vibe to the facade, which served the fruity-Jamba image quite well, but of course inside was rather the opposite: vermillion and sweet chaos. Good thing the lines weren't that long. Skipping the Pacquiao match had its perks - reduced queuing time, which I imagine could be a real nuisance once the hordes of hungry sports fanatics decide to celebrate with mangoes, steel-cut oats and berries.

The smoothies and other drinks were prepared on-the-spot, so the constant buzz of the blenders forms the background sound for those who chose to dine inside. Skipping the aircon and going for the outdoorsy feel was another option: peace, quiet, a lot of sunlight and as already mentioned, sawdust.

Still, I'd go for country over blender music.

[caption id="attachment_925" align="aligncenter" width="768" caption="The infamous photobooth (Oh wait, is that my foot?)"][/caption]

First timers would be delighted to see their drinks poured from a hodge podge of raw materials, blended and transformed into those colorful smoothies. For those who can't get enough of photos and tagging themselves everywhere, there's the live photobooth which directly sends the photos to your email. Good thing, people were still in the lazy Sunday mood, so cam-whoring was not part of their agenda or perhaps my foot was just in the way. (Sorry, it was a long drive!)

[caption id="attachment_926" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="(L) Acai Supercharger and (R) Banana Berry"][/caption]

From reading the list of ingredients of the drinks, you could already tell how the smoothie would taste, in close approximation. When I got a sip of my Acai Supercharger, it tasted way better than I had imagined. I was expecting sour-fruity shake, but what I got was Fruit by the Foot yummy-fruity flavor that was not hampered by the soymilk's queer taste. The consistency was thick not because of the ice but because the drink was jam-packed with fruit. The same went for the Banana Berry that had that candy kind of fruity taste that brings comfort drink and nutrition in one cup.

With that voluminous serving of fruit, it's natural to expect a lot of sugar and calories in one drink. I suppose that's why they say it's equivalent to a meal or a great refresher after a work-out. Whoever said Jamba Juice is a dieter's dream still must be dreaming because with that much fruit and milk in one cup, you can't expect to just fly away with zero calories. Same goes for diabetics who ought to check out the labels before indulging in a fruit fiesta.

Jambajuice.com is rather keen on posting the nutritional content of the drinks and food served at Jamba Juice, to which I'm grateful for. Here's some trivia on our drinks plus what's listed in my next visit's to-try list:

The Acai Supercharger (16oz) is blended with acai juice, blueberries, strawberries, soymilk, raspberry sherbet, and antioxidant powerboost (equivalent to 2 fruit servings). A cup contains 260 calories, 46g sugar and 930% of the day's Vitamin C requirement.

The Banana Berry (16oz) is blended with bananas, blueberries, apple-strawberry juice, raspberry sherbet and frozen yogurt (equivalent to 2.5 fruit servings). A cup contains 270 calories, 57g sugar and 3g fiber.

The Steel-cut Oatmeal variants are very promising buys in the future because they are all under the 300 calorie level, sport at least 5g of fiber and a maximum of 25g of sugar. With bananas, apple cinnamon and blueberry & blackberry as available toppings, this is going to be another tough decision.

If in the mood for granola (but with soymilk, so very PETA-friendly), the Fruit and Yogurt Parfaits would be very, very tempting for breakfast or snacks. Available in Mango Peach, Berry and Chunky Strawberry - I can only wish that Jamba Juice will soon be blending in Quezon City! But wait, the 16oz parfait contains at least 550 calories and 55g sugar, so make sure you're super hungry when you indulge in this granola cup!

With pretzels and California flatbreads, there really ought to be a next time. I haven't even started with the breakfast snacks, the boosts and shots and my all-time favorite matcha!

[caption id="attachment_930" align="aligncenter" width="819" caption="Blending Soon in... QC? I wish."][/caption]

Here's to a new alternative to milk teas and fraps!

My grandmother might call it a  fruitshake shop wrapped in organic sophistication, but then, our blender's broken so someone ought to make my smoothie.

Seriously though, Jamba Juice ought to blend soon somewhere up North. If you're having trouble finding a spot, you can always use our house!