The Wholesome Table Review

The Wholesome Table

30th St, corner 7th Ave. Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio City, Taguig

Tel: +6328670000

This is a new organic food restaurant by Bianca Araneta Elizalde. The ingredients used are of good quality and from organic sources, even the sauces are all-natural and made from scratch. The recipes do not consist of high fructose corn syrup, refined sugar, or trans fats. 

What caught my attention was the "organic food" sign outside. In the past, I would have turned around but since I changed my life and started eating healthy, I have been begging for there to be more places like this. 

As I walked inside, I was impressed; it was everything that I had planned for a future restaurant; tree in the middle, wooden ceiling, bar with a chalkboard, glass windows to the kitchen. If I do make a restaurant in the future, I'm going to have to change my ideas a little so that it isn't too similar. 

The Land of Waterfalls! Brazil: Foz do Iquaçu.

As we neared the Foz do Iguaçu Airport, we flew over miles and miles of trees. I thought that we would be staying in the jungle as I tried to do as little research as possible, so that I could be surprised.

Then, a river came into sight with what seemed like a large hole in the Earth. It was the waterfalls. From above, I had no idea how we were going to get there, not knowing all the roads were hidden by the tall trees.






Walking out the doors of the airport, I could feel the thick cloud of mist as I inhaled the fresh rainforest's air. We took a highway surrounded by miles of trees until we reached a small town. It was quaint and pleasant with many shops and restaurants.

Healthy Breakfast Inspiration! Banana Peanut Butter Toast and Its Nutritional Value.

Nowadays, everyone is looking to get fit. Deciding to go on crazy diets that never work, this I speak from experience. I don't know about anyone else, but if I eat too little, I get extremely hungry, I become an animal, scarfing down anything that comes my way, and end up eating twice as much as I should have. After three years, I lost 15 pounds that I gained while studying in Switzerland. Currently, I hardly work out, only once a week now. I also only began to exercise 1 year ago. The reason I lost that weight was not because I ate less and was trying to be anorexic like everyone thought. I lost weight because I doubled up on protein and vegetables, and ate less than half of my usual carb intake. I also started replacing food with organic and healthy products. 

The Internet has really helped me discover healthy, delicious and filling recipes! 

As you age, your taste buds change. Disregarding food that makes your tummy ache is part of growing up. I used to love eating candy every day and I hated vegetables. Now, I eat vegetables every day and can only handle candy once every few weeks. I also used to hate bananas because of the texture. But since I found this recipe, I've loved them because when mixed with the crunchiness of the toast, it's perfect! This is the Banana Peanut Butter Toast Recipe! I first discovered this on Pinterest from the Living Tastefully Blog. 

Ingredients:

• Banana
• Home Made Natural Peanut Butter
• Whole Wheat Toast

Procedure:

1. Toast Bread
2. Slather the Peanut Butter on the Bread
3. Slice the Banana
4. Place Banana slices on the Peanut Butter Toast
5. EAT & ENJOY!

  

                       

                          SIMPLE AS THAT

This is a quick and easy breakfast that provides you with healthy unsaturated fats, protein, fiber and complex carbs. This will help you feel full and allow your body to sustain energy. 

The Most Delicious Healthy Avocado Salad You Will Ever Eat

The key to eating healthy is let it become a habit rather than a chore. Most people believe that healthy food has no taste and is not satisfying. I used to be one of those people. It wasn't easy to begin liking healthy food but once you incorporate it in your life, its like breathing. All the salty, oily and fried stuff that I used to stuff my face with are now substances that make me feel sick. 

NOW! To one of the beauties that helped me fall in love with healthy food. You think, "SALAD?? I don't want salad!" But you've never tried THIS salad, not just ANY salad; its AVOCADO SALAD! 

This is my special avocado, tomato, corn salad. Get ready to have your mouth explode with SUMMER! 

INGREDIENTS:
(Good for 1-2 people)

• 1 - Avocado 
• 1 pint - Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup - Cilantro
• 2 Cups - Corn 
• 1/2 Tsp - Lime zest
• 1 Tbsp - Lime Juice
• 1/2 Cup - Red Onion
• 1/4 Tsp - Salt
• 1/4 Tsp - Pepper
• 2 Tbsp - Olive Oil

If you want to know where to eat in Manila and dishes that I happen to love, check out:
Dining in the Philippines

Child's Play

Ups and downs. Punches and kicks. Flowers and Gifts. Which is it? Confusion of the unknown. The fear of the future. The search of the true meaning of this World. Surrounded by children running a country of children that play dirty on the playground. Those who have mercy fall off the monkey bars and land in the mud. Those who are conniving push and pull to climb to the top. In the end, they slide down alone anyway. We are a species of copycats with an exception of a rare few. We follow in our parent's footsteps creating a never-ending cycle of bad behaviour through generations. The internet has come to change our ways, our misinterpretations, our loneliness and our inability to assess a situation without emotional involvement. The future is here, and yet the stubbornness is holding us back. Peter Pan possesses all of us. The clock is ticking. The future is waiting for us to become the people we are meant to be. We can't seem to rid of these useless thoughts that make our egos bleed, creating a wall of soldiers to protect us. How could we have become so emotionally unstable that we have built this devil called the "Ego". They say that ignorance is bliss, but do they know what it is like to be on the other side? To see yourself as not a self. The self is your own experience of phenomena, your very own perception, emotions and thoughts. How did those come into existence? By the outside world; the people that surround you, the situations you were lucky or unlucky to be part of. Appreciate that you are alive to be graced by those people who pass by your life teaching you extraordinary lessons. In return, you can share that knowledge. We humans have devoured this world whole. The fighting must stop, the selfishness must disappear. Look into yourself like you would look into the eyes of an animal. You should see all the things that you believe people can't see. Purity and loyalty. Stare at the evil that lurks in your thoughts, those addictive thoughts. Stare at it until it can no longer stare back, until it gives up and disappears. No one said it would be easy but it can be done. The pain that sticks like pins and needles in our hearts are all memories from the past. The past is history that exists only to teach us what to avoid and not to repeat. Holding a grudge can only hurt you more than anyone else. Your body is your home and your soul are the lights, you only have one for this lifetime, use it wisely. 

Brazil, Rio de Julia

Last December (2013), my family and I decided to experience the country of soccer, Brazil. It was a good thing we went before the chaos of FIFA World Cup.

Our first stop was "Rio de Janeiro"! In English it means, "River of January".

We stayed at the Sofitel Hotel Copacabana. As soon as we arrived, we were welcomed with professional service, and was brought champagne and macaroons. After the incredibly long journey from the Philippines to Brazil, a glass of champagne was much needed. The Hotel had a spectacular view from the rooftop bar overlooking the sea. I enjoyed sitting there during mornings, and late afternoons to watch the sunset. 

Dining in the Philippines

        Dream Job?? To be a food critic. Who doesn't want that? To be paid to eat at restaurants, taste several dishes and critique your overall experience, that would be the life! Since I have not acquired that job yet, I thought of putting together a few of my favourite dishes from restaurants around the Philippines, mainly in Makati.

 If you would like to know what other dishes are available at the restaurants, you can view the menus by clicking on the links of the restaurant's title. 

Creamy Truffled Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon Pasta
Chelsea Market and Cafe

        Truffles, ah Truffles! The Diamonds of the Kitchen. Who doesn't like truffles?? Okay, it may be expensive to buy truffles and cook with them, but it isn't expensive to go to restaurants and eat a truffled dish! That's the beauty of restaurants.

        When I lived in Barcelona, I had one restaurant I would frequently eat at, only because of the Truffled Pasta. When I returned to the Philippines, I wanted to find a restaurant with the best truffled pasta. I found several that had this dish, but many used truffle oil; a big NO NO in the culinary world.

         I was walking through Serendra in Fort Bonifacio when I found my new favourite restaurant, "Chelsea". That is where I found the "Creamy truffled Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon Pasta". This dish was creamy, earthy, aromatic, smooth and mouth watering. On my cheat days, I usually get this, but thanks to finding this dish, I was able to try Chelsea's many healthy recipes as well; such as the pumpkin soup, or the roasted vegetables with feta and pesto. I am now a happy regular customer there!

Creamy Truffed Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon

Chelsea Market and Cafe
Php395