Trip to Mati

Last week (April 4-6,2009) - for 3 days and 2 nights I had a blast of the outing/trip we had in Mati - my birthplace. We went to different beaches namely Masao Beach Resort, Waniban Island and Dahican.

Take a look at the pictures below, you might would want to visit these places also. It would be best if you will click the image one by one to see a larger view.

Masao Beach Resort

If you and your family, friends or special someone want a good place to stay for an overnight swimming or outing - Masao Beach Resort is a good choice. They have great cottages, videoke place and nice beach. Right away from your cottage you can just jump to swim. I tell you, your kids will definitely enjoy this place.

Wanniban Island

From Masao, you can also go for an Island Hopping that would cost you 1000 pesos in every island. This would be best if you are many so the division of the payment would be lighter. Hehehehee... As for our case, we wanted to go Wanniban and Pujada. But unfortunately the wind was blowing so hard that time and there were big waves so we only went to Wanniban. I think we've stayed for 3 hours swimming and do picture taking. Time of stay, depends on you.. but take note, there is an entrance fee of 20pesos....ehehhehehee...

Dahican Beach

Dahican is really a good place for all surfer out there. Waves were just so awesome. Infact, I didn't have to worry about my swimming skills because just from the waves you will definitely have fun. You can just jump when the waves are coming or go under. Yepeeey! But be careful with the waves. Better to stay in the shoreline just like what we did.

Photos Courtesy of RGBConnections

Second Part: Great Foods we had during the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit

Please don't forget to check out the first part of Great Foods we had during the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit....

To continue, during the Sashimi Night which was my favorite. We got to taste first the hotdog rolled with bacon, biscuit with some food decoration at the top and bread with tuna. Just eating the hotdog rolled with bacon makes me already full. And for our drinks, we had punch and coke. Take a look at them below, really looks yummy right?

After we have satisfied ourselves with those great foods, we also have able to taste fresh tuna...(We really watched how the cook have sliced that big tuna into thin strips like what you can see below). You have to put some sauce (don't know the name) and kalamansi to get the best flavor.

It was still not dinner guys! So after few minutes we went to the dining hall and we're at awe to see again some great foods. Not to mention different variations of tuna like kinilaw, sinugba and others. Below was what I had. Hehehehehee....

Ang takaw ko noh? Well, when you are served with these kind of great foods and free, how can you resist? So you better attend blogging events like this next time!

First Part: Great Foods we had during the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit

I was looking at some pictures uploaded by Rap in his Picassa account when I found these great and free foods served before us during the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit.

Starting from lunch, we have this fried chicken, with some vegetable/like afritada I believe and of course fruit salad.

For snacks we had sandwhich in the morning and burger in the afternoon. Of course it was paired with softdrinks. Coffee we're also overflowing that time if in case you are feeling sleepy. Take a look at us, the models. Hehehehehe...

If you're wondering if breakfast was also free - yes it is. But we we're so hungry then that we've decided to eat at Jollibee before going to the venue of the summit.

Anyways, please don't forget to read the second part of the Great Foods we had during the 2nd Mindanao Bloggers Summit.

10 Secrets of Healthy Cooking

It's the season of Holidays guys! Don't drink too much, smoke too much and eat too much. Everything should be in moderate because we want a healthy life right?

Anyways, I am sharing to you this nice article I have bookmarked. If in case you still haven't read this.

1. Go for the flavor. Enhance food with bold flavors from healthy ingredients like fresh herbs, spices and citrus. When your food has great flavor, there’s no reason to feel deprived. A little Dark Chocolate Sauce goes a long way on low-fat, homemade ice cream or frozen yogurt. Make a batch of this and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

2. Choose low-fat dairy. Dairy products like milk, sour cream and yogurt are a good source of calcium. Replacing whole-milk dairy products with low-fat or nonfat versions is an easy way to cut saturated fat from your diet. This recipe for low-fat Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream cuts some of the egg yolks and uses low-fat milk along with fat-free sweetened condensed milk in place of heavy cream to cut the fat and calories while adding sweetness and a creamy texture.

3. Use smart fats. Not all fat is bad. Opt for unsaturated (e.g., olive oil) over saturated fats such as butter. But still use them in moderation because all fats are loaded with calories. We gave the coastal classic New England Fried Shrimp a makeover by cutting back on the tons of oil traditionally used for frying. These shrimp are still golden brown, crispy and delicious!

4. Go unrefined. Pick whole grains over refined ones. Whole grains like brown rice and bulgur have their bran intact and thus have more fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and other nutrients. We combine 90%-lean ground beef, mushrooms and bulgur into our healthier Meatloaf recipe.

5. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Aim for 5 to 13 servings of fruits and ­vegetables a day. Pick produce in a variety of colors to get a range of antioxidants and vitamins. A calzone is the perfect vehicle to get more vegetable servings in; try Corn & Broccoli Calzones.

6. It’s not all about the meat. Meat is a great source of protein but it’s also a big source of saturated fat in many people’s diets. So eat small amounts of lean meat, fish and poultry.

7. Keep portions reasonable. Even though we would all like a magic bullet for weight control, it really boils down to calories. One of the easiest ways to manage calorie intake is to watch your portion size.

8. Use sweeteners judiciously. Sugars of any kind, whether corn syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, honey or maple syrup, add significant calories without any nutritive value.

9. Keep an eye on sodium. Whether you have high blood pressure or not, it’s wise to watch your sodium intake. The USDA’s dietary guidelines for Americans recommend consuming less than 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon salt) daily.

10. Be mindful and enjoy. Make conscious food decisions rather than grabbing for what is most convenient. Make sure it is something delicious and savor it. When you enjoy what you eat, you feel satisfied.

Source

Luxury Holidays

Christmas and New Years are fast approaching, and I haven’t decided yet where to have my vacation. I really need to travel to relax and have fun with. Would it be in one of the islands of Philippines or perhaps in other countries?

It would be good to spend more idle time with nature and have luxury holiday. Beaches would be nice. They say that beaches along the coast of UK are the best. They say that spending an enjoyable and relaxing time in Le Touessrok would definitely be a memorable experience. I saw the pics and they are pretty interesting from the villa, golf course, beach, safran restaurant, villa, reception, frangipani island, lobby, entrance, ocean suite, spa entrance and deluxe room. Hmmn...those cool places? I wouldn’t regret staying there.

Le Saint Geran is also one of the best hotels in the world. Staying in this cool place and vacation rentals means be at home with some of the world’s best beaches and resorts. They offer lots of luxurious amenities for recreations and fun. And If I want a long white sand beaches, then living having luxury holidays would be my best option.

Interested? Then better visit Only Exclusive Travel by clicking any of the above links. They are a UK travel agent who specialise in the luxury and bespoke holiday market. Many of their locations are suitable for couples seeking a honeymoon destination.

They arrange golf holidays to the best golf courses, luxury spa hotel island hideaways and upmarket european breaks.

Kasagingan Trip

Here's another coffee trip we had after our gym session.

We went to Kasagingan, a coffee shop just located along Torres Street. It was actually James who brought and treated us. Hehehehee...

The place is nice because you are as if only sipping your own coffee at a beautiful garden in your house. I also had great time reading some of the posters they had because I see nice tag lines with all touch or words related to bananas. Hmmn...don't forget also to bring laptop because as we all know, wifi is free here in Davao for all coffee shops.

For the food, as expected you will have variations of them out from the famous fruit - banana. There are cakes and chocolates also if you like but you should really taste their different banana offerings. Hehehehhee...We ordered toron and a cheese stick like food (but banana is inside of it) plus a dip of chocolate and vanilla. For the drinks, I can only remember the name of Choco with Oreo and for the two I'm sorry.

Anyways, I am so thankful James brought us there. It was really a nice experience, chit-chatting and taking pictures with your two officemates. Hope to be there again!

Blugre' Trip

These are the food and the drinks we had when we went to Blugre'.

It was all our first time honestly. We ordered 3 Blugre' Larcepuccino (Oreo), Banana Cream Pie, Cheese Roll Bites and Chocolate Torte with Cream. They are all yummy, sooooooooooo sweeeeeet and a bit expensive. I paid P685.00 for all of them. Hehehehe...

But we we're so full then because we went to Taps first for our dinner that's why we haven't finished eating all of them. So I brought home the Cheese Creamroll for my boyfriend after.

I'm back!

As I've said in my other blogs, I am sorry guys for not updating this blog regularly. Just got so busy lately with work, family and lovelife. But I have couple of things to blog and watch out for them okay? Hehehhee...

A treat to myself - Yellowcab Pizza

When i got my first pay from the new work i have, i treated myself with a sumptuous meal. I went to Yellowcab Pizza and order their best selling pizza and its no other than New York's Finest. It has Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, bacon, ground beef, black olives, mushrooms, onions and red and green bell peppers. (Whew, Yummy!)

Photo Source

10 Foods for a Healthy Heart

Okay, in my last post i mentioned about the help bananas are able to give me. Though, I am not really sure about it. But right now, i got a reliable info for you guys to have a healthy heart.

Here are the foods that we should eat to reduce the risk of heart disease.

1. Salmon
Fish is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that protect your heart by reducing both inflammation and the risk of blood clots. These fats also work to keep your cholesterol levels healthy. Eat salmon or other oily ocean fish like tuna, sardines or herring at least two times per week. For a heart-healthy meal, try grilled salmon steaks with a green vegetable and a side salad with a sprinkling of lemon juice instead of high-calorie salad dressing.

2. Olive Oil
Olive oil reduces your risk of heart disease by lowering your LDL cholesterol levels. Choose olive oil for cooking, or make a nice dip for whole grain bread by pouring a bit of olive oil in a small bowl and add a bit of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of oregano.

3. Oats
Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta glucan that helps reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Soluble fiber also helps keep your digestive system healthy. Enjoy oatmeal with just a small amount of brown sugar and plenty of strawberries and walnuts for breakfast. Cold cereals made with oats are also great with low-fat milk or soy milk plus slices of fresh fruit.

4. Apples
Apples contain a phytochemical called quercetin which acts as an antiinflammatory and will help prevent blood clots as well. Apples contain vitamins and fiber, come in several delicious varieties and are portable. Eat an apple with a handful of walnuts or almonds as a healthy snack or add apple slices to your healthy salads.

5. Almonds
Almonds and other nuts contain healthy oils, vitamin E and other substances that will help keep cholesterol levels in check. Almonds are also a good source of protein and fiber. Almonds make a great snack on their own, or sprinkle slivered almonds on green beans or asparagus with lemon juice as a deliciously healthy side dish.

6. Red wine
Red wine contains a powerful antioxidant called resveratrol. Resveratrol has been shown to be good for your heart. Be sure to enjoy red wine in moderation. Studies show that only 4 to 8 ounces of red wine is needed each day.

7. Whole Grains
Whole grains provide vitamins and fiber that will help to keep your heart healthy. Make a deliciously healthy sandwich with two slices of 100-percent whole-grain bread, three ounces of lean turkey breast, lots of sliced tomatoes and avocado, plus lettuce and a bit of mustard. Switch from white pasta to whole grain pasta too.

8. Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables contain folate, which helps to keep homocysteine levels down, and vitamin E. Green leafy vegetables have also been associated with better retention of memory as age. Try using fresh spinach leaves or other greens for your favorite salad instead of iceberg lettuce.

9. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are packed with vitamins and lycopene, which has been shown to reduce heart disease risk. Add thick slices of tomatoes to sandwiches and salads or enjoy tomato sauce on whole wheat pasta. In fact, cooked tomato sauce and canned tomato sauce that you buy in the store both contain more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

10. Soy
Soy protein has been shown to prevent heart attacks and soy makes an excellent protein substitute for red meat, which will reduce your saturated fat intake. Add tofu to your favorite stir fry or pour soy milk on your morning cereal.

Source