Excluded Archives - Page 14 of 16

Olive Oil : The Healthier Choice

I’ve mentioned on my other blogÂ that my brother and I are on a weight loss plan. One of the things included on our list is changing how we prepare our food.

We used to cook our food on regular oil. There were even times our food would really be oily, but it won’t matter to us even though we know it can cause some unhealthy things to our body like heart problems and severe acne. So, we have decided that from now on, we’ll be using olive oilÂ as much as we can because of its health benefits.

Olive oil is known for its good effects on health. It actually reduces the levels of bad cholesterol that can build up fatty deposits in arteries. It lowers cholesterol levels and reduces the chances of heart problems.

Olive oil is also known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It also maintains metabolism and helps in development of brains and bones. It’s also a good source of Vitamin E and can help maintain a healthy eating routine. I guess that’s why I’m able to reduce my food cravings after I started preparing my baked chicken breast with olive oil.

We bought this Olitalia Pomace Olive Oil. It’s not actually pure olive oil, but I only use it for baking. It has a high smoke point so I can cook it long enough to bring that smoky flavor on my baked chicken. I’m planning on buying Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) next time I grocery-shop.

How about you? Do you use Olive Oil for your home cooking?

KFC Chili Lime Chicken : New, Exciting Flavors!

We were invited to the launch of KFC’s new chicken flavor last week, but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to join. Aside from food bloggers, KFC also invited some of their Facebook fans who sent in the most creative guesses on what their new chicken flavor is. Ken guessed “Chicken Tocino“. That would’ve been good, too, right? He’s a tocino addict, FYI. *LOL*

After the event in Blue Leaf Events Pavillion in McKinley Hill Village in Taguig, I found out what their new chicken flavor is â€“ KFC Chili Lime Chicken.

I was pretty excited to try this new chicken flavor. I’m a HUGE fan of KFC, especially their Hot and Crispy chicken, California Maki Twister and their fries. So, their Chili Lime Chicken was really something I looked forward to tasting.

Last weekend, we finally got a taste of KFC’s Chili Lime Chicken at their branch near Gilmore. And, all I can say is the combination of chili and lime is really interesting.

First off, I just wanted to say this â€“ I don’t like sprinkled flavor powder on anything. So, I didn’t particularly enjoy the flavor powder on my Chili Lime chicken. BUT, I loved how these 2 flavors â€“ chili and lime â€“ gave KFC’s chicken a new twist.

They say that the Chili Lime Chicken is marinated in special Chili Lime spices. That part, I really love. The chicken meat really bursts with flavor. And, I’m pretty happy that the chicken meal we ordered was still very warm so you can really taste and enjoy the chili lime flavors.

I’ve read some comments from KFC fans who didn’t particularly like the Chili Lime chicken. They say it tastes weird. I say, it’s new and interesting. The first time I bit into my Chili Lime chicken, I immediately tasted the lime flavor. I love limes on anything so I really enjoyed it. The chili or spicy flavor of the chicken, though, got a li’l overpowered by the zestiness of the lime flavor. I can only taste the spiciness on the chicken skin. I guess I was looking for a li’l more chili flavor on the chicken itself.

However, I still enjoyed my KFC Chili Lime chicken because it was something new. I love the flavors combined with KFC’s tender chicken meat and, of course, their famous gravy (soup to other people *LOL*). I’m actually thinking of trying preparing chicken here at home using these 2 flavors to see how it’ll turn out.

By the way, we ordered the 2-piece KFC Chili Lime chicken meal. I didn’t know that you can actually choose from the 3 flavors for ANY KFC chicken meal. If I did, I would’ve ordered their Fully Loaded Twister meal instead with Chili Lime-flavored chicken. Kien and I had to order 2 separate California Maki Twisters *LOL* I know, we’re on a diet, but when we’re in KFC, we just can’t help but go on a food trip. We don’t need the best multivitamin to boost our appetite when it comes to KFC. We just love their food! ^_^

Have you tried KFC’s Chili Lime Chicken?
How did you find the combination of the tangy lime flavor and spiciness?

What’s Inside your Refrigerator?

Whenever I watch American shows or movies, I envy how the refrigerators they have at home are all filled with food like ingredients for a healthful sandwich for snack time or lunch, and fruits or vegetables for their dinner salads. I’ve always wanted to have an organized refrigerator containing only healthful ingredients for cooking, especially now that my whole family is trying to eat healthier. It’s a li’l hard to keep it all organized now because of what we have to place in there.

Here’s a peak inside our refrigerator and freezer. We own a Kelvinator refrigerator that has been with us for over a decade. The only problem with this refrigerator now is we have to really push the door to completely close it properly. But, it still works well.

Inside our trusty Kelvinator refrigerator - CertifiedFoodies.com

What you’ll usually see inside our refrigerator.

On the refrigerator door, currently, you’d see eggs,one-liter powdered juice sachets, sandwich spread sachets and bottles, and a bottle of mustard. We prefer to buy sachets to save space and money. We usually tend to use more sandwich spread or powdered juice than we should when we buy bigger packs or bottles.

There’s not much inside our refrigerator because we usually buy food supplies weekly. My mother goes to the market every weekend to buy meat. We’re also pretty much very independent here so we end up cooking for ourselves. So, she just buys ingredients that we could use for anything we might want to cook.

As you can see at the bottom of the refrigerator, we have a plastic container / box for our vegetables. However, I still prefer a more organized refrigerator. I want something bigger so we can stock more healthful ingredients for salads, sandwiches, etc. This is my dream refrigerator â€“ Whirlpool ED5LHAXWB refrigerator.

My dream refrigerator - Whirlpool ED5LHAXWB Refrigerator - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Whirlpool refrigerator â€“ my dream ref!

I love its features, especially the ice dispensing and water filtration systems. And, you’ve got huge space inside plus the door bins. It also has a coldness controlled drawer to keep meats, cheese or beverage fresh longer.

I know, this refrigerator model is quite expensive. I’m not even sure if we have this here. I just saw it on Best Buy while I was searching for a refrigerator I want to own in the future. If I get to own a ref like this, I’ll post another photo of what’s inside.

How about you?
What’s inside your refrigerator?

If you have a photo of what’s inside your refrigerator on your blog,
share it with me in the comments section and I’ll link you up on this post.

Enjoy!

Chowking’s Orange Chicken and Tender Beef Broccoli

Ever since Chowking announced their newest additions to their menu, I’ve wanted to try them. And, a few weeks ago, we finally got the chance to have a taste of their Orange Chicken and Tender Beef Broccoli.

We were told to wait for 10 to 15 minutes for our orders. I was okay with it and glad they served the Black Gulaman I ordered, that I’ve been craving for.

The order took a li’l longer than we expected. We talked about a wide range of topics, from our next food trip destination, and even about SSS.Â 😀

Anyway, when our orders were finally served (the server apologized for the wait), I was a bit disappointed with the serving of my Orange Chicken. For the price of Php 89.00 inclusive of rice, I expected more slices of chicken.

We first tasted the Tender Beef with Broccoli. It was good, but didn’t really blow us away. I guess it’s because we cook beef with broccoli A LOT at home (one of my faves) so we expected something more from Chowking. There was too much sauce for us, but we’re glad the broccoli and carrots still had li’l crunch to it, since that’s how we like our veggies. And, yes, the beef slices were tender. The sauce wasn’t salty or too overpowering. It was just right, so we still enjoyed it.

Then, we tried my Chowking’s Orange Chicken. I was surprised, honestly. I didn’t expect it to be really yummy. The spiciness of the orange sauce added to my enjoyment of the whole dish. I can say they made up for the little serving with the delicious, spicy sauce. But, still, I would’ve loved more pieces of the chicken.

I love Chowking’s Lauriats, their Kangkong with Bagoong and, of course, their dimsum. And, now, their Orange Chicken is the latest addition to my favorite meals from them. I’d also love to make my own version of it, homestyle!

Have you already tried Chowking’s Orange Chicken or Tender Beef Broccoli?
How was it? And what’s your favorite from Chowking’s menu?

KFC’s California Maki Twister and BBQ Rods

KFC – It’s Finger Licking Good!

Last week, my brother and I had food delivered from KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), my favorite chicken food joint. We were both craving for their chicken and BBQ rods, so we decided to have them for lunch. We also haven’t tried their new California Maki Twister yet so we added it to our order, plus two KFC Go-go sandwiches for my parents.

By the way, I wish KFC will bring back their Go-go Dragon sandwich. I super love it and I’ve been craving for it.

KFC BBQ Rods â€“ yum!
Php 27.50 per stick

The KFC BBQ Rods is currently Kien’s, my brother, addiction. I understand why because it’s good and the sauce really makes it more enjoyable. Not pairing KFC BBQ Rods with rice is like a waste of the sweet taste of the sauce. *LOL*

I ordered 6 sticks of KFC BBQ Rods â€“ five for my bro and one for me. And, I also ordered their two-piece chicken meal. As always, one chicken is Hot and Crispy, the other one’s in Original flavor. What was delivered to us was still warm, so I really enjoyed it even when a couple of customers at our internet cafe were having their photos printed while I was eating away. *grin*

KFC 2 piece Chicken Meal - Hot and Crispy, Original - CertifiedFoodies.com

KFC 2 piece Chicken Meal – Hot and Crispy, Original
Php 130.90 â€“ ala carte

A few minutes after we were done with lunch, my brother and I decided to have a taste of KFC’s California Maki Twister. We only ordered one since we can share it anyway. I haven’t had sushi ever (but I will, soon!!), so I didn’t really know what to expect. Good thing Kien is a sushi guy, so I told him to let me know if it really tasted close to actual California Maki sushi.

KFC California Maki Twister - CertifiedFoodies.com.jpg

KFC California Maki Twister
Php 86.90 â€“ a li’l expensive for me, but I loved it.

When I took my first bite, the mango filling gushed out of my half of the Twister. It was so good, I can eat another one without feeling guilty. Might need women’s weight loss pills afterwards, though. Hahaha. But, seriously, I loved it!

What’s inside KFC’s California Maki Twister – Mangoes, cucumber, wasabi

The KFC California Maki Twister is made up of cucumber, mango and a hint of wasabi wrapped in a toasted tortilla. Kien said it tasted close to the sushi version. That made me want to try sushi on our next food trip. Woohoo!

Again, KFC didn’t fail my tastebuds. I was quite full after everything we ate. It was like our last supper / meal before we start on our “gradual” diet. But, for now, I am really craving for another KFC California Maki Twister!

Have you tried KFC’s California Maki Twister already?

What do you think? Let me know if you enjoyed it, too.

Enjoy!

Continue reading KFC’s California Maki Twister and BBQ Rods

Chocolatey Goodness + Gone Chocco, THE Blog for Chocolate Lovers

I am a chocolate lover. Wait, let me rephrase that. I’m a DARK chocolate lover. But, I still enjoy other kinds of chocolates. Just like what we see in movies and on TV, chocolate is a mood-booster for me. It’s still my choice of comfort food.

Dark Chocolate – CertifiedFoodies.com
Photo credit: Sense & Serendipity

I had the chance to try different chocolates over the past years. Most recently, I’ve had these two new additions to the list of my favorite chocolates â€“ Lindt Pistachio and Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts â€“ and, my long-time favorite, Ferrero Rocher.

Lindt Pistachio Chocolate - CertifiedFoodies.com

Lindt Pistachio Chocolate
I love that the chocolate is soft and the pistachio gives it a li’l crunch.

Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts - CertifiedFoodies.com

Ritter Sport Dark Whole Hazelnuts
I usually don’t like chocolate with nuts, but I enjoyed this.

Ferrero Rocher Chocolates - CertifiedFoodies.com

Ferrero Rocher Chocolates
Different variants. I enjoyed the dark chocolate the most.

I know, some people may say I might need acne products for eating lots of chocolates. But, you should know that chocolates actually are rich in antioxidants called flavonoids that are known to improve the heart’s health. I guess that’s why eating chocolates is comforting.

I prefer dark chocolate over any other kind of chocolate. I love the bittersweet taste and I’m not really a fan of milk and chocolate. Dark chocolate is my favorite comfort food. I also prefer enjoying a plain bar of dark choco, without nuts or anything crunchy mixed, while enjoying movies at home or writing a blog. I’m trying to lessen my cravings for it since I’m trying to lose weight, so I limit myself to one li’l square of chocolate every now and then.

A few of the more affordable dark chocolate I’ve tried are from Hershey’s, Meiji and Goya. Of the 3, I love Hershey’s the most.

Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate - CertifiedFoodies.com

Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate
Photo credit: Meals and Miles

And, back in high school, I got so addicted to this very affordable milk chocolate â€“ Lala. It only sells at about Php 8.00 now at the market. It brings back a lot of memories for me.

Lala Milk Chocolate - CertifiedFoodies.com

Lala Milk Chocolate
The more affordable alternative.

Gone Chocco â€“ THE Blog for Chocolate Lovers!

While I was doing my daily rounds of bloghopping, I came across this blog that just melted my heart. As soon as I landed on this blog, I quickly browsed through past posts and I can’t believe at how much chocolately goodness I found. The blog I’m talking about is Gone Chocco.

The author, Kath Lockett, is the ultimate chocolate lover. And browsing through her blog, reading how she describes or reviews the chocolates she’s tried, really makes me want to try everything she’s featured on Gone Chocco. Really mouth-watering, especially the way she takes photos of the chocolates. Here are a few of the chocolates she featured on her blog that I’d love to try. I wonder where I can buy them here or if they’re even available here in the Philippines.

Lindt Dark Chocolate Bars - Photos from GoneChocco.com - CertifiedFoodies.com

Lindt Dark Chocolate Bars
Photo credit: Gone Chocco

Choceur Chocolate Bars - Photos from GoneChocco.com - CertifiedFoodies.com

Choceur Chocolate Bars
Photo credit: Gone Chocco

What’s your favorite chocolate?

Thanks for reading!

Egg Station Tokneneng : Street Food Goodness

Have you ever had Tokneneng, one of the famous street food here in the Philippines? Tokneneng is usually quail eggs (itlog ng pugo) coated with orange-colored batter, deep-fried to crispiness. Some may say it’s actually chicken eggs and they’re bigger, but the tokneneng I know and love are the small ones. I know how to cook tokneneng at home. It’s very simple, really. I mostly use sweet chili sauce with it, but I’m not that satisfied. The deep-fried eggs aren’t really flavorful since it’s just plain eggs, so the secret to good tokneneng is to enjoy it with rich, sweet and mildly spicy sauce.

Egg Station at Victory Mall in Monumento - best tokneneng sauce I've ever had! - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Egg Station at Victory Mall in Monumento

My favorite store that sells tokneneng is Egg Station. We never fail to drop by their stall in Victory Mall in Monumento. I love, love, love their sauces. There’s even this one time that we took more sauce than we needed when we had tokneneng for takeout just so we can try to recreate it at home. *LoL*

Egg Station sauces on the side - CertifiedFoodies.com

Different choices of Egg Station sauces on the side

We discovered Egg Station one time when we were checking out the mattress salesin Monumento. I like their setup â€“ you order and they have small plastic bowls covered with plastic bags for your orders. They have containers of sauces on each side of their stall. They even have this small table where customers can sit their bowls and eat away.

Egg Station Price list

Their prices are the cheapest I’ve seen. You get 4 pieces of tokneneng for only Php 10.00. You can order 1 piece of balutthat’s also coated and deep-fried for the same price.

Egg Station sells tokneneng, kikiam, one day old chicken, balut, penoy, squid balls, siomai, etc. - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Egg Station sells tokneneng, kikiam, one day old chicken, balut, penoy, squid balls, siomai, etc.

They also sell penoy, one-day old chicken (awww… poor li’l things *LOL*), kikiam, squid balls, chicken balls and siomai. They have available drinks, too, selling at Php 12.00 a cup. But, we usually just buy tokneneng from them with lots of sauce. Hehehe.

Egg Station product display - CertifiedFoodies.com

Egg Station street food goodness

I’ll try to recreate their sauce here at home and I’ll share the recipe with you. Might come in handy when we finally open our own carinderiaor eatery here at home.

Tokneneng from Egg Station

Do you have your own recipe of tokneneng sauce you’d want me to try? Please share them with me at the comments section. If you posted it on your blog, leave the link and will post it here. Thanks!

Red Ribbonâ€™s Chocolate Fudge Cake

I know we all have had those moments in our lives when the only thing that we needed was some comfort food to warm our souls. The food that we would crave for may be different on person-to-person basis, but they all serve the same purpose: to make you feel like it’s summer on a gloomy and rainy day.

Whenever I feel sad, or sometimes frustrated, I always turn to food to console me. Sweet and buttery things, to be specific. There’s this feeling of healing whenever I stuff my mouth with sweet foods, especially chocolates! Scientists would even explain that there are chemicals in the chocolate that stimulate the body to produce endorphins or something that the body creates to make you feel happy, basically.

I am a big fan of Red Ribbon’s cakes and when I found out about their new Chocolate Fudge Cake and saw a photo of the actual cake. I was like, “OMG! That’s comfort food galore right there!”. I’m hoping I’d get a taste of it real soon. It’s Red Ribbon so there’s no doubt that it’s very delicious.

Red Ribbon's new Chocolate Fudge Cake - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â Red Ribbon’s new Chocolate Fudge Cake

Red Ribbon’s all new Chocolate Fudge Cake is now available nationwide. It’s available in regular size at Php 460.00, and Junior size at Php 275.00

P.S.
I even wrote a song about this cake.
“I love chocolate. I love cake. Put them together, it’s chocolate cake!”
Real catchy, eh?

‘Til next time!

Strawberry Sinigang?!

Update: Our nanay prepared her own Strawberry Sinigang recipe.

After seeing posts from a couple of bloggers who were invited to stay at one of the hotels in Baguio, I am now desperate to go back there for at least a week’s stay. I so miss Baguio because of the weather, the tourist spots, shopping, and, of course, strawberries!

Fresh Strawberries - CertifiedFoodies.com

Â I can have fresh strawberries for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Anytime!!

I love, love, love strawberries. I kinda dislike strawberry-flavored food, but, I love actual strawberries. The last time we were in Baguio, we weren’t able to buy a lot of it ’cause my mom prefers strawberry jam. The next time we go there, I’ll make sure we buy at least a kilo of it so I can enjoy fresh strawberries at home.

Going back to the bloggers who went to Baguio recently, one of the most talked about food amongst them is the Strawberry Sinigang. When I first read it from one of their tweets and on Plurk, I was like, “Seriously?!”

Strawberry Sinigang
Photo by EntrepreMom

I love Sinigang. It’s a very popular Philippine soup that’s sour in flavor. It’s usually cooked with tamarind (sampaloc), but, some use green/raw mangoes and guava (bayabas). So, discovering that people in Baguio actually cook their sinigang with fresh strawberries was really something for me. I want a taste of it!

I’m really intrigued because strawberries have a li’l taste of tangy sweetness to it. I would love to make strawberry sinigang at home when I find fresh strawberries in the grocery. I heard from the bloggers that it’s not the season yet for strawberries so I might have difficulty buying some good bunch of them at the market. But, I swear, I want to try it. I might just end up having a taste of it in Baguio when we go there next time so I can really enjoy the authentic taste of strawberry sinigang from people who are already experts in preparing it.

I wonder when we’ll be able to return to Baguio. We’re planning on visiting my mother’s childhood friend, who now lives with her family in Baguio, this December. I know I would need my cashmere sweaters when we do ’cause it’ll be really cold up there. But, definitely, a serving of freshly cooked strawberry sinigang will make me warm in no time.

Have you already tried strawberry sinigang?

How was it? Let me know at the comments section.

In case you’re wondering where you can find or get a taste of strawberry sinigang, I know for sure that Mines View Hotel serves it. Let me know if you know of other places in Baguio that serves this.

Enjoy!

Max’s Delivery in the Philippines through BDO Remit

Max’s Restaurant, one of the country’s leading fast-casual dining restaurants, recently sealed an agreement with BDO Unibank Inc. through its remittance service brand BDO Remit. The partnership pioneers a Food Remittance Delivery Service that will benefit Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families in the Philippines.

Through BDO Remit, OFWs can now surprise their loved ones by sending them their favorite Max’s dishes here at home, in the Philippines. To do so, they just need to visit any BDO Remit office in HongKong, Macau, USA, Italy, Germany or any of the bank’s participating remittance partners in Asia, Middle East North America and Europe.

The meal packages are good for 5, 10 and 20 people. This is available for delivery to Metro Manila and selected provincial areas. For non-serviceable areas, the beneficiaries or the OFWs families may dine in instead at their preferred Max’s branch or enjoy Max’s meals at home.

â€œThis is our way of paying tribute to hardworking Filipinos abroad. Through this initiative with BDO, Filipinos overseas can now surprise their loved ones by sending their favorite Maxâ€™s dishes to their families even if theyâ€™re far away from home,â€ said Jim T. Fuentebella, Maxâ€™s Vice President for Corporate Marketing.

â€œThrough our expanded food remittance services, we can help Filipinos abroad reach out to their families in the Philippines.â€ said BDOâ€™s First Vice President and Head of Remittance Domestic Operations Genie T. Gloria.