Food Feud

​Feuds are never about hate. Feuds are about pain. They’re about pain. Olivia de Havilland, Feud

I’m not ashamed to admit that it’s always been a pain to control and choose the food I eat. One minute I love healthy stuff then I gorge on desserts after. I’m always conflicted and I try to keep everything balanced so I wouldn’t go back to being huge.
Mind you, I don’t hate food. I love food and I love eating but the feud of food CHOICES (there you go) doesn’t end. I’m always fighting the small voices in my head arguing about vegetables vs fast food, cake vs fruit and whether I should take second or third helpings. It’s a hot mess of Epic Meal Time proportions.

To make this FEUD a delicious one, I’ll show you the different teams that make my tummy rumble and my tastebuds crave. It’s impossible to pick a loser because ultimately, they all end up in my gut (and sometimes, Instagram or Facebook). Let’s name the teams, GLINDA (good) and MOMBI (bad- yes, I love OZ because that was like the Harry Potter of the kids back then). I’ll be sharing SOME (there’s more!) and giving some of my thoughts.

GLINDA– The Good Witch. The good stuff. The ones you usually see on Women’s Health. Waistline friendly.

Salad with Grilled Chicken from KyoChon– It’s one way to not feel guilty after eating some twice fried wings.

Baguio Strawberries- I live for a fresh bowl of these red gems. These are the things you’d wish you had everyday but can’t. It’s expensive elsewhere and I wouldn’t touch the imported frozen ones.

Quinoa Salad from UCC Clockwork- Probably the best salad I’ve ever had in my life. It’s got everything I could possibly need to sustain my hunger and keep me energized the whole day. What’s great about it is the whole colorful meal = healthy meal thing. You can never go wrong with baby tomatoes and oranges.

DIY Bowl of Cereal (Frosted Flakes, Skim Milk, Dried Fruit, Bananas and Cinnamon)- This is the quickest, fastest meal you could ever prepare but could also be the quickest, fastest way to sabotage your ‘diet’. Frosted flakes alone is sugar-rich but make sure the others don’t have as much. Sometimes I use Wheetabix (messy but it’s a goody!) and it gives an even better flavor compared to most cereals. I like to sprinkle cinnamon on everything. It’s the best alternative to sugar and it’s also good for the heart.

Bananas and Pineapples- Definitely my favorite fruits! Funny story- I once went on a pineapple binge. I totally thought it would ease my ongoing constipation problems but it didn’t. I was still literally shitless and it turns out, if your body has a sudden increase in fiber, it will cause you even more digestion  dilemma. So yeah, it sacked but it won’t change the fact that I love it. Bananas are a recurring theme in my life. I’m not Ana Banana’s daughter for nothing. My nickname is obviously a nod to that too. Banay Banina Banayna Banaynay with the banana things.

Salmon Sashimi– The first things (yes- I fill the DINNER plate with lots and lots of it!) I eat whenever there’s a buffet. Oh how I love these squishy, orange things. The sushi, on the other hand, is different story. I’ll explain later.

Vegan Beetroot Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles from Satinka Naturals- Girl, this is the dish that made me want to buy a spiralizer. It tastes so flavorful and bold, you would forget it’s not meat and the Zucchini noodles add a good crunch. They also offer cauliflower rice as an alternative ‘carb’. I wouldn’t mind having this for lunch everyday.

Panini Set from Slice- Bread is always my carb of choice and that’s the first thing I usually look for in every menu. Pumpkin soup is also one of my favorites!

My Ate Badang’s Chicken Tinola- Fail safe lunch option. I can have as many helpings of Tinola soup and not feel bad after. Malunggay (Moringa, btw) is a good source of nutrients and it’s pretty inexpensive too. Sorry, I choose her Tinola over others. Nothing can change that 😉

Hummus from New Bombay- Actually, this is just my 2nd favorite hummus. My favorite will always be Jasmine and Tita Diya’s! Hummus goes with everything- Bread, meat and crackers or simply on its own. I have yet to mix pasta with it and I bet it’s going to be as magical.

Usana Nutrimeal- Meal in a bottle! I love that it tastes like milkshake. You can use it to gain or lose weight too. When I’m at home and I don’t feel like eating what is served, I take my bottle and shake away. It’s pretty expensive so I save it for really hectic days.

Nestlé Greek Yogurt- There are plenty of Greek Yogurt brands in the market but this one is both pocket and tummy friendly. It’s not as coagulated as this other brand I know and it isn’t so runny either. I like to pair this with fruits and oatmeal. This is delicious but my favorite will always be Activ (for, you know, constipation).

MOMBI– The Bad Witch. The ones that sew your dress at night and make it a little tighter the next day. Haha. Kidding aside, it’s good to have a balance of all food groups. Most of time, this is the side that wins the food picking feud. Watch.

Bacon Roses- Personally, I think this is the best edible item I’ve ever given to someone. My SO loved it so much and I swear several other people asked me to give/make them one or teach them how to do it. It’s fairly simple- you just need lots of toothpick, barbecue sticks, bacon, muffin tin and an oven (I used an oven toaster). Patience and good ventilation is a must since the bacon smell will linger for a while.

Jollibee C3 Meal- C3 is the value meal code of Chickenjoy and Spaghetti and drink (+20 for a Sundae cup). This is my go-to meal when I’m truly hungry and in need of some Jolly cheer. I have to admit that I like going to Jollibee kid parties just because 90% of the time, this is the default meal. I’m a smol child trapped in a woman’s body and for me, there’s no place like Jollibee 🙂

Btw, Jollibee’s Pancake Sandwich is a staple too!

Cheeseburger from The Beef- Whenever I go to Hole in the Wall, I always get this. They only have about <5 items on their menu and they deliver what they promise. It’s the burger without the pizazz and is still very delicious- juicy, flavorful inside a soft, tasty bun. Normally, I skip the buns (looking at you, Zarks!) but this one made me eat it. The dipping sauce for the fries is amazing too!

Bacon and Eggs and Pancakes from Kanto Freestyle- This is why I miss Makati. After work, it’s easy to go to Salcedo, Poblacion, Legaspi to eat in some of the most interesting places. I ate here once and I want to go back again. Who doesn’t love 247 breakfast food? It’s the best!

Beef Doner from Turks- Turks is life. Turks is love. Make everyday a Turksday. Whenever I spot a kiosk in the mall or where ever, expect heart eyes from me. I love their spill proof pack. No more hands smelling like shawarma!

Special Set from Pancake House- Everything I love about Pancake House in a plate! Spaghetti, taco and chicken ftw.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken from House of Lasagna- Well, my SO and I couldn’t resist that crunchy, savory and juicy piece of chicken smothered in garlic and cheese. He actually experimented one time and it was pretty good. I ate wings in my weight that day.

Landers Whole Wheat Pizza- Because the healthier option is the best option (sometimes!). I absolutely enjoyed it and I hope there are more pizza places that can offer these options. Btw, don’t ask what I ate for dessert. 😛

Cheese Quesadilla from Army Navy- Staple order. I love how perfect the cheese goes with the salsa and white sauce. My SO and I have Army Navy dates before he conducts a training course. It’s sort of our little tradition.

Baked Scallops from Lantaw- I can eat an entire tray of this and baked mussels. I loooooove it.

Chicken Salad and Katsu Burger from Yabu- Great food with equally great customer service. Their chicken salad is my favorite. I love how the edamame makes it very savory. As for the burger, the katsu is deep fried to perfection. I can almost taste it as I type.

Banned Food– I stopped drinking soft drinks and eating rice for about 4 years now. I don’t miss it and I don’t look for it. I picked dessert over rice because there’s always a variety of it. I’ll tell you more about it but it’s another post for another day.

Again, it’s all about pain- pain in choosing which food would be best for you, pain in which food would go first. You may choose the healthy route full time, eat what you want or be happy keeping a balance of both. 

Either way, you win. In any food battle, it’s always the one who eats and enjoys wins.