Healthy Delight at Arama Cafe

tofu steak (php315)

About the food:

After attending DPP's 5th Anniversary located all along Bonifacio High Street, I looked for a place that provided both a healthy meal at a healthy cost to my wallet. It was not easy as most of the dining places in both Serendra and High Street were pricey.

Fortunately, I found Arama Cafe, that offered a vegetarian-friendly meal package. So I ordered the tofu steak above and it came with organic brown rice (see below).

The meal package did not include drinks so I ordered iced tea.

iced tea (php72)

I was quite pleased with the meal, the tofu was fresh, firm, and didnt smell bad. The sauce wasn't too salty. The rice was healthier than white rice, and the iced tea tasted good and is unlikely to be made from commercial iced tea powder.

To complete the meal, I also ordered Frozen Kefir (mango flavor).

frozen kefir (php 120)

Kefir is certainly a very healthy dessert, and its probiotic too. It tastes totally different from ice cream. Kefir has a slight hint of sourness, which is quite similar to plain unflavored yogurt. 


Where to buy and how much:

Arama Cafe is located at Serendra's ground floor, and is near A Different Bookstore.


Rating: 9/10

Vegan Macrobiotics by Chef Alice Ty

About the food:

Quite a number of people do not like to consume vegetables. Some would even remove the smallest of greens in their double-hamburger sandwiches. Others meanwhile, think that eating healthy means spending more. This is not the case with Vegan Macrobiotics.  



Where to buy and how much:

For only 70PHP you can have a meal consisting of:  baked okara balls in sweet and sour garlic ginger sauce. 

 If you're on a tight budget but want to avoid cheap fastfood, visit Mercato Centrale. They might just have something new in store.


Rating: 10/10

Healthy is the way to go nowadays:) You should also try the fresh shiitake mushrooms in olive oil. 

Bodhi Vegetarian Cuisine

About the food:

If you want to eat healthy vegetables, not miss out on the taste of meat, and save money on a meal, Bodhi vegetarian cuisine is the way to go. Bodhi makes use of fresh veg-meat, that is, vegetables which were designed to have the taste and texture of meat as much as possible, so that those who are carnivores would have an easier time adjusting to a vegetarian lifestyle. Make no mistake, the food pictures below do not have any meat or seafood at all, and yet they taste very much like the usual beef, pork, or chicken.

If you order a packaged meal, it would cost less than a hundred PHP only. (one cup of plain steamed rice, two viands, and one beverage). It's not a bad deal at all. If you order a viand ala-carte, it would be around PHP80 only.    

 
 Rating: 10/10

It's cheap, healthy, fresh, and affordable! What more could you ask for? Living a healthy diet need not be for the wealthy only. The texture of veg-meat may be chewier than the usual meat you are used to, but it's worth getting used to if you want to live a longer and healthier life with less chances of medical complications. 

Where to buy:

Aside from their main branch in Banawe (known as the land of abundand spare car parts and accessories), they have stores in several SM foodcourts (i.e. Megamall, North Edsa) and at Tutuban Mall.


Recommended links:

http://www.bodhivegetarian.com/ (this is only a temporary website as stated)

Asian Noodle Salad by Kitchen Revolution

About the food

The past two posts were examples of not-so-healthy food, that is, ice cream and pizza. For a change, I will be making a review of a truly vegan creation: the Asian Noodle Salad by Kitchen Revolution. It is made up of home-made tofu, noodles, vegetables, herbs, and some peanut sauce.

The tofu, being home-made, is quite firm in texture, and not soft on the inside. It is also not oily. As for the noodle salad, the herbs and the peanut sauce give it the flavor it needs to make it appetizing.The serving size is adequate but costs PHP175. The meal does not include any beverage.

Rating: 10/10

If you have fear of vegetables, herbs, and tofu, this is not the meal for you. However, if you are health-conscious and interested to live a longer life, then you must at least try this home-made meal. 

Where to buy:

Visit Mercato Centrale every Saturday mornings and look for the stall Kitchen Revolution.

Recommended links:

Kitchen Revolution's website: http://kitchenrevolution.multiply.com/ (not updated- find their facebook page instead)

Mercato Centrale website: http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/