Odes: An attempt at healthy eating

23 FEBRUARY 2011. I admit, I am not much of a healthy eater. I really want to start eating healthy, but "healthy" food often comes with higher price tags. =| Of course, as Danes would put it, I could look at it as an investment for my health. But I would need to work it into the budget. Plus we've got other people in the house to consider (my younger brother for example, is much less of a healthy eater than I am). And usual conditions aren't that conducive to healthy eating (canteen fare, guilty treats constantly circulating in the office, fast food choices along the way home, etc). Unless I prepare our baon food everyday, which I can't do yet. I can only whip up a quick breakfast for hubby and me and prepare his morning and afternoon snacks, and I do so with ready-made stuff like store-bought peanut butter, hotdogs and the like.
Hubby and I went out on a quick dinner date on Wednesday (payday!) evening. We dropped ourselves off at Festival Mall. After walking past several restaurants, we settled for Kenny Rogers Roasters, where we don't usually eat, on the third floor. Originally, we wanted to have the baby back ribs and the usual things we order.

Then, we caught sight of Kenny's Healthy Meals menu. For some reason, we took a fancy to it and chose our dinner from there. All meals already come with drinks so I must say the price is reasonable.

Wow, this is new. Haha!

I tried the Classic Healthy Plate (P185). It consisted of a quarter of KR's signature roasted chicken, a vegetable salad, a corn muffin and fruit salad.

My plate. A classic beauty indeed. Just looking atit made me feel good already.

Hubby went for the Low Calorie Meal (P185) composed of grilled fish (not sure what kind of fish it was) with a salty sauce, rice and steamed vegetables.

A pretty simple-looking meal (but costs as much as mine).

I find the staff at that branch pretty attentive, ready with a glass of water, asking if we'd like the dessert to be served. We were seated at one of those round cushion benches (meant for a group of 6 or 8) and I really felt comfy and cozy.
Near the end of dinner, we had dessert brought in. We shared a cup of frozen yogurt. At P55 for a "large" cup (plus P10 for your choice of topping), it must be one of the cheapest yogurts out there (as some would go over P100).

The perfect dessert to cap off a healthy meal: yogurt!

I commonly find yogurt too sour so I'm not much of a fan. I once tried that P25 cup of Nestle Fruit Selection Yogurt and ended up just forcing it all down kasi sayang naman. Those were one of my healthy-eating attempts. But I never bought that again. So I was certainly glad to discover Kenny's tasted good. Even hubby, who I know isn't into yougurt, enjoyed it. There are around five different kinds of toppings like chocolate, but since the implied theme for the night is "healthy food", I chose fruits. My classic plate included a small fruit salad similar to the toppings we had on our dessert. So I dunked the remaining pieces into our yogurt cup and we need not fight over the fruit. =)
After the meal, I was full but I didn't have that sort of heavy (and guilty...and lousy...and regretful) feeling which I would have after a usual big meal.
Will be back to try the other healthy plates. And the yogurt. I'm sure hubby will like that. =)
*BB*

ILYS: It's chicken day once more

19-20 FEBRUARY 2011. I promise myself to cook a bit more beef, pork or fish next time. Because today, it's chicken once again.

I was finally able to try Chicken Satay with Cucumber Salad recipe on Yummy Meals in Minutes. I got myself to buy--at last--a bottle of satay sauce, a small bottle of which costs P98.00. Ouch. O_O I also purchased breast fillet at SM Southmall supermarket on my way home after work on Friday.


Saturday found me in the kitchen once more, bent on finally cooking this dish I have earmarked a long, long time ago (since I bought the cookbook, so that's more than one year ago already).

The stage is set for another yummy meal.

Cut the chicken breast fillets (skinless, 1 kilo) into
bite-size cubes and wash 'em real clean!

Although I find the nutty scent of satay sauce yummy, my mom was alarmed by it. Even hubby thought something smelled spoiled. =)

Prepare the marinade. Combine 1 tbsp. chopped garlic,1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup peanut butter,
1/4 cup satay sauce, and 2 tsps chili-garlic sauce.
Season with sugar, salt and pepper as needed.
Mix 'em real well!

Toss the chicken cubes in the marinade.

Make sure the chicken is mixed well in the nutty marinade!
Set aside for about 15 minutes.

Easy cucumber salad. Combine 2 diced cucumbers,
2 tbsps lemon juice, 3 tbsps minced red onion
and 1/4 cup sesame oil.

Hubby joined me in the kitchen after a while. He wanted to help out so I requested him to do the frying. I think it would help to use a non-stick pan. The one we used was no longer non-stick, so the marinade did stick until there was an accumulation which soon toasted into a black mess inside the pan (some of the chicken had burnt spots on them).

Pan fry the marinated chicken.

This dish deserves porcelain plating. Dinner time!

Long after I managed myself to stop scooping rice into my plate, I still found myself popping chicken pieces into my mouth as we were still hanging around the kitchen table listening to mom's story (I think it's one of those from her dalaga-days again, which we've heard a half dozen times already and which she is repeating for hubby's benefit). It's addicting. Ang sarap papakin. Hahaha! And the cucumber salad really goes well with the chicken.

The recipe above was for 1 kilo of chicken. As we're a family of five (hungry people), I used about half a kilo more (so if you'll do the same, just adjust the measurements). There was still more than enough of it until the next day when my kuya's family came over for lunch, and even for our breakfast on Monday. =)

Chicken Satay with Cucumber Salad
Find the recipe on the Yummy Meals in Minutes book


*BB*