Office Snacks

Our summer turned into a rainy season with all the rain showers lately. Although some find that annoying (especially those who are beach lovers), we welcome rain in our weekend. It made our days and nights cooler. Summer here in the PI meas intense heat that you will probably be dehydrated if you do not bring with you a water bottle to cool off.

As I get bigger (my belly), my food fatigue wore off. I can now eat the things that I used to love except coffee.
Okay, I have to admit that there are days that I sneak in some decaf but that's all.

This is the best snack for me at this time of deprivation:

krispy kreme (glazed) and brewed coffee 

 This snack cost me almost nothing. I have a great friend who would visit us at the house and brings us a dozen of this donuts and the coffee is a gift from friend.

local brewed coffee (or kapeng barako) and bibingka

This combo cost 50 pesos. You can buy it on the go or dine-in.

 As a precaution (I am freaking out on the what-nots of being pregnant, even when it comes to food), I have been bringing my own lunch in the office. I am still lazy.

I know that brewed coffee is off-limits for me. That's why this bibingka will do for now. I will pretend that my Anmum choco drink is as good as my home brewed coffee when it comes to taste.

bibingka from Bibingkinitan

What's in your snack bag?

Another Easy Bento Rice-Based and Favorite Snacks

My energy is coming back! Being pregnant is not a walk in the park but you it is a great experience knowing that you have another life living inside you. One of my DH's colleague lost her baby last Saturday and we are saddened with the news. It reminds me of being extra careful for the next five months so that this kiddo inside my belly will grow stronger each day, safe and sound.

For the brighter issues, here is another bento that I have not posted yet. It was easy and tasty! Next time though I will be adding some vegetables and fruits for a more balance meal:

bacon, meatloaf and rice. 

I used my daiso-bought rice mold and small butterfly cutter + flower food picks and panda&tiger.

On breakfast, I missed my favorite "taho". It is a soya yogurt that is served with brown sugar and sago pearls.

yummy taho!

Our weekend is fun except for an incident with the househelp that leads us to the decision of finding a new one. Do you have any househelp issues?

Joining linky party:

Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple
Making Monday Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T.

Easy Cooking: Chicken Adobo

Since we moved into our new place I have been trying to put some time on cooking. Our no-fail favorite is the Adobo. Its easy to cook, does not require lots of ingredients, and taste better even for leftovers. In fact, the left over ones are the best ones. .

I have tried different versions of adobo (filipino adobo): chicken adobo, pork adobo and chicken-pork adobo. My favorite is the chicken adobo.


Here's how:

You will need the following:

1/2 kg chicken pieces (my favorite are wings and thigh!)
10 cloves garlic ( you can add more if you want)
1 large onion
1/4 cup vinegar
3 bayleaf
1 tbsp crushed black peppercorn
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
4-5 medium-sized potatoes ( you can add more if you like)

In a pot, put the chicken pieces, crushed garlic, vinegar, black peppercorn, onion and bayleaf.

Simmer for 20 minutes without stirring.

Sauce will start to reduce and the chicken will start to render fat.

Turn chicken pieces over when sides are golden brown.

Add soy sauce and the potatoes.

Add water if sauce dries up before potatoes were cooked.

Serve hot.

yummy~

Here is one of my favorite desserts: Brazo de mercedes. Don't ask me why its called like that here but I think there are counterparts that I've seen around the net. I don't know what its called though.

Joining the party at:

HappyHourProjects
Whipperberry
Home is where my story begins
Raising  Oranges

Fish Fillet and Hashbrown Bento

I am still here. Our wifi connection had some technical issues and I cannot upload any pictures, that is my excuse for not blogging. But really, pregnancy makes me not so eager to blog and even read blogs! But I am on my second trimester of pregnancy now (we were on 3 months and 2 weeks, so that means I am already on my 2nd trimester right?) so most of my former self is back. I have more energy to stay long in front of the computer.

There are so many photos that I haven't posted yet so expect more photos to come!

Here are my creativity on the move:

Fish Bento:

Lunch Bento: Fish Fillet, Banana and Rice (house-topped container has store-bought sweet&sour sauce for the fish)

Hashbrown Bento:  

Snack Bento: strawberry and peanut butter rolled sandwich on white bread, store-bought hashbrown. yellow container have some ketchup on them.

For the fish fillet recipe, you can find it here.

I did some bento-shopping and here's the new addition to my growing collection:

sweets food picks, small cutters

Food at the office cafeteria taste awful, so expect more bento and recipe posts soon.

I am joining the fun at:

Whipperberry's
Happy Hour Projects

First Trimester

Things became pretty busy in our household even before the Christmas season started. And we are busier than ever...or shall I say, I have been doing more couch-sitting than ever because we are pregnant!

I am on my 8th week now and the cravings and hating (i hate every food and smell that I used to love!) is at its worst.

And with the hate relationship with food, I avoided the kitchen as much as possible. I even stopped my daily browsing of AT (is it possible that I also hate anything interior related too??!)

Anyway, I have been eyeing some beautiful bags but too thrifty to buy anything. But sometimes you get to stumble on good deals too. I just wish the hubs reads this: SATCHELS. Affordable satchels. depending on size, price ranges from 700 to 800. Can anyone buy this for me?

And for some valentines day food ideas, here's one from family fun:

My mood swings are not helping much but I have been planning on making a new blog for the pregnancy and baby documentation. I hope to get working on it later this week. Although the first trimester is really hard, we are the happiest couple on earth. We are so blessed.

How about you? How's your 2012 so far?