I Am The Walrus

Breakfast

You can basically do whatever you want during breakfast — eat a whole ham, for all I care. You’ll burn it (or half of it at least) with your normal daily activities. My personal prefernce is half a cup of rice, fried egg, and hotdog or ham or meatloaf — just like the good ol’ days in Rodic’s at the UP Shopping Center.

Oatmeal and cereal are good too because they have the fiber that you’re going to need for the daily morning pre-bath poop. My favorite oatmeal flavor is Fish and Onion which I rarely see in supermarkets now (sad) and my favorite cereal is Honey Bunches of Oats which i DON’T see in supermarkets now (tragic).

But if you could, don’t do the sugar rush breakfast. For a couple of years, I worked for an office that had a Mister Donut kiosk in the building and I ate donuts everyday for breakfast. It’s all carbs with no real value and it’ll cause cavities. Donuts, as wisely marketed by its brand managers, are meant for kids because they are active enough to burn it. We old people can’t even inhale it without gaining weight.

Morning Snack

I usually keep a pack of fig newtons or 100-calorie-oreo packs in my drawer for my morning snack which usually occurs around 1030-11am (around the time I get to work ngyahahaha). Hunger pangs must not be ignored but at the same time, not overly indulged. A small pack of peanuts can also work for these in-between meals.

Lunch

Well, there is a myriad of lunch opportunities. At this point, you can still eat whatever you want. However I choose not to overstuff myself as I tend to get sleepy. So here are my usual lunch preferences (at work. At home I usually have no choice but to eat the fried dalagang bukid and ginisang ampalaya my mom has prepared hehehe).

1. Japanese - bento boxes are cool but I like my share of sushi, sashimi and maki. My usual Teriyaki Boy order consists of California Temaki (what I’d like to call Japanese shawarma), unagi sushi and miso soup. Or teriyaki chicken udon and unagi sushi. Japanese soups are good for you. They taste great, rich in protein because of the tofu, and not as rich as, say, clam chowder.

2. Chicken - I can never get enough of Kenny Roger’s Healthy Plate. It’s 1/4 roasted chicken, some salad, some fresh fruit (pineapples, apples, peaches), a corn muffin and a lite iced tea. It’s priced the same as a KFC fully loaded meal but not as fully loaded in carbs and calories (rice and a side of mashed potato plus a brownie? Might as well munch on a sack of rice). Plus! Kenny’s is probably the only fastfood in this country that has fresh fruit and vegetables. So frequent it.

3. Italian - Pizza and pasta are really for days when you intend to run a marathon hahaha. Almost always I gain an extra pound after a pizza or pasta meal. No wonder Marlon Brando and James Gandolfini are pudgy (but not De Niro and Pacino? Because they run after bad guys?). But I do have a favorite pizza (I’m not sure they still serve it) — Shakey’s Friday Special. Anchovies, shrimps, cheese and garlic — my oh my. Perfect with a coke.

My favorite pasta is puttanesca which I try to sample every time I see it on any restaurant’s menu. So far the best puttanesca places have been Mario’s in Tomas Morato and Chocolate Kiss in Roces. I think I finished a pound of pasta puttanesca in Chocolate Kiss, to the surprise (and delight) of fellow foodie Fafi. (FFF!)

4. Chinese - Chinese food would be the Asian equivalent of Italian eating — no good can ever come out of it hahaha. The rice is fried in oil, the dumplings too, thick spare ribs, not to mention cancerous MSG. But you can’t go wrong with noodles, you’re better off with it than rice. I like mine with chunks of beef or a few pieces of wanton.

5. American - Burgers. Blech. Since I had Cojie, I’ve had an aversion to beef. So in places like McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, I usually opt for a fish fillet or chicken fillet sandwich, which is healthier anyway. Wendy’s Shrimp Sandwich is good every year even if they only have it during Lent.

We’re in the subject of sandwiches anyway, might as well go for a sub. Ah, Subway. It’s my pat-on-the-back for a job well done, or a chocolate-equivalent when I’m depressed. There is a single Subway outlet in Quezon City (that I know of) and that is in Crossings in Scout Borromeo. Turkey Sub with everything on it, plus extra olives and jalapeno. Plus it’s right next to National Bookstore?? How can you go wrong?

6. Filipino - Wala kang magagawa. Wala ka nang pera. Wala man lang pang-2-piece chicken sa Jollibee wahaha. Diyan ka na lang sa cafeteria sa baba. Pasensya ka dahil hindi Sbarro ang nagke-cater ng cafeteria niyo (at pasalamat ka din kasi pag nagkataon wala ka namang mabibili wahahaha). So ano pipiliin mo? Eh di buhay bahay ka — pritong isda, isang gulay. Kung may canteen na malapit sa inyo na pwedeng magbenta ng kalahating order ng adobong kangkong o ginising sitaw, umorder ka. Ano ba naman ang P20 para sa kalusugan mo?

Afternoon Snack

See Morning Snack. But I usually have coffee in the afternoon which is perfect with a cookie. Choose oatmeal over chocolate chip. Or a carrot bar over a brownie.

Carrot bars/cakes are awesome if you give it a chance. My discovery of the day — Carrot bar in Bo’s Coffee (with free wifi!). Walnuts and cream cheese on top. It’s a Saturday and I just worked 5 hours, this carrot bar is God’s gift from heaven.

Dinner

Dinner is the most challenging meal of the day for me. Especially if I’ve been particularly disobedient earlier in the day (Why? Why did I eat that ice cream stick?!). Today I realized the perfect dinner place.

Kaya. Go Koreans.

Where else do you get vegetables for appetizers? (remember, in Dencio’s or Gerry’s, their idea of an appetizer is chicharong bulaklak). You get the kimchi, the bean sprouts, the spinach, the tiny shrimps — lovely. You can have the japche, the chewy glass noodles or you can have the bulgogi or the korean beef stew. You don’t need rice and you won’t notice anyway. You’re stuffed from the veggies.

Salads are best for dinner too. I would recommend Figaro’s chef salad because it’s wonderful. Ham and cheese slices, hard boiled egg, red and green bell peppers, olives, salad greens, vinaigrette. Lovely. Figaro Gateway has free Wifi by the way hahaha.

I am not one to recommend protein shakes or meal replacements because they give you cravings later on. But if I should, I would reco that concoction I’ve written before, Fruit Magic’s Nutty Oaty. Banana and peanut butter and oateal and a scoop of protein powder. Four hours later, you’re running to the bathroom. So it’s a meal and a laxative at the same time! Who needs xenical? Wehehehe….

I remember the late Doreen Fernandez. She had the world’s most awesome job. Eat food and write about it. How great is that. While I have to encode a thousand ad placements over the weekend for a Monday meeting.

So I threw that aside for a bit and wrote this down.

And now you just read it.