Lunch at Grandpa's Inn

Cafe Uno - Grandpa's Inn
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
30 October 2010

It was the day Ria and I traveled to Vigan City from La Union, but before going to Vigan, we made a quick stopover at Sta. Maria Church (also in Ilocos Sur). It was already near noon time when we arrived, and since most establishments were closed during noon time, we decided to eat lunch first. Brother was suggesting we check out the carinderia near Plaza Salcedo, but because Luna's post about her lunch at Cafe Uno was lingering my mind at that time, I told the tricycle driver to take us to Grandpa's Inn.



I don't know the exact address of the inn, but it wasn't too far from the heart of the city, though you still need to take the tricycle to get there.





Entering the inn, we were both amazed at how rustic it looked, to the point that we were immediately considering the thought of staying overnight in here so we would have longer time to roam around. Unfortunately, our budget wouldn't be enough and that my mom and brother will be traveling to La Union tomorrow morning so I needed to be home tomorrow as well.

Anyway, there were different dining areas, but we settled for the Cafe Uno side, because the bigger dining area only had one table available and that table was directly in front of the door, which was a bit awkward to be at considering people would get to see us first.

We were given two sets of menus, one for Cafe Uno and one for Kusina Felecitas, but Cafe Uno's menu was more for snacks, so we decided to choose dishes from Kusina Felecitas.


Pakbet with Bagnet. This dish had everything we wanted - veggies for health, it was an authentic Ilocano dish, and it had bagnet, something we both wanted to try. We thought it would be best to have this rather than buy bagnet (solo). I let Ria eat all the slices of Okra, but because the dish was wonderfully cooked, I ate a lot of the eggplant slices (something I don't normally do - I don't really prefer boiled eggplant, but I do eat fried or grilled eggplant). The bagnet was sinfully good, and the pakbet's sauce was superb.


Igado. This wasn't our first choice, but when the waiter approached us to say that our first choice - Grilled Pork with Blood Sauce (I forgot the exact name of the dish) - wasn't available, we checked the menu's pages over and over to find another authentic Ilocano dish. When she asked me about Igado, I quickly told her it had internals, and since she was okay with it, we went for it.

It was different from the usual Igado dishes I have tasted because it had no extenders (some add potatoes and carrots, others add raisins and/or green peas). As for the internals, it had liver, kidneys, pancreas, and heart, making it very rich in cholesterol. Again, another delicious dish from them, something I would like to eat again given the chance.


Fruit Shakes. To breakaway from Iced Tea, we had fruit shakes as our drinks. I went for my ever favorite watermelon shake, while Ria went for rambutan shake. I am not sure if they used fresh or canned rambutan for this drink, but it sure tasted like freshly opened rambutan fruit.

During this vacation, Ria and I would pay for the food we personally ordered (but we share food to each other), but for this food trip, we split the bill in half since we ate a lot of the viands we had.

I have been to Vigan countless of times, but apart from the carinderia-style lunch sibs and I had the very first time we went there in 2006, the dinner at Cafe Leona with K in 2008 as well as the Empanada/Okoy food trips, dining in Vigan has always been at Jollibee. It was a nice change to eat at somewhere new, and this discovery would really make me go back there in the future.

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Blogapalooza | Easy Pha-Max Wheatgrass

Image taken at Sidcor Weekend Market, May 2010
The first time I learned about Wheatgrass was when I visited the Salcedo Village Weekend Market (Makati City) for the Yummy Weekend in June 2008. Though I was told the many benefits of wheatgrass and I was given the chance to sample it, I wasn't really able to get a taste of wheatgrass juice as I was a bit skeptic as to how it would taste. Slowly, whenever I visit different weekend markets, I would always see a stall for wheatgrass, though during that time, it was only available in seed form (meaning you need to grow your own wheatgrass and juice it.

The very refreshing green color of the grass as well as its many benefits have already captured my interest, but it was through my scrappy friend Au's blog that made me want to grow my own. However, it didn't push through as I found it a bit tedious, and I didn't have the money to buy a juicer.

I guess my reason was also the reason why not too many people didn't really dive into the wheatgrass habit then.


When my sister and I visited the Sidcor Weekend Market (then located at the grounds of Lung Center of the Philippines) in October 2008, we got to see the packaged, readily available wheatgrass drink mix, a great solution for people-on-the-go, who don't really have the time to grow their own grass and juice it.

Easy Pha-Max (as what you can read on the image) was established in 2007 and is still the leader in distributing wheatgrass based products in the country. There sure are some other brands out there, but Easy Pha-Max is the only one that uses the leaves and the roots of the wheatgrass so people can get the maximum health benefits.

So... what makes Wheatgrass good for us?

• Wheatgrass Cleanses. It has the highest Chlorophyll content among the other greens. It detoxifies the blood, promotes blood production, prevents anemia, and assists in wound healing. It's also a good source of fiber, which can prevent constipation.
  
• Wheatgrass Alkalizes. Called as the "King of Alkaline Food," it contains more alkaline minerals than most vegetables.
  
• Wheatgrass Nourishes. It contains 13 vitamins, 10 minerals, and 17 amino acid, aside from the other health benefits already mentioned. The roots of the wheatgrass are rich in Abscissic Acid that helps prevent cancer formation and growth. Not only that, it is also packed with more than 100 types of enzymes that aid in digestion and faster metabolism.

Easy Pha-Max is recognized and certified in many countries, including the Bureau of Food and Drug Administration (BFAD) here in the Philippines.


At the Blogapalooza, each attendees were given a sampler pack containing four different wheatgrass based products, three of which I prepared the other day as part of the family's breakfast.


Easy Pha-Max Wheatgrass (pure). Sister personally chose this as her drink because she wanted to taste it in its simplest form. Taking a sip from it, I could say it tasted like tea, and because I used to drink Banaba tea, its taste was very tolerable. They say we can get to taste certain smells, and sipping this reminded me of freshly cut grass, and it also had its natural sweetness.


Wheatgrass with Honey. This drink was something I had at the Blogapalooza (I wasn't able to prepare the sachet of Wheatgrass with Honey because brother already had his cup of morning coffee). Although the pure kind had its own sweetness, this having honey made it a very good drink that even kids can appreciate. My cousin Marjorie was actually the one who asked me to try this at the event because it tasted really good, and I am glad I tried it. :)

This drink is something anyone can drink any time of the day, and can be mixed with hot, warm, or cold water. Each sachet contains 100% pure wheatgrass, oligosaccharides, and honey.


Bio 4-in-1 Coffee. Something I prepared for mom. It tasted different from the usual 3-in-1 coffee drinks we had... one could definitely taste the difference because the wheatgrass flavor was something coffee, creamer, and sugar couldn't hide, but it wasn't really overpowering, so mom still said it tasted okay for her.

Each sachet contains: Instant Arabica coffee, non-dairy creamer (glucose syrup and hardened vegetable fat), oligosaccharides, and wheatgrass powder.


Bio Soy Milk. My drink. As soon as I opened the sachet, it made me exclaim, "smells like Buco Pandan!" I personally loved this drink because it's creamy and a little sweet.

This drink can be taken as is (obviously) or can be poured into your morning cereal, or can be a base for your smoothies and other drinks. Each sachet contains soy bean powder, isolated soy protein, oligosaccharides, isoflavones, and wheatgrass powder.

If you're wondering what's oligosaccharides... it helps promote the growth of good bacteria, and minimizes intestinal problems.

If you want to try the Easy Pha-Max wheatgrass based products, I suggest you visit the weekend markets - there might be a stall selling some. My sister told me she once saw the products at a local convenience store, so you might want to check it out there, or maybe ask your friends and/or colleagues if they know someone who sells the products. To know more about Easy Pha-Max and their other products, please check their Website or their Facebook Page.

By the way, if you're a blogger, you might want to check out their Easy Pha-Max EL P5K Online Blogging Contest. For full details, check this Page.

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Katuray (Corkwood Tree Flowers)

Katuray (read: kah-too-rye) is also known as Corkwood Tree, Agati, and/or West Indian Pea. It is one of the few edible flowers around, and is a popular edible flower used in Ilocano dishes (Ilocos Region is located north-west of the country). There are two varieties - the white one and the deep pink one, but I only got to taste the white kind. It is most abundant every summer.


Katuray can be added to some dinengdeng dishes (boiled vegetables seasoned with fermented fish paste), but at times my aunt would prepare it as a salad, like the one in the picture. We had this when sister and I went to our paternal hometown last March, when katuray flowers were practically everywhere.:)

They say the flowers were bitter... I still haven't experienced tasting bitter katuray flowers. I guess it comes with preparation. From what my aunt taught me, one must open the pods and take out the pollen and this one thin strand in the middle of it. Preparing the salad, aunt would simply blanch it, then add cane vinegar, salt, ground pepper, and sliced onions.

It's simple, yet delicious, and it goes well with fried / grilled fish.

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Salisbury Steak with Brown Mushroom Gravy

As soon as the weather starts to have a cold feel to its morning air, I start to think of Salisbury Steak. Salisbury Steak is one of my fall favorites.  This recipe was created a very long time ago in the kitchen of our first tiny apartment.  Before internet even....if you can believe that...LOL..  My husband and I were newly married, very young and very poor.  Salisbury Steak was the item I ordered every time I went into a restaurant (right Alison?) so eventually trying to copy it was a given.  This is exactly how I originally made it based on what I always had in my pantry.  Don't you love items that depend on pantry staples?  Oats were very inexpensive and we always had them.  I used them in the meatloaf because that is how my hubby's mom did it, so why not the salisbury steak? Cross that with the fact that my mom loved to thicken everything with Corn Starch.  I love that it was originally created gluten free! :-D

Patties:

1 pound ground beef

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Powder

1 egg

1/4 cup oat powder (I like using oats pureed, but you could sub for your choice of bread crumbs)

1/4 cup finely minced onions

1 Tablespoon L&P Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/8 Black Pepper

Gravy:

2 Tablespoons Oil

1 large onion, sliced

8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced

2 cups or 1 can beef broth
     (Go ahead and use water/bouillon to make broth if you need to)

1/2 teaspoon Mustard Powder

1 pinch Cayenne

2 T Corn Starch w/ 2 T cold water (combined well)

2 teaspoons La Choy Soy Sauce

1 Tablespoon L&P Worcestershire Sauce

1 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Brown Gravy Seasoning

1 cube Herb Ox Beef bouillon

• Add all patty ingredients and mix well. 
• Form into 5 or 6 oval shaped patties. 
• Add 2 tablespoons of oil to pan and brown patties on each side. 
• Remove from pan and add onion and mushrooms. 
• Cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms give some moisture. 
• Add patties back to the pan and add remaining sauce ingredients 
• Cook for 7 to 10 minutes on low, until patties are heated through and sauce is thickened.

I will posting this recipe to:
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Gluten Free Wednesdays
Works for Me Wednesday
Real Food Wednesday

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Blogapalooza | Healthy First Carrot Juice

Even before the Blogapalooza, I already know about the Healthy First Carrot Juice because I always see their booth whenever I visit the Sidcor Weekend Market. I see them as a very enthusiastic company - offering free taste of their carrot juice to everyone who passes by the aisle where their booth is located. Back when the weekend market was located at the grounds of Lung Center of the Philippines, I always eat my meal at Tita Norm's, which was right next to their booth. Needless to say, I would often buy their juice to go with my meal. :)


Healthy First started in 2007. Reading their history from their Facebook Page, it was so interesting how blessings came to them - from a vegetable juicer, to helping an apostolic work for the Baguio farmers. They then started producing homemade carrot juice, which they offered to weekend market shoppers as their way of promoting a healthier way of drinking juice.


photo from archives, circa 2010
Healthy First carrot juice is available in 500ml. bottles for 45 pesos each. Their juice has no preservatives, and that they use only purified and energized alkaline water.

Flavors available include:

• Carrot - Mango - Melon
  
• Carrot - Mango
  
• Carrot - Strawberry
  
• Carrot - Pineapple - Lychee
  
• Carrot - Four Seasons (carrot, apple, mango, melon)
  
• Carrot - Mango - Lychee
  
• Carrot - Melon
  

Like I said, I have been one of their patrons since then, but I always go for the four seasons because it had more fruit flavors, haha. At the Blogapalooza, though, I chose the Carrot - Strawberry, and it was refreshingly good. It also had bits of strawberries inside, something that made my drink worth its price. Imagine how much strawberries cost these days...

We all know that carrots are rich in Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene - it can help with our eyesight... but it also protects our heart, it prevents constipation, it combats cancer and it promotes weight loss.

If you have to taste the goodness of carrot juice mixed with different fruit juices, check out the Healthy First stall at these locations:

• Sidcor Weekend Market (Centris Walk, Quezon City) - Sundays, 6:00am - 2:00pm
  
• Quezon Memorial Circle Weekend Market - Saturdays and Sundays, 6:00am - 1:00pm
  
• Green Market Bazaar (ELJ Building, ABS-CBN Compound) - Fridays, 7:00am - 7:00pm
  
• NCO Bazaar (ELJ Building, ABS-CBN Compound) - Fridays, 2:00am - Saturdays, 9:00pm
  
• Northeast Greenhills Bazaar (La Salle Street) - Sundays, 6:00am - 12:00nn
  
• CVC Supermarket (Cainta) - Daily
  

Just so you know... Healthy First carrot juice lasts 10 hours in room temperature, lasts two to three days inside the fridge, and when frozen, it lasts for two - three weeks.

Aside from the freshly made carrot juice, they also offer Baked Goodies and other delicacies / meals, which you can order from them (they do small catering for maximum of 30 people). If you're interested, go visit them at the locations listed above, or contact them:
Ima: 546-1916 / 0917-8303434 / fatimaverzosa@yahoo.com
Ninay: 425-6473 / 0927-8940610 / ssverzosa1@yahoo.com

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Menu Plan Monday: Week of September 26th, 2011

Welcome to my blog. It is another week of menu planning here at An Extraordinary GF life.  I am converting recipes and feeding my family old favorites from back in our gluten eating days.  Last weeks menu started off great.  Country fried steak is always a nice way to start off our week.  Tuesday we just fried our pork chops instead of twice baking them (no cream soup made).  Thursday we did not have Tacos, instead used that ground meat for some Better than Boxed Hamburger Helper. That leaves us with no taco meat for the pizza.  We had cheese instead.  I feel like that movie falling down.  LOL!  Saturday night we had meatloaf again.  We love meatloaf!

I worked on a new cookie recipe this weekend that turned out to be a real failure.  LOL!  If at first you don't succeed, try try again.  In addition to working on that cookie recipe again, I am hoping to get some pumpkin muffins baked this week.

My family really misses tacos.  I am going to have to make that this week.  Not to mention I already cooked up the meat and its in the fridge.  So lets start off our Monday with Tacos!

Monday:

Taco Dinner, Mexican Rice, Old El Paso Refried Beans

Tuesday:

Salisbury Steaks with Mushroom and Onion Gravy, Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Wednesday:

Church Dinner is Hotdogs and Roasted Marshmallows. Leftovers for Adults

Thursday:

Crock Pot Brown Sugar Chicken, Rice, Broccoli.  Its apple season so I think I'll make some Stouffer's Harvest Apples Copycat recipe.

The chicken is a new recipe I am going to try. This was originally a Food.com recipe made over GF by a Year of Slow Cooking.

Friday:

Philly Cheese Steaks.  Walmart great value Philly Steak Meat, Udi's Hot Dog Rolls.

Saturday:

Lunch: Nacho's and Cheese at the Bowling Alley

Dinner: TBD

Sunday:

Lunch: Chicken Salad and Apple Crumble.  My daughter has been watching Caillou on the computer and they made a recipe you could print.  Now she is insisting we make it so no better day like a lazy sunday afternoon after church right?
Dinner: Tinkyada Spaghetti, Prego Traditional Spaghetti Sauce, Salad

Speaking of Spaghetti, here is a good
article about Store Bought Meatballs without Gluten

I will be posting this to Orgjunkie's Menu Plan Monday.  Hop on over there to find other wonderfully inspirational ideas on menu planning.

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