healthy eating – Jellybeans in the City

10 Quick Tips to Help Your Family Stay Healthy Through the Holidays

The holidays are a joyful time when friends and family members tend to spend more time together. It can be a great opportunity to boost current relationships and renew old ones. But it can also be a time when you’re exposed to a lot more germs than usual. To avoid the sniffles and other signs of illness, here are 10 quick tips to help your family stay healthy through the holidays.

Don’t Stress It

Stress is one of the primary culprits behind a weakened immune system. No matter what age you are, too much stress can compromise your body’s immune response and leave you vulnerable to illness. For adults, minimizing stress may require saying “no” to added responsibilities you don’t have time to take on near the holidays. But for children, stress may not be so easy to combat.

In children, stress can result from too much noise, too little sleep and changes in daily routines. Since it can be pretty hard to avoid these things around the holidays, you may want to give your child’s immune system some extra support and attention. If you’re looking for immune support for 1 year old or older, skip the harsh over-the-counter cold supplements and opt for a baby-safe immune support formula.

Stay Hydrated & Rested

It’s very common for people to become dehydrated during the colder winter months. If you struggle to remember to drink water throughout the day, try setting a reminder on your phone. Set the reminder or alarm to go off every hour or so and take a drink of water when it does.

Another way you can strengthen your body’s immune system is by getting as much rest as possible. When you do experience less sleep than usual, consider taking an elderberry syrup immune support product to give your immune system a little extra support.

Eat as Healthy as Possible

It’s hard to resist pies, cookies and other treats associated with the holidays. The truth is, it’s probably alright to indulge in these types of treats occasionally. But for the most part, eat as healthy as possible throughout the holidays so you can stay as healthy as possible. Sugar and heavily processed foods can weaken your immune response and make it easier for illnesses to overpower you.

If you need ideas for great-tasting plant based food for kids and healthy family-friendly recipes, there are a lot of great tips online. Many experts agree that it’s easier to get kids to like plant-based foods when you sweeten them with fruit or create fun shapes with them. It can also help to let your kids have a say in what plant-based meals you make for them.

Additional Tips for Staying Healthy

In addition to minimizing stress, eating healthy, and staying hydrated and rested, here are 6 more tips for staying healthy during the holidays:

Wash hands frequently
Stay active every day
Eat mindfully and slowly
Fill up on healthy foods before indulging in sweets
Try meditating
Make time for relaxation and self-care

Image by Wiroj Sidhisoradej on Freepik

Goin’ low-carb with Tito Jhay’s Almond Flatitos

With the holidays just around the corner and threatening our good intentions of eating and being healthy, it’s a good thing that we can now find sources of alternatives to carbo-loaded holiday fare that taste good while being actually good for you.

John Paul Titic, also known as Tito Jhay, owns and operates a Las Pinas-based online store to help people embrace a practical keto/low-carb lifestyle.

By showcasing affordable keto-based and low-carb versions of popular desserts, snacks, pantry items and ingredients, Tito Jhay’s Low Carb – Keto Panaderia demonstrates that it is possible to make eating low carb and keto meals part of one’s everyday lifestyle.

Take its Almond Flatitos, for example.

This flatbread is made using almond flour, which, aside from being low on carbohydrates, is also a good alternative for people with allergies to wheat flour or suffer from Celiac disease.

Almond flour is also a good source of manganese which helps the body heal after injuries through proper blood clotting, and assists in breaking down carbohydrates and cholesterol.

It is also rich in magnesium which helps regulate the body’s sugar levels, monounsaturated fat which keeps the body’s cholesterol levels under control and reduces the risk of heart disease, and prebiotic dietary fiber which leads to good gut health.

Would you believe that something so good for you can be part of a great meal?

It’s a great replacement for pita bread, naan or tortilla for your meat wraps, shawarma or burritos. You can even use it as a crust for your mini pizzas.

I used it as a replacement for pita bread when my family had beef kebabs for lunch. The texture may feel different at first but it still served as a good complement to the Mediterranean dish of savory grilled beef and roasted vegetables.

Check it out and see how you, too, can incorporate low carb and keto items into your meals.

Each pack of Almond Flatitos (priced at Php295) contains five pieces of 8-inch sugar-free flatbread. To store, keep the packs in the freezer. Allow to thaw for ten minutes before reheating using a non-stick pan, oven or air-fryer.

Order your Almond Flatitos and other low carb and keto items from Tito Jhay’s online store on Shopee. For more details and updates about Tito Jhay’s Low Carb – Keto Panaderia, follow it on Facebook and Instagram.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature story.

Guilt-free recipes made with Mega Tuna

One of the more benign, even beneficial, effects of the quarantine is the renewed interest in home cooking.

In the earlier days of the lockdown, with dining out prohibited and food delivery options quite limited, the metro’s denizens took stock of their pantry and set about creating their culinary masterpieces with ingredients they have on hand.

Guess what’s invariably present in Pinoy kitchen cabinets. Canned tuna!

Tuna is one of the most eaten fish in the world. It can be eaten fresh – either raw or cooked – as well as canned, which involves pre-cooking. In the Philippines, canned tune may be available in several variants such as in oil, in water, in flakes, hot and spicy, Spanish-style or corned, among others.

Canned tuna lends itself well to home cooking. It is flavorful enough to appeal to the palate (it can even be eaten straight out of the can) yet flexible to be applied to many dishes from canapes and salads to pastas. Canned tuna is also healthier than meat, generally having lower levels of saturated and trans fats as well as higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids compared to beef.

In a Zoom event hosted by Mega Tuna last December, brand ambassador Chef JP Anglo of Sarsa Kitchen shared some new recipes made with Mega Tuna that can form part of the holiday spread.

Check them out:

Tuna Arroz Caldo

Ingredients:

Mega Tuna Spanish Style
350g white or brown rice
150g chicharon
20g fresh garlic
50g ginger
30g fried garlic
30g spring onion
5g black pepper
20ml patis
4pcs calamansi

Procedure:

In a pot, pour the oil from the can of Mega Tuna Flakes in Spanish Style, then saute the ginger and garlic.

Add a liter of water and cooked rice, and cook for twenty to thirty minutes.

Pour the arroz caldo in a bowl, add the Mega Tuna and top with spring onions, fried garlic, chicharon and black pepper.

Season with patis.

Tuna Soba Noodles

Ingredients:

Mega Tuna Sweet and Spicy
500g soba noodles
30ml sesame oil
20g sesame seeds
60ml oyster sauce
5g salt
3pc fried eggs
Chili garlic (optional)

Procedure:

Cook soba noodles in hot water (make sure not to overcook them).

Toss all ingredients with the noodles and add half of the tuna and half of the oil from the can to flavor the noodles.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and top with the remaining tuna, fried garlic, spring onions and fried egg.

I was able to try these delicious dishes since I received a box containing these dishes as well as Mega Tuna’s four variants: in Oil, Spanish Style, Sweet and Spicy and Hot and Spicy.

Hubby found the Mega Tuna variants well-suited to his midnight snacking.

The holidays may be over but we can carry over these recipes into the new year as we continue to create delectable viands from our kitchen staples such as Mega Tuna.

Mega Tuna is available in leading supermarkets and grocery stores as well as in Shopee and Lazada.

Three reasons to make superfood part of your life

Goodness MNL makes healthy eating more accessible with its carefully curated goodness boxes.

With a new year just around the corner, we usually take this time time to reflect on the year just past. And, boy, is there quite a lot to reflect about this year!

If, like me, you have allowed your inner foodie free rein this year with no exercise to counterbalance the intake of food, then you might be thinking of living a healthier lifestyle from the new year onwards.

Food will undoubtedly comprise a large part of your new lifestyle, and not just what you restrict yourself from gorging on, but, more importantly, what you choose to nourish yourself. It is important to keep in mind that while you shy away from food that do not significantly benefit your well-being, you should ensure that you consume more of those that do such as superfood.

If you haven’t been consciously incorporating superfood in your diet, now is the best time to do so. Here are three reasons why:

1) Superfood are highly nutritious.

Being whole or unprocessed ingredients, superfood are known for having high nutrient density which help in keeping you healthy and in warding off diseases.

Chia seeds, for example, are rich in fiber and energy, have anti-oxidant properties and help in maintaining heart health.

Himalayan salt, on the other hand, is also rich in energy, helps promote brain health and manage the effects of aging.

If you’re looking for food with lots of protein, fiber and omega 3 nutrients, golden flax seeds are among your best bets.

Meanwhile, if you want something to help with your digestion and heart health, you might want to check out sunflower seeds, which are also great sources for Vitamin E and magnesium.

Cacao nibs, on the other hand, can help in improving your mood, have antioxidant properties and are good sources of fiber, iron and magnesium.

2) Superfood can easily be integrated in your favorite dishes.

I used to think that healthy food is bland or tasteless but -surprise! surprise! – superfood happen to be among those things that are not just good for you but tastes good, too!

Himalayan salt can help in flavoring your grilled steaks and other savory dishes.

Chia seeds, golden flax seeds and sunflower seeds, on the other hand, can be blended into your favorite juices, smoothies and mocktails.

Lastly, cacao nibs can be enjoyed on their own – I munch on them as I watch my favorite stand up comedy shows on Netflix – or be added to dessert recipes.

3) Superfood are now more readily available.

Ready to test the waters of going into superfood? Not to worry!

You can try five different types of superfood by getting a box set from Goodness MNL. Choose five from the nine superfood types available – organic chia seeds, organic golden flax seeds, organic sweet basil seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, Himalayan fine salt, Himalayan rock salt, organic cocosugar, organic adlai grits and cocosugar cacao nibs – and have them delivered to you in a beautifully curated box.

Already into healthy eating and want to encourage your friends to do the same? Goodness MNL box sets are also great as Christmas gifts or giveaways so your friends can join you on your healthy eating journey.

You can get a box set for Php400, the box contains five 40ml test tube bottles or for Php330 containing five 30ml test tube bottles.

Both variants include your choice of five superfood, a wooden teaspoon, recipe and info sheet, ribbons and Christmas tag

To order, just message Goodness MNL on Facebook or Instagram with instructions on how you want your box set customized. Payments via BDO or GCash are accepted.

Goodness MNL delivers within Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Shipping fee will be shouldered by the buyer.

You can also course your order through Shopee.

So be on your way towards a healthier lifestyle by eating healthy and by getting goodness in a box from Goodness MNL!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature article.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Dessert drink at Jack’s Lemonade, Shangri-la Plaza

Last Monday was a surprisingly sunny day so I decided to window-shop at Shangri-la Plaza. All that walking sure worked up a thirst, though.

Thankfully, there’s a Jack’s Lemonade stall at the mall’s food court, offering more than thirty flavors of lemonade.

You wouldn’t think its possible to stretch the flavor possibilities of lemonade that far, but Jack’s Lemonade more than proves the versatility of the drink and its wide appeal.

Jack’s Lemonade offerings are grouped according to a family of flavor profiles:

For Jack: the basic lemonades and the Jack’s Specials
For Dad John: the tea lemonades
For Mom Jenny: the herb lemonades
For Sister Julia: the fruit lemonades
For Baby James: the candy lemonades

To these drinks may be added plum salt, honey, yogurt, basil seeds, coconut jelly, poppers and pudding.

For my drink that afternoon, I chose one of Jack’s Specials: the Lemon Squares (Php95 for regular | Php115 for large). It combines freshly made lemon water with powdered milk, condensed milk, grated cheddar cheese and a topping of crushed graham crackers which makes this a yummy dessert-like beverage.

It also has the health benefits of lemon-based drinks which include supporting heart health, helping in weight control, preventing kidney stones, protecting against anemia, and improving digestive health.

So if you should feel the thirst while shopping, look for a Jack’s Lemonade stall. Here, you can find a lemony drink that suits your craving while enjoying lemon’s health benefits.

This Jack’s Lemonade stall is located at Food Forum, Lower Ground Level, Shangri-la Plaza, Ortigas Mandaluyong City.

Other stalls may be found at:

Ground Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City
Cinema Area, Third Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City
Food Choices, Fourth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City
Fifth Floor, Bridgeway, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City
Third Floor, Glorietta 2, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Fourth Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Second Floor, Market! Market!, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City

Disclosure: This drink is sponsored by Jack’s Lemonade through gift certificates I received prior to the visit.