superfood – Jellybeans in the City

The Jelly List: Thoughtful Gifts for Valentine’s Day

The day of hearts is fast approaching. Despite the pandemic, Valentine’s Day remains one of the most anticipated holidays of the year.

The question is: how can sweethearts in the metro celebrate the day of romance if they can’t go out to wine and dine?

Through thoughtful gift-giving, of course!

Nothing says “I love you” like a well-considered present, one that gave thought to one’s sweetheart’s interests and passions.

Check out this list and let me know which suggestion suits your beloved best:

For the hopeless romantic: Preserved Flower Arrangement from Stories & Blossoms

Flowers are almost synonymous with Valentine’s Day. A bouquet of fresh-cut blooms would set a romantic heart racing, but nowadays, preserved flowers may be the way to go. They last longer than fresh flowers and are pretty low maintenance. (Somewhat like the ideal partner, eh?)

Tell your love story with a tasteful preserved flower arrangement from Stories & Blossoms. Through the creative combinations of colors, shapes and textures of various preserved blooms, you can express quite a lot to your loved one and evoke romantic memories. You can even have a unique arrangement inspired by your loved one favorite book, movie or TV series, just like the store’s Sex & the City Collection.

Stories & Blossoms’ preserved flower arrangements start at Php299 with more ornate signature creations starting at Php2,500. You can also have an arrangement custom-made according to your preferred colors and flowers as well as your budget. Shop online at Stories & Blossoms’ website or call +63 967 5099050.

Read more on Stories & Blossoms here.

Photo credit: Stories & Blossoms

For the health-conscious: Superfood Box Set from Goodness MNL

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is the value of our health. Central to any attempt at a healthy lifestyle is, of course, food.

If you want to start on a journey towards healthy living, incorporating superfood into your diet would be a good start. These nutrient-rich ingredients help in promoting health and warding off diseases.

Get a Goodness MNL box set to enjoy a sampling of five different types of superfood. 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.

Goodness MNL’s box set is available for Php330 (with 30ml test tube bottles) and Php400 (with 40ml test tube bottles). Order your box via Facebook or Instagram.

Read more about Goodness MNL here.

For the stressed: Coloring Books from Shopping on the Side

Engaging in a creative activity such as coloring books can help calm a busy mind, facilitate a more restful slumber and can even unleash one’s creativity in other pursuits.

If you think your special someone can benefit from these, then gift them with imported adult coloring books that will soothe the mind while getting those creative juices flowing.

Fortunately, getting those coloring books won’t require such a huge effort. Simply order from Shopping on the Side’s store on Shopee and take your pick from its wide variety of books from meditative mandala patterns, whimsical drawings of fairies, intricate illustrations of travel destinations to humorous comic strips.

Read more about Shopping on the Side here.

For the eco warrior: Bamboo Mug and Tumbler from The Bamboo Company

If protecting the environment is one of your SO’s priorities, you would want to support this advocacy through gifts that promote zero-waste, sustainability or the elimination of single use plastics.

Reusable implements for drinking or eating to-go food would go a long way towards keeping the environment safe for future generations.

You can purchase this Breakfast Buddy (Mug and Coffee Tumbler Set) from The Bamboo Company’s online store (now on sale for Php1,699 from Php2,040). It’s perfect for that leisurely morning coffee that you two can share on a chilly Valentine’s Day morning.

For the homebound imbiber: Cocktails-to-Go from After Hours Bar

If your special someone misses the experience of going out to a bar for a drink, then bring the bar home!

While the pandemic has had a huge impact on the restaurant and hospitality industry, bars were hit the hardest. Fortunately, some have pivoted their business to include ready-made cocktails available for delivery, such as After Hours Bar.

You can get 500 ml bottles of After Hours’ signature cocktails such as Sangria Spritzer (Php825), Punch Drunk Love (Php975), Gin Basil Smash (Php975), Muscovado Old Fashioned (Php1,300) and Negroni (Php1,500) delivered to your home just by ordering through its online store.

Read more about After Hours Bar here.

For the sweet tooth: Strawberry Shortcake from Inang Charing

If your beloved adores desserts and sweets, then express your love with a delectable Strawberry Shortcake!

A gorgeous confection made with delicate vanilla cake, layered with thick and fluffy whipped cream and topped with slices of fresh and succulent strawberries, this will surely excite the senses!

You can get this delightful creation from Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries, a Pasig-based online baker. An eight-inch round cake is available for Php1,135 (for pickup only due to the delicateness of the cake) but an 8-in x 8-in square pan is also available for Php835 (more suitable for delivery services).

Place your orders via Inang Charing’s Facebook and Instagram pages with a two-day lead time.

Read more about Inang Charing Cakes and Pastries here and here.

So there you have it: my list for thoughtful gift ideas for your special someone this Valentine’s Day.

Which one do you think suits your beloved the most?

Check out my other adventures compiled into Jelly Lists:

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.

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