Even before i went to work in China, i have already loved some chinese food particularly Siopao and fried noodles.  Even all noodles stuff i love them – just minus the water.  Am not a soup fun so id rather have my noodles dry and fried noodles is my best choice.

Yesterday, i found a new place to eat incase i will be going to Cagayan de Oro City and am at Lim Kit Kai area.  As ive mentioned in my Dancing blog, i was out with friends to Cdo yesterday but i did not mention there that we had our lunch at Mandarin Restaurant (LKK branch).    The prices are very affordable and for sure they are tasty.  I am in a Chinese resto but i did not eat anything chinese except for the wanton noodle soup as i was not feelng very well. 

We did not experience a superb service (there were 17 of us to be served) I will still pick the place if i will eat there alone or maybe 2 or 3 persons will do.  It’s the best place for big group of people if you think of the food price but the place is not designed for big groups.   Their service men and women can’t efficiently handle big groups.  And when inefficiency happen to hungry people, it won’t end up nice.  Usually customers get angry just like what happened to my friend.  She was really mad. Our neighbor table also got a big number of people but they brush the anger reaction and just laugh at the situation – because they were almost done eating yet their ordered noodles and their drinks were not yet served.  At our end, we are done with our food but our drinks were not yet served, and the other table (the table where my angry friend was) their rice was not served with the order so they have to wait another 15 minutes for their ordered food) hahaha am sure she can be mad as hell.  I was only smiling to myself coz i already had warm soup in my tummy.

I would say customer service is bad but i know that the food tastes good.  Am still going back.

Am cooking now and am trying to think on how to cook without giving it the right taste but just put in moderate amount of salt rock.  Luckily i found this on magazine last night, entitled HERBS FOR SALT.  It tells that there are herbs that will give a natural salty taste to the food we are going to cool.  So by doing so we can be able to have a betetr health. 

According to diet health professionals, they encourage the use of hers instead of salt.  Seasoning with herbs is very important skill for the health-conscious cook to master.  Here aer some suggestions on how to spice up your meals:

• Use no more than one-fourth teaspoon of dried herbs, or three fourths teaspoon of fresh herbs, for a dish that serves for people. 
• To soups and stews that are cooked a long time, add herbs during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• Whe cooking vegetables or making sauces and gravies, cook herbs along with them.
• To cold foods, such as tomato juice, salad dressings, and cottage cheese, add herbs serveral hours before serving.  Storing these foods in the refrigerator for three to four hours deepens the flavor.
• Remember thatt the correct combination of herbs and spices is the one that tastes best to you.
• A very versatile seasoning is Mrs. Dash.  Use the one witout salt and low in pepper.
• Don’t over season.  Vegetables have wonderful flavors in their own right.

SALT “BOMBS”

Condiments                                  – Amount                           – Salt (mg)

Ketchup                                       3 tsp                                  1,100
Italian dressing                           3 tsp                                   2,500
Soy Sauce                                     1 tsp                                  2,500
Dill pickle                                     1 large                               3,000
Garlic Saslt                                    1 tsp                                 4,500
SAlt                                               1 tsp                                  5.000

source: Health and Home 2006

Yesterday i was not able to stick to my shopping list.  I carried a few hundred with me for an errand that will cost me a couple of hundred pesos.  But guess what?  I ended up spending the 5 pcs hundred pesos i was carrying.  This is the bad thing in not sticking to budget or the shopping list.

On my shopping list are a can of corn kernels, 1 small corn starch powder. and 1 big can of evaporated milk.  It was a quick shopping because my preggy sis called up that she likes to eat Maja Blanca for the Christmas dinner. Oh well…i did not stick to my list.  I went home with more like 2 dozens of clothes hangers, dispo forks, dispo salad cups, and oranges.  Oh well the oranges was in the list but have to buy it outside the big grocery for a better bargain but thinking of the safety 6 pesos for an orange inside the Gaisano mall was not bad.  I picked 20 pcs. 

When i got home my wallet is almost bare. hahahaha.  So in short, one should stick the shopping list, to the budget and don’t go out shopping too when you are hungry.

Am having that now and i have already gobbled 3 Panadol @ 500 mg but yet i can still feel the pain.  Really really bad pain.  So my mom decided to go natural.  She scraped the skin of the Malunggay plant and pressed it.  The it is pasted on the gums covering the aching tooth.  And guess what?  It worked!  The pain subsides and i still dunno how long will it cover the pain.

Just for this week, i was able to attend 3 parties and that includes the big lunch we had at the office yesterday.  Many years back and even last year, at work, when we plan for parties, the first food recipe in mind are meaty foods but guess what this year? or lately, they opt for healthier foods.

Yesterday there were lots of fruits and vege recipes although we also serve goat’s meat in a yummy recipe.  Everyone enjoyed everyone was full but it was a different fullness compared to just rice and meat dishes.

This holiday, i won’t be buying any chicken in the market.  I would just be using meat substitute for my spaghetti recipe and will make some fruit salad.  I dunno if i can buy fish but if i will i would cook it fat free.

So what will you be cooking this holiday season?  I wish everyone a healthy choice of food during the holidays.