The Essential Flax

When one begins a low carb journey, one comes face to face with words or terms that one never knew existed. "Ketosis". "Stevia". "Critical Carbohydrate Limit". "Induction". "Flax." If you mention any of these to someone who's not on a low carb diet, you might get a blank stare. I would have to admit that before doing Atkins I've never heard of any of these words including flax.

But the more I read about flax, about its benefits and how using it as in ingredient can make something akin to bread, the more I wanted it. So I did what anyone would do, Google it. I looked into buying it from the US but the shipping cost alone would be more than the price of the flax itself. Then I stumbled onto FlaxAsia where more benefits of flax are posted and most of all the company is based right here in the Philippines! It's more convenient and definitely cheaper to get flax from them.

Flax is not just for low carbers like myself but it also helps in lowering blood sugar and preventing heart disease. I strongly suggest you visit their site to read all about the numerous benefits from this highly nutritious plant. The good people at FlaxAsia sent me a sample of their product complete with reading material that would further educate me about The Essential Flax. I received the package yesterday and I have already made three different variations of a low carb recipe using flax. I will post these recipes in a little bit but because I am a tease, here are a couple pictures of what I've made so far.


Cheeseburger with Flax Seed Bun: Look ma! I can hold my burger now! No need for fork and knife!


Cinnamon Flax Seed Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Didn't those pictures make you drool just a little bit? The best thing about flax is it's okay for Induction and helps in "regularity". Now, I have a secret I want to share. For both those recipes, I did not use any flour. Not even a little bit!

But don't fret. I will have separate entries for both recipes but let me just reiterate how wonderful flax is and how I am so amazed by the taste and texture. This is the closest to "real bread" I've ever been. Thanks to the wonderful people at FlaxAsia and I will be ordering more soon as my bag is already half gone!

Let's Eat Out Tonight!

One thing that scared me about doing low carb was eating out. My hubby and I love going out for dinner (and lunch and snacks and basically anytime we don't feel like cooking)and this scenario gave me the heebie-jeebies:

Waiter: So what will it be?
Me: (Peruses the menu) Hmmm... Are the chicken wings battered before deep frying?
Waiter: (Looks bewildered) What do you mean... battered?
Me: Dipped in some flour-egg thingy before frying.
Waiter: (Scratches head) I think so...
Me: (Sighs) Alright... Does the chopsuey sauce have cornstarch in it?
Waiter: (Looks even more bewildered) Yeeesss...
Me: (Sighs again) Can I get the Texas Rib that has NOT been marinated?
Waiter: (Gets a little angry now) They're ALL marinated...
Me: (Resigns) I want something that has NO starch, NO sugar and LOW CARB!
Hubby: (Imitates the great Marjorie Dawes) How about dust? Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? Dust. Anybody? No? (Watch here)

But after venturing out into the world of high low carb eating a few times, I now have peace of mind. It is easy to make safe, delicious choices. I'm lucky to live in the seafood capital of the country because there IS always something that I can eat that's not dripping in sauce or drowned in gravy.

My favorite restaurant for low carb eating is Coco Veranda, a bar and grill restaurant right on the beach. The view is great and service is excellent. Here's what I ordered at a recent visit there (forgive the pics, taken with iPhone)



Steak (skip the side dishes or give it to hubby)


Lechon Kawali (Deep Fried Pork)


Shrimp Kinilaw (Ceviche)


Boneless Bangus (Milkfish) stuffed with onions and tomato, wrapped in cabbage and cooked in coconut milk

So don't be afraid to eat out. There's something quite liberating about finding a restaurant that caters to your LC WOE. Just remember to ask the right questions, don't be embarrassed or feel like you're being a pain in the you-know-what. This is your WOE. You have every right to know what's in the food you're going to put in your mouth. Most of all, you're paying, so you better get what you want.

Happy (LC) eating!

What do you think about the new layout? Is it too obvious that I love pink?

Sugar Free 3-in-1 Coffee Review

There is no better way to start your day than with a nice cup of freshly brewed coffee. But if you live in the Philippines buying, nay, finding ground coffee can be quite a task, not to mention too pricey. As for me, we get ground coffee shipped from the US thanks to my sweet mother-in-law.

When I started working I tried bringing my own brewed coffee but prepping it before going to work became a little too tedious for lil ole lazy me. So when my hubby found sugar-free 3-in-1 coffee for me, I was elated. I can just take two to three packs with me to work and all I have to do is add hot water! It's not as good as brewed coffee but it's fast and convenient.That's good enough for me. The initial box of 10 ran out in three days and I went to buy some more. To my pleasant surprise, I found different brands offering sugar-free 3-in-1 coffee! When you're doing low carb here in the Philippines the one thing you rarely have is a choice. So to find four sugar-free coffee brands was exciting enough to be the highlight of my week (not a particularly exciting week, huh?). For the sake of all my readers (heehee) I made the sacrifice of trying out four different brands and here are my thoughts:


Great Taste 3-in-1 Sugar Free Coffee
Price: 39.35 per 10 packets = PhP 3.93 per sachet
Carb Count: 3g
Rating: **


Review: The aroma was really wonderful but I was disappointed when I had my first sip. It tasted like sugary water. I could not taste the coffee at all. For a 2-cup serving, I used 3 sachets and it got sweeter and sweeter but the coffee flavor did not deepen at all. I will not buy this brand again.



Maxwell House 3-in1 Sugar Free Coffee
Price: 53.75/10 = PhP 5.37 per sachet
Carb Count: 3g
Rating: ***

Review: This wasn't too sweet but the coffee flavor wasn't deep enough either. It was quite bland when I used 1 sachet for a 1-cup serving. But when I added another sachet, the flavor got better. However, I don't wanna add extra carbs just to get my coffee fix. I will probably buy this if my favorite brand runs out but otherwise, I will skip it. Out of all the brands I tried, I was most disappointed with this one just because it is an imported brand.


San Mig 3-in-1 Sugar Free Coffee (Original)
Price: 30.35/6 = Php 5 per sachet
Carb Count: 5g
Rating: **

Review: San Mig offers three different variations: Original, Mild and Strong. I only found the Original one. This was too sweet for me, although the coffee flavor was definitely there. It makes me want to try the Strong flavor, just to see if the coffee flavor will be intensified. The fact that it is too sweet (I discovered that I have recently developed low tolerance for sweeteners) will stop me from buying this particular variation. 5g of carb in one serving is too much for coffee.


Nescafe 3-in-1-Sugar Free Coffee (Original)
Price: 53.60/10 = PhP 5.36 per sachet
Carb Count: 3g
Rating: ****

Review: My tastebuds vote for this brand as the best one. It is not too sweet and the coffee flavor is definitely there. It is deep and rich and the aroma is oh-so-good. The nice balance of bitter (coffee) and sweet (sweetener) really suited my tastes. I like this better than other instant coffee mixes, sugar free or not. I will definitely buy this brand over and over as long as Gaisano Mall doesn't run out.


I hope this review helps you out when you make your choice. Happy coffee drinking!

Callanetics 10/10: Hour One

OH MY GOODNESS!!!!

What did I ever do to deserve torture like this????

I swear... at one point I thought I was going to throw up! I couldn't even DO or attempt three of the exercises and I bet my form was just stupid and I was probably jerking all over the place instead of doing tiny, delicate movements.

It. Was. The. Hardest. Thing. I. Have. Ever. Done. EVER.

I feel tired and sleepy afterwards. I guess it was wrong to do it after a heavy dinner. Maybe next time (if there is a next time!) I should do it in the morning or something. I sure hope it gets easier. IT HAS TO GET EASIER!

I want that lifted butt! The tight and peachy hips! The long and toned arms and flat tummy! I want it all!

But whoever said the road towards beauty isn't without any pain or, in this case, leg and butt cramps? So I guess... onward I go.