Monthly Archives: January 2012

January 30, 2012 · 10:32 AM

Makati, get over to the dark leafy green side through this juice and smoothie workshop on February the 19th

You clamored, I heard. I’m bringing the green juice and smoothie bandwagon Makati-side on the 3rd Sunday in February – check it out! Why juice, why smoothie? What’s in it for you?

Well, one of the easiest ways to eat more veggies without really thinking about it is to drink them. In this workshop, learn how juices and smoothies made from fresh fruit and vegetables can help you feel and look amazing!

Juice + sun = life is good

Discover how to concoct cocktails to increase energy, cleanse the liver, boost immunity, pump up the iron reserves in the body, and fight the onset of flu and colds. You’ll also learn how to make yummy green smoothies (!!) that are good for you and are seriously addicting.

Your kidney, liver, colon, immune system, and blood will thank you. I said it before, I’ll say it again - the solution to life’s problems, tears, sicknesses, and hangovers is green juice and smoothies.

Come to the workshop and find out more. I promise, it’ll be worth your while. 19th of February, a Sunday afternoon – put down that deadly ensaymada and spend your merienda time with greens + me!

I’ve conducted this workshop a few times in Alabang, St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City, and Cebu. If you suffer from vegetable-phobia, let me guide you gently to the dark (leafy green) side.

RSVP is required. Workshop fee is discounted if you pay in advance and / or you bring a friend. Check out the poster for more details. You may make advanced payments via deposit at BPI Savings savings account # 3529-0762-65 (under the name MARIE THERESA I. GONZALEZ).

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January 24, 2012 · 7:26 PM

February cooking classes

Continue making 2012 the year of tastefully taking care of health. Get schooled in more vegetable cookery this February. Also: Makati, I’m coming your way this month with a green juice and smoothie workshop. Watch out!

Learn how to make classy appetizers in Much ado about hors d’oeuvres (4th, Sat).

Get smokin’ hot and tasty with Barbecue potluck power (8th, Wed).

Master 5 sauces, apply them to a million different dishes in Awesome sauces (11th, Sat).

Make beans and legumes a major part of a healthy diet in Bean cookery (18th, Sat). This class is especially good for the bean newbies out there. High in protein, fiber, and minerals, low in fat and cholesterol-free, there’s no excuse to not include them in your whole foods (plant-based) diet. Get rid of the meat, add in the beans, prevent heart disease, diabetes, and obesity easily.

More dessert love all around in Dessert mayhem 1.0 (22nd, Wed).

Last but not the least, Japan cuisine gets a veg-treatment in A taste of Japan (25th, Sat).

By the way, Makati, I’ll be hosting a green juice and smoothie workshop in your neck of the woods in February as well. Watch out!

Sign up!

General information on cooking classes here.

Cancellation policy on cooking classes here.

Photos on past cooking classes here.

(click on the image to enlarge).

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January 20, 2012 · 7:05 PM

In the kitchen: Dessert mayhem: Vice cream

When life hands you the knowledge to make vegan ice cream and cookies, you make ice cream sandwiches that’s so bad yet so good.

“Dessert mayhem: Vice cream” class was held on October 22nd, 2011 and class learned how to make dairy-free ice cream using plant-based ingredients that were naturally creamy. No refined sugar, too, I might add.

We played around with the flavor profiles, made some lower-fat versions, then bundled up said ice creams in glorious concoctions such as ice cream sundaes (with homemade fudge sauce and whipped cream), ice cream sandwiches (with chocolate chip cookies), and mochi. Just because we got rid of the dairy doesn’t mean we don’t like playing with our food.

And the lone mochi ranger

Check out other class photos here.

Check out class schedules here.

 

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· 6:23 PM

In the kitchen: Save your soul with vegan sausages

Another overdue post on class photos!

“Save your soul with vegan sausages” class was held on the 8th of October, 2011. In this class, students learned how to make all-natural vegetarian sausages from scratch. No preservatives, no fakey fakes, no cholesterol – just real ingredients and big on flavor. Low fat, too, I might add.

Class cool cats

No photos of the actual sausage making, unfortunately, but let me tempt you with the finish dishes the sausages went into. Vegan!

Oh, and did I mention? Raya Mananquil stopped by for some vegan sausage education!

Raya actually figures quite importantly in my becoming vegetarian – an article she wrote on vegetarianism for the Philippine Star in September 2007 encouraged me to do more research on food politics, watch undercover factory farm videos, and make the switch. Me teaching her was very surreal, especially since October 8 was my 4 year vegetarian anniversary.

More photos to come – I’m on a roll!

Check out other class photos here.

Check out class schedules here.

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January 18, 2012 · 10:49 PM

In the kitchen: No muss, no fuss brunch II

After a million years, I’m beginning to catch up on the backlog of class photos. Sorry, folks.

“No muss, no fuss brunch II” class was held last October 1st, 2011. It was amazing. That is all. Photos shall speak for themselves :)

On the menu:

Green smoothie makes everyday a good day

The many faces of oat pancakes and muscovado syrup

Faux bacon creates world peace

Veg Benedict with hollandaise sauce

Check out other class photos here.

Check out class schedules here.

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January 13, 2012 · 4:11 PM

Cebu, get vegan cookin’ and green juicin’ next weekend at Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort

One of my hopes for 2012 is for vegetable world domination / the vegetable apocalypse that the Philippines gets healthy, one meat-free meal and one green juice at a time. I’ve been doing my part so far through my Manila-based cooking and juice classes and workshops, as well as the occasional out-of-town trip (I know I’m overdue for a blog post on the Negros Organic Farmers Festival!).

I am pleased to announce that on the 21st of January, I will be heading Cebu-side and conducting a cooking workshop in the morning and juice and smoothie workshop in the afternoon in  Amuma Spa, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort. Catch morning yoga by Robert Vecchioni and a mindful eating workshop by Dr. Bill Ramos in the afternoon.

I haven’t visited Cebu since I was a young girl. I am particularly eager to check the beach out. I mean, I am practically quivering in excitement:

Source: maribagobluewater.com.ph

Any Cebuanos out there? I hope to see you next Saturday. I can’t wait!

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· 3:18 PM

It’s gonna be a yummy new year

2012 is turning out to be quite an adventure, as was 2011. I’ll be heading to Cebu next week for a cooking and juice workshop (more about it in a later post) AND starting this month, I am proud to say that I’m a regular columnist at Yummy Magazine.

WHAT? Hold your horses.

Yes, this  fabulous mainstream food magazine will have a veg-centric column in its pages!

Philippines, are you ready for a love affair with vegetables? I know I am. These recipes are omnivore-approved (as tested by Yummy’s managing editor!) and perfect for the veg-heads and veg-curious alike. If you know friends and family who are looking to add more meat-free dishes into their diet, please ask them to check out this issue. It’s chock-full of vegetarian recipes, and not just by me!

Check out my column, “Healthy Approach” in every Yummy Magazine issue starting this month (January / February issue).

I’ve also contributed vegan brunch recipes for its “Weekend Entertaining” section, by the way. Check it out! Vegan quiche, wholegrain oat pancakes, and more.

Last November I asked friends via Facebook to help me come up with a column name. Thirty comments later I got a list of pretty hilarious ones. Green Gobblin’, anyone? Would I be taken seriously if my column was called Vegan Mary? Luckily Becky, Yummy’s editor-in-chief, picked a nice and safe name: Healthy Approach.

Check out the other name suggestions that just didn’t make the cut after the jump.  Happy Friday, folks!

Continue reading →

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January 11, 2012 · 5:39 PM

Plants rule, anything else drools

Today’s “Fresh, fast, and healthy” class was particularly colorful. High 5, team plants!

Whoever harped about the boringness of an herbivorous diet was sadly mistaken. All of these guys went into four dishes good for 6 servings. Delicious, nutritious, and all around awesome.

From left to right, bottom to top:

Lentils with bay leaf, cashews
Cauliflower, garlic
Jicama / singkamas, carrots, onions
Orange, mango, lemon, strawberries, tomatoes
Herbs, broccoli stalks
Broccoli florets, sprouts
Eggplant, beet

(and not pictured: lettuce, melon, brown rice and other incidentals)

On a semi-related note, here is a short video about a veggie-lovin’ Cookie Monster — pretty engaging for ages 1 to 103 and perhaps a way to get the young ones interested in vegetables.

Continue reading →

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January 9, 2012 · 10:50 PM

Speaking at the Manila Women’s Forum next Monday the 16th

I’ll be giving a presentation to the Manila Women’s Forum on the benefits of a plant-based diet next Monday. If you’re a member of MWF, come and say hi!

The Manila Women’s Forum is a cross-cultural network of women from different countries. It provides opportunities for members to build friendships, to talk to women of various cultures, and to share information about resources. Their meetings are intended to provide intellectual stimulation and lead to personal and professional development.

For more information on the Manila Women’s Forum, check out the e-group here.

Don’t forget to check out this month’s schedule of cooking classes! Here.

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January 5, 2012 · 7:33 PM

January cooking classes

Now that we’ve all gotten nice and round after too much holiday merry-making, how about starting the year right with more mindful, healthful eating via veg cooking classes? It won’t be painful, I promise!

Learn how to make quick and easy dishes on the 11th (Wed). Add more creative salads to your food repertoire on the 14th (Sat). Get Italian-ated with DIY gnocchi on the 25th (Wed). And after a month of being good, treat yourself to decadent cupcakes on the 28th (Sat).

Sign up!

General information on classes

Cancellation policy

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