Stuff Raw Foodists Like #13 : Pasalubong :)

Pasalubong – n. gifts usually in the form of, but not limited to food, coming from someone’s travels, intended to celebrate someone’s homecoming/ thanksgiving for a safe journey. the root word salubong means to meet. 

J came back from her babymoon from the States and her pasalubong for everyone was chocolate, which immediately took its spot in our special nook in the office, right on top of our filing cabinets, where pasalubong snacks are available to anyone who feels like partaking.



But mine was extra special because these were just for me.
Look at these beauties! Handcrafted, raw, gluten free, vegan chocolate. Yum. Mee. :)



I felt special because I usually don’t get pasalubong when people travel. And I don’t expect people to bring me back pasalubong. I know it is a hassle for them to go out of their way to get something just for me ---raw/organic/sugar-free treats are often pricier than their cooked counterparts, and fruits that have not been processed are usually subject to so many duties. But I super appreciate it when someone makes the effort to get me a raw treat from abroad when they come back :)

I was going to save one bar for today, then another for tomorrow, but I just couldn’t help myself. (Marshmallow test fail!) They were sooo yummy, J! And the side effects say it all!

The treats couldn’t have come at a better time too --- I've been feeling pretty discouraged lately, and they were a really nice pick-me-up! Thanks J! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Welcome back :) !

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Do you have a pasalubong culture in your country? What kind of pasalubong is your favorite?

I know my aunts in California really like Ding Dong and butong pakwan (salted watermelon seeds) and my landlady in Federal Way really likes Yes! Magazine. I also used to bring her Chicken Joy too, back when Jollibee in Southcenter hadn’t opened yet. I tried bringing back macaroons from Bizu to my cousin in Phoenix but those don’t really travel well.

(Can you say smash to smithereens seven times?)

Stuff Raw Foodists Like #13 : Pasalubong :)

Stuff Raw Foodists Like #12: Rawkin' Anniversaries

rawkin' choc-lit cake

(Sergei Boutenko's recipe from 12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko)

I celebrated my first raw anniversary to rawkin' results, health-wise! ( a while back, I'll admit - I just haven't gotten around to blogging about it, 'til now ) Thanks to Jhoey of Pinoy Organics who asked about the garden  prompting me to blog about it as well as my raw journey the past year. So here goes:

Thank God for helping me discover strength and added health benefits through raw foods!

* I don't have dry, blood-shot eyes anymore (goodbye, artificial tears!)

* I have loads of energy (I signed up for my first badminton tournament ever - I never could before because I always ran out of steam before I could complete the requisite three games; I ran in a race, I am able to go to the gym daily, as well as do 2 15-minute walks a day and I can take the stairs everywhere, even carrying all my abubuts - gigantic lunch bag, purse, badminton bag, water bottle)

*Update: From August-December 2010 I had 2 migraines. January-October 30 2011 I also had only 2 migraines. Compare this to pre-2010 when I had migraines constantly. I also can now survive a migraine without taking prescription medicines. 

* I still have a few health issues - maybe I'll blog about them, maybe I won't. I'm still deciding.

Thank God for the nice hobby that was brought about by an excess of compost material! Since I had so much of it, I planned to just fertilize the garden naturally, but soon the soil just seemed to brim with life and gardening just came naturally. I love how now, a year later:

* Our garden is a few degrees cooler

* I got my dad to get interested in gardening as well!

* I have fun remembering all the pesticide-free goodies from the garden I got to enjoy: chesa, avocado leaf tea, mustasa, malunggay, Philippine mangoes, piko mangoes, atis, bayabas, buko, and aloe vera. 

* I am part of a Philippine-based raw food support group.

* I am able to assert myself at restaurants

* I am still in awe of the simple joys of getting my hands in the soil to create little grooves for seeds to nestle in, and a garden season later,smelling freshly picked produce

Best of all, I love how gardening itself reminds me of God's hands-on work. He spoke everything else into existence but He man by hand. And even though I often make mistakes - I've caused weeds to die (!),  I've forgotten to water plants at times - He never does. He knows just what each plant needs.

Apart from the Vine, no branch can bear fruit. 

Stuff Raw Foodists Like #12: Rawkin' Anniversaries

Stuff Raw Foodies Like #2: Raw Chocolate

For the longest time, I couldn't eat regular chocolate because I would get laryngitis in winter (almost always February-ask my former coworkers in the Pacific Northwest!) or in August when it rains in Manila. Thank you to Dr. Emmanual Ibay of Makati Med for helping me figure that out that I had to change my lifestyle, including cutting out chocolate  (as well as a host of other harmful food) out of my diet. Half a decade laryngitis-free! Yay!

Since starting raw, I've been reintroducing small doses of raw cacao and toasted carob (tastes a little bit like chocolate) into my rotation (very difficult to find raw carob in the Philippines! Kontactr me if you know someone who supplies this locally!). So far so good! I listen to my body though. It knows when too much is too much.

It is interesting to note that there is a group of raw foodists that claim it is a super food, while some other raw foodists say they can do without it, or take only a little.

Here it is as a sauce with nuts and goji berries*.

What are your favorite raw chocolate desserts?

*Have you tried goji berries? These taste fine in a trail mix, but alone? Eeek. They need some getting used to.

They are considered a super food and the Chinese in Manila use it a lot in traditional Chinese medicine. I am glad my dessert is my medicine.How many fad diets can say that about their dessert?

Stuff Raw Foodies Like #2: Raw Chocolate