Real Living Launches its Book on Handy Hints and Instant Makeovers

Posted on by jane
Thanks to Summit Media, I got to attend the launch of Real Living’s newly launched book “Handy Hints and Instant Makeovers”.
I’ve been living in our present home for as long as my married life. And a lot of the furniture and “look” of the house is as it was when we got married. It gets a bit tiring when the familiar becomes TOO familiar, right? So I’ve been trying to find ways to change the look of the house without having to go right out and spend a fortune. I felt that little touches here and there could really do the house a lot of good.
But, my creative imagination is really sorely lacking in this department. I always feel that if I walked into a bare room, I would not know what to put in it. I prefer to see a magazine or picture and point to stuff to say, “I want this. And I want that.”
The next best thing is of course to leaf through the glossy mags, right? But why, oh why, do they have to feature such expensive stuff that I can’t afford?
Well, this book is just the answer I need and for good reason:

~ It is NOT thick so it’s easy to bring around. It’s a small, compact book but packed with lots of great visual tips.
~ Many items used for doing a home makeover are things you have around the house, redone with a twist. When I flip through the pages, it doesn’t make me feel like all the items I need would set me back and burn a hole through my pocket. Ordinary canisters, vases, cups and many more you have around the house can actually be used as containers and makeup cases. They make you feel like you can actually DO and CREATE what are shown on the pages.
~ The hints for organizing, creating minimalistic look, making the old look new and more are really a-plenty. I think I could go over these pages several times and every time, find something new I can actually implement.
~ The book only costs P120. Isn’t that a steal? (But don’t tell the publishers…hahaha)
The launch, emceed by Patricia Bermudez-Hizon, introduced us to 3 creative women. I’ll tell you what was my favorite tip from each of them.

Real Living assistant stylist Coni Tejada also gave a talk on how to create instant tabletop pieces when hosting a party in your own home. I said I would tell you which was my favorite but I actually liked 2 tips of Coni’s:

(simple yet elegant)
(cheap and doable any time!!!)

Next was contributing writer, Arlene Maslog, who showed ways to organize your desk, pantry and kitchen cabinets. I loved her true-to-life example of a corner of her room which was disorganized and how she eventually organized everything with a simple cabinet she had made.

(what a difference a cabinet makes!)
I am very happy to own a copy of this book already. Can’t wait to try my hand at making over my home.
Real Living’s Handy Hints and Instant Makeovers is now available in newsstands, bookstores and supermarkets nationwide for P120. For more of Real Living online, visit www.realliving.com.ph and become a fan of Real Living on Facebook via www.facebook.com/realliving.ph.

Water Plus Goes Beyond Just Being Water

Posted on by jane

Have you seen this picture on billboards yet?

That’s Andi Manzano and she is the endorser for a new kind of flavored water that comes in several variants recently released — Water Plus by the Zest-o people. One of Water Plus’ variants is their Waterplus Reduce line which comes in three flavors – grape, lemon & berries, and apple, and is touted as a weight loss water product.

OK, I know what some of you may say. Another water product? It’s touting itself as water but has a lot of sugar? What’s new?

I must say, the thought crossed my mind too. But I was willing to listen to the organizers tell me a bit more about the product before I made any conclusions of my own.

Some water drinks introduced in the past which I tried were heavy on the flavoring. They tasted nice but because the flavorings were quite strong they already bordered closer to being juice than water. That made me wonder about the sugar content in WaterPlus Reduce. 

The WaterPlus Reduce press kit I read also said that it is an aid for those trying to lose weight because it contains 300mg of L-Carnitine and 2 grams of Fibersol (you will read this on the bottle as Resistant Maltodextrin). L-Carnitine is an amino acid that helps increase fat-burning properties in the body while Fibersol is a water soluble fiber that help maintain a healthy digestive track. The L-carnitine in WaterPlus increases the amount of calories burned per minute compared to rehydrating with just plain water. The fibersol on the other hand helps flush out lactic acid produced during exercise. 
The press release also said that WaterPlus Reduce, unlike other weight loss drinks, has zero sugar and zero calories which enables you to burn more fats without adding extra pounds.  Now, this last part I still cannot verify since I have not consumed enough Water Plus to test the claim but if you are already on a water-based drink that claims to help with weight loss, you can probably compare the content of L-Carnitine and Fibersol between the two drinks.
Over dinner, we were made to sample all 3 flavors and the first thing I noticed was that there was only a very slight hint of flavoring in Water Plus, holding true to its claim to being near-water formulation. Of all three, I loved the Apple variant. I think I am really an apple-flavored person because that seems to be the juice I also prefer.
One last check — the list of ingredients! Knowing that ingredients are listed in the order of how much content is in a product, I saw that the first 3 ingredients, in this order, were Purified Water, Resistant Maltodextrin and L-Carnitine. Not sodium. Not sugar. 
Of course, consuming any weight-loss drink has to be coupled with adequate exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Drinking WaterPlus Reduce alone is not the answer. Water Plus suggests that WaterPlus Reduce be taken after every meal so that it aids in burning up the calories and minimizes the unwanted calories that turn into excess fat.

Andi Manzano said that she tries her best to be as fit as she can be and Water Plus helps her maintain her very nice figure. I had a chance to talk to her briefly, exchanging tidbits about my doing yoga and her fitness program. Since I need to rehydrate a lot especially after a round of yoga, I think I will try WaterPlus Reduce. I may not need to drastically lose pounds but if it can help me reduce inches in the right places, I’d be happy, hahaha.

(With Andi Manzano) 
One last thing. Water Plus has two more lines: Protect and Smart (okay for children).

Mang Inasal Delivers! Dial 733-1111

Posted on by jane

I come from the land of inasal — Iloilo. And there, we eat it the yummy way. Grab the chicken with both hands, take a huge bite, then follow with hot rice eaten kamayan (bare hands) style. Nothing could be more enjoyable than eating chicken inasal with one’s hands. Well that was before everyone became civilized and started eating inasal with spoon and fork, hahahaha.

So it is no wonder that I always find a chance to eat chicken inasal. It reminds me very much of my childhood. My kids love inasal too because on vacations to Dumaguete, we also get our fill of the chicken inasal there. So we were all excited when I got an email offering me a chance to try out Mang Inasal’s new delivery service.

My kids and I were raring to try them. I made the call around 7:15 pm last week and in exactly 30 minutes (7:45 pm on the dot), our doorbell was ringing. Dinner had arrived — PROMPTLY!

Mang Inasal sent two items from their menu. One was supposed to be PM1 (Leg or thigh with rice) and PM2 (breast or wing with rice). Frankly, when it arrived and we opened them, I could not tell which was PM1 because both looked similar.

Nevertheless, that did not stop us from enjoying our prompt chicken inasal dinner. My son even went as far as pouring the juices from the wrappings onto his rice. The delivery came with calamansi, vinegar and soy sauce. And oh yes, red chili pepper. Sawsawan galore!

There’s more to chicken inasal in their delivery service. They include sisig (pork & bangus), sinigang, boneless bangus, and even burgers and spaghetti.

Lately, Mang Inasal has been in the news, with 70% of their shares being bought by Jollibee. How that will impact them remains to be seen but at the rate Jollibee has been acquiring others and improving on their offerings, like Chowking, Red Ribbon and Delifrance, all I can say is that Mang Inasal seems to be in good hands.

Visit Mang Inasal’s website for a complete offering of their menu. Mang Inasal is also on Facebook.

Just one telephone number to remember for delivery service. 731-1111

One last thank you to the people from Yehey who made this possible. YEHEY!!!

Pumpkin Recipes for Halloween and Any Day

Posted on by jane

The Dona Elena Cuisinera Club (DECC) recently sponsored a meet-up with its club’s members and mommy bloggers (including me) to show us how to prepare three delicious meals using pumpkin as a basic ingredient.

These 3 dishes were appropriate for Halloween but I think that these will be just as good any day of the year.

What I love about Dona Elena is that I’m able to buy olive oil for cooking or for my salads without spending an arm and a leg. You know how expensive olive oil can be. And yet, I splurge on this every so often, knowing that it is the healthiest oil there is.

Dona Elena olive oil is known to be rich in antioxidants, counteracting the harmful effects of free radicals which place us at risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

For this session, we were introduced to the health benefits of pumpkin, as well (the more common variety is squash or, as we call it in the Philippines — kalabasa). Here’s why you should consider pumpkin as part of your family’s dish ingredients:

– phytonutrients prevent cell mutations
– for men’s health, it helps reduce risk of prostate cancer
– its orange-red carotenoid helps reduce risk of emphysema and has anti-cancer properties
– reduces chances of birth defects, heart attack, and the folate promotes colon health
– the betacarotene is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, protects vs diabetes, regulates blood sugar, and reduces the severity of conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis
– potassium helps lower blood pressure
– it has other nutrients such as Vitamin C, fiber and more

Halloween is just a few days away so if you’re looking for yummy treats to serve up on that day, here are 3 recipes for Pumpkin and Sausage Pasta; Pumpkin, Tomato and Basil Soup; and Pumpkin and Shrimp Fritters (popularly known as Okoy).

PUMPKIN AND SAUSAGE PASTA


Ingredients:

2 tbsp.  olive oil
1 pc white onion, chopped
400 gms  sausage, sliced (Italian/ Hungarian)
4 cloves garlic, minced
500 gms  pumpkin, diced
1 cup  chicken stock
½ cup  heavy cream (or 1 cup all-purpose cream)
¼ tsp nutmeg
To taste salt and pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
400 gms  linguini noodles

Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil and sauté onions and garlic.
2. Add the sausages and cook until well done.
3. In a separate pan, boil the stock and add the pumpkin. Simmer until tender.
4. Add cream, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
5. Mash the pumpkin with the cream and stock. Add in the sausage and re heat the sauce.
6. Add the dried parsley.
7. Pour the sauce on top of hot pasta.

Healthy note: You may reduce sausage to 300 gms and replace heavy cream with yogurt.

PUMPKIN, TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

Ingredients:

500 gms  pumpkin, diced
1 cup whole peeled tomatoes, quartered
4 cups chicken broth
8 pcs carrots, diced
1 pc onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
½ stick butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup  all-purpose cream

Procedure:

1. Cook pumpkin and carrots in the stock until tender.
2. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter together and sauté the onions and mushrooms.
3. Add the tomatoes.
4. Add in the softened carrots and pumpkin (keep the stock) and sauté all together. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. Puree stock and other ingredients in a blender.
6. Put back in a pot and add the cream and basil.
7. Simmer for about 8 minutes or until thickened.
8. Serve with croutons on top.

Healthy note: You may replace the all-purpose cream with yogurt

OKOY (PUMPKIN AND SHRIMP FRITTERS)

Ingredients:

4 cups  pumpkin, grated
½ kg  suaje, head on, spiny parts removed
1 pc red onion, finely sliced
1 cup  carrots, grated
½ cup  cornstarch
2 pcs eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil (for frying)

Procedure:

1. Combine the pumpkin, carrots, onions, cornstarch, agg and salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Mix in the shrimp.
3. Form the mixture into patties. Place 1-2 pieces of shrimp on each patty.
4. Heat the olive oil for frying.
5. Deep fry the okoy until the patties turn golden brown in color.
6. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
7. Serve with vinegar dip.

One last thing: You may want to join the Dona Elena Cuisinera Club and learn all the healthy cooking tips, meet other members, exchange recipes and join the club’s year-round events. Visit their site at www.cuisineraclub.com

October 20: National Thank You Day

Posted on by jane

Years back, when I got my issue of Reader’s Digest, I noticed it published the results of a survey done to find out which countries were most grateful. As it was with their previous surveys, Reader’s Digest people scattered people anonymously and observed the behavior of the country’s citizens, counting the number of times “Thank you” was said.

I really thought the Philippines would score pretty high, considering how we’re known for our hospitality. Imagine my dismay when I found we only ranked #22! And the top scorer was, of all places, New York! You’d think that in a place as busy as NY, people would have less time to say thanks!

Now I am wondering what ever happened to the value of gratitude taught to us as little kids as well as the importance of saying thank you. Have we become too busy? Or is it that we really have  taken a lot of things for granted these days?

Inspired by this revelation, Toblerone spearheaded the “National Thank You Day” initiative. This eventually led to Mayor Alfredo Lim officially declaring October 20, 2007 to be Manila’s first “National Thank You Day.” In 2009, the day also saw the celebration of the first Thank You Day Awards where Filipinos recognized former President Corazon Aquino as the person Filipinos should be grateful to the most.

Seeking to further embrace the idea, Las Pinas City Representative Cynthia Villar proposed House Bill 5466, which aims to designate October 20 as a national holiday. She is supported by her husband, Senator Manny Villar, who has filed Senate Bill 1106 for the same purpose. For the Villars, these bills were meant to promote the “celebration of the Filipino bayanihan spirit of according respect for the elders, warm hospitality and distinctive courtesy, and a commitment that the Philippines takes pride in its age-old respectful values.”

Now, Toblerone is supporting the initiative to make “National Thank You Day” an official day in the Philippines. Known for its signature triangles of smooth Swiss chocolate, Toblerone wishes to encourage Filipinos to maintain a mindset of gratitude. Thank You days must not just be on October 20 but every day of the year. Toblerone is now the official ‘Thank You’ chocolate of the world.

I’m all for this and it makes me even more aware of inculcating the value of gratitude in my children. Right now, even if it’s just a glass of water or juice that our yaya brings me during meal times, I make it a point to say thank you. And when the driver brings us home, after a late night outside, I make sure that we thank him too. And I’m glad that habit has rubbed off on my kids who I have heard many times thanking the driver as well.

To find out how to make October 20 the National Thank You Day of the Philippines, visit http://thankyoudayphilippines.com/ and sign the online petition.

Contest: Keso de Gallo with Kraft Eden Cheese

Posted on by jane

100 towns.

100 unique dishes.

100 days.

1 Grand Yuletide celebration.

Yes, for 100 days prior to Christmas, 100 towns are showcasing their unique dishes that feature Kraft Eden Cheese as an ingredient. And they are gunning to break the record for the longest Christmas celebration in the world!

Where else should the longest Christmas celebration be than in the Philippines. The moment BER months come around, Christmas songs are already in the air and malls start decorating for the Christmas season already!

We can all help make the Philippines break this record and, at the same time, make YOUR favorite city’s cheese dish win P2 million worth of prizes it can use as a support fund. You can also be your city’s HOME PARTNER and win a cash prize for yourself.

The Philippine Beat is rooting for the town made famous by a pancit it is named after. In truth, this is one of, if not my favorite, pancit because I just love the crushed chicharon flakes and varied seafood toppings heaped on it — Pancit Malabon!

Yes, I am throwing my vote behind Malabon City which has done a twist on their famous pancit by adding cheese cubes.

Pancit Malabon with Cheese Cracking Toppings
Will you help me make Malabon City win? If you love Pancit Malabon, then vote for Malabon. Just check out their yummy recipe for Pancit Malabon with Cheese Cracking Toppings HERE. And while you’re on Malabon’s page, read up a bit on the history of the city. There’s more to the city than just pancit!

What do you need to do to make Malabon City win?



1. Buy one Eden 35g, 180g or 450g pack at any supermarkets, public market stalls, groceries, convenience stores or sari sari stores nationwide.

2. Write the following information on a piece of paper attached to one (1) empty Eden pack size:

a. Name of Favorite Featured Town (help me by writing MALABON CITY)
b. Name of Eden Dish for that Town
c. Name
d. Age
e. Complete Address
f. Contact Numbers
g. Signature

3. Submit entries at Drop Boxes within participating Towns or mail entries to

Prime Cast Event Concepts Plus, Inc.
Lower Ground Level, Grayline Ventures Building,
14 Arayat St. Boni, Mandaluyong City

OR:

ABS CBN Foundation Inc.
ELJ Communications Building
Mother Ignacia St. Quezon City

4. Deadline for Submission of Entries is on December 2, 2010.

5. Send as many entries as you want. The promo period is from September 4-December 2, 2010. The promo shall be announced on TV through participating ABS CBN Shows.

The winning town will be awarded seed money for their training materials/ livelihood projects. Additionally the winning town’s major landmark will be featured in limited edition Kraft Eden Cheese boxes.

There’s something for you too!

If Malabon City wins, a Home Partner will be chosen by raffle from among those of us who voted for Malabon City. The Home Partner wins P100,000.

(Full mechanics on the contest may be found at the Keso De Gallo website at www.sarapngpasko.com)

Cherry Mobile Launches its Android Smartphones

Posted on by jane

My oldest son, who’s the geekiest member of our family, has long been saving up for an Android phone. For someone who has the highest expectations and standards for his next mobile phone, he has done his homework as far as mobile OS are concerned and it seems that the Android’s performance is IT for him.

On my end, I had been wanting to get a device that would allow me to take pictures and upload them on the fly wherever my blogging activities take me. While I already have a 3G iPad, the absence of a camera means I still needed to bring one. And frankly, my existing camera, which is many years old already, has seen better days. So when I got an invite to attend an Android event, I just had to see for myself what it was all about and to check its specs.

Cherry Mobile (the company that was first known for providing affordable dual SIM handsets) launched its line of Android Smartphones powered by Qualcomm: the Nova, Magnum HD and Superion which is also the first ever tablet phone in the Philippines.

The most affordable model is the Nova (SRP P11,490). Compared to other smartphones in this price range, the Nova offers a lot more, including the 5MP camera and GPS services.

Nova specs:

  • Android OS 2.1
  • Quadband GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
  • Triband UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100
  • 3.2″ HVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • Qualcomm MSM 7227 600 MHz processor
  • 3G/HSDPA connectivity
  • Wifi
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Google mobile services ( Gmail, Maps, Marketplace)
  • 5.0 MP camera with flash
Its midrange model is the Magnum HD (SRP P18,990). I saw this one up close and I must say it looked pretty stylish.
Magnum HD specs:
  • Android OS 2.2
  • Qualcomm 1GHz processor
  • 4.1″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • ROM: 2GB / RAM: 512MB
  • Expandable micro SD up to 32GB
  • Quadband GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900
  • 3G Triband UMTS/HSDPA: 900/1900/2100
  • Wifi: 802.11 b/g
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Bluetooth 2.0
  • Standard micro USB 2.0
  • 3.5 mm Stereo Audio jack
  • HDMI-D type
  • 720p recording
  • 5MP camera with flash (back)
  • VGA camera (front)
And their top of the line, the first tablet and mobile phone in one, is Superion (SRP P19,990). According to its Product Development Manager, Reggie Ramos, the Superion will be available in the market this week. And yes, I did ask about its battery life with wifi and Reggie told me that based on his own experience with it, the Superion with wifi on, lasted him more than a day on a full charge. Whoa!

Superion specs:
  • Android OS 2.2
  • Quadband GSM, 850/900/1900/2100
  • Triband UMTS 900/1900/2100
  • 7″ WVGA capacitive touchscreen
  • Qualcomm MSM 7227 600 MHz processor
  • 512MB ROM, 512MB RAM
  • Expandable memory up to 32GB
  • 3G/HSDPA connectivity
  • Wifi
  • Bluetooth
  • GPS/AGPS
  • Standard mini USB 2.0
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • G-Sensor
  • Ambient light sensor
  • Google mobile services (Gmail, Maps, Marketplace)
  • 3MP camera with auto-focus (back)
  • VGA camera (front)
I imagine that many who were going for an iPad may take a second look at the Superion, considering how much cheaper it is and it has a camera and phone to boot (though I wonder if it will be a bit heavy to hold up to one’s ear when making calls). My only disappointment so far with its specs is that it only has a 3MP camera. I wish it had the 5MP features that the Nova and Magnum HD’s cameras have.
Meanwhile,  those who want the 5MP camera combined with a touchscreen smartphone that is so elegant it can really turn heads, would probably consider the Magnum HD. 

A New Comfort Food from Red Ribbon

Posted on by jane

When we are under stress, lonely, or just need to be reminded of good memories, we reach out for our comfort food. Usually these are food that reminds us of our Mom’s cooking, something that triggers a good memory, basically anything that gives you the same effect as a warm embrace or lifts your spirit.

What is your comfort food?

My top choice is ice cream. Any flavor. Oh, maybe except Tutti Frutti because I don’t like those candy-like fruit squares in my ice cream. But I’ll take any flavor, and most especially…..chocolate!

Recently, Red Ribbon launched its version of comfort food. And it’s one that will truly comfort you without burning a hole in your pocket.

Introducing Red Ribbon’s CHOCO FUDGE CAKE!

The Choco Fudge Cake is a version of the classic chocolate cake but with more oooomph: a pound cake smothered with premium chocolate heaped generously on top and layered with chocolate fudge filling. You take one bite into it and your teeth just keep going down into chocolate and more chocolate.

My personal preference is still Red Ribbon’s Chocolate Walnut Fudge cake which they introduced last year but as an immediate comfort food that is so affordable, Choco Fudge Cake is a great alternative.

Chocolate Fudge Cake is now available in regular size (P460) and junior size (P275) at all Red Ribbon outlets.

Google Chrome Goes Pinoy with Themes and Extensions

Posted on by jane

Chrome was launched only sometime 2008 and yet it’s now the Philippines’ 2nd most popular browser. With innovations in extensions as well as variety of themes coupled with its robust infrastructure, Chrome is truly gaining grounds in the browser war. In fact, on both my desktop and laptop computers, Chrome runs as my default browser.

Last Sept. 30, another first was introduced to the Filipino bloggers — extensions and themes done by Filipinos for Filipinos.

Themes are pretty much like your desktop wallpaper except that it carries over to the background of your browser and the colors of your tabs, buttons and bars follow the thematic colors. Extensions are small programs that you download and install. These either extend the functionality of existing applications or provide information.

Representing Google at the launch were Google Southeast Asia Head of Product Management, Andrew McGlinchey, and Google Southeast Asia Head of Marketing, Derek Callow.

(Andrew McGlinchey, left, and Derek Callow, right)

We were introduced to 3 of the 13 artists behind the Pinoy Google themes: Yabang Pinoy, AJ Dimarucot, and Corey Cruz.
(Yabang Pinoy’s Patintero theme)
(AJ Dimarucot’s Solar Eclipse theme)
Corey Cruz’s Bahay Kubo theme)
Here are 12 of the 13 themes which I screencapped from the Google Chrome themes gallery.
Next, we were briefed on different extensions developed just for the Philippine scene (click on any of the links below to install the extension you want):
1. ABS CBN News Reader extension – this will allow users to get top entertainment news and the latest video feeds
2. Ayos Dito PH extension – as the largest Filipino online marketplace for buying and selling, its extension will allow users to receive relevant buy and sell information
3. Banco de Oro extension – will allow users to get foreign exchange (FOREX) information
4. Cebu Pacific extension – will allow users to get the best rates for the day
5. Carlos Celdran extension – Who doesn’t know Carlos Celdran by now? His extension will update users on his latest adventures and tour dates.
6. MMDA extension – it will allow users to access the FAQ, the most searched category for local traffic information and Metro Manila driving tips.
7. Philippine Airlines extension – will allow users to check available flights
8. PEP extension – Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP) will provide, via this extension, access to showbiz news such as TV interviews or sound bytes.
9. Pinoy Exchange extension – Pinoy Exchange is an online community of Filipinos around the world with a wide breadth of categories for registered members. The extension allows users to view top forum discussions.
10. SmartBro extension – allows users to get the latest news, promo updates and online help
11. GMA Breaking News – allows users to receive breaking news
Google also announced that in the works is a SmartBro/Google Chrome USB dongle which will already come with a Chrome installer. When the dongle is inserted into a computer, the Chrome icon will appear and users double-click this to access the web.
All in all, it was a fascinating evening and I am happy that the Philippines has been given a prominent place in the Chrome arena. This is just the start. I am sure that as more and more Pinoys make Chrome their default browser, there will be even more motivation on Google’s part to innovate and create more themes and extensions just for the Filipino users’ tastes.

There’s More to Fish & Co. Than Fish

Posted on by jane
Carnivores, celebrate! If you think Fish & Co. is all about fish, think again. After all “& Co.” in their name means it ain’t all about fish. They have now expanded their food offerings to include *drumroll*….MEAT!

My kids are primarily carnivores and while I can get them to try seafood dishes, they usually go for the meat dishes first. Their favorite dish at Fish & Co. is the fish & chips, what else? But at this dinner hosted by Fish & Co., upon the invite of Carlo, my girl and I, along with other blogger friends, were able to take a peek at the varied meat items they had concocted. 
Shrimp and Chicken Breast Al Pesto

Being a health-conscious Mom and yogini, I have recently been tapering my meat intake and increasing fish, vegetables and fruits in my diet. But who can resist this dish when chicken breast is combined with shrimp, pasta (my favorite dish!) and broccoli? Still healthy! Of all the dishes served up that night, this was my clear choice.
Breaded Chicken Piggyback

Surprisingly, piggybacking shrimp on top of breaded chicken went well. I liked the combination of the chicken’s crunch with the softness of the shrimp. A thoughtful addition is the noodles at the bottom. It serves as the carbs high of the dish.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Yum yum lamb chops! I’m glad it was prepared with veggies as part of the serving. I normally stay away from pure meat dishes.
My girl (beside me) gave the dinner a two thumbs up so that means my carnivore girl was pleased with the menu. Thanks for the wonderful, gastronomic dinner, Fish & Co. I’m hauling my carnivore family here on our next family celebration.