Tri-mona Healthy Dining and The Goddess Workout

Last year, (on December 14, 2013) me and a friend attended the 1st Health Bloggers Meet - Kapit-bisig para sa Kalusugan Pangkalahatan: Iulat, Ipahayag, at Isulong. This was a collaborative effort of The Philippine Health Bloggers Society, International Youth Council Pilipinas and HealthActivist.ph.

Mustard greens as wrap for the delicious filling.

Unlike most events we go to, this was a whole day affair. We didn't regret it however because our time was worth it. We learned many things on how to improve our health and quality of life and we were also introduced to firsthand information on the current state and issues and concerns that need solutions to make our health care system more efficient and accessible to those who need it most.

We learned so much but it would be information overload to tackle everything in one post so let me start with the sexy exercise routine and the healthy food treats we enjoyed that day.

What excited us at first to attend this event was the morning exercise routine at Ananda Marga Yoga Center. We woke up early to spend an hour sweating it out with the energetic and youthful Ms. Jill Ngo, the country's Goddess of  Belly Dance herself. We had been looking for an affordable place to get into yoga and zumba and even belly dancing. So we took this chance to experience all three in one hour (20 minutes each).

This is the Goddess Workout and boy did we feel like goddesses afterwards. First off, we were able to use so many muscles we didn't even know we had and all the moves made us feel really sexy. We even noticed a nice rosy glow to our skin after the exercise despite our sweaty appearance.

Ms. Jill said exercising like this for at least 20 minutes a day is the secret to a youthful glow. Looking at her own youthful appearance, I strongly agree. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if we did pole dancing as the last routine. It was a fun and satisfying hour spent sweating it out and we want to try it again.

Next, we walked a little way to Tri-mona Healthy Dining where we were treated to a very healthy breakfast. How healthy? It was all green but very delicious and filling.

This was made of mustard greens and you put some of the filling unto a leaf and fold the leaf into a packet and pop it into your mouth to savor the healthy goodness (see image on top). The filling was really tasty but I forgot what it was made of.

I've seen this done in Korean dramas with small portions of beef so I felt quite excited eating it this way but in a healthier version. We also enjoyed a wholewheat sandwich with veggie fillings -- cucumber, tomatoes, lettuce and cream cheese. It was a yummy start to an informative day.

For lunch, we we're treated to a healthy spread as well. Just take a look at what we devoured.

There was salad greens again and this time with a sweet and tangy honey and vinegar vinaigrette. I treated myself to this first before going on to the main course.

Before digging into the main course, we also enjoyed a hot, delicious soup. This was actually made from saluyot leaves and it seemed to have a hint of pepper which gave the delicious, minty broth a subtle kick.

For the main dishes, we had Vegan Pinakbet. I am not a fan of this dish myself but this version tasted really good that I even ate the eggplant which I usually don't like.

For the Pinakbet, instead of the fish bagoong, they used Black Beans Bagoong with black beans as the base for the bagoong paste. Kangkong stalks were used as extender and also to lessen the salty taste of the beans. I also am not a fan of bagoong but this version is something I would definitely try at home.

There was also Chicken Adobo from organic chicken. The orange sauce is because of the atsuete. This was also very delicious and the chicken meat itself was tender and tasty.

These delicious treats was accompanied by a choice of Brown Rice and Red Rice which were both fragrant and tasty on their own.

I myself have been eating brown rice for some time now and I can definitely say that it is healthier for you. An obvious benefit is that it has lots of fiber which helps keep your digestion in a regular cycle. That's one way to get a good start to your day.

Finally, our afternoon snack was Vegetarian Pancit which was also very flavorful and healthy. This was accompanied by Cucumber Juice which tasted really refreshing.

Needless to say, the healthy food and positive atmosphere kept us all in a good mood and in high spirits. Tri-mona provided a very cozy place to interact and learn. We ended the event with purchases from Tri-mona's organic produce and products.

I was glad to learn that they sell fresh produce and other organic products such as honey and malunggay powder as well as teas, wine from fruits and many more. Me and my friend went home with brown rice and muscovado sugar while other participants purchased mustard leaves and vinaigrette for the salad.

I definitely recommend this place for folks who want to indulge in healthy eating and for the cozy and tranquil atmosphere. The people running the place and making the food items are very accommodating as well making you feel right at home.

I'll be writing about the stuff we learned in my next post about this event. Until then, indulge in healthy eating and maybe schedule a visit to Tri-mona Healthy Dining or attend the Goddess Workout for that youthful, rosy glow.

---

Ananda Marga Yoga Center
46 Maamo St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

Jill Ngo-Crisologo
Learn more about her Goddess Workout on Facebook

Tri-mona Healthy Dining

112 Anonas Ext., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City
Open from 8:30AM onwards