Cool Yourself Through Food

The summer heat is harsh and upon us... but instead of making ourselves prisoners of electric fans and air conditioners, how about cooling ourselves naturally through food?

First, drink plenty of water, preferably room temperature (or just slightly cool). See, the closer your inner body temperature is to the temperature outside, the more comfortable you will be.

Next, partake of food and drinks that are known for their cooling effect on the body. First on the list is buko juice/young coconut water. Eat lots of watery fruits like watermelon, melon and most citrus ones. Check out what's in season during summer and also enjoy bananas and plantain. Cook viands with extra helpings of onions and enjoy broths with ginger. All these will help cool your body.

Avoid diuretics like coffee.

One other way is to eat less meat and dairy, as these are harder to digest and makes our body burn more.

Yet another way, which is ideal for those of who are overweight, is to actually just eat less, as digestion also burns up the body. Just eat light meals and drink a beverage made from water with some calamansi/lemon squeezed in it. It helps make you feel full longer without the calories.

Bohol Bee Farm

We didn't stay in Bohol Bee Farm when we went to Bohol last December because they were fully booked (and I really wanted a resort where sand was within reach for the kids). But we made sure to stop here from the airport for lunch and returned again during the Panglao Tour.

We availed of their packaged feast that cost P500/person (the children ate for free).

squash bread (love this!) was served with two spreads... mango butter and a pesto one

love the view at the restaurant

no words can convey how refreshing this lemongrass tea is (haha, everyone tried sipping on the lemongrass stalk, mistaking it for a straw)... I just had to order more!

loved the pesto and green tomato salsa

my parents couldn't believe the flowers in the salad were edible, the red rice was amazing (but my nephew wouldn't have any of it)... loved the ribs and the fish (didn't taste the chicken and the pasta)

seafood soup, a lot like sinigang

I was looking forward to their ice cream because people raved about them in blogs... but though they weren't bad, I wouldn't return to Bohol Bee Farm for them. This is malunggay and tomato, I think. It's very thick (always nice), and there's a certain texture to the ice cream that may turn off some people (it wasn't grainy exactly, but it also wasn't smooth and creamy to the tongue). Mostly, it was interesting.

this was what we ordered (wew were so tired to think, having had a 2-hour flight delay)

The food was GREAT. Really. I think it was still our best meal in Bohol. And I have to commend Bohol Bee Farm for its pursuit of all things natural. You just know you were eating things that were really good for your body.

Anyway, when we returned, we just looked around but mostly spent time at the shop.

they sell plants

have hammocks

sell ice cream

I bought a big jar of the mango butter spread and a loaf of squash bread because I  couldn't possibly leave Bohol without them

they also sell Human Heart Nature products here

and offer all kinds of local tea and coffee

All in all... Bohol Bee Farm is really a must-stop when you go to Bohol. The real bee farm isn't located at the resort so don't expect to see a lot of bee frames. They also have a kiosk at the Loboc River Cruise Terminal if ever you miss buying their products... but oh, please don't. Let's support these local industries that are doing our bodies and the environment good.


BOHOL BEE FARM
http://www.boholbeefarm.com/Ms. Vicky Wallace
Dao, Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol

 +6338.5101822 
 +63917.7101062 
 +63932.8832126 
 +63939.9046796 
vickywallace@boholbeefarm.com

They also have an online store: http://boholbeefarm.com/store/

Isobel's Homemade Ice Cream

Warning... major rave ahead!

We first got to taste Isobel's Homemade Ice Cream at last November's Balik Bukid. I mistook it to be part of the Paletas Para Ti (all natural homemade iced fruit bars) offerings but since the proprietor is the same, I guess it's safer to say they're sister brands :)

Anyway, we loved the ice cream bars at Balik Bukid so we got their calling card. When my sister-in-law decided to hold her daughter's party at the Fun Farm, I thought of getting ice cream from there... but failed to contact them till 3 days before the event. Good thing Miss Fannie was very accommodating and friendly.

The ice cream bars cost P50 and since we only expected some 40-50 guests, I only ordered 60. For an extra P200, they delivered the ice cream and lent us the use of their freezer too. Fantastic right?


the freezer containing all their goodies


I got 5 flavors: Vanilla with Chocolate Covered Almonds, Milk Chocolate with Raisins, Espresso with Chocolate Freckles, Butter Pecan and Vanilla with Mango Swirl

 

and yes, Miss Fannie offered to personalize the ice cream bars somehow...

 

which had guests taking pics of the ice cream bars...

 

and showing the ice cream bars to the birthday girl (because it was so cute!)... this is the milk chocolate with raisins

 

this is the espresso with chocolate freckles... my fave!

 

I thought before that the vanilla with chocolate-covered almonds cannot be topped... until I tasted the buttery goodness of the buter pecan. But the espresso is really my fave of the lot. Next time, we might also try their other flavor, like salted caramel and tablea, basil with pili, mint chocolate chip, stracciatella, Nutella and lemon. Isobel's also offers mango, strawberry, avocado, cereal milk, pistachio AND they can customize flavors.

 

Miss Fannie also offers different swirls for the vanilla (butterscotch, fudge and mango).

 

Now... who wouldn't be in love right? And I swear, everybody else who tasted it was won over. I even have a picture of my eldest who was depressed because all the chocolate-flavored ice cream were gone when he was ready for his next one (his parents were pigs, we had 4 each!).

 

For orders, one can contact Miss Fannie M. Del Mundo at pola.isobel at yahoo dot com or text/call her at 0922-8931241. They have an office in Paranaque but their Paleteria is in Sta. Rosa Estates, Laguna too. Just ask for party packages and the like (and yes, you can also order the ice cream in pints).

 

Ice cream is more fun when it's homemade from the freshest ingredients!!! And certainly, I cannot wait for my next tryst with Isobel's.

 

Dumaluan Beach Resort Grill

Dumaluan Beach Resort I (DBR) is the older resort between the two Dumaluan resorts (the newer one is owned by the daughter, I think). Their restaurant, however, seems to be more popular because it's open to the public, affordable and the food tastes good.

Actually, I really love their grilled food.

 

 

 

People order from here... and the smoke from the meat grilling might get to you (but yes, they too smell awesome)

 

this was their offering of a baby back ribs meal (around P275 I think) and I LOVED the ribs!

 

this wasn't as crispy as I wanted but it still tasted great

 

yum!!!

 

the grilled meat at the right is chicken, which was also very delicious and tender

We also ordered fish sinigang... and we just paid a little over P1,000 for all of the food. Really affordable and the food was really good. Ambience is, of course, better at the newer DBR. This is actually less restaurant, more laid-back barbecue place. They also offer sandwiches and there is a small sari-sari nearby for those who need basic supplies.

Dumaluan II Restaurant, Bohol

We did not stay in Dumaluan Beach Resort because we opted to stay instead at Whites and Greens Beach Resort but we wanted a better dining experience during our stay. We were directed to Dumaluan, which was a brief walk along the beach from our resort. Dumaluan II was about two resorts away.

Anyway, it also seems that Dumaluan II's restaurant is only supposed to service their resort's guests but well, we were not chased away.

 

the place really looked nice, with areas for outdoor and indoor dining

 

dining by the beach was nice... and yes, my son decided to make a playground of the stair railing over there

 

these sell for only P100 I think (that includes cooking fee, I believe)

 

yum, right?

 

their restaurant has a full-scale menu and this seafood bar where you can get fresh seafood cooked the way you like (Dampa-style)

 

we ordered squid

 

and this P100 order of liempo... which was absolutely great because it was grilled to perfection, really tender and the dipping sauce was just right

 

one bowl of scallops (10 pieces) that was baked... I liked it

We also had 2 orders of fish sinigang and an order of molo soup, plus some grilled chicken and some veggie dish. All in all, we paid about P2,000. I thought their food, generally, was alright. I really loved the liempo, and I am neither a meat nor grilled food person... so that's saying something.

Later on, hubs and I decided to stay awhile and have a date... and we had this, which we liked but it wasn't anything special:



For an idea of the price range, click here. For reservations at Dumaluan Beach Resort or info about their restaurant (there was a wedding reception held there the following night):

DUMALUAN BEACH RESORT, PANGLAO, BOHOL, PHILIPPINES
E-MAIL: RESORT@DUMALUANBEACH.COM
LANDLINE: 038 502-9092
FAX: 038-502-9081
MOBILE: +639178834888(GLOBE)
REICHYL D. VALLENTE
  GENERAL MANAGER

Whites and Greens Beach Resort of Panglao Island in Bohol

** Note: We travelled as a group of 6 adults, 3 kids after Christmas

As I was scouring the net for affordable accommodations that won't stretch a travelling family with young kids, I hemmed and hawed between staying in a hostel type or investing on beach possibilities. In the end, I realized that the kids we have would be happy just playing with sand so accommodations on the beach, it is.

At first, I was all ready to book Dumaluan but after much computation, I decided on Whites and Greens Resort in the same beach strip as Dumaluan in the island of Panglao.

What I liked about Miss Neo is that she answered my e-mails asap. I had questions on accommodations and how accessible these are to/from the beach (given that my parents are senior citizens and the kids we're with are all 5 years old and below). I also read about a sewage smell emanating from their bathrooms due to brackish water, which can't be helped, but at least they reassured me they will do something about it for us.

And all in all, the only thing I really WANTED that wasn't there are places to hang clothes/towels on inside the room.

We ended up in a dorm room/bungalow (isn't Miss Neo great, she really suggested the dorm room so we can save money!) which cost P2,000 per day (plus we paid for 4 extra beds at P300 each, inclusive of free breakfast). Since our room was very near their restaurant, we enjoyed wifi from the comforts of our room.

 

the beach strip is just amazing!

 

the white sand seemed chalky (comparing to Boracay white sand) but it's also really so beautiful

 

sunset shot

 

sunrise and low tide shot

 

Bungalow No. 5 is just a few steps away from the beach

 

and it had 6 beds, a cable TV, aircon and one bathroom/CR (towels also provided)... a little spartan but we didn't mind because we were out most of the time

 

the restaurant just outside our bungalow

 

where you can get free water refills :)

 

the free breakfast is nothing fancy but you always get 2 eggs... and extra rice is also free

 

they even heat up food you bring from other restos for you for free

 

try their pancit :)

 

other huts in the resort

For better dining options... one can just walk in the direction of the right (you may brave waves at certain times when it's high tide) to go to the fancier restaurant of Dumaluan 2... or the grill of Dumaluan 1 (both make mean grilled food, and they're the cheaper options too). For some sari-sari store staples, you can also just walk from the resort gate to a small store... but if you crave city living staples (like chocolates and Off lotion), have your tour guide make a stop at a grocery just outside the dirt road leading to this area (you can't walk to that place, you really need a car).

Anyway, if ever we're going back to Bohol, we really wouldn't mind staying at Whites and Greens Resort again. Also, when I mentioned to Miss Neo the jellyfish stinging incident in Subic and expressed my fears about Bohol waters and their resort's capacity to care for its guests, I was reassured that the wife of the owner is a doctor and that they have a proper First Aid cabinet... and that we can get to a hospital within 20 minutes (plus, she said they don't get big jellyfish in their waters).

We ended up paying only around P10,000 for four days and three nights stay with breakfast for 6 adults and 3 kids (who basically were free of charge). That is a steal... what we saved in accommodations, we spent on paying for the tours we took instead.


Whites and Greens Resort
 Telephone || (+63) 038 502 9433
Mobile || (+63908) 9586878
Website || http://www.whitesandgreens.net
Fanpage and reviews || http://www.facebook.com/whitesandgreens