Happy Weekend...Happy Eating!

It's a long weekend once again as it was declared a holiday on Monday.   It's the Chinese New Year and the list of holidays here in the Philippines keeps getting longer by the year.  I wonder what other special holidays would be added in the future.  Pretty soon we'll be spending half of the year on vacation.  Nah just kidding. Business people would protest, I am most sure.

Anyway, I'm going home to the province for the weekend to visit mom and the nephews. Family time! The kids have no idea what aunt will be bringing home for them. I wonder if they'll enjoy this as much as I did.  I can't wait to see their reactions once I serve this on the table tomorrow at lunch time.  Well at least I hope they take a bite or two.  I don't think the cauliflower would be a problem, but I don't know about the broccoli.  (I didn't bring Baguio beans anymore...that's probably pushing things too far hehehe).

Steamed broccoli, cauliflower and Baguio beans

I ate these a couple of days ago with my office mates (we always share food) just the way they are...no butter or any other condiments.  And definitely no salt for me as I'm trying to limit my daily sodium intake to 1,500 mg or lower. Besides, I like the natural sweetness of these veggies, plus they're crunchy, thanks to C. who was the one who went to the market, bought these, and prepared everything, ready to eat.  :-)  My other colleague, S. would buy me fruits sometimes, since she passes by fruit stands on the way to work.  K. manages to remember that I only eat half a cup of rice at lunch time.  We girls are being more health conscious these days and I am so thankful that they have all been very supportive, particularly of the food choices. They know I have to keep my blood pressure under control and I guess partly because they do want to make healthier choices as well. I just wish the canteen crew in the office would think that way.

I'll now attempt to rub some of this habit of eating healthier foods with my nephews who almost always have meat and very little fruits and veggies. It's good to start early in life, something I should have done also.  Well, when you're very young, you think you're healthy and invincible and being sick is far from one's thoughts.  That's my mistake, thinking that I couldn't probably have elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels (the bad one) until probably in my old age, since I managed to stay within the healthy weight range most of the time.  But as we all know our overall health depends on our lifestyle and the genes factor that we can't alter.  Well, it's not yet too late to start.  The important thing is to start...and continue the journey right to the end.

As for me, I'll be journeying in a few hours and excited to see everyone, specially the little one who's only three years old.  I think he's going to be the athlete among his siblings.  A little prodding from auntie wouldn't hurt, I guess. 

Happy weekend everyone!  :-)