The holiday
binging is over. It’s time for us to get real with our new year’s health and
fitness resolutions.
As a licensed
nutritionist, I always tell my clients,
it’s neither just about diet or exercise, it’s both. You can’t just exercise
more than you eat, to achieve your fitness goals, because you simply can’t
outrun a bad diet. What we put into our bodies will actually leave a lasting mark in our
bodies more than we think.
I’m glad more
and more healthy concept stores and restaurants are opening up in Manila and
even in Cebu. Having been here in Manila for 6 months now, I can say it’s much
easier to live a healthy lifestyle here than in Cebu, in the sense that a lot
of healthy concept stores with certified organic products are available. You’re
bound to find at least one in your neighborhood. This is a sign that there is a
growing awareness and demand for all natural, organic food. And my dream would
be for this real kind of food to someday be affordable and easily accessible for
most.
Fortunately,
more brands and companies are learning to believe in the same idea, that real
food should be available for everyone. And Arla is one of them.
If you’re not
familiar with Arla Foods, it is an international dairy company owned by 12,700
dairy farmers form Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands. Well-known brands like Arla, Cocio, Lurpak and Castello belong
to the Arla family. It is also the world’s largest manufacturer of organic
dairy products.
We know how eating healthy can be quite a challenge when at the malls, and not to mention, expensive.
Arla has recently installed a pop-up cafe at SM Aura—the
Arla Goodness Station.
The Arla Goodness Station serves a 3-course
set meal of freshly made soup, a bowl of succulent salad, and a hearty sandwich
that will definitely fill you up with goodness while being good to your wallet,
too. The sets range from P250-350.
With
everything made from scratch and all-natural ingredients, you’ll even learn
about how to #LetInTheGoodness in your own home everyday. The dishes feature
the different varieties of Arla cheeses and the station will also be serving up
tidbits of information on how to eat “clean” at home.
You can
choose from 3 set combos or you can also mix and match to create your own set:
Set A: P250
Soup: Roasted Tomato Soup
Salad: Greek Salad
Sandwich: Three Cheese Panini
This classic
combo of grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup is made more nutritious with a
serving of the refreshing Greek Salad.
I love how
the salad is made from marinated cucumber strips and features Apetina feta
cheese. This is my choice of feta cheese when I purchase from the grocery.
Interestingly,
the soup is also topped with Arla cheesy spread which adds to the richness of
the soup.
The cheese
sandwich was a tasty indulgence in Arla’s Mozarella, Gouda and sharp Cheddar.
Oh so good!
Set B: P300
Soup: Brown Rice and Caramelized Mushroom
Salad: Garden Salad with Seasonal Fruit
Sandwich: All Natural PB&J
The brown
rice and caramelized mushroom soup actually took me by surprise and I’d have to
say it was my favorite among everything. The play of textures from the rice were
so interesting and the depth of flavors from the mushroom were definitely a winning
match.
Fruits, are
always welcome in my salads, thank you!
And boy, is
this is one jam-packed sandwich. The Arla cheesy spread balances the richness
and richness of this sandwich. Definitely a kid’s favorite.
Set C: P350
Soup: Chili Con Carne
Salad: Caprese
Sandwich: Corned Beef Sandwich
The chili con
carne was a nice, hefty heartwarming soup. And I’m not normally a chili bean
soup fan but this was actually pleasant, with spices all toned down to the
right mildness and topped off with some nice gooey cheddar cheese.
Before you
call out the corned beef sandwich, this is definitely not chucked out of the
can. This sandwich uses only real and authentic corned beef made from scratch.
The flavorful and tender meat is paired with Arla’s Emmental cheese and some
tangy horseradish cream.
If you ask
me, the Arla Goodness Station is a perfect lunch stop for when you need
something light yet substantial, quick and most importantly, nutritious. You
just know it’s good for you.
The salads are
tasty and fresh, the soups hearty, and the sandwiches are more filling than
they look! Nutritious food can definitely be delicious! The set meals are
actually a great way to have at least two servings of vegetables in one meal,
which I highly encourage my clients to do.
And of
course, Arla and Cocio beverages are also served at the station. I loved the
Cocio dark chocolate milk with the set meal.
If I go back,
I think I’d create my own set, having the Brown
Rice and Caramelized Mushroom Soup, Greek
Salad and Corned Beef Panini.
 |
| The Babe with Marco Lobregat of Geiser Maclang |
Thank you so much, Marco and Arla for having me at the launch of the pop-up station! And for this haul of Arla goodness to bring home! :)
Do yourself
some good. Drop by the Arla Goodness Station when you’re at SM Aura to fuel up
on goodness! They’re only available until February!
Don’t forget to share your Arla Goodness Station
experience with the hashtags:
#LetInTheGoodness
#GetReal
Arla Goodness Station
2nd floor, SM Aura (outside Toy
Kingdom)
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig 1634 Philippines
Facebook: facebook.com/ArlaPH
Instagram:
@arla_ph
