With all the boosters and chemicals placed in our food today, more and more people have started to become conscious with what they eat. Less junk and more organic as they say. Being a fitness blogger myself, I also try my best to find a healthier option when dining out with friends. While critics say that there is no longer any “real” healthy food nowadays, I still think these restaurants would be better than most when it comes to caring for our bodies.
Almost everything served in Earth Kitchen is made from scratch – their ice cream, pasta, risotto, soups, tortilla, etc. The reason they prefer making their own ingredients is to make sure what they serve is really healthy. Moreover, it also gives them a chance to source more natural ingredients locally and support our local farmers. I’ve eaten here several times already and enjoy their healthy and flavorful food very much!
“The Wholesome Table was created to heed the call for meals that are healthy and orgaic to the core while at the same time flavorful and filling, something that most commercial restaurants these days cannot provide. Conceived with much love and deciation, The Wholesome Table features a selection of your most beloved comfort food in their purest form, and also features some of owner Bianca Elizalde’s signature home recipes. Think pastas, pizzas, and a whole lot of meat dishes, all made healthier without sacrificing their flavors,” shares fellow writer Alessi Brugada.
“Detoxify Bar’s aim is long-term health and well being. After your successful Detoxify Bar cleanse, they continue to cater our needs by providing you a wide range of sumptuous, healthy meals. All-natural and preservative free, these meals are certified delicious and worth it,” shares fellow writer Josephine Arce. You can taste the freshness of Detoxify Bar’s ingredients with every bite. I especially love their salmon.
Location: Detoxify Bar currently has several locations including Shangri-la, Eastwood, McKinley, Alabang etc. Visit their page for complete list of locations
“The Farm Organics is the first to offer local certified organic grass-fed beef in the Philippines by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP). They raise their own cows from their farm in Masbate which are fed naturally and not with growth hormones or anything artificial which makes it harmful to our body when eaten,” shares Josephine Arce.
–
There’s something about organic meat that just makes every bite feel cleaner and fresher. I enjoyed their organic ribeye steak and truffle pasta that was overflowing with flavor the most!
Green Pastures is a gourmet restaurant that serves a wide selection of organic food. You can expect nothing short of the best with its chef, Robbi Goco who is well known for his organic farm to table dishes. “The organic mushroom toast is my favorite dish here,” shares WIM writer Mae Ilagan. According to Mae, this is her version of a healthy happy meal. The eggs, with its soft texture perfectly complemented the crunchy toast with its earthy flavors.
If you’re craving for burritos without the extra weight, then Faburrito is the perfect place to visit.
“FaBurrito offers an array of guilt-free Mexican dishes such as burritos, tacos, salsas etc! At FaBurrito, they will NEVER serve you anything that is bad for your health! They guarantee only the finest freshest ingredients prepared daily to provide us customers the satisfaction we all deserve! All dishes have NO MSG and NO SUGAR (they use natural sweeteners) but rest assured that they all taste great!! Yey! Yey! Personally, I wouldn’t just recommend this to health buffs and people with diabetes or hypertension… I highly recommend FaBurrito to EVERYONE because we all deserve to live long healthy lives,” shares WIM writer, Mae Ilagan.
The name itself may seem unappealing for meat lovers. However, the dishes are so well prepared that you can barely taste the difference.
“If I will choose one word to describe the taste of the food at The Vegetarian Kitchen, it would be “inclusive”. That is in the sense that their dishes have the capability to leave a happy imprint on the palate of vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, including a choosy kid who doesn’t like to eat his vegetables,” shares WIM writer Aunell Angcos. “I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between this veggie salmon from real salmon. The texture, aroma and taste are very similar. It was also related to us that some full-pledged vegetarians first become hesitant upon seeing this dish.”
When we crave for something healthy like a salad, we either buy the ingredients/veggies separately at the grocery or find a restaurant that serves some on the side. Juju Eats is the country’s first dedicated salad joint that offers healthy salads with flavor! This healthy salad place has over 11 pre-designed salad options to choose from, all of which have their own unique taste and dressing. However, if you have something else in mind, then feel free to create your own. Juju Eats has over 50 toppings and dressings which enable customers to try around 5,000 different combinations! WOW!
–
Whenever I visit, I always order the Big Boy! It’s my favorite salad as it is filled with chicken and bacon, not to mention the sun dried tomatoes and red kidney beans that really add so much flavor and texture to this dish. They also serve most of their salads in WRAPS. so if you prefer to have it like a burrito, you are very welcome to do so.
“Corner Tree Cafe makes being a vegetarian so easy, my only problem is, I don’t know how to cook their dishes like they do, so my vegetarian dishes always end up disappointing me. But whatever, if you want to make a change and adapt a healthier lifestyle, take the first step by making sure that when in Manila, you head on over to Corner Tree Cafe along Jupiter St, Makati City,” shares WIM writer, Raisa Tan.
–
“Spaghettini with Broccoli and Toasted Nuts (P325). A simple combination of ingredients that work together for a tasty pasta dish. Choice of almonds or pine nuts. Again, I will say, THIS DISH FOR THE WIN! If you eat at Corner Tree Cafe, be sure to order this, because as the dish’s description says, it’s made up of simple ingredients, but it was bursting with flavor! I loved every bite of it! In fact, if I had found out that vegetarian food could be so delicious, I would’ve switched to being vegetarian a long time ago!” shares Raisa.
“Sprout’s advocacy is to spark a Fresh Revolution that will change everyone’s perspective on fast food and shift one’s eating habits to a well-balanced lifestyle. Fast food, teeming everywhere in the world, is every cardiologist’s nightmare as it implies over-processed items packed with preservatives and extenders, but Sprout has redefined ‘fast’ food by providing you with affordable and healthy fare at your convenience–they even offer deliveries within Makati!” shares WIM writer Denise Magtoto.
“Some of the dishes are excellent for weight loss, others created for a little indulgence, but most of it is just geared towards every day clean eating.”
So When In Manila, try dining in a healthier place every now and then. Your body will surely thank you for it in the future! Got other healthy restaurants you’d like to recommend? Do share them below.
Cheryl Golangco is a preschool teacher and also the owner of LittleRunningTeacher.com. On Sundays, she can often be found running in various fun runs. When not in writing about school and sports on her website, Cheryl enjoys attending and writing about various events like concerts, plays, food trips and anything under the sun! Connect with Cheryl through https://Twitter.com/CherylGolangco
–
–
–
Veggie salmon anyone?
–
–
Faburrito da best!