Our daily breakfast in 3 cups
Throughout childhood our breakfast consisted of a warm glass of milk, a soft-boiled egg, and a sermon from our mother (“!@#$%^you’re late for school again *&^%$!”). So the second we became autonomous, we gave up a proper breakfast. And waking up early and being told what to do.
Our non-breakfast consists of
A cup of coffee, two if we’re not late for something. A friend recommended a local brand called 18 Days—it’s called that because coffee is supposed to be consumed within 18 days after the beans are roasted. (We thought it was a shortened incubation period for zombie plague.) Last Sunday we bought a 250g bag of Arabica at their stall in the food court of Cash & Carry. It tastes wonderful, and it makes the kitchen smell good.
A heaping tablespoon of psyllium fiber in a cup of water. Fiber is said to help lower cholesterol levels, which is always a good thing. There are many brands of psyllium fiber in the market; we take Megafiber because a friend foisted a bunch of samples on us and we got into the habit. The fiber in one teaspoon is equivalent to 14 tablespoons of oat bran—it would take us a while to finish that much oat bran, but only 20 seconds to drink the contents of this cup.
A Berocca (Vitamin B-complex, ascorbic acid, calcium, magnesium and zinc) effervescent tablet, because we like “effervescent”. Not for people on low sodium diets.
This is what passes for our health regimen. (To our credit, we’re not on any meds.) Then we go and have an evil lunch.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
January 10th, 2013 at 12:21
healthy breakfast.
After College:
oatmeal, black coffee (any brand will do), then cigarette (with a filter on)
January 10th, 2013 at 13:28
Do you remember how young you were when you started drinking coffee?
Me, Grade 4, instant Nescafe. (at ang Milo ay pinapapak at hindi iniinom)
I was already in college when I realized this ‘irregularity’ in my childhood. What pacified me was a friend who said she started drinking coffee in Grade 3 but mixed it with Milo. Her mom was a teacher and, therefore, sensible.
And just now, I realized that my own mom was also a ‘sensible’ social worker…. Anyway, too late! Damage has been done: heart still palpitates at the news of cafes and coffees and excuses to have more coffee.
January 10th, 2013 at 17:20
Is 18 Days only available in Cash and Carry? I don’t think I’ve heard of it or seen it until now…
January 10th, 2013 at 18:06
First time we’d heard of it, too. It’s sold in the Alamid Coffee booth, which has been operating at Cash and Carry for a couple of years. Good stuff, 250g for Php207.
January 10th, 2013 at 18:19
UVDust: Started drinking coffee at age 8. Mother was out of town, father forgot to buy Ovaltine, put coffee in child’s milk to simulate chocolate flavor. Child liked coffee, started drinking it regularly with milk and sugar. In college started drinking it black, though will sometimes add milk and sugar in dessert-y mood.
We do not drink those monster frappucinos and other confections at Starbucks et al—that’s not coffee, that’s sugar. We also don’t like those fancy shmancy coffee machines with capsules: buy the machine and you’re stuck with their coffee forever. There’s a lot of good, inexpensive locally-grown coffee.
January 10th, 2013 at 18:57
i also don’t like those sweet cold coffee that sell at fancy coffee shops. they’re more like dessert than coffee to me.
January 10th, 2013 at 19:01
I had to give up caffeine for the last three years because caffeine makes me bitchy. I like milk tea, though, and I do enjoy a good decaf once in a while (it has to be really good decaf – yes, there is such a thing) but I miss the days when I used to drink coffee regularly, whether it’s brewed or in 3-in-1 form. Same deal with chocolate; it’s hard to me to resist anything that has a cacao content of 70% or higher, but I have to make it a once-a-month treat or I’ll go crazy.
Current everyday breakfast for me is water, vitamins, instant oatmeal (pre-mixed with milk), and a dose of anti-asthma medicine. This is as heavy as it goes for me, since tapsilog and other rice meals tend to make me nauseous.
January 10th, 2013 at 19:35
I like the flavor of coffee, but not on its own. Hence, mochas.
Sometimes I buy croissants, freeze them, then toast them. Most of the time my breakfast staple is the tuna sandwich. Then again, it’s also my lunch, tea, dinner, and snack option. I’m lazy and tuna salad can be made quickly.
January 11th, 2013 at 12:03
Our family hails from Batangas. At toddler age I began my love affair with “Sabaw-Kape” — rice soaked in brewed Batangas coffee and sprinkled with brown sugar.
January 11th, 2013 at 14:00
Being the mahadera child that I am, I started drinking coffee at 6 because I was always asking my dad what he was doing when he was obviously fixing himself a cup of coffee.
To shut me up, he showed me how his like his coffee made and since then (until I started first grade) I would prepare his coffee in the mornings. I would also finish his cup when he went to the office.
Coffee is now a staple for me (breakfast, lunch, dinner, merienda, midnight snack, post midnight snack, ay-shucks-alas-kwatro-y-media na snack). I can’t function without it haha. That and chocolates.
January 12th, 2013 at 08:43
Haha Sinasabaw rin namin ang kape sa kanin nung maliliit pa kami. Kaya naman pala pagkatapos ng agahan, hindi kami mapakali. I can only imagine the stress level of our helper then.
Inuulam rin namin ang Milo. Kung baga, tuyong champorado.
January 12th, 2013 at 15:41
At last hindi pala ako abnormal! Started drinking kapeng barako at around 5 or 6. We’d have it with our standard breakfast of tuyo, sinangag at itlog. I remember my mom would bring water to a boil in this blue porcelain or ‘losa’ kaldero, turn off the stove, spoon the barako in then cover it. After a few minutes when the grounds have settled to the bottom of the kaldero, would ladle the piping hot kape onto our glasses. Take note, glasses not cups or mugs. The brew would then be left in the kaldero to be used again the next few days (weeks even!) adding a heaping spoonful or two of grounds each time. Saraap!!!
January 13th, 2013 at 02:07
Thank you for the tips. Now onward to the 300 physique!