TRC Recipe: Mushroom & Cheese Omelette with Parsley

You might have read from my previous post here that we have an abundance of flat leaf parsley from my Dad's aquaponics. I've tried making garlic bread (recipe can be found here). I also put it in pansit bihon but these flat leaf parsly keep on flourishing!

Once, while I was checked-in a hotel while traveling for work, I ordered mushroom & cheese omelette. The scrambled egg was mixed with parsley and the cheese and mushroom became the filling. I thought I would try to recreate that omellete when I get home.

And so I tried and I thought my version was pretty yummy too!

Here's the recipe:

Mushroom & Cheese Omelette with Parsley' 

Ingredients:

• A few stalks of flat-leaf parsley, sliced very thinly
• 3 whole eggs, beaten
• Grated cheese (quantity, to your liking, I like my omelette oozing with cheese!)
• Sliced button mushroom about 1/4 cup
• A dash of salt & pepper
• Oil for frying

Procedure:

•  Beat the eggs
• Add a dash of salt & pepper
• Add the sliced parsley
• Mix thoroughly
• In low fire, teat the pan and then put oil (for extra flavour, I also put a teaspoon of butter)
• Put in the mixture and fry
• Put the mushroom and grated cheese in between and fold
• Fold over and cook some more (I like mine a bit toasted so it's up to you if you want to let it sit for a while)
• Serve hot and enjoy!

I enjoyed mine with buttered toast and brewed coffee. Enjoy!

My mushroom & cheese omelette. Yum!

When in Bacolod Try Bob's Pavlova and BongBong's Pasalubong

Davao airport, my stop-over before Bacolod

I was on a recent trip to Bacolod for work. It was actually part of a one-week journey that led me to Davao then Bacolod then Iloilo with a side trip to Guimaras, which I will be sharing with you on a later post.

It was my first time in Bacolod -- well, ok, not technically. I had been to Bacolod when I was a young kid but I virtually had no memory of our trip there. My Mom was also out there for work at that time and she brought me along. I just vaguely remembered taking the plane to Iloilo with my 'suitcase' full of toys -- Barbie and kitchen supplies-- and it just flew open in the tarmac just as we were about to board the plane.  I also remembered not enjoying the ferry from Iloilo to Bacolod which I thought then took forever! But beyond these, I really have no recollection of that trip.

So I took this opportunity to explore Bacolod with the very little time I had. I flew from Davao to Bacolod via Cebu Pacific. CebuPac has only one flight from Davao to Bacolod which leaves Davao at 7:05 am. 

My CebuPac flight that took me to Bacolod from Davao

We arrived at Bacolod-Silay Airport about 5 minutes earlier and I headed straight to the taxi stand only to find there was no taxi stand! What they have are red-uniformed taxi drivers calling out passengers in front of the terminal. I asked the guard at the Departure Gate where the queue to the metered taxi was and he pointed me to a queue of taxis a few meters away but there were no waiting passengers. I then found out taxis there do not use their meter. It was pakyawan! Drivers offered P500 but I thought it was too much. I was then determined to head to the main road to get a 'metered' taxi when a driver whom I later identified as 'Gamay' approached me and offered to take me to my hotel in San Juan, Bacolod for P400. Realizing the main highway is a bit of a walk from where I stood, I took the offer.

No further caption needed ;)

I booked myself at Westown MO2 hotel in San Juan through Agoda.com but found out when I was checking out that the walk-in or phone reservation rate of Westown is way cheaper than what I got in Agoda.com. I got my Deluxe Room for P2,000 in Agoda butit was only P1,580 when you walk-in or reserve through phone according to the front desk.

It was a simple but nice hotel though and my room was unexpectedly nice too for P2,000. The hotel is only 10-minute walking distance to SM, about 5-minute walk to Bacolod's famous BongBong Pasalubong Center in San Juan and a 10-minute walk to San Sebastian Cathedral.

Deluxe Room at Westown San Juan Bacolod

Another angle

View from my room

Spacious and clean bathroom but a bit outdated

I only had 24 hours in Bacolod and I was there for work I only managed to squeeze in attending mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral since it was Palm Sunday.

San Sebastian Cathedral

I also dropped by at the nearby BongBong's on my way back to the hotel to bring home some 'pasalubong' for the kids. To be honest, I have never heard of BongBong's but my client who was with me in this trip mentioned that their cheese tarts were yummy so I thought I had to buy some for my daughter who loves cheese.

BongBong's is known not only from their cheese tarts and other packed pasalubong goodies, but also from piaya. You can buy freshly cooked piaya at BongBong's for P3.50 for plain and P4.00 for ube. I liked the plain better than ube which I find too sweet for my liking. But be careful when it's freshly cooked as it may scald your tongue!

Buy freshly cooked piaya at BongBong's for P3.50 for plain & P4.00 for ube

Piping hot piaya

For less than P500, I was able to bring home a boxload of goodies for kids including cheese tarts, caramel tarts, biscocho, meringue, and butterscotch.

Boxload of pasalubong from BongBong's

Yummy treats from Bacolod (and Guimaras)

Cheese tarts and Caramel Tarts

The highlight of my trip, however, is a heavenly cake from Bob's, a restaurant native of Bacolod since 1965. My client's friend suggested this friend so we headed out to SM Bacolod to look for Bob's.

Bob's in Bacolodis sill a crowd drawer since it started in 1965

My companion ordered Chicken Barbeque (which is Chicken Inasal to be more accurate) while I had spareribs (which isn't that great, to be honest) and a red fruit punch (also not that great).

Bob's Chicken BBQ for P105

Red Fruit Punch 

Spareribs (sorry for the pic,I was excited to eat it before I thought of taking a photo)

The highlight, as mentioned, is this cake called Pavlova. My client checked their pastries and a staff recommended Pavlova. It is actually very close to sans rival but lighter and fluffier. Sans rival has a harder and firmer base and is actually sweeter while Pavlova has a soft, fluffy texture from the white cream oozing out with a thin and enough base to hold two layers of these white cream. It also has cashew in the filling. I couldn't stop eating pavlova -- if only I was not bound to IloIlo and Guimaras after my Bacolod trip, I would have taken a few of these home!

Bob's heavenly Pavlova

 After our Bob's lunch, I headed back to the hotel to catch my ferry to Iloilo. The port is just at the back of SM but I had to take a cab because of my luggage. I took the 3:40pm trip to IloIlo and paid for a business class ticket that cost me P415 which I thought was too much and wasn't worth it. The trip was 1 hr and 15 mins long and like how I remembered it when I was a kid, I didn't enjoy that ferry ride. 

I was off to IloIlo to Guimaras after that Bacolod trip. I will share my Guimaras trip with you very soon.

Thinking of heading to Bacolod anytime soon, do not forget to visit:

• San Sebastian Cathedral
• BongBong's Pasalubong Centre in San Juan. Try the piping hot Piaya for only P3.50 for plain and P4 for ube
• Bob's in SM Bacolod for their heavenly Pavlova cake

Have you been drinking lemon water?

Lemon water with fresh mint leaves

I'm sure you've come across several Facebook posts suggesting to drink lemon water.

I did and I've tried it too!

On my recent trip to Ilog Maria with my friends, we passed by a fruit vendor in Tagaytay along the road going to Silang selling lemon for P100 a kilo. Yup, you read that right! P100 a kilo and they're the freshest bunch of lemons I've ever seen!

Fresh mint leaves from my Dad's aquaponics

I bought a kilo thinking I wouldn't make any Cream Dory anytime soon (usually the only reason why I'd buy lemon!) just because it's so cheap! But I'm glad I did because I started putting it in our drinking water with a few leaves of peppermint from my Dad's aquaponics and I've never enjoyed drinking water since then.

I'm also not sure if lemon water should take credit for it but I also lost 3.5 kilos since we started drinking lemon water. A friend of mine who went from 85 kilos to 70 kilos in 3 months also said he drinks a glass of warm lemon water every morning.

Aside from helping you to lose weight, lemon water is also said to help boost the immune system as it helps flash out toxins from our body. Got common cold? Try drinking lemon water as it is a rich source of Vitamin C. It is also said to be a natural 'Gatorade' as it helps replenish lost salts in your body after a work out.

Are you convinced yet? A glass of cold lemon water is naturally refreshing and works wonders for your system plus you can avoid drinking that unnecessary sugar from juices or powdered iced tea especially now it's summer time!

What are you waiting for? Go grab your lemons now!

How to go 'No Poo' (Baking Soda as Shampoo)

I've been doing 'No Poo' for quite some time now, perhaps over a year now. 'No Poo' simply means not using anything with 'chemicals' on your hair.

I started my 'no poo' regimen when I noticed that I couldn't find a shampoo that 'fits' me. And by 'fit' I mean a shampoo that doesn't cause my scalp to itch. I've tried all brands of anti-dandruff shampoo hoping the itch would go away but no matter how good they claim their 'anti-dandruff' to be, I experienced the same -- my head still itches and the itching worsens as I prolong using a (commercial) shampoo. 

Until I came across the 'No Poo Movement' and tried it. I stock on baking soda anyway because I always bake cookies for my kids so I thought why not give it a try. I did and it worked wonder! My scalp didn't itch anymore and I've been a convert ever since. 

I must admit that using 'no poo' feels like your hair is dry and tough as you wash your hair but I assure you that the natural softness of your hair will 'come back' after continued use. I also use cider vinegar as my 'conditioner once a week. Read about it from my previous post here.

So how do you go 'No Poo'? Simple. 

BAKING SODA AS SHAMPOO

You will need:

• Water dipper / tabo
• Baking Soda (the ones bought in the supermarket pictured above costs around P32 for 500g)

How to do it:

• Put about half cup of water in a water dipper (I find warm water works better) and about half a handful of baking soda. 
• Mix it a bit and pour it on your hair
• Massage it on your scalp and leave it there for about 5 minutes 
• Rinse

It's that simple!

I don't wash my hair everyday as I feel I don't need to. I know you'd tell me you're out everyday commuting in the polluted Manila but I don't see the need to wash my hair everyday. An itchy scalp brought about by dust or dirt is my cue to wash my hair again but I guess just out of habit, I only wash my hair every other day using baking soda and warm water solution. While I wash my hair with cider vinegar, my conditioner, once week.

Somebody told me that washing your hair everyday with baking soda is not good for your hair as it has high PH level (acidic on hair & scalp). Though I haven't tried washing my hair everyday with baking soda and I have no plans of washing my hair everyday anyway under ordinary circumstances, I suggest don't do it daily too.

I've had had friends who became converts of 'no poo' so I suggest you try it out. I swear, you'll notice a big difference in your hair which will become smoother and softer ! Itchy scalp? That solves the problem too.

Go 'no poo' today. And let me know your experience

Save on Hair Conditioner: Ilog Maria Honey Cider Vinegar

Have you heard of the 'no poo' movement? It simply means washing your hair without the use of commercial and chemical shampoo. 

I've been doing it for quite some time I couldn't remember when was the last time I bought (commercial) shampoo. I have two bottles I got for free (along with conditioner, and deodorants) from Unilever from the PureIt water purifier I bought last year. I'm still struggling to finish them off because of my 'no poo' practice.

You can choose not to use anything when washing your hair but I use baking soda every other day (I only wash my hair every other day and more on that in a future post. Update: Baking Soda article here.). I also rarely use conditioner. In lieu, I wash my hair with cider vinegar once a week which replaces the use of conditioner and makes my hair ultra soft. I used apple cider vinegar before but my friends and I recently visited Ilog Maria in Tagaytay and found that aside from honey and soap, they also sell honey cider vinegar! Perfect for my conditioner.

To use, just pour about 1 tablespoon of honey cider vinegar in the water dipper with about 1 cup water (I really do not use any measuring device, I just estimate the amount I pour in the water dipper and it works just fine!). I rinse my hair with the solution and leave it for about 5-10 minutes. I do not have much time on weekdays that's why I only do it once a week. The smell sucks at first but you'll get used to it. The sour smell also doesn't stick after rinsing so do not worry about it. Rinse well and towel dry and you're good to go.

After a few washing, you'll notice your hair will be softer and smoother (also good smelling eventually!). I have already converted a few friends so I hope you'll try it out.

If you cannot drop by Ilog Maria in Tagaytay, any apple cider vinegar which can be bought in supermarkets will do.

Try it and save a lot of money from buying commercial hair conditioner. The initial out-of-pocket expense might be higher with cider vinegar (Ilog Mari's costs P150 for the bottle in the photo) but you'll use it far way longer than a P99 bottle of commercial conditioner. Plus the fact that you'll get rid of all the chemicals in your hair!

Try it and I promise, you'll never go back to commercial conditioner again!

Product name: Ilog Maria Honey Cider Vinegar

Product Description: natural honey cider vinegar

Size:320ml

Price: P150 (Ilog Maria Tagaytay)

Manufacturer: Ilog Maria Bee Farm

'The Regular Consumer' Verdict: Buy it! You'll not regret it,

Tazo Black Tea from Starbucks

As much as I am a coffee drinker, I am also a tea drinker.

I learned to drink tea in Singapore which is more a tea drinking country. Living there for five years, I picked up the habit. More so when my family and I visited Cameron Highlands, a town 4-hours away from Kuala Lumpur which boasts of acres and acres of tea plantation and home also to Boh tea, Malaysia's tea brand.

I got accustomed to drinking real tea -- hot or cold -- that I didn't enjoy powdered iced tea found in the Philippines. After all, these powdered iced teas have more sugar than 'tea' in them. And so I'd go out of my way to make my own iced tea or get 'real iced teas' like Sola. They have the 'real tea' tastes only 'real tea' drinkers can appreciate.

Previously, Starbucks doesn't offer much drinks apart from their coffee drinks. When meeting (different) clients in Starbucks all day, I cannot be ordering coffee all the time so I'm just glad Starbucks started offering real iced tea in Tazo black tea.

My favorite is Tazo black tea mango (although Starbucks only offer two flavors I think, mango & peach). Tazo tastes a little bitter to my liking and it has the grainy mouthfeel left on your teeth while drinking compared to Sola -- a typical characteristic of a stronger black tea.

So when you're in Starbucks and you don't fancy ordering any of their coffee drinks, grab a bottle of Tazo and enjoy 'real iced tea'.

Chuckie's New Flavors!

My kids love milk chocolate drinks no matter what the brand is. They ask me to buy them any chocolate drink they fancy. After all, they're all milk chocolate drinks!

They do not have a favorite brand and they tend to choose mostly based on pack design like the latest cartoon character on pack or promotions such as toys, school supplies, or stickers.

Though my kids never really get tired of the taste of their milk chocolate drink, I give them other drinks as well to accustom their taste buds to other flavours. Mostly, you only get different flavours from milk or yogurt drink but not for chocolate drinks So I'm glad Chuckie introduced two new flavours -- ChocoStrawberry Burst & WhiteChocolate Burst! 

My 3-year-old loves the ChocoStrawberry more while my 6-year-old liked the WhiteChocolate Burst better. 

I wonder what's the next new flavour Chuckie or other brands would introduce next. There was melon flavoured milk from Selecta and Nido. I know Mocha contains caffeine and might not be ideal for kids but I think it's something also adults will enjoy like the Meiji mocha-flavored milk available in Thailand.

How about you? What flavour do you think your kids will fancy next?

Product name: Chuckie ChocoStrawberry Burst & WhiteChocolate Burst

Product Description: Chocolate Milk drink with flavours

Size: 110ml

Price: P14.00 (Robinson's Supermarket)

Manufacturer: Nestle

'The Regular Consumer' Verdict: Kid will love it!

Cebu Pacific's Seat Sale is On Again up to March 8, 2015

My friends and I are planning to go to Cebu two weeks from now and flights have already been booked. Another friend of ours has booked a flight to Bacolod and we plan to rendezvous with her there and now us flying from Cebu to Bacolod is even more affordable with Cebu Pacific's Seat Sale from Cebu to local destinations!

The Cebu Pacific's Seat Sale is on for as low as P688 to local destinations from Cebu and to international destinations from Manila until March 8.

Visit www.cebupacificair.com for details and to book your flight.

Product Review: Gentle Deodorants - Belo and Dove Pure

I have sensitive skin and I've tried several deo products in the market out there. Those that contain whitening ingredients make me allergic in an instant. Once, I tried a deodorant positioned as a 'whitening deodorant' by its name alone caused itchiness so bad it spread all over my inner arm. It was so itchy I couldn't help but scratch it that caused to darken so bad I couldn't wear short sleeves for two years!

Since then, I tried several deodorant both imported and local brands in search for "the deodorant". In my trials, I have discovered that deodorants with scent do not work well in my favour. My body tends to have a negative reaction towards perfume or products with perfume so instead of the deo protecting me from smell, it makes my body scent go ballistic. Since then, I only chose deodorants that are unscented, or if not available, with very mild scent.

About ten years ago, there was this brand called Secret that became available in the Philippines. It was stick and had an unscented variant which really worked well for me. I used it for quite some time but after a few years, it was just gone. Though there were still Secret deodorants available in high-end supermarkets  or duty-free or S&R, the variants left were all with scent. Then I tried Nivea whitening (the only variant that had the mildest scent) and despite my experience on whitening deo products, I took my chance because of its mild scent. I was lucky I wasn't allergic to the whitening ingredient it had. Then after a few months of using it, it's not working that well anymore so I was on the hunt again for "the deodorant". 

Luckily, Dove released Dove Pure deodorant that promises 'No Fragrance,' No Parabens,' No Colourants' and 'No Alcohol' -- all four ingredients that do not work well with my body! Oh I loved it and used it for more than a year! But I guess, like with any medicine, your body becomes immune to it somehow I started to notice underarm sweating again. Then I realise, I have to find a deodorant I could use alternately with Dove Pure so my body would see this alternate as a 'new one' so it won't get immuned to the same brand I'm using. 

A few months ago, I heard Kris Aquino swore by Belo Essentials Anti-Perspirant Deodorant. Though I didn't try it right away, her comment on Belo deodorant stuck in my mind and when I reached that point that I needed an alternative deo, I immediately thought of trying Belo Essentials. It turned to be a good decision as it worked wonders on my underarm! It is also alcohol-free and is hypoallergenic. Perspiration is gone and no matter how hot I feel or how much physical activity I do, I feel fully protected. 

As for the 'whitening' aspect, as mentioned, this is not my top concern due to my previous experience on whitening deodorant. I do something else to ensure my underarm doesn't get dark -- more on that in the next post.

Product name: Belo Essentials Whitening Anti-perspirant Deodorant

Product Description: Anti-perspirant deodorant; alcohol-free; hypoallergenic

Size: 40ml

Price: P93.75 (Robinson's Supermarket)

Manufacturer:Intelligent Skin Care, Inc.

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: Three thumbs up!

Product name: Dove Pure

Product Description: Anti-perspirant deodorant

Size: 40ml

Price:

Manufacturer: Unilever

'The Regular Consumer' Rating: Three thumbs up!

A Year Older at Mesa SkyRanch Tagaytay

Recently, I turned a year older (and, hopefully, wiser too). I refuse to hold 'parties' even small gatherings to celebrate my birthday. I always prefer quiet celebrations with my loved ones and real friends.

This year, as I got a year closer to the big 4-0, I decided to spend it like a normal day, like how I'd spend a weekend with my family. 

I renewed my driver's license in LTO Tagaytay in the morning and thought of dropping by at SkyRanch to grab some doughnuts since my 3-year-old happily tagged along. My Dad, who drove us to LTO, didn't fancy doughnuts (he's diabetic) but we didn't know where else to eat or where else to go (it was 10 in the morning!). 

On our way to the other side to check what others restaurants are there, we noticed Mesa and I thought it wasn't there since I last visited SkyRanch and it wasn't that long!

So we decided to have early lunch. We were the only customers. It was still early for their lunch crowd. Apparently, the Tagaytay branch opened only last December 16 (in time for the big holiday crowd at SkyRanch).

My 3 yr old at Mesa

Since it was my birthday, I ordered something more special which we don't normally eat at home (we're a Kapampangan household and 'weekend specials' in Filipino restaurants are our basic!)

Here's what we had:

Baked scallops

Tinapa roll

Plus Adobong Pusit  on top

The service was excellent (expectedly, because we were the only ones there!)

Tinapa Roll:
 I expected tinapa in my tinapang roll. I didn't realise it was tinapang bangus (it didn't say in the menu) which was fine really. Two things did bother me though: 1) the big chunk of uncooked tomato inside and 2) though the lumpia wrapper is crunchy, inside is still cold which made me conclude it was frozen!


Baked Scallops The Baked Scallops was a hit with me and I find it value for money for its price. The menu showed 3pcs so I thought there were only 3 pieces. To my surprise, it was that many in the photo.


Adobong Pusit
My Dad ordered adobong pusit in squid ink. I didn't fancy that one since we cook that almost every week (not sure why my Dad didn't want to try something else). But they did a good job on the 'lansa' which is expected when you use the squid ink. Serving is big enough too for its price.

To wrap it up,my so ordered ice cream coffee jello which he ate fast enough I didn't have a chance to try.

Mesa SkyRanch Tagaytay. TRC gives it 4 thumbs-up for the food, ambiance, service, and value for money.

TRC Recipe: Steamed Kailaan in Oyster Sauce

I am an advocate of  'Grow Your Own Food' initiative. I am a farmer by heart, grew up in small urban farm, married to a farmer, currently live in a farm (ok, fine, leisure farm), own a farm (a real one this time!), and probably will be a farmer soon. :)

Some of the vegetables we grow in our garden include flat-leaf parsley (see my previous post here), upo, ampalaya, green tea, tomato, lettuce, sitao, and this:

Kailan or Kailaan

It's called Chinese Kailan or Kailaan. I loved this being served steamed with oyster sauce in restaurants in Singapore. Unfortunately, it's not easily available here in the Philippines but I was lucky enough the seeds are!

A closer look at Kailaan

I have been planting the kailaan seeds for two years now and I eat it steamed when I go on a diet as it is filling, fibrous, and yummy too! They grow very easily and you have to harvest the leaves very quickly too as they also mature easily. When this happens, leaves turn hard.

So if you have some spare space to grow kailaan, the seeds are available in supermarkets or agri-supply stores. The brand I use is Ramgo.

And if you have successfully planted and harvested them, try my recipe below:

Steamed Kailaan in Oyster Sauce

• A few leaves of kailaan
• chopped garlic
• Oyster sauce about 1 Tablespoon
• A little oil (best if olive oil)
• water

Procedure

• Heat the pan in low fire
• Put oil and heat a little
• Toss in garlic, let it brown a bit
• Put in oyster sauce and add a little water just to dilute the oyster sauce
• Let it boil
• Add kailaan and stir on one side after a few minutes
• Serve hot

TRC Recipe: Home-Made Garlic Bread

We have an abundance of flat-leaf parsley from our garden these days to my very much delight. I tried cultivating flat leaf parsley last year but, like my attempt with peppermint, I wasn't lucky enough.

This year, finally, I can see stalks and stalks of flat-leaf parsley from our kitchen window abundantly growing in our garden. Best of all, it's organic!

Flat-leaf parsley. Want some?

And since decorating a dish with parlsey is just a waste, I better give it away (to my neighbor's delight too!). But parsley, like any other edible plants, would give you more when you harvest it. So after just a few days, it has given me more leaves!

More parsley being grown at my Dad's DIY Aquaponics

So I thought of buying some baguette at my favorite French Baker and made garlic bread. However, the garlic bread was gone faster than the parsley! Good thing, Shopwise Alabang early this year had a Buy 1 Take 1 deal on baguette for only P35 and I happily bought P200 worth! We made garlic bread from our fresh parsley almost like we were doing it in a factory (in and out! Imagine that many baguette!) and froze it so anyone in the house can just toast it whenever they fancy. Best with coffee!

TRC Tip: Freezing the garlic bread keeps not only its freshness but also it makes the bread extra crispy when toasted

Hmmm...I still have more parsley and that single plant is continuing to grow! What to do with the rest of them? Can I make pesto sauce out of parsley?

I will find out. Meanwhile, try my Home-made Garlic Bread recipe below.


TRC Recipe: Home-Made Garlic Bread

Ingredients:1 long baguette

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed finely
• A few leaves of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
• A dash of salt
• 1/4 bar of butter, softened
• Foil for wrapping

Procedure:

• Cut the baguette into thin slices but leave the bottom unsliced so it will still hold as one piece. You can also cut the long baguette in half and slice each piece as you would a hotdog bun.
• In a small bowl, mix butter, crushed garlic, chopped parsley and salt. 
• Spread the garlic-butter mixture in between the slices of the baguette
• Wrap in foil and store in the fridge if you're not eating it right away
• When you're ready to eat your home-made garlic bread, toast and enjoy with a cup of coffee!

Prepaing for El Nino: Sand Bottles for Flush Toilet

Our electricity consumption is a lot lower than most people I know who have similar type and number of electric appliance. I attribute that to the my refusal to have an aircon installed in our house. 

Ok, before you admire my tenacity (or 'kakuriputan' however you want to call it), it's because we don't really need an aircon. We live in Tagaytay and even summers here are tolerable -- you only need a fan to cool you down.

However, the same cannot be said of our water bill. Our monthly water bill always hits the P1,000 mark with only 4 adults and 2 kids in the house. Ok, I admit, we have a huge vegetable garden that is way more than the average backyard garden of those living in the city and we use clean water to water those plants. 

To help bring down our water consumption (Fine! it's more of the environmentalist in me!), I thought of installing a DIY rainwater collection system in our backyard like this one below. Depending on the set-up, you can save as much water as you can which you can use to flush the toilet or water the plants (not advisable for washing the plates or taking a bath though *wink*).

Barrel Rainwater Collection System (photo from the web)

I am still waiting for the tote bins or blue plastic barrels from a friend who quoted me at way lower than the market price so I will update you on that one once it's finally installed.

Meanwhile, I read in the internet that flushing the toilet is one of the culprits of high water consumption and is, of course, not very environment-friendly! Did you know that one toilet flush can consume up to 7 gallons of water per flush? (Whaaaat?!!)

My hubby works in Africa and he always tells me stories of how the people there take a bath only once a week due to lack of water supply. Most do not even have access to clean, potable water. And here we are, using CLEAN & POTABLE water just to flush the damn toilet?! That sickens me!

To save on water in flush toilet, I taught my two kids not to flush as often as they pee. Yep, you heard me right! I read this in the internet, or something like this:

'If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, sink it down.'

However, they always forget! It has been my kids' habit to flush the toilet every after use.

And so while I'm waiting for our tote bins and to counter that annoying water-wasting-flushing, I put these sand bottles inside the water tank of every flush toilet in our house to minimize the amount of water being flushed per flush (stay with me!).

Initially, I put only one bottle but after seeing the tank has still room for more, I added one more sand-filled bottle.

We'll see after a month if it will help me bring down that water bill! Watch out for it.