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Go for healthy breakfast options at Green Pastures
A typical Filipino breakfast would include stir-fried beef tapa (or some other viand), sunny-side-up egg, and garlic rice. I used to think that the first meal of the day would not be complete without these three components. We are rice-loving folk—however, many of us cannot afford to eat too much carbs.
Good thing there’s a health trend going on right now and Green Pastures, an advocate of organic food, has started to offer more wholesome breakfast fare in its Bonifacio Global City branch, which opened just last February. So far, it’s the only branch that serves breakfast, but restaurateur Chef Robby Goco plans to launch it in his other outlets as well.
Going green
“Who are we as Filipinos and what do we eat for breakfast? You can’t impose Eggs Benedict or Croque Monsieur… We love our breakfast—our tapsilog, our pandesal,” the robust chef said. However, he added, “We need to stay healthy, stay fit.”
In his effort to do so, Goco has made lifestyle changes and has lost around 50 pounds already. Instead of ordering his favorite morning muffin sandwich from a fastfood joint, he now makes his own version: the Sausage, Egg, Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich. The flavors are still there, but the ingredients he uses are more natural. In between the brioche buns, you’ll find some farmer’s ham, custard egg, cheddar cheese, onion jam, and sriracha mayo.
“I came up with a menu which is as straightforward as I can,” he said. “I started with toast. How do you make a toast good? We use wholegrain flour—fermentation is healthy for us, so we fermented the bread for five days. We make real homemade jam from reduced sugarcane, Sagada oranges, and organic strawberries from La Trinidad.”
Goco also uses sugar from natural sources as opposed to refined sugar. “When I came up with the menu, I adhered to our advocacy that it has to be made fresh, it has to be organic, and it has to support local farmers.”
Pandesal lovers will appreciate the restaurant’s version that uses Chef Goco’s family heirloom recipe. I like the local flavors of the bangus sardines and kesong puti—the combination of fish and cheese might not be typical, but it works for me.
My palate was also pleasantly surprised by the Avocado Farmhouse Power Grain Bowl, the most healthy-looking item on the menu, because I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it. I admit, sometimes I think healthy could be boring and bland, but that’s not always the case. This power grain bowl is the perfect pre-workout meal for active folks since it has enough good carbs to last you throughout the workout. The colorful dish has shredded kale, quinoa, konbu-roasted chicken, Mambo goat cheese, five-minute duck egg, bacon, corn, avocado, grape tomatoes, and drizzled with honey-mustard dill vinaigrette. I got different textures and flavors bite after bite, and I felt good eating nutritious stuff.
Diners may also opt for egg offerings like the Green Shakshuka (salsa verde, 142-degree egg, served with sourdough toast), arroz caldo made with brown rice, or the salad station.
Rice lovers should try the Longganisa Cauli-Bowl, a healthier version of the classic longsilog. This one uses Cagayan Valley organic longganisa, roasted cherry tomatoes, custard egg, homemade atchara, and cauliflower rice. It was my first time to taste cauli-rice and it was pretty good. I promise that you wouldn’t even miss real rice with every complete bite!
Chef Goco really understands the Filipino psyche. “I know Pinoys love pancakes. It may not be our breakfast of choice because we like our tapsilogs, but then again, from time to time, we like a really good pancake. I assure you my recipe is better than everyone else’s because I use fresh buttermilk which I had Rizal Dairy produce for me about 10 years ago,” he said.
The Blueberry Pancake has three thick layers to make your tummy happy. The real buttermilk really makes a difference in its taste and texture. It comes with some whipped butter and honey butterscotch (no maple syrup) to add another sweet layer in this indulgent breakfast staple.
For those who are counting calories, pass on the pancake and go for the Cantaloupe Overnight Oats with chia seeds, strawberries, and honey. This beautifully presented dish with let you feast with your eyes first before filling your belly.
“Paired with my fresh and cold-pressed juices, nut milks, organic coffee, I think I have something different to offer to the breakfast-eating population of Manila,” Goco said.
Those who wake up late can still enjoy the breakfast offerings until 3 p.m. And if you roll in late because you're nursing a hangover, Green Pastures BGC also has cocktails: helpful to keep in mind. — BM, GMA News
