Vegetarian delights delivered to your doorstep

Good-for-you-fare!

I’m an old-fashioned foodie. I like my meats, my desserts, my alcohol, my sidings, my degustacion and my weekend market indulgences. But I also believe in balance, and I have had my fair share of detoxing days, when I give my digestive system a much-needed rest from working so hard to break down what I’ve put into it. Once upon a time, for about a year, I was a pescatarian, although there were some days when I would even avoid seafood. Things were going well for about 365 days until the memory of a Quarter Pounder with cheese brought me down to my carnivore knees. Suffice to say, as much as I’d like to be completely and utterly disciplined with my diet, I have many, many moments of weakness. So I’ve decided to just stick to eating what I want when I want but with awareness, and as much as possible, choose a healthier but still tasty alternative.

Enter Edgy Veggy, a delivery service of vegetarian fare that promised to be delicious, low calorie and freshly made. Founder Denise Celdran recounts the day she was bringing about 20 kilos of tofu steaks to feed some local prisoners (during a yoga workshop) and was dismayed when the warden would not allow them to bring in the already cooked food. Not wanting to throw away all that food, she promptly texted and called every vegetarian friend she had, and within an hour, her food was sold out. Celdran then put up a booth in the Legazpi Market which lasted two and a half years. “I decided to leave the market and deliver to homes instead since it became apparent to me that more of my customers wanted regular access to healthy food and not having to wait a whole week to stock up,” she says.

Taking a look at her menu, I thought I might like to try a vegetarian-filled weekend (this after an Easter break spent wolfing down burgers and bacon during a trip abroad) so I asked her to send over her best-selling dishes. Saturday morning, I received two containers, one with “fauxbada” (their vegetarian take on the white bean and sausage-rich Spanish fabada asturiana) and a vegetarian kare-kare, plus two of her juice tonics which Celdran recommended I take one to two tablespoons of every morning. The first tonic, called 3C, was made out of carrots, celery and cucumbers — which, in a nutshell, was primarily for digestion, or to be more graphic, to help one’s toilet visits become more regular. The Edgy Veggy menu has a description of the other benefits of taking 3C: “Carrots are known to have anti-carcinogenic properties, are good for the eyes and increase immunity. Carrots are also high in vitamins A, C, beta-carotene, antioxidants and digestive enzymes. Celery is high in vitamin A, B1, B2, B6 and C with rich supplies of potassium, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium and plenty of essential amino acids. It contains eight families of anti-cancer compounds. It is a gentle natural diuretic and laxative. It is also anti-inflammatory, balances the body pH and is good for the kidneys. Cucumber is high in potassium, contains erepsin (to digest protein), promotes the growth of hair, and is beneficial for rheumatic conditions (high uric acid). It is also a natural diuretic.”

For those who suffer from respiratory ailments, I would recommend the second tonic made out of oregano. Oregano has components that are good for sinus and lung congestion (it helps in removing phlegm) as well as anti-bacterial properties that may boost one’s immune system. If you work out regularly, it is also known to aid in increasing muscle and joint flexibility. Both tonics were pleasant tasting and I now have them both before sitting down for breakfast. I’m now on the waitlist to try Edgy Veggy’s concoction of taheebo which is targeted for detox and weight loss.

And what about the dishes? The fauxbada was, for me, the knockout champion. It was rich without being heavy, very tasty and filling and didn’t make me miss the meats that are normally included in the original dish. The kare-kare was also good, rich with greens and taste, but I was a fauxbada fan right off. Since each portion is good for two (and these portions are fairly generous), I did survive my weekend just having veggy fare and even shared some with my family who were pleasantly surprised by the deliciousness of each dish.

“Edgy Veggy was started because most vegetarians don’t get enough protein and eat too much sweets and carbs,” shares Celdran. “Our dishes provide quality vegetable protein sources from tofu, beans and nuts that can be eaten fresh or frozen for future consumption.” I thought this would be great to recommend to those who want a healthier/meat and dairy-free version of South Beach, or for my pregnant vegetarian or pescatarian friends who are advised by their doctors to add more protein to their diet. With Edgy Veggy delivery, you now have a way healthier and less fattening but delicious alternative to fast-cooked, high in fat and sodium, ready-to-eat meals in the metro.

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Delivery miminum is P500 for Makati Area and Ortigas Commercial Business District, Blue Ridge, Greenhills, Corinthian Gardens and White Plains area. For other areas within Metro Manila, add P100 delivery fee. Orders should be placed before 4 p.m. to allow for next day delivery. To place an order, make comments, suggestions or make dietary or special dish requests, text or e-mail 0918-9089958 or aslie@pldtdsl.net.

Reposted from SOUL TRAIN By Katrina A. Holigores (The Philippine Star) Updated May 13, 2011