Impressca: On discovering healthy choices, healthy pleasures

I have a confession to make...

I used to hate myself for not being healthy. I used to love junkfood, fastfood, as well as greasy and oily foods! But I was not happy with my body and with my attitude. I used to think I was...
I also used to hate eating vegetables or any kinda food with the color green. I guess I was just allergic to green. Sad huh? Few years ago, I got really sick and I had days where I feel so tired with zero energy. I was in a constant state of stress with that feeling of guilt for the way I act and feel at the end of the day. Then that teeny, weeny voice whispers, " You have a choice." At that moment, I checked myself first if I'm just hallucinating or just hearing voices and getting cray cray! But then I wasn't yet I still thought feeling better is impossible. But I tried to listen to that faint voice inside me and then I finally faced the truth...

If I want to feel good and look good, I have to make a choice. So I started eating healthy, doing yoga and started running. At first, a part of me hated it, but a deeper part of me loved every second of the challenge. I taught myself to like eating vegetables and fresh salads and now I love them! ( Oh yes! May himala!) What I love most was when I discovered foods I never thought to try and actually like them! I also learned that making healthier food choices has a profound effect to our environment. When we eat green, we help the environment by reducing global warming and help ourselves by improving our health, mood and quality of life. Food choices that are good for us and the health of our environment.

So I made a choice. Eating green is a healthy choice. It simply means to eat sustainable foods that will protect not only our health but also our Mother Earth. I learned that the real main reason for our climate change and global warming is because we choose to eat the not so green food, meat or animal products! Or from what I call the anti-green! Surprised?

Well here's a fact:

According to www.sustainweb.org, between 20 to 30% of global warming or climate change caused by human activity is due to processes connected with food and agricultural systems. And that animal farming causes more greenhouse emissions than all vehicles combined. It follows then, that to stop or prevent further damage to the environment, people will have to make necessary changes in the way they produce, procure, process, store, transport, and consume food.

So in order for us to make a real difference, we have to start eating real green food, a plant-based diet based on organically grown whole foods. After all, eating healthy really isn’t all that hard and complicated, it is a choice and a conscious daily choice at that. We have to eat more sustainable foods that's good for us and healthy for our planet; one bite, one drink, one meal at a time.

As for me, I believe that everytime I choose not to eat something healthy, I choose to be stupid. I choose to be unaware and selfless. It's like we're punishing ourselves for something or letting ourselves suffer from delusion of adequacy. (Aww ang deep ba?)

But then again, I have another confession to make...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to be invited to Impressca's Blogger Summit in one of their 4 branches right in front of ABS-CBN building. And let me just say this once and for all...

"Oh, Impressca. If it was possible to have a crush on a restaurant, you would be my new secret green resto bf (will you marry me? LOL)."

So yeah, not that I'm hopelessly waiting for a "Yes" but I love that restaurant.. I was swept away and I would love to recommend it to You ↑ You ↓ You ↙ You ↖ You ← You ↘ You ↗ Oh and You. Whether you’re trying to eat healthier, wants to be skinny or you’re just craving some fresh produce after eating too many greasy, oily foods.. Impressca is one of the few green restaurants in the city that offers all-natural, fresh and local ingredients and healthy food options. True to its name, Impressca, I was quite impressed not only with the food but with the owner as well.

Impressca's imaginative and creative owner, Miss Beth Echano, shared how she started her business from being an environmentalist who promotes vegetation to becoming a full-pledged business proprietor.

When I heard her voice as she sang the closing prayer, I almost cried. Seriously! LOL It's not very often that someone can make me "feel" when they sing, but I almost cried listening to her voice. Her voice is indeed a solemn prayer and it is just as, if not more beautiful, than any piece of music ever written. To touch, to move and to inspire everyone of us to live green, feel green. So here's a few lines from the song: (LSS much?)

I believe above storm smallest prayer
Can still be heard
I believe someone in the great somewhere
Hears every word

Every time, I hear new born baby cry
Or touch a leaf or see the sky
Then I know why
I believe

So yeah, I do believe that I made the right choice.

If you're not convinced yet, allow me to elaborate more about Impressca.

The Atmosphere

For Rockstarmomma standards, the place is small yet very cozy and clean (not like the other resto where the roaches has the best seats in the house eh?) and I so love the light green and white interior where the furniture is made from reclaimed wood. (Read: Recycle) There is also a really nice patio outside that makes it a great place for people watching and just hanging out with friends. It was well decorated and I love how homey the restaurant feels. A burst of colors from images of salads, refreshing drinks and its other healthy dishes on their walls oozes indulgence and comfort in the same breath.

The Menu

They have a wide variety of healthy food choices and I got to try their Create-your-own-salad and Veggie Pasta. Price-wise, it's quite affordable and I'm sure you're not gonna choke on their food or just by looking at their prices. They also offer some delectable health-friendly drinks and dishes and their simple menu helps in choosing carefully for a meal that's the right portion and right price.

Chicken nuggets or meatballs? Uhmmm. Salad bar. Because their salad bar is awesome. It makes me wonder why I haven’t gone for a good salad in forever. The salad is a straighforward lettuce with tons of fresh, organic veg and greens... full of nutritious and delicious fixings with light salad dressings.

I love the potatoes and I'm tellin' ya it's one of the creamiest, richest potato you will ever try! Needless to say, customizing your salad for less than a hundred bucks (Read: PhP 99.00 ) is a real good value for money.

Like cheese on your pasta? Yes, please! The pasta veggie gourmet, however, had a light cream sauce with a hint of spice and lots of parmesan cheese. They say that little, green herb called parsley is a nutrient powerhouse and a powerful kidney cleanser! I'm glad it was not like the other veggie pasta I've tried in the past where its horrid blandness has kept me from ever trying it again. So for a person who is not so keen on pasta dishes, Impressca's veggie pasta has made me a convert.

But wait there's more... :)

With Impressca’s Green Card, ( it's not the green card from the US though) you can contribute to their advocacy of tree planting by donating 1 tree seedling with a minimum purchase of P200. Now THIS... this is just one small step that you can do in order to help in preserving our planet.

I would recommend this green restaurant for this card alone. It's a 3 in 1 Green Card and it's free! So take note, not 1, not 2, but 3 in 1 card that will help support their vision for a healthy planet and a healthier you. Sheesh! It has the power to change the world! Okay, I may be exaggerating a little bit, but I'm pretty sure you get the drift. :) Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if we eat green and live green. So why don't you try Impressca and I'm sure na mai-Impress ca! :) But if you really don't have the green heart to do so, (sucks to be you?! LOL jk!) or if you're a member of PETA (people eating tasy animals) and you really don't have the courage to try and eat fresh veggies, hoh well, eh di isipin mo na lang ham yan! ;p

But if you ask me, I'm definitely going back soon to try their healthy tuna panini and also their digest and relax juices. No offense to their salad, I love salad but I’m going back again for more pasta and panini action next visit. I would love to try and taste the difference of their Chicken Alfredo in Linguine Pasta too that they said to be delightfully guilt-free, 0g lactose, 0g tans fat and soya based! The pasta looks super delish. Totally going to try that ASAP. :)

In other news, aside from Impressca, there's another MUST-try restaurant that just opened called Karma. It's open 24 hours, 7 days, 12 months of the year! Plus there's no menu, they just give you what you deserve. :) So remember hun, you always get what you give. *wink* For what it's worth, it's never too late to try. . to give.. to help.

In other alarming news, we've already hit our 7th billion mark so we oughta know by now the impact of having that many people on this earth and how it affects us with our very limited resources. I'm not Madam Auring (and I certainly don't want to look like her waaah! ) but I see a soylent green future if we don't do something "green" soon. So let's live green, feel green.

Update: This just in. 11/18/11

Having some freshly served cheeky toasted ham & cheese panini, chicken patata, beef stew, soya-based chicken alfredo in linguine pasta and buko shake! Stuffed! I so love Impressca! :) Will be back for more! *wink*

Anyhoo, Impressca's branches are located at Mo. Ignacia right in front of ABS-CBN, SM San Lazaro, SM Araneta Center, Medical Arts Bldg. Food Plaza, UP-PGH, Taft Ave., Manila and soon to open at the 4th flr., SM City North Edsa-The Block.

Learn more about Impressca and like them on Facebook. Impressca Salad2Go