I told my husband that once I can breathe normally without that cliffhanger dilemma we’ve just had, I will go back to Keto. I mean because this diet needs full focus and since I feel so scattered over the last few months, I feel like I can’t commit to dieting. Keto is a diet removing carbs and sugar from your body. Here’s an article just to have an idea about it. I still don’t use regular sugar til date but since I am taking carbs, it won’t get me anywhere near Ketosis.
To honor my vow of starting the diet on Sunday, I am eating this one today – HALO-HALO.

Halo-halo is a Filipino word for mixture or mixed. But that’s also what we call our popular cold dessert in the Philippines. It is a concoction of shave ice, evaporated milk, sugar, and various ingredients including, purple yam (or ube), sweetened beans, coconut strips (or macapuno), sago (tapioca), gulaman (gelatin), corn, boiled sweet potato in cubes, fruit slices, flan, and topped with a scoop of ice cream. This is somehow similar to the popular Matsumoto Shave Ice in Hawaii.
A spoon or two of each ingredient will be placed on a halo-halo glass (usually the tall transparent ones) distributed in even layers for aesthetics. Shave ice will be at the middle and the ice cream, flan, and purple yam are the usual toppings. Then, we pour the milk on top for the ice to absorb… the concept is once everything’s in, you will mix it all as thorough as you can, hence the name.
Here’s how halo-halo should look like. Mine used to look similar to this (as it was purchased from a restaurant called Asian Grill), but I transferred it in a bowl because I get quite messy eating from an overflowing glass.

Xiaomanyc’s video. People trying Halo-Halo in NYC
There is nothing more unique and sweet/savory than Halo Halo. Even Anthony Bourdain have his approval. I love mine with jackfruit and leche flan. What about this?
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Yes, Tony liked it!
I also like jackfruit.. why did I forget to write it… 😅
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This dessert reminds of of Ice Kachang from Singapore. It has beans, jellies, and corn in it too. I still cannot get over how corn and beans belong in a dessert so I leave it for my Singaporean husband. The ice itself is pretty tasty. I have yet to try Halo Halo.
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Lol. You are right! It’s kind of odd if we think about the ingredients one by one… I haven’t heard of Ice Kachang but it’s highly likely that they’re versions of each other given that both are Asian desserts 🍨
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Yum! My only wish is they serve halo-halo in a bowl, like you did. Can anyone really eat correctly out of these tall, thin glasses?
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Yes! Chowking serves it in a respectable ice cream bowl… but anything with such circumference like that of in the photo!?? I will surely make a huge mess!
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It looks cool 🍹💛
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Thanks, it is!
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Halo ! 💛
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I had something similar in Singapore. It was delicious!
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Was that Kachang? I haven’t tried that one yet!
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Not sure, but I remember it was like shave ice, which is big in the U.S., particularly Hawaii, but is usually just ice and syrup, with the option of adding a few other things like fruit or beans.
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Oh I think I got the idea…
I have tried Matsumoto Shave Ice in Hawaii and it was really good… ours are usually rougher than Matsumoto’s although there’s one store in the Philippines that particularly serve one with fine shavings…
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Haha! Halo-halo is so Pinoy! I too was in ketosis and loose 35lbs. But the pandemic made me stop it. It really is very hard and expensive especially here in Pinas where every dish requires rice. Good luck on your upcoming keto diet. 🤗🤗🤗
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Thank you. I guess it’s expensive especially if you’re living in the city. And you are right, rice is hard to resist 😦 If I were in Pinas, I can’t be sure if I can do it…
Thanks again!
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My partner is Filipino and I tried Halo Halo at our local Filipino restaurant! Was different but I enjoyed it 😍
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I am glad you did! It gets better in time 😀
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I love halo-halo! Especially with heaps of ube and leche flan. I love mine with extra evaporated milk too ❤️
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Oh yes to extra evaporated milk!!! ❤ Thanks for dropping by!
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Love halo-halo so much. Pinoy here🌻💛
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Welcome! And thanks for dropping by!
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No problem😊
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