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November 30, 2015

Ally the One Eared Bunny :)

November 30, 2015

Say hello to Ally! Fithealthybunny’s new mascot!

You must be wondering why I chose a one-eared bunny as a mascot so here’s her story and I think at the end of it, you would agree with me wholeheartedly that there is no one else more fit to be fithealthybunny’s mascot (hehheh)

Anyway! I’ve been searching for the longest time for someone or something to represent this space of mine. I wanted something that would not only reflect the simplicity and sincerity that I hoped to convey but also the body- positive messages that this place advocates. Not long after, I stumbled across a zakka collection of ‘star gazing animals’. Hahah. I’m not making their names up! That’s really what they are called!

I fell in love with all of them! But I mostly collected the cats and the hedgehogs. Then I came across Ally and I thought YAY! A bunny!

She seemed like quite an ordinary bunny actually. I mean she was cute and all and had two ears and I was very happy for her to join my growing collection!

Then one evening whilst I was cleaning the shelf, I accidentally brushed against her and caused her to fall off the shelf! She landed on her ear and it shattered.

I was horrified and quite upset!

In fact, I was so upset that I went back to the store the next day to buy a brand new ‘Ally’.

But when I got home and was about to throw the old Ally away, I was suddenly struck by how much more interesting Ally was now with only one ear. When I put her next to her brand new twin with two perfect ears, (now lovingly known as Alexis), I was quite enthralled by her! I felt like if she were to be a real rabbit, I would want to know why she had only one ear!

It was then that I realised that with only one ear, she really epitomizes what this space is really all about. I like to think that despite everything, and even more so because of everything that has happened, Ally is a little rabbit of joy and hope. Her sense of self worth and validation doesn’t come from having two perfect long ears even though that’s what society says a rabbit should have. Her life and personality is interesting because she doesn’t deny her negative experiences in life. Instead, she embraces her vulnerabilities and lives mindfully, knowing that it’s her experiences and her reactions to them that shapes her.

Ally eats mostly fruit and veg (haha) but she likes to have a little treat now and then too. She doesn’t judge her friends (I’ll introduce them next time!) about eating fish or eggs or meat because she knows that they feel best on such a diet that they were naturally made for. (Nobody, however, is made for a diet of fizzy drinks and chips so if you overdo it, she might gently admonish you!)

Ally loves life and she embraces all of its experiences whether she feels society says she should or not with only one ear. She never skips out on social events because she feels that she isn’t good enough to be there and she understands that life is about personal connection and isolation the devil’s plan for destruction.

She also speaks wisely and mindfully because through her experiences, she knows that words can either cut or heal and that part of her responsibility as a citizen of society is to shape the future generations notion of beauty. She doesn’t engage in fat talk or skinny shaming.

Most importantly, Ally knows that she is worthy of being loved and in fact, is very loved by those around her. Whether with 2 ears, 1 ear or no ears, Ally doesn’t cheapen the love that people have taken the effort to lavish her with and every day she wakes up grateful for all the intangible beauty her life is filled with 🙂

So I hope that when you pop by my space and see Ally smiling at you, you would be reminded of the quiet, gentle strength and joy in which she lives her life with and know too that even if society says you ought to be a perfect sexy bunny but you feel like you don’t have what it takes, it wouldn’t matter as long as you are a fit* healthy bunny, appropriate for your chosen purpose in life and joyful with all the things that you do have 🙂

xoxo

* p.s here at fithealthybunny, ‘fit’ doesn’t mean what it means when you google the word ‘fit’ which unfortunately just looks like this:

According to the dictionary:

Fit (adj.)

To be suited to a particular purpose or activity
To be healthy and strong (usually as a result of physical activity)

So when we say fit here, I want you to get rid of the ‘google’ image type images of fit and realise that everything written here is meant more to help you moving a little more to be healthy and strong enough for whatever you deem your purpose is in life, rather than simply how you look. 🙂

November 30, 2015

Hello Again :)

November 30, 2015

It’s been awhile huh 🙂

Life has been such a whirlwind but while I’ve entertained thoughts of abandoning this place, I just can’t bear to do so. Haha. I love writing and sharing my life with you guys and hearing your stories as well. But more so than that, ever since November brought news that a loved one’s cancer is back, I’ve felt a renewed vigour to write about health again. I know that I cannot stop the cancer. But perhaps in writing, I would be able to celebrate life. And that’s exactly what I’m back to do 🙂

However, I want this place to reflect more of me so there will be some changes here and there 🙂 I want this place to be less ‘social media savvy’ and more personal and reflective- with abrupt post ending and long rambling stream-of-conscious writing because that’s how life is sometimes. I want to share more of my thoughts, bits of my life and hope that you’ll share some of yours as well. 🙂

xoxo.

August 17, 2015

Minus Calories Workout at ActiveHive Singapore!

August 17, 2015

I’ve finally found a place in Singapore that embraces the same health philosophy that I do and I’m so excited to share it with you guys today!

Active Hive is a brand new fitness centre in Singapore and why Hive? Because it follows a 7 Rs approach which are– Responsible, Right Exercise, Right Consideration, Right Nutrition, Right Effort and my two favourites- balance and rest. And if there are two things all Singaporeans need more of, it’s a balanced, sustainable approach to fitness and A LOT MORE (physical/ mental) REST!

I was really apprehensive of the company at first as I always am of new places in the health and fitness industry. After all, there is just so many new fangled activities being marketed as ‘health’ but turn out to just be money-scammers. It really takes discernment (and a healthy amount of suspicion) to suss out the truth from all the marketing hype, you know?!

So anyway, my discomfort was heightened even more when I entered Oxley Bizhub where ActiveHub is located. I was expecting a gym with bright lights and rows and rows of cardio/ weight machines but all I saw of the place was industrial chic at best. Dimly lit interiors, polished concrete floors and a modern kitchen setting greeted me the moment I stepped into the place.

Huh? Where does one exercise here?

But my discomfort were soon put to rest when I was greeted by the very welcoming staff 🙂

They proceeded to do the usual questionnaire/ measurements such as taking body fat measurements etc just to check your starting point. I like it that they invested in a machine that tells you your body fat percentage rather than just your weight alone. Then again, the numbers from a machine can only give you a very superficial assessment of your body. There are many other factors when it comes to accounting for holistic health and well- being so whatever numbers you have on hand, use them as progress markers if you wish, but never as the definitive source of validation for yourself!

After which I was led to a small room with just one machine in it.

The moment I saw it I was horrified. Prior to arriving at ActiveHive, I was told that I would be going through a painless cardio exercise designed to burn at least 500 calories in half an hour depending on the individual (big claims!). I didn’t think though, that Minus Calories was an elliptical machine! I don’t know about you but I hate, hate, hate the elliptical machine. It is the one machine I always avoid at the gym because it causes me the most pain. Very often, 5 minute into using it and my thighs would burn. I don’t care how people always say it is much better for your knees than pounding the treadmill. Better for my knees they may be, but oh my poor thighs!

While these thoughts were running through my head, the staff at ActiveHive was already gleefully programming the machine to the highest level. I really need to say this- I may run a ‘health’ blog but I’m not a health blogger which means my level of fitness is not what everybody thinks it is you know?? My protests were met with the cheerful assurance that ‘you can do it! Don’t worry!’ and with that, the staff happily closed the door behind her leaving me on a machine that suddenly glowed orange a la a sci-fi film.

Oh crap-a-doodle.

Please check out that level of madness indicated on the screen.

I started out tentatively at first. just plodding along, waiting for the burn to come. And you know what, the pain never came. With that I got more confident that I could do it. Perspiration was pouring, 10min into it, yet I’d never felt stronger.

The more I worked out on the machine, the more I was convinced of everything that it claimed to be able to do.

If you notice the metal nozzles on the machines, they actually emit negatively ionised air. Then entire machine also emits warm infrared light. These two combined make for a potent combination. Negatively ionised air has been proven to increase endurance levels, balance coordination and reaction and it’s so good that the Russians use it to train for the Olympics and improve their athletic performance. The real deal though, comes from the infrared light. Infrared light has been used for the longest time to reduce pain in muscles/ joints etc but it’s not magic. ANYTHING that improves your body’s blood circulation, improves your well-being. There are a whole host of other benefits including tighter skin, reduction of cellulite, improving mood and energy levels but I’m not going to delve into any of that because THERE REALLY WAS NO PAIN. WHAT SORCERY IS THIS (I know I said it wasn’t magic haha).

While I was on the machine I couldn’t stop thinking how great the workout would be for the clinically obese or senior citizens like my grandmother who fear exercising because they have achy joints or body aches that prevent them from working out. Why is the government not investing in a whole host of these machines in old folks’ homes?! Also, because it is just one machine in a single room, there is no issue of prying eyes for people a little shy of working out in front of other people. Sometimes, there are just so many barriers to exercising for some people you know? Maybe you or someone you know is struggling with a huge weight problem and is too embarrassed to work out in front of other people then ActiveHive is going to be just right for you.

It also helps that I can prop my iPad on the machine and watch The Return of Superman. Do you love this show too? I LOVE IT.

The session ends in 32 minutes and the machine says I burnt 606 calories. That’s nice. Wonder how many Old Chang Kee curry puffs that is. (Only two?! 🙁 )

At the end of the whole session I am POURING sweat but the pain never comes. I get off the machine and my legs are a little wobbly but still strangely no pain. It’s starting to get a little creepy. Did I really work out? Haha. Exercise for me is really about cardiovascular health and building strength and flexibility so the calories burnt don’t really matter to me. But for those looking to shed weight, this has got to be the most painless, time- efficient way to do it. Only 32 minutes! ~~(and you can eat another 2 curry puffs!)~~

Post workout, I am treated to a freshly made green juice. So fresh that the apple is cut right in front of me. Haha. I sit with the juice and read the array of health magazines available.

ActiveHive also sells a whole range of merchandise like lifestyle accessories, health ingredients and even the Hurom juicers!

That’s me post workout – smiling because there’s no pain. I’m a convert! I believe in technology! Haha.

If you are wondering what I ate pre workout, this was my pre workout snack. One thing that I really like about ActiveHive is that they constantly remind you that YOU MUST EAT before working out. The workout may be painless but the stress on your body is real and you need to nourish your body enough to handle it. I always eat fruits for a quick energy boost especially if it’s a short, intense workout and uh, that is sambal goreng tofu because I just like it. 😀

In short, I highly, highly recommend ActiveHive especially for those looking for a private, painless workout. Active Hive also provides yoga sessions etc so you may want to check out their facebook page for more updates. They are new so some things are still in the works but from what I’ve seen of them so far and their commitment to holistic health, I’d say they will be quite a force to reckon with in future.

Till next time,

stay active, healthy and happy 🙂

ActiveHive

65 Ubi Road 1 #02-88, Oxley Bizhub, S408729
Tel: 6384 2758/ 9236 4678

by appointment only.

And also to prevent you from getting hopelessly lost like I did, here are some directions to the place at Oxley Bizhub.

1. From the main entrance, turn left

2. Go up the escalators

3. Turn left (where the exit sign is)

4. And you’ll see ActiveHive‘s main door and sign!

August 4, 2015

The FHB12345 Challenge!!

August 4, 2015

Whoo!

Everybody loves challenges right?

I mean, it’s always nice to have little goals to strive towards and then meet!

So anyway, I decided that FHB should have a challenge too! It’s really just to help kick start people on their journey towards healthier living and provide some sort of balance to their lives. This challenge is for people who are BRAND NEW to healthy living and want some sort of easy to follow/ remember guideline! Ultimately at the end, I would like you to modify the eating to suit yourself and your nutritional needs depending on your activity levels!

In order to take part in this challenge, all you have to do is follow the FHB12345 principle for just ONE meal a day for 3 days of the week. Simple right? (Of course, every day is best but we’re here to celebrate baby steps not kill ourselves trying to be healthy) After awhile, this will be so ingrained in you that you would just automatically do it anyway!

And what’s the FHB12345 principle?

It’s super easy!

The first 123 concerns the nutrition on your plate and 4,5 concerns your body and mind!

Step 1: Pick one meal of the day that you would like to apply the FHB12345 principle.

For example, you might choose lunch.

So for lunch, you would eyeball your plate and mentally divide it into 3 sections

This approach is based on MyHealthyPlate. If you are new to healthy eating or just want a more sustainable, balanced approach to eating, then MyHealthyPlate is certainly the best principle to follow. It’s what MOE/ HPB teaches young children in school and to be honest, when I was in ‘extreme health mode’ previously, I used to scoff at HPB’s previous ‘Healthy Diet Pyramid’. I felt that it was so full of inflammatory and insulin wreaking grains and couldn’t possibly be good for you. And only 2 servings of fruit and veggies?! HELLO?! WHERE BE THE NUTRIENTS? But now, after HPB switched to using MyHealthyPlate instead and with a lot of trial and error and experimentation on self, this is, in my opinion, the most sustainable way of eating especially for a typical Asian. (Trust me, I’ve tried the whole gamut of ‘healthy’ diets). I don’t know about you but I cannot deal with a cold salad every single day. Cold food to me is just honestly the bleakest thing. I can do yoghurt parfaits and occasional salads but my heart is always with rice, meat, veg and piping hot soup for my main meals. So for me, salads every day is not sustainable and therefore not healthy. Do take some time as well to understand yourself and see what kind of meals truly are the most sustainable and healthy for you

Step 1: Fill section 1 with whole grains/ starch sources. White rice/ bread is okay too but since this is a challenge, I challenge you to find the most nutrient dense, fibre rich grain you can find. Alternatively, you can also fill this section with sweet fruit like bananas, mangoes etc or get your carbohydrate source from starchy tubers like potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam etc. People are often sensitive to the word ‘carbs’ when trying to eat healthy. Some think grains are inflammatory and should be avoided while others, especially those on the ‘healthy ED recovery’ Instagram community positively bully their counterparts to eat rice as if it’s the holy grail to recovery. Well, it’s not. All fruits and vegetables, grains and whatnot all digest into glucose into the body. We need glucose for brain functions but overconsumption of sugar especially those found in processed foods actually pull glucose away from the brain. So if you are insulin sensitive or have a history of binge eating, I recommend managing your glucose intake. If you are okay with simple white rice, eat it. If it causes you to be hungry after a short while, switch to or mix with other starchy carbohydrates sources/ low sugar fruits.

Step 2: Fill section 2 with your choice of protein. The protein portion is where I usually slather the sauce on or fry the meats/ tofu because it adds flavour to the whole meal. I feel it helps to have plain rice/ non- seasoned veg balanced with yummy meats. At the end of the meal, you must feel satisfied and filled with nutrients, not be craving a burger because your meal consisted of a small sweet potato, cold chicken breast and some romaine lettuce These kinds of diets will get you to lose fat and drop weight. Perhaps it’ll help you attain your goal of being a bodybuilder or a champion weightlifter but here at Fithealthybunny, we are office workers, students, parents, children and just simple folk who want to have a reasonable level of fitness and health to go about our lives. We want enough structure such that we don’t have to worry about disease or a severe belly bulge but we don’t want to be too fanatical and count protein/ carb/ fat consumption all the time.

Step 3: Fill section 3 with an abundance of greens!! Dark leafy greens are my favourite but a wilted spinach omelette with cheese is amazing too! My least favourite is Romain lettuce or worse, iceberg lettuce because they are honestly made up of just water and very little else. Why not just drink a cup of water then? (sian face). I also like cooking vegetables because (1) I like hot food and (2) cooking them in a bit of butter/ coconut oil helps make the nutrients in the vegetable more bioavailable.

So at the end, your plate will look something like this:

If you don’t know how much 1/4 of the plate should be (you might be using a VERY BIG PLATE) then 1/4 should be about 1 fist size. Have more if you are bigger or more active.

As for 4…

4 stands for 40 minutes of activity a day. It can be mall walking, getting down a bus stop earlier and walking or doing some sort of stretches. Anything that gets your heart rate up for 40 minutes is good to go. You can also do HIIT and whatnot but you must be sure to refuel and eat more after that kind of exercise. Here at Fithealthybunny, I advocate lighter exercise, lighter eating and lighter living but of course, there are days where I enjoy going all out and having a couple of HIIT sessions. It’s always a thrill to see how much your body can achieve

And lastly, 5 stands for 5 minutes of reflection, gratitude and rest.

For 5 minutes a day, whether when you just woke up or are going to sleep, find a quiet spot and do something for your mind. Settle down, calm yourself and think of everything that you are grateful for. Pray if you are so inclined and think of the people or the environment around you that you could possibly make a change in. It could be as simple as thinking that you need some order and calmness and that perhaps packing your room would be a good first step. You might reflect on binge eating episodes during the day and discover your triggers. Perhaps in that moment of stillness you would feel a rising concern for a friend who is struggling or a cause that you are passionate about. Let it stir within you and help you to know yourself a little better. What makes you angry? What would you like to change? What inspires you? Think about the kind of person you would like to be. Think about all the crazy that is happening in the world and think of what kind of influence you would like to be in that kind of storm. Take the time to reflect and if you need to, write your thoughts down or read inspirational stories of the many who have gone before you. So many people rush through life each day just battling themselves and the world when all they need is a moment of stillness and rest.

And that’s it! The FHB 12345 principle for easy living If you are on social media, share your FHB 12345 meals and/ or inspirational quotes etc so everyone else can be inspired too . I’m choosing Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of EVERY WEEK to do this challenge! Join me if you can! 😀

Here’s to happy, healthy, more wholesome living,

xoxo.

p.s It is much easier and cheaper to follow the myhealthyplate guidelines if you cook at home/ lunchbox to work but if you are out, I recommend going out with a friend and sharing a huge bowl of yong tau foo (Buy lots of veggies!) and getting your brown rice/ protein from the cai fan store/ vegetarian store. Hope this helps! 😀

April 5, 2015

Celebrating my 27th birthday at Kranji Farmer’s Market!

April 5, 2015

Ahhhhh! Changing jobs this year has been SUCH an experience and I’m loving every minute of it but I’m so backdated on all the stuff I want to share with you guys!

But never mind right? Better late than never? :/ Haha! Please pardon my tardiness! I have so many fun and exciting things I’ve discovered recently so stay with me! 🙂

Anyway, in JANUARY this year (eep! This post is 4 months late haha), I turned 27 and my fiance asked me what I wanted to do. I dislike watching movies, spending bucketloads of money or trawling the malls so I was delighted that Kranji’s farmer’s market was happening the weekend of my birthday. YAY!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE farmer’s markets and always make it a point to go to the pop up ones in Singapore or in any country in the world I visit. The atmosphere is always so bustling and fun and the people you meet- wow! Can I please just say they are all unbelievably inspiring?

Pictures! 😀

You know you are at a farmer’s market when the goodie bags are recycled from old newspapers! I approve! 😀

So many people! The atmosphere was fantastic 🙂

The market was split into 2 and in one section were all the home grown organic veggies from farms like Quan fa Organic and a lot of stalls selling home made spreads and assorted handmade goods!

There were also cute plates and bowls from Pottery Jungle! I was particularly in love with the cat ones! There was a mini workshop for kids and adults to try their hand at pottery as well. It always pleases me greatly when I see little kids trying out these kind of things. Like YES! Parents, please ditch the Ipads and homework for the day and bring your kids out to such places! It’s hot and sweaty and the kids may grumble but oh! What joy to see children appreciating first hand all the lovely things the world can offer off a digital screen!

The atmosphere of the place was really like a pasar malam. And of course, at pasar malams, there is always a lingering smell of FRIED FOOD in the air. In this case, it was the aroma of.. fried quail? :/

Local chicken eggs! I bought 2 packs!

Teehee. Don’t be weirded out by his face here. Guy in the pic was very helpful and friendly and kept recommending different drinks to try. Wheatgrass is really strong tasting though!

MUSSELS IN WHITE WINE ANYONE??

There were lots of creative ideas and campaigns going on at the market too. For one, I got to know about a Food Bank in Singapore. So cute- it was founded by a pair of siblings called Nichol and Nicholas!

I also came across another initiative called Singavore that encourages people to eat locally grown food to cut down on their carbon footprint. Really very interesting! I never knew that Singapore actually grew quite a substantial amount of veggies and farmstock, even! Singavore also had a ‘Singavore month’ in February (which is obviously over) when they tied up with participating cafes and restaurants to serve the patrons dishes made with locally grown produce! One of the participating restaurants is my favourite Portico (which taste in food fortunately makes up for its inaccessibility -.-) Pity I didn’t get to go in February though but hopefully they’ll have such an event again soon!

Wide, wide array of handmade goodies and food. We were definitely spoilt for choice!

I’d never heard of Onesimus Garden. Just goes to show there’s so much more of my country I’ve yet to explore! All the greens were so vibrantly fresh!!! I was so enthralled. Except they all looked a little wilted in the heat as well. (Kinda like me. Hur. Kudos to the event organizers though. The tentage was well set up and there were lots of industrial fans and coolers to combat Singapore’s infamous heat.)

This Mint Ginger Lemonade was pretty good for warding off the heat!

Then off to the other side of the market!

But not before taking some pictures at the photo booth that was finally free!

I chose the banana prop of course. Because I LOVE BANANAS 😀 My students always say the easiest way to bribe me would be by offering bananas. WHAT AUDACITY. I am infallible to corruption and bribes! (Maybe make that TWO bunches of bananas and we can negotiate something, haha)

There is a very zen, lovely air conditioned area in between both markets in case you need to cool off.

Market 2 had more food and was similar to market 1 with the exception of live fish/ prawns for sale!

I was thrilled to find a stall offering organic Barramundi, only because it’s novel and I’d never seen it before in Singapore.

Bollywood Veggies was also there!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the food from Bollywood veggies! If you’ve never tried their Moringa Tempura, cancel all your plans this Saturday, round up your friends and head down! HOW CAN LEAVES TASTE SO GOOD!

I also adore their banana bread but that day, they were selling a loaf for $30. Are you kidding me. $30 is my whole week’s budget for food. They had samples though. I might have taken a few… or a lot. I cannot say. Haha.

JURONG FROG FARM!

They had crocodile meat for sale too! Did you know Hashima which is prized for its ability to give people clear porcelain skin and build up immunity comes from an area near the frog’s fallopian tubes? Well now you know. You can thank me for the image that comes to your mind every time you eat it now.

Teehee.

The Goat Farm in Singapore also had a booth there and D was super excited because he’d never tried goat’s milk before. I think it’s okay- a little gamey but otherwise quite similar.

I also spotted the farms giving out free pandan leaves! I wanted to get some till common sense prevailed and I knew that I wasn’t going to cook anything with pandan any time soon anyway. But YES! Spend your weekends at the farms! Free pandan leaves! Haha.

Traalalalala. I love walking around just checking out booths and eating and drinking. Haha.

My fiance is a poster child for the tempura. Hur.

The sun went behind a couple of clouds and the temperature dipped slightly enough to sit out on the short stone walls for a breather.

Did I tell you how much I love the tempura yet? (Okay fine, I love anything fried haha)

D was saying something and I threw back my head and laughed and caught sight of the gorgeously blue sky and in that moment I just felt so grateful and happy you know? I was sitting on a stone wall, fried food in hand, lover at my side, the sound of our laughter still ringing in the air and I thought wow- life can be so simple, so inexpensive and so filled with joy 🙂

Check out also how gorgeous the flowers bloomed just in time for CNY2015!

You can grow your own food at home as well! D and I recently participated in Gardener’s Day Out which is another interesting weekend activity in Singapore you should definitely check out! We actually brought home a starter kit then too! Maybe I’ll share photos of that day… next year. HAHAHA.

T’was a really fun and enriching day but it wasn’t over yet! There was still my birthday dinner to go!

We carted the ingredients home in this super recyclable bag- I felt like such an eco- babe for the day! Haha.

Check out our ingredients!

Locally sourced eggs, veggies, fruit and fish!

A quick toss in a pan later and…

Ta-dah!

Leftover cinnamon- spiced roasted pumpkin, 1/2 an avocado, black pepper Barramundi with lemon slices and baby bok choy!

Two massive servings for D and I. And we sat around the table in my grungy homewear, with one leg up (I’m so glamourous) and ate and chatted- I really think it was one of my most memorable and fun (and certainly most nutritious!) birthdays ever!

And of course, to end off the night.. we had deliciously sweet organic watermelons 😀 The best part of the day? No post meal stupor, just a deliciously full feeling of happiness!

Talk about a great birthday 🙂 It didn’t cost a lot but it sure was meaningful and that, I think, made for a great start to my 27th year! 😀

If you ever find yourself with nothing to do on a weekend in Singapore, don’t stay at home or go to the malls or watch movies! They are all good and fun but try something new some times- go out to the farms! Or markets! Or pop up art exhibitions! There is often plenty to see and do and taste! It’s an exciting world out there, guys!

With lots of love,
grace 🙂

p.s I had birthday part II the following day with pizzas and crabs and a whole salted caramel cake. Uh, I guess this is called… balanced living? Haha!

March 28, 2015

Memories, Food and Love Series #1- Nasi Briyani

March 28, 2015

I’ve been wanting to do this for some time. Love and food are inexorably linked with each other and I’ve been so blessed by my interactions with the people around me, most of the time through food. It’s a strange thing in Asian culture. I think we are by nature shy with words and tend to express ourselves better through food.

I’ve been wanting to carve out a space where I can preserve all these wonderful food I’ve had the privilege of someone taking the time and effort to make for me. I didn’t just want to sit down with pen and paper and ask for the recipe. I wanted to be there when the cooking was taking place. To ask about the different ingredients, to help wash, to watch the water boiling and knowing just when to place that slice of ginger. More than anything, I wanted to preserve the memories of my (and other’s) culture and heritage- my mother’s cooking, my grandmother’s cooking, my malay neighbour’s cooking, my foreign friends who have stepped onto Singapore soil and taken the time to bless me with the tales of their land and the food they have made with their own hands. I wanted to share in the pride so evident in their voice as they showed me the food unique to their countries. These people have taught me so much (both of food and of life) and all I want to do now is keep these memories near and close to me so that one day when I’m feeling nostalgic and want to taste something of the past, I wouldn’t just be tasting something from a random recipe book but the taste of much love and memories from people I’ve been so richly blessed with.

I have been incredibly fortunate. Every request I have made of their time has been met with nothing but enthusiasm and sheer generosity. I made no special restriction on the recipes. I told them it’s for this space which they knew to be something about vegetables but insisted they kept the recipe as true to what they usually prepare as possible. As always, they have gone ahead and surprised me. The recipes they have offered are all ones I have delightedly enjoyed in the past yet they have gone out of their way to make healthier tweaks to it to indulge me. Same taste, just slightly healthier. I’m a very lucky girl.

So first up in the series, I present to you a hot Singaporean (okay, mine!) favourite- Nasi Briyani! This was made by a woman who is matriarch of a family that I have had a privilege of knowing for only a little more than a year but I absolutely adore and love already. The head of the household is non other than the very brilliant Yusnof Ef who really, can be considered the ‘grandfather’ of Malay songs in SEA and is definitely a pioneer in the Malay cultural scene here. I love hearing him share because his passion for the arts, heritage and community is so evident. This nasi briyani was made by his wife who is an amazing woman in her own right and I’ve often been so inspired by her patience and her sharings as well. We made this just before puasa started so I learnt (as I’ve been learning through the year) a lot on malay culture and of Islam. ( I must admit, I find the dedication and discipline wonderfully admirable and can only aspire to be as such!)

Anyway, enough talk! On to the food! 🙂
Mutton Briyani lovingly prepared by Jamilah Jaan (otherwise affectionately known as “aunty”).

Recipe:

Ingredients for the Mutton Briyani:
1 large bunch of coriander
Handful of mint leaves
2 large onions
2 bulbs garlic
2 large old ginger
3 large red chilis
3 large green chilis
2 tomatoes
1/4 cup chilli powder
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup Sunflower oil

Steps for the Mutton Briyani:

1. Blend the red and green chili into a paste
2. Blend the ginger into a paste
3. Blend the garlic into a paste
4. Set aside.
5. Cut meat into cubes and remove visible fat and skin

6. Sweat onions in a pressure cooker or normal pot
7. Pour ginger/garlic/ chili paste into the pot
8. Stir.
9. Add oil and stir
10. Add meat of choice and stir. Here we used mutton.
11. Add coriander and meat
12. Add briyani powder (Aunty told me she mixes the powder herself! but you can buy from mustafa)
13. Add chili powder and quartered tomatoes
14. Mix well

15. Cover with pressure cooker lid till indicator shows that it is done. Alternatively, if you are using a normal pot, simmer till meat is fork tender.

While the meat is cooking, you are prepare the rice.

Ingredients for the Briyani Rice:
6 cups Basmati Rice
(Aunty was so sweet! She saw this brown basmati rice at mustafa and thought of me so although she has NEVER cooked this before, she decided to try for my sake! *touched* A healthier twist on traditional comfort food? I LIKE!)
12 cups water
Large spoonful of ghee
4 pandan leaves knotted
1 star anise
7 cardamons
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 tsp cloves
2 bulbs of shallots sliced thinly

Colouring (optional)
1/2 tsp yellow powder colouring
mixed with
1 cup rose water till desired tone.

Steps:

1. Soak rice in water for 30 min
2. Drain rice and place in rice cooker
3. In a wok (big enough for the water needed for the rice), heat a generous pat of ghee (this is for 6 cups of rice so adjust accordingly)
4. Wait for ghee to melt and stirfry shallots in them till fragrant
5. Add all the spices and mix well till fragrant
6. Bring to a boil
7. When boiling, turn off heat and pour into rice cooker
8. Wait for rice to cook

While waiting for rice to cook, check on meat. When the indicator on the pressure cooker has gone off, add in tomato paste, extra chilies, half a large handful of fried shallots. Stir, bring to a boil and remove from heat. And you are done with the meat!

Back to the rice 🙂

Ta-dah! The smell when it is cooked is just AMAZING, seriously. I wish you could smell it!
If
you are going for the healthier choice, I would just stop at this step
but if you are going to impress your friends, why not just go all the
way?

9. Poke holes in rice with a chopstick when done
10. Mix a little food colouring with rose water and pour into the rice.
11. Wait 30 sec and mix rice gently. Not all the rice has to be coated with the colouring

(Auntie did ask whether I wanted to learn how to make it the ‘dum’ briyani way where the rice is cooked with the chicken in a single pot and absorbs all the flavours but I opted for this method instead because it’s easier to modify and make healthier since I would be able to control the amount of gravy to go with my rice and omitting the colour should I make this myself 🙂 )

12. Plate and serve!

And there you have it, amazingly yummy (healthier?) brown rice mutton briyani! Don’t be afraid of ghee because it’s all natural! Better than magarine but this is not something I recommend on a daily basis! It’s so so good though that when I brought it home it was gone in a few hours :/

Go try it today! Share the love with the people around you as well!

It’s the weekend! Have fun everyone! 🙂 Hope it’s a weekend filled with love for you!

Enjoy! 🙂

P.s To not over indulge, Have a few pieces of meat with just a little gravy and a fistful amount of rice. It’s really good though so some restraint is needed to try and not inhale the pot! 😉

Next up on the love series- Authentic dumplings from a dear friend from Tianjin, China! 😀

March 28, 2015

Healthy Homemade Chickpea/ Garbanzo bean Burger with Avocado creamsauce, caramelized onions and baked kale chips

March 28, 2015

Mhmm! Amazing chickpea burger that is dry and crispy paired with a lusciously creamy avocado- yoghurt sauce with just a hint of tangy. Topped with caramelized onions and served with crunchy kale chips, this sweet, savory, crunchy, creamy creation is a party in the mouth! Best part? Absolutely no additives, preservatives or chemicals. Just plain wholesome delicious food like how it should be!

For the chickpea burger:

1 can garbanzo beans/ chickpeas in water

1.5 tsp cumin

1 tsp each of desired spices – for this recipe I used paprika, black pepper, chili flakes

1 cup all purpose flour/ panko crumbs.

(For this recipe I used a blend of oat bran, wheat germ and flax meal in a ratio 3:2:1- still 1 cup)

1tsp Dijon mustard (omitted because I couldn’t find Dijon mustard that wasn’t full of corn syrup or preservatives 🙁 )

1 tbsp coconut oil (I omitted this as well because I wanted to pair it with a wet sauce. Add this if you want your patty more moist)

2 eggs

Whizz everything in food processor. Shape mixture into flat patties. Place in containers, cover and refrigerate overnight. It might be a little wet at first but will be okay in a few hours.

Place patties on parchment lined oven tray and bake for 10-15 min or till brown and crisp on the outside.

For the avocado sauce

1 ripe avocado

1 marigold no sugar added natural yoghurt

1 tsp lemon juice

Whizz in food processor

Place in container and refrigerate till use.

For the caramelized onions:

1 large onion cut into rings

1 tsp coconut oil

Spray pot with a tsp coconut oil. Place onions in pot and stir on medium heat for 2 min. Lower fire to smallest setting and stir every 5 min for about 45min or till onions are dark and sticky.

Try not to eat it all while its cooking. The smell was so good I kept eating the onions that were stuck to my stirring spoon 😀

For the baked kale chips:

1 bunch kale

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 stp coconut oil

Preheat oven to 180 deg for 5 min. Shred kale into bite sized pieces. Discard stem. Place kale evenly on oven tray. Spritz/ brush oil on leaves. Crack black pepper and salt to taste. Turn down heat to 60 deg and bake in oven for 2 min. Check to see kale is crisp but not burnt.

Plate and serve. ENJOY!!

March 1, 2015

$200 BLACKMORES GIVEAWAY!

March 1, 2015

HELLO FRIENDS!!!

I’m so EXCITED TODAY because it’s FINALLY March and I can share with you the deetz for this giveaway! I’m sure you must have realised by now that I LOVE doing giveaways and sending lots of nice and beneficial things to you guys so YAYYY!!!! SO HAPPY and EXCITED!!! 😀

Today’s giveaway is brought to you by none other than super famous brand Blackmores! Have you guys heard of Blackmores? They are Australia’s leading natural health brand specialising in providing lots of natural health solutions and supplements for healthier, happier living! I’m sure you would have seen their vitamins and supplements retailed in pharmacies or health supplement stores all over Singapore! And now they have their very own flagship store at Parkway Parade in Singapore retailing not just their products but with their award winning* Advisory Service to help you find products that’s best suited for your health needs!

Personally I’ve only tried their multi- vitamins before so I can’t say how effective ALL their products are but their brand is renowned, believes in natural ingredients and most importantly, and the biggest reason why I agreed to host this giveaway is because I love that Blackmores strives to be as holistic as possible- caring for the mind, body and even extending the care out to the environment as well.
A couple of months ago, Blackmores ran a campaign called #Blackmoresgogreen on Instagram to encourage people to be more aware of the environment and share practical steps in which to go green. I was immediately sold. Having a great brand is wonderful but to use that power and influence to spread the message of holistic living that cares not just for self but for the environment and people around? Well, that’s exactly what vegsmoothiebunny is about!

This time round, they are focusing on holistic living for the body and mind! They want you to play hard, eat well and sleep well which is EXACTLY what I always ~~nag at your guys about~~ advocate! Haha!

Okay enough talking, pictures of the stuff they so kindly sent over!

Eat well, play hard, sleep tight! I should change this blog’s name to this tagline! It’s exactly what I believe in !

JENG JENG JENG! ‘Play hard’ is a bottle of Executive B which ‘is a specially formulated combination of B-group vitamins and the
minerals magnesium and zinc – important nutrients to help meet the busy
person’s daily requirements. This formula is ideal for people who lead a
hectic lifestyle in a convenient one a day dose’. When life is stressful, you need more B group vitamins (new parents, students, workaholics- are you reading this?!) to support adrenal function and cellular metabolism as well as to support manufacture of serotonin which is a feel good hormone! If you are constantly tensed, stressed nervous or anxious, then you definitely need to look into increasing your magnesium levels!

Tied around it like a super hero’s cape is a stretchband! Yay! Stretching and low impact exercises for me please! 😀

The next factor to healthy living needs no introduction. I AM BIG ON EATING WELL and so is Blackmores! The included supplement here is Blackmore’s Probiotics 10 Billion which supports gastrointestinal tract immune system and healthy bowel functions.

Eat well guys- everything in moderation with lots of whole plant foods 🙂

And my favourite of the lot- sleep tight. This came with a lavender sachet which I’m gg to hide in my pillow. I am obsessed with lavender essential oil so this is perfect 🙂

Rest is the most important to me because you can try all you want but it’s in rest that the body repairs and heals itself. I especially love the idea of rest not just for its physiological benefits but because it’s a daily reminder that life’s healing and progress comes not just in the daily struggle and fight but in the willingness to let go, stay calm and allow nature and time to work its magic. Blackmore’s Sleep Sound Formula contains lemon balm, valerian and magnesium to support and improve sleep. This, I’m definitely going to try this very week because truth be told, ever since starting my new job, the quality of my sleep has definitely declined. 🙁 Even though I try to go to bed early, I keep dreaming through the night and thus wake up feeling not 100% rested. Hopefully with increased light exercise and this formula, I’ll achieve better sleep so I’ll wake up each day a better and bright teacher all day, every day! 😀

Ta-da! So there you have it! I’m not giving away these products because Blackmores is big on Individuality and Customization. What I’m giving away is going to be suited only TO YOU! That’s right, FIVE lucky winners are going to win $200 worth of Blackmore’s services and products customized entirely for you and YOUR condition whether you are struggling with weight issues, low immunity, have digestive issues or brittle bones or just general well being! This $200 is made up of a naturopath consultation worth $100 and on top of that, winner will also receive $100 worth of Blackmores health products best suited for you determined by the naturopath AFTER your consultation! How cool is that!

All you have to do is head over to my instagram page and either repost my Blackmores photo or any photo and describe why you would like to embark on a holistically balanced lifestyle. Hashtag
#blackmoressg, #eatsleepplay and tag @vegsmoothiebunny in the post so I can see!

So it’s post, describe, hashtag & tag. Got it? 😀

Contest runs 1-7 March so Go Go Go! Nothing like a brand new month to embark on more balanced living for a healthier, happier you!

I’ll be going for the naturopath consultation next week too so I’ll blog my experience after! Till then, don’t forget to play hard, eat well and sleep tight!

With love,
xx
__________________________________________________________________________________
*Blackmores Advisory Service was recently
awarded the ‘Most Outstanding Industry Contributor of the Year’ by
Complementary Medicines Australia! The award honours and recognises ‘the
consistent and dedicated contribution of an individual or team to the
advancement and promotion of any aspect of the complementary health
industry in the last 12 months.’

*** Invited review 🙂 No monetary transactions were involved and opinions are my own.

February 20, 2015

A softer world, a softer me

February 20, 2015

A couple of days ago I went for my first reunion dinner.

Reunion dinners are funny things. They are supposed to be a time of gaiety aren’t they? A time when dear family members and not oft seen relatives gather around a bubbling hotpot and partake in communal joy.

I’m introverted by nature (which simply means I recharge my social energy by people alone and doing ‘me’ things) but I do like hanging out with people and I love hearing from people and their experiences. Family time means the world to me so every time there is an invitation I will ensure that I’m there. But oh man, such gatherings always take such an extreme toil on me. 🙁

I want to be brutally honest here- I know that it’s a chore not because of anything external but because of my own self consciousness. There is no one to blame, just my own insecurities which shouldn’t even be there. It amazes me to think how slow my mind has healed in relation to my body; how fast my mental health deteriorates in relation to my body.

Physiologically I would consider myself fully healed of my (self) abusive past. My knees no longer knock together when I sleep, my stomach no longer growls. My ribs can no longer been seen jutting out and nor does sitting for long hours hurt my tailbone. My hair is full and my face is gorgeously ruddy most days. When I physically exert myself, I feel my heart pumping strongly and I’m confident of my body’s ability to climb up flights of stairs and I can run, jump and skip to my heart’s content. I haven’t been sick in years and I know I’m really healthy.

Mentally, most days I do really well. Yet there are some days I yearn for my skinnier self. I yearn to fit into pieces of cloth sewn by societal standards. I yearn to be a certain number on the scales. I yearn to look not like me, but like somebody else. Fortunately I think I’ve reached a point where these feelings are few and far between but I wouldn’t deny that there are days where these thoughts still plague me.

And these thoughts plague me none more severely than days where I have to push myself out there and meet people I usually only meet once a year. Suddenly I forget that I’m beautiful and that I’m enough. Suddenly I see myself only through their eyes and even before they have judged me (if they even do), I’ve judged myself. I cringe at the thought that year on year I’ve only been getting bigger in their eyes.

I left that reunion dinner almost in tears once again. It’s not that the people were bad or malicious but good natured jokes are severe triggers on people vulnerable to such attacks. What may be a lighthearted jab at a person’s weight to some may be terrible stab to someone who not only spent years battling a secret eating disorder, but who just hours ago, had to muster up all sorts of mental motivation to even step foot into the house. It was exhausting even to get to the place, let’s not talk about even having any energy left over to deal with such teasing.

And after I left the dinner place, I felt my heart hardening with steely resolve. I wanted to lose the weight, I wanted to be skinny and beautiful. I will do whatever it takes. I will lose 10kg, 15, whatever. I will be a skinny minnie. I need to binge, to eat away this pain, no I can’t, I just need to be disciplined and motivated. I AM disciplined and motivated. I can do this. I just need a plan. I wouldn’t eat carbs. I will go on a juice fast… I will research it now…

With every thought that was going through my mind, my heart hardened in response and I allowed it. With every statement I felt the pain ebbing away only to be replaced with my determination to make things better. I was obsessively scrolling through Instagram and searching out #juicefast or #weightloss and all these while, my fiance’s well meaning words literally fell on deaf ears and a heart so steeled against the words of the world, it wouldn’t let the good ones through either.

Then suddenly things came to a hilt. Perhaps it was all those days of striving to treat my mind and body better. Perhaps it’s all those days of surrounding myself with positive thoughts and people but deep down I knew that this determination to make things better was self abuse. It was not self love and they were all lies. I’ve come too far, experienced too much to not recognize what true self love is now. And whatever I was intending to do was certainly not self love- only the clamour for external validation.

And the more I thought about it, the more my heart softened. And with the softening of my heart I allowed the words and memories of the people around me to flood its chambers. Memories of happy times with my family and friends, laughing over food, not worrying about calories thawed the edges before making its way to my core. Memories of my fiance cupping my face or interrupting me mid sentence to tell me that I’m beautiful warmed the icy core.

And my heart felt soft, full, warm and most importantly, alive.

I could see so clearly then the abyss I so nearly threw myself into. The lies I told myself and allowed myself to believe that so nearly caused my destruction. It had nothing to do with the people around me or the gathering or anything, it was all my disordered thinking. All my doing. All in my mind.

People often ask me how to deal with their eating disorders, how to recover, how to eat, what to do. And I’m going to tell you now that the answer is in a softer heart.

Your days will always be a battle but don’t let the world and what (you think) it says harden you. On your good days, cherish every single moment and file it away in your mind and most importantly, your heart because when the bad days come and your mind deceives you and tells you that you are not good enough, not beautiful enough, not worthy enough, it’s these very memories that will tide you over and bring you back to the side of truth.

I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am alive, strong, enthusiastic, head over heels in love with life-

and so are you…

if you would only allow yourself to be.

Go out there and be strong my lovelies. Everyone has a battle of their own to fight. Make sure yours isn’t against your beautiful self.

With all my love,

February 12, 2015

OSAKA/ TOKYO AUTUMN ITINERARY 2014: Shopping haul

February 12, 2015

Back in Singapore and sorting through all my gifts for people (and myself!). Too many to go through and most are food anyway, so I’m just going to pick a few of the ones I really like! 😀

The Arinco roll cooler bag I now use to bring my lunch out. Haha

Farmers’ Market finds- high quality green tea leaves and sesame flakes for salad toppings. It was really cool because they were pressing the sesame with a really old school machine right at the farmer’s market itself!

Assorted snacks from Family mart because I really like these panda faces.

Tea strainers I bought from Tokyu Hands. Really sad because the packaging had a picture of METAL tea strainers and I bought it thinking it was metal but they turned out to be plastic!

I really like buying Cure- Natural Aqua Gel for my friends from Japan because they love it and it’s more than half priced in Japan. Even comes with a free gift! How nice 😀

My favourite buys from Loft. A new wooden lunchbox and a new smoothie/ soup cup! So pretty aren’t they 😀

I’m a huge fan of Frixon pens because I like that they are erasable so I can use them for my organizer and make plans without worrying about having to cancel and make a mess.

Loads of stickers for my organizer. I like Sumikko Gurashi if you can’t tell. Haha.

This is the next big thing in Japan- the Ohyama Method Body Make Pad Premium Pro- apparently it helps you to ‘burn fat’ and straighten your posture by pressing a specific accupoint in your toe. I came to know about it because my friend wanted me to get one for her. I’m not sure if it’s working for her but if you are interested, I can help you ask her. Haha. It’s not cheap though. It’s almost $30SGD I think. They even have books published on this but my Japanese is so poor I gave up after struggling through the first page. I only could make it past the fact that apparently it lengthens some sort of tendon and this increases blood circulation or flow or something. Whatever it is, use these as tools okay! Nothing will ever be better than a healthy mindset, a good diet and some exercise! 😀

My new goal in 2015 is not to use any products with little micro beads in them because they pollute the waters and harm the organisms living in them. But my skin needs some exfoliating sometimes so I’m going to do it the old fashioned way HAHA. I actually bought 2 because I heard dry brushing is good for the body too but so far, I’ve been too lazy to try. The metal curve rod though, is great after a day of hunching over the computer! 😀

Bento cookbooks for lunchbox inspiration! 😀 I’ll modify it to suit the ingredients we can find in Singapore, then share it with you guys! 😀

And lastly, the cleansing oil I purchased from ‘Three’ cosmetics in Aoyama!

Phew! I am FINALLY done with the Japan trip! YAY!

Hope everything has been helpful! Do email me if you need any other sort of information! 😀

xx.