The switch

Hi readers,

 

It has been forever since I last blogged.

 

So much has changed since my last post. - 1) My diet 2) My job

 

One of the major changes is my diet. I have switched my 8 years vegetarian diet since February this year. Shocking? Not quite. I have been toying with this idea for quite a while. My diet consists of mainly seafood and vegetables for now.

I received mixed reactions from my close buddies -  when I first broke the news to them, some were overjoyed and wanted an immediate celebratory meal (Full of meat), while others were concerned and felt I should persist with my vegetarian diet.

Like what I have mentioned in my previous post,
 http://the-diet-fix.blogspot.sg/2011/09/vegetarianism-ii.html
you do not have to be a vegetarian to be kind & compassionate.
( I know this because I was an evil vegetarian hehe )

Buddha said:

"Monks, I allow you fish and meat that are quite pure in three respects: if they are not seen, heard or suspected to have been killed on purpose for a monk. But, you should not knowingly make use of meat killed on purpose for you."

My decision to make this diet change is mainly for social convenience. However, I hope to eat meat with as much compassion as I can. I may make another diet transformation when I grow old and retire.

Take a look at this article: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html

Another major change in my life this year is my career switch.
I am now working in a new company which requires frequent meetings over meals.
This diet transformation would indeed bring greater convenience for me.

And to be perfectly honest, seafood taste quite heavenly.
At this moment, I still cant take the taste of pork, mutton or chicken. Unless they are deep fried and heavily seasoned, I feel nauseous when I eat them. But I love the taste of all kinds of seafood, especially fish. *greedy grin*
Yes, this is a form of indulgence and I am highly guilty of it.

My future posts would be entirely different.
However, the subject would remain my favourite, ie. FOOD.

Stay tuned.

xo.

 

 

Yi Xin Vegetarian

Hi my dearest!

I would like to introduce Yi Xin Vegetarian stall I discovered near my workplace.

It is located at a walkable distance from the Clementi MRT station, approximately 10 mins walk.

Indeed a hidden gem.

The menu offers a wide array of choices from bento sets to ala carte dishes.

Being rather fickle-minded, I had a tough time deciding on the order. #_#

What I ordered in the end:




1) Hand-made Tofu with roasted sauce
I was taken aback at how much I enjoyed this dish. It has been quite awhile since I last tasted a dish that made me feel like hogging this plate and enjoy it all by myself. The filling within this golden brown layer is mushroom and mock-prawns that tastes equally heavenly.



2 )Deep fried oyster mushroom with assorted vegetables

This dish is awesomely prepared with sweet and sour sauce. I am hungry all over again just by blogging this.
I am a loyal fan of mushrooms, and hence, this dish will certainly hit the mark for me. The oyster mushrooms were well-fried, without being overly hard or soft, and tasted heavenly with the sweet and sour sauce.


Yi Xin Vegetarian
Location: Blk 308, Clementi Ave 4, #01-335
Contact: 94765385 or 96943056
Opening Hours: Daily 11am -3pm & 5pm - 9.15pm.
 Closed on Wednesday.

Perfect Pancakes

Hey there!

Today my post will be on yummy pancakes for the perfect breakfast/brunch.

Ingredients(6 pancakes)

1 cup of Aunt Jemima mix
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 Tb spoon vegetable oil
optional(topping): blueberries/strawberries/nuts
Maple syrup
Butter

Directions:
1) Crack egg into a bowl and beat until fluffy, then add milk and oil

2)On a separate bowl, add Aunt Jemima mix and a pinch of salt.

3)Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir gently, leaving some small clumps of dry ingredients in the batter. Do not blend until completely smooth. If your batter is smooth, your pancakes will be tough and flat as opposed to fluffy.

4)Heat the non-stick pan to a medium low flame. I flicked a little water onto the pan to make sure it sizzle-this means the pan is ready for the batter.

5) Butter the pan and pour the batter. The amount of batter determines the size of your pancakes.
My first pancake was really cute and small round one.



6)Cook for about two minutes until you could see bubbles form and then pop around the edges. Then gently flip the cake.

7)Cook the other side until golden and remove.

And...BOOMZ! My first, yummy yummy pancake.



8)Repeat the steps. Add your favorite toppings- Nuts(eg. Almonds, brazil nuts) or berries(strawberries, raspberries).



And...have fun decorating however you like.



or pair your pancakes with delicious scramble eggs for your breakfast.


Perfect it with the Citadelle 100% pure maple syrup.

Have fun and good luck guys.

Love you.

The Letter J.

Reviving this place

Wow. I should be ashamed of myself for the incredibly long hiatus.

I was laughing to myself as my profile status in this blog is still a student. 

*Buries my head in shame*

Time really flies. I have been working for almost a year already.

 Looking at my past posts, I was still so young, naive, and innocent(maybe).

 Oh, how i miss those carefree times as a student.

I am thinking of reviving this dead blog, hope I persist!

What happened since my last post:

1) I graduated.

Yes, i slogged hard, studying through wee hours. But i guess my efforts paid off as I received my desired results.I am thankful to so many people, especially my parents and friends.

3) And of course, i found a job.
All thanks to my job that requires shift work, my social life is close to dead.

Thank god I still have my bunch of sisters sticking with me.

4) I am still a vegetarian.

I do admit, I swayed. *gasp* But yes..I did thought about eating meat all over again.
not switching completely to a meat eater, but more of a pescetarian.

The reason?

One fine day, the idea just came to me, and I toyed with the thought for awhile.

But again, when I thought about having a cute piglet/fish/anything with eyes being chewed in my mouth, i quickly brushed off the idea.

Besides all these, I am pretty much the same old me. :)

Stay tuned for more posts peeps!

Love,

The Letter J

Goodwood Park Durian Buffet 2012

Hello all!

And I present to you Goodwood Park Hotel's yummy Durian Buffet!!

(I am telling you my stomach is growling while blogging this)

I visited this place recently with my loved ones to celebrate Belated Father's Day.

**WARNING: This post is for Lacto Vegetarians, and not  appropriate for Vegan diet

**DOUBLE WARNING: This buffet comprise of non-durian pastries and desserts, which tastes really good. However, I would strongly recommend you to select durian options at the first round to save stomach space for the durian goodies.  

Location: 

Goodwood Park Hotel 

22 Scotts Road

Singapore 228221

Tel: 6730 1867 / 1868

Price: $32.80++ per person

We were the first few to arrive!
Perfect ambience.
My loved ones happily chatting away.

Selection includes the Durian puff, Durian Mousse Cake, Durian Cappuccino Cake and homemade Durian Pengat with Glutinous Rice and Gula Melaka. 

PLUS! There is a special live station highlighting the Durian pancake and Mini Chocolate or Vanilla Waffle Cones filled with Durian Mousse. Are you salivating already?
Its dessert time!!

Mango sago dessert

BurBur Terigu and Redbean soup

Wide selection of fruits available, as well as ice cream with various toppings

As a durian lover, I am satisfied with this buffet with the many yummy durian pastries available for selection.Personally, my top favourite would be the hotel's signature, Durian Mousse Cake, Durian Puff, as well as the much-loved Durian Pancake. The velvety mousse filled with pulp melted my heart. All these 3 comprise of generous amount of durian mousse, is light and not too sweet, and will definitely leave you wanting more.However, please be warned that you should make careful selection as these lovely durian pastries are incredibly filling. It may be near impossible to go beyond 3rd round of serving. Also, after this buffet, you may end up developing cravings for hot,spicy, and salty food. I know I did crave for spicy ramen and carrot cake.

Marché

photo:credits to elder sister

We couldn't wait to tuck in!

This is my second post on this Swiss restaurant.

In my recent visit to Marché with my sisters, i discovered some hidden gems in the restaurant!

Photo and caption:credits to my younger sis ;)
Roasted pumpkin, alfafa sprouts, feta cheese, olives, red cabbage, lettuce, kidney beans, new potatoes, cheesy cauliflowers, pickled zucchini, mashed potatoes, a variety of bell peppers = a smashin' plate of delish salad(large size)


At the salad station, you can select the salad plate size(small,medium and large). After getting the salad plate of the size you desire, you get the freedom to choose from a wide variety of fresh ingredients lined up at the station.
The buffet style enable customers to choose as large portion as they prefer, as long as it fits the plate( hurray!  hehehe) My sisters and I literally strategised on how we can fill the plate, ensuring all empty spaces are filled. No, we are not greedy people, just very hungry.  

Savoury crepes with mushroom and vegetable fillings(photo: credits to elder sister)
This dish comes with a cream sauce which is to die for!
The skin of the crepe is soft and tender, and tastes amazingly delicious. One downside of this dish is that the fillings may be a tad too salty for some. Nonetheless, overall a tasty dish!
I will definitely order this again on my next visit.

VivoCity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#03-14 Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6376 8226

Fuss-free omelette-potato-veg lunch

Now, let me introduce my unique fuss-free omelette-potato-veg meal! 

1)beat the eggs thoroughly
2)**this step is important to yummitize the omelette instantly
season the fresh mushroom with sesame oil, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
trust me, the end result is incredible.
3) in the mean time, steam sliced potato and local cai xin( you can choose to stir fry Cai xin with sliced ginger, but I love steamed cai xin with soy sauce-convenient and yummy)

pan-fry your omelette
add a tad of salt and pepper to taste

superbly yummy.
I have no idea why my omelette always ends up in chunky bits.
According to my mum, I have to add much more oil to achieve a perfect  piece of smooth omelette.
But I think what I really need is a new non-stick pan.

A perfect lunch that comprise of  steamed baby granula potato topped with cheddar cheese, fresh mushroom omelette, and local Cai Xin(one of my favourite veg)
So easy to prepare, yet delicious and healthy!
Sorry for the blur picture, I am using my old camera as my current camera has been acting way too funny.