Ruby Rhubarb

Do certain foods plunge you down memory lane at 100 miles an hour?  Rhubarb is one of those foods for me.  It conjures up my mum, breakfasts, desserts, the veggie garden, and my pony.

What?!  My pony?  Yup!  Because aside from being an incredibly delicious food, rhubarb leaves are really toxic and it would be disastrous if my pony leaned over the veggie garden fence and ate them.  Did you know that rhubarb is actually a vegetable?  It's from the same family (Polygonaceae) as buckwheat and sorrel.

While wandering through the farmers market (here) I spotted some raw rhubarb for sale.    This veggie is not at all common in Singapore, so I couldn't pass up a chance to recreate Mum's stewed rhubarb for my breakfast - perfect with breakfast quinoa (recipe here) and a few dollops of yoghurt.

I've only ever stewed rhubarb, and eaten it as a breakfast or dessert food.  How else can it be eaten?

Don't forget the chia sprinkle

Review: Rice Magician - Magic for a Quick Snack

Out for a mid-afternoon juice break, I was hit by a sudden craving for carbs.  Being sugar-free for March, an easy solution wasn't easy to come by, but then I saw the Rice Magician!

Rice Magician, where have you been for the past two years I've been in Singapore?  Why have I never noticed your bright green shop front?

So what's so special about Rice Magician?  According to the website, the focus is on healthy rice snacks, of which the rice roll is their most popular product.  After studying over 300 different strains of rice, they use biotechnology (wow, fancy for rice!) to to bring the best combination of enzymes to reduce flatulence.  Your rice selection is flattened and stuffed with a your choice of healthy (and a few not so healthy) fillings.

The rice selection itself is a minor exercise in self-diagnosis.

• Brown Rice to manage weight/cholesterol, prevent heart disease and cancer
• Purple Rice for nutrients essential for women or the elderly, improving immune systems or easing joint problems
• Red Rice which is is excellent for those with anaemia or constipation
• Wheat Germ Brown Rice to promote blood circulation, or overcome physical and mental aging
• Mixed Grain Rice, with a combination of twelve different grains for maximum nutrition and health benefits
• Wheat Five Rice to combine the health benefits of cereal, oat, wheat, buckwheat grain and barley

Then you decide on fillings - a whole host of European and Taiwanese meat (chicken, tuna, sausage etc) and veggie options (corn, cucumber, mushrooms, broccoli, beans etc).

For $4.40, you get enough for a light lunch, or a hefty healthy snack to see you through until a late dinner.

Which rice would you choose?

A Taste of Singapore - Kueh Tutu

The whiff of coconut pulled me up short as I headed out of the mall... "mmmmmm... kueh tutu".  Sander introduced me to these steamed morsels of traditional Singaporean goodness a few months ago and I've been on the lookout for them ever since.  They're such a tasty light snack - a fluffy rice flour shell filled with shredded coconut and rapidly steamed and served up on a padam leaf.

If you're looking for them in Singapore, try the ground floor of Far East Plaza.  I've also heard they're in Wisma Atria.  Does anyone know any other places to try out?

Ladies Who Brunch: Living Cafe

Living Cafe came with a glowing recommendation - fresh flavours, whole food, good portions - I couldn't wait to try it out!

First impressions?  It certainly looks like a cafe in a holistic health business.  The walls are lined with bottles of potions, powders and capsules of every kind of super food you can imagine, the interior is clean and simple and tables are spaced out, not the cheek by jowl that you see so often around Singapore.

The menu is extensive, really, I'm talking about eight pages, and all of it looks fantastic (see for yourself here).  I was originally eyeing up the chia porridge, but when I picked up the lunch menu I was forced to abandon that plan.  Temptation beckoned in the form of raw zucchini hummus, brown rice sushi, living salad, quinoa salad, brown rice bowls, wholemeal pizza, baked aubergine... and that was before I got to the juices, smoothies and desserts.

Disappointed to find out that the wholemeal pizza was unavailable for the rest of the month(!), we opted for the zucchini hummus and sesame crackers, and living salad to share, and a brown rice bowl each (one Mexican and one more Greek).  Delicious!

The zucchini hummus was smooth and fresh.  I'm not sure how the sesame crackers were held together, but I suspect it was something soy sauce based as it had a salty tang.  

Raw zucchini hummus and sesame crackers

The brown rice bowl came next and didn't disappoint.  The flavours were light and fresh, and the portion size perfect.  The living salad was tasty but completely over dressed and soggy.

Brown rice bowl - Greek-style

We were seated by the deli counter and spent the whole hour and a half eyeing up the raw sweet treats on offer - key lime pie, apple and cinnamon slice, spirulina and mint balls, and many more.  Despite being pretty full, we decided to share the black forest bar with our coffee - excellent choice.

So far so good right?  Well, I guess people who are into raw/whole food aren't into coffee, because it was quite a disappointment.  Try a juice, tea or smoothie instead.  If you're blessed with a car in Singapore, lucky you, because getting a taxi was also quite difficult.

Still, the food speaks for itself and I'll be going back to try a few of the other menu items which caught my eye.

The Living Cafe is a part of Balanced Living which is a mecca for health/whole food and living holistically.  They have yoga classes, nutritionists, raw food cooking classes, books... in short, everything you could need if you're interested in health and wellness.

The Living Cafe

779 Bukit Timah Rd (just before 6th Avenue)

P:  +65 6762-8029     

Open:  Mon - Sun / 9am – 10pm

Colossally Creative Guacamole

If you're into art and haven't checked out Colossal at least once then you're missing out.  Christopher Jobson is instrumental is sharing a constant stream of inspiring, thought provoking, or just down right weird art.

This post (click here) features an awesome video by PES showing guacamole prepared from (among other things) plastic hand grenades.  I just had to share it - it's brilliant!

Thanks Christopher!  Keep 'em coming!

Review: Tambuah Mas - Cheap & Cheerful Indonesian

I don't eat a lot of Indonesian food in Singapore, but that might change now that I've been to Tambuah Mas.  If you're looking for a quick and tasty bite to eat that won't break the bank, head to Tanglin Shopping Center and give it a shot.  "Tanglin Shopping Center?", I hear Singapore-based people say.  "There's food there?"  I would have said the same thing, but get down there and check it out.

The Udang Petai Belado (prawns, chilli, petai beans) are a must try, as is the Sayur Lodeh (cabbage, green beans and bean curd in spicy coconut milk).  We also had chicken satay and rendang lembu (beef) which lived up to their 'classic' reputations.

Udang Petai Belado (prawns, chilli, petai beans)

Sayur Lodeh

One thing I don't go for is the typical Indonesian desserts.  Kathy tried the Es Gula Melaka (sago chunks, coconut and palm sugar - she said it was very sweet, but delicious).  I was curious as to what atap seeds were, so I tried the Es Buah Atap.  Atap seeds are rather like the inside of a giant jelly bean, but the rosewater and milk was just like strawberry-flavoured milk that you buy in the supermarket - not great.  Order some fresh mango instead.

Tanglin Shopping Center, 19 Tanglin Road, #04-10/13
P: +65 6733 3333
Open: 11am - 10pm daily

Paragon, 290 Orchard Road, #B1-44
P: +65 6733 2220
Open: 11am - 10pm daily

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Feta

I love it when you stumble on to a healthy, rich, filling and quick Monday night meal.  Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, you can eat this with your fingers!

Cooks Notes:  I used only a small glug of oil (original recipe calls for 1/4 C) and four eggs instead of eight.  Instead of the sweet paprika I used the same volume of smoked paprika tabasco sauce, and pickled jalapenos from a jar I had in the fridge.  I forgot to add feta, but sprinkled parmesan over the pan at the end and it tasted delicious.

This recipe is from my favourite iPhone/iPad app - Epicurious.

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Feta

Glug of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped
1 400g can chickpeas, drained
2 tablespoon of smoked paprika tabasco sauce (in place of 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 400g can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta (I forgot this)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (I forgot this too!)
Warm pita bread

Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeños; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add chickpeas, paprika, and cumin and cook for 2 minutes longer.

Add crushed tomatoes and their juices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle feta evenly over sauce. Crack eggs one at a time and place over sauce, spacing evenly apart. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 5–8 minutes. Garnish with parsley and cilantro. Serve with pita for dipping.

Sweetly Sugar Free March Challenge: Update One

Going sugar free for March has proved to be incredibly challenging – sugar is everywhere! 

Photo credit:  D Sharon Pruitt (Flickr)

I’ve never deliberately tried to cut one specific thing out of my diet before (aside from alcohol, but that’s easy – just don’t pour yourself a glass of wine… duh!) so I now have a new appreciation for anyone who is on a restrictive diet for medical reasons.  Anyone with a nut/dairy/gluten allergy, I don’t know how you do it 24 hours a day – it’s exhausting!  And no, all you people who are ‘fashionably gluten-free’, you don’t count.

I’ve fallen off the band wagon twice already, but I’m not giving up!  I thought I’d share my struggles in the form of a few user friendly tips along my rocky path.

Sweet Tips for Sugar Free

• CONSTANT VIGLIANCE is required.  Sugar is lurking everywhere waiting for you to get distracted and then leap into your mouth!  Check all food labels, even if you think it's sugar free, you're probably wrong.

• Consider not drinking until you’re used to keeping the sugar at bay – at a BBQ on the weekend after a few gin and soda’s I completely forgot that I was sugar-free and had some most excellent cake (thanks Laura!) and half a cocktail from our netball sponsors (thanks VnC – the Maitai is great!).

• Preparation is essential.  Slip a small pack of raw almonds into your handbag because getting caught out is terrible.  During the working week I find it fairly easy to be sugar free – there are plenty of fresh lunch options and when I’m preparing my own dinner (or eating a home cooked meal) it’s easy to exert control.  If you’re on the run and hungry, resolve weakens and temptation beckons – especially when you’re naturally low on sweet-treat-resistance will power.

I’ll keep adding to the list as this month goes on.

Do you have any tips on going sugar free which might help me out?  I want to avoid resorting to artificial sweetener.

Review: Five & Dime

A 'five and dime' is a cheap variety store, similar to the $2 Shop back home.  Based on that, I wonder why anyone would give that moniker to an eatery.  Five & Dime looks anything but cheap - the interior of this old shop house is fabulous:  tiles, exposed concrete, and a pared back aesthetic.

A couple of cute details - mini cookies served with coffee in bright red retro espresso cups, canisters and cake stands on the counter.  The coffee is ok, certainly not amazing enough for a $5++ double macciato (the #1 Ladies Who Brunch coffee is found at Baker & Cook), but the food prices are reasonable for Singapore - around $20.

The brunch menu is heavily Japanese-influenced which is slightly unusual - the omelet (tamago), the eggs benedict (with seared beef), gyu pasta.  For those craving a simpler breakfast (scrambled eggs, muesli, poached eggs on toast), best go elsewhere unless you want to opt for a small fruit salad, toast or pancakes.  I opted for the eggs and corned beef hash.  The presentation wasn't anything special, but it tasted great!

Unfortunately, the same could not be said for my companions dishes - the omelet and the pancakes scored an 'ok' rating - and my two friends who ordered the fruit salad had to pay an extra $1 for a small additional portion of yoghurt.  It infuriates me when cafes do this - it's completely unnecessary and is something which should never happen.

So, Five & Dime?  It's ok, but I wouldn't rave about it.  Perhaps it's better for dinner?  Most of the reviews I've read say the cocktails are pretty good.

Five & Dime
297 River Valley Road, Singapore
+65 9236 5002
Open:  12 - 12 weekdays, 10 - 12 Saturdays, 10 - 10 Sundays

Out and About in Singapore

The walk to dinner passed Fort Canning and Clark Quay along the river

Review: Café Iguana

Craving some Mexican in Singapore?  Head to Clark Quay and check out Café  Iguana.

On a Friday night the place was humming, almost every seat was full - luckily it was just the two of us and we squeezed straight in.  If you have a larger group, the bar serves a mean margarita while you wait.

We ordered Camarones al Diablo (chilli prawns) and Spicy Lettuce Wraps for appetizers, and Grilled Snapper Soft Tacos and a Shredded Beef Burrito for mains.  We were warned that the chilli prawns were really spicy, but they turned out to be just pleasantly so.  The quesadilla slices were great to mop up the spicy juices.  The Spicy Lettuce Wraps weren't really that spicy at all, but they were light, fresh and tasty - just wrap carefully or the sauce will drip onto your lap.

The snapper tacos are outstanding - fresh, small (ish), delicious.  Order the corn tacos instead of the flour version for extra flavour.  Sander's shredded beef burrito was good, but we had to bring half of it back in a doggy bag because it was simply too much.

Once again, our eyes were bigger than our stomachs.  In hindsight we should have skipped the burrito and shared the grilled snapper (two for Sander, one for me).  Far too full to contemplate dessert, we staggered home through the park, thankful for the twenty minute walk to ease our stomachs.

I'd venture that the service was the best that I've had at a restaurant in Singapore.  Maybe we struck it lucky with our waiter, but he was brilliant.  Attentive, but not obtrusive, if we needed him we barely had to glance up for more than a few moments before he'd catch our eye and come on over.  He even popped over to ask whether we would like to wait a while between our appetizers and mains, which has never happened to me before, but was greatly appreciated as I was already pretty full after the prawns and lettuce wraps!

The only criticism I'd have is that the prices for the margaritas rise astronomically throughout the night.  The price for a jug after 8pm is triple that of four hours earlier - for the exact same drink.



Café Iguana Riverside Point

30 Merchant Road
#01-03 Riverside Point
Singapore 058282
Tel: (65) 6236 1275

No reservations after 7pm

29 Daily February Photos - Challenge Complete

Wow, the daily photo challenge really was amazing.  I fell off the wagon a few times (tiredness = forgetfulness, no access to internet on international long haul), but in general I think I've been pretty diligent.

This monthly challenge has encouraged me to drag my nose out of my iPhone and spend more time looking at the world around me - on the bus, during my lunch break, running errands on the weekend, and of course, some amazing snaps while on holiday.

I think I'm going to try to keep it up.  Although given my 'variety is the spice of life' motto from the personality test I did yesterday (click here to do it yourself), perhaps I should just take the challenges one month at a time.

March's challenge is to be sugar free - that is going to be torturous given my love of the mid-afternoon and/or (quite often 'and') post-dinner sweet treat.  I'll need to find a way to out-wit myself - any suggestions?

In the meantime, here's all 29 photos en masse from my Pintrest board (click here to take a look).

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

Day Four

Day Five

Day Six

Day Seven

Day Eight

Day Nine

Day Ten

Day Eleven

Day Twelve

Day Thirteen

Day Fourteen 

Day Fifteen

Day Sixteen

Day Seventeen

Day Eighteen

Day Nineteen

Day Twenty

Day Twenty One

Day Twenty Two

Day Twenty Three

Day Twenty Four

Day Twenty Five

Day Twenty Six

Day Twenty Seven

Day Twenty Eight

Day Twenty Nine

My favourites are Days Seven (best view in Singapore), Eighteen (foggy morning run pre-wedding in NZ), Twenty Four (fish),

What are yours?