Go Nuts about Health with Just Nuts!

Product Review

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

Nuts are one of nature's most amazing gifts. They are tasty, convenient and can be enjoyed on all kinds of diets ranging from keto to vegan. Despite being high in fat and calories, they are a source of great many nutrients, they are high in fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, quality protein and they are loaded with antioxidants. 

Several observational studies have found that regularly eating nuts is not associated with weight gain and may even prevent it. Nut consumption is associated with reduced appetite and increased feelings of fullness. This means that people eating them may naturally eat less throughout the day. But it is important to exercise portion control and not go overboard. For the healthiest option, one can choose plain, unsalted varieties of nuts.

Nuts are a staple in my kitchen. I use them extensively in my cooking and quite often in my baking as well. I also snack on them regularly (probably more than I should!). In my household, the Indian curries are almost always cashew, almond or peanut based. Fried cashews are a mandatory garnishing for any Indian rice, semolina or vermicelli dish that I prepare. I tend to spoon a generous dollop of peanut butter or almond butter over my overnight oats to make it more satisfying and delicious. Basil pesto pasta containing either walnuts or pine nuts features on our family menu every single week. I have a thing for homemade Middle Eastern mezze platters for which nuts and dried fruit are an integral component. I have the habit of sprinkling almond flakes or chopped walnuts on top of any kind of salad or buddha bowl. My sweet bakes commonly contain pecans, macadamia nuts or hazelnuts and pistachios are my garnish of choice when I happen to make traditional Indian sweets or puddings. I also have a habit of storing a small contained of mixed nuts and dried fruit at my workplace for when the mid-morning or late afternoon hunger pangs strike. At any given point of time, I will always have large quantities of cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios and peanuts in my refrigerator. Nuts and dried fruit invariably have a permanent place on my shopping list and need constant replenishing. 

With the Covid-19 pandemic this year, exercising and eating healthy might not be a priority for a lot of people. Stress and anxiety also leads to mindless snacking on refined and processed foods. Best in Singapore has compiled a list of Top 8 Healthy Nuts in Singapore you should check out. In all probability, it will make you remove that bag of potato chips or biscuits from your grocery basket and replace it with any one of these delicious guilt-free snacks.

In December, my family's consumption of nuts and dried fruit shoots up further with all the holiday baking and home entertaining. So when I was asked to do a review on Just Nuts, an online nuts delivery service in Singapore, I said yes without thinking twice 😊

The website is very easy to navigate. You have all kinds of nuts you can think of along with dried fruit and even some seeds and beans. For the nuts, it is great that they offer different forms - raw, baked, roasted, sliced or powdered. The delivery service offers different sizing of their products which I found quite helpful. 

Some key features of the products from Just Nuts:

• Natural and Organic. No chemicals or pesticides used
• Kept in -2 degrees and dark storage to preserve the natural freshness, flavours and crunchiness of nuts
• Handpicked harvest that is handled with care
• Meticulous quality control
• Within 2 hour island-wide delivery (free delivery above purchase of $60)
• 100% guarantee replacement for any product that is not good

There are so many options to choose from that I was spoilt for choices. I ordered some of the nuts and dried fruit that I commonly use at home  namely Roasted Cashews, Raw Almonds, Sliced Almonds, Pine Nuts, Dried Pitted Prunes and Dried Cranberries. I also ordered a few that I am not that familiar with such as Dried Figs and Brazil Nuts. 

I love gifting boxes of dried fruit and assorted nuts as gifts not only during festive occasions but also for casual home visits. Not only does it look attractive but it is useful, delicious and a healthier option for your loved ones. If you are going the edible gift route, Just Nuts has some great gift boxes in a different price ranges that you can choose from. 

The nuts and dried fruit arrived on schedule and were hygienically packed. 

Restaurant review: Joie by Dozo at Orchard Central, Singapore

For me, December in Singapore is always the perfect time to catch up with friends. I have a few groups of friends that I usually get to meet only once or twice a year due to our busy schedules and scattered locations so I make sure to meet up with them during the year end holidays. Then there are the few close friends who live  nearby and whose schedules are more compatible with mine so meeting them is easier and requires less planning. With them also December catch-ups inevitable happen so my social calendar is usually pretty full.

I met up with one of my close friends last weekend. We have a list of restaurants in Singapore to checkout (which we take very seriously) and we always have so much to talk about so the date was finalized weeks in advance. I contacted the restaurant and made a dinner reservation.   

Sitting prettily on the rooftop garden of Orchard Central, Joie (it is pronounced ‘joy’ if you were wondering) by Dozo, is a vegetarian fine dining establishment in Singapore. The restaurant specializes in modern meatless cuisine with European, Japanese and Taiwanese influences. If you have explored the Singapore vegetarian dining scene, you will be aware that there are hardly any options for purely vegetarian establishments in the fine dining category. Strange eh? 

People embrace vegetarianism or veganism for a number of reasons such as health, religious convictions, concerns about animal welfare or the use of antibiotics and hormones in livestock, or a desire to eat in a way that avoids excessive use of environmental resources. With plant-based diets gaining popularity around the world, the use of innovative cooking techniques to highlight natural produce featuring fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs seems to be a dining trend that is here to stay. 

Joie by Dozo offers guests a set menu concept which consists of an elaborate six-course lunch or seven-course dinner. One can expect beautifully presented contemporary dishes with a fusion of Asian and European sensibilities. Emphasis is placed on fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs and nuts with liberal use of natural flavouring agents like truffle and sesame. And thank heavens they steer clear of the abomination that is mock meat. The team of chefs at Joie aim to challenge the common misconceptions about meatless cuisine and make it more attractive to the diners. 

Although the restaurant is located smack in the middle of Singapore's busiest shopping district, the serenity of the rooftop garden transports you into a surprisingly quiet and relaxing sanctuary. The sweeping skyline views of nearby Somerset and Orchard Road are dotted by greenery during the day and adorned by dazzling lights at night.

Upon entering the restaurant via the escalator from the 11th floor of Orchard Central, you will be greeted  by a spacious and bright space. The floor to ceiling windows allow natural light to stream in giving the restaurant a greenhouse feel and once it gets dark, the lights from outside imparts a luminous effect. With its dark flooring, modern light fixtures, muted yet rich fabric upholstery and bronze and grey overtones, the ambience can be best described as contemporary chic. Diners can choose a seat along the plush leather-quilted banquette, luxurious velvet armchairs or at no additional cost, one of the five private rooms which seats four to sixteen people.

The staff attending to our table enquired if we had any dietary restrictions or preferences before taking our order.

Baker's Corner: Zucchini Chocolate Loaf

Who else finds themselves humming Jingle Bells for a large part of the day? 🙋 

December is truly a magical month and despite this year being the way it has been, the inherent festive cheer that this month commands, has the ability to dispel all feelings of hopelessness and gloom. 

Celebrating Christmas and New Year in Singapore feels a bit strange maybe because it is only the third time in 14 years that we are at home. The last time was when our twins were just over a month old putting travel on hold and before that was when I was thick in the midst of finishing up my Masters thesis and the timing just wasn't suitable. Not seeing our parents and siblings for an entire year is unprecedented for us, thus making the call of the homeland stronger than ever. But even though (like many others) we are not flying back home for the holidays, we are taking it in our stride and trying to make the best of the Christmas and New Year break. 

Much to the delight of our children, for the first time, we have set up a Christmas tree at home. I must admit, looking at the tree lit up and adored with shiny baubles and cheery ornaments is an instant mood lifter. In keeping with my annual December Christmas fruit cake tradition, I've already baked three batches of cake for the family and as part of edible gift bags. Over the last two weeks, I and the girls dabbled in some holiday art and craft projects together which has been rather fun. And this year, as a special treat, we have planned to surprise them with some Christmas presents. Currently, they are under the impression that the presents under the tree are empty and just for decoration 😆 We have made plans for several small reunions (keeping in mind the restrictions) so we have plenty to look forward to. We are going to turn these few weeks into an opportunity to take a breather, relax and unwind, cook, bake, enjoy good food, spend quality time with family and close friends and catch up with those we have not met in a while. Religious significance aside, that pretty much sums up the essence of Christmas doesn't it? 

A few months ago, I baked this Zucchini Chocolate Loaf. The use of zucchini, oil, brown sugar and chocolate chips made it super duper moist and the mix of ground spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg) gave it a lovely perfume and flavour. The girls were completely obsessed with it and the entire loaf was polished off in less than two days 😀 I had read that zucchini in cakes and bread helps to add moisture without imparting any taste so I was keen to try the tip. Normally, I don't use zucchini much in my cooking. I rarely add it to pasta dishes and on the occasion that I make sai bhaji (an Indian variety of dal). But after this success, I made a mental note to experiment more with zucchini in my sweet and savoury bakes. 

This recipe is very simple and (mostly) consists of pantry staples. You can add the ground spices based on the availability and your preference. If you don't have chocolate chips at home then you can toss in your favourite dried fruit and nuts. You could also just stick to the zucchini and omit the chocolate chips and/or dried fruit and nut altogether. Also, if you don't want to bake it as a loaf you could turn it into muffins. I am seriously contemplating turning into a staple for my kids snack box next year by tweaking the recipe with part whole wheat flour or almond flour and replacing the chocolate chips with raisins, dried cranberries and pecans (I'll let you know if it works). There are so many variations possible folks. So I declare without a shred of doubt that this recipe is a keeper. 

I had invited some guests home yesterday for a pre-Christmas meet-up and I was wondering what to serve for dessert. I casually asked the kids what I should make and to my surprise, they blurted out Zucchini (their precise word was "Zicconi" 😆) Chocolate Bread. I was surprised that they actually even remembered after so many months! I decided that if it was THAT memorable then it should be good enough to make an impression on my guests.

This Christmas, try this recipe either for a family meal or as part of a dinner party menu. You will not be disappointed I promise 😊

I hope you enjoy the holiday season with your loved ones but please remember to stay safe as well.

Family Day Out at Serene Upper Peirce Reservoir Park

Last Saturday, we planned to take the kids cycling. A few months ago, we visited Lower Peirce Reservoir Park for the very first time and we absolutely loved it. This time we thought we’d check out Upper Peirce Reservoir Park nestled just next to the Upper Peirce Reservoir. 

I've written about the history of the Peirce Reservoir in my last blog entry but I'll reiterate just in case you stumbled here for the first time. The original Peirce Reservoir was constructed in 1922 and named after Robert Peirce, who served as the municipal engineer of Singapore from 1901 to 1916. It was created by impounding the upper reaches of the Kallang River with the construction of a dam.

In 1975, in order to develop new water resources to grapple with Singapore's burgeoning population, a dam was constructed at the upper reaches of the Peirce Reservoir, forming the Upper and Lower Peirce reservoirs. The adjoining parks are touted as the most scenic nature parks in Singapore. Both the Peirce Reservoirs are located near MacRitchie Reservoir and Upper Seletar Reservoir. These four reservoirs together with  the surrounding forests form the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The nature reserve acts as a water catchment for the reservoirs in the area. All of the reservoirs are designated as protected catchments, which means that development is prohibited there so as to preserve the ecological balance in these areas and minimize the risk of pollution.

Upper Peirce Reservoir was officially opened by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in 1977. Today, the reservoir park is a popular retreat with visitors who enjoy its unique panorama and tranquility. 

On the scheduled day of our family outing, we woke up to dreary weather. The sky was overcast and it was drizzling. The rain map of Singapore looked rather ominous. We swiftly dropped the cycling plan and settled on a hike at Upper Peirce Reservoir Park keeping our fingers crossed that the rain gods would be kind. It was raining throughout the drive and I couldn’t help but think that we should have stayed put at home, snug in bed sipping on a hot beverage 😕 

We had keyed in "Upper Peirce Reservoir" in our car's GPS (in hindsight, we should have entered "Upper Peirce Reservoir Park") and it ended up pointing us in the wrong direction and taking us to a remote nook of the Central Catchment Reserve which delayed us by half an hour or more. I guess the irate chants of “are we there yet??” from the girls were justified! Once we figured out the reason for the unnecessary detour, we felt rather foolish to discover that the Upper Peirce Reservoir Park is located neighboring to the Lower Peirce Reservoir Park which we had been to not long ago. 

I'm still not sure why but we mistakenly assumed that the path leading to the park was closed so we ended up parking at the Casuarina car park which happens to be quite far away from the nature park. We ended up going on at least a half an hour long hike along a narrow winding and steeply sloping road while it was still lightly drizzling. 

It wasn't at all bad though - the route was deserted, flanked by lush tropical greenery and we occasionally caught sight of the long-tailed macaques. Most importantly, the kids did not complain about having to walk the distance. In fact, they were full of beans and racing ahead of us. It's safe to say that we got the exercise we had been hoping for! I would recommend this walking route if you have the time to spare. Otherwise, you can park right at the mouth of the Upper Peirce Reservoir Park. 

As we were approaching our remote destination, the skies miraculously cleared, a gentle cool breeze was blowing and we were pleased to note that there were hardly any people around. We could absorb the breathtaking sights and soothing sounds unhindered. It was like looking at an gorgeous mashup of different hues of blues, yellows and greens on a canvas of nature. The silence and stillness of the park and reservoir were incredibly relaxing. Not to mention, inhaling lungful's of the fresh crisp air.

The forest surrounding the Lower and Upper Peirce reservoirs is a mature secondary rainforest, with some trees estimated to be over a hundred years old. Rubber trees and oil palms, remnants of former plantations, are found near the reservoir. The nature reserve surrounding the reservoirs has been recommended for bird watching and nature strolls.

How lovely is this spot right? Wouldn't you want to just sit there and do nothing all day? 😀

I had brought along a few things to keep the girls occupied - tubes of bubbles, a ball and a frisbee. But they were not really interested in any of them. They were so taken with the surroundings that all they wanted to do was explore.

Family Staycation at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa

I know I've said in the past that I thought staycations are lame. Well, over time, I have changed my stance on that and now I think a staycation is a great way to refresh and recharge without the hassle of tickets, passport or elaborate itineraries. Not to mention, with Covid-19 cases spiking around the world and travel restrictions being imposed, we feel much safer and stress-free right where we are.

But then again, in the past 14 years, I have only been on 4 staycations in Singapore. The first time was a babymoon at the iconic Hotel Fort Canning which came about as a result of my doctor forbidding me from travelling when I desperately needed a break. The second time was to D'Resort at Downtown East to celebrate our twin daughters turning three years old. We didn't want to get into the intricacies of planning a birthday party and we already had made travel plans for the following month and so at the very last minute, we zeroed in on a staycation to mark the occasion. The girls has a total blast at the beach, park, waterpark and indoor play area that were in close proximity to the resort and so we planned another staycation at the same place last year during the CNY break with a group of close friends. Our most recent staycation was prior to the girls sixth birthday and was a result of the Covid-19 pandemic that has taken overseas travel out of the equation (for the time being at least). 

In my opinion, a staycation at Sentosa Island makes the most sense if you have young children. There are so many activities to do on Sentosa that will keep them occupied for days. My children are crazy about going to the beach and if you would ask them on any given day as to what they would like to do, the answer would invariably revolve around going to a beach. I didn't plan a whole line-up of activities for my kids since we also wanted to relax and get a temporary respite from this tumultuous year. Not to mention, there is a booking system for absolutely any activity you can think of which makes planning cumbersome. But I fully intended to take them to at least two beaches on the island, Nestopia and HydroDash, the latter two of which they had not been to yet. 

After considering the hotel options we had, we settled on Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa for our sojourn. The resort had been SG Clean certified by local authorities to reopen for staycations. 

The  5-star luxury resort hotel is located on a secluded nook of Sentosa and perched atop the cliff above Tanjong Beach. It is known as a haven of tranquility and relaxation with panoramic views of the South China Sea, stylish rooms and suites, world-class dining establishments, an award-winning spa and spectacular pool. Sofitel draws inspiration from local culture and tradition while celebrating innovation and the French art de vivre to offer a one-of-a-kind, luxurious hotel experience.

We arrived at the resort on a Friday afternoon. After the initial temperature checks and QR code scanning, we proceeded to the reception for check-in. As I stepped into the airy lobby, I stood transfixed by the striking bespoke lighting installation suspended against a coral pink ceiling design. The gigantic chandelier is aptly named "Stellar" and inspired by the Milky Way and beautiful night sky.

We were pleased to see that there weren't a lot of people waiting in line ahead of us. I must acknowledge that all safe distancing protocols were stringently maintained. As we waited, we were provided with a complimentary bag of yummy cookies. After about 20 minutes, we were shown to our rooms which were two interconnecting luxury rooms that I understand to be popular with families.

Spread over sprawling 27 acres of tropical woodlands, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa exudes colonial charm with its shiny black and white tiled floors, walkway pillars and manicured lawns. The resort houses a total of 215 accommodations across 7 categories of sophisticated rooms, suites and luxury villas. 

Each room comes with air-conditioning, WiFi, LED Smart TV, minibar, bathroom with separate bath and shower, bath amenities and coffee/tea making station.

The rooms are reasonably spacious and embody Parisian refinement and Singaporean colonial heritage, filled with rich textures, vibrant colours and French amenities. The natural shades of brown, blue and green interspersed with bright pops of gold and orange, impart a calming yet opulent look to the rooms. Touches of nature appear throughout the room - the leaf motifs above the bed, floral motif carpeting on the hardwood floor and flora and fauna themed handles on the wardrobe.⁣ The bathrooms are spic and span and quite chic as well. There is a small adjoining balcony which opens into verdant greenery. The perfect place to sit down and enjoy a hot beverage. 

A special shout-out to housekeeping who did a great job of cleaning our rooms during our stay.

A Letter to my Daughters on their Sixth Birthday

This is probably going to be the shortest birthday letter to my twins and the last one (I know I hinted at that last year as well but this time I really mean it 😄). 

I know I term them "birthday letters" but to me they feel more like love letters when I re-read each one of them. If I'm being perfectly honest, I can't claim this endeavor to have been an entirely altruistic one. The day I became a mother is one I can seldom recount without tearing up. It brings up a tsunami of emotions for me even to this day. There have been moments in motherhood that have taken my breath away, that have shaken me to my core, that have prompted me to rediscover my sense of self, that have brought intangible happiness and that have triggered a kind of fear I never knew before. The most intense and heartfelt emotions that I have ever experienced in my life are tied to motherhood and going through these letters helps me relive (mostly) the good ones. 

On a lighter note, the girls start looking forward to their birthday months in advance (fairly typical eh?) and their excitement is infectious so I get completely swept up in it. And since they have come to expect some effort from me, slacking off is not an option! 

This year's birthday celebrations have been quieter and slightly unconventional (for obvious reasons). Since the girls love going to the beach so much, we decided to do a staycation at Sentosa island for four days before their birthday. It was just us spending quality time together as a family. We went to an outdoor playground, a floating aqua park and two beaches where the girls played to their heart's content. We relaxed in the lovely resort pool at every given opportunity, watched tv till midnight, gorged on amazing (and way too much) food, went peacock watching everyday and in general had a super lazy and relaxed few days. It was a much-needed change of scene for all of us. 

Today, on their actual birthday, my husband and I took the day off from work. Clad in their new unicorn-themed dresses (so predictable 😆), the girls were full of beans on the way to school. They were eagerly looking forward to distributing goody bags that they had helped put together for their classmates. For the edible gifts, the girls had shot down my recommendation of homemade chocolate chip cookies because we had done that last year. I presumed they wanted to be more involved in the process and so it was their favourite sugar cookies with royal icing that made the cut this year. Last night, they helped me bake and decorate a giant batch of cookies which we then carefully packed. It was a messy but productive collaboration I must say.

Homemade birthday cake has also become somewhat of a tradition (with fluctuating degrees of success). This year, I suggested a simple lotus biscoff cake which was fortunately met with enthusiasm. The birthday cake was cut at home this afternoon with no audience but the girls shared the cake in the evening with their playground friends. They had specified their birthday lunch and dinner menu weeks ago which I and hubby mutually split between us. The day has almost come to an end and they have been occupied for the past few hours with their birthday loot (courtesy: mom-dad, helper and family from India). All things considered, I think it is safe to say they have had a pretty fabulous birthday week 😊

With this birthday letter, I'm finally wrapping up what has been a eventful and joyous week. Deepavali is around the corner so the girls are looking forward to a sparkling celebration.