Dolce Gusto Capsule Organiser

It is no secret that my house is on a constant revamp state.  I am not much or an organiser but my husband happens to be very skilled in that (not a bias statement I assure you) and has good aesthetics sense. He is not always the deal seeker just to caveat. 

We love our capsules beverages and for the longest time our Dolce Gusto capsules have been in boxes. Husband found this organiser ($15.90) and wow, it really does give an office pantry kitchen vibe. You may find something similar and cheaper but this one, at least we tried and knows the product is as stated. :)

You are welcome! If you are a capsule maker and want me to try your products, yes you can hit me up. I am a capsule addict. I have a Nespresso machine too (in office). LOL!

Exotic CNY snacks from ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove

 

Although the number of visitors per house will be dropping this CNY, I am determined to not let that deter me from my feasting. Did I ever tell you how much I love my CNY goodies? This year, ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove came out with The Auspicious Trio, which consists an exotic bundle of 3 different flavours - Organic Pineapple rolls, spicy Hei Bee Hiam Pineapple Tarts and Parmigiano Reggiano Cookies for S$78+.

Decided to give it a try because feasting for me pretty much binging on goodies and letting my friends and families know which brand is the best this year. Hahaha. Here's my ranking of the goodies!

1.  Parmigiano Reggiano Cookies

This is my absolute favourite. It looks rather unassuming but it was one of the most delicious cookies I've had this year. In fact, I think every house should have at least 1 box of it. It is a nice fusion and a yummy addition for all the cheese lovers. Because it is also not the traditional taste we are used to, I would think this is a good snack for our everyday chomps too!

2. Organic Pineapple rolls

For the healthier folks, you can try out the organic pineapple rolls. Compared to other pineapple fillings, this version isn't as sweet. At the top, you can also find a dash of Himalayan Pink Salt which gives the usual sweet treat a savory taste. Personally, I find the saltiness a little odd (maybe because I have a sweet tooth and is too deeply rooted in the traditional taste for it). So I brush the salt away for mine (what a waste, I know!) I am sure some people would appreciate the taste as it is. 

3. Spicy Hei Bee Hiam Pineapple Tarts

In terms of appearance, I thought this set had the cutest appearance. I was also the most excited for this since my fav. CNY snack is the spicy prawn roll. Sadly, this didn't quite rub me right. It wasn't spicy enough for me so it felt neither here nor there - not a pineapple tart and not a spicy prawn roll. For me, it is a combination gone wrong, but never try never know right. 

If you are someone who is more adventurous, I would recommend stocking up 3 different flavours to try. If you just wanna follow me, stock up on the Parmigiano Reggiano Cookies. There is even a 20+% discount if you are a member of the ONE°15 Marina!

Nuts about you: 2NutGuys

I might not have shared here, but my son loves his bread - fresh out the oven, toasted, he loves them all. Plain bread in my opinion is not very nutritious for a growing boy so I am always on the lookout for toast recipes or healthy spreads. 

When 2NutGuys asked if I was keen to try out kids-friendly nutty spread, I jumped at the opportunity. Mummies who have been through the weaning journey would know that these little ones can't take sugar before 1, so when I tested my kid for nut allergies, I used those from Scoop wholefood.  

The spread from  2NutGuys uses almond nuts which I find comparatively more moist and a lot yummier. However, in terms of price, it is slightly higher ($31.60 for 500g) than that at Scoop wholefood ($24.90 for 500g). .During my pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes (you can read about the diet here). My gynae then suggested sugarless nut spread (if I could take it). I didn't really bothered trying because I assumed I couldn't given my sweet tooth. 

It was only my boy came and I ate his leftovers that I realise that sugarless nut spreads were pretty delicious because of their natural aromatic oil. Also, they were very healthy. My son really loves them too, and I would recommend them if your kid loves eating bread.

Baby also tried out their macadamia nuts and walnuts. I like that it is resealable so it quite good for playdates. Baby shared it with his friend. As of now, he only has 8 teeth in total but he is such a foodie that he would grind bits and pieces with his front teeth. The other kid (who has a full set of teeth) and us mummies ate most of it because it is yummy and we have more teeth. Haha and also because I tend to restrict him from eating too much flavourful food in a day. 

Now, baby biscuits isn't as appealing to him because they taste rather plain so he craves more flavours. Personally, I prefer feeding my baby nuts and fruits because I think they are healthier and more natural. But that is me. 2NutGuys also has a laceration set for Mummies which I guess I will only review when we have a Baby #2 hehe. 

For Tea Lovers

Now that I have "expelled" my baby out of me and is no longer breastfeeding, I am back to drinking tea. I have always thought that all tea contains caffeine and so I stopped taking them during my pregnancy. After attending a masterclass for Haflong Tea, I realised that this was actually not true. There are some teas that have more caffeine content (good for perking up on a tired day) while others can have zero content!

I tried out the Personali-Tea Christmas and I have to say that I am quite blown over by their tea (and mind you I know my tea).  The packaging of the tea was also quite impeccable. My father even told me repeatedly he wants to box. And you know what, I want to keep the can. If everyone wants a piece of them, they make excellent gifts for closer friends and family (price range $20 to $30).

1. Safran Des Indes ( (S$20.99 for 15 bags)

This tea is absolutely caffeine free. Really suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers! Apart from the fact that it has zero caffeine, I was also enthralled by its mix. It had so many things in it- turmeric, orange peel, rosehips, blue corn flower and even blood orange. After tasting it, I realised it wasn't quite my thing. It does feels a bit like drinking chai.  Best brewed: 100 Deg for 2-3mins in a teacup

One thing you might note after trying Haflong Tea, is that each bag can last for multiple refills. I have this bad habit of using one tea bag for as long as half a day. Usually by the last few refills, I am basically drinking water. But with their tea bags, I can still taste a nice brew. Pretty crazy if you ask me. 

2. Spirito Di Vita (S$25.99 for 8 balls)

Based on my personality, this was the tea recommended for me. And I do love this tea. This tea taste of Jasmine (which is one of fav. teas by the way) and happens to bloom too! Taste-wise, I wasn't too excited about this because it sounded so normal as compared to the rest. After I tasted it, I am pretty sure this was one of the best jasmine tea I ever had. It was so fragrant!

On top of that, this is a flowering tea, which means that it will bloom in a teacup or a teapot. To see a full bloom (place it in a teapot at least 8cm tall). Each ball is basically made of a flower with leaves sewn onto it. This is not my first flowering tea, but it does bloom very beautifully. My son was mesmerised by it. Definitely a must try for those who have not experienced a flowering tea. Best brewed: 80-90 Deg

3. Kakao Kreme (S$20.99 for 15 bags)

This was one of the more exciting teas for me as well because I love tea and chocolate. So I had quite a bit of anticipation for this chocolate tea. Compared to the other teas, this tasted a lot more creamy and aromatic (possibly from the chocolate). It is actually my first time hearing/ trying a chocolate tea and I think it is pretty good. Don't think it will be just an one-off fad. 

This tea contains quite a bit of caffeine, so I drink it every now and then when I need a good perk during the day. Best brewed: 100 Deg for 2-3mins in a teacup. Hope our 3 reviews help you readers who are thinking of getting these pretty packages as a gift. Especially for WFH workers, these are great thoughtful gifts. 

The Happy Moo - Yummy Beef Jerkies

It has been a long time since I last tried beef jerkies. It is more of an ang-moh snack and we barely see any on our sunny shores. My impression of beef jerkies is that they are tough and are almost as difficult to bit through as nougats. I always wondered why people even love them. I reckon it must be because they are healthy snacks!

I had the opportunity to try the herd - Lemon Ponzu, Mala and Truffle ($45) from The Happy Moo. To be honest, I was really impressed with the taste. They were easy to bite through and being rather Asian, I thought they would go really well in my plain porridge. The one that blew me away totally was the Truffle (which can be bought on standalone basis at $17).

I figured I must have been exposed to badly made jerkies in my younger days or this has been marinated to suit our Asian taste buds. Out of curiosity, I researched a little more on these tasty snacks. So beef jerkies are basically dehydrated beef which are marinated. (The Happy Moo version probably taste more superior because they are slow-cooked). 

Online forums had some interesting questions on why beef jerkies were seemingly more expensive. (LOL!) Beef itself is generally one of the more expensive meats and a good cut would definitely cost more. I would have to say given the "stay-home-days, I have been plumping up quite a bit and guilt-free snacks (no fat, no carbs, no MSG) are definitely items that should go into my home pantry :P

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Note: Laptop is down, so posts won't be as frequent!

My Home Pantry: Feat. Mama Nougats

Whee~~ new stuff that you can load up in your home pantry. Quite honestly, I am pretty sian by now.  Can't wait for this Covid shit to be over. Even if it is over, we probably can't travel yet and I can be certain that all the travel funds would go into food/ snacks, so I thought this is a good time to do such reviews for the benefit of everyone)

I hope you guys like nougats cos I found a homemade place, Nougat Mama. These nougats are the soft, chewy type (like those I had in Taiwan) and is quite hard to find in Singapore. I tried out their signature and cranberry flavour.

It comes complete with the rice paper at just $9 per 100g. One thing I have realised about home bakers/ producers, their products are always packed with healthier ingredients. They don't stinge on quality for sure! Personally, I prefer the Cranberry nougats because they are sweeter and I like the contrasting flavour and fragrance between the nuts (almond and peanuts) and the cranberry.

If you are into a slightly more bitter taste of sesame, you might love the Signature. Apart from sesame, it contains walnuts, peantus and goji berries. Moving forward, the nougats will be packeted in really cute packaging and latest updates: they have free delivery till 13 June with no minimum spend, a great time to give it a try if you ask me...hehe

My Home Pantry: Feat. Lamby and Bunny

 Yea, my cookies came again and this time it sort of survived 2 days When I first told Lamby & Bunny I love their cookies, it seems they weren't too surprise because this is their best-selling item! It is $10 a bottle and comes sealed so it can last quite a while if you don't peel and take your first bite. It is made of reduced sugar so there ain't insanely sweet. You can taste some of the bitter cocoa.

They do corporate sales and bulk orders too so don't be too surprised if you receive them from me (if you are a friend) hehe on special occassions. This is actually my idea of a perfect cookie, which also explains why I try to support their business! :D (Read about my review on their brownies here!)

Also want to take the opportunity to share on their new launches! If you are into something savoury, try out the crunchy cornflakes($12)! It is Tom Yum flavoured and highly addictive. For people with a sweet-tooth, you might want to give the crunchy rolls (also $12) a go. I can't quite figure out what these rolls are made of but it received mixed reviews in the house. I like it, but the boys didn't...they thought the texture and taste wasn't something they are used to. 

Overall, these 2 items still can't beat the cookies (they are a signature for a reason). But if you wanna stock up your home pantry, these are still great snacks to add to the variety. Plus they are quite affordably priced. And if you use my quote "Chaa", you get to enjoy 10% OFF all munchies!

Sweet treats ft. Lamby & Bunny

Yum yum, letting you guys on a sweet treat heaven. I tried out their brownies and cookies (cookies review will come next!) and I was hooked. Be careful cos once you start you can't stop! This probably explains why I grew chubbier. It is always great to find delicious home bakeries because you know where to go to when you need to do some orders for a friend's birthday or xmas presents. 

No lard, no fats, no preservatives, your muslim friends can enjoy them too! Their sweet treats are also perfect for the dessert table (although it will take a while before I can throw a party for baby given the Covid siutation). #sad

The brownies are quite recently priced at 8 pcs for $25. You mix up to a maximum of 2 flavours. Get 2 boxes and you get to enjoy free delivery. There are a total of 5 flavours available, and here's my rankings:

• Maldon Sea Salt: This is my favourite. I love that it is both sweet and savoury, an awesome and unique combination!
• Fudgey Nutella: Very sinful! A must have if you want a thick chocolate sort of flavour. 
• Orginal Dark Choco: A less sinful version but as good as the fudgey nutella. 
• Sweet Biscoff: If you like the sweet biscoff like me, you would enjoy the flakey texture on top. 
• Choco Banana: This is the only one that I might give a pass, not really my thing

By right, if you refridgerate the brownies, you should heat it up before eating. I admit I was kinda of lazy, I didn't but it still taste great. Perhaps I should have ate that with a nice scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Decadent!

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For my readers only, quote "Chaa" and enjoy 10% OFF on all munchies from now to 30 May!