Friday 21 December 2012

[SPONSORED] SMOOTHIE KING - ANYTHING LESS IS JUST JUICE



It has been an honored to be able to attend Smoothie King’s pre-launch events held at their very first branch in Singapore – Centrepoint! And it’s all thanks for Nuffnang for their invites and loves for our fellow G+ members!

Smoothie King is almost 40 years old already, surprised? They have been very popular among the Westerns and it’s time to spread some love over here to Singapore. I’ve actually asked if they plan to open more since I think they are doing real well and they said they are intending to open 10 additional Smoothie King’s branches all over Singapore by end of 2013. I can’t wait for Smoothie King to be opened in the West area, best for people like me who are in diet but having strong craving for some icy and sweet smoothie with low calories.

Why Smoothie King?  You would ask, but I would say why not?
A Smoothie King’s nutritional smoothie is the most delicious drink available on the market. Cool, thick and creamy – Smoothie King’s smoothies are custom-blended with all natural ingredients, including real fruits and juice, making them a nutritious and convenient alternative to fast food. They are available in many choices to suit a wide variety of nutritional needs, whether your goal is to maintain your weight, trim down, build up or find just snacks and drinks that are good for you. And here, Smoothie King has smoothies for you.

Taking Pictures before the Event Offically Started
Finally event started, if not I have no idea how many million photos we're gonna take there.
It started with the speech of their CEO Wan Kim, about how he brought Smoothie King into Singapore, if you didn't realize actually he's a Korean~
And FOOOOOOOD TIME! I've been waiting for very long for it though. /DROOL
STRAWBERRY X-TREME
Dangerously delicious, bodacious and bold
Filled with Strawberries and Soy Protein/
It's only a mere 146 Calories!
Credit to KaMan
MANGO FESTIVAL - TOP
A rich tropical fruit taste with a variety of health benefits
Blended with Mangos, Electrolytes, Soy Proteins

ALMOND BANANA - LEFT
The perfect smoothie to fight hunger cravings
Mixed with Banana, Almond, Vanilla Protein, Whey Protein

ANGEL FOOD
Fanastic, low fat, creamy blend of bananas and strawberries
Combination of Banana, Strawberries, Non-fat Milk, Soy Protein

And my favorite would definitely be their Strawberry X-Treme! I'm a strawberry lover and I think it totally conquer my taste-bud. It's fresh, sweet with a tingy sour tasted, you can even taste the small small seedy bits of strawberry. It's refreshing when drank, it won't make me feel thirsty or so sweet that it's making my mouth sticky, so I totally love this masterpiece creation.

Camwhore while waiting for other food to be served
 Okay FYI, Smoothie King does not only sell Smoothie, they sell Salad and Wraps too!
Citrus Walnut Salad
When Fruits Meet Veggie, a combination of fresh and juicy is created.
 Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breast Wrap
I'm not a lover of vegetables to be honest, but this wrap is so good that I don't really care anymore and finished it! The chicken is tender and sauce is nice that it actually overpowered the vegetables! Double thumbsup for this dish.
 Last but not least, Tomato and Mozzarella Taco Wrap
This time round, I only ate the cheese and the taco skin but it's quite good on it's own as well. Not a fan of tomato.
Oh man, how am I going to lose weight like this ):
And there's a lucky draw that day.
Winner get to bring 20 of their followers to Smoothie King Party!
Congrats KaMan for winning! I wonder if it's because she's lucky or because she kept asking the guy to draw white color card or maybe the guy is interested in her because he keep coming to our table to talk!

Mingling Session!
My Favourite Photo!
From Left - Right
ME! (:

Lastly,
I LOVE SMOOTHIE KING <3
SMOOTHIE KING
The Centrepoint
176 Orchard Road, Singapore 238843
#01-09/10/11
It's right outside Robinsons, located at where Hagan Daaz used to be

For more info, head over to their website!
&
Website: https://www.smoothieking.com/

GIVEAWAY TIME!
Credit to Hui Zi
I've got 5 more Smoothie King 1-1 Vouchers to be given out.
Simply leave down your comment in this post with your email address!
First 5 who leave their comments get it!
It's valid until 28th Feb (:

Monday 3 December 2012

[Baking] Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

It's me and ❤'s 4th Monthsary and I decided to bake again since I've cancelled my job on Sat.
This time I decided to try making lava cake because it's my favourite! I saw recipe of lava cake on Openrice Singapore website and I triggered my interest and began to research on the best and easiest recipe.
Ever wonder how lava cakes are made? How the chocolate ooze out from the inner while the outer is like a perfect chocolate cake? Well, maybe after reading further your questions would be answered.
MOLTEN LAVA CAKE RECIPE - Adapted from HERE
Preparation Time: 15min
Baking Time: 30min
Total Time: 45min

Ingredient (A): (Melt)
Baking Chocolate - 100g (I used Van Houten's Baking Choco) 
Unsalted Butter - 100g (UNSALTED AH, DON'T GEK KIANG USE SALTED ONE)

Ingredient (B): (Mix)
Eggs - 2
Caster Sugar - 50g

Ingredient (C):
Self-raising Flour - 20g

Optional: Deco
Icing Sugar
Strawberry
Ice-cream

This Serves Up to 4Pax.

Step 1: Melt the Chocolate and Butter 
Melt it in a bowl using microwave, double boiler, water bath but do not try to melt it over heat because it'll get burnt easily, and it's going to waste money and your time cleaning up.
I melted mine using microwave for around 10minutes or so.
Step 2: Whisk up Ingredient (B)
In the meanwhile, use an electric whisk, or by hand to beat the Eggs and Sugar till the mixture turns pale and frothy. Sadly I've no electric whisk so I've to beat it manually and I looks like this, not bad right.
Step 3: Mix Ingredient (A) + (B) + (C)
Mix your melted Butter & Chocolate, whisked Egg and Sugar, together with Flour. Mix it well till it become thick liquid.
Step 4: Grease your Ramekins w Butter
Grease it well with butter to prevent sticking
 
Step 5: Fill The Ramekins 3/4 Full & Bake It
It will raise a little when baked as there is self raising flour in it, therefore don't fill it to the brim.
Baked it in a preheated oven of 180C (356F) for about 10 minutes.
 
Step 6: Decorate it ~
Sprinkle some sugar, deco with some strawberry or even top up your favourite ice-cream and TADAH, this wonderful little creation is done!
Something to take note of:
Do not over-bake it if you want to see chocolate oozing out from the inner, try to keep it at 10minutes. If not it will turn out to be a super moist chocolate cake instead of lava cake. But either way both tasted nice! I tried two batch, one turned out to be great while another over-baked and the inner turns out to be moist without oozing chocolates ): So be real careful.

For more inquiries, feel free to ask me about it through my email or comment box!
I would be more than willing to answer your questions regarding baking.
If y'all got any awesome recipe, do share with me too!
xoxo (:

Sunday 25 November 2012

[REVIEW] NOOK - D.I.Y House of Pancakes

 NOOK is Singapore's very first D.I.Y concept for pancakes! Having their own tagline of:
"Be a Pancake stylist at Nook.
Create your own Pancake art."
They are able to capture customers with their innovative and yet interactive concept of designing their own pancakes. Instead of having the old school kind of round pancake, you're free to design any picture, shapes you like! Everyone can design and create their pancakes with the myriad of toppings and sides available, with only the freshest ingredients.
HOW FUN CAN THAT BE?!

I went to NOOK along with Cherie & my niece because I've managed to grab their student offer on Facebook. The offer I gotten entitles me & my friends for Eat-All-You-Can NOOK Pancakes Buffet with unlimited topping with just $10!
It's seriously an awesome deal, because normally pancakes and two toppings would cost around $25 for two person, and now we can get unlimited topping with just $10.
The place is considered somewhere I would hang around, but I still took me sometime to find it because it's located quite inside of the alley. & we're like the only customers for the day at 3pm, maybe because it's weekday. After settling down and ordered drinks it's time to CHIONG AHZXZXZXZXZXZ!

It's all our first time experiencing D.I.Y Pancakes, and we're super duper excited, not knowing how to do what to do. I've seen many nice designs created by other customers but somehow rather my creative brain juice seems to die out when we stepped in.
Look at some of the awesome designs done by others!
And then you look at us, my 'best' masterpiece. Look at the amount that was ruined, had some difficulties stuffing everything down. & also our 9-layered pancakes with toppings! (:
I was thinking how the hell people do until so nice while mine is like crap ._.WHY?!
I think we've bad control over the fire, sometimes too big sometimes too small, cannot just nice one!
 I forgot to mention they actually have different flavours batter and that explains the colorful pancakes we are having.
In fact it's not just all, they have even more stuffs in their menu where you can take a look and try it out, including their toast and omelette

PANCAKE BATTER FLAVOURS
Original Buttermilk (Natural)
Asian Pandan (Green)
Dark Chocolate (Dark Brown)
Funky Banana (Yellow)
Strawberry Farm (Pink)

SWEET TOPPINGS
Apple Sliders • Banana Slices • Blueberries • Caramelized Apples • Cheddar Cheese Chocolate Chips Cream Cheese Granola • Chocolate Sauce • M&M’s
Mini Marshmallows • Oreo Chunks • Peach Slices • Peanut Butter Pecans
Rainbow Sprinkles • Snicker’s Pieces • Strawberries • Strawberry Compote • Walnuts  Ice Cream

ADDITIONAL SIDES
Bacon Slices • Caramelized Onions • Country Potatoes • Eggs (Scrambled/Sunny sideup) Gourmet Sausage• Grilled Tomatoes • Hash Brown Honey Baked Ham • Mash Potato Red Beans • Sauteed Mushrooms • Smoked Salmon • Spinach

Even though it's just 3 hours, but we have plenty fun right here! To be honest, I think designing is quite fun but the end of the day we wasted quite alot of batter because we play so much but we eat so little. Look at us cam-whoring (This is less than half amount of photo we took, some were too unglam that Cherie refuse to upload ):) & our wastage of food.
Ending the post with the happiest girl of the day - Cherie <3 & US!

Nook - D.I.Y House of Pancake
Bukit Timah, 21 Lorong Kilat #01-03 Singapore 598123
Operating Hours:
Tuesday to Friday, 12pm - 10pm
Saturday, 10am - 10pm
Sunday, 10am - 7pm

Nearest MRTs: Clementi or Bukit Batok
Take 52, 184 or 173 from Clementi MRT .
Take 61, 66, 77, 157, 174 from Bukit Batok MRT
Visit NOOK or their Facebook for more info or updates! (: