Mia Eats: Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai

 Hello, lovely readers! I realised that it's been eons since I've last done a non-sponsored food review post, which was actually the main push-factor that made me set up this blog back then. 

So now, let's do it again! 

-credits to Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai-

Located at level 1 of Great World City, it took us a few (wrong) turns before finding the restaurant, mostly because the mall is also undergoing some overhaul of their stores and trying to find your sense of direction when nearly every corner is hoarded up can be quite a challenge. 

Anyhow, we managed to find the restaurant without much fuss, and realised that they're full house on a Sunday night (around 7 plus, nearly 8pm). But table turnover also seems pretty quick, as we were seated after 15 minutes' wait, and the restaurant turned pretty empty while we were dining (around 830 ish pm). Haha, so if you want to skip the queue, you know what time to drop by. 

If you're curious, Nirai-Kanai refers to the God's world in the distance of the sea. And apparently, Okinawan cuisine is said to be healthy and good for beauty.... But I wanted to drop by and try them out only because I watched Senda Aisa's travel programme on Okinawa (her hometown). HAHAHA!

Anyhow, here's what we've tried out for the night. 

Okinawa Soup Noodle Set Meal - $16.50

The HB chose this set that comes with soup noodle with simmered pork belly, fried rice (not sure if it's mustard leaf or just garlic fried rice) and a cold tofu lookalike jelly dessert. 

I merely took a tiny taste test bite out of the soup noodles and fried rice, both of which were rather mildy flavoured, but still quite tasty if you're okay with mild flavours, in my opinion. Not a fan of the thick noodles though. The alkaline taste of the noodles, albeit not as full on as my much hated yellow noodles, was still too strong for me. It didn't help that the broth's flavour was on the mild side, hence it didn't do anything to cover the noodles' alkaline taste. HB is a fan of yellow noodles (don't ask me why anybody will like yellow noodles), so this dish was right up his alley. 

Stir fried Noodles with Kimuchi - $14.80

Yes, you got me. Whenever I see "kimchi" on the menu, I order. 

So simple. 

The noodles are wheat noodles, but extremely thin. So much so that it kind of resembles the mouthfeel of eating rice vermicelli (beehoon). Other than kimchi, there's also a generous portion of sliced cabbage and pork belly. I quite like the thin noodles, although the overall flavour of the dish was quite mild (not kimchi enough). There's a heaping amount of sliced cabbage too, but unfortunately they were left undercooked and crunchy instead of how I would love my cabbage, fully cooked down and soft. The amount of kimchi I found in the noodles were also quite little, hence the subtle kimchi taste. The pork belly slices were also very, very tough and with the porky smell, which the lack of kimchi taste has failed to mask over. 

So, it may sound a little weird. But I will be happier with the dish if there's no pork belly or crunchy cabbage added. I just need the noodles with kimchi! HEH!

Umi Budou (Green Caviar Seaweed) - $14

I was REALLY excited when I saw this on the menu. Well, because Senda Aisa introduced it on her show. 

But I was stumped when this tiny dish of "sea grapes" got served to our table. This friggin tiny dish of seaweed cost us $14++. The size of the dish is just slightly larger than the usual dipping sauce saucers. 

Taste wise, it's so underwhelming. It's really just the usual slight fishy-saltiness of seaweed, plus the slight popping sensation that is similar to eating tobikko (flying fish roe). 

I'll say, skip this please. Just try some out if you ever visit Okinawa. 

Chinpin (Brown Sugar Pancakes) - $9.80

A traditional Okinawan sweet snack, most people call this a pancake, but actually I would think it's more like a crepe instead. I was deciding between Sata Andagi (Okinawan Doughnuts) and this for dessert, and in the end chose this because I've never tried (nor heard of this) before. 

And I'm glad I did! Although Sata Andagi is also super yummy (not sure how Nirai-Kanai does theirs though), these are so.... moreish? 

The addictive chewiness of the crepe, paired with the delicious, rich sweetness of brown sugar and the "fun" of being able to unroll the pancake while eating it just made this the best after meal dessert, ever. It was served alongside a big heap of whipped cream, but you really don't need any of that. The taste of the pancake on its own should suffice to fix any sweet tooth cravings!

Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai is located at Great World City, #01-107/108 

For more information, visit their website HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Getting Ready for Christmas with Pine Concept [Advertorial]

As Christmas approaches us this year-end, we’re all searching for the perfect Christmas tree to celebrate this joyous occasion. Look no further because Pine Concept has got you covered. At Pine Concept, they provide top quality artificial Christmas Trees, Christmas Decorations and Christmas Ornaments. Not only does Pine Concept boast  remarkable realistic-looking Christmas Trees but it also offers affordable pricing so you don’t have to burn a hole in your wallet. With convenient delivery services, Pine Concept also ensures that your Christmas Tree purchase for this merry season will be smooth and unfussy. What’s even better is they’ve provided detailed steps on how to set up the tree. Pine Concepts ensures that all their products are carefully selected with care and attention to detail without falsifying the product. All of Pine Concept photos shown on their website are taken in their own studio with little to no edits to ensure that their actual products are not misleading. This promises the customer that they will receive only the best. Pine Concept is without a doubt one of the best places in Singapore to shop for your Christmas tree Singapore.

Christmas Tree Bundles

It's every household’s dream to celebrate Christmas with a smile on their face. Just picture your whole family sitting by the couch and singing Christmas carols together as you sit and take in the entirety of the Christmas Tree. Pine Concept offers a variety of Christmas Tree Bundles that suits your budget accordingly. EcoFir, is the most inexpensive and economical Christmas Tree designed  for every household. Firpact is another pencil shaped space-saving Christmas tree design - with this slim yet sophisticated Christmas Tree, it allows you to place it at any corner of  the house without having to worry about taking up too much space. Spend a jolly Christmas with your loved ones without worrying about burning a hole in your wallet.

If you’re looking for a cheaper option, the EcoFir 5Ft Christmas Tree Bundle is accompanied with 1 Feliz bauble of your choice, 1 Christmas Tree Topper and also 1 Led Lights which will only cost $87.90 - $90.90. However if money is not an issue, the Firneese 6 ft Christmas Tree Bundle is a hybrid white-green fir and possesses a cool theme which is perfect for a snowy atmosphere. This Christmas Tree Bundle is accompanied with 2 Feliz Baubles of your choice, 1 Christmas Tree Topper and also 2 Led Lights which will cost you about $282.90 -$286.90.

Durability

With Pine Concept, customers would not need to be concerned about their Christmas Tree potentially being obsolete. The greatest thing about Pine Concept Trees is that it's built to withstand the rough treatment from manhandling of the product. Pine Concept makes it a point to pay careful attention to the quality and longevity of their trees, unlike traditional Christmas trees that have to be discarded after every few years. By doing so, Pine Concept not only saves you the time and effort to find another tree every couple of years but also save you valuable time and money in the process.

Hyper Realistic Looking Trees

If you’ve always been skeptical about buying artificial trees, Pine Concept will discard all your worries. The reason why most people usually don't go for artificial trees is because they're afraid of a “plastic” and “false” look. This can be a potential source of concern for many decisions to get either traditional real christmas trees, or an artificial one. The unique darker shade of green used for Pine Concept Trees make them look more natural compared to the typical lighter shade of green commonly used for other artificial trees. The branches of the fake trees are usually packed with as many tips as possible, making the tree look fuller and grander. This will make it almost impossible to distinguish the difference between theirs and a live Christmas tree. With enough love, care and attention to detail, no one will be able to tell the difference between their artificial trees and a live one which they know is a cause of concern for many.

Best Sellers

1. Grandfeur - Premium Scotch Pine Artificial Christmas Tree. 

This is a classy version of a scotch pine Christmas Tree. This Christmas tree has such an awe-inspiring and elegant presence that it does not even require any Christmas decorations or ornaments for it to look good. With this tree, you will definitely receive multiple compliments from your guest. Estimated price $259.90 - $233.90.

2.    EcoFir- Douglas Fir Artificial Christmas Tree. 

EcoFir, is the most cost-saving and economical Christmas Tree designed for every household. The slim yet extravagant design allows you to place the tree in the tightest spots without breaking a sweat. Enjoy a jolly season without burning a hole in your wallet. Estimated price $43.90 - $62.90.

3. ImpeFir - Premium Grand Fir Artificial Christmas Tree. 

ImpeFir is Pine Concept's favourite Christmas Tree. Coated in an ultra dense dark green fir, almost no one can distinguish this from a real tree. Estimated price $62.90 - $107.90.

Affordable Pricing

A whole section of Pine Concept is devoted to providing customers with “wallet-friendly” trees. Pine Concept provides moderately priced trees without demolishing the quality of the trees. They believe that any home celebrating this joyous occasion should be celebrated with a Christmas tree without the need to worry about spending too much money. With prices going as low as $43.90, you can get a high-quality Christmas tree at an affordable price. 

Hassle-free Delivery

Pine Concept provides a trouble-free service by helping you pack your preferred tree for home transport and you can also opt for it to be shipped to your home. With 3 d different delivery methods and multiple delivery slots to choose from, you can choose the best timing according to  what you’d prefer. If you’re spending over $100, you can also enjoy a complimentary delivery. Make a trip down to the showroom if you want to see how it looks like in person, you can chat with the friendly staff stationed there and they’ll be sure to help. Pine Concept promises you that the product that you see online is as good as it looks on site.

Location: 85 Genting lane, #03-01B, Singapore 349569
Email: info@christmastrees.com.sg
Website: https://christmastrees.com.sg/
Operating hours: 10am - 6pm (Daily) | 24 hours for online purchase

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Steamboat King: Having your steamboat anytime, anywhere! [sponsored]

Have you ever had a sudden craving for steamboat, but just had to settle for just anything soupy because there's absolutely no time to go grocery shopping and finishing all the steamboat preparation works by the end of the day? 

Now, what if I'm telling you, you can get your steamboat lunch/dinner/supper (or even breakfast!) all setup and good to go in just ONE HOUR? 

I kid you not. With Steamboat King, you definitely can!

Rated as one of the Best 8 Steamboat Delivery in Singapore by BestInSingapore, Steamboat King provides an impressive service of a FREE 1-hour delivery islandwide, Steamboat King also carries portable accessories such as cookers and pots, making them your one-stop site to get literally everything you'll need to get your steamboat parties started in just ONE hour, ANYWHERE you fancy. 

With a team of brilliant chefs with over 30 years of culinary experiences, Steamboat King has put together winning recipes behind each of the 5 broths they're offering: Premium Collagen, Sichuan Mala, Tomato, Kimchi and Pork Tonkotsu

Steamboat Bundle B (3 - 4 pax) - $99 (Usual $129)

For just $99, we can get 4 portions of carbohydrates along with a selection of meat, seafood, vegetables and other frozen/processed food, along with 3 out of the 5 dipping sauces available on their menu. On top of that, there's also watermelon slices as dessert and a 1.5L bottled drink! 

You can also choose to get up to two of their complimentary 14cm portable stove sets!

For the broths, I went for kimchi and pork tonkotsu. And because my dad dislike kimchi (always saying it's smelly), we used the portable stove set for the kimchi broth and ended up only using half of the 1L pack (around 500ml?). My mum quite liked the kimchi broth too, and we saved up the broth to make kimchi soup a few days later. YUM! 

And now my mum keeps saying she want to buy their ala carte kimchi broth just to cook kimchi soup at home. HAHAHA!

The ingredients were all super fresh and well packed. Who would have thought that a steamboat meal at home can be such a fuss-free, open-and-eat kind of affair? 

One thing to note, the portable stove, although ridiculously cute, didn't really work that well. As I've mentioned earlier, we ended up using about only 500ml of the kimchi broth not only because the pot is really tiny, but also because you won't get the broth (and its content) to a boil at all. Not even a simmer. 

And as the broth came chilled, we had to heat the cold broth up in a pot over the hob before pouring the boiling broth into the portable stove pot. The broth only barely started simmering when we were nearing the end of our meal and burning out the 2nd pot of fuel. 

So if you're planning to hold a steamboat party outdoor, do considering getting a proper portable gas/induction cooker and pot or prepare your own cooker hobs and pots to heat up the broth instead of relying solely on the complimentary 14cm stove sets. 

And of course, if you're unwilling to be limited to their fixed choices in their bundle packages, you can always go for ala carte (from broths, to steamboat ingredients, right down to their carbohydrates and dipping sauces) ordering to get your ideal steamboat meal with all your favourite foods and flavours. 

For more information and ordering, visit Steamboat King's Facebook or website HERE 

Also, do check out BestInSingapore for more lists of the best of what Singapore has got to offer!

All food-styling photographs with credits to Owari Express Photography.

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mucota Omega & Mucota Infinia at Kudos by Headlines Hairdressing [Sponsored]

 If you've been following my blog and other random posts on my social media accounts, you should know that my frequent collaborations with Ken at Focus goes a long way back when I visited their Cuppage branch as a normal paying customer. 

Imagine my surprise when Ken told me, starting next month, November 2020, he will be moving over to Kudos by Headlines Hairdressing instead. 

Located at Hong Lim Complex, he's actually just shifted to the next building from where he's currently now  at (Chinatown Point). HAHA!

And so, other than snipping off a few more centimetres of my dry, scratchy hair ends and doing my usual Mucota Omega (hair rebonding) touch up, Ken also introduced the new (albeit, not THAT new, but still new to me) Mucota Infinia Hair Treatment. 

Touted as the number 1 anti-frizz hair treatment, Mucota Infinia is effective for highly damaged bleached hair, which tends to have cuticles that are wide open. Mucota Infinia contains acidic components that will help to close up the cuticles, hence making the hair soft and smooth again.

In addition, the treatment, although strong at repairing our hair from inside to ourside, is also lightweight and doesn't weigh the hair down. The treatment also takes considerably shorter time to complete, in less than an hour, with the effects lasting 4 to 6 weeks!

Unlike Mucota Scena, which comes in 3 or 5 steps, Mucota Infinia comes in either 3 (A, B, C) or 4 (additional S) steps. According to Ken, Mucota Infinia also contains less silicone, hence the treated hair may not feel as soft and silky smooth as compared to Mucota Scena. 

Yay to tidy, straight hair roots again! 

True enough, my hair felt a little stiffer compared to how it usually felt after doing Mucota Scena, but I love how quick Mucota Infinia takes, and still made my hair soft and smooth. It's been slightly more than 2 weeks since my hair appointment, and yet with daily washing, my hair still feels smooth to the touch!

Kudos by Headlines Hairdressing is now offering a 20% discount on all hair services to all first time customers. Otherwise, you can also quote "Mia Foo" to enjoy the same 20% discount promotion! 

Kudos by Headlines Hairdressing is located at 

531 Upper Cross Street, Hong Lim Complex #02-08

For more information and booking of appointments, check out their IG and FB page! 

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia Bakes: Mung Bean Cakes (绿豆糕)

挑战过了桂花糕，下一个就是你了 - 绿豆糕!

(After succeeding the Osmanthus Rice Cake, the next one shall be you - Mung Bean Cake!)

Initally, I bought a set of  the mooncake press-mould, thinking that perhaps I can have a try at making my own fusion mooncakes (eg. baked mooncake skin but with pineapple cake filling) this year, but the procrastination... 

Oh well, Mid-Autumn is long over, so let's make Mung Bean Cakes instead!

For 20 (33 - 35g) cakes, you'll need:

250g mung beans (dry, with skin)

35g unsalted butter

50g Gavia Sweetener (1:1 sugar replacement)

20g honey

15g full cream milk powder

a pinch of salt

(and ALOT of elbow grease)

recipe adapted from Amanda Tastes

The procedures to make this cake is really simple, just that you'll require a lot of elbow grease frying the mung bean puree into the cooked dough. But anyhow, let's get started!

To 250g of mung beans, add in some water to soak the beans for at least an hour or two, until the beans has expanded in size. Then, give the beans a good rinse and pour them into a pot. Add enough water just that all the beans are covered, and bring the water to a boil over high heat on the hob. Then, turn off the hob and leave the beans to "steam" in the covered pot for 15 to 20 minutes, before adding some more water (if it has dried up) and repeating the process (of heating until the water boils, turning off the heat, steaming the beans in the covered pot) for another 2 times, until the beans are thoroughly cooked through and soft. This trick will save you a lot of gas (or electricity, if you're using induction hob) and possibly some cooking time as well.

Do remember to not add too much water (just enough to cover the beans) while boiling them, if not your puree will end up extremely watery and you'll need longer frying time later on to reduce the puree into a dough. 

Pour the cooked beans and the remaining water into your food processor or blender, and blend into a fine puree. Do blend the beans for a while longer so as to better break down the skin. Otherwise, you can also remove the skin before cooking to get a smoother, finer cake texture. 

Then, pass the puree over a sieve and directly into a non-stick pan. You may also skip the sifting part if you do not mind a coarser mouth-feel in your cake. Also, if you've already removed the skin before cooking, sifting is also not required. 

To the puree, add in the butter, sugar, honey, milk powder and a pinch of salt. Then, start stirring the mixture NON-STOP over medium heat until most of the moisture in the puree has evaporated and the mixture will start to come together into a dough. 

Now, how long more to cook the mixture once they start to come together depends on how dry/moist you prefer your cake to be. But do note that if your dough is too moist, it's harder for the cake to take the shape of your mould, and if it's too dry, they'll crack easily. 

Transfer the hot dough into a clean bowl and cover with a cling wrap. Make sure that the cling wrap is touching the surface of the dough to prevent it from drying out. Then, leave it to cool/chill in the fridge. Once the dough has cooled down, it's time to start shaping! First, divide your dough into equal portion sizes and roll them into balls. You can do this by first weighing the total weight of your dough and dividing it by how many pieces you wish to get. Just make sure that the size of your dough ball doesn't exceed the capacity of your mould press (mine is a 50g mooncake mould press). 

Then, oil your mould press to prevent sticking, and start pressing away! 

Tadaa~

I'll probably increase the amount of sugar the next time I attempt this, as this batch has an extremely obvious "low-sugar" taste. HAHAHA! 

Taste wise, due to the very subtle sweetness, the mung bean flavour is very prominent. My dad actually asked that I try covering some in flour batter and deep-fry them, saying it'll taste just like Kuih Kasturi (the mung bean fritters selling at most Goreng Pisang stalls). 

 HAHAHA!

Till then,

Mia Foo

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BestInSingapore's Shepherd Pie's Delivery [Sponsored]

 

Sometime last year, I've mentioned about trying the yummy chicken shepherd's pies from Shepherd's Pie Singapore. Back them, they only had beef and chicken shepherd's pies available on their menu and now I'm happy to find out that they've expanded their menu (mac 'n' cheese, pasta, lasagna, burgers)! 
Not only that, but they're also rated as one of the best 5 pie delivery in Singapore by BestInSingapore! 

And to comfortably feed 5 adults for lunch (although I have to say my mum's appetite is more like a bird), I got a medium lasagna and a massive mac 'n' cheese shepherd's pie! 
First up, this time round the delivery was actually delayed by 45 minutes and the food just mere lukewarm. But it's probably due to the crazy downpour happening right at the hour of my stipulated delivery time; so can't blame them either. It's more of my lack of luck, I reckon. 

Mac 'n' Cheese Black Pepper Chicken Shepherd's Pie (Massive-800g) - $29.90

Why choose between the creamy goodness of cheese and the spicy kick of black pepper, when you can have both with our new Mac ‘n’ Cheese Black Pepper Chicken Shepherd’s Pie! Delicious Chicken Mac n Cheese with a generous serving of cheese and our special Black Pepper gravy. If you’re craving for some Mac n Cheese with Black Pepper Chicken, you can’t go wrong with this!

As compared to their standard Shepherd's Pie (which has a layer of baked mashed potatoes), the Mac 'n' Cheese Shepherd's Pie comes with a top layer of Mac 'n' Cheese (duh?!) instead. However, as mentioned earlier, the food came merely lukewarm, hence the cheese has considerably harden up when we tucked into the food, which was definitely a shame! And they're actually also rather generous with the cheese, so we really had some slicing work to do with a sharp knife to cut up the solidified melted cheese. 

The harden mac 'n' cheese aside, the black pepper chicken filling was so good! Instead of minced chicken they've previously used in the standard Shepherd's pies, this time round it was big chunks of well flavoured chicken meat! Love the savoury and subtle spicy kick of the black pepper, which definitely cuts through the heaviness (and would-have-been) creaminess (if the cheese was still melty) of the Mac 'n' Cheese to make you want to go for seconds. 

If you're a fan of Mac 'n' Cheese, and at the same time, want something meaty to "complete your meal", then this is your jam! 

ORDERED: Sienna's Traditional Lasagna (Spinach, Ricotta - Vegetarian Friendly) (Medium) - $25.90

DELIVERED: Pia's Homemade Lasagna (Medium) 

WITH BEEF & NOT VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY 

Sigh.... I was quite stumped for words this time round. My family and I (except for my HB) do not eat beef due to religion, hence I chose the vegetarian friendly version of their lasagna. But it ended up being OOS on my stipulated delivery date and they sent the BEEF VERSION without informing on the order being OOS and checking with us if it's okay to switch to the beef version. 

My parents actually ate the lasagna, thinking it's 'minced mock meat' and I dare not tell them the truth after finding out that they've actually sent us beef. *facepalm*

I can only say, the ignorant is not guilty. :(

To check out Shepherd's Pie Delivery expanded menu, visit their website HERE

Also, do check out BestInSingapore for more lists of the best of what Singapore has got to offer!

All food-styling photographs with credits to Owari Photography 

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia Bakes: Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

 

And so, after using unsweeten applesauce in my protein pancakes for nearly forever, I decided to try using mashed pumpkins instead when I realised my neglected half of a butternut pumpkin is nearing the end of its shelf life.
Will it work? Let's find out! 

For 1 serving of 5-6 small pancakes, you'll need:

25g whey protein powder (I'm using My Protein Impact Whey Isolate)
10g oat flour 
18g oat fibre (about 2 tbsps)
120g raw pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

First, wash your pumpkin clean and cut into thin slices. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes until it's fully cooked through and mash it up with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Crack your egg into a small bowl and separate your egg yolk and white. Place the egg yolk in a large bowl and add in the cooled, mashed pumpkin. Mix thoroughly to combine. Then, add in all the other dry ingredients (if your protein powder is not flavoured, add in 1 to 2 tsp of sugar to taste) and mix until just combined. 
Lastly, add in the egg whites and lightly stir until there's no more obvious snotty gloops of the egg whites. This trick is to ensure that you get thick and fluffy pancakes!

Cook the pancakes over medium heat on a lightly greased non-stick pan. Always remember to wipe away all excess oils on the pan before you spoon in your pancake batter to get a pretty, evenly browned surface on your pancakes. Cook for roughly 3 to 4 minutes on one side, until bubbles start to appear on the surface, before flipping it over. Then, cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the surface springs back when you press down on it, indicating that it's fully cooked through. 
Pancakes made from whey protein tends to be rather dry, so always make sure to not overcook them. If not, you'll end up with a stack of cardboard. 

And tadaa~ These pancakes are thicc! 

As compared to the applesauce version, these pancakes are significantly denser, slightly mushier, and has a subtle pumpkin sweetness to it. Not exactly the best stack of protein pancakes, but it'll do when I run out of applesauce or when I need to finish up my half-eaten pumpkins!

Till then,

Mia Foo

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My Humble Journey: Replacing Disposables with Reusables

 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. 
As per the solid waste reduction hierarchy, it's always best to reduce first, reuse as a second option, and then recycling as the last resort. 
We're slowly poisoning the planet with our undesirable, wasteful habits. There are five trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Dead zones are expanding. And by 2040, our environmentally destructive habits will put the Mother Earth on an altered course of history that she won't be able to turn back from. 

Couple of years back, our family very belated starting our 3Rs journey, but mainly stuck to recycling (always separating recyclable wastes from non-recyclables) and reducing (albeit for more the cost factor). And while my family's current participation rate of reuse is still stuck at my mum's prized collection of tupperwares, lock n lock, random 1.5L ice cream plastic containers, glass jam jars, and a never-ending supply of plastic carriers to be used as rubbish bags, I've actually went on to explore further on this 2nd "R" that has been very much neglected all these years. 

So here's my humble list of items that I've made the switch from disposables to reusables (and loving it!). I'm not going to show the photos of my actual stuff, because.... well, you'll see. 

1. Water Bottles

Using a water bottle is probably our very first step into adopting an environmentally friendly lifestyle (of reusing), albeit we all probably started off by trying to reuse the disposable plastic (PET) bottles until research studies started telling us not to (as they may leach toxic chemicals and DEHP). 

-credits to water bobble-

Out of so many brands of water bottles I've used all these years, my favourite is probably water bobble, not really for the personal water filter feature, but for the overall lightweight and simple yet ergonomic design of the bottle. Although not very easy to clean, I'll still prefer my water bottle to have an easy-to-drink suction screw on cap instead of having to screw the lid open and drink from the rim like a cup. The former type is so much easier on my water breaks in the gym!

2. Lunch Boxes

As I always pack my breakfast (pre-intermittent fasting days) mid-day snack and part of my lunch (the starchy carbs) to work, imagine how much plastic waste I'll be generating if I didn't choose to use reusable lunch boxes. Will definitely prefer these boxes with separated compartments for my used-to-be-breakfast-and-now-afternoon-snack, which typically consist of either a hardboiled egg, weetbix biscuit and fresh fruits, or a PB&J sandwich with fresh fruits. Having mushy weetbix biscuits due to moisture from the fresh fruit is a definite turn-off for me. I love my weetbix absolutely DRY and CRISPY. 

As for the starchy carbs (typically brown rice or sweet potatoes, but sometimes quinoa or multigrains too) for lunch, I will prefer to keep them in a food jar tumbler instead. It doesn't really keep them warm until my lunchtime, and I don't need my complex carbs to be warm either (eating your starchy carbs cold increases the resistance starch). It's more for the ease to carry it out for lunch that matters. 

3. Reusable Grocery Bags

I got my first reusable grocery bag from my mum (when she received a few during Teacher's Day) a couple of years back and it has been in my bag ever since, where ever I go. The few times I've accepted a plastic bag for my purchase was because I went totally crazy with snacks-shopping and my purchases can't fit into my reusable bag. HAHA!

But I have to say, our eco-friendly culture/awareness is really not there yet. Many times, I need to specially request (and strongly insist) that the cashier place ALL my purchases (regardless "dry" or "wet") into my grocery bag, and some of them even insist on placing the "wet" stuff in their plastic bag before putting it into my grocery bag. *facepalm*

4. Coffee Cups/Tumblers

I used to get a cuppa kopi-c kosong from Toast Box every single working morning, until the kopi xiaodi (I reckon he is at least a couple years younger than me?) will automatically proceed to prepare a cuppa kopi-c kosong the very moment he sees me stepping into Toast Box, just in time to place it right in front of me on the counter, sometimes even before I made my order. 

Yeah, quick service is definitely an understatement here. 

Do you know that the take-out paper cups are not recyclable due to the plastic lining added? So, to all you fellow coffee addicts out there, it's really high time you bring-your-own-cup when getting your daily coffee-to-go. 

5. Metal Straws

I don't think I need to tell you anymore about the notoriety of plastic straws. There's a few types of reusable straws in the market right now. Metal, glass, silicone and tritan. Apparently, tritan tends to get cloudy upon frequent contact with citrusy drinks, so if you're an orange juice lover, you might want to consider other materials instead.  

6. Cloth Pads & Period Underwears
(the reason why I'm not showing actual photos. HAHAHA!)

-credits to modibodi-

-credits to thinx-

I own a few pairs of thinx and modibodi, and while I can't really feel much difference between the two, in terms of their function as a "sanitary pad" (eg, quick absorption, odour control etc), I do prefer Thinx over Modibodi as the former somehow fits better and is more comfortable to wear. 
However, there's always a fear of leaking due to heavy flow (we can't possible bring another piece of underwear out and change out of a used pair, right?), which got me exploring cloth pads! 

As cloth pads do not rely on adhesive material to stay on our underwear, I will not fear damaging my (not very cheap) period underwears if I choose to "layer on" an extra protection on my heavy flow days. But after switching to working from home, I've tried relying on just one heavy/overnight flow underwear for the entire day and they actually hold up! 

Contrary to popular beliefs, keeping your used cloth pads sitting around in your bag for half the day will NOT stink out your bag because the used pad typically will not emit the horrible "period blood" stink like those disposable pads do. Apparently, it's the material of those disposable pads that develop the smell upon long hours of contact with our period blood, so do not worry about experiencing the same with cloth pads! However, do expect some smell (though not as bad as disposable pads when worn for the same time) from the period underwear due to much longer hours of wearing (eg. mixing in with perspiration etc). 

7. Food Grade Silicone Covers
(Reusable "Cling Wrap")

This is something that my mum and I has abandoned after trying out a set I've purchased on taobao. Not exactly sure if it's because I chose a badly made one, or are they just not supposed to easily fit all sorts of bowls/containers like cling wrap does.

If you've a set that works well (eg. really do stretch out over the bowls easily), do let me know in the comment section below! 

8. Reusable Cotton Pads/Facial Puffs

Initially, I just chose to stop using cotton pads to put on toner, using my hands instead. That kinda worked out fine, until I switched to micellar water (from Pond's Cold Cream) as my make up remover. It's IMPOSSIBLE to use micellar water make up remover without a cotton pad, and that's when I decided to get one. I actually chose the fluffy facial puff (1st picture), not because they look prettier, but they can also double up as a face cleansing "brush" in the showers. And with a hanging hook already sewn into the side of the puffs, air-drying them out is so much easier compared to the smaller cotton pads. 

And so, here's the 8 (or 7, actually) things that my family and I have (almost) completely switched out from disposables.

How about you?

Till then,

Mia Foo

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