Overnight Non-cook Rolled Oats (Banana-Chocolate)

Had heard my friend, Qiuling, mentioned a lot about her healthy recipes of overnight non-cooked rolled oats and salads.

Had wanted to start my own healthy recipes too. But had been 'lazy'... 

Finally I felt that I had enough of my 'laziness' and decided to put my thoughts into actions... 

I googled various yummy recipes and decided to adapt and come out with my own. 

I am starting off with something 'not so healthy' this round... 

Step 1: Lay out the ingredients you want to use. 

As I had been feasting too much lately during breakfast and lunch, I knew cutting off my carbo suddenly will drive me crazy. Hence I am starting with fruits with higher sugar content eg. Banana. Next time, I will use blue berry or strawberry instead.

I fell in love with non-fat and non-sugar yoghurt since my weight loss regime and would stick to it. Alternatively you can try Greek yoghurt too. 

I didn't have plain milk at home so I used the mini milo packet instead. U can also try using almond milk, soya milk or juices too if you are lactose detolerance. 

Oh yes, you need to get a glass bottle with either plastic or metal cap. I didn't have a plastic cap bottle so I recycled my salsa sauce glass bottle. The size of the bottle looks just nice (about 200-400ml),

I used whole rolled oats instead of steel cut oats coz I heard C said it's better. 

Step 2: Scoop your choice of rolled oats into the glass bottle. 

You decide how much you want to eat. But try to keep it to 1/3 of the bottle if you have lots of ingredients. I was too greedy and filled to half the bottle and ended up it's right to the brim now. However if you only have milo/Choco milk, rolled oats and yoghurt then you can have more oats. 

Step 3: Pour in the milo and yoghurt, then shake the bottle. 

You can decide not to shake the bottle too. See how pretty it looks if you don't shake it. 

Step 4: Mash half the banana and Cut half the banana. 

C taught me to create two different texture of banana. But you can either mash all up or just cut all up and stir evenly. 

You can also use other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, oranges etc. I even saw people using cut pumpkin too. Some put ieftover cheesecake, ice cream or cakes in too. 

Tomorrow morning (23 Oct) I will add in the sunflower seeds to complete the meal, you can also add in other types of nuts eg. Peanuts bits, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, almond flakes or chia seeds. Chia seed is new favorite but very expensive, about $10 per packet. But heard it's very nutritious.

Post Note: 

Ended up I didn't added in sunflower seeds coz the oats turned out to be very rich in taste. 

Yummy yummy filling breakfast! Will try other flavours next round! 

Try to make one for yourself someday too! 

Jelly-Making Day with Jamie!

It's a rare mid week public holidays and we wanted to do something "special" together!

Hmmm.. I know she wants to make pancake or do pancakes together. However, we do not have an conventional oven nor any pancake ingredients.

Dug through the kitchen cabinets and found a packet of jelly powder.

Jamie was really excited and kept saying "Mummy, this is my first time making jelly together with you!"

She smiled happily as she assisted in the making..

Step 1: Pour in the Powder

Step 2: Pour in 1000-1250ml of water slowly and stir the mixture until powder is dissolved

Haha.. After this step Jamie ran off to "rest" and I completed the rest of the steps. 

Step 3: Boil the mixture at high flame until boil. Then boil for another 3min in low flame. Off the stove.

Step 4: Add in Malic Acid and stir evenly. 

Step 5: Pour the warm mixture into smaller containers. 

Step 6: Cool down mixture and put in fridge. Ready to eat in 3hrs time!

Happy Jamie and her Jelly!!! 

Jamie 5th Party - Countdown

Recently, I really don't feel like blogging. Somehow I feel what's the point of voicing out when no one really bothers to listen. I was really hurt and down...

But nevermind, the bad times are over!

The good time is here! 明天会更好！I believe I will gradually recover and to trust people again ^^

And now is the celebration seasons! It's just few weeks more to my princess, Jamie's birthday! 

My parties used to be planned at least two months ahead. But I am late AGAIN this year! But guess I am so used to doing things within tight schedules these days that I am not feeling as stressed. 

Like what Jamie always sings:

"Let it go.. Let it go..."

We have to let certain insignificant stuff go when planning important events. What's really important when planning events is to ensure your objective(s) are met. For birthday parties, the key objective is that the birthday girl/boy must be HAPPY! 

I used to be worried whether my adult guests would be happy or comfy too. Well, I slowly realized that anything/everything that makes children happy, sometimes simply inconvenient and or even upset adults. 

But I still believe there is a way to compromise somehow. One way is to be sincere and tell my friends (without kids or with too young kids) about my challenges and 1) hope they understand 2) excuse them for eventually deciding not to attend the party. 

Like one friend always says, those who want to come will come, no matter how inconvenient the venue/arrangement is. Those who don't want to come, won't come no matter how much compromises you make to please them... So true...

This year, we decided to try a different party concept. Over the last five years, we tried chalet twice, once at my bro's condo function room and once at my Punggol place. All were located in indoor pre-booked areas. It was easier to book catering and plan the programme. 

However, this year we will be having a 'free and easy' birthday celebration at Port of the Lost Wonder, Sentosa (POLW).

We were struggling with the option whether to book the party package (inclusive of a party tentage, simple deco, simple invitation cards and entry & food for 15 kids) OR to depend on our luck and walk-in to get space at the restaurant to do cake cutting and simple dinner/teabreak reception. 

We even did our reccee at the POLW before we confirm our decision. The only available party tentage (Party Cove) was not very impressive and we saw many adult guests left standing, though the party coordinator tried to provide more seats. But I think the party tentage was far to small to accommodate seats for 15 children and 15 pairs of parents. We saw a very bad review on this party tentage but we also saw it for ourselves too on last Saturday.

There is another party tentage which was big and able to take 20-30 kids and the adults too. But 1) it was booked for another birthday party on 9 Nov already, 2) it was quite far from the action (water play area.

Party Cove 

Celebration Island 

We compared it to the Port Belly restaurant which has a open but sheltered seating and an indoor air-con seating. The staff were not very friendly nor helpful and said we cannot make reservation in advance to use the place as there is only one restaurant in the whole of POLW. We were not upset because the party coordinator had told me the same piece of information prior to my reccee. But we thought they were really inflexible because we are willing to pay a deposit to make reservation. Well, rules are rules I guess? 

Picnic Area

We saw some picnic spots too where my guests can just sit around. But we are concerned of the insects and wet weather...

Too much uncertainty so dropped the idea of picnic...

Port Belly

Likely we will just have to walk-in earlier to chop the place for cake cutting and refreshments before or after the water play. Well, I haven't really sort this part out... From my experience on Saturday, not only the kids were shagged but we were shagged after two hours of water play! And seriously the weather was not even hot! 

So I am considering whether to do the cake cutting and tea reception before the water play starts, so 1) everyone looks good and fresh on the photos, 2) those who needs to leave earlier can leave earlier...since it will be a party on a Sunday afternoon. 

Sounds good eh? 

Hahaha.. Let this idea stays in my mind till the end of the weekend and see if I come up with better idea! 

See how happy my J&J were last Saturday!!! Hope they are even happier on 9 Nov!!! 

Happy Children!

Oh Yes! I must really compliment the ticketing staff!! They were so patient in explaining how advanced ticket booking works and even gave Mickey an adult's wristband! See how happy Jamie is! Finally someone else understand how she treats Mickey as a 'friend', not a toy! 

Happy Parents!!!

Yummy Food from Port Belly

Stay Tune for a Birthday Party Review after 9 Nov 2014

Birthday cake and Party theme 

Oh yes! How can we have a birthday party without a theme and birthday cake. 

Jamie had wanted a mermaid party but since there will be a significant number of boys at the party, I think these little boys will definitely be turned off with this theme. So I explained and convinced Jamie we should not choose an exclusive theme. Jamie was happy to have the Mermaid and Pirates theme instead.

We chose the cake and placed our order already too! This year the options are few but I was so happy Jamie found exactly wanted she wanted - Mermaid theme.

No, I am really excited to share the photo of the sample design of the cake but No, we will wait till her birthday then I take photos of the actual cake. Hehe...

Meantime will crack my head on the logistics and details