Young Living Silver Retreat - Croatia (Day 1)

14th June 2023

Taken from atop the Walls of Dubrovnik

It has been long since I posted any new logs in this blog of mine and many things had happened, both exciting and downright depressing. However, I think it will be good to start somewhere regardless of where I had stopped. 

To kickstart the blogging, I would like to document my family's trip to Croatia to participate in Young Living's Silver Retreat (achiever retreat by an MLM company). Croatia has long been in my bucket list and I had included it in my itinerary for my project WWWT - a 2-months travel odyssey that my family had undertaken where we visited 13 countries over a period of 72 days! Alas, the Croatia leg was unceremoniously cut short due to a mishap that involves the rupturing of ligament. However, this has been redeemed through the company sponsored trip in 2023. What are the odds of that?

Wicked Homemade Meatball Marinara. Its the Bomb!

Meatball marinara spagetti - This is one of my favorite go-to recipe when I have guests coming over or when I can find cheap minced beef for a satisfying meal. Although the meatball are delicious on their own, I find they are best when they are braised in a delicious overnight homemade marinara sauce. I have served this dish with Spagetti but you may also serves it with other type of pastas, bread or on its very own.

Tempura Moriawase with Umami Sweet Sauce

Don't we all love tempura? The crispy texture when you sink your teeth into one of those morsels. The delicious dipping sauce that was served with it. The only thing that I ever hated about tempura is that they are so delicious I need to spend a lot of money to eat such quantity that actually satisfies me!  So what if you can make equally delicious tempura at home at a fraction of that cost? Go get your ingredients and let's eat tempura!

Fool-Proof Method to Rid Hands of Odor/Smell

How many of you have had the experience of staining your hands and fingers with food smell that resulted from handling pungent food or fruits? Yes, we are talking about Durian, Fish, Garlic, Onion and

Demo Class in YL SG Office: Peppermint infused Chocolate Fondue

Chocolate and Peppermint has been a classic pairing for centuries so its a no brainer for coming up with this recipe when Young Living Singapore has released the Plus Peppermint Essential Oil to the public. I loved liquid chocolate but the problem is, I also have a sensitive throat that will bail on me whenever I eat "heaty" food especially one rich in Chocolate or melted butter. So with this recipe, the peppermint balanced out the heatiness from the chocolate and I have swap the melted butter with coconut cream and warm milk with milk. The end results is a delicious liquid chocolate that will not only not resulted in heatiness but also cut down on the fat level so that those calories counters can enjoy an indulgent and guiltless feast with this recipe!  

Demo Class in YL SG Office: Chicken Alfredo

Chicken and cream sauce goes very well with each other especially the Alfredo sauce. Note that this recipe is different from a Chicken Fricassee (a dish of stewed or fried pieces of meat served in a thick white sauce) as we will be pan frying the chicken breasts to perfection and serves it with the Alfredo sauce instead of slow cooking or poaching the chicken in the white sauce. I have served this dish with egg Parpadelle pasta but you may also serves it with bread or on its very own. I hope that you will find it to be a keeper! 

Broccolini salad with Fremented Beancurd dressing

We never eat enough salad and more often than not, it is because we felt salads are rabbits' food and that salad does not have the satisfying factor during and after eating. As such, to encourage more meat-eaters like yours truly to eat more greens in the form of salad, I realised that the crux is to focus on the selection of vegetable for the salad and secondly, the dressing itself. For vegetables selection, broccoli or cauliflower are good addition as it provides robust texture to the salad, great taste and eating pleasure. Next, the dressing. For this recipe, I have developed a special dressing and I hope that you will find it to be a keeper and encourage you to eat more salad! 

Caesar Salad with Celery Seed dressing

Salad often received a bad reputation as a meal that is made for people on a diet or people who intends to lose weight and this further translates to the food being "not-tasty" or "not delicious". However, the truth may not be so and I will attempt to break the negative stereotype/reputation of salads with this simple recipe which is developed from a fusion between the classic Caesar salad and another clasic, the delicious Nicoise salad. The fragrant nuttiness and savory flavor from the dressing adds so much more dimension to the salad and when topped with grilled chicken, this salad is not only robust and delicious but is also packed with flavor that would impress your guests! 

Pan seared Salmon with Mango Salsa

Salmon is one of the most common fish that we would pay to eat in a restaurant or eatery. I have always liked Salmon due to its sweet and delicate flesh but only as sashimi as I do not like the texture of cooked salmon. But that was an "Ignorant-me" speaking because I never had a properly cooked salmon served in a restaurant before. Now, knowing that when salmon is properly cooked, it is so much more delicious and if I may say so (pardon my confidence), home-cooked salmon is so delicious that I'd pay much more for it as compared to those salmon served while dining out! The good news is, you can also do it and at a much lower cost! Although we do not have the luxury of buying wild caught salmon or having a huge variety of salmon, farmed Norwegian Salmon is the next best thing available in the market and the price can sometimes be as low as S$16.00 per Kg (That is if you buy the whole fish), otherwise you can get a fillet (to serve 2) between S$7.00 and S$11.00! Give this recipe a go! The tanginess and freshness from the salsa, the sweetness from the mango and the fragrance from the Dill pairs tremendously well with the Salmon and I am sure this item would be engrained in your loved one's memories. The only down side? They may request for it again and again!

Oatmeal Bowl with Figs, Banana and Einkorn Berries

A quick breakfast that is packed with all the nutrients and mineral you require for your daily intake. Most of the items can be prep in under 5 mins and the other ingredients can be prep beforehand and kept refrigerated  for close to a week so that you could use it in other recipes as well. There is not much cooking, at best, roasting the nuts. So why is this recipe here? Because as easy as it looks, it is always good to document down how to prepare a decent bowl of oatmeal. 

Egg Benedicts with homemade Hollandaise sauce

Egg Benedict. The decadent breakfast that you would pay good money to savour. No self-respecting cafe and opulent new age bistro would omit this item from their line of breakfast menu. So let me take you through how to make and assemble a delicious but good looking Egg Benny that will lift up your spirit while preparing it and impress your mate whom has woke up from bed to be greated with this luxurious breakfast served with a cup of earl grey or latte. 

Vegan Pot Sticker

My family loves dumplings and we would prepare a whole dumpling dinner/meal from time to time when the urge comes although it is traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year or Mid Autumn. I would usually opt for the traditional filling of minced pork with cabbage and Koo chives. Although there are already hundreds of dumpling recipes (even vegan ones) out there on the internet, this Vegan Pot Sticker recipe that I have developed is simple, easy to prepare, tasty and most importantly, has a "secret" ingredient that will forever change the way vegan dumplings are prepared!

Pan seared Pork Chop with Sweet and Sour Pepper

Juicy and tender Pan seared Pork Chop with Sweet and Sour Pepper sauce

Pork chop is one of those dishes that many loved when done properly but avoided preparing on their own because they will more than often end up with a tough and dry pork chop or an under cook one. With this recipe, I am attempting to show you that a perfectly cooked and juicy pork chop is very achievable. Once you have tried this, I do hope that it will change they way you feel about preparing a delicious pork chop in your own kitchen .

Happy cooking, eating and eating well!

Scrambled Egg Toast

Scrambled egg is a no-brainer recipe which anyone and everyone could make in their kitchen without breaking a sweat. But how do you make scrambled eggs that is creamy, delicious and without using any eggs?  That's right folks. This is a vegan scrambled eggs that uses NO EGGS! I whipped out this scrambled "eggs" and serve it on toast and finish with a sprinkle of ground black pepper and chopped spring onion. On hindsight, I will sprinkle some smoked paprika for kicks too. Read on for the "secret" recipe that will slowly but surely revolutionize (my bold prediction!) how vegans eat their scrambled eggs and causes a new trend of scrambled eggs photo/recipes that will flood Instagram. Remember that you saw it here first :)

Happy cooking, eating and eating well!

Chicken Alfredo served with Spaghetti and spinach

Chicken Alfredo served with Spaghetti and spinach

This is a simple but absolutely delicious recipe that will satisfy your guests. The cream sauce lifts up the dish to a different level and gives it a luxury touch. I serve this dish with Spaghetti but Linguine or Tagliatelle (and if you are adventurous, lasagna sheets) will be equally delicious as it allows more of the rich sauce to stick to the pasta. I am sure this recipe will be one of those that your family, children or guest will remember for a very long time. 

Happy cooking, eating and eating well!

Spiced Chicken served with Ratatouille and Spinach

Spiced Chicken served with Ratatouille and Spinach

Chicken is one of the most delicious ingredient to cook and does not require much imagination to make it good but with imagination, you can make hundreds of dishes out of this humble bird. This Spiced Chicken served with Ratatouille and Spinach recipe will definitely impress your guest(s) as the chicken is bursting with flavour and the ratatouille pairs wonderfully with the flavorful fat from the chicken. Its no wonder that this poultry is the most consumed meat in the whole world. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, save this recipe for your special occassion! 

Happy cooking, eating and eating well!

Pan seared Mackerel with Mango Salsa

Pan Seared Spanish Mackerel (Batang / Beh Ka)  with Mango Salsa.

Spanish Mackerel has always been one of my favorite fish due to its rich and unique taste. I grew up with Spanish mackerel as my dad would bring this fish back on a constant basis (my late father used to own a fleet of fishing boat) as it is easy to prepare, tasty, cheap, abundant and best of all, does not have much bones and the kids could eat it without much caution. Although I traditionally eat the fish coated with coriander powder and shallow fried, I actually enjoy the fish simply seasoned with salt and pepper as well because it allows for me to taste the true taste of the fish although I must say the former method is delicious too. Give this recipe a go, the tangy-ness and freshness from the salsa and the sweetness from the mango pairs well with the robust Spanish mackerel. This recipe also works tremendously well with Salmon, Tuna and other game fish as well.

Seasonal Mulberries Garden Salad

Mulberries Garden Salad. Cooking with Essential Oil

When certain produce are in season, it should be a no brainer to buy them because they are not just bountiful and cheap, they are also of the best quality and you have tonnes to choose from! Its Mulberries season and the organic Mulberries and edible flowers in my MIL's garden is in abundance hence I have decided to assemble this simple Mulberries Garden salad. I usually choose at least 4 colors for my salad but for this, I will go with 7 - Purple, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Black and White. For the dressing, I simply use a citrus vinaigratte infused with Lemon EO. The Lime flowers and Jasmine provides another dimension of pleasure through their sweet and tangy fragrance that will definitely wow your guest.

Oatmeal Bowl with Wild Honey

A quick breakfast that is packed with all the nutrients and mineral you require for your daily intake. Most of the items can be prep in under 5 mins and the other ingredients can be prep beforehand and kept refrigerated  for close to a week so that you could use it in other recipes as well. There is not much cooking, at best, roasting the nuts. So why is this recipe here? Because as easy as it looks, it is always good to document down how to prepare a decent bowl of oatmeal.

Fusilli with Bolognese Sauce

Fusilli in bolognese sauce. Bolognese sauce is infused with food-grade Essential Oil.

One of the most simple recipe to cook but produces great results among children, teens and adults alike. It is a definite go-to recipe for feeding large group of people but does not require long preparation time.