ACRES Gala Dinner 2012

I was invited by Denise of Brownice Ice Cream to have a girls’ night out at a gala dinner at Orchid Country Club. We only had to work at the last part serving the mudpies. This was my first time attending an event as a sponsor, enjoying the whole evening being served and eating – while getting paid!

ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, Singapore) have been in Singapore for 11 years already. It is a pioneering Singapore-based charity founded by Singaporeans in 2001 with the aim of promoting animal welfare.

As such, all the food served tonight is vegan. This made sense as ACRES should not be serving meat dishes when they are helping the animals. Thus, the main dishes were prepared by the Loving Hut crew in the kitchen while we sat outside and enjoyed the dinner.

ACRES Gala Dinner 2012 List

The first dish of Mixed Salad was efficiently served. Our table bonded over the salad when our extremely efficient server wanted to remove the dish only after the 8 of us took a serving each. And… we finished every single leaf piece!  The accompanying sauce for the salad was deliciously refreshing when taken together with the raisin and cashew nut.

Loving Hut Indian Spicy Soup

I can assure you, this soup was so well done, it was not spicy at all and the mock meat bits were tasty too. Our table of 8 (7 ladies) finished every single last drop!

I think it was at this point where I turned to Denise, and told her that this was the first time I attended a dinner event where I was not served a separate dish. It was a totally different experience that was so perfect. No need to worry that I will be served wrong food. Plus, I really appreciated that everyone at our table enjoyed the food too, with a no-food-wastage policy. My table mates rock.

And, I discovered later, that we were seated with members of the Cat Welfare Society! Check out their Facebook page here.

 
Loving Hut Nasi Goreng, Satay. Rendang, Achar (in clockwise)

This main dish was well received. The only spicy item was the Achar. I particularly like the Satay and had 2 sticks!

Loving Hut Authentic Stuffed Tau Pok

All the dishes served so far were pleasing to my palate. Hence it was a bit of a disappointment when this dish was served as it tasted a tad dry. However, after chatting with the Loving Hut crew in the kitchen, Denise and I realized that it was because we did not pour the provided savory sauce in! What a pity as this dish is not on Loving Hut’s menu, so we were unable to head down to any of their outlets to retry the dish again.

Loving Hut Mei Chai Kou Rou Bun

This sauce for the Kou Rou (or meat) pieces was delicious! I devoured the bun within mere seconds. Unfortunately, I could not handle anymore bread, which explained why I did not take a second piece.

Then it was time for us to head to the kitchen for work!

While ACRES had their birthday cake cutting, Denise and myself were in the kitchen setting out the dessert plates, preparing for the mudpie serving in a few moments.

Fruits Platter from SunMoon

The Loving Hut crew specially served us a few pieces of the fruits as we will be missing dessert. How kind of them!

While waiting for the fruits to be brought out, I was observing the kitchen staff who were washing the used dishes. It was then I realized that they are really the unsung heroes who silently supported the smooth flow of operations of the kitchen while we (guests) just ate our food in a comfortable air-conditioned environment. I felt so fortunate and yet, extremely appreciative of their hard work behind-the-scenes.

Brownice Mudpies

These were some of the 271 mudpies that Denise loving prepared till 6am in the morning, sitting in the portable freezer, waiting to be served. Yum yum.

It was then we discovered that the plastic gloves that we brought for serving the mudpies disappeared – oh no!

Thankfully Denise brought a knife that was in a plastic bag. She took some cling wrap for her to use while I turned the plastic bag “inside out” for serving.

And the signal came for us to start serving.

It was madness!!

While Denise served the mudpies, I carried the many containers containing the mudpies to the table. We then decided that she will use the plastic bag (which will be faster) while I focused on carrying the mudpies and opening the containers.

At this point, all the operations crew boys decided to chip in to help us serve. They held 2 spoons together and served the mudpies from the container to the plates with skilful speed. Amazing!

When all the mudpies were finally served, Denise and I heaved a sigh of relief filled with accomplishment. It was a hectic 10mins but the teamwork between us was awesome!

Then it was back to the ACRES lucky draw… and half (4 members) of our table won prizes! We concluded that it must be the result of our no food wastage policy.

I’m glad to have this opportunity to enjoy a scrumptious vegan dinner, being able to witness and experience behind-the-scenes in the kitchen.

It was a great learning experience that was thoroughly enjoyable.

A big thank you to Denise for inviting me for a wonderful girls’ night out on Saturday.

 

*ACRES has raised about S$81,000 in celebration of their 11th birthday. Do help them reach their target of S$100,000 for them to help as many animals as possible.

– Check out their Facebook page here and if you would like to make a donation, please head here.

* If you have missed out on the delicious vegan food, fret not!

– Check out Loving Hut’s website here for more information on their outlet locations. 

– Like Brownice’s Facebook page for the latest updates on available flavors in store. 

 

** Come back again soon for more cool stuff on SGVegan. Remember to enter your email address at the top-right corner of the page in the subscription field for the latest news on SGVegan to be delivered straight to your inbox.

Meat is Murder (And 5 Reasons Why I Love The Charming Man, Morrissey)

Written by: Kat, SGVeganGrrrls

Whoakay, so I can’t still get over the fact that I saw Morrissey perform live here in Singapore. It was a whirlwind, I know. I’ve waited for that performance since I was in 4th grade, the first time that I heard his song The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get. So now, it’s safe to say that I have a penchant for sarcastic lyrics and Oscar Wilde-esque compositions. Nothing makes me happier but 80′s music – new wave, post-punk, goth, name it – I love it! I have a tons of rock artists on my list but he definitely stands out. Growing up as an awkward teenager, his songs spoke to me because it resonate what exactly I am going through not only in school, but also in the society. It’s hard enough being a vegetarian in Manila when you’re 14 and it’s even harder when you’re this introvert, geeky girl. I remember writing “I am human and I need to be loved, just like everybody else does”, which was taken on The Smith‘s How Soon Is Now single, on my prom invite because no one wants to dance with me – and that I wasn’t really attractive, just like The Breakfast Club‘s basket case. Anyway, here are 5 reasons why I love Morrissey:

1. His music defines my life.

 

Nothing magnetizes me to an artist but astounding lyrics. Top 40 music is not really my type because there’s no intricacy in writing their lyrics. As I’ve said, I was quite an oddball growing up so his songs pretty much sums up what I went through back in high school. I never liked mainstream music which explains why I spent most of my teenage days beside my window, reading Oscar Wilde or writing about my teenage angst since my parents were quite strict and didn’t allow me to go out and be a normal teenager. I still think that it was pretty awesome though because at least, I wasn’t part of my generation’s cookie cutter world.

2. He is opinionated.

Ah, there’s nothing more fascinating as an artist who is out there and willing to provoke thoughts. And in that sense, he was very honest and provocative when speaking with the press. Not to mention, a controversy magnet. He even called Madonna as “fraudulent and exact opposite of erotic.” And I completely agree with him because popstars nowadays can’t leave their houses without flamboyant outfits and auto-tuning. Enough said.

3. He supports animal rights!

Yay! 500 points for Gryffindor ‘er Moz! Several days ago before he went to Manila, Morrissey fired off a letter to PNoy asking him to free Mali, the lone elephant in the Manila Zoo. In his letter, he said “Mali is cruelly denied stimulation, room to explore, and everything else that is natural and important to her.” He also added “She circles her little patch of concrete, tracing the same route again and again and again. This kind of obsessive, repetitive behavior—known as ‘zoochosis’—suggests that Mali is in danger of going insane, so time is of the essence.” As of press time, the Manila President’s office declined Morrissey’s letter, which is sad for people like us who think that animals should be set free in their own habitat. Here’s a TV interview that I did a couple of years ago about Mali, the Elephant (it’s in Filipino but basically, it’s about the suffering that animals are going through in zoos)

4. He loves Singapore!

 

Yes, you’ve heard it right. He loves Singapore! Videos speak louder than words, so here you go.

5. Last but not the least, HE IS A VEGGIE ICON

How cool is that? Having a common ground with one of my favorite artists? And it only gets better. With a song named Meat Is Murder you know that nothing will ever go wrong. A lot of people in the concert said that the song inspired them to kick the meat habit – I understand why. He sings Meat Is Murder while Meet Your Meat plays in the background. He once said “We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 dead. Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried sh*t every day.” Now that is the perfect man. There you have it folks. I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did. Photos are below.

Where eating has a greater purpose

Last year, I was fortunate to come across 5 awesome peers from GreenDot, a youth-initiated startup concept.

These youths may seem like anyone of us, but they have taken the extra step of daring to venture into the unknown with a dream.

Their dream is to allow people to have a green balanced diet; through encouraging people that by going vegetarian for 1-2 meals a week is both cool and yummy!

Surprisingly, only one of the team members (Justin) is a vegetarian.

Hence, GreenDot represents a new generation of youths!

While striving for excellence through life’s trial-and-error lessons, they are hardworking, down-to-earth individuals with a thought for our society and environment.

With the backing of well-established restaurant (Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant), GreenDot FastFood is able to provide delicious restaurant quality food at the most reasonable price for their customers.

GreenDot FastFood was first launched in Temasek Polytechnic in November last year (2011).

Due to their huge success in making vegetarian food appealing to both the staff and students, GreenDot FastFood opened their 2nd outlet in their alma mater, Chung Cheng High School, sometime end March this year.

It was their way of giving back to society the kindness they have received.

Having recently visited the Temasek Polytechnic outlet, I am sincerely impressed at the long hours the team is putting into managing their 2 outlets.

A lot of heart and soul (not forgetting sweat!) has been poured into the personal management of the outlets.

Do support them by swinging by their stores at Temasek Polytechnic (Design Pad) and Chung Cheng High School.

Have a try of their most reasonably priced food and share with them some words of encouragement.

I’m sure the team would be most appreciative that we recognize the hard work and effort they have poured in. GreenDot also has a blog where they update any latest happenings; you can read more about them here.

*Note: Majority of the food are vegetarian, please do enquire carefully if you have any allergies or are on a vegan diet like me.

Because ice cream makes you smile :)

Ever wanted to eat guilt free, wholesome ice cream?

Fret not!

Brownice (pronounced “brown-niece” or “brownese”) is Singapore’s first vegan ice cream parlour.

Strawberry Brownice ice cream with granola topping, S$4.80.

Located at 8 Sin Ming Road, Sin Ming Centre, #01-03 Singapore 575628, or a mere 10mins walk from Marymount MRT Station, Brownice is a cosy place to chill/relax/hang out at, whether alone or in a group.

During the day, Brownice offers customers a quiet environment, which is ideal for getting some work done, whether you are a student or a working professional. There is free wifi (Wireless@SG) with good signal.

First time walk-in customers sampling different flavors.

It is only at night after dinnertime, that the crowd starts to swarm into Brownice, enticed by the sign that reads “Guilt free ice cream in store. Ask us why.”

For the clueless, Brownice ice cream is made from organic brown rice.

Usually, most of us will steer clear of ordering brown rice when we eat out, as we do not like the taste of it.

However, if you have the chance to have a taste of Brownice ice cream, I am definitely certain that you will not believe that their ice cream can taste so good.

In fact, you will not even believe that it is made from brown rice.

How did the Brownice concept come about?

With the Brownice team.

Denise (second from left) is the sweet lady who came out with this concept by chance.

How?

A self-confessed kitchen mouse, Denise loves making food.

Kitchen utensils are her toys, food are her babies.

Denise started her kitchen journey by having the opportunity to operate on a small scale by making food in a kitchen that was owned by a friend and selling them in store.

Unfortunately, the place closed down but Denise was able to get a similar second chance.

After some time, as indicated through the in store sales performance, Denise discovered that the food item she made (ice cream) was popular.

As such, she started testing the market by participating in flea markets organized at The Central (Clarke Quay).

Brownice ice cream was initially sold in brand less plain cups.

The crowds came; many people loved her ice cream, giving her the affirmation and determination to set up Brownice.

Sometime back, Delcie (who guaranteed that I would love Brownice ice cream) introduced me to Denise.

I can still remember that it was a hot Thursday afternoon.

With Google maps as my guide, I alighted at Marymount MRT station and embarked on the 10mins walk to Brownice.

I chanced upon Brownice after noticing the sign at their shop entrance: “Guilt free ice cream in store. Ask us why.”

Upon entering, I was greeted by Delcie, who surprisingly happened to be visiting Denise as Brownice just had their official store opening a few days back!

It was a really amazing experience to be in the company of these 2 ladies who are the pioneers of guilt free vegan desserts in Singapore. What’s more, the both of them are really nice inspiring ladies!

Being new to Brownice, Denise “walked” me through all the ice cream flavors that were available. She had me slowly taste every single flavor, with alkaline water to rinse my mouth between tastings.

At that time, it was chocolate week and there were many chocolate flavors available. I was elated! It is not easy to come by vegan chocolate. Plus, chocolate is my #1 favorite!!

And… Brownice did not fail to disappoint my taste buds. All their chocolate flavors had a robust chocolate-ty taste.

Brownice ice cream bun, S$4.80.

After enquiring with Denise, I was pleased to learn that she uses the WHOLE cocoa bean for the chocolate flavors.

The reason for this is because Denise strongly believes in the concept of real wholesome food.

Hence, she will ensure that the whole fruit (e.g. strawberries, vanilla pods etc.) goes into the making of Brownice ice creams.

Thus, different batches of ice cream will have slightly different flavors. This is due to the natural seasonal difference, especially in the fruit flavors. But they will never fail to disappoint. And that’s a promise.

So far, I’ve been a frequent customer at Brownice as I love the cosy atmosphere.

A day out at Brownice.

In addition, the 3 yummy reasons below ensure my frequent patronage of Brownice.

1.     There is a never-ending supply of healthy delicious ice cream.

Brownice ice cream bowl, S$12.50 with 4 toppings (additional scoops at $1.50 each).

Brownice Mudpie, S$9.80.

Brownice pops, S$5.80.

Made-to-order Brownice ice cream cake (price and delivery available upon request).

2.     Their waffles (vegan!) are really delicious.

Brownice waffle with generous organic maple and chocolate syrup topping, S$3.50.

Brownice waffle with 2 scoops, S$9.

3.     All the food at Brownice are lovingly prepared from scratch.

Denise lovingly preparing our order.

And a plus point that sets them apart: they serve alkaline water, which is better for the body.

Don’t hesitate, head down to Brownice now!

P.S.: I recently introduced a fellow female blogger to Brownice. Read about what we did on our day out here.

Against Animal Testing – A conscious effort, A subconscious impact

During my growing up years, I frequently heard this phrase “against animal testing”. It was popularized such that whenever this phrase pops up, a particular shop’s name would pop up in my mind.

However, I’ve only recently understood what this phrase really means after coming across an article that made me more conscious of the products I use in my daily life.

So, what does it really mean when someone claims that they are against animal testing?

To me, this means that the particular person does not support brands that test their products on animals. It may be due to their personal belief in animal ethics, or just the fact that the person cannot bear the suffering of animals.

Being a vegan, I personally do not believe in and cannot justify for why must beauty products be tested on animals first before they are deemed suitable for human use. Many times, the failure rate of such products are so high that many animals have to suffer and die for products that do not even make it to the market.

It is my self-belief that based on the long history of human records; there is no need to resort to animal testing as since many thousand years ago, humans have recorded the medicinal properties of plants in which Mother Nature has provided for us. If it has proven helpful for our ancestors, what need is there to resort to “new” products that may not have shown medicinal benefits?

As such, I specially keep a look out for products that are 100% cruelty-free. Due to the marketing strategies of certain companies, I have realized that although some companies claim that their products are not tested on animals, the ingredients which go into the products are tested on animals.

This means that while the final product is not tested on animals, but the ingredients which went into the making of the product are tested on animals!!

It was really a shocking discovery for me.

Hence, while I claim that I am a vegan, I realized that some of the products (or ingredients that go into making of these products) I am using are tested on animals.  :(

Let me share with you my discovery.

According to the article, consumers (like me) don’t really spend a lot of time to consider what really goes into the production of a product whenever we pick up a product while shopping, be it cosmetics or household products.

What we care about mainly is whether the product is safe to use and especially, does it work the way we want it to work.

While we may know that animal testing is cruel towards the animal, some claim that it is nevertheless essential for ensuring our safety. Others, like me, are of the opposite opinion.

Awareness for such products that are tested on animals is still important, regardless of our personal opinions.

1.       Tissue Paper

It is something that is well-utilized in our daily lives. Without it, we may not be able to function as a society. We use it for our sniffles, cleaning up a stain/spill etc… and not forgetting the uniquely Singaporean use of the handy tissue packets for reserving a seat in Singapore.

It is good to be aware that much research has gone behind the scenes to ensure that the tissue, in which you just used to sneeze into or wipe your mouth, is tested on animals.

2.       Post-it notes

Whether one is studying or working, these handy notes that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors are also tested on animals.

How so? By testing the adhesive component on the animal’s skin, to ensure that it is safe.

3.       Lotions/skin products

Cracked lips? Or heading to a cold country and require a lip balm/skin lotion/petroleum jelly to ensure that your skin does not succumb the weather and crack due to lack of moisture?

Although it may bring relief to your skin, it may not sound that great to the animals’ skin on which the product was tested.

Before reaching your skin, many animals have to suffer the agony of the harmful effects before it is deemed safe for public sale.

If you are interested, you can refer to the article here.

Thus, I am even more convinced that I only want to support a company whose products, including all the ingredients used in it, are not tested on animals.

While I may seem to be a small consumer, with small spending power, I still believe that my conscious effort of supporting a product that is against animal testing, will lead to a subconscious impact in the long run.

Thus, LUSH is a company that really believes in ethical sourcing. The raw ingredients which go into their products are all sourced in an ethical and sustainable manner, where the LUSH team will specially go the extra mile to ensure this.

I consider myself fortunate as I have been an ardent user of LUSH products since 2005.

Initially, it was the fun-loving concept of the brand that embarked me on the LUSH journey. Over the years however, I realized that LUSH is more than just fun. It was LUSH’s vision and belief.

Fresh fruits and vegetables go into the making of LUSH products. Every single LUSH product is lovingly hand-made with little or no preservatives. Also, all of LUSH’s products are never tested on animals, only humans.

That is why LUSH is a healthier lifestyle alternative.

Being an employee of LUSH, I recently received a LUSH staff product box containing some delicious goodies. It is specially for employees to try out the latest products so that we can recommend them to our family/friends/customers with our personal testimonial.

1. Dream Steam steamer tab
2. Moon & Sun steamer tab
3. Phoenix Rising bath bomb
4. Rose Queen bath bomb
5. Peace massage bar
6. Friends with Benefits massage bar
7. Dirty soap (vegan)
8. Lust soap (vegan)
9. Chou Chou I Love You toothy tabs
10. Green Bubbleroon
11. Rose Jam Bubbleroon (2 pieces available)
12. Yuzu and Cocoa Bubbleroon
13. Lustre dusting powder (Vegan)
14. Love miniature gorilla perfume (Vegan)
15. 1000 Kisses miniature gorilla perfume (Vegan)
16. Ginger miniature gorilla perfume (Vegan)
17. Latte Lip tint (Vegan)
18. Putty for your hands soap (Vegan)
19. No Drought dry shampoo (Vegan)
20. Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner (Vegan)

Unfortunately for me…since the majority of the products in the LUSH staff product box are vegetarian, I am thinking of spreading the love around by sharing with you, my loyal readers! However, for the vegan products (#13-#20), I will be keeping them for myself and shall be posting a review.

And… just for my vegan friends, LUSH Singapore will be sponsoring a Sugar Scrub Shower Scrub – HOORAY! I personally love and am using this scrub which is detoxifying and combats cellulite.

I will be holding a random lucky draw to pick the individual winners for LUSH products #1 to #12 and Sugar Scrub Shower Scrub. So, to be able to get a hold of these 10 products, simply complete both steps below:

1. Subscribe to SGVegan with your email address at the top right of the page AND
2. Leave a comment below with the name of the LUSH product that you wish to win.

*Note: One entry, one choice per person allowed. Any incomplete or multiple entries/choices shall be deem void. Closing date is 30^th April 2012, 2359hrs. Prizes are to be picked up at Lush Singapore, located at 435 Orchard Road Wisma Atria Outlet # B1-13. All winners will be contacted via email and must respond within 3 days, otherwise prizes will be forfeited. 

So what are you waiting for?

Vegan options in Starbucks

Need a place to chill with friends over drinks? Ever faced a situation where some of your friends may be lactose-intolerant? Or a vegan?

Given the ubiquitous nature of Starbucks in the town center of Singapore, there is no need to fret over where to go.

Previously, I’ve written an article on “How to get a Vegan Drink easily at Starbucks“. The article focused mainly on my favorite drink, the Soy Green Tea Latte.

I’ve decided to expand on the range of vegan options available at Starbucks Singapore outlets and emailed them for the list of vegan options available.

Here is the reply I obtained from Starbucks’ Customer Service Executive:

Generally, our freshly brewed coffee & Tazo tea are the safest option.

If you are not able to take milk, you can request for soy milk to substitute the milk used in our espresso based beverages ( Café Latte, Cappuccino, Green Tea Latte). You also can request for some flavored syrups at an additional charge (e.g. Caramel, Vanilla, Raspberry) in your Latte/Soy Milk.

For non coffee based beverages, I can recommend you to try Tazo® Shaken Iced Lemon Passion Tea/ Green Tea, Mango Passionfruit Blended Juice Drink, Raspberry Blackcurrant Blended Juice Drink.

For the vegetarian food – we do indicate vegetarian / + non-dairy / + non-egg on the food tags. Please refer to them. The pure vegetarian (vegetarian + non-dairy + non-egg) food includes Vegetable Pattie Capricciosa Sandwich, plain bagel, cinnamon raisin bagel & multigrain bagel.

Do approach our friendly baristas if you need any clarifications.

*For those interested, the brand of soy milk used is Soy Dream Original Soy Milk. And all syrups are suitable for vegans to consume.

I hope the above information helps. Do remember to subscribe with your email at the top right of the page for the latest  updates on SGVegan.

Have an enjoyable time at Starbucks.

Soyato – Wickedly yummy, divinely healthy soy ice cream

Located in Bugis, a popular hangout destination for youths located in town, Soyato strives to bring a healthier version of ice cream to the masses.

The brainchild of 2 young entrepreneurs, Verleen Goh and Alan Phua, Soyato has come a long way since it was first conceptualized.

Ice cream has always been Verleen’s favourite food. However, too much ice cream is not good for the body as its fat and cholesterol laden since its major composition is cream and eggs. Definitely not something we ladies want!

Armed with a degree in food science, and fresh out from university, Verleen decided to put her knowledge and skills to the test by experimenting if desserts can be made healthy. I guess she simply wanted to have unlimited servings of ice cream without the guilty feeling that hits when you know you’ve over-indulged!

Together with Alan, who is a business graduate, they decided to venture into the F&B (Food and Beverage) industry.

With a solid business plan, they pitched their healthier ice cream concept to SPRING Singapore, and are the 1^st ever food retailer to receive funding from Start-Up@Singapore (S@S). If you are interested, you can read more about their food journey here. 

Soyato, a soy-based ice cream free of milk, cream and eggs is born, to cater to anyone who prefers a healthier alternative. Why so?

Because Soyato is made from soy, it contains lots of beneficial isoflavones, which are natural antioxidants. Taking reference to much research that has been conducted on isoflavones, some of the benefits of the consumption of soy products complied are the reduction in heart diseases, easing of menopause symptoms, and protection against osteoporosis and prostate problems.

In addition, Soyato contains all the essential amino acids required by the body with less than 5% fat too! As Verleen says, “compared to regular ice cream, Soyato is about 1/2 the calories and 1/3 the fats. Plus Soyato is cholesterol free!”

Now, its time to rejoice and start digging into a cup of Soyato!

An unexpected result from the creation of Soyato is that vegans and those lactose-intolerant can enjoy ice cream too! Which I think is very cool, because Soyato was simply created out of the want of a healthier ice cream alternative.

On my visit last Thursday, Verleen (above in picture) informed me that she has just recently changed the base formulation to make it creamier. Having eaten at Soyato previously, I had to give this new formulation a go, to taste for myself if it tastes better.

As a vegan, as long as there is yummy vegan food, I get excited. To keep my excitement in check, I approached my non-vegetarian friend, Jeff, if he would be interested in helping me with the photography. Jeff, who is an aspiring photographer in the last semester of university, agreed and the both of us, had a cup of Soyato ice cream each.

Left: Green Tea with Mango mochi topping ($3.70)
Right: Durian (premium flavor) with Peanut topping ($4.20)

The both of us fell in love with the Green Tea flavor, to which Verleen informed us that it is the first product tested and given the healthier choice logo. Yayy!

The texture of the ice cream is much creamier this time round and we devoured our ice cream in a few minutes. Jeff commented that compared to regular ice cream, Soyato does not leave a sticky after taste in the mouth.

Having been a long-time customer at Soyato, I was pleasantly surprised when I learnt that Soyato prides itself on the consistency of its ice cream. It does not matter when you swing by Soyato, you can rest assure that the taste of each batch is consistent, exactly the way you last tasted it. Something that as a consumer, you take for granted but to businesses, this presents them a real challenge.

How do they achieve this?

Top row: Premium flavor, $3.80 per scoop.
Bottom row: Regular flavor, $3.30 per scoop.

I’m sure that you, my readers, will be glad to know that Soyato focuses a lot on quality assurance by using high quality ingredients, including fruit purées and nut pastes from Germany and Japan. For example, Soyato’s black sesame ice cream (bottom right), uses black sesame paste imported from Japan.

The best selling flavors at Soyato are the Cookie Explosion (premium flavor, made from cocoa powder and oreo) and Honey Lemon.

To summarize, all ice cream flavors and toppings are vegan, except Honey Lemon and marshmallow topping, which is clearly labeled. One thing to note is that vegan sundaes are now available upon request. If you’re unsure, simply ask the staff on duty, they will gladly guide you.

One distinct feature of Soyato is their marketing strategy. They never fail to roll out discounts to make us consumers (and our wallets) happy!  Just keep a look out for their discount signages.

And…for foodies out there, Soyato recently rolled out a workshop where you can make your own ice cream during high tea or lunch time. Vegetarian and vegan meal options are available upon request.

If you are unable to make it down for either of the sessions, you can simply request for Soyato to come to you! Just drop them an email at hello@soyato.com to work out the details with them.

As a form of thank you for you, my loyal readers…simply quote this blog, “SGVegan” when you sign up for the workshop to receive a $5 voucher!

So what are you waiting for? Having read about the benefits of Soyato, all you simply need to do is head down for a scoop (or more)!

Soyato is located at 200 Victoria Street, Bugis Junction, B1, #B1-K5 (in front of KFC), Singapore 188021.

See you there!

Hungry For Change

I came across this video on Facebook and thought it would be great to share it with you, my readers.

Most of us have embarked on a diet program, wanting to lose some weight. Some of us succeeded, while the rest of us simply moved on with life.

Its not about being vegan/vegetarian. Its about our choices. Ultimately, how we live our lives through the food we eat.

If you are interested in learning more about the scientific facts, the video I am sharing below would be useful for you to make an informed choice.

This video is about how the marketing industry manages to make us feel like we need to go on a diet, all the time. Food has now been made into a product thanks to the marketing industry. Here’s the trailer for you to watch.

 

If you are interested after watching the trailer, sign up with your email at http://www.hungryforchange.tv for an instant free access to the documentary, that features in depth discussions from the health experts, such as people who survived. Also, a “10 Step Action Guide” with juice recipes, detox tips and more will be sent to your inbox.

This 1 hour video with free access is only available till 31st March 2012, so do watch it before you have to pay for it!

I am currently 1/3 into the video and I have learnt lots, such as ingredients in our common food items are made to make us more addicted to them, so that the food companies can sell more products, therefore leading to a higher sales revenue.

Think no fat = no weight gain? We might have to all reconsider our choices after watching this video. Even me.

P.S. On a lighter note, I will be uploading a post featuring a healthy dessert filled with many beneficial ingredients for our body. Stay tuned for the post by subscribing with your email at the top right corner of the SGVegan and clicking on the button, “I want to follow!”

If you would like to share more about the above video, do feel free to send me an email or leave a comment below! 

Death Cab for Cutie x JD Samson in Singapore!

Our SGVeganGrrrls, Katrina, shares with us what she has been up to recently: meeting the HOT *gasp* vegan boys from the rock band, Death Cab For Cutie and… JD Samson of the electro rock band, Le Tigre when they stopped by Singapore. 

So here’s the deal. I went to 2 gigs on the same date – I know it’s awesome, but do you know what’s more awesome than that? Both acts are animal friendly!

First off, the Death Cab for Cutie gig at Fort Canning Park. Death Cab for Cutie is an alternative band based in the United States with hits like “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” and “Soul Meets Body”. It’s just so awesome catching a glimpse of their guitarist, Chris Walla. Why?

Because he’s on a plant-based diet and he knows how to rock. he went vegetarian when he was 15 years old. He decided to go vegetarian because he was appalled with the concept of factory farming and how horrifying it is.

The other gig was that of JD Samson of the art/performance band MEN, based in Brooklyn. JD was also a part of the feminist electropunk band called Le-Tigre and has appeared in the critically acclaimed movie “Shortbus”. Aside from that, she co-produced the Christina Aguilera song “My Girls”.

Why do I love JD? It’s because she has a heart for animals. Back in 2008, JD together with her Le Tigre bandmates appeared in an anti-fur ad saying “Don’t Let Your Honey Wear A Bunny”.

There is something really awesome with bands coming together for a cause and it’s just so amazing when they are passionate about it.

She Is What I Feed Her: My Beloved Vegan Pet Dog

The following is an article specially written by Carol Pan of SGVeganGrrrls. Carol shares with us how her beloved pet dog, Debbie, turned vegan due to a skin allergy issue that occurs frequently in Maltese dogs. After turning vegan, Debbie was a happier dog as her skin condition improved and she does not look her age. Read more below if you would like to find out Debbie’s actual age!

My dog Debbie, a female Maltese, had been with me since year 2000,she was only two and a half month when I first got her. She was a very loving and adorable one as she loves to lick people (which I called it ‘kiss’) whenever she sees someone ever since she was that young.

She’s a very playful and active dog, enjoys the human company very much. I even took her with me to work daily in my retail showroom many years back. I’d placed her in a basket, together with her favorite toys, a ‘Hello Kitty’ pouch that carried her dry food and some treats in her Tupperware. She stayed with me for the whole solid 9-hrs at my workplace, of course in the mid I’d let her out for some space in my counter where others don’t get to see her. I dislike the idea of leaving her alone at home as I knew she’s like any other humans, would definitely get so bored and sad if she’d to always be left home alone. So I tried to bring her wherever I go, otherwise my nanny’s place so that they both get to accompany each other. For the whole of 11-years of her life, even till now, she’d never been left alone for more than 3 times!

I fed her dry food; she used to take the fish and potato meal from Solid Gold, every morning about 8am and evening 6pm. In between will be her favorite treats like biscuits or jerky meat strips and before sleep she drank little milk at night. She’d not been having any big problem with her health except for a very common problem found in Maltese, skin allergy.

Once a while she’d get swollen ear, around the eye areas and her paws and she’d scratched all over during her sleepless nights. I had to bring her to the vet if things are getting more serious. Her vet gave her injections, antibiotics for oral consumption and some cream for application as well.

This problem continues on and off till her recent checkup on her dental 4-years back. Most of her back teeth had decayed and so was advised to have them removed before she gets too old for anesthetic. I was very reluctant as I knew it has certain risks involved for dogs to undergo surgery. But because I was told germs and bacteria will penetrate her gums if problems persisted and were not removed, as bad as lung infection too if worse come to worst. Thus I gave in and she had a total of 11 teeth being extracted. I was so upset that she’d to undergo such pains for I understand that they are voiceless and they won’t know what are the best for them, I had to admit I was responsible for all her well-beings.

The vet suggested to me that I should feed her with vegetables and fruits, allowing her to adapt to a plant-based diet. That will automatically improve her skin allergy and dental problem. Most important of all, to stop giving her milk, or any starchy foodstuff like rice or biscuits as they’ll cause tooth decay easily and faster.

From then till today, I cooked vegetables like cabbages, carrots, potatoes and some tofu at times to go along for her daily breakfast, in between with little organic blueberries treats and her vegan dry food by Natural Balance for dinner, her supper will be some apples at about 8.30pm,lastly a total stop to milk as advised. I was also told that fruits like apples, pears, guavas or papayas are very beneficial for dogs’ digestive system. Debbie loves them all!!

Another added reminder is to avoid grapes at all times as it can cause acute kidneys failure in some cases. It is also advisable not to overfeed them especially at their older age to prevent heart diseases. They will NEVER know what is enough or what is the BEST for them, as THEY ARE WHAT WE FEED THEM!

So far Debbie is still a healthy, active and strong dog. She can jump around high and low when we play with her. She has very white and clean fur, bright eyes, her skin complexion is very pinkish in color. Almost all people who keep dogs compliment that she doesn’t look like her actual age, coming 12 this July. I strongly believe that this has very much to do with her overall diet, the love and attention that we had provided her.

Most people will start questioning about dogs and cats are born carnivores so how can it be possible to feed them anything without meats? Well… It really depends on how we look at this. Usually people only tend to follow things accordingly to what are being brought down since ages ago. How about a little change, or trial to see if things are getting any better if they are worked otherwise? I don’t think my dog is eating unhealthily, in fact she’s still as happy and healthy as before, her skin allergic on her body hasn’t been causing me much problem since she has converted to a vegan diet.

We are very blessed living in such an advanced environment now where we can find many other choices of different foods to replace the nutrients loss of not consuming any meats.

Pets will take after the habits and characters of their owners, so if you are a kind and caring one, I trust that your pets will want to be like who you are, not choosing to eat their own kinds or voiceless friends as well.

I’d always whispered the same thing to Debbie:-

IT’S NOT ABOUT HOW LONG YOU LIVE, BUT HOW WELL YOU’D LIVED.

I’m pretty sure she gets me…