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Sunday, December 23, 2018

Flowers in Glass Cube from Little Flower Hut




The beautiful flowers in a glass cube from Little Flower Hut last Saturday really cheered me up when the household was sick for the longest time. We were into the 3rd to 4th cycle of upper respiratory infection and viral gastroenteritis. Daddy, Mummy and Baby Ash seemed to be passing virus to one another week after week, feeling either sick or bummed about being sick again.




Hence, the flowers in glass vase really made my day. I absolutely adore fresh flowers in glass vase and the one from Little Flower Hut is so unique as it came in what looks like a glass cube. There is something about flowers that makes me really happy. I love looking at and admiring them. I love the burst of floral fragrance when I sniff at them. And I really love receiving them even if they are temporal things. We tend to appreciate the beauty of temporal things a lot more, right?




Little Flower Hut is the leading Online Florist Singapore-- just the perfect place for all your gifting needs for every occasion. They have over 1000 selections from Hand Bouquet, Baby Hamper, Condolence Wreath, Get Well Soon Hamper and many more. You know your flowers would be in good hands from the good reviews and real testimonials you could find online. 




With same day, 24/7, island-wide flower delivery, you would never worry about missing out any special occasion for your love ones. They are also one of those few online florist that provides free same day standard flower delivery. Check out their delivery policies for more details. 




My flowers in glass vase is a special arrangement curated by the florist at Little Flower Hut. Hence, there isn't a direct link but it is close to this which you could find under the category "Flower Arrangements" > "Table Arrangement". Their products are categorized such that you could choose to shop by flower arrangement, big bouquets, hampers, plants or you could also shop by the type of flowers if you already know what type of flowers you want. 




I love how there is a mix of classic roses with what looks like wilder plants to me. Yes, I am a flower-idiot. I love flowers but not the names of them. I love how the greens in the arrangement remind me of a meadow field and they smell really refreshing.




The flowers lasted quite a long time. This was taken 2 days after delivery.




Still going strong!




I don't know about you but the cube part with the green leaves remind me of some nonya kueh which makes me really hungry. :)




My house has been in a perpetual mess ever since Baby Ash came along. The best place for the flowers is on the outdoor balcony table when it isn't raining.




It matches the romantic floral theme of my balcony furniture very well.




Flowers in my home also reminds me a lot of my sweet cat Miyo who passed away a few months back. She really loves flowers a lot just like her human mummy and her pink little nose would never fail to go up and down smelling the air whenever we have flowers in the house. Right now, the flowers are placed nicely in her shelf compartment that was dedicated for her use when she was around and which now houses her little urn. Spot "Miyo" in the picture below!




It really looks beautiful there too. Thank you to the good people at Little Flower Hut!




Little Flower Hut is currently having some Christmas flowers and gifts special. Since December is the season of gifting, unwrap smiles of your love ones with Christmas themed flower arrangements, Christmas wreaths and gourmet baskets. You will definitely be able to find something to make these holiday season unforgettable for the people you love!

Use coupon code "jolene10" for 10% off till 31 Jan 19.

Visit Little Flower Hut at:
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Sunday, September 30, 2018

R.I.P Miyo




My sweet little cat Miyo left us suddenly yesterday due to suspected heart attack at a young tender age of 2 years 4 months old.

She’s still a kitten in Ragamuffin years, my sweet little baby cat. I’m too distraught to accept the fact that she’s no longer around. I love Miyo too much to just go on with life normally. I really don’t know how. The last time I cried so much and continued crying for days and weeks, and could not really function well was when our family cat Simba passed away 11 years ago. I love Simba a lot as a family cat and I love Miyo at a totally different level coz she’s MY cat and it’s too sudden.

Miyo is not just a pet. Miyo is not just a cat. Miyo is FAMILY. I always jokingly rank her #2 in my life, after Baby Ash and above the hubz. She is very much a huge part of our lives and my most loyal companion ever since we moved into our own home. She has always been so sweet and affectionate. When Baby Ash arrived, Miyo showed love to Baby Ash like a big sister despite having Baby Ash taken away so much time and attention from her.

This month, Facebook Memories has been surfacing lots of posts of Miyo when she was a kitten 2 years ago coz that was when we moved in and brought her into our lives. I was documenting her little adventures a lot as an affectionate and playful kitten. She was my best companion, always keeping me company through days alone at home and bringing so much joy to both the hubz and me. There weren’t many memories of her 1 year ago coz that was when I was very sick with HG and couldn’t take care of her well. I was sad but then I thought it’s alright coz we could make more memories of Miyo and Baby Ash as they grow up together over the years. I never expected that this could never happen anymore.

It’s too sudden. It’s just too sudden. I keep blaming myself, wondering if I could have prevented her death even if it was an unexpected heart attack. She hadn’t been successfully coughing or vomiting out the hair ball deep inside for months. She hadn’t been eating well the last few weeks. She wasn’t enticed by food anymore. She was significantly thinner but otherwise still behaved normally. The only abnormal act was that she started licking the corner of the toilet under the sink quite a lot when there weren’t any insects or anything. We don’t wash our toilets with chemical products so I don’t think that contributed to anything. Other than the above, she was normal and healthy. She would still engage in play. She still followed me wherever I went and would lie down near wherever I was.

During her booster jab visit, I told the vet about her recent changes and he assured me that her weight increased from the last visit and that if she was still behaving normally, it was fine but to monitor her.

She was quite lethargic after the booster jab which coincided with the days that Baby Ash and I were sick but I was too sick to really look after her that well. She became better the last 2 days and ate more, though still less than her usual.

I just bought a whole carton of can food and even bought more expensive separate ones to entice her to eat when her appetite became poor for the last few weeks. I bought more hairball treats when she refused to take the Laxagel from the vet.

I kept blaming myself, wondering if she had choked on her hairball and collapsed during her grooming session. I should not have proceeded with grooming with all her recent signs but I thought that shaving her fur would prevent future hairball problem.

I kept blaming myself for I imagine that the last few moments of her life must have been very traumatizing since she dislikes grooming like most cats. I really should not have proceeded with the session with all her signs. It’s all my fault and I wished I could turn back the time to make the decision to groom her at a later date. It’s all my fault!!!

We used this team of 2 groomer’s service 3 times and I prefer to believe that they have handled her as professionally as they should have. I was shell shocked when they told me she collapsed and stopped breathing.

As we carried her and drove to the vet clinic, we suspected that she had gone but I still clung on to an invisible wisp of hope that the vet would be able to jump start her little heart again. Her pink nose turned pale, her body became limp and lifeless but still, I tried pumping her little heart. She was still very warm and so very young...

When they told me she was indeed gone, I just couldn’t take it and begged them to jump start her heart. We aren’t sure what actually caused her death but the vet said that sudden deaths in cats are usually due to heart attack. The vet, my family, kh consoled me that I could not have prevented her heart attack. I don’t know... my heart is so painful. The wrenching feeling is terrible. My head is gonna burst from all the crying.

I don’t know how long I would take to heal. I feel so guilty towards Miyo. Had she lived her life happily before she passed on? I tried thinking of all the good things I did for her amidst the neglect since Baby Ash’s arrival. I felt very guilty towards Miyo so I’ve been pampering her in different ways. We used to not allow her in our room but I’ve been letting her into our room. I allowed her to continue sleeping under the toilet sink just so that she could be near us while we slept, leaving the doors ajar for her to eat and use the litter box. I stopped scolding and beating her for pooping on the floor or being on forbidden areas. I fed her full can food meals and no dry food so as to entice her to eat. I picked her up to hug her a lot more recently when she showed signs of being sick. I asked kh to sayang her more the night before. But are all these enough?

Sometimes I wonder if she loves me more than I love her. She’s not your stereotypical aloof selfish cat. She just kneaded me and licked my face 2 nights ago. I’m very glad that I sat down and spent time with her that night. She is so sweet and understanding. Despite the neglect, she seems to understand that Baby Ash is an important family member and appeared protective over her like a big sister. I don’t know why such a sweet cat had to go off so early. She’s still a baby herself.

Every part of the home reminds me of her. I wish I could see the slightly ajar door opening wider from her pushing and trying to get into the room. I wish I could see her playful paws coming out from under the door. I wish I could hear her scratching the door frame, the corner of our bed and anywhere she always scratches. I wish I could look down to see her tail tail-ing me. I wish I could continue to see her lazing at all her favorite spots.

I cleared her unfinished can food and washed her food and water dish the first thing I got home. The rest of her stuff are left intact. I don’t even know if I should vacuum the last remnants of her fluttery fur that had gathered in their usual tumbleweed fashion. The impending balcony ziptrack installation was partly for Miyo too. There are too many memories of her every where.

I’m reading your texts but not replying. My floodgates had already opened thrice with phone calls from both sisters and my mum. I simply do not know what to say. I am so tired but I can’t sleep well at all. Memories of Miyo would flash through my mind and I would start bawling my eyes out.

My family reminded me that we have given Miyo the best life she could have and she has touched many people’s hearts. She has even changed non cat lovers’ minds about cats. She brought so much joy to those who follow her adventures and met her. I’m very thankful to everyone who recently visited my home for Baby Ash and continued to show attention to Miyo too. Miyo is my furkid and just as important as Ash.

I know I have to move on but I’m too distraught. I need more time to grieve.

Original post in my Facebook page here.
Post on @iamjolene.
Post on @miyo_kitty.

Sunday, September 09, 2018

From Bumps to Babes

Time really passes so quickly. 1 year ago around this time, I found out I was pregnant and was so sick that I was almost bed-ridden every day. Fast forward to now, I feel like so much has changed with a baby and one of it is the joy of motherhood.

It is a beautiful coincidence that in this group of gal pals, the 3 of us were pregnant at the same time and had our babies in the same year.




Our little ones were projected to be about 2 months apart -- due in Feb, April and June. However in the end, bestie Cyn delivered slightly earlier than her due date in February. I delivered 1 day before my due date in April. Char delivered at week 37 in the month of May, way before her due date which was supposed to be June. Hence, our babies are no longer 2 months apart from one another.




Another coincidence was that we were all having baby girls. And the last coincidence was that we were all Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) sufferers, or should I say survivors!

While we were suffering during our 1st and 2nd trimester, our WhatsApp group chat became our support group. We ranted and we whined and we "reported" our daily suffering on that thread. Most importantly, we encouraged one another to hang in there.




When we realised we were all pregnant, we made a pact to take a bump shot together or it would never happen again. LOL! Why never happen again? Cyn has 4 kids, Char has 2 kids and they decided they would stop at that.

As we were all so sick during the same phase of our pregnancy, it meant that by the time Char was well, Cyn might have popped. It was such an opportune time to meet up a few days before Cyn popped and sealed memories of our bump shots with so many photos.




Our photographer for that day was my Godson Jase. At 14 years old this year, Jase has grown from a sensible and well-behaved boy into a fine young man. When he was a pre-teen, I kept telling him that no matter how old he is, I would still want to hug him like always. I hope he won't be embarrassed by such a Godma. >_<




I said to him, "Why are you growing taller every day? The last time I saw you during H's baby shower, you were my height and suddenly you are so much taller today!"




So proud of Jase to have gotten into a good school after having missed quite a bit of the Singapore education system when he was over in the UK. I pray that he would do as well academically as he does in other areas of life.




Cyn is so fortunate to have such a filial son. I wish that Baby Ash would grow up to be a filial daughter too. For those who have been reading my blog since Charmaine's (my goddaughter) cancer days, you would know what a sensible boy Jase has always been!




Jase was so patient with us, having to take so many photos till we (more like I) were satisfied. And of course we 3 bimbotic ladies simply had to take a picture WITH him before we let him off to meet his friends.




Cyn said Jase is "trained" well by me coz he has such an eye for detail. After this photo, I told him to change his position to capture us at the right angle. He caught onto the flow and was a natural at instructing us to pose.




For example, could you tell the difference between the next 2 photos?




It was Char's left leg! Jase instructed Char to place her left leg out at a similar angle as what Cyn and I were doing. And that resulted in our favourite picture and the best one to feature on my Instagram.




Our personal favourite was this (even if Cyn's hubz remarked that we looked like we had stiff necks) as we were trying to recreate the pose we did about 8 years ago when we were in NYC.




Not this...




This! Coz we look cuter here.




If Cyn's hubz were to caption this collage, it would be "Still having stiff necks from 2009 to 2018."
-_-|||





~*~*~*~


After our bump shots and after we were more settled down with life, we agreed we should recreate one holding our babies in place of our bumps.




It was so difficult to recreate the exact same pose with the exact same slightly angled position with fidgety babies. Check out how many shots we took in the anigif below! Spot the photobomber while you're at it.




Mums and babes.





In the series of non full length shots, I really couldn't decide which to feature. The adults all had the same expression while the babes looked so comical! I really love the process of how Baby K went from sleeping to frowning with a cute pout and how Baby H was figuring out what Baby K was doing.




The 3 babes all affecting each other to cry.




And then Mia wanted a shot with the babes and she won everyone hands down in posing.




I'm always thankful for being blessed with so many supportive and true girl friends in my life. Also how blessed to have friends sharing the ups and downs of pregnancy, knowledge of motherhood and parenting.




Other than this group of gal pals, I have a couple of people around me (families and good friends) who also became parents all within months of one another which strongly makes me feel that everything happened for a reason and at the right time.



Friday, August 31, 2018

Tian Wei Signature Confinement Food Review

I am about 4 months post partum and I am very glad that during my 12 weeks of maternity leave, I was blessed with nutritious and delicious meals every day.

Confinement when done well, is a phase whereby a woman’s body is able to rejuvenate to an even better state than before and diet plays a huge role. I was determined to continue eating healthily after my confinement lady left and had the privilege to try out the confinement meals from Tian Wei Signature.




Before my confinement lady left, I was already racking my brains about the logistics of my meals for the rest of my maternity leave. It was such a coincidence that Tian Wei Signature reached out to me. I have read and heard a lot of good things about Tian Wei Signature whether from sponsored or non-sponsored reviews and was really thrilled that I would have 2 weeks’ worth of lunch and dinner settled till I returned to work. Whatever I write here are what I truly feel about the whole experience and I have lots of good stuff to say!




Packaging

The meals are delivered in plastic containers and stored in zipped thermal bags.

I usually eat my meals really late, as late as 2-3pm for lunch and 8-10pm for dinner because like all babies, Baby Ash was quite unpredictable. Leaving the food in the thermal bag till I was ready to eat them kept them warm enough for me. I did not have to reheat the food which was a good thing as my microwave oven has been spoilt for the longest time.

The plastic containers are double sealed with plastic cling wrap (one outside and another below the lid) to prevent leakage of gravy and soup. Everything was really neat and it was the first time I experienced eating from takeaway plastic containers that are so clean with no gravy smeared on the outside.

Everything is really convenient and hassle free which is great for new mummies who hardly have time for anything else. Just eat and throw! However, if you are someone who is into saving the environment, you might feel a tinge of guilt each time you throw these containers away. I would wash the non-oily ones and keep them. Oh yes, the thermal bags are to be returned to the delivery guy with the last thermal bag for the customer’s keeping.


Serving Size

My hubby and I were pleasantly surprised by the amount of food for the Signature trial meal. It was more than enough for the both of us. The trial meal included the traditional and fusion meals. I thought that the trial meal was an exception and that I should not be expecting such huge portions for the daily meals.

Boy was I wrong. The portion is pretty generous. I am quite a huge eater and already, I found myself inviting my parents over for dinner quite a lot. You could see from the photos and I would also elaborate in greater detail under some of the photos.




Good Customer Service and Customization

I experienced excellent customer service from the email communication, phone coordination and right up to the delivery service.

Upon confirmation of the meal package, a staff called to check on my food preference, allergies and other special requirements. I suffered from PUPPP and post-partum hives. Ginger and alcohol are both strong triggers and these are common ingredients used in most confinement dishes.

When I told them about this and said I understood that it was a rather demanding requirement to not include or reduce the amount of ginger and alcohol, the guy over the phone assured me that it could be arranged. He informed me that many of their dishes are cooked with ginger juice while some contained ginger shreds. He said he would inform the kitchen not to use ginger juice for my meals but ginger shreds would be fine since I could easily pick those out. I thought it was rather troublesome for them to go the extra mile but they did. Check out the photo below that states "no ginger juice" and "ok ginger shreds". As for alcohol, I did not manage to taste alcohol in the dishes so I guessed they settled that part too.



You could also call them anytime to update your personal requirements. For example, I simply called in advance to inform them that I did not want food delivery during the weekends as I would be out with my hubby or family and we resumed the food delivery on Monday. The only thing was that I missed out on some appetizing weekend fusion dishes.

The delivery guy would most of the time hand me the thermal bag but whenever I was busy with my baby, he would hang the bag at the door and texted me that food was here. Sometimes I would text him beforehand as a heads up so that he would not ring the doorbell.


Taste and Menu

I love eating confinement food and home cooked food. Tian Wei Signature is both of this. I didn’t quite expect that meals designed to help boost the recovery process and milk supply of mothers could taste so appetizing.



I am one who do not like food that is too flavoured or too oily and I’m happy to know that there is no artificial flavourings and MSG used in their cooking. Some people who are into flavours(重口味) might find the meals a little too “healthy tasting” though.

You know how economical rice sold outside are also rice with dishes but somehow they could never have the home-cooked taste? Tian Wei Signature food tastes totally home cooked! I admit that reading about their Head Chef Eugene Tan allows me to visualize him and his team lovingly cooking these meals for post-partum mummies. Haha!

Oh yes, I’m so impressed by the variety of rice they serve. White rice is a staple in Chinese meals and those could be so unhealthy in large portions. I recall seeing only 2 to 3 meals with white rice and read up that Tian Wei serves 9 different kinds of rice, from barley millet, millet mixed, calrose, tri-colour, five grain, quinoa mixed, brown, fried and pumpkin rice.


Let me take you through my daily meals in pictures and elaborate more along the way!



Week 1 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRIED CELERY WITH STRAW MUSHROOM AND WHITE FUNGUS
西芹草菇银耳
RED FERMENTED WINE CHICKEN SESAME BRAISED CHICKEN
红糟鸡 麻油鸡
EUCOMMIA KIDNEY NOURISHING SOUP
杜仲补腰炖汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭




Right from Day 1, I fell in love with their soup and lapped up every single bowl of soup thereafter. In fact as I was doing this blog post, I found myself craving for all their delicious soups.

I am someone who hates celery and all other strong smelling vegetables so imagine how much I cringed when I saw celery in the first meal. Surprisingly, there wasn't the usual tart kind of celery taste I dislike. I amazed myself when I could finish that dish.

You would also notice the replacement for the chicken dish. Due to my allergy as mentioned before, I have to abstain from alcohol. Hence, Tian Wei could not serve me the Red Fermented Wine Chicken and specially replaced it with Sesame Braised Chicken. Caring for their customers certainly goes a long way!





Week 1 Day 1 Dinner
STIR FRIED BROCCOLI WITH GINGER AND TWIN FUGUS
姜丝双木耳炒西兰花
STEAMED WOLF-BERRIES PORK RIBS WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE AND RED DATES
黑豆豉红枣枸杞蒸排骨
DISPEL WIND CHICKEN SOUP WITH LEMONGRASS
香茅祛风鸡汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



I am one who likes black fungus and eat it quite frequently but for people who don't like, they may get a shock seeing black fungus in 2 dishes. Black fungus is especially beneficial for cleansing the body and expelling stale blood. It is not only great for confinement but for overall well being too.





Week 1 Day 2 Lunch
STIR FRIED KAILAN WITH GARLIC
蒜香香港芥兰
LEMONGRASS FENUGREEK BRAISED FISH FILLET
香茅葫芦巴焖鱼柳
GINGKO LOTUS SEED PIG STOMACH SOUP
白果莲子猪肚汤
PUMPKIN RICE
南瓜瓜子饭







Week 1 Day 2 Dinner
SILKY EGG WITH AMARANTH IN SUPERIOR BROTH
上汤蛋花苋菜
STIR FRIED PORK AND KIDNEY WITH GINGER AND SESAME OIL
姜丝麻油炒肉片腰子
NOURISHING AND BEAUTIFYING CHICKEN SOUP
滋润养颜炖鸡汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭




I love green leafy vegetables without thick and hard stems so this silky egg with amaranth vegetable dish is something I love a lot.





Week 1 Day 3 Lunch
STIR FRIED LETTUCE WITH MINCED MEAT AND GINGER
姜丝肉碎油麦菜
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
POLYGONUM MULTIFLORUM BLACK CHICKEN SOUP
何首乌乌鸡汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭



The Braised Pork Trotter in Black Vinegar was not too thick and rich and has a homely flavour. Do you know that black vinegar has the ability to purify the blood and cleanse the arteries? It also helps break down the mineral content in the trotters and ensuring that the resulting gravy is rich in calcium, iron and gelatinous collagen. So even if you’re someone who dislike fatty trotters like me, you’ll still get your collagen from the gravy. I love the lean meat portion of this dish best and I would always water my rice with the black vinegar. Yumz!

This was one of the meals I enjoyed a lot and finished almost everything except the fatty parts of the pork trotter. Whenever there was pork trotter in black vinegar dish, my parents would be able to whip up enough for the whole family from my leftovers with added ingredients.





Week 1 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED CHINESE YAM WITH KAILAN AND LEAN MEAT
山药瘦肉炒芥兰
STEAMED THREADFIN WITH GINGER IN SUPERIOR SOYA SAUCE
港蒸姜丝午鱼
STRONG NOURISHING SOUP
大补元血汤
BROWN RICE
糙米饭



I appreciate it a lot when dishes are easy to eat. Other than the fact that I need to eat my dinner quickly to tend to Baby Ash, I'm a super lazy person who dislike picking bones from my fish and the threadfin dish was one of my favourite protein dish.





Week 1 Day 4 Lunch
STIR FRIED SHANGHAI GREEN WITH CONPOY
清炒干贝上海青
BRAISED SESAME CHICKEN IN SWEET POTATO VERMICELLI
麻油鸡红薯细粉
FENUGREEK GREEN PAPAYA HERBAL FISH SOUP
葫芦巴青木瓜药材鱼汤



The main vermicelli dish itself is enough for my usual lunch serving so you could see just how huge the meal portions are. I usually dislike thick bee hoon and was wondering why this one tasted so good. No wonder! It wasn't thick bee hoon but sweet potato vermicelli, something which I found really unique and wonderfully tasty.





Week 1 Day 4 Dinner
STIR FRIED PEA SHOOT WITH KING OYSTER MUSHROOM
白灵菇炒豆苗
MARMITE MARINATED PORK RIBS
妈密排骨
LOTUS ROOTS AND RED DATES CHICKEN SOUP
莲藕红枣鸡汤
BLACK BARLEY MIXED RICE
黑薏米饭



I just HAVE TO talk about this black barley mixed rice. OMG! I love biting onto the bits of black barley. Before looking at the menu online, I often wonder what the black stuff was whenever they served this rice. My parents also agreed that the texture of the black barley made a lot of difference to the rice. I think my kitty cat Miyo agreed too!





Week 1 Day 5 Lunch
STIR FRIED PORK LIVER WITH WHITE BEEHOON AND KAILAN
芥兰猪肝焖白米粉
SWEET AND SOUR FISH SLICES
酸甜鱼片
HEART CALMING SOUP
安神甜汤



Just like the vermicelli meal, the bee hoon itself was more than enough for my lunch. And I really appreciate the variety of carbs in the whole meal package.





Week 1 Day 5 Dinner
FRENCH BEANS WITH SHIMEJI MUSHROOM
四季豆炒茶树菇
STIR FRIED CHICKEN WITH CAPSICUM IN PUMPKIN SAUCE
金瓜酱炒鸡丁灯笼椒
PORK RIBS SOUP WITH BLACK BEAN
排骨黑豆汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



Without looking at the menu, my parents and I could not figure out what the yellow sauce was and thought it was salted egg yolk without the salt to make a healthy dish. It was delicious even if it wasn't salted egg yolk and I was so amazed that pumpkin could achieve such a salted egg yolk sauce effect.





Week 1 Day 6 Lunch
PUMPKIN WITH BLACK FUNGUS
姜丝木耳炒金瓜
STEWED PORK WITH GALANGAL AND LEMONGRASS
香茅南姜炖肉片
CORDYCEPS BLOSSOM SOUP
虫草花炖汤
QUINOA MIXED RICE
藜麥饭



I didn't quite like the visual presentation of this meal without the greens (I need my green vege) but once I started eating, I finished everything. And that cordyceps blossom soup? It tasted like a soup I drank in an atas Chinese restaurant.





Week 2 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRY ASPARAGUS JAPANESE STYLE
日式炒芦笋
BAKED FILLET FISH WITH GINGER MIRIN SAUCE
味醂香烤鱼柳
UTERINE TONIC SOUP
子宫收缩炖鸡汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭



I did not have the weekend meals delivered except for Saturday lunch so I missed out on some delicious weekend meals.





Week 2 Day 1 Dinner
STIR FRIED BROCCOLI WITH SCALLOP
西兰花炒带子
ROSE WINE BRAISED CHICKEN
玫瑰露焖鸡
FENUGREEK GREEN PAPAYA MILKY FISH SOUP
葫芦巴青木瓜牛奶鱼汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭



While this meal was delicious, I gave my feedback on the broccoli and the chicken. I love broccoli but not when they have thick stems or when they are lightly cooked and hence too crunchy hard. The chicken had some small bits of bones which did not pass my discerning (lazy) mouth. It felt really good when the staff over the phone said he valued my feedback and that he would relay my feedback to the kitchen.





Week 2 Day 2 Lunch
SEARED SALMON WITH CAULIFLOWER CREAM
香煎花椰菜奶油三文鱼
RED BEAN PUREE WITH ORANGE PEEL DESSERT
陈皮红豆沙
TRI COLOUR GRAINS
三色谷



During my difficult pregnancy, I would every now and then have craving for salmon as it is a fish that has a nice “oily fish” taste. It has amazing nutritional value, improves cardiovascular health, enhances tissue development, boosts overall ocular well-being and provides efficient metabolism. Great for pregnant and confinement mummies!



During my maternity leave, I look forward to dishes that are fuss-free and easy to eat as I need to be able to tend to Baby Ash readily. The salmon dish is one such dish. I could finish this Seared Salmon with Cauliflower Cream and Tri Colour Grains in 15 minutes when I usually take 1 hour to finish my meals because Baby Ash loves to sabo me by fussing and crying when I’m eating.





Week 2 Day 2 Dinner
AMARANTH WITH SLICED FISH
鱼片苋菜
STEWED CHICKEN WITH BASIL AND PUMPKIN
九层塔炖金瓜鸡肉
PORK KNUCKLE SOUP WITH LOTUS ROOTS
莲藕猪脚汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭



Super love this green vege amaranth with sliced fish dish. With such a balance of proteins and vege in this single dish, the stewed chicken with basil and pumpkin dish was too much in a meal.





Week 2 Day 3 Lunch
STEAM OKRA WITH CONPOY AND JUJUBE
清蒸干贝红枣羊角豆
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
MIND CALMING AND LUNG NOURISHING SOUP
健脾润肺甜汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭



I like lady's finger (okra) and never knew they are an important confinement ingredient.  It is rich in potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. It is low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content. Lady's finger has been suggested to help manage blood sugar in cases of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.





Week 2 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED NAI BAI WITH SHIMEJI MUSHROOM
奶白配茶树菇
STEAMED THREADFIN WITH GINGER IN SUPERIOR SOYA SAUCE
港蒸姜丝午鱼
PORK RIBS SOUP WITH LOTUS SEED AND LILY
莲子百合排骨汤
BROWN RICE



I mentioned I love all their soups right? I remember I did not quite like this soup with pork as the main ingredient and not much Chinese herbs. I somehow found the porky taste really overwhelming.





Week 2 Day 4 Lunch
TIAN WEI SIGNATURE COQ AU VIN
天味招牌法式红酒炖鸡
PAPAYA WHITE FUNGUS DESSERT
炖木瓜雪耳
TOASTED OATS MILLET MIXED RICE
燕麦小米饭



Other than the seared salmon, the coq au vin cooked in red wine is another of Tian Wei Signature fusion meal. The chicken itself was a lot so I left the rice aside. The antioxidants that can be found in the skin of red wine grapes have beneficial effects in women. Red wine can help prevent certain cancers and protect you from heart diseases and osteoporosis, while reducing inflammations caused by arthritis.





Week 2 Day 4 Dinner
STIR FRIED SLICE FISH PEA SHOOT WITH GINGER
姜丝鱼片豆苗
BRAISED GIANT MEATBALL
红烧狮子头
GINSENG NOURISHING SOUP
人参大补炖汤
BLACK BARLEY MIXED RICE
黑薏米饭



Hey look! It's my favourite rice again! And that giant meatball was good too. I tend to avoid large meat balls for Chinese food as I'm afraid of the strong porky taste. These meat balls were yummy.





Week 2 Day 5 Lunch
SPAGHETTI POMODORO AND CAPONATA
茄酱意大利面
BLACK PEPPER FISH FILLET WITH BASIL
九层黑椒鱼柳
MIND-SOOTHING AND HAIR-PROTECTING SOUP
安神护发炖汤



I can't figure out if this meal was fusion or traditional. All I can say is that the soup seems out of place with the spaghetti and fish fillet which are western. However, everything was yummy. I was craving for a new variety of carb.





Week 2 Day 5 Dinner
STIR FRIED FRENCH BEAN WITH EGG AND TOMATO
西红柿四季豆炒蛋
BEETROOT OVEN BAKED CHICKEN
甜菜根焗鸡柳
APPLE WHITE FUNGUS PORK RIB SOUP
苹果银耳排骨汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭







Week 3 Day 1 Lunch
STIR FRIED CELERY WITH WHITE BEECH MUSHROOM, LOTUS ROOT AND BLACK FUNGUS
西芹莲藕白玉菇木耳
BAKED FILLET FISH WITH GINGER MIRIN SAUCE
味醂香烤鱼柳
SPLEEN STRENGTHENING ABC SOUP
健脾ABC汤
BARLEY MILLET RICE
薏米小米饭



Once again, I skipped the food delivery on weekends and missed the Japanese fusion meal. The dishes from here onward had slight repetition since it was a new week. If you were to take a package with Tian Wei during your confinement period when you are truly confined, you would not miss out on their weekend meals.





Week 3 Day 1 Dinner
BROCCOLI WITH BRAISED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM
西兰花炖花菇
BRAISED CHICKEN WITH BLACK FUNGUS AND ANGELICA
当归木耳焖鸡
TIANQI BLOOD-TONIFYING SOUP
田七补血汤
TRI COLOUR RICE
三色饭






Week 3 Day 2 Lunch
SEARED SALMON WITH CAULIFLOWER CREAM
香煎花椰菜奶油三文鱼
RED BEAN PUREE WITH ORANGE PEEL DESSERT
陈皮红豆沙
TRI COLOUR GRAINS
三色谷







Week 3 Day 2 Dinner
STIR FRIED EGG WITH AMARANTH AND SILVER BAIT FISH
银鱼苋菜炒蛋
HAWTHORN CHICKEN
三楂鸡扒
PEANUT PORK KNUCKLE SOUP
花生猪脚汤
PLAIN RICE
白饭






Week 3 Day 3 Lunch
STEAM OKRA WITH CONPOY AND JUJUBE
清蒸干贝红枣羊角豆
BRAISED PORK TROTTER IN BLACK VINEGAR
猪脚醋
CHINESE YAM AND WOLFBERRY CHICKEN SOUP
山药枸杞鸡汤
FIVE GRAIN RICE
五谷饭






Week 3 Day 3 Dinner
STIR FRIED FRENCH BEAN WITH MUSHROOM AND CHICKEN FILLET
香菇鸡柳四季豆
STEAM GINGER THREADFIN FILLET
姜蓉蒸午鱼
FOUR OBJECT DECOCTION PORK RIBS SOUP
四物排骨汤
BROWN RICE
糙米饭







Week 3 Day 4 Lunch
TIAN WEI SIGNATURE COQ AU VIN
天味招牌法式红酒炖鸡
PAPAYA WHITE FUNGUS DESSERT
炖木瓜雪耳
TOASTED OATS MILLET MIXED RICE
燕麦小米饭




Each meal came with 1 litre of red dates tea which came in 2 cups as shown. I get unbelievably thirsty while breastfeeding that after my confinement period, I resorted to drinking 100 Plus and coconut water straight from the fridge as plain water could not quench my thirst. These red dates tea could quench my thirst such that all the drinks in my fridge were untouched. I don't know the logic of how red dates tea could quench thirst but it really did!




My parents and sometimes my 2nd sis would come over my house every few days. Here is an example of how the portions are so huge that my parents were able to make use of that day's meals to whip up a dinner for 3 to 4 pax. My mum would even rehash the leftover nutritious ingredients from my finished soup to make a new batch of wonderfully tasting soup!




All in all, I had a really pleasant experience with Tian Wei Signature. Should I have another child and should my confinement lady not be available, I would definitely engage Tian Wei's service.

For more information, you can visit:
Tian Wei Signature Home page
Tian Wei Signature Facebook
Tian Wei Signature Instagram


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