Healthy and Simple Mixed Vegetables + Cooking w/o Oil

It has been a while since I last prepared my own meal, so since I've got the day off today, I promised myself to cook up a little something for myself. Also, I have been wanting to try cooking without oil, which may sound absurd to some people. However, I've been following some vegans on YouTube and educating myself on the benefits of cooking without oil, so yes, I very much wanted to try it out for myself.

Ingredients:

Onions

Mushrooms

Broccoli

Capsicum

Carrots

French Beans

Spinach

How:

On a pan, cook onions till lightly brown. Add mushrooms and stir-fry. Add in broccoli, carrots and french beans. Approx 3-4 minutes later, add in spinach. Continue to stir-fry until cooked. I did add a bit of water to prevent the vegetables from burning. Lastly, not forgetting your carbs - serve with rice!

Strawberry Mango Banana Smoothie

Ever since I got my hands on my very first blender last year, I have been enjoying making my own smoothies. They're simple to make and best of all, they contain lots of vitamins!

Smoothie bowls are great for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert. They're perfect for any time of the day, really, especially in Singapore's tropical summer heat.

You'll need:
1 mango
2 bananas
1 cup strawberries
1 cup soy milk (Depending on your preferred consistency, you may add more milk to make it less thick.)

How:
After removing the skin/stem where needed, slice and combine the fruits in a blender. Consider setting some aside to garnish afterwards. Next, add the soy milk. You may also want to add some ice cubes. Then, blend well until desired consistency is reached. Finally, top with remaining fruits. Here I used some grapes I've left in the fridge. Serve and enjoy!

Greendot Restaurant (Westgate)

Having recently made the decision to transit to a plant-based diet, I was over the moon when I discovered a new meat-free restaurant near home called Greendot.

Greendot serves a variety of vegetarian and vegan food, from their signature bentos to noodles and hot pots. I've been there about three times just to try the different dishes on their menu!

I love Thai food so I was extremely pleased to see that the restaurant serves Tom Yum noodles! Lots of ingredients included in this dish such as Konnyaku prawn, tau pok, radish, carrots and lettuce.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the dishes but if I had to pick my favourite, it would definitely be the laksa. It was simply mouth-watering with its rich flavours. I would highly recommend anyone visiting Greendot to order the laksa!

Greendot
3 Gateway Drive
Westgate
#01-08
Singapore 4608532
Operating hours: Daily 11:00 - 22:00

Frozen Fruit and Green Smoothie

I've always been somewhat apprehensive about green juices and smoothies - or else why would they be termed as mean green beverages, right?

Fortunately, I came across the following recipe in a book called Virgin Vegan, and it assured that only the fruit flavours come through. Also, once you try this, you will get a clearer idea how to vary which fruit or green you use and what amounts to suit your taste.

You'll need:

1 medium banana, sliced and frozen

1 cup blueberries, frozen

1 cup soy milk

2 cups spinach

How:

Place ingredients into a blender in the order given, pushing down hard on the spinach. Run the blender on high and once the spinach disappears into the mix, blend for another 10 seconds. The mixture should be like a thick shake.

Be as creative as you like, try using other fruits. Here I topped my smoothie with some strawberries. Also, consider substituting the soy milk with almond milk, apple juice or water. Enjoy your frozen fruit and green smoothie!

Colourful Combo Salad

You'll need:
1 cup canned kidney beans
1 cup canned chickpeas
1 potato, diced
Handful of mushrooms, sliced
Handful of peas
1 clove onion, chopped
1-2 tsp garlic flakes (or 1 clove of garlic)
Olive oil

(Estimate how much of these ingredients you want, using leftovers does the trick as well!)

How:
Heat pan and drizzle olive oil. When pan is getting hot, add the onion and garlic. Stir until garlic begins to turn golden brown. Add potatoes and stir. After about 3 minutes, add carrots, mushrooms and green peas. Continue to stir well until all ingredients are tender. Add desired amount of kidney beans and chickpeas. As I am using canned beans, I am only bringing them to heat before serving.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. You may add salt, pepper, or coriander for extra flavour.

Spill The Beans

You'll need:

1 potato

1 carrot

1 broccoli

1 cup canned kidney beans

1 cup canned chickpeas

Estimate yourself the quantity of the ingredients needed. Here, I used a leftover carrot and broccoli.

How:
Slice the potatoes, carrots and broccoli. Bring potatoes to boil. After about 5 minutes, add carrots and broccoli. Continue to boil for another 5-7 minutes, or until all ingredients are tender. I normally use little or no salt, although some people might prefer to.

To prepare the beans, because I am using canned ones, they do not need to be soaked beforehand. Drain the beans from the cans, add a little water and bring to heat.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill. Add a tablespoon of toasted seasame oil for extra flavour.

Edamame Salad

You'll need:

For the salad:

2 cups edamame, thawed

1 cup corn, thawed

1 medium carrot, grated

For the dressing:

1 lime, juiced

2 tbs olive oil or water

How:

Combine and boil ingredients for the salad for about 5 minutes, or until edamame turns bright green. Drain and place all ingredients in a bowl. Pour dressing over salad mixture then chill.