VegVibe Issue 5 Is Out!

Hi Everyone,

After a long hiatus, I'm back (hopefully consistently). Life has been one whirlwind after another and it doesn't help that I've been pretty lazy sometimes, but hey we are all humans right? 

Everything has been chugging along beautifully. And I present to you our next issue featuring our friend Wong Hsiao Kee and her a amazing and energetic son, Reyes :)

As usual, the mag is available for free islandwide and also online at www.vegvibe.com

Finally, after a long hiatus!

Hi Everyone,

I'm pretty much ashamed at not updating my blog for the past two months or so. We have been just swamped with so so much work bringing our pet project - VegVibe Magazine to life. We finally went into print and our launch event was on the 29 August 2010. It was a wonderful event with a large turnout (over 100 people) and we were very blessed and pleased to see so many people come by to support our event. We were also extremely blessed to have the support of our wonderful sponsors who contributed wonderful items like organic soy milk powder, vouchers, cereal crackers, sweet soy sauce, organic beancurd, eco-friendly disposable cutlery and many more. 

Please do continue to read our magazine, it is available online at www.vegvibe.com and also if you are based in Singapore, pick up your free copy at over 50 locations islandwide. We will be putting up the information on our website soon!

Here's our inaugural print issue featuring Olivia Choong, founder of Green Drinks Singapore, environmentalist and vegetarian. 

ACRES Gala Dinner 2010

On the 22nd of May, ACRES celebrated its 9th year in existence with a splendid Gala Dinner and fund raiser. The hubby and I attended this glorious event as press people for VegVibe. We were treated to an amazing night with many heartwarming moments during the auction when many corporate supporters bid generously on the auction items - some even re-donating the items for bidding.

The highlight of the night was food and we were treated to scrumptious gourmet vegan food. On the menu was vegetable terrine with salad and passionfruit vinaigrette, roasted apple and butternut squash soup with 'cheese' wantons and three types of mushrooms with risotto cake and tomato coulis and for dessert - William Pear Charlotte with vanilla anglaise and mixed berries.

Vegetable Terrine with Salad and Passionfruit Vinegarette 

Crepe Mushroom Risotto Cake, Grilled Portabella, Tempura Mushroom and Tomato Coulis

Extremely Delicious!

William Pear Charlotte with vanilla anglaise and mixed berries.

Vegan Banana Cake as a farewell gift

VegVibe May Issue is Out!

Okie, I know this is a little late. But better late than never! Check out the articles on animal activism and recipes using various sorts of pasta.

VegVibe April Issue is Out!

Check out our April issue featuring exclusive interview with the Skate Migrate Against Cat Hate Team!

Also featuring refreshing watermelon recipes!

Watermelon Spinach Salad

Watermelon Rosewater Pudding Shots

Watermelon and Preserved Prune Ice Lolly

Watermelon Chocolate Spring Roll

Vegan Food Tasting at Rang Mahal

The month of April is the World Gourmet Summit and we were invited by an exclusive Indian restaurant - Rang Mahal - for press tasting. Even though it is not a vegetarian restaurant, the owners of this restaurant are vegetarian and hence they offer an extensive vegetarian menu. We were pleased that our request for vegan food was accommodated by this fine establishment and the guest chef, Mr Vivek Singh, and we were served several courses of delectable food made from combining the spirit of Indian food with a refined Western sensibility. 

We started off with a watermelon cashew appetiser. Though it looks simple, it packs a spicy punch and was very refreshing.

We were then served deep fried zucchini flowers on a bed of dahl and vegetables. It was the first time I was having zucchini flower and it was superb and delicious. The dahl had a home made feel about it which reminded me a lot of my mum's cooking.

We were then served smoked eggplants with asparagus and a coconut onion sauce to go with it. It was an interesting combination and the smoked eggplants were mouthwateringly delicious. The coconut onion sauce was delicate and creamy.

Next we had a spiced fruit salad with pomegranates and sliced fruits and vegetables like mango and radish. Though it looks deceptively simple, the salad was full of flavour with explosions of heat and spice in every bite.

   

We were then served grilled eggplants with some soft fragrant basmati rice. The eggplant was grilled till juicy and generally topped with curry. Even my eggplant hating husband was in awe of it. It was clean and the pairing with the rice was classic.

We ended the meal on a sweet note with rice pudding laced with coconut milk and some grilled pineapple with jaggery or sugar. The pineapple was slightly under ripe and hence was perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the jaggery.

A picture of the exceptional Chef Vivek Singh and myself

Overall, vegans in Singapore are limited in their fine dining options. Hence, Rang Mahal makes a good choice for those wanting something vegan with an air of sophistication. Of cos' be sure to call them ahead - at least three days - to make special requests!

Check Out the March 2010 Issue of VegVibe!

This issue of VegVibe features Liam Webb, who was nominated by one of our readers as an inspirational vegan. Read his remarkable story on why he became a vegan.

As March is the month of the one week school holidays, we feature kid friendly recipes that everyone can enjoy!

Baked Potato Nuggets Coated in Breadcrumb

Easy Chickpea Boats 

Traffic Light Tofu Kebabs

Kiwi Mango Ice Lolly

VegVibe - Feb Issue... The Valentine's Issue is Out!

Check out the latest issue at www.vegvibe.com includes the following recipes created specially for Valentine's Day by yours truly...

VegVibe - January Issue

Check out the latest issue of VegVibe featuring Shwu Huey, whose has a wonderful story to share about her transition to vegetarianism and now veganism. Also, check out the recipes and write in about your favourite vegetarian or vegan to stand a chance to win free movie tickets! Magazine available at www.vegvibe.com 

VegVibe -December Issue Out Now

Hi Peeps, the latest issue of Vegvibe is now out. Check it out at www.vegvibe.com

VegVibe - November Issue is Out Now!

The 4th issue of Vegvibe is out now and available for download at www.vegvibe.com. This month's issue features generous contributions from Crystal who shares her expertise in Japanese food, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival and find out if it is true that vegans don't suffer from cholesterol problems :)

Vegan Activism - Natalie Portman Style

Photo from: http://shoeswithsouls.com/uncategorized/natalie-portman-launches-vegan-shoe-line.php

I'm not one to follow scandalous celebrity gossips but my friend Joe twittered about Natalie Portman turning vegan and I sure had to look it up! She's been a vegetarian for the last twenty years (wow!) and has recently turned vegan thanks to Jonathan Safran Foer's, Eating Animals. She wrote passionately and eloquently for the Huffington Post about the reasons for this change and her move to vegan activism.

I was pretty much impressed with her intelligent discourse until I did a cursory search on the net only to discover that people have taken offense with her analogy of eating meat out of social obligation to that of someone forced to partake in rape as that is the accepted norm. This reference has meat eaters in arms, raving that she is yet another PETA deranged activist out to crucify meat eating. 

To be honest, I don't get what the fuss is all about (but don't take my word for it - I'm trying to be a vegan after all). She's not directly co-relating the two, she is trying to explain it by providing a mental image of how social conformity can lead to actions that are undesirable to one. Perhaps, being a celebrity and all, she could have been more careful with her prose. But, stripping her popularity aside, would anyone really kick up a fuss if some nameless person was to make that comment? 

I think its important to go beyond and understand the message even if one does not care for animal welfare instead of merely dismissing, in typical fashion, just because of a statement.