Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby

If you’re looking for an all-you-can-eat CRAB feast, this is IT!

No, this REALLY is it! PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road’s Weekend Seafood Buffet is back with the freshest catches and DIY mocktail bar at Spice Brasserie – bigger and better than before!

The buffet’s lunch selection boasts unlimited servings of restaurant signatures including Fried Slipper Lobster Black Bean Sauce and Chili Crab with Mantou, and an expanded dinner menu features their fiery Black Pepper Crab and the creamiest Salted Egg Crab, along with crowd favourite Oatmeal Prawns with Curry Leaves.

Personal Verdict: I LOVE the Salted Egg Crabs, the husband’s choice was the Black Pepper Crabs, and Cbb had a great time feasting on the keropok (there are so many versions – best if dipped in the belacan!) LOL

What else did we like? The hamachi and swordfish sashimi (they’re great quality), steamed whole seabass HK style, the traditional Indian line-up, the innovative DIY mocktail bar and the DURIAN PENGAT with sticky rice! I’ll let the pictures do the talking. At such reasonable pricing, it’s a must-go! See pricing information below.

Pricing

Oh Crab, It’s Back! Seafood Buffet is available for lunch on Saturdays and Sundays (SG$48/adult and SG$24/child) and dinner on Fridays to Sundays (SG$58/adult and SG$29/child) from now till 16 August 2019. *Not applicable for lunch on Father’s Day, Sunday 16 June 2019. Prices are subject to GST and service charge.

Spice Brasserie

Weekend Seafood Lunch: 12nn to 2.30pm
Weekend Seafood Dinner: 6pm to 10pm
Address: 161 Kitchener Road, Lobby Level
Phone: +65 64283160

For detailed prices and terms and conditions, please visit http://www.parkroyalhotels.com/kitchener

This was an invited tasting but all opinions are my own.

The post Oh Crab, It’s Back! At PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road – Review appeared first on .

I’m always on the lookout for hormone free meats when cooking for the family, and I’m really happy to have finally tried Sasha’s Fine Foods! I have a discount code for you at the end of this post, so you can try them out too!

I have long heard about Sasha’s Fine Foods but have been under the perception that it is only for higher-end households. Imagine my joy when I dug deeper and realised that they have local poultry and other meats and fish – antibiotics and hormone free – at really reasonable prices.

A pack of fresh, never frozen chicken wings (4 in a pack) are $7.90, English minced pork from $7.90, two portions of local barramundi fillet at $18.90 and 2 portions of super high quality Mt. Cook Alpine New Zealand Salmon from $23.90. You can also get pesticide-free Australian Broccoli at $3.90. I would pay this price for hormone/pesticide/antibiotics-free produce! What’s even better is you get next day FREE delivery with just a minimum of $100 order.

About Sasha’s Fine Foods

Sasha’s Fine Foods is an award-winning online grocer selling high-quality sustainable food products to households and restaurants across Singapore.

They sell a wide range of high-quality, healthy food including meat, fish, plant-based foods, vegetables, healthy snacks, ready-made meals, milk and other key grocery products.

All of the products sold by Sasha’s Fine Foods have been carefully sourced and are free of any antibiotics and growth hormones. It is also a policy of SFF to aim to sell products that are free from nasty additives where possible.

So when they approached me to simply try them out, of course I said YES! *This is NOT a paid review*

For my first order, I tried out some of their best sellers like their Mount Cook Alpine Salmon, fresh local chicken, English Wicks Manor sausages and their range of ‘Our Very Own’ homemade meals. Oh they also carry the Beyond Burger, the world’s first plant-based burger that looks, cooks and satisfies like beef but is completely vegan. Their vegan products have only just launched but the whole range has taken off very quickly. Let’s take a look at some of my purchases.

These are the fresh produce that I ordered to try: Local fresh chicken legs, the incredible salmon, red snapper, Angus steak, Japanese shabu shabu…

And I also couldn’t resist trying out their ready meals range. We have the spinach & ricotta ravioli, seafood lasagne, English pork sausages, pork pie and potato rosti.

Local chicken stock and plant-based Beyond Burger:

And they also carry the creamiest Hokkaido Fresh Milk!

What I like about Sasha’s Fine Foods

Carefully sourced, sustainable food that you can trust
The ingredients are REALLY fresh. Like the local chicken thighs that I ordered – it was packed on the same day of delivery. The salmon was wonderful – moist, delicious and almost melt-in-your-mouth. And all the produce are carefully sourced all over the world from reputable suppliers that their founder Sasha has personally met herself. Her suppliers are based in Australia, New Zealand, Europe as well as Singapore.

Clean ingredients in their ready meals
Many ready meals in the market contain lots of preservatives – that’s why I stay away from them. The range of Homemade Meals at Sasha’s Fine Foods contains absolutely no preservatives. Here’s a snapshot of the ingredients for their Seafood Lasagne that I have tried in this order:

Free same/next day delivery with a low minimum order
– Free Next Day Delivery when you spend over $100 (order by 5pm)
– Free Same Day delivery when you spend $150 (order by 3pm)
– 2 hour time slot delivery 9-9pm Every Day
– Delivery is 7 days a week!

They also have a generous loyalty programme – one of the best in the market. Every $1 spend earns you two points. Once you have accumulated 1000 points, you can choose to redeem a $15 voucher or continue to accumulate more points for more $ off.

Read Sasha’s Story here and find out why she cares so deeply about the source, quality and flavour of what they sell: https://sashasfinefoods.com/pages/sashas-story

Get 10% off your first order with discount code ‘BudgetPantry10’!
Experience the freshness, quality and convenience yourself. Go on over to Sasha’s Fine Foods to place your first order and get 10% off your first order with my code ‘BudgetPantry10’!

The post Sasha’s Fine Foods: No Hormones, No Antibiotics, Sustainable Online Grocer appeared first on .

This is a really simple recipe – all you need is time.

To achieve the white, milky colour, you need to boil the pork ribs for 5 minutes, remove from heat, then rinse with tap water. This will remove the gunk and impurities that would adulterate your soup. The total cooking time over the stove top is 3-4 hours.

I usually combine chicken bone with pork ribs. If you don’t have chicken bones, using chicken stock is fine. If you want to cook entirely with pork ribs, that is ok too. The soup will taste better with some chicken bones, but it’s still optional. I’m using Local Chicken Stock from Sasha’s Fine Foods for this recipe. They also have great quality pork bones and other amazing ingredients for our babies. Just do a search! (Remember to use my code “Budgetpantry10 for 10% off!)

Now for the veggies and other ingredients. Don’t skip the garlic! Nor the honey dates. Honey dates are my must-haves in Chinese soups as they impart a thick, savoury flavour. In fact don’t skip any of the vegetables in the recipe below.

To ensure your broth becomes milky and thick with fall-apart meat, there are two key things: choose pork ribs that have some fat, and cook your broth on a low simmer. Boiling for long hours gives you tough meat. Simmering results in meat that is fall-apart tender.

So there you have it – a super simple recipe! Have it with macaroni, rice, noodles, whatever tickles your fancy!

Milky pork bone broth (or stock) for your baby (budgetpantry.com)
Serves 3-4

What you need:

500g pork ribs with some fat (I used baby spare ribs / xiao pai gu)
400g chicken bones (optional – ok to skip – or you could just use 500ml chicken stock)
1 carrot
1 large potato
2 stalks celery
8-10 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion
2 honey dates
Water to just about cover all the ingredients and more for topping up
Salt to taste (optional)

Steps:

Blanch the pork ribs and chicken bones in boiling water for five minutes and rinse under running water to get rid of gunk.

Chop the carrot, potato, celery, and onion into chunks. Rinse honey dates.

Place all the ingredients in a large pot, fill with water until the water just about covers all the ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, then turn down the heat to a small simmer. Cook with lid on, leaving a small opening. Simmer for 3-4 hours and check periodically to top up with chicken stock (if using) or water. When done, remove the chicken bones if you have used them. Add salt to taste if desired.

For a wholesome meal, add tomato, spinach, broccoli or other greens 4-5 minutes before serving. You can have this with different pastas, noodles or rice. Freeze excess in an airtight container.

**Check out Sasha’s Fine Foods for antibiotics and hormone-free fresh ingredients! Use my code “Budgetpantry10” for 10% off at checkout!**

The post How to make milky pork bone broth (or stock) for your baby appeared first on .

Some of you may know that I have been using Hanil’s UV Sterilizer Dryer ever since Cbb was born. 3 years down the road, I’m happy to report that we’re still using it on a daily basis! Now that she is 3, we don’t exactly depend on the sterilise function that much, but we still use the ‘Drying’ mode every day. This is how value for money the steriliser is. If you’re wondering if you should get one, don’t wait!

Why we love our Hanil UV Sterilizer Dryer

It saves so much space
Its compact size really saves me kitchen counter-top space. After washing her bottles (and pump parts when I was still breastfeeding her), all I needed to do was chuck them into the sterilizer, press a button and walk away. No more manually boiling each different component and finding space on the tiny counter top to dry her bottles, brushes and the large number of pump valves, tubings, connector, caps, teats … the list goes on.

Premium medical-grade steriliser that kills 99.97% of bacteria
Nothing matters more to me our baby’s safety. Hanil UV Sterilizer Dryer is 100% made in Korea and has gone through stringent testing by Singapore TUV SUD (PSB), US FDA, Japan JFRL and Korea KCL. It is made by Hanil Electric Co, a leading company in Korea with 54 years of history.

Blocks micro air-borne dust and particles
It’s convenient, easy to clean and has an excellent drying function via infrared technology which prevents mould accumulation. Also, it has a 3M HEPA filter that blocks air-borne dust and particles. You can safely store all your baby bottles and accessories inside without worrying about dust and odour.

You can sterilise so much more than just bottles!
As long as it can fit inside the steriliser, it can be sterilised! You can sterilise and dry pacifiers, toys, teethers, toothbrushes, nasal aspirators and even household items like cups, bowls and cutlery.

It is the choice of top infant centres and nursery wards in Singapore
Hanil UV Sterilizer Dryer is used by:

Thomson Medical Centre Parentcraft, nursery wards and premium suites
Gleneagles Medical Centre Parentcraft Centre
Kinderland (Singapore) Infant Centres

For step-by-step visuals on how to use the Hanil UV Steriliser Dryer, read my original blog post here: https://www.budgetpantry.com/hanil/

Click here to know more about Hanil: https://babynatureco.com/collections/hanil

Introducing UMEE Baby Bottles: The Natural Feeding Solution
When I was transitioning Cbb from breast to bottle, I was constantly worrying if she would reject baby bottles, or refuse to be latched once she was exposed to the bottle. If this is one of your worries, you need to know about the new UMEE baby bottles. UMEE offers the most natural transition between breastfeeding and bottle. The BPA-free bottles provide a steady flow of liquid to the baby only when they suckle. This allows babies to use the most natural feeding behavior they learn at the breast to seamlessly transition to bottle feeding.

The unique air vent system from the Netherlands eliminates excessive air flow so baby ingests more milk and less air. The anti-colic vent design enables complete control over the liquid flow and prevents teat collapse. It is a one-piece vent with no extra parts, ensuring optimal use every time you feed. Plus, the easy latch-on soft teat mimics the natural flex and softness of a mum’s breast.

UMEE baby bottles are coupled with the UMEE Insulator that maintains the ideal liquid temperature like breast milk, clinically proven! Your baby can enjoy a healthy and more natural feeding experience. Umee is the best bottle choice of mothers when they want to switch back-and-forth from breast to bottle or transition off the breast completely. Read more about UMEE here: https://babynatureco.com/collections/umee

Don’t miss the Online Baby Fair from 1-7 July 2019!
The Hanil UV Steriliser Dryer and UMEE baby bottles and many more baby essentials are going for special prices during the online baby fair on http://babynatureco.com next week. Click on this link to browse their offers: https://babynatureco.com/collections/feeding-sterilizers You don’t want to miss such great prices!

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First time EVER online baby fair by http://babynatureco.com
Enjoy storewide discount up to 50% off curated branded items
Prices are matching their usual BABY FAIR prices. Perfect for mummies who can’t wait till end August for the SuperMom baby fair!
No promo code required!

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Go on over and shop now!

The post JULY Online Baby Fair & Hanil UV Sterilizer + UMEE Baby Bottles Review! appeared first on .

For the longest time, I was quite sure Cbb would be our only child. Jason has always wanted a second kid, but I wasn’t brave enough to go through another pregnancy. I don’t mind taking care of a newborn and starting all over again, but I really hated being pregnant. The decision to have Cmm/Cdd (chuameimei or chuadidi. HAHA) wasn’t because we wanted a playmate for Cbb, but more because we didn’t want Cbb to be all alone having to make decisions with no sibling support when we both became old. So we started trying in December 2018.

In early January, I started experiencing symptoms such as extreme fatigue and general uncomfiness. I knew something wasn’t right and thought I could be pregnant. I was waiting to take a pregnancy test on the day of my missed period and was quite excited, but five days before my period was due, I started bleeding very heavily with terrible cramps. Deep down I knew that this was not my regular period and I must be going through a chemical pregnancy. I was certain if I took a home pregnancy test, the results would have shown up as positive then due to the HCG levels.

My period was ON THE DOT every month, pain-free and lasts for a maximum of five days. This ‘period’ was five days early (around the day of implantation, if it had been successful), I was experiencing terrible cramps like never before, and the bleeding lasted almost ten days. My gynae later told me ‘then it was just your period lor, don’t go and take a pregnancy test and don’t google about chemical pregnancy to save yourself all the worry or trouble.’

So we decided to try again in January. I’m lucky that my ovulation has always been on point and I always knew exactly when I ovulated. The Clearblue Digital ovulation kit made it even easier for us. If you’re trying to conceive, use Clearblue – don’t waste time, effort and money on other cheaper brands! Women trying to conceive would know that the ‘two-week wait’ is the worst. This is the window from ovulation (and doing the deed) to the day of your missed period. Two days before my missed period, I took the early predictor test and got my big fat positive (BFP):

Having experienced a miscarriage before Cbb, I knew this was only the first step. The BFP doesn’t mean anything concrete until you can at least see the fetal pole, heartbeat and yolk sac in the first ultrasound, usually around 6 weeks. I took another digital test a week later and was relieved to see 3+ which meant my HCG levels were rising right on track.

I saw my gynae for the first time when I was 5 weeks 6 days and this was what I saw on the ultrasound scan:

An large, empty gestational sac – but no baby. My heart sank. Jason was not with me during this first visit as he was called back at work. How could it be empty? I felt great – strong and well, and my pregnancy symptoms were honestly over the roof. Fatique, nausea, bloatedness, frequent urination, food aversions – you name it. I felt really pregnant. My gynae prescribed me with Duphaston day and night and told me to see him in two weeks where there could be three possibilities:

1) We see a baby
2) We see a larger gestational sac and no baby; or
3) We see a shrunken gestational sac with no baby – and 2 and 3 were not good.

His parting words to me were, ‘Congratulations! And do NOT google.’ Of course, I didn’t listen.

My gynae only did an abdominal scan which I thought was unusual. At 5 weeks+, usually a transvaginal scan would be able to tell us more. Maybe he didn’t want to alarm me for nothing – like what if a fetal pole can’t be detected even with a transvaginal scan? I also didn’t want to ‘find out the truth’ then, so I decided not to probe for an internal scan. But damn Google! Are you like me? When googling for stuff like this, you only read the bad stuff, and ignore all the happy endings!

For what happened next, look out for my next post! Follow my Facebook page to be updated when I publish part 2 …

Click here to read about my experience with an empty womb during my first pregnancy.

The post Pregnancy #2: I saw an empty gestational sac on my first scan appeared first on .

A continuation from my previous post where I saw an empty gestational sac in my first ultrasound scan…

An empty gestational sac could mean a blighted ovum, where the sac grew but embryo didn’t. When this happens, your body will still give out pregnancy symptoms because pregnancy hormones are still being produced: your body thinks it’s pregnant with a baby. I also noticed from the ultrasound scan that my gestational sac was measuring 20mm, which google told me was huge for 5W6D and a large size to be empty. If by the time the sac measured 25mm (by abdominal scan) without signs of a fetal pole and heartbeat, the prognosis would likely be bad.

Two days before the my next gynae’s appointment, I started throwing up everything I ate and felt even more miserable than ever. When I was pregnant with Cbb, it wasn’t like this. I told Jason that if it was still an empty sac, then it’s just super unfair that my pregnancy symptoms were this bad. On the day of my appointment, my gynae put his ultrasound wand on my abdomen. The first image that greeted me was a black gestational sac which looked much larger than last week. Haiz. It still looked empty.

My gynae then moved his wand around and within a second, I saw a transparent looking round shape IN the sac! It was the yolk sac which provides nutrients for the baby. And the next moment, what greeted me was the most beautiful image ever, my little peanut with a flickering heartbeat!

Oh HELLO THERE Cmm/Cdd! It was measuring 5.8mm and my pregnancy was dated as 6W5D based on the fetus’ length. Here are my other ultrasound scans during the first trimester:

Now the next step was to take the Harmony test after week 10 (I took it at week 11+), go for NT scan around week 12 and wait for the results! This time, the ‘evening’ sickness was overwhelming even up to week 13 – I could not eat after 5pm without feeling miserable, and any food intake after 7pm was guaranteed to be thrown up. And just like that, my first trimester was over!

In my next post, I will be blogging about the 12-week NT scan at Mount E Novena Prenatal Diagnostic Centre, and sharing the results of my harmony test AND GENDER REVEAL! Follow my Facebook page or subscribe (key in your email address at the right column of this page) to be alerted when it’s published!

Catch up on all my baby posts here!

The post Pregnancy #2: A flickering heartbeat at my 6W5D ultrasound scan appeared first on .

Have you heard? GAIA has launched their customisable Subscription Plans which offer up to 40% savings every month! *EXTRA 10% discount off any plan for Budgetpantry’s readers … see below!*

I’m really excited about this as cbb has been a GAIA user since she was born. If you’re new to the brand, click here to read my blog post introducing all our favourite GAIA baby products!

What do I love about GAIA?

Their skincare products are gentle on the baby, tailored for sensitive skin, combines natural and certified organic oils and extracts that gently cleanse, moisturise and soothe. It smells so dewy fresh too and my sensitive nose has never had a problem any of their items!

If you ask me which product is my absolute favourite, it’s hard to choose… but if I had to pick one it would be their Skin Soothing Cream, a multipurpose cream for newborns, babies and toddlers (and adults!) to use on face and body. I use it as cbb’s nappy rash cream when she was younger, and use it on myself too! I had a nasty rash that itched badly and wouldn’t go away in this warm weather. Tried other creams but they too didn’t work. I thought to reach out for the Skin Soothing Cream and the rash was gone the next morning. I swear by this stuff!

How do the Subscription Plans work? Simple!

Step 1: Pick from one of these 4 plans (browse items in Step 2):

GAIA Babies Starter Plan (select 3 items per delivery)
GAIA Babies Premier Plan (select 6 items per delivery)
GAIA Ambassador Plan (select 9 items per delivery)
GAIA Ultimate Family Plan (select 12 items per delivery)

Step 2: Select your items (mix and match!)

GAIA Babies Starter Plan lets you choose 3 items per delivery for $55 from their GAIA Natural Baby range. See the list of items here. Enjoy savings of up to 16% vs ordering individually at retail price!

GAIA Babies Premier Plan lets you choose 6 items per delivery for $100. Similar to the GAIA Babies Starter Plan, you can select from the GAIA Natural Baby range. See the list of items here. With this plan, you save up to 23% vs ordering individually at retail price!

GAIA Ambassador Plan lets you choose 9 items per delivery for $150. For this plan, you can mix and match from a wide range of items from GAIA Natural Baby, GAIA Pure Pregnancy, GAIA Skin + Body (Ladies) and GAIA Made For Men. The list is huge for this one! See the list of item here. Enjoy savings of up to 40% vs ordering individually at retail price!

GAIA Ultimate Family Plan lets you choose 12 items per delivery for $250. Mix and match 12 items from their entire product line! See the list here. Enjoy savings of up to 40% vs ordering individually at retail price!

Step 3: Receive your products in the comfort of your own home!

Yes, it’s that simple!

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The best part?

You don’t have to stick with the same products – they can be changed with each delivery.

You also have the flexibility to choose your next shipping date. Yup you don’t have to receive your items monthly!

Here’s an example:
If your next shipment is on 7 August but you don’t need any replenishment yet, you can postpone it to September/October (even later if you wish) or if you need it urgently you can also change it to next week. Your card will only be charged on the order date.

I see it as locking in the discount for a bundle purchase :) With my discount code, you get to enjoy even more savings!

See the FAQs here.

EXTRA 10% PROMO CODE!

Punch in code ‘CBB10’ at check out to enjoy an extra 10% discount!

To know more, click on this link and sign up for a plan that is right for you!

The post Save MORE on GAIA Natural Skincare with their new Subscription Plans! appeared first on .

By now, cbb had announced to all her teachers that ‘MUMMY TUMMY INSIDE HAVE BABY!!’ And that she knows the gender even though none of us had a clue at that time. LOL!

Gender theories

It was also during this time that a mummy friend told me about other gender prediction tests which actually have some degree of ‘scientificness’ based on first trimester ultrasounds. The Ramzi Theory gauges the gender based on initial position of placenta, and works best when you use scans around week 7/8. The Nub Theory is another test which looks at the angle of the ‘nub’ to tell you if you’re having a boy or girl. During the early weeks of pregnancy, from 11 to 13 weeks, babies are known to have a nub called genital tubercle between their legs. It is otherwise referred to as the ‘angle of the dangle’, which indicates if it is a girl or a boy.

The Skull Theory examines the structure of the baby’s skull during weeks 12-14 to make an educated guess on his/her gender. It is believed to be 92% accurate. Boys are thought to have a larger, blockier forehead, while girls’ foreheads appear rounder. There are more attributes that are different in boys and girls – see this website to know more.

The nuchal translucency + 12th week scans

I went for my first trimester ultrasound scan at 12W4D. This scan was to check for the measurement of nuchal thickness (fluid behind the baby’s neck) and presence of nasal bone, as well as the development of other structures like the head, abdomen, limbs etc. We did the scan at Mount Elizabeth Novena Prenatal Diagnostic Centre – what a terrible experience! There were only two sonographers on duty in a room full of people, and each scan takes at least 20 minutes, more if the baby wasn’t cooperative. We waited from 10.30am to 12pm in a small room with other parents who had also waited a long time.

Finally, as soon as I asked Jason to grab me some food from Starbucks (I was really starving), the sonographer called my name. Cmm/cdd was bouncing away in my tummy! Must have been hungry too lol. The sonographer showed us her/his cute little hands and feet, round head and chubby tummy. Cmm/cdd was 6cm long now, and we saw the bright white line of the nasal bone staring right back at us from the ultrasound screen. I kept looking at for the nuchal thickness – it was 1.6mm, it sounds right! What a relief!

The Harmony prenatal blood test

We were still waiting for the results of my harmony test that I took 1 week + ago at about 11 weeks pregnant. It was an agonising wait – not so much of the gender but of the chromosomal tests. I did the test on a Saturday at my gynae’s clinic, and results were supposed to be back in around 1.5 weeks.

After what seemed like forever, I called the clinic on the 12^th calendar day.

Clinic: ‘The results are not back yet … we will call the lab to see if we can trace ok? We will definitely call you regardless of the results.‘

Half an hour later, my phone rang with ‘No caller ID …’

Man on the phone: ‘Hi Chris, this is Doctor Lee. The lab just faxed us the results. I decided to call you personally because I know you’re very nervous.’

Me: ‘Omg doc! You call me personally I even more nervous lor!’
Him: ‘Aiya! Don’t be la! The result is super low risk for all the chromosomal abnormalities.’

OMG! What a relief!! Seriously I can eat and sleep already!!

Him: ‘Do you want to know the gender?’
Me: ‘Oh YES!’

And here we go……..

Did you guess right? Cbb is having a baby brother!! I have to admit that we had a tiny bit of gender disappointment! Both of us had thought we were having another girl as her fetal heart rate was high, my nose didn’t grow big (HAHA) and we even had a girl’s name picked out! And we believe that girls will grow up being closer to each other. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter as long as cdd is well and healthy. All the better maybe, since cbb will always and forever be our only daughter :)

Cute comparison of cbb and cdd during their 12th week scans:

Major throwback to cbb’s first trimester scan here.

Click here for my other #2 pregnancy posts:

Pregnancy #2: I saw an empty gestational sac on my first scan
Pregnancy #2: A flickering heartbeat at my 6W5D ultrasound scan

Next up: Details of the 20th week anomaly scan!

The post Pregnancy #2: The second trimester – harmony test, NT scans and gender reveal! appeared first on .

And in a flash, we’re now 20 weeks. This pregnancy seems to zoom by so fast. At the time of publishing this blog post, I’m already 7+ months pregnant!

We headed for the 20^th week ultrasound scan when Cdd was about 20W5D. This was also the day that Cbb saw her little brother on the screen for the first time! She looked at the screen and said, ‘Oh, that’s his head, his lips, his lips … his BELLY BUTTON!’ Yeah right! The scan was real quick because the little boy was so cooperative. The sonographer was able to take all the measurements she needed in less than 20 minutes. Cbb wasn’t really paying attention during the scan because how interesting can a black screen be? She was also too little to know what she was really looking at, but every night before bed, she makes sure she talks to Cdd and kisses my tummy before she sleeps. We’re so blessed to have her.

The sonographer said all the measurements looked good, and Cdd was a great weight at 371g. Look, it’s a BOY!

Three weeks later, I got the full report from my gynae’s clinic:

By this time, Cdd is already moving like crazy every day. I started feeling really light flutters when I was about 15 weeks. By 18 weeks, there was no mistaking it – our little boy was really serious about making his presence known!

At my last gynae check up two weeks ago at 28 weeks, I have put on 7.5kg. I feel heavier than that for sure. Is it true that the tummy looks way bigger during the second pregnancy? And even more so for the third? And if you’re carrying a girl, your tummy is higher and if it’s a boy, you carry low? I don’t know, I can’t tell! My tummy just looks huge overall to me! This was on 17 July, when I was about 26 weeks:

It’s the only bump pic I have taken in my second trimester. I should really get started on those weekly pics soon!

Click here for my other #2 pregnancy posts:

Pregnancy #2: I saw an empty gestational sac on my first scan
Pregnancy #2: A flickering heartbeat at my 6W5D ultrasound scan
Pregnancy #2: The second trimester – harmony test, NT scans and gender reveal!

Next up: My experience with taking the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for the first time!

The post Pregnancy #2: The second trimester – Cdd’s 20th week fetal anomaly scan appeared first on .

When I say this dish is ready in 15 minutes, it really is ok! I got this ready in less than 15 minutes INCLUDING prep time because it really is so simple.

You can choose to steam or airfry the barramundi. I airfried it at 180C for 8 minutes and the flesh was so tender and moist. Steaming takes about 7 minutes on high heat as you’re not steaming a whole fish (I used local barramundi fillets from Sasha’s Fine Foods). Top it with chai poh (preserved radish – scroll down to see the brand I use) and a separate soy sauce mixture and dinner or a quick lunch is ready!

About the Barramundi

The local barramundi fillets I used were from Sasha’s Fine Foods. The flesh is firm with large, white moist flakes with a sweet and buttery flavour which I really love. The best part is they are caught locally at a sustainable hormone and antibiotic-free aquafarm, Singapore Aquaculture Technologies (SAT) – where water quality is monitored and water is naturally filtered, treated and oxygenated, ensuring well-defined conditions for stress-free growth.

National Day Promo! + use code ‘Budgetpantry10’ for 10% off

In line with National Day, Sasha’s Fine Foods is having a 10% off on local products from 5-12 August 2019! See here for the list. You can still use my code ‘Budgetpantry10’ for additional purchases on their website. Get your orders in!

Read about Sasha’s Fine Foods in my earlier blog post. I really love their no antibiotics, no hormones, sustainable produce!

About the preserved radish (chai poh)

Use sweet chai poh, not the salty type. This is the brand I got from Sheng Siong and I see that it is also available on Redmart:

And now for the recipe…

Chai Poh Barramundi (Asian Sea Bass) (budgetpantry.com)
Serves 2-3

What you need:

2 pieces barramundi fillets (about 400-440g)
1 packet sweet preserved radish (chai poh)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 red big chili or chili padi, chopped
Handful of corriander, chopped
1 teaspoon oil

For the sauce:
200ml water
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon cooking wine
1 teaspoon sugar

Steps:

Preheat airfryer for 5 mins at 180C. Or prep your wok/steam oven/steamer for steaming.

Heat the oil in a pan. On medium-low heat, add preserved radish and sugar and fry till fragrant. Add the minced garlic.

Boil all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Airfry the barramundi for 7 minutes. Top with sauce, chai poh, chili and corriander and serve immediately. (Optional: Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan till sizzling. Drizzle over entire dish before serving.)

The post Quick 15-minute Chai Poh Barramundi (Asian Sea Bass with Preserved Radish) appeared first on .

Some of you may know that I really adore my Baby Tula carriers! Apart from being ‘Budgetpantry’, I’m also one of the admins of Singapore Tula Love Facebook group. Singapore Tula Love recently celebrated our 5th birthday in August 2019. Yes it has been five long years! I have been using Baby Tula carriers since cbb was a little baby and it has been a lifesaver for me. Even at 3.5 years old, cbb still loves to be in her Tula, just that now it is papa Tula-ing her instead as I am pregnant with her little brother! See all my previous posts about Baby Tula here:

Why I love wearing CBB in our Baby Tula carriers
Should you get a Tula Free-to-Grow or Standard Tula baby carrier?
Baby TULA Free-to-Grow Carrier Review

About Baby Tula

The story of Baby Tula begins with two people, Ula Tuszewicka and her husband Mike. When their daughter was born, they wore her in a sling and experienced how convenient babywearing was and how much it benefits both parent and baby. A few years later, their son was born and they discovered the ease of ergonomic carriers. Ula and Mike started to produce their own ergonomic, comfortable and stylish soft structured baby carriers and the rest, as they say, is history. By now, they have expanded their product lines to include other kids products like backpacks, blankets, shoes, lunchboxes and more.

About Singapore Tula Love

Singapore Tula Love‘s Facebook group was started in 2014 by a group of mummies with a common love for Baby Tula carriers and the way Tula carriers help keep their babies close. It is the largest Baby Tula enthusiast group in Singapore with over 13k members. Through the group, parents get to learn more about babywearing from one another and many friendships have been formed along the way!

Singapore Tula Love’s 5th Birthday Bash

STL’s birthday falls in August. Every year, there will be a birthday party for all group members and the theme this year is ‘Disney’! This year’s bash was held at Qiren Organisation. Our admins’ get-up: Spot the Red Queen!

Another admin Jaslyn came as Ariel. Iris was Cinderella. Cbb insisted to be Mickey Mouse and I decided to be Snow White (blue, yellow and red colour scheme) because this was the only dress I could fit my round tummy into.

Some photos from the bash, thanks to our event photographer Babygraphy (and thank you to the pretty mummies for allowing me to use your photos in this post!):

Prizes!

Vendor Booths

Magic ByAbby and Aria Handwovens

Wen’s Whitebait Powder

The Goodie Bag

What’s a party without a goodie bag? It was literally bursting with useful items such as Bebesup wipes, Bifesta make up remover, Einmilk stage 3 formula, Merries diaper + lotion, Ohmymats mini mats, Nature Love Mere wipes from The Dinky Shop, Essentially Oils‘ EO sample, GAIA Singapore‘s shower sachets, Inara Organics sleepy balm/chest rub, whitebait powder from Wen’s White Powder, and vouchers/discount codes from Elsie’s Kitchen, Jolikids.SG, Jump Eat Cry, Marian’s Lactation Boost and Shartini’s Food Journal. Thank you to our goodie bag sponsors!

Our Sponsors

This year’s party wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the generous sponsors. Thank you for giving STL members the opportunity to know more about your brand and try out your products. And for arranging the logistics too!

LIKE their Facebook pages:

Venue
Qiren Organisation: Facebook | Web

Food Caterer
Elsie’s Kitchen: Facebook | Web

Event Photographer
Babygraphy: Facebook | Web

Birthday Cake
Shartini’s Food Journal: Facebook | Web

Thank you for being a part of our party!

For parents who have attended the bash and who have shared about your experience and the products on social media, thank you! It is so nice of you to do that although there are absolutely no obligations for our members to do so :) Thank you for being a part of our party and see you again next year!

Before you go…

Join the Singapore Tula Love Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/singaporetulalove/
LIKE my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/budgetpantry/
Follow me on Instagram: @chuabeebee @budgetpantry
Read my posts and reviews on baby products: https://www.budgetpantry.com/category/baby-products-and-services/
Read about my pregnancy journey: https://www.budgetpantry.com/category/pregnancy-and-baby/

The post Singapore Tula Love’s 5th Birthday Bash – 12 August 2019 appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

I first got to know about Elsie’s Kitchen five years ago in 2014 when I was working at my ex company. The HR used to order bento sets from Elsie’s Kitchen for company events because 1. they’re 100% halal certified, 2. the prices are reasonable and 3. the taste always wowed us. This was the reason why I decided to try them out for cbb’s full month party in 2016 and I have never looked back since!

My experience with Elsie’s Kitchen

Elsie’s Kitchen is a halal-certified catering company offering services for weddings, barbecues, tea receptions, corporate buffets and more. I have engaged them on a few occasions: Cbb’s full month party with fairy tale theme, cbb’s first year birthday (enchanted forest theme!), cbb’s third year birthday (mini buffet), my own birthday and recently they also graciously sponsored the tea receptions for Singapore Tula Love’s (STL) 4th and 5th Birthday Bash. Some of the decor they have done for us:

Here’s are some of the high tea selections we had during the recent Singapore Tula Love’s birthday party:

My favourite dishes were the amazing Chicken Floss Mayonnaise with Crispy Shallots Sandwich (SERIOUSLY MUST TRY), Milo Cream Puffs, Tau Suan and Ebi Tempura!

What I love about Elsie’s Kitchen

The food is halal, inventive and unique

Elsie’s Kitchen has been operating since 1954 and was registered as a Halal-certified caterer since 1999. The company is now helmed by the third generation management which has introduced many amazing changes to the mom-and-pop operation. One of these changes include launching innovative heritage menus never seen before in other catering companies, with dishes such as: Buah Keluak Fried Rice, Wok-Fried Chye Poh Kway Teow, Cuttlefish & Kang Kong Tempura with Spicy Dipping Sauce, Rojak Chicken Katsu, Kopi Ci Cream Puff, Kaya Toast Bread Pudding, their signature D-I-Y Signature Peranakan Laksa and much more. I have yet to try them all!

They are a business with a heart

In 2016, Hesed & Emet, the parent company of Elsie’s Kitchen launched it’s social arm – The Hesed Table. The initiative hopes to address food-related issues by solving food wastage and providing meals for migrant workers and low income households. Read about this initiative in the news.

I know I want to support a business that cares about their staff, gives back to society, is real and honest, and isn’t afraid to rectify past mistakes instead of hiding away. And honestly through my interactions with them all these years, I know this isn’t for show. The Elsie’s Kitchen team is made up of genuinely nice people who do their best for others!

And I can have fancy decor for my kids’ parties!

Their decor is quite cool right? There aren’t many buffet caterers in Singapore offering professional themed styling. Previously you may need to order a ‘normal’ buffet then add on a dessert table for pretty styling. I know of one other buffet caterer who does very basic decor with a pink of blue bear but think of allll the possibilities and themes you could have with Elsie’s Kitchen! To ensure quality, they even went all out to set up A Quaint Revelry, a professional decor/styling arm to ensure the best thematic/customisable decor for your events – be it birthday parties, full month celebrations, corporate events and even once-in-a-lifetime weddings. They do wedding/event styling, props rental and floral services. Check out their latest work on Facebook and Instagram! Some snapshots from their Instagram:

FAQ and promo code:

How to go about indicating you want a thematic set-up?

Simply order your regular buffet or tea reception as usual, then top up accordingly for your preferred theme set up. Send them an email at sales@elsiekitchen.com.sg, tell them you read about the buffet + thematic set up on budgetpantry, and they will guide you from there. Contact Elsie’s Kitchen today for a unique buffet experience… thank you to the team at Elsie’s Kitchen for doing this for us!

***Free special upgrade for Budgetpantry readers***

Choose your own customised theme. Share this blog post on your Facebook to qualify! Complimentary upgrade of Customised Baby Full Month Set-up when you purchase one of their basic décor packages. You will receive a FREE upgrade to a customised theme of your choice. See examples of customised theme that I have done here, here and here! Email sales@elsiekitchen.com.sg to find out more and remember to quote ‘budgetpantry’. Don’t forget to share this blog URL on your Facebook!

Elsie’s Kitchen
Website: http://www.elsiekitchen.com.sg/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elsiekitchen/
Email: sales@elsiekitchen.com.sg

A Quaint Revelry (their styling/decor arm – see all their amazing work here)
Website: https://www.aqr.sg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquaintrevelry/
Email: hello@aqr.sg

The post Elsie’s Kitchen: Halal buffet catering with themed decor for parties, weddings & more appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Ok I haven’t updated in a while because I have been busy trying to clear work before I go on my annual leave + child care leave + maternity leave combo starting tomorrow to March 2020! Can’t believe I still have a full month of AL + CCL to clear, but very thankful because I honestly need the time to prep for cdd’s arrival SOON!

Today’s post is a major throwback to the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) that I took at week 28 of my pregnancy. It was more than 6 weeks ago … I am 34W1D today!

Although this is my second pregnancy, it is only my first time doing the OGTT. Not that I have any symptoms to warrant the test – my weight gain has been relatively decent (+7.5kg at 28 weeks) and monthly routine urine tests came back clear – but it’s kind of the norm to test these days. I’ve heard that some private gynaes skip it though if you haven’t shown any signs of having gestational diabetes. Anyway, I still had to go for the test. Here’s how it went.

The night before

I had to fast for at least 10 hours and could only take sips of water.

The first reading

At 8.30pm, I reported to level 3 of Mount Alvernia Medical Centre.

The test basically goes like this:

1. At the clinic, take the first reading before anything. This is your fasting blood glucose level
2. Drink 500ml glucose drink
3. Take the second blood glucose reading after an hour
4. Take the third blood glucose reading after two hours

The nurse took a tube of blood and a urine sample. This was the first reading of the day, my fasting blood glucose level. According to the guidelines from Mount A, the fasting plasma glucose should be less than 5.1 mmol/L (92).

I then had to drink a 500ml bottle of glucose drink which basically tasted like non-carbonated F&N orange, and take my second glucose level reading an hour later. This is to gauge how my body processes the glucose after an hour.

The second reading

In between the one hour, we went up to my gynae’s clinic for our routine appointment to see cdd! Ok at least this hour isn’t wasted sitting around waiting for blood to be drawn. At 28W1D, cdd was 997g! 2 weeks later at 30 weeks, he was 1698g (700g in 2 weeks what is this) and at 32 weeks, he hit 2.2kg. Ultrasound scans are getting boring cos he is taking up all the space and you can’t see anything at all…

I went back to take my second reading. Time check: 9.36am

Again, a tube of blood was drawn + a urine sample. This reading should not exceed 10.0 mmol/L (180).

The third reading

Time check: 10.36am

By now, two hours have passed since I drank the glucose liquid. The nurse drew the last tube of blood and took my urine sample. At the end of two hours, the plasma glucose reading should be less than 8.5 mmol/L (153). And I was free to go.

From the time I drank the glucose liquid till the last reading, I was not supposed to drink any water but I did take small sips. I also walked up and down the stairs and along the corridor instead of sitting down waiting.

My results

I didn’t get the results on the spot. My gynae told me that his clinic will call me in 1-2 days to let me know if everything was normal or not. If yes, then he will see me 2 weeks later at our next appointment. If I have gestational diabetes or am pre-GD, then I will need to see the dietician. I passed!

And here are the guidelines/cut-off:

My weight gain

I put on 17kg in total when I had cbb… I think I can do lesser this time round! At 34 weeks, I have put on 10.5kg so far… but cdd has been growing quite fast, putting on between 500g and 700g for the past two visits. With a month to go, hopefully I can keep my weight gain below 13kg cos confinement sure put on weight. My doctor hasn’t said anything maybe because I’m having a c-section. As long as we are both healthy! Can’t wait to see you, cdd!

The post Pregnancy #2: The third trimester – Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Now that Cbb is 3.5 years old, it is getting harder and harder to keep her occupied! I try to keep her off screen times but you gotta admit that the television is a convenient babysitter. With my 34-week tummy, it’s incredibly tempting to switch on YouTube and let Alex and Gaby entertain her while I rot away on the couch dreaming about her bedtime.

Luckily nowadays she has a new obsession: Busy Mat SG‘s reusable food grade dining silicon colouring mats!

Yep! I really love these activity mats because she can spend 1-2 hours on them, colouring, recolouring and letting her imagination run wild! I love seeing her pink pigs, blue sheeps, red bunnies and cute little rainbow butterflies.

About Busy Mat SG: Reusable Food Grade Silicon Dining Mat

Busy Mat SG’s silicon dining mats are reusable colouring mats that help keep your little ones off screen times. Available in a variety of themes, designs and sizes, these activity mats are easy to care for – just a simple wipe with tissue or wet wipes and the colours come right off, ready for your kids’ next colouring adventure!

The best part? Busy Mat SG’s silicon dining mats are FDA certified, BPA-free and latex-free, making them safe for kids and adults. And now that Cbb is learning how to write, spending time on colouring also help in improving her grip, fine motor skills and concentration level. She definitely prefers these to regular drawing block and colour pencils!

Busy Mat SG x Budgetpantry GIVEAWAY

The wonderful team at Busy Mat SG has sponsored 3 sets of premium Busy Mats with 8-pc markers worth $23.30 each for Budgetpantry’s readers! Designs will be given at random. All you need to do is:

Like Budgetpantry and Busy Mat SG on Facebook if you haven’t
‘Like’ and ‘Share’ this Facebook post to ‘Public’ setting with this text ‘Win a Busy Mat SG reusable silicon dining mat with Budgetpantry!‘
Leave a comment on my Facebook post telling us for whom you would love to win this for!

T&Cs: One comment per person. Giveaway ends 13 Sept, Friday at 2359h. Winner will be picked randomly via Woobox. Winner to pay $3.80 for smartpac delivery. Good luck!