Nicole Bernadette

Hey there :)
I'm glad to say that I've finished my promos and I'm more free now. I can probably blog more and try out new vegan eateries- I'm excited!
I know this post isn't about my life but I'm just going to ramble a little as I talk about this amazing vegetarian place called Cafe Salivation. I'm salivating- it was great.

I actually ate dinner here on my birthday which was all the way back in March. I've only been able to retrieve the pictures and edit this post now...


Anywayyy, I did mention that this is a vegetarian restaurant but vegans, don't fret! They have several vegan options and they're all denoted with a 'V' on their menu :)


It's a really cozy cafe with really great customer service :)


Let's get on to the food.

I'm a big fan of risotto and this dish didn't let me down :) It's creamy and the rice was cooked well. The red pepper taste really came out and the small bits of red pepper added a nice crunch.

It's very hearty and filling, I'd recommend sharing this. The layer of mash potato on top is probably my favourite part :) The soya granule, edamame and carrot filling under the potato was baked really well and the flavours go so well together. I'm glad that this was my first time having a Shepherd's pie- it was a great first experience :)

Black Bean Tostadas
Maybe Cafe Salivation doesn't specialise in burgers and the common fast food but, oh boy, when it comes to exotic dishes like this black bean tostadas- it's off the hook! The ratio of black bean to salsa to the vegetables is great and very tasty :) If you're into the Mexican cuisine and you're looking for a veg option, this is it.

Cupcake
I was expecting a baked cupcake but it's okay, this works too. Plus, it's different and I've never tried a raw cupcake before :) It was warm and dense, the date flavour was nice and the frosting on top wasn't too sweet- all in all, it's a healthy dessert. I wouldn't get it again since it's not really my thing but if you enjoy a healthy treat/snack, this could be right up your alley.

That's all for this post, bye for now :)

I'm no beauty guru or skincare expert, I'm just a really happy customer :)





Ahh, what a lovely company. On their USA website, they have a page for their 100% vegan products which is such a huge help :))


I'm in love with the packaging of this product. I really love how The Body Shop markets itself. It's basic, aesthetic and most importantly cruelty free!
All of their products aren't tested on animals but these 2 face masks are actually 100% vegan because they don't contain any animal products in them!



YASSS!!

The jar feels really solid and sturdy which is really nice. The smell is divine and everything you can expect from a rose-scented product.

From The Body Shop website, this mask is said to be their 100% Vegan British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask, it's a refreshing gel-textured moisturising mask that nourishes and hydrates your skin.

It works to moisturise, soothe and tone the skin and it's best for skin that needs to be quenched and replumped with hydration.
So this mask is typically used to hydrate :)

It provides comfort with its aloe vera calming properties and freshly replenishes the skin's water reserves, while the petals provide the gentlest exfoliation!


After leaving the mask on till it dries completely (maybe about 20 minutes), you can massage your face with water to exfoliate your skin :)


That's all for this post, bye for now :)

Hey hey :) It's been too long since I blogged.


I am so incredibly happy and blessed. I'm not sure if I've mentioned it here before but I think that gratitude is essential for happiness. Count your blessings and keep looking for the good in everything, be thankful and change your perspective. I know I did and I'm so happyyy :))



A huge part of my happiness is definitely thanks to a very special person in my life. He is my sun, my home, my best friend and so so amazing :)
They say don't make someone your home because that could leave you homeless. And people have been wary in the beginning, I know I was. But you know what? Why let the fear of the unknown future affect the joy in the present? Just trust and go with the flow. Why worry about things going wrong when there's a possibility that things can also go perfectly right? And that's how things have been so far with him- right. I'm so in love with him and I'm not afraid to proclaim it :))
It's scary being in love, but oh boy, it's breathtaking too.



Anyway, another thing I'm in love with are these muffins!



My family seemed to really like these muffins too :) They're moist and the coconut taste isn't overwhelming.



Funny story, I was originally planning on making cupcakes but I was lazy to do the whole shebang so I decided to alter this recipe to be a muffin recipe instead. I'm also terrible at making frosting and actually frosting cupcakes anyway so I think this all worked out for the better :)



Without further delay, here's the recipe:
Makes 12 cupcakes

1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (356 degrees F). Line cupcake tray with 12 paper baking cups.
2. In a large bowl add the cocoa powder, plain flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and sugar. Mix and ensure everything is combine well (alternatively you may do this by sifting the ingredients together).
3. Next, add coconut milk, canola oil, apple cider vinegar in another bowl and whisk until well combined.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until incorporated and there are no dry lumps left.
5. Fill each paper 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely.

And voila, your muffins are done :)

Hope you guys try this recipe out and I hope I get to blog again soon. My promos (the major final-year examinations J1 students take which determines if they get promoted to J2) are in 3 days and here I am blogging, hahaha. What a wake-up call.



Okok, ciao for now, God bless!

That's all for this disorganised post, bye for now!!

Complimentary sides: Seaweed & peanuts

Kimchi jeon (Kimchi pancake)
I could eat a dozen of these. It's super tasty and not overly spicy. It's quite oily but I guess that's what makes it delicious. It's really chewy and I think it's a must try. It's rather affordable and it comes in a pretty small portion.

Kimchi jjigae with rice/noodles

Overall, The Boneless Kitchen is really great because there aren't many (if any) other vegetarian Korean eateries in Singapore. I'm glad that there is an option for vegetarians and vegans to go for when they're craving some Korean delicacies :))

That's all for this post for now, bye!

Ever since I saw Handmade Heroes being featured on friends Instagram accounts, I felt the itch to get my hands on some of their products too. It's so refreshing to find local cruelty-free and vegan products! All of their products are all handcrafted in Singapore.


Just a little background, on the Handmade Heroes website it says:

All our products are vegan, even our sugars are vegan. Being plant based vegans ourselves, we nitpick our ingredients to ensure they are all vegan and cruelty free. Our sugars are vegan and have not been filtered with bone char.

All our products are really 100% all natural. We don't use any synthetic chemicals in our products nor do we use any preservatives. We use ingredients that are easily recognisable: rice, coffee, cocoa butters, coconut oil, sweet almond oil.

Our products are paraben free and don't contain any nasties.


I chose to get the Rose Petals Super Duper Nourishing Rice Scrub and the Coconut Sorbet Lip Scrub.

First, let me talk about the Rose Petals Super Duper Nourishing Rice Scrub.

I chose to get a scrub because I at that point in time, I had really dry and flaky skin, especially on my legs. So I wanted to have a nice exfoliator while it being moisturising to leave my skin feeling smooth and nourished. Thankfully, I found Handmade Heroes!

Ingredients: Organic Rice, Sweet Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Rose Petals, Geranium Oil

This rice scrub is very effective. It comes with a cute little spatula to easily scrape the product out hygienically. It feels a little oily but it's just the almond oil, cocoa butter and geranium oil doing its magic. Can I also just say that this smells divine!

My verdict for this rice scrub is that it's amazing and if you're looking for an effective and affordable exfoliate, this is a must-try. However, it can't be kept for long especially in a warm and humid environment like the bathroom so try to use it quickly once opened- be generous to yourself when using this product :)


The next product I'm going to talk about is the Coconut Sorbet Lip Scrub.
I've been looking around for a lip scrub and I was elated when I saw that Handmade Heroes had one and in coconut flavour, no less.