Category: Uncategorized

Simple Life (Malaysia, Multiple Outlets) $ 14/20

The Organic Lei Cha
The Organic Lei Cha

This place is a frequent favorite because it’s cheap and organic. Simple Life is one of the few health food stores in Malaysia. Their main thing is vegatarian, lightly cooked food with no junk in it (e.g. no MSG, no palm oil, etc.). So overall, they’re a very healthy and cheap option in middle of KL’s delicious but unhealthy other options.

I almost always get the organic Lei Cha – a traditional Chinese dish that is basically raw and vegan. The lightly fried tofu is soft, chewy, and delicious! The other ingredients are either raw or lightly marinated or boiled. The soup is a pureed and blended mix of green veggies and herbs, which you need to pour over your rice. You’ll feel light and healthy after the meal. Plus, it’s all organic.

A note of caution: the management and staff are not very educated or aware about allergy issues. I’ve asked them about gluten several times, and they confuse it with soy! So you’ll need to be cautious about what you order. Ask them about specific ingredients–don’t assume that they know.

For the Lei Cha, you’ll need to substitute the brown rice for white, which is sad, but the brown rice mix contains barley.

I’ve also ordered the laksa and the rolls before. Make sure they boil the rice noodles separately for the laksa (other options: replace with white rice or skip starch all together). The seaweed roll is fine; just avoid the mayonaise.

Their portions are large, so small eaters could consider sharing. Food is junk free and tastes like it–a fresh, natural taste! I go at least once every week to the one near my office.

Here is a link to their web site (see locations there).

  • Allergy friendly: ***
  • Taste: *****
  • Atmosphere: *** Casual and laid back. Pretty standard Asian restaurant.
  • Service: ***
  • Cost: $ – Mains range between RM10 – 20

Peace,

Daisy

Holistic holiday: Como Shambhala Bali

By the middle of January, following a series of rather over the top nights out, too much rich food and a lot of alcohol and late nights, mixed in with work that continued to pile up, life felt a lot overwhelming. My sleep patterns were a mess, I was burnt out and starting to loathe my thesis despite just needing one last data chapter and my inner snark definitely made plenty of appearances while grading student papers. My solution… Find a holiday to reset everything.

It took me two days to decide on Como Shambhala in Bali and flights and wellness program booked, I arrived in Bali to start my week of rebooting my body and mind.
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The estate is around a two hour drive from the airport, located in a village outside Ubud. The backdrop is a mix of forest and terraces of rice paddy fields, with rooms set within separate residences, each with their own common areas for dining, lounging and swimming. My room felt a lot like being in a tropical jungle tree house. With the windows open, i had a light breeze, sounds of cicadas and birds and the very relaxing river burbling below.
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The Como takes care of food allergies at a whole other level. Not only had all the restaurant and room device staff been briefed by their in-house dietician, Eve Persak, but I had an entire menu written up for me, for both the restaurants, for all meals, with so many different options that despite eating three course meals for seven days, I didn’t have enough time to taste more than half of the selection! In addition, Eve met with me to ensure the choices included food I liked, explaining their experience with celiacs and sharing her own food allergy woes (MSG in Asia). I felt entirely spoilt for choice and so well looked after.
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20140129-084717.jpg< Looking at that menu, I was a little worried I'd come back from my week off very full and well-fed but not any healthier. Luckily, they look after that problem too. The estate offers group yoga classes, qigong, mat Pilates and a gym. As well, walking up and down the few thousand stairs to get between classes, the spa, the restaurants and the swimming pools (there are four plus all the private residence and villa pools) or joining the morning estate walk ensured a sufficiently calorie-burning break combined with enough quiet time for introspection and watching the world go by, very slowly. All in, I arrived back in Kuala Lumpur a kilo lighter, a whole lot healthier, pretty well relaxed and am already planning my next trip there. I did want to pack up Amy, the Pilates instructor and David, the traditional Chinese medicine expert in my suitcase but sadly, that wasn't a viable option. Kiss kiss, Bubbles <

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