Bak Kwa clogging up your arteries? Here’s how to eat clean

After the Chinese New Year holidays, some of us may have noticed something new around us – a little extra cushion around our waists. Pineapple tarts, Bak Kwa, and Kueh Bangkit are just too good to miss.

Since it’s a (Chinese) new year, let’s start it off with a resolution to live healthily.

It’s time to start the healthy living and eat clean.

Dining out.

So eating out might be easier than making your own clean food, but finding healthy food joints might not be the easiest. The first way this can be done is to look out for ‘healthier choice’ sticker that regular food stalls have on some of their dishes on their menu.

Otherwise, you can dine at the wave of clean eating places that have surfaced in Singapore recently.

Keep lean and trim with Poke Bowls & Chirashi Dons.

A poke (pronounced poh-keh) is a raw fish salad, served in a bowl of rice. The chunks of raw marinated fish are tossed with rice and vegetables. The traditional choice of fish is tuna, but other raw fish can be used as well, such as salmon. It’s topped with condiments and seasonings. The clean cuts of fish coupled with vegetables and rice are sure to give your body the detox it needs.

Aloha Poke, 92 Amoy Street, Singapore 069911
A Poke Theory, 27 Boon Tat Street, Singapore 069623

A Chirashi Don however similar in looks and ingredients is different. The fish is usually cut into thin sashimi slices on a bed of rice and is topped with other cold toppings like fish eggs and avocados. There’s no seasoning on top, you get wasabi and soy sauce on the side.

Tanuki Raw, #04-01, Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238896
District Sushi, #01-15, Sunshine Plaza, 91 Bencoolen Street, Singapore 189652

Ooze the healthy goodness of Açaí Bowls.

Yup, this is another one of those superfoods with a hard to pronounce name. Açaí (pronounced ah-sa-ee) berries come from the swampy forests of Amazon to a bowl in your hands topped with other fruits like bananas, blueberries and goji berries. Perfect for a sweet yet unsinful dessert, açaí bowls can be found all over Singapore.

Project Açaí, 27 Lorong Liput, Holland Village, Singapore 277738
391 Orchard Road, #B2-32A, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Ngee Ann City, Singapore 238872
217 East Coast Road, #01-03, Singapore 428915
An Acai Affair, 101 East Coast Road Singapore 428796

Set the eat-clean bar high with these Salad Bars.

Salad bars are your daily staple when it comes to eating clean. Now with more variety (chia seeds, zucchinis and avocados in a salad?) and different franchises popping up all over Singapore, eating clean has never been more convenient.

Looking to bulk instead? These salad bars now offer protein-rich options as well. 

The Daily Cut, Tanjong Pagar Centre, 7 Wallich Street, #B2-16 Singapore 078884
1 Raffles Place, #B1-31, One Raffles Place Singapore 048616
Galaxis, 1 Fusionopolis Place #01-28/29 Singapore 1385
SaladStop!, 15 different outlets across Singapore. Click here for all addresses.

Making your own grub.

You don’t have to step out of your home to eat healthily. Other than to get the ingredients, of course (Our supermarket and artisan grocer shopping guides on where to get organic, fresh produce to make your clean meal). Clueless? Here’s our go-to breakfast that’s easy to make and delicious at the same time.

Poached Egg & Avocado Toast.

You’ll need:
2 Slices of bread
2 Eggs
1-2 Avocados
Salt & Pepper

Directions:
Place a poach egg holder (small metal container works fine as well) in a pot of water and bring the pot to boil. Next, turn off the heat and crack your eggs into the holder. Cover and let it sit for 4-5 minutes, depending on how runny you like your eggs.

While that’s happening, toast the bread to a golden brown and mash the avocado to a cream-like consistency. Spread the avocado over the bread after it’s cooled down (this way the bread stays crunchy). Take the eggs out with a spatula and carefully layer on top of the toast. Sprinkle salt and pepper to garnish.

Want more clean meals?

Having a great kitchen makes a world of a difference when it comes to cooking the perfect clean meal. If you’re not in one, look for serviced apartments with fully furnished kitchens so that you can make easy, healthy meals every day.