Isabel Lee | Malaysian Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger: May 2016

[Food] 10 Smoothie Bowls You Wish You Had

If you're all about feeding your body good and feeding your Instagram as well, here are some of the best looking smoothie bowls I've seen so far. Who knew toppings like berries, pomegranate, nuts, coconut and seeds could look so good?

I can't help but stare at each of them because they look so uh-mayzing! The burst of colours, variety of ingredients and how neatly they are arranged are just absolutely gorgeous! Who says eating clean and healthy has to be boring, eh?

Let's start the smoothie bowl beauty pageant!

Acai Bowl

Get the recipe from keepinitkind.com

Tropical Green Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from amillionmiless.com

Breakfast Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from theviewfromgreatisland.com

Cherry Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from www.athleta.net

Cacao and Raspberry Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from eatclean.com

Berry Banana Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from twopeasandtheirpod.com

Vegan Berry Banana Coconut Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from sugarandsoul.co

Easy Green Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from livingwellmom.com

Pineapple Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from kitchenconfidante.com

Tropical Smoothie Bowl

Get the recipe from yummyhealthyeasy.com

Hope this has inspired you to make your own smoothie bowl! What's your favourite combination of toppings?

[Travel] Bilut Extreme Park, Bentong, Pahang

Before we went to Valley Agro Park, we were actually at Bilut Extreme Park! Now, I've been to the ATV park at Kemensah where it was mostly forest and trees but at Bilut, the family owns the huge piece of land which used to be an oil palm plantation so you get to ride in a more open area, with various terrains including uphill and stream crossing.

Watch out for this sign on the main road.

ATV (All-Terrain-Vehicle) Ride

Aww yiss! I'm ready for an awesome ATV ride!

Bad mistake wearing jeggings here LOL It was quite hot and there was a small river crossing. Shorts would have been a better choice and for men maybe check out the best hiking shorts on GearWeAre.

Selfie before riding kekeke..

This is the training section where we spent about 10 minutes getting used to the ATV, going over bridges, up mini hills and even drifting. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos once we got out as I had left my camera behind for its safety.

Here are some photos from their Facebook page!

Outdoor Archery

After the cray cray ATV ride we went back for some relaxing activities - archery! Compared to indoor archery which is located inside a shopping mall or building, their 3000 sf outdoor archery field feels so much better and more realistic. There are 10 target boards situated under palm oil trees. Distance to target ranges from 10 feet to 100 feet.

I gotta say.. archery took more strength than I thought xD Luckily, they have people there to teach you how to shoot.

Katniss Everdeen in the making.

Thank you for the awesome time at Bilut Extreme Park!!

What's Next

2 more awesome games will be added this year:

Viper Runner

The Viper Runner will be setup in a steep landscape. The runner will have to go through 14 obstacles - crawling through mud, scaling heights, and overcoming their fears; this will give the runner an unforgettable outdoor experience. The setup is also suitable to be a training place for those intending to join the viper challenge.

Archery Tag

Available by the end of 2016, Archery Tag is similar to dodgeball except you play with bows and patented foam-tipped arrows. This exciting, action-packed game offers the ultimate family-friendly experience that engages everyone.

ATV Price

ATV Route A RM 70
Approximately 30 minutes ride
5 min learning & test ride
15 min palm trees track
10 min off road ride
Stream crossing + uneven off road
*easy & suitable for beginner

ATV Route B RM 120
Approximately 60 minutes
5 min learning & test ride
15 min palm oil track
40 min off road ride
Stream crossing + challenging Hills + Hilltop viewing point
*moderate = suitable for good skills’ rider

ATV Route C RM180
Approximately 90 minutes
5 min learning and test ride
15 min palm oil track
70 min off road ride
Stream crossing + riding on the stream + Challenging Hills + 2 hilltops + rubber estate ride
*hard = suitable for experienced rider

ATV Route D RM 200
Approximately 90 minutes
5 min learning + test ride
15 min palm oil tree ride
50 min off road ride
20 min riding on the stream
Challenging uphill road + Hilltop viewing point + Rubber estate road

*very hard = suitable for experienced rider with good skills

ATV Route E RM 200
Approximately 90 minutes
5 min learning + test ride
15 min palm oil tree ride
70 min off road ride
Riding on the stream + rubber estate + Advance level uphill road + Highest View Point in Bilut Valley
*Extreme = Suitable for advance rider

Family Route RM120
Approximately 60 minutes
5 min learning + test ride
15 min palm oil track
40 min off road ride
Stream crossing + small uphill

*easy = suitable for 1st timer, family with children or family with elderly

Outdoor Archery Price

12 Arrows - RM 10
24 Arrows - RM 18
36 Arrows - RM 27
60 Arrows - RM 40
120 Arrows - RM 72

Bilut Extreme Park Contact Details

Address : Lot 6776 Jalan Bilut – Raub, Lurah Bilut, 28800 Bentong, Pahang
Call for booking : +60146088803 / +60179770884
Operating Hours : Monday to Sunday (Closed on Wednesday), 9.30am - 6pm
Email address : bilutextremepark6776@gmail.com
Facebook : www.facebook.com/bilutadventurepark

[Travel] Valley Agro Park, Bentong, Pahang

So glad I joined this day trip to Bentong! One of our stops was at Valley Agro Park - a hidden paradise that is not visible from the main road except for a signboard. The whole place is full of greens but is very well maintained and renovated for comfort.

It's like a huge park in here, with a river running through the restaurant and buildings. With the abundance of trees, the air is fresh and the scenery is pleasing on the eyes. It is quite a nice place to take a short walk around.

Restaurant

The moment we arrived, we were ushered into the restaurant for lunch!

Yoke Lan Chicken / 玉蘭雞

OMG SO YUMMY!
The flesh of this kampung chicken was so juicy and can you just look at the SIZE of it?! The sauce they gave was just ridiculously good too. Sorry I tried to ask for the name but kinda gave up after I couldn't get it twice #paiseh

Green Pepper Steamed Catfish / 青椒白鬚公

As you all know, the taste of the fish depends on the quality of the water. The fishes here taste great and are without the 'mud taste' as they're raised in fresh mountain water. You don't need a heavy sauce for this as the true sweetness of the flesh is delicious.

Grilled Nyonya Style Tilapia in Foil Packets / 金鳳娘惹燒

Went slightly nuts for this nyonya sauce! So so so good and perfectly compliments the silky fish. You can be assured of the freshness as they are caught from the adjoining lake right before your meal.

Pumpkin Bean Curd / 金瓜豆腐

Little yummy bean curds flooded with a sweet pumpkin sauce.

Claypot Braised Eggplant / 煲仔茄子燴魚腐

The eggplant was so crispy and unlike the usual mushy oily eggplant you eat elsewhere.

Claypot Sweet Potato Leaves / 瓦煲蕃薯苗

No complains as this is one of my favourite veges, especially in soup.

We also enjoyed the organic sugar cane water! A round of applause for the chef please.

Floating Gazebos

Many of the dining tables are actually located on these floating gazebos, offering some private space with a view. You can pretend you are dining in Venice! Find some awesome Italy tour packages for your next trip~

Treehouse

After eating your fill, take a short walk around the green compound and perhaps even take a look around in the treehouse!

Organic Fruits

Valley Agro Park also supplies organic food and fruits such as passion fruit, banana and papaya as part of their green efforts. By keeping the air clean, maintaining soil fertility and ensuring pure clean water supply, they are able to cultivate the best organic vegetable and fruits.

Accommodation

They look like normal chalets from the outside but once you enter you will be surprised! These floating chalets are built on top the of the river with fresh water running through. Dip your feet in and enjoy your very own fish spa.

Attractions & Activities

Picnic and sunset viewing on Valley Agro Hill
Fun for the little ones at the streamlet
Vegetable Garden visiting
Miniature Animal Park
Bee Museum
Fishing
BBQ
Camping
Karaoke
Group tour
Banquet
Annual dinner
Conference or seminar

Website : http://www.valleyagropark.com
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/valleyagropark
Map: https://goo.gl/maps/uqxRbiXvkZR2
Address : PT44, KM13, Mukim Tras, 27600 Raub, Pahang, Malaysia.
Contact : +6019-228 9152 ( 11:30am - 09:30pm )

Valley Agro Park is about 15 minutes drive away from town. If you're thinking of staying in Bentong town, you can book a hotel or accommodation from HotelsCombined.

[Travel] 4 Foods You Should Try at Melaka

While it is mostly well known as the 'Historic State' for its rich historical heritage, Melaka also has plenty of tasty culinary options to offer. The choices are vast at Melaka: from the common dish like dim sum to the more interesting things like traditional cakes. You might be surprised that Penang isn't the only place in Malaysia with so many great foods to try; and most of them have a distinct but great taste too.

Here are 4 foods you should try while you're at Melaka:

Authentic Homely Nyonya Kuih at Baba Charlie

Source: Baba Charlie Nyonya Cake Facebook

'Kuih', also known as 'Kue', is the Malaysian word for 'cake'. While different from western cakes, the traditional Chinese cakes sold at Baba Charlie is legendary for its taste. There are many kinds of cakes sold here: from coconut cakes, cassava cakes, rice cakes, to other things you can try.

Price of the cakes sold here range from RM 0.60 to RM 2 each, which is very affordable. At that price, you can try one if each type!

Putu Piring Jalan Tengkera

Source: Putu Piring Melaka Facebook

'Putu' is one of my favourites as it is bursting with sweet flavour! This traditional food can be found in many places across Malaysia. It is made of rice flour, sweet grated coconut, and a mix of several spices. There are several kinds of Putu; Putu Bambu is cooked inside of and served with bamboo, and Putu Piring is served with plates.

Sold for a mere RM 1 per piece, I would probably get a whole bunch. Putu Piring Jalan Tengkera offers yummy Putu, with a unique sweetness you won’t forget. Cheap and tasty!

Capitol Satay Celup

Each table gets a fresh pot of sauce which will then be mixed with gula Melaka, spices and peanut. The concoction results in an aromatic spicy peanut sauce which you will use to dip everything in. A fire is placed under the table to ensure your sauce stays hot enough to cook the food.

I personally recommend the bread cubes as they go amazingly well with the sauce! Dip them in for about 3-5 seconds until they are soft and coated in the sauce. Heavenly.. Grab whatever you want from the fridge - the food are placed on stick, priced at RM 1+ each while those on plates are priced differently.

Mutton Herb Soup at Heng Hong Tin Tee Restaurant

Heng Hong Tin Tee Restaurant is one of the most popular Hainanese Restaurant in Melaka. While they sell a lot of Hainanese menus like Hainanese Pork Chop, Hainanese Lotus Leaf Chicken, etc. the one menu you should try here is the Hainanese Mutton Herb Soup. With a generous amount of herbs in their soup and tender muttons, the dish offers a strong aroma.

And those are only a fraction of the dishes you should try when you visit Melaka! Interested to try them all and more? If so, plan your vacation to Melaka right now~ The place is easy to reach because of its status as a popular tourist destination. There are also a lot of cheap Melaka hotels and cheap flights to Melaka available. Go book them from sites like Traveloka and have fun for your next vacation!