Home-cooked: fruity cooling water

Ingredients:

• apples, peeled and quartered
• pears, peeled and quartered
• red dates, remove the seed

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water
2. Once boiling, add in all the ingredients and bring it to a boil
3. Lower heat and let it simmer for an hour or two
4. Serve chilled or iced or warm

Home-cooked: apples and pears coolers

What you need:

• apples - peeled, removed the seeds and quartered
• pears - peeled, removed the seeds and quartered
• red dates - removed the seeds

Method:

1. Boil a pot of water
2. Once boiling, put all the apples, pears and red dates in
3. Bring to a boil on medium heat
4. Lower it and let it simmer for an hour or 2
5. Ready to be serve with ice cubes or refrigerate it like a chilled fruit tea

Home-cooked: Patt Chi Chou

A very easy to make ‘leong sui’ or cooling herbal drink. You can purchase this herb from any Chinese medical hall or drugstore. It’s an universal herbal drink ^.^

Make sure you clean it first as it’s quite sandy. Then placed it in a pot of water and add some rock sugar. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for an hour or two. You can serve it warm or chilled. My personal preference is chilled, especially for the extreme hot weather ^.^

Winter Melon Drink by me

As I still have quite a lot of winter melon, MIL taught me to make ‘leong sui’ (cooling drink) out of it. It’s simple and easy to make :-)

Add cut winter melons, some dried longans and rock sugar into a pot of water. Bring it to a boil under medium heat. Once boiling, lower the heat and let it simmer for about an hour or so. You can also refrigerate it and serve it chilled which is much, much nicer :p

Apples with Honey Dates Drink by me

A simple cooling water (leong sui)… apples with honey dates (mat chou) drink...

Peel, core and cut apples into chunks. Put it in a pot of water. Add honey dates and bring it to a boil. Lower the fire and let it simmer for about an hour or so. Cool it and serve.

Custard Trifle

From The Malaysian Women's Weekly

Preparation: 20 mins

1 butter pound cake
1 pkt ready-made custard
8 strawberries, sliced
1 can sliced peaches
bitter or milk chocolate, shaved or grated for garnishing

Method:
1. Fill the base of a serving glass with 1.5 cm thick pcs of cake. Spoon ready-made custard over until it forms another layer that's 1.5 cm thick
2. Add a layer of sliced strawberries, followed by a layer of sliced peaches
3. Top with another 1.5 cm layer of ready-made custard. Do this gently to prevent unnecessary spills. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins before serving

Mandarin-mango Sip

From The Malaysian Women's Weekly

Preparation: 5 mins

1 ripe mango, diced
1 can mandarin in light syrup
1 can tonic water
1/4 cup orange juice

1. Combine diced mango, mandarin slices with syrup and orange juice in a jug. Add tonic water. Stir well. To serve, place ice cubes in tall glasses. Pour mixture in

Banana Breakfast Shake

By Samantha Thiessen, a consultant dietician; from The Malaysian Women's Weekly

Preparation: 5 mins
Makes: 2 servings

1 banana, chopped
3/4 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup low-fat milk or calcium-fortified soymilk
Cinnamon powder to taste

Method:
Blend all ingredients together in blender or food processor until smooth. Enjoy as it is or chilled for about 30 mins.

Nutrient check per serving:
Calories 174
Carbohydrates 323 g
Total fat 24 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Protein 72 g
Fibre 35 g

Chrysanthemum Tea by me

Chrysanthemum flowers
Rock sugar
Dried winter melon

Method:
1. Ensure to rinse away sand and soil from chrysanthemum flowers
2. Fill a pot with water. Add chrysanthemum flowers, some rock sugar and some dried winter melon. Bring to a boil on medium fire. Switch to low fire and let it simmer for about 1/2 hr
3. Serve once it has cooled down

Twister by Dome Cafe

2 scoops chocolate ice-cream
1 shot espresso (made from 7 gm coffee powder)
6 coffee beans, processed
Whipped cream
Australian Cadbury Chocolate Powder

Method:
Blend together the ice-cream and coffee. Pour the mixture into a tall 340 gm glass (like the ones used for sundaes) then top up with whipped cream and chocolate powder. Serve cold

Quick fix/ alternative:
Blend 1 scoop each chocolate and vanilla ice-cream, 40 ml milk and 30 ml instant thick coffee. Add whipped cream and chocolate powder

Cappuccino by Coffee Club

110 ml variety coffee (made from 12 - 14 gm coffee powder)
3 tbsps whipping cream
1/2 tsp grated orange and lemon zest
Dash of cinnamon powder

Method:
Pour the coffee into a glass and carefully spoon the whipping cream onto the surface. Sprinkle the cinnamon powder, grated lemon and orange zest over the top and serve immediately with a cinnamon stick stirrer. Add sugar to taste. Makes 1 serving

Iced Mocha Vanilla by Coffee Club

20 ml chocolate syrup (preferably Hershey's)
100 ml fresh milk
180 gm fresh milk
75 ml Macchiatto (made from 14 gm of coffee powder; or buy some from Coffee Club)
1 scoop vanilla ice-cream
Dash of cinnamon powder

Method:
Using a 340 gm glass, pour in the chocolate syrup first, followed by the fresh milk and Macchiatto. Then top up with the ice cubes and vanilla ice-cream. This creates a layered effect. Sprinkle some cinnamon powder over the top and serve this drink immediately. Mix well before drinking. Makes 1 serving

Latte by Dome Cafe

1 shot espresso (made from 7 gm coffee powder)
Hot milk

Method:
Pour the espresso into a 340 gm glass. Boil and whip the milk until it foams, then add to coffee. Serve immediately