Summer is just around the corner and it is the much-dreaded start to the bikini season. Time to trim that waistline and start shedding the kilos before you hit the beaches and go on vacations. We have 2 months until its peak time, and here’s my secret gui
Summer is just around the corner and it is the much-dreaded start to the bikini season. Time to trim that waistline and start shedding the kilos before you hit the beaches and go on vacations. We have 2 months until its peak time, and here’s my secret guide to losing weight without breaking up with your life-long love- food.
Photo:Yahoo
What is it?
It’s a salad food delivery service in Shanghai
Why should I try it?
Well, for starters its healthy, its surprisingly VERY tasty and filling, most importantly- it helps with weight loss in a healthy way. They have 20 day vegan meal plans that help you lose up to 3 kgs hassle free.
Why do I recommend it?
Sucici is one of my personal go to meal plans when I need to get healthy. The founder Jeff, has worked in the food industry for 15 years and Joanna, the Chief operating officer has been in supply chain management for over 7 years now. The reason this works for me is that it isn’t just an ordinary salad you could get at a departmental store. They have 2 gourmet salad chefs that graduated from Le Cordon Blue that curate their menu, have an international nutritionist, Aahat Sajnani from Dubai who graduated in dietary nutrition from Uk and is a post graduate in the US currently, that ensures ALL their meals are less than 485 calories and do not compromise on vitamins, nutrients or protein. They also have Dr Hong Xu from Shanghai Sky Clinic on their board of medical consultants, who herself is a cosmetic surgeon and recommends their food for healthy weight loss and skin benefits.
Favorite item on menu:
Definitely their new seasonal inclusion- Hawaiin Delight. Its like summer in a bowl- takes you to a beach like place in your mind, with roasted pineapple, and roasted red peppers, red onions, pumpkin seeds, tofu, romaine, roccola, warm red beans and flax seeds. What makes it absolutely irresistible is the mango vinaigrette dressing that infuses a burst of flavors when topped on the pineapple and only 405 calories!
Pricing:
One of my major concerns with healthy food is that its not easy on the pocket. Sucici begs to differ, with a 20 day meal plan priced at 800 RMB, a 5 day plan priced at 225 RMB and a single salad out of 10 on their menu, at 48 RMB. Their box packaging makes me feel like a responsible citizen with the ecofriendly material, and it also allows you to pay the entire meal plan cost towards an animal cause for Asia Animal or Cat Kind. They also run a 375 RMB meal plan for Meat Free Mondays (4 Mondays a month, 2 meals + snack + drink)
Discount: 10% with code GIC until 15 June 2017.
Oh My Vegan
What is it?
It is a bakery and patisserie food delivery service in Shanghai
Why should I try it?
Its vegan cakes, gluten free and sugar free available AND they taste like heaven in your mouth. The taste DOES NOT suffer! It’s like these girls work magic! They even make vegan cheesecakes. Unbelievable right?
Why do I recommend it?
You know those sad lonely nights we have once in a while where you just wish you could eat all your feelings and not put on weight? Yeah, me too…Oh My Vegan is THAT blessing in disguise that makes it possible. They make cookies, brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, donuts, and all kinds of baked good really and they also do raw vegan cakes, that aren’t baked but frozen. Their ingredients are usually organic, flavors are unusual, and presentation is instagram worthy to say the least.
Both the founders Alexa (Chinese by birth, lived in Czech Republic) and Sara (Mexican) collaborate and bring your dessertgasms to life.
Oh My Vegan is wildly popular among fitness enthusiasts and vegan community for the range of products they offer. Honestly, if they didn’t mention it, it would be very hard to notice their cakes are vegan and less on calories. Oh My Vegan are a funny pair who met by accident and gave Shanghai the gift of cakes that are guilt free pleasures.
Favorite item on menu:
Although their best seller is the lemon and coconut cake, for me their red velvet cake, and raw carrot cake is a winner. Their avocado and chocolate frosting is to kill for so is the orange and chocolate. Their strawberry cheesecake is a frozen delight and next on my wish list from their menu is the oreo cheesecake. Alexa is a food photographer and if you follow their account, their dessert pictures make you want to order cakes without an occasion at all. But worry not! The calories really don’t count. I say this with personal experience- I have one cake every two weeks as dinner (obviously no food that day), they make the small ones (4 inches in diameter) and I’m yet to put on even 1 kg that I’d blame on them. Win win!
Pricing:
They start at 110 RMB for their 4” cakes and go up to 360 RMB for a 10” cake. The average list pricing for 6” cake is 120 RMB plus delivery. 200gm of cookies are priced at 48RMB. They also do cupcake towers and tarts on order.
Discount: Avail a 5% discount with GIC code till 15 June, 2017.
Contact them for discounts on big/bulk orders.
Pesto
What is it?
It’s the miracle all vegan and veggie lovers were waiting for. Anyone who grew up lactose intolerant or got dairy intolerant along the way knows the struggle to give up cheese is real. Well, not anymore. Pesto brings to you a variety of vegan cheese made with cashews, tahini and lupin.
Why should I try it?
Because I said so. They do live up to their name and have 3 kinds of pesto sauces available on the menu, along with dessert bites such as chocolate bounty bites, almond peanut butter cookies and cocoa energy balls. They currently have 5 kinds of cheese on their menu- a spreadable soft cheese that comes with flavors of your choice- I recommend the chives; tahini cheese that is light in salt but goes perfect with wine, cashew nut cheese that is similar to regular processed cheese in markets has a salty nice consistency, and the house special lupin feta which is an absolute winner. Its perfectly crumbly and salty and goes with salads like a dream.
Why do I recommend it?
Founders Neomi and Agatha are both Italians living in Shanghai and are genetically inclined towards anything cheese. Italians live a flavorful life and culturally place importance on the joy food brings to us- watch Eat, Pray, Love to understand this philosophy.
I’m personally highly dairy intolerant and I wasn’t until a couple of years ago. Giving up cheese and ice cream was one of the hardest adjustments that held me back from being vegan. Having the option of vegan cheese that tastes just like normal cheese sometimes even better is a feeling I cannot put to words. The ingredients are freshly sourced, far more nutritious than processed cheese, and have healthy fats that don’t convert to just calories. Also, not having their traditional pesto or feta cheese is in my opinion a crime in the books of foodies.
Favorite item on menu:
Pricing:
Their cheese ranges from 40-100 RMB for 80/200gms, the pesto jars in 3 flavors: kale pesto, traditional pesto and sundried tomato pesto are 40-60RMB for 80/185gm and desserts are sold by the box at 40RMB for 15 balls/8 pieces.
PS: they will also be hosting a vegan wine and cheese tasting in the near future, we will keep you posted on the details.
Discount: Avail a massive 15% discount on all orders with code GIC before June 15, 2017.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, you’re probably wondering why all of these places are vegan- well its what I call the Vegan Month in Shanghai with the vegan runner marathon, cyclathon, yoga events, walkathon and finally the upcoming vegan festival-platopia from April 29 to May 1 where you will find all of the above mentioned and can seek GIC discounts. Also, vegan diets are in general healthier, it’s a trend that is catching on, and believe me, nothing gets you weight loss results faster than switching to vegan. I’ve lost 9kgs in 3 months and counting! Keep reading my summer tips for more exciting stuff to try.
author:Khushboo Khanna
