This week on Rouge, we go to the heartlands to get the best deals in food and fashion. Celebrities, Joanne Peh and Jade Seah took up the Rouge Challenge – to find an evening outfit for 50 bucks or less!
The girls trucked off to the heartlands of Toa Payoh and were greeted by a wide variety of fashion styles to choose from, and all at affordable prices! Though finding the right accessory to match and still keep their cost low was a little tricky for Joanne and Jade, the girls pulled it off with style.
Joanne sashayed down the catwalk in a silky red dress while Jade was all dressed up in a spunky purple turtle neck dress.
Joanne dazzled us with a silver pendant which cost her only $7.90, and a pair of $2 earrings!
Meanwhile, Jade wowed the crowd with her spark of innovation when she explained how she turned a golden necklace into a bracelet.
Marcus, resident stylist on Channel 5’s Fashion Forward, gave his take on the girls’ outfits, and declared who won the Rouge challenge by getting the best value for money. (it’s the one whose name is a shade of green). Marcus offered an insight into the Do’s and Don’ts of fashion and gave some tips and advice based on questions from the audience.
Next up, financial planner Corinne Yeo explained the importance of saving a portion of our salary (ideally 50%) for financial emergencies. She also highlighted the importance of credit card management. Corinne maintained that just changing one’s lifestyle can vastly improve an individual’s financial situation.
And true to the spirit of saving, Rouge created a shopper guide for the shopaholic in all of us:
Rouge Shopper’s Guide
R Remember to write a shopping list
O Only buy what you need
U Use cash whenever possible
G Get a thrifty buddy to go shopping with
E Eat before going grocery shopping
From the heartlands of Toa Payoh, Rouge moved onto Holland Drive Market where we met up with Deal or No Deal Hunk and Arts’ Central the Food Bachelor, Paul Foster, who took us marketing for cheap and good ingredients to make finger foods fit for a party.
With his dazzling smile and easy-going nature, Paul got the best bargains at the market and bought enough ingredients to whip up two treats: stuffed mushrooms and bruschetta. Eunice’s domestic side kicked in as she helped Paul out with the stuffed mushrooms, and our audience got to put together their own bruschetta.
Paul Foster’s Recipes:
Recipe 1: Stuffed Mushroom (serves 8-10)
- Minced chicken (250 grams)
- Tofu (100 grams)
- 2 eggs
- Chinese mushroom (1 kg)
- Pepper (1 tablespoon)
- Salt (2 teaspoons)
- Chinese parsley/Coriander/ “Huan Swee”
- Sesame oil (3 tablespoons)
- Light Soya sauce (2 tablespoons)
- Boil mushroom for 10 mins or until soft, then cut stems off and rinse.
- Chop Chinese parsley/Coriander/”Huan Swee”
- Mix minced chicken, tofu, eggs and Chinese parsley together.
- Add pepper, salt, sesame oil and light soya sauce (Vary quantities according to taste). Mix well.
- Spoon mixture on the gills/underside of mushrooms.
- Steam for 10 to 15 mins.
- Serve hot
Recipe 2: Bruschetta (Serves 8-10)
Recipe 2a: Bread
- Yeast ( 2 tablespoons)
- Warm water (1 cup)
- Flour (2 cups)
- Olive Oil (1 tablespoon)
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
1. Put the 2 cups of flour on counter/surface. Make a mound, and create a "well" or hole in the middle.
2. Put the yeast, olive oil, salt and water into the "well".
3. After letting it sit for 5 mins, fold the flour into the ingredients and mix well.
4. Keep folding and kneading until flour clumps together and starts to form a thicker, smooth consistency. This should take 5-10mins.
5. Once a smooth ball of dough is formed, place in bowl and coat the ball with olive oil before covering it with cling wrap. Put it aside for 20-30 mins to let the dough increase in size
6. When the dough has doubled in size, remove the dough from the wrap and roll the dough out.
7. After rolling the dough into desired shape (round/rectangular etc...), coat it with olive oil again before placing it into the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 to 20 mins depending on desired crispness.
8. Remove from oven, slice into desired shape.
Recipe 2b: Salsa mix