4/52 2016

A portrait of my babes once a week in 2016 ( 2.5 years)

We celebrated your two and a half birthday while we were in Cape Town. We took you to The Creamery for your very first ice-creams to mark the occasion. It was a gorgeous hot day and we strolled to a bench on the Seapoint promenade to eat them. As far as ice-cream goes this is right up there with some of the best I've ever tasted. Florence chose chocolate and Anna chose peanut butter. Sticky faces, big smiles, jumping with excitement, sharing spoonfuls with each other, talking about it non stop, the sheer delight in your eyes told me it's probably the best thing you've ever tasted. In fact, Florence woke up the next morning and the first thing she said, whispering in my ear, " I love chocolate."

Happy half birthday baby girls. I love sharing new tastes with you. 

delicious winter dinner

I don't usually share recipes on the blog but this delicious winter dinner find is just too good (and easy, it only has two steps) not to share.

Martha Stewart's Lamb, Bulgar and White Bean Stew... it's a true one pot wonder!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (*I used a red onion ever since my mama told me they are better for you)
• 500g lamb mince (*I actually used beef mince)
• 2/3 cup of bulgar wheat
• 3/4 teaspoons of red-pepper flakes
• Coarse salf and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups of water
• 1 can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 cups of baby spinach (*I just used ordinary spinach) 
• 2/3 cup of crumbled fetter 

Directions: 

• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, lamb, bulgar wheat, red-pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cook, stirring to break up the mince, until the mince is cooked (it takes about 5 minutes). Add paprika, stir until fragrant (for about 30 seconds). Add the canned tomatoes and the water, bring to a simmer, and cover. Lower the heat and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the bulgar wheat is tender (it takes about 20 min). 
• Stir in the beans, spinach and feat and cook until the feat is almost melted and the beans are warmed through. Garnish with feta and fresh herbs. 

Enjoy! xxx

guest post: i'm craving a donut

Donuts have made a come back! And looking at the ones below I am not surprised at all! Jo (from Cup of Jo) is all about donut cakes, so much so she had one for her son's birthday cake, which I think is kind of cute.

Mini pistachio and almond donuts

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Oh my! How delicious?

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Mini donuts

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Every flavour you can imagine

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A donut cake

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guest post: visual feast

Stephane Bahic is a food stylist and photographer. How delicious are her pics?

Daleahs

Have you tried the (now not so) new eatery Daleahs in Braamfontein? While I only had a freshly squeezed juice when I was there a couple of months ago (I believe you can judge a place on their juice), the food coming out of the kitchen definitely warrants a return visit. I love their corporate identity too, designed by Says Who - how cute are those take away mug sleeves!

{Top pic by me, others from Between 10 and 5}

Round food

Come to think of it, I love round food - juicy winter oranges, Woolworths chuckles, perfect scoops of creamy gelato, tomatoes, eggs... So much so, one year I thought it would be good to give up round things for Lent (that didn't actually happen). I was reminded of that when I came across this competition, where Cereal asked readers to submit pictures of round food. The mangosteen won but they all look beautiful to me.

Breakfast at Wythe Hotel

The Wythe Hotel oozes cool. In typical Williamsburg waterfront character, it was originally an old factory built at the turn of the 20th century and the industrial feel has been maintained and incorporated into the decor (think exposed rick and screed floors).

While we didn't stay there (the rooms looks awesome by the way) we went to Reynard, the hotel restaurant, for breakfast. The coffee was good, the food yummy and the service top notch. In true NY style we were brought complimentary tasty things to apologise for waiting so long for our food when we hadn't even noticed we had been waiting. The clientele was fascinating and we saw one of the best beards I have ever seen (which is saying a lot in that part of town) - think thick, full, luscious colour and perfectly groomed.

Loading Bay

I totally feel in love with Loading Bay in De Waterkant in CT. In fact I experienced breakfast, lunch and dinner (only on Thursdays) there and a few juices in between. Self described as a place for design, coffee, comfort food, luxury apparel & magazines - The decor is cool, the food is fresh and simple and the service friendly - just cause for my daily return. Unfortunately I did not sample the luxury apparel (out of price tag more than want!) but the connecting section is certainly worth a browse.

Clik here for address and opening times.

PS. I heard a rumour that they are opening up a Loading Bay in Jo'burg... Fingers crossed.

Deliciousness in unexpected places

While I am a big fan of (and pinner!) on Pinterest, I seldom go further than a pin. In other words, I don't attempt to replicate the amazing things that inspire me to save them on my collection of online pin boards.

However, yesterday was one of those right-place-right-time scenarios where I came across this delicious looking salad just as I was about to pop out to do my Woolies shopping. It looked quick and easy and healthy and delicious (four requirements for me in the kitchen). It turned out so well in fact that I have saved the recipe away in my actual recipe book and will be replicating it for my book club dinner next week.

ginger, citrus + black sesame carrots w/ edamame and avocado salad - head on over to The First Mess for the Recipe

PS. Woolies had no sesame seeeds, fresh garlic, limes or organges. I substituted the seseame seeds with seed mix, I used pre-crushed garlic instead of fresh garlic, I substituted lime juice for lemon juiceand I left out the organge juice altogether (one has to get a bit creative when groccery shopping in one shop over a quick office break). We also added in  chicken breast. It still tasted yummy :)

Saturdays Surf NYC

Surf culture in NYC? You can find anything in NYC. And this particular surf shop in the West Village is an awesome little hangout with a coffee bar upfront and benches outside, you can watch the cool kids of Perry Street go by while idly wondering which of the cool T's you saw inside you are going to purchase. (Oh, and they sell Mast Brothers chocolate).

PS. Check out their blog.

In pursuit of food and travel

New magazine Cereal Milk is so beautiful I want to climb right in and get lost inside its pages. Preferably sipping on actual Momofuku cereal milk (if his cornflake ice-cream is anything to go by, combined with my craving for full cream organic milk, this could easily develop into an addiction).

On breakfast

In the week, I start my day off with a super healthy breakfast: raw muesli with a sprinkling of Miracles Plus Plus (yes, that is really what my mix of flax seed, sunflower seed, sesame seed and pumpkin seed is called - Rich in essential fatty acids. Bursting with life potential. Incredibly nutritious - how can you resist?), soaked in boiling water, and topped with bananas, peaches and blueberries. Quite delicious in fact.

However, one of my favourite breakfasts is so completely the opposite. So thank goodness  this breakfast can only be found on the other side of the world: French brioche, soaked in syrup  laden with bananas, walnuts and mascarpone cheese. And THAT is what I feel like this morning.

Have a lovely day readers xoxo