Dessert for Carol

Sometimes the happiest moments are the simplest ones...like sharing a fuss-free, 5-minute sweet delight with a dear friend while watching my favourite soapie.

Recipe

• 2 ginger biscuits - crushed
• 1/2 cup of  double cream Greek yoghurt
• 2 table spoons of honey
• 2 table spoons of chocolate chips
• 1 table spoon of milk
• 1 Martini glass(because they are so sexy)

Method

• place crushed biscuits in the glass (you may mix them with some butter to form a more steady base but I I prefer them as they are)
• mix the honey and yoghurt and spoon carefully into the glass
• melt the choc chips and milk in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds
• pour melted chocolate over the yoghurt

This is how much she enjoyed it... J

All of my children

I went shopping for tools for my new mini garden yesterday and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I got a mini spade, gardening gloves and various herbs and roots to grow. It was almost as exciting as buying a new pair of sexy heels – strange I know.

I decided some time ago that I wanted to grow my own veggies and herbs and prepare dishes from that. [I think Jamie Oliver was the inspiration for this but he did  it on a more grand scale, of course - I live on the 1^st floor and don’t have a garden so they’ll have to grow in pots.] I got lettuce, chilies, carrots, spring onion, spinach, basil, parsley and thyme. They need to be watered everyday and need to be fertilized every 4 to 6 weeks. I don’t have children but I think this task is very similar to raising little ones. On that note, here they are...all of my children...

May they grow big and strong...

Life is too short to make your own puff pastry

This past Thursday night was spent in Auckland park at Zietsies supper club. The property is located at the top of the mountain overlooking the gorgeous Jozi skyline. We were ushered to the balcony upon our arrival and served wine while taking in the amazing view. [I realized when we were half way to the supper club that I’d forgotten my camera and had to rely on my phone for images so the quality isn’t so great – I do apologise yet again]

The owner, Elzabe Zietsman, is an actress and singer by profession and cooks and entertains guests at her home as a hobbie. She only cooks whatever is seasonal and available at the time and making reservations well in advance is essential as only a small number of guests can be accommodated at a time.

The first course was asparagus served with home-made mayonnaise and pesto. She added Japanese mirin to the mayo which gave it a slightly sweet taste – simple yet very good.

The main course was home-made pie served with vegetables. The vegetables were fried in olive oil and butter and mixed with ricotta cheese. She served us chicken pie that was seasoned with thyme, salt and pepper and had mustard sauce and cream added to it. She grows her own peas which were added to the chicken as well. The table next to ours was served sirloin steak pie so we swapped pies halfway through the meal.  Both were heavenly but the chicken pie tasted way better – hearty, well-seasoned and filling. She did admit, however, that the pastry was store-bought and added that ‘life is too short to make your own f’ng puff pastry’. And we all agreed!

Dessert was a simple tart with a butter biscuit base. The filling was double cream Greek yoghurt mixed with honey. It was topped with fresh berries that were cooked to perfection in champagne and sugar – a perfect ending to an amazing meal.

Our gracious host told interesting stories about the food, her background and how Zietsies came to life in between serving our meals and topping up our wine glasses.

It was an interesting and different dining experience and my food buddy and I left feeling all warm and fuzzy inside – inspired, content and satisfied...

 http://www.elzabezietsman.co.za/

Joosy froot

I turned the big 3.0. yesterday and am starting to worry about my body. I was told that this is the beginning of its involuntary expansion and gravity defiance. So I figured I’d be proactive and do the necessary to delay this eventuality for as long as possible.[I may be a few years too late but I’ll give it a go regardless] So I bought my very first pair of running shoes today and drove [yes, drove] to the park near my place. I ran/jogged/skipped and walked for all of 45 minutes – big achievement considering my exercise regime for the past decade consisted of walking from the fridge to the couch…and then back again.

Anyway, I’ve also started drinking home-made juices before meals to help my cause. [A dear friend bought me a juicer for my birthday which is awesome!] I bought a book some time ago titled ‘Raw juices can save your life’ by Sandra Cabot and put it to good use this weekend. The good doctor has recipes for ailments such as acne, cellulite and stomach ulcers and claims that they really work. The combinations are quite something though[there’s one for depression where she includes strawberries, carrots, broccoli, string beans and lettuce leaves. Hmmm…] She also lists the healing properties of each fruit and vegetable in the book which is quite handy when making up your own recipes. And that’s exactly what I did today and it tasted great. I shall call it Joosy froot – just because…

Ingredients:

·         2 medium sized carrots

[improves skin, eye-sight, vitality and vigor]

·         A handful of strawberries

[skin cleanser, mild laxative and good for those suffering with high blood pressure and gout]

·         1 nectarine

[aids digestion, useful in bronchitis, asthma and high blood pressure]

·         1 medium sized banana

[aids digestion and improves energy levels]

And the result…

Coolest pic I've seen in a while



Source: http://eyeseesoul.tumblr.com/



Breakfast in the city

It’s grey and wet in Jozi and I couldn’t be happier. There’s something about the rain that just makes me want to play my favourite jazz CD and have all the comfort food my heart desires. This is a recipe for disaster given that I really have very little self control or restraint when it comes to matters of the gut.

This awesome weather made my weekend interesting – breakfast-wise. This morning started off with a trip to my local Wimpy for a good old bacon, cheese and egg sandwich. It was all washed down with coffee. Dessert [yes, I have dessert at breakfast too] was warm malva pudding with rum and raisin ice cream IN BED. I lasted about 20 minutes and then went back to sleep. It was after midday when I eventually regained consciousness in the fetal position – clearly feeling the joy even in lala land.

Saturday morning was no different either. My food buddy and I have been talking about indulging in the classic kasi meal for a while but never really got around to doing it until then. We took a trip to Diepkloof in Soweto and bought the holy trinity – amagwinya [otherwise known as vetkoek], salted snoek fish and greasy chips. We added achar [mango pickle] and ham to the mix to give it an exotic feel. J The perfect way to have this is to break the vetkoek in half and fill it with the fish, chips, ham and achar – like a sandwich. There was so much grease in each bite that I could almost feel my arteries vibrating in protest. [I’ve got it all on camera but am too embarrassed to share the pictures for fear of judgment and permanent reputational damage]. We took a nap after that – pure joy.

Friday’s breakfast was far sexier and more respectable. My colleagues and I went to the Slow lounge across the way from the Gautrain station in Sandton. The lounge is called Slow in the city and is a members-only luxury that was created for people on the go. [It boasts showers, conference room facilities and an awesome restaurant. You can have your meetings, check your emails, shower, eat, think and maybe even save the world while waiting for your next flight to somewhere important. The décor is stunning and even has an organic wall - plants grow out of the wall and they get watered twice a day – quite something really]. Anyway, we ordered breakfast and it was fabulous – presentation and all. I had eggs Benedict on a bagel with hollandaise sauce, caviar and a balsamic vinegar reduction. I really wanted to clap after that meal – heaven on a plate. And this is what it looked like...