Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Note



(On a Side note - is a new post I've started when I want to write something about my life that ISN'T food related. If you are here for recipes then please simply skip over them)


I am on a mission to find ....

An office chair (for my new office in a cupboard*) - not so easy to find an office swivel chair in white and silver for a price less than a ... price of a kitchen aid!!! Its just a chair!

A gorgeous corner couch in either grey fabric (corduroy) or white leather (genuine) .... been trying to convince the husband ;) He is very obliging but says do I want to go away on holiday in 3 weeks time or rather have a pretty new couch! mmm do I have to pick?

I'm also on a mission to find time... let me know when you find it - OK?


*Office in a cupboard is this crazy idea to turn a wardrobe/clothes cupboard into a hideaway office. So when we not using the computer, printer etc we just close the cupboard and it seem like we have a normal lounge with out all the gadgets/techie stuff :) Its coming along nicely ... hence the need for a sparkly white and silver swivel chair.I post pics when the office in a cupboard is all finished.

 hugs

Friday, August 26, 2011

HAPPY FRIDAY!




Happy Friday

Here's hoping you have one of those chilled, no dishes, Jam on delicious toast and tea weekends!

Hugs


Monday, August 22, 2011

Smooth Banana Ice Cream




I love this treat/snack SO much as it is one of the EASIEST things to make, so very cheap on ingredients and easy to adapt to your taste!
I have seen this blogged about as the 1 ingredient ice cream. ... and I suppose it can be called that. I just adore it because it can be given to babies all the way through to adults. AND IT DELICIOUS AND HEALTHY. Think easy for kids on a hot summers day. No need to buy ice cream and fill them with preservatives and glucose syrup when this tastes just as delicious and is twice as healthy. Great for kids parties - especially toddlers. You also can add chocolate chips or peanut butter or nuts and cherries to make it an even more special treat.



INGREDIENTS
1 and a half bananas per person
2 Tablespoons cream per person (optional) - don't add if giving to babies
extras: chocolate, peanut butter, cherries, nuts etc... 

METHOD
Peel your bananas and slice into 1cm chunks.
Place in a glass (freezer proof) bowl or jar and freeze until hard (I freeze mine over night) but I'm guessing 3 hours should be fine.
Then place in a blender jug and blend until smooth - adding cream if you so wish to make it even more decadent and ice cream like but not necessary. 
Once smooth you can stir in any goodies if you wish .. chocolate, nuts etc..
Enjoy straight away or place in the freezer to keep cool until needed


so creamy and delicious - you can also use mangoes instead of bananas :)
enjoy

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Birthday with The Grand Daddy and Hout Bay Manor


Kalk Bay - one of my favorite places to visit


Life gets pretty busy sometimes and its great when we get to step back and have a few days off. Its especially good when its your birthday and there is a public holiday 2 days after :) allowing for me to really maximise the birthday celebrations and time off :)



It all started with a family lunch at my parents with presents and home cooked food and happiness. Then a drive through Kalk Bay and off to Cape Town. Very kindly I was spoilt rotten with a nights stay at The Grand Daddy Hotel :) - thanks Sergio and the Grand Daddy team. Crisp white sheets and comfy pillows along with bubbly in my room on arrival... I loved it ALL.

The husband and I went out for supper at the V & A Waterfront that evening with some shopping thrown in  and then relaxed and slept cozily at the Grand Daddy.

We rose very early the next morning to head off for a treat given to me to by Hout Bay Manor - 2 full body massages (hubby and I together) in the Inzolo Spa. It was oh so relaxing and just what I needed :) - thanks Alexis and team- It was blissful!!!


After our hour long treatment we set off to pick up a take-away coffee from Origin in Cape Town and drove back to one of my favorite spots in Kalk Bay for amazing views and more coffee and a little more chilling before heading home and back to reality.

I'm still day dreaming that every day should be like this - pretty and comfy hotel rooms and massages and awesome coffee and chill out sessions by day!


Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Lifes Spice bowl



Im sorry for taking a while to post ... life is busy right now and I love my blog and I'm missing you all so much! Right now I am busy trying to plan a holiday for our family, deciding whether to just stay locally or take a trip internationally but on a budget. Sounds like fun hey...but the decisions are not that easy! and ALL require money and some clever thinking on my part. I've also been out at some lovely launches and events and I have quite a few pictures to go through and edit and post on here. Never mind the recipes I keep hoping to post but I just don't seem to get there. Added in the usual cooking, cleaning, lifting, school homework, family functions etc... Life seem to be one big juggling act!

I hope you are well :) I always check in for comments regardless of if I get time to post something.
Life no matter how busy is good because we have so much to be grateful for ... the weather is beautiful, we have air to breathe and people in our lives to love. I always take time to put on some good music while I'm working - it makes me smile and that is what counts!

I hope your life is happy no matter the circumstances... you are unique and there is NO ONE like you! :)

Hugs


Wednesday, August 10, 2011

BEEF CURRY



I really dislike certain spices! And because of that I have never been able to eat curry. I'm thinking it may be the actual curry leaves or tumeric that I really don't like. Because every time I taste a curry the flavour is NOT to my liking. The burn is not what I want either but the actual taste is what makes me not like it. So for the very first time a few weeks ago I made my very first curry that I could actually eat! :) yay! I took several recipes and decided what spices I would use and what I would leave out as well as what I actually had in my cupboard. So this curry was my first curry LOVE and I'm proud to say my husband and daughter liked it too and I will actually make it again!

If you like very hot curry - add MORE chillis and fresh ginger.

INGREDIENTS
1 garlic clove
large pinch of coarse salt
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 smallish piece of star anise
some woolworths steak rub (contains, mustard green peppercorns, black pepper, sugar.. etc)
a thumb size piece of ginger grated on medium small
1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tiny 1cm piece of star anise
half a red chilli ( finely diced)
sugar
salt
pepper
600 g beef steak
3 medium onions (peeled and diced)
olive oil
2 tins or 1 large bottle organic tomato puree
1 small tin organic coconut milk
1 tablespoon tomato paste
*note to self - (next time add some fresh tomatoes too)

METHOD
Cube the beef into bite sized chunks/blocks.
Fry the beef in a frying pan with some olive oil and some steak rub until sealed/brown on the outside.
Take the steak out the pan and let rest in a bowl to one side.
Add the mustard seeds and the cinnamon and star anise and add a dash more olive oil and fry until toasty.
Take out and crush in a pestle and mortar and add back to the frying pan.
Mash your garlic and salt into a paste in a pestle and mortar and add to the frying pan.
Add the peeled and grated ginger to the pan. Stir.
Add the onion. stir and fry until light brown.
Add the tomato paste, tomato puree, chilli and the meat to the pot and stir.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add a little sugar if needed.
Then add the coconut milk. continue to simmer until thick and the meat is tender. (maybe 40 min to an hour.. the longer you cook it the more tender the meat )
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with rice


Thursday, August 4, 2011

FREE PRETTY CARD AND TAG DOWNLOAD

It is my Birthday on Sunday (7th of August) and while looking on the Internet for all things cute and Birthday-like I came across these SUPER CUTE birthday tags and cards :) Are they just adorable?

Photography by the Elephant Shoe Love :)
 Kindly even though they are featured on The Pretty Blog (which I LOVE) Elephants Shoe Love, the super cool designer of these cute tags said I could share the lovely FREE download with you :)*yay*
I can't wait to play with these :)




Thanks to Elephant Shoe Designs :)

FREE CARDS, TAGS & STICKERS DOWNLOAD

 Have a GREAT weekend :) My Birthday festivities have already started! *double yay*