As most children returned to school this week I read a very funny meme posted by a friend that read: “I’m just not sure how my child will survive back at school without 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 367 snacks a day!” Snack time is serious business…parents, you can relate right? 😉 And being prepared with a plethora of wholesome options for snack time makes life so much easier. This recipe is perfect for that, and one of our new faves.
Inspiration for today’s bite-sized treats comes from Donna Hay’s recipe for raw Turkish delight doughnuts. I adapted her original recipe and was so happy with how they turned out. They’re deliciously nutty and chewy, yum! The doughnuts are topped with dark chocolate which makes them extra decadent, but you could leave this off if you prefer. The Turkish delight element comes from a dash of rosewater which is added to the dark chocolate, giving it a delicate floral flavour.
Granola is an absolute cupboard and breakfast staple around here, and I love trying out different ingredients and making each batch a little different. Dates are a fabulous addition to homemade granola – after half an hour in the oven they’ll be chewy and caramelly, yum! There are the usual nuts and seeds included here (use whichever ones you like but pecans and pumpkin seeds are particularly good in this recipe) and I’ve added a good helping of coconut flakes to the mix too. Breakfast is served!
Happy New Year foodies! I’m sure most of us breathed a sigh of relief when the clock struck midnight on December 31st, but we’re not quite out of the woods yet. After the major rollercoaster of a year that was 2020 I hope that you managed to squeeze in some holiday down time, and that the year ahead will be kinder to all of us.
Just four sleeps until Christmas (I get the daily count down from my kids, ha ha!) and just time to squeeze in a festive treat to enjoy these holidays. It doesn’t feel like Christmas until I’ve baked something spiced and the homely aromas that come from the kitchen when this gingerbread cake is in the oven are so enticing and comforting.
These date truffles were an absolute hit when I made them at home, and with just a handful of ingredients you can whip up a batch in no time. The sweet date caramel and the dark chocolate pair beautifully, and they’re the perfect treat for when you need a quick sweet hit. You could also wrap them up for someone special, they make a gorgeous edible gift.
While Cape Town still decides whether it is actually spring or not (and I sit and type at my desk watching the clouds gather outside) I thought I’d sneak in a cooler weather dish. Tomato bredie is a South African family pleaser and has the marvellous combination of lamb, fragrant spices and tomatoes that we know and love. Once all of the ingredients are in the pot you can leave it to work its magic until its time to serve up. Scrumptious!
One of the things I’ve missed most during this pandemic is the simple hug. Fortunately I have been in lockdown at home with my husband and the kids so it’s not as though I’ve missed out completely, but I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted a warm hug from a friend, a hello hug from a colleague or a quick passing hug that says “you’ve got this” from another mom also rushing around during the busy morning school run. Sometimes it feels as though we’ll never get to that point again! But I know that we will.
