A healthy start… berry and mint smoothies

2015 is here, Happy New Year to you all! Christmas was a fairly quiet affair for us, but still filled with spoils and indulgence. I am always a little sad as the Christmas tree is dismantled and the last scraps of gammon are enjoyed, but also excited to find out what the year ahead has in store. 2015 already has a good feeling about it, don’t you think? For many of us a new year symbolises a fresh start, resolutions and, when it comes to food, an opportunity to get our diets back on track! Sound familiar?
 
On the subject of diets, I have always taken the view that balance is key and have not set myself any lofty eating goals. I also know that I would be kidding myself if I thought I could give up my chocolate! This is a great recipe that I whipped up recently, and is perfect if you are looking for a simple recipe to give you a boost as you ease out of holiday mode and head into the new year. Sharp berries, creamy yoghurt and fresh mint combine in a delicious and filling smoothie for the whole family.

BERRY AND MINT SMOOTHIES

  • Servings: 2 (Makes 400ml)
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  • 200g mixed frozen berries
  • 125ml (½ cup) vanilla or plain yoghurt
  • 50g banana, sliced
  • 5 fresh mint leaves, washed
  • 2 tsp honey
Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz together until combined and smooth. Taste and add extra honey if you prefer a sweeter smoothie. Serve immediately.


Cheese and rosemary stars

 
As we hurtle towards Christmas I am once again left wondering where the time has gone! I always love spending time in my kitchen at this time of the year – preparing food for friends or edible gifts for the family. This time last year I was preparing to host a big family Christmas feast, but this year will be a lot more low-key.

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Chocolate crunchies

 

Hello friends, it has been a while! Are we counting down to Christmas already?

The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs as we welcomed our new little boy to the world. It has been an absolute joy to enjoy newborn cuddles, watch the beginnings of sibling bonding and see good friends arriving at the door with a meal in their hands (a definite highlight)! Unfortunately though, we have also had to contend with an awful bug that has been hanging around us for weeks, on top of the expected sleep deprivation and exhaustion (what day is it?). Yet here we are, 6 weeks later and I can happily report that we are all adjusting and starting to settle into our new “normal”.

 

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Oat and raisin cookies

Things are seriously slowing down here at Cupcakes and Couscous HQ as we prepare to welcome our newest little cupcake to the family! And I think we are as ready as we will ever be – after a frantic last minute dash the nursery has been prepared, the baby clothes have been washed and sorted and my hospital bag is ready and waiting. Those who know me well will tell you that baking is one of my favourite things to do, and so while we count down the last few days until d-day I have managed fit in some baking time… and another recipe for you, hooray!

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Honeycomb cheesecake frozen yoghurt (with video)

“Ooh, cheesecake, munching on a cheesecake, munching on a cheesecake. Cheesecake!
Cheesecake, munching on a cheesecake, munching on a cheesecake. Cheesecake!
Cheesecake, gobble gobble cheesecake, gobble gobble cheesecake. Cheesecake!
Cheesecake, gobble gobble cheesecake, crazy over cheesecake. Cheesecake!”

Louis Armstrong, lyrics to “Cheesecake” 1966.

A dessert so fantastic there is even a song about it, and deservedly so. Good on ya, Louis! Today’s recipe is inspired by cheesecake, but in a slightly different format….

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Steak sarmies with chunky tomato ginger chutney

Steak sandwich recipe with relish.
Summer is well on its way (hooray!) and we can look forward to plenty of sunshine, outdoor time around the braai and some fresh and summery flavours! Wednesday the 24th of September is National Heritage Day in South Africa and I was inspired to make these easy and delicious steak sarmies topped with homemade tomato and ginger chutney.

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Out & About: Sedgefield and Wild Oats Market

The last few weeks have flown by and I have found myself up to my ears in all sorts of preparation – organising the nursery, stocking up on newborn nappies and cooking extra meals for the freezer. Are you noticing a theme here? Last week though we managed to escape for a long weekend in Sedgefield with the family, just the relaxing, sun-kissed and sand-coated short break we needed! 

One of the places we visited whilst there was the Wild Oats Market, on every Saturday morning. This was my second visit and we arrived on a mission to find breakfast. I was amazed to see how many people were there – considering how quiet the town of Sedgefield seemed! The place was buzzing and there were a large number of stalls selling all kinds of hand made produce. 

The Farmer’s Breakfast stand seemed to be the most popular spot, judging by the long queue (which did move quickly actually!). There was a good selection of food and drinks to choose from, which we enjoyed at one of the tree stump tables with the sounds of classic Elton John in the background, nice. We sampled some very tasty pancakes, an indulgent chocolate waffle, cooked breakfasts and delicious coffees. And in our shopping bag to take home we had a spinach and feta quiche, decadent fudge, Russian sausages and steak pie.


Other products that caught my eye were fresh juices, rusks and biscuits, dried fruit and nuts, fresh flowers and herbs, biltong and preserves. It was lovely to see visitors and members of the community meeting up for a bite to eat or bumping into each other by chance. The market has a very rustic feel and the atmosphere was lively but relaxed. Being a recycling enthusiast I was also impressed to see recycling stations dotted around the market for refuse. 


 
A short walk from the market you will find the Mosaic Outdoor Market, with various crafts and more food on offer. My husband and I picked up two beautiful framed photographs by Keith Moore and I found some excellent deals at a new book stand. Right next door is the Scarab craft market so allow lots of time to peruse the area! 

Just out of interest and completely unrelated to food, if you find yourself in the Plettenberg Bay area near to Sedgefield do visit Birds of Eden and Monkeyland for a chance to get up close and personal with some beautiful creatures. We had a fabulous day visiting the parks, well worth it. 


For more market details you can visit the Wild Oats Market website. The market is open every Saturday morning from 7.30am to 12pm in summer, 8am to 12pm in winter and is situated on the N2 a stones throw from the town of Sedgefield – look out for the big green sign! 

Apple and raisin oaty crumble with vanilla custard

This is a little something I whipped up over the weekend and an absolute classic as I am sure you will agree! There is something very comforting and homely about preparing and eating this particular dessert and I love the heavenly combination of spiced apple, crunchy oat crumble and creamy vanilla custard.

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