Recipe: Vegetarian Warm Winter Roasted Broccolli and Radish Salad with Parmesan & Zucchini Fritters

I have recently challenged myself to cook and eat more vegetarian dishes. I have found that it has really pushed me to try new foods and take my cooking to a new level. 

Inspired by a box of organic, seasonal vegetables delivered from The Farm Supply Co, I made this warm winter salad with a base of roasted broccoli and radishes topped with zucchini and Parmesan fritters with a drizzle of roasted garlic and tomato dressing, creamy avocado and hummus and topped with mixed seeds and nuts for a crunch.

Ingredients:

Washed Fresh Baby Spinach  
Roasted Broccoli Florets
1 Roasted Carrot 
Roasted Tomatoes 
Raw Cherry Tomatoes
Roasted Radish Slices 
Raw Radish sliced finely  
Raw Grated Zucchini
Roasted Zucchini Slices
Parmesan 
1 Egg  
Flour 
Avocado (Some sliced and some made into a guacamole) 
Hummus 
Garlic Cloves
Mixed nuts and seeds  

The Salad 

1. Place broccoli, sliced radishes, one small carrot and slices of zucchini in an oven tray. 
2. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and whatever herbs you are feeling. 
3. Place tray of veggies in pre-heated 180 degree Celsius oven for about 30 minutes. 

The Sauce

1. Roast quartered tomatoes and unpeeled garlic cloves in oven for 30 minutes in pre-heated 180 degree Celsius oven. 
2. Take roasted tomatoes and place in blender, add salt and pepper, and squeeze out garlic from their skins into tomatoes sitting in blender. 
3. Blend until smooth 
4. Pass mixture through sieve to take out any bits. 
*Tip: Roast tomatoes and garlic with the vegetables for the salad. 

The Zucchini Fritters 

1. Grate 2-3 zucchinis into a bowl. 
2. Squeeze out excess moisture of the grated zucchini and discard juices. You want the grated zucchini to be as dry as you can make it.  
3. Add grated Parmesan cheese (as much or as little as you like) to the grated zucchini with salt and pepper. 
4. To the zucchini mixture, mix in an egg and add a sprinkle of flour, a little at a time until your zucchini mixture holds together. It should be a sticky consistency that holds together. Don't overdo the flour as you don't want the mixture to be too doughy and tasteless. 
5. Heat coconut oil in a hot pan, and dollop spoonfuls of zucchini mixture into the pan, and flip until browned on both sides. 

Suggested Plating 

The Line of Roasted Veggies: 

1. Place raw and washed baby spinach in a thin layer on the centre of the plate 
2. Slice roasted broccoli florets into smaller pieces and zigzag these over the baby spinach
3. Carefully place sliced and roasted radish against the broccoli florets
4. Layer sliced avocado on top, 
5. Sprinkle some raw radish over the line of vegetables for some fresh peppery tones, 
6. Balance zucchini fritters on the line of vegetables 
7. Dot and drizzle roasted tomato and garlic dressing 
8. Place zucchini slices over this to create a sort of archway 
9. Finish this line of vegetables with alternating dollops of creamy hummus and guacamole

The outskirts of the plate: 
1. Julienne roasted carrot and create X's around the line of veggies. 
2. Slice cherry tomatoes and place upright on plate between the carrots
3. Place raw radish on the roasted carrot X's. 
4. Dollop creamy hummus and guacamole around the plate.  

Finish the plate: 
1. Sprinkle mixed seeds and nuts on the plate for some crunch.   

Enjoy. 

Let me know what your favourite winter recipe is.
Xxx 

A Festival Guide: Oppi Koppi Music Festival

Third day at Oppi Koppi 2015 

I always get the warm and fuzzies when I think of Oppi Koppi. I think of the dust, the people, the warm sun on my back as I sip a cold beer and listen to a new local band at one of the stages. I think longingly of the cold evenings around the campfire, the smell of braais and burning wood and hearing one excited guy scream "Oppi" while the inevitable echo of "Koppi" is heard in the distance. I think of the lantern lights illuminating the straw-covered grounds, of the palpable excitement of the crowd just before the main band takes to the stage and I think of all the strangers that have become best friends in one moment. 

Oppi Koppi is one of South Africa's greatest and most loved weekend music festivals which goes down in August every year in Northam, Limpopo.  This year, they have changed  things up and moved it to October. If you are going - highfive! - be prepared to have a rad and dirrrrty time.  

As I have been to Oppi four or five times, I thought I'd put together a list of tips for the newbies, or for those of you who just love a good list ;) 

1. Just be Lekker, don't be a douche. Everyone is at Oppi to have a great time. It's about making friends with strangers. Offer a "Tjop" and a "dop" to a straggler who can't find their camp. Leave your bad attitudes and any prejudices at home. In fact lose them altogether. This should be a rule for life. 




2. Make sure to camp with a great group of friends. It makes a big difference! 

Oppi Koppi 2015 - Our camping buddies

3. Bring dry ice. This ensures cold beers and warm hearts all weekend long. 

4. Northam gets sweltering hot during the day and pretty chilly at night. Make sure you pack accordingly. Bring a big extra cosy, chunky-knit jersey and enough blankets for the evening. Find a friend to cuddle. Don't forget to pack thick socks. My first Oppi was quite intense because I did not bring enough socks or blankets and despite consuming copious amounts of sherry, I was freezing at 3am. 

5. There are food stalls at Oppi, but it is always nice to braai at your camp with all of your mates. Just be careful about how you store your meat and make sure you cook it properly so no one gets food poisoning. My first Oppi was a bit ridiculous because the people I camped with were so drunk that no one really got around to braai-ing. If that sounds like your friends, then make sure you put enough cash on your Oppi Card (it's a cashless event) and grab some grub from the stalls near the stages. Remember to bring some snacks to keep the hangry monster at bay.  My fave go-to Oppi snacks are biscuits, steri stumpis, apples, nuts and dried fruit. 

6. Bring enough H20. Bring about 5 litres of water per day per person. You will need this to keep hydrated, to brush your teeth and wash your face, clean etc.  Also, bring an empty plastic bottle to put your favourite cocktail in to take to the stages. 

7. Grab some free coffee and pancakes at the Red Frogs tent.  

8. Don't peak too soon. I have seen way too many people who wake up and start hitting the tequila first thing in the morning. Ease your way into it, make sure you eat something and keep hydrated so that you aren't that person sleeping in their tent at 5pm missing all the best bands. 

9. Don't be afraid to get creative with your fashion choices. Express yourself because if there is anywhere that you can get away with ALL the glitter, big faux fur coats, lumo t-shirts and ridiculous hair, it is Oppi. My suggestion would be to stay away from wearing heels and to avoid bringing your favourite designer jacket because chances of it getting dirty, damaged or lost are high. Wearing white is also not recommended because it won't be white for long. I personally love my gumboots. They protect my feet from the hot sand, dirt, thorns and stones. There are a few thorn bushes around so gumboots are quite commonly seen. 

10. Decorate your campsite. It will help you locate your tent in the dark and believe me you will get lost. BUT Don't be afraid to get lost as it is truly part of the experience. Please make sure you have a friend with you. The festival is generally safe and I haven't heard any bad stories, but rather be safe than sorry. 

11. Print out a few copies of the band schedule. Hand some out to your camp buddies and keep one in your bag. But also make sure to wander around the stages aimlessly, you will definitely discover a new favourite band that way. 

12. Set up an established meeting point with your friends for when you get separated. 

13. Leave very early on the last day of Oppi. Everyone tries to leave on the Sunday at about the same time and it is not fun sitting in bumper to bumper traffic for hours on the way home. Wake up earlier, leave earlier, have thee best shower of your life when you get home and spend the rest of your day recovering on your couch.

14. Oppi Koppi is dusty AF. Be prepared to get dirty. I promise it will be okay. Everyone else is dirty too. There are cold showers near the stages but be prepared to stand in a long queue and be covered in dust as soon as you step out again. Here are some tips for my fellow girly-girls that still want to look decent: 

•  Learn the art of the wet wipe shower i.e. stand in your tent and wipe yourself down from head to toe with wet wipes. Wet wipes are your friend. 
• Bring a bucket and lots of water so that you can wash your face and brush your teeth properly
• Dry shampoo is life. I usually buy a big and a small bottle of Batiste Dry Shampoo from Clicks or Dischem. There are a few scents to choose from and the small bottle fits nicely in your bag so if you are by the stages the whole day, you can quickly freshen up. 
• Opt to get your eyelashes tinted before Oppi. It will make your eyes pop sans mascara that may or may not run down your face by the end of the day. 
• Do not opt for acrylic or fake nails for Oppi. They will break, chip and inevitably get really dirty which is pretty gross. Rather go for a dark gel polish that won't chip or show how dirty your nails inevitably are.
• Carry hand sanitizer around. Your hands will get dirty. You will not die. But for hygiene purposes, it may be nice to ensure your hands are clean before tucking into that Boerie Roll. 

15. Put a lock on your tent. Mostly to avoid people from taking your stuff but also to ensure that you don't find Vrot Frikkie from 3 camps down passed out in your tent. 

16. There are tented hotel options at Oppi Koppi, if camping with the plebians in what is known as "Mordor" is too hardcore for you. I stayed in the Windhoek Klein Hotel last year because I was all like "I'm too old for this sh*t" and it was lovely. But the vibe is not the same as Mordor and if this is your first Oppi, I really recommend skipping the tented options. Be adventurous!

18. If you decide to rough it in Mordor, bring a camping chair. Sitting on the floor is just not ayoba. I'd also recommend bringing a gazebo or big umbrella (or your big friend "Tiny") to create shade at your camp when the hot sun is hitting during the day. If you have one of the aforementioned items, definitely bring one 

19. Don't bring those blow up mattresses. Someone will forget the pump/ it will deflate on the first night and you will end up sleeping on the ground. Rather bring a fold up mattress. It will take up more space in the car but be infinitely more comfortable. 

20. Have fun. Let loose. Make friends. 

What are your tips and tricks for Oppi? 
xxx

A Travel Guide: A Spontaneous Four Day Trip to Cape Town

Let me tell you, first and foremost, I am not a spontaneous person. I really wish I was but in reality, I am a plan-weeks-in-advance-have-several-excel-spreadsheets-and-a-bullet-journal-page-anal-retentive (phew) type of gal. But I also have a serious case of wanderlust. So when a beautiful, long weekend lay ahead of us, Dale and I seized the opportunity to go on an epic Cape Town adventure.I was super proud of myself, we booked an Air Bnb and the flights literally the day before we left. Shock. Horror. Who am I? 

It. Was. Awesome. And I highly recommend just getting out of your anal-retentive shell, if you are like me, and going on a spontaneous trip. 

Where we stayed? 

We stayed in a centrally based flat on the bustling and vibey Green Market Square just off of Long Street. Whilst certainly not romantic, it was the perfect location for a busy weekend of site seeing. It was a few metres from the hop-on hop-off bus stop.

Where we went? 

Day 1: 

On our first day in Cape Town, we bought tickets for the City Sightseeing Red Hop-on Hop-Off line bus and hopped off at the stunning Camps Bay stop. We had a lazy lunch at Mezepoli just on the main road overlooking the beach. There is just nothing better than having a table of delicious mezes, with a bottle of wine on a sunny day staring out at an azure ocean. I was so incredibly alive and happy in that moment. That. Or I was a little tipsy on superb Cape wine. Ha. Same same. 

Before heading onto the beach to sink our toes in the white sand, we picked up some cheeses, cracked black pepper crackers and dates to pack in our bags for our planned trip up Table Mountain to watch the sunset that evening.

It turns out you can buy a bottle of wine at the restaurant at the top of Table Mountain. When in Cape Town... 
Needless to say the highlight of this whole trip was sitting on the top of Table Mountain, enjoying our picnic with a glass of wine and my favourite human watching the sunset over Cape Town.

I highly recommend buying tickets to go up the mountain in the morning so you avoid the ticket lines at peak times especially prior sunset. 

We took the last red Hop-on Hop-off bus to V&A waterfront and after exploring the little Watershed night market, we bee lined for a packed pub with an old man belting out all the classics. Finally, we concluded the night at Tiger's Milk on Long Street. 

Day 2: 

The second day was spent lazily walking around the Green Market Square market, drinking coffee in a cafe situated in an old church and meeting up with some friends who had moved to Cape Town. We sat on Long Street and ate tapas at Fork and concluded the evening watching local bands at a club on Long Street. We did actually visit The Crypt Jazz Club but I was sorely disappointed so I won't mention too much about it. 

Day 3: 

We woke up early and caught an Uber to the vibey Old Biscuit Mill for the famous Saturday morning Neighbourgood's Market. It was a perfect morning with blue skies and the market was bustling with people and music. The smells of pizza, pancakes, fresh mint, freshly brewed coffee wafted from here and there as we made our way from stall to stall.

 The overwhelming choice from fresh honey, cheeses to sushi was staggering. Dale chose a breakfast burrito, whilst I chose a fresh Mediterranean salad with fresh hummus and aubergine. 

From the market, we headed to the hop-on hop-off buses to grab some tickets for the Purple wine route tour. 

Nothing is better than wine-tasting in Cape Town. Our first stop was Groot Constantia, the oldest wine farm in South Africa, and whilst it was jam packed with tourists, the selection of wines certainly made up for it. In an effort to escape the crowds, we took our glasses of wine, and strolled through the vineyard. 

On our next stop on the wine route tour, we visited Eagle's Nest Wine Estate and ordered freshly baked bread, tomato salsa and a cheese board to accompany our wine tasting. 

We ended our day with a stroll along the harbour in Houtbay.

Day 4:

We hiked up Lion's head. 

I mean... They don't tell you how precarious it is up there, that there are points where it is a bit rock-climby and that there are chains and ladders to pull yourself up with. I've been told numerous times that people climb up Lion's Head at night. Nope. I enjoy my life too much, thank you. I am just not that hardcore. 

But, yes, the view is so worth it! And it feels so good to get fresh air and get some exercise especially if you have spent the last few days drinking wine and eating all. the. food. Which I had. 

Having conquered a mountain, we treated ourselves to cold beers and burgers at Beerhouse afterward. Best beer of my life. 

Our last night was spent at Shimmy Beach Club for dinner. Unfortunately, the weather had taken a nasty turn so the atmosphere was not as vibey as we had hoped. We did end up grabbing some last minute tickets for the Cape Town Comedy Club at the V&A waterfront which was phenomenal. To end off our trip we sauntered back to our favourite pub at the V&A later for drinks. Let's just say we nearly missed our very early morning flight the next morning. Oof! 

Some Other suggestions:

If you are an overseas tourist or if you have not visited Cape Town before, I highly recommend that you add the following places to you itinerary: 

• A trip to Robben Island 
• Dinner at Mama Africa 
• A trip to Seal Island 
• A trip to Cape Point 
• A visit to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens 

If you are a foodie and have some money to spend, I would suggest making a reservation at: 

• La Colombe 
• La Mouette 
• The Test Kitchen 

Have you been to Cape Town?
Xxx 

Paint Nite: A Fab Gift for a Fab Friend

I have known my friend Sam since the beginning of High School. She tells me that we met in the bathroom at the swimming gala. I don't remember it at all... I am sure I have just erased it entirely from my memory as having to wear a school swimming costume in front of other people and actually swim is not my idea of fun. 

I have always admired Sam's confidence and drive. Even when she was a little Grade 8 girl, she knew that she was going to study Zoology. She wanted it. She focused on it. And after killing it at Rhodes University, she now has her masters in Zoology and landed her dream job at Endangered Wildlife Trust. She is a pretty fab human.

 She has certainly seen all my bad hair days, bad fashion choices not to mention my bad boy choices. As one of my first friends to get married she is my go-to-gal for relationship advice.

So of course, it goes without saying that since she is such a fab bestie, she needed a fab birthday gift. Looking to do something unique and fun, I booked tickets to a Paint Nite at a restaurant in her area. 

Paint Nite is an event that happens all over Johannesburg at different bars and restaurants. An art teacher takes you step by step and teaches you to paint a pre-determined picture on a canvas. There is wine. There are laughs and even if you aren't an artist or, it is an artistic outlet.

I really recommend trying it out if you haven't already. 

Have you tried it?
Xxx

My 5 Fall Faves

It was a particular scorcher of a summer and I am enjoying the reprieve of cooler weather at the moment. There is something incredibly romantic about autumn. The colourful leaves and the satisfying crunch of them under your perfect, over-the-knee boots on a brisk morning walk.

Here is a quick rundown of my 5 fave things for fall. 

1. Chai Lattes 

My current favourite go-to coffee is a spicy chai latte. I. am. obsessed. Nothing beats that smell of cinnamon, cloves and sugar. It is comforting and indulgent. I am looking forward to attempting to make a homemade version.  

2. Dark Lips 

Loving dark mauvey and red lipped look. It is dramatic and perfect for cooler weather.

3. Autumn Fashion

Cosy, chunky knitwear paired with over-the knee boots, anything with a classic trench coat, a super cute and playful pom pom beanie... Yes! This is my season. 

I must admit I was a bit naughty and splurged on some over the knee, grey Hanover boots. And then because I loved them so much, I went and bought some black over the knee boots from Zara. I may be a tiny, bit obsessed.

Black Jumper Dress: Edgars; Grey Over-the-knee Boots: Hanover (Superbalist Online).

Trench Coat: Forever New; Chunky Pink Knit: Edgars; Blue Jeans: Woolworths; Nude Ankle Boots: Forever New. 

4. Soup

I. cannot. stop. eating. soup. No seriously. I am addicted to the creamy tomato soup from Woolies. My ultimate autumnal lunch is a bowl of steaming, tomato soup with crusty bread with a thick creamy layer of freshly smashed avocado. Can we just drool together on this one.

5. Running

Yip. Who thought I would have placed this in my list of favourites. In the last year I have gone from wheezing when walking up a couple of stairs to jogging my first 5kms. It isn't much but it feels like a huge accomplishment. The cooler weather has also really helped with inspiring me on going on more runs. This past weekend I beat my personal best of 31 minutes, and ran the Parys parkrun in 29 minutes, 33 seconds.

What are your fall faves? 
Xxx

The Quest to Love Myself

I have not spent a great deal of time writing in the past year. I suppose life takes over in a huge rush and some things end up on the pile of old hockey sticks, golf clubs, & yoga mats from various hobbies taken up in a passion & quickly forgotten.

The New year arrived in his handsome suit and sparkling smile, with whispers of new beginnings and exciting adventures, and although he seemed so familiar, I ignored the warnings to be careful and jumped right in with vigour. I was starry eyed and excited. But then the handsome suit turned to rags and the sparkling smile turned out to be dentures, and I received a swift kick on the backside when reality came hurtling in.

This may not make sense. But basically, the last few months have been difficult for me. I have been struggling to work through the carnage that is in my head. My anxiety levels were through the roof and I have been trying desperately to piece my self-esteem together. 

 The problem is that no one’s self-esteem should ever rely on someone else. If someone disappoints you, or a relationship does not work out, it should not be the end of your world. 

So I am on a path of self-realisation to build up my self esteem and just as Frodo departed from the comfort of the Shire to destroy the ring, so I too have to take my (great) ass on a quest to learn to love myself – see I am starting already.

Xxx

Jade 

The Regular Joe

I swaggered out of university with illusions of grandeur bigger than Kanye’s ego. Is it just our obsession with YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter that makes us all feel special? A new society where our life is a fabulous stage on which to perform for our 627 friends which includes every person we have ever met since primary school including our sixth grade maths teacher and yes, even her cat, Mr Twinkles (He has more friends than I do FYI). 

I am a product of this society. Even as I type this on a relatively public blog, I am acutely aware that I am a slave to other people’s acceptance and recognition via social media. Do we all think that we are destined for fame and greatness? We can’t all be the rock star with adoring fans. There needs to be someone to clean up the drug and alcohol induced vomit backstage.

I have been obsessing about this for a while now. I thought I would be something more. I loved to sing. I loved to perform. I loved to write. I just egotistically assumed that I would end up being a creative genius something more than I am. Despite aching to do musical theatre, at the end of the high school I opted to study law. It was a stable, well-trodden paved road.  And despite pretty much hating every moment of it, I managed to get my law degree and get a respectable place at a well-known law firm in the city to complete articles. My fear was that I would become a sad wannabe living in a cardboard box with 10 stray cats to keep me company and begging people to pay me for singing/ writing/ acting lessons to buy my next hit of glue. I survived a year of long hours for a salary that barely covered rent, one year of being treated like vermin by the other employees, incredible stress that had me in tears on most nights. But eventually I found the courage to accept that it was not what I wanted and quit. I managed to get another job that wasn’t at a law firm but in a legal department, with kinder colleagues and slightly better pay. I did not take the job for passion. Rather, I grasped at it to avoid moving back home.  And a year on… I find myself wondering how I became so lost. 

Does anyone else feel like this? 

Am I just so full of myself that I thought I’d be more than a regular Joe sitting at my grey desk lost amongst a grey tetris-block universe of cubicles?  

Life is not always beautiful like a perfectly curated Instagram feed and sometimes we end up being Joey, the guy who cleans up rock star’s vomit backstage but it does not mean that we can’t find happiness outside our cog-like existence in the proverbial clock of life. I’m sure Joey is a great guy with a regular Jane wife who makes his heart explode with happiness. Maybe Joey can make the best omelette the world will never know. And maybe the fact that Joey isn’t famous or hugely successful is okay, because he still finds happiness. In his friends. In his family. In the small things.

So I guess for me, I will continue to write my anonymous blog posts like a kid chatting to an invisible friend and continue to be happy and grateful for everything I have even if I’m not rich or famous or even special at all.