10 things that make me smile

1. Discovering a lovely brand of tea.
2. Sleeping in on a Saturday morning during the BSF break.
3. A wonderful chat with my sisters and friends.
4. I read my first Bessie Head (Maru) this week and it was lovely.
5. Successfully parallel (flash) parking in one attempt.
6. Trying a recipe and immediately knowing you will do it again.
7. Enjoying Season 7 of My Kitchen Rules.
8. Seeing my nephew and niece as they start to interact as siblings.
9. Really enjoying the study of James. Quite challenging but very interesting.
10. Discovering a great podcast and then going back to download all 80 episodes  

Sunday Reads

• The gender pay gap.
• This wedding is so sentimental for me for similar reasons.
• I love Serena Williams even more after this interview.
• Tips to beat jet lag.
• Because land is still a contentious item for former colonies.
• … and the watershed ruling that is the Daniels v Scribante judgment.
• Five African writers recommend books.
• Be a GREAT FRIEND.
• Essential Indian spices for your pantry.

Recipes to try

• Chai spiced panna cotta.
• Making this for dinner this week.
• How to assemble your potato salad.

Sunday Reads

• So it seems feathered eyebrows are a thing.
• Now I feel homesick for Nairobi all over again!
• Security questions we don’t need, but need.
• Who is the main reader in black African literature/ books by black Africans?
• This supper club in London sounds so fun.
• Three reasons I will not find out a baby’s gender.
• I love this idea of a daughter interviewing her mom. MUST try it with my mom one day.
• Must read the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood.
• Invite someone single to dinner. Aye!
• Also, single and black in white evangelical spaces.
• So apparently non-stick pans might not be safe.
• What does your age reveal about you?

Recipes:

• Yummy sweet potatoes
• Black ice cream
• Cooking shrimp (prawns).

Belated: (Women-related) Sunday Reads

• I have recently come across this writers work (Roxanne Gay) and so I enjoyed her profile.
• Another take on whether to take your husbands name or not.
• Loved this lady’s profile!
• Applying for a passport for a Kenyan child of dual nationalities.
• A woman transformed.
• How women “colluded” to vote in Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
• How many of these Super 100 African women do you know (without reading their profiles)? I know 27.
• On  feminism lite.
• Would you jump, or no? I wouldn’t
• Oh to have this type of friendship.
• Because language IS political.
• Made this for dinner this past week. Yum!!
• 15 ways to cook your veggies.

Some of my (long) holiday reads ..

1. If you are not a Longreads fan already, here is a list of their best articles of 2016.
2. I am all about female friendships and stuff. I also love the authors idea of an article’s club.
3. My friends and I have these kinds of conversations all the time. Why can’t I ever record them???
4. Things people say after a miscarriage.
5. Black Power!
6. Kindness is the glue that holds couples together.
7. What to choose when considering a Bible Study to join. We all need tips on how to improve our prayer life. Yep. At least me!!
8. I guess con artistes are always looking to make a quick one so academia is also fair game.
9. Short-run solutions to youth unemployment in South Africa. Can young offenders reform successfully?
10. I love the aesthetics of this home!! This housing option seems quaint, but not for me.
11. Helping kids to make New Year resolutions. Some help for adults too. More help from podcasts.
12. Cool places to chill in Johannesburg. And in Uganda.
13. On identity and what makes us, us. 
14. I watched the movie Birth of a Nation and liked it.
15. Recipes: Cooking with soy sauce. Fragrant Chickpea Basmati Rice with Fresh Coriander.

Where did July go?

Cooking Sukuma Wiki (Kales) for the first time at 31.5 years old

Sunset over Stellenbosch

Dinner at Asara Boutique Hotel, Stellenbosch

Trying to finish gloves before the worst of Winter is behind us.

Also read this book, didn’t really like it … 😦

LOVED THIS BOOK!

Finishing this up now too …

Sunday Reads

1. These tips on how to give a good toast should be mandatory read. The number of wedding toasts I have heard and cringed.
2. Free versus structured play. I am all for free play.
3. Interesting study on why women share photos of their kids on social media.
4. Apparently more people are using video to inform family and friends alike that they are having a baba! (NYT article).
5. 10 ways to reduce your wedding budget.
6. Yes kids get sick at daycare, but they also get sick less often later. This study proves and my mom always said. (NYT article)
7. Such a sad story but so beautifully and heart-warmingly portrayed.
8. So much cuteness in these pictures.
9. On the messaging that we s(sub) consciously send to our daughters.
10. Spicy carrot cumin and coconut soup.
11.  Seven frozen yoghurt recipes.

Men have been denied so many safe spaces where they can be men and vulnerable
Guys like us, it turns out, are hungry for a place to talk with other men, particularly about how fatherhood is changing us, and changing writ large. Just as literature has long helped people see that our seemingly personal struggles are universal, being able to talk in this group offers a similar revelation. In an age of near-constant superficial virtual connection, there’s an enormous benefit in having a real life community to confide in more deeply and provide a genuine social network — especially for men and young fathers so often without it.

(Please also read the comments)

 

Sunday Reads

1. Books to inspire healthy eating.
2. Taking care of your knives. I got so many knives as a wedding gift, so this is personally meaningful.
3. Imagine finding out that what you think of your parents is not so.
4. Considering all the stuff on HONY the past two weeks, this is so painful to imagine.
5. Like her blog and this post because it had products that I could probably use.
6. Probably the only review of Lemonade that resonates.
7. Learnt a new word this week: syndemic!
8. It is so true that children have to be taught to hate.
9. This portrayal of beauty in Kenya over the last 100 years is NOT really representative in my eyes.
10. I used to advocate for the death penalty.Not anymore.
11. I really miss living in the same town as my best best friends. I said it!
12. Love the show Blackish, very interesting to listen to the interview with the shows creator.
13. Different recipes

• Chickpeas and pasta whats there not to love?
• Tarragon chicken
• Fish recipes for an entire week.
• Warm lentil salad

Belated Sunday Reads

1. On yearning for love in your 20s, in a positive and factual way.
2. My dad gave us little sips of alcohol when my sisters and I were little and we turned out fine.
3. Yummy!! Vegetarian Lo Mein.
4. On how to arrive at your calling or passion.
5. How revolutionary, women in Saudi Arabia now get copies of their marriage certificate 😮
6. The effects of intra-uterine shocks on the cognitive development of children.

Long Sunday Reads

1. Thoughtful cards that recognise the many paths to parenthood.
2. I would happily co-sign the petition to have all academic research freely distributed. (NY Times link)
3. The top researchers on RePec (Research Papers in Economics) from a ” Developing Country” are all male and predominantly pale.
4. Jeez, the ethics and externalities stemming from a privately owned city in India.
5. Decorating together as a couple.
6. Relationships aren’t always exciting or glamorous. And that’s fine. These 24 comics celebrate the more mundane bits of things #7, 12,16,17,19 and especially 22.
7. I’m already so iffy about eating eggs, not sure it was wise to read this egg on whether to wash eggs or not, whether to keep them in the fridge or not.
8. Daily life in a major Accra slum. Very riveting (but could be gross) read.
9. Imagine if your hotel owner knowingly spied on you while you visited their hotel?
10. Don’t let fear dictate how your life should be / the pressures that women face regarding marriage.
11. Data sources for researchers, many free and easily available.
12. No more boy only OR girl only books.
13. Wearable baby tech marketed to parents based on fear mongering.So shameful and morally horrid.
14. What will happen when African leaders take their election rigging online? I cannot even imagine!
15. I am sometimes guilty of not taking my job THIS seriously!!
16. Various recipes this week.

•  Thai Red Curry Risotto, without the chicken.
• A week of delicious vegan meals. Some really nice and simple meals here as well don’t be put off by the word vegan e.g vegan ice cream.
• Watermelon and Ginger cocktail (non-alcoholic). Also recently had watermelon and mint sorbet, just yum!! those two flavours work well.
• Breakfast ideas for a little little one.
• Mug cakes anyone?

Sunday Reads

1. Quick lunch/snack recipe: Chickpea “tuna” salad 
2. Cooking with lentils & beans
3. Don’t really like vegetarian burgers but these lentil meatballs sure look yum!
4. This article made me realise why people do not share the names of their babys before birth, but clearly once they are born, the name is not safe either!!
5. Pics of the beautiful Cape Town.
6. Beautiful pics of the Festima Festival in Burkina Faso.
7. Some non-traditional baby gift ideas.
8. Breaking up is hard. Breaking up in the day of Facebook, is something else altogether.(NY Times Article)
9. A better way to think of your to-do list.
10. Get Tested. Be Faithful. Remain Faithful. Otherwise, always use protection.
11. On buying friendship in Japan. Read this and thanked God for my genuine (free) friendships.
12. This lady did what I always say to my single pals about putting themselves out there in order to meet a guy!
13. Sad that the recently legalised Marijuana business in the states has a colour preference.
14. How do you feel about motherhood?

Late Sunday Reads

1. Google for kids? Kiddle
2. Yummy tamarind chicken.
3. Yummy Lemony Cream Cheese Pancakes with Blueberries.
4. This colour thesaurus is so beautiful to behold.
5. On how female friendships change with time.
6. This is what it means to truly love someone. It’s a verb.
7. Of the first AIDS patients and how most of them are now are in their late 60s and 70s.
8. Oatmeal latte, anyone? REALLY not sure.
9. Carrot cake for two?
10. Welcome to poaching fruits.
11. I happen to live with someone that could eat eggs for three main meals and as snacks in between. Here are some lovely dishes to try out.
12. Sometimes our best motivation is external.
    

    Often, our best work happens when we’re in a situation we wouldn’t have chosen for ourselves. The hard part is choosing to be in that sort of situation in the first place, the uncomfortable one where we have no choice but to do better work.

13. Which would you want in a job, freedom or responsibility?
    

    Freedom and responsibility aren’t given, they’re taken

14. I have friends with whom I share goals.
    

    A common trait among successful people is that they have friends who expect them to move on up.

March Goals

In keeping with my 2016 theme to be more rooted and connected, this is what I hope to do in March.

1. Reach out to close friends via calls, emails or messages to talk about what’s really happening in our lives. I mean group communication and Facebook is great but not all the time. Also, to get into the habit of praying for friends and family.
2. Do more outdoorsy stuff and enjoy the last of the Cape Town glorious weather.
3. Cook more and enjoy that time.
4. Get data and finalise topic for school.
5. Read more African literature (more on this later).
6. Host a high school friend and her family for lunch.
7. Hang up more pictures around the house.

Will post at the end of the month how it’s all going.

Belated Valentines Day dinner menu

This year I fired the Mr from Valentines Day and decided to plan a three course in-house dinner for the both of us. #iSlayedV-Day. I totally did. I obviously took no pictures but below is the selected menu.

Starters

Warm winter greens with Ceasar dressing, smoked bacon and a poached egg.

Mains

Steak au Poivre, Creamy lentils with rosemary and tomatoes and sauteed rosemary and garlic potatoes.

Dessert

Poached pear with lemon sorbet

I used Rachel Allen’s Entertaining at Home for inspiration.

 

Sunday Reads

Also known as what happens in the real life that almost always constricts a great blogging schedule!

1. Upcycling old kitchenware beautifully!
2. Weep for this generation 😦
3. Great (and practical) ways to teach your children about money.
4. Yet another lentil recipe.YUM!!!
5. Another chai recipe – cupcakes this time.
6. Vegetarian biryani. YUM!
7. Something we also learn about marriage on the grind.
8. Because she is that bit close to John Legend.
9. On testing teenagers for AIDS.
10. I know someone whose Dr could not tell her the right size of her baby. Very scary and confusing for the mom-to-be.
11. Some things to do for yourself this year. I like the bit about having therapy, kinda feeling that vybe this year. Also, exploring your new city or going to a totally new place.
12. Five strategies to get your academic writing “unstuck”.
13. Youngest person to buy a Gulfstream Jet is a Malawian Pastor. Will leave that there.

Happy Sunday and reading!

 

Sunday reads …

1. If you would like to incorporate more vegetables into your diet/ be vegan. Here’s how to go about doing so.
2. Recipes to enjoy your grains.
3. Such a beautiful and poignant story of motherhood.
4. And this post on surviving after losing a mother from one of my most favourite bloggers.
5. Creative ways to counter the rising pay gap e.g. publish pay info by gender, make an offer that ignores past salary levels, teach women how to negotiate.
6. The Mr and I have the same and different takes to this Saturday dilemma.
7. I so DO NOT endorse people that believe in presenteeism.
8. This is the kind of meaningful stuff I want to do with myself.
9. But what is this now???????????? Virginity testing, school only for virgins? Madness!!!
10. Because who would not like poached pears with tea?
11. Another tea recipe (tea-infused lemon tart)
12. What Obama carries in his pocket  … (Lemme know what you think?)

First Sunday Reads

Welcome back and I pray that your new year has started off with a bang!

1. I always knew the Russian Maffia doesn’t play!
2. Clap back of the century! Pow!!
3. Because mothers greatly influence their daughters sense of style. I certainly know mine did!
4. Did you know there are surrogacy agencies and they have annual fairs? Well there are …
5. I can actually taste this dish 🙂
6. This one too!!
7. The Atlantic lists their 50 best episodes for 2015 and has quite a few goodies.
8. Wonder what the cause of death by age and country would reveal for Africa.
9. Thoughtful reflections for anyone contemplating a PhD.
10. Fantastic seeing how a doodle artist does her work.
11. This article proves to me how women perpetuate patriachy.
12. Wonder whether this niche, sells a single book at a time bookstore will take.
13. What’s it like to be a private chef?
14. I have never really thought about the professionals that have to work on rape cases. Till now.

 

Last Sunday Reads of 2015

1. A simple way to think of writing, in three parts.
2. Now I am even more confused about Westgate,Nairobi (37 minute audio recording)
3. Ten ways to help you improve your eating habits. Particularly #1 on doubbling up on veggies.
4. A quick tuna chickpea salad.
5. Light quick read on the history of Vlisco making fabrics for Africa (Won’t talk today about my feelings of appropriation where this is concerned)
6. A longer history of Vlisco here …
7. So Rachel Dolezal does not get it at all! Still, six months later and with a baby on the way!!
8. “​what’s the danger of not training the people who stay?” Another classic Seth Godin post.
9. The NYT’s best pics for the year
10. Pleased to hear there are measurable and positive benefits to the show 16 and Pregnant coz I really like the show!

Reviewing 2015 through posts

I have enjoyed posting so much this year and pushing myself to write more, write in different formats or on different topics than the typical ones I would. Thanks for the reads, sharing and comments!

1. My theme this year was on obedience.
2. Listened to great music too!!
3. Took care of myself!!
4. Really got into podcasts.
5. Ten little things I enjoyed this year (the first of many similar posts)
6. I hurt when the Xenophobic attacks broke out! In February. Twice.
7. Read a lot about women struggling with infertility.
8. Cooked some nice things.
9. Read some good and bad books!! The invention of wings was easily my book of the year.
10. Made a personal announcement too!!

Enjoy and looking forward to 2016!!

Baked eggs with spinach and mushroom

This past weekend in preparation for hosting family over Christmas, I decided to finish up some of the little bits of left over ingredients in the kitchen and whip up something interesting for breakfast for the Mr and I. I took some pics to help with restating the recipe.

I used Rachel Allen’s Entertaing at Home. You can follow this blog’s recipe

You basically need a pan, ramekins, mushrooms, spinach, eggs, cream, cheese, nutmegs, salt and oil/ butter.

Start by melting the oil/butter and add the spinach and mushrooms and cook until they wilt slightly.

Then add the cream and nutmeg to spice.

Once done, remove from the fire and line the ramekins with the mushroom, spinach mixture.

Into the well, break the eggs gently and sprinkle with cheese.

I cooked these at 180 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven but that was probably too long. Next time, I would do it for half that time and then serve. Once done though, they should like this below.

Serve on toast and I would suggest bacon and/or vegetables on the side and enjoy as you can see from the empty containers below!

 

Again, the recipe was adapted from Entertaining at Home by Rachel Allen but you can also use this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Happy Cooking!