Sunday Reads

• I loved this story of how food bridged the gap between the mainstream culture and “the other”.
• Relating your faith and child discipline.
• I loved Asma Khan’s episode of Chef’s Table.
• I love a good playlist and have gotten started on this one.
• This teacher deserves an award.

Recipes

• 10 Cozy and Quick to make Vegetarian Dinners 
• Some more potato recipes

Sunday Reads

• RTWT – Read The Whole Thread
• I suppose middle class parents mean well but the cost of intensive parenting is rather steep.
• Loved the reasons that kids threw tantrums, so hilarious but i suppose not for the parents.
• I want to check out this Art bar in Braamfontein.
• Being a good friend at all times is quite tough but beneficial.
• An ode to female friendships

Recipes

• 10 Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
• Banana Bread Muffins
• We all need some quick weekday or actually, in general recipes
• Some more pasta recipes.

Sunday Reads

Chronic Flex

A condition in which someone feels compelled to constantly bring things that make them look good in casual conversation. It can be the same thing every time or a variety of things; as long as the subtle or obvious aim is to make themselves sound or look cool, it’s a flex, and if it happens all the time, it’s chronic. It’s most obvious when a detail is tossed in that is really unnecessary for any other purpose than flexing.

haunting

A variation of ghosting, in which the ghoster continues indirect contact with the ghosted by liking and faveing his or her social media content.

• How do you talk to kids about attacks on their faith?
• FOMO and the Christian.
• Isn’t this so cute of Prince Charles?
• Representation is everything.
• How do chefs work around their own food allergies while at work?
• Women and emotional labour
• Food unites immigrants
• Racism and poverty are systematic.
• Male friendships are not always easy to understand or appreciate.
• Not sure what must be done so the Gun problem in America is fixed.
• We all have stories of the first night you met your in-laws.

Recipes

• I made this lentil recipe this past week, YUM!!
• Some more pasta recipes.
• I love cooking with pumpkin

So Thankful

Today I am grateful for:

1. BSF and the brilliant notes they have been preparing for this years study.
2. Great friends.
3. Our home and all that it means to us in this season.
4. My family and for WhatsApp that allows us to be in touch.
5. Beautiful Johannesburg weather.
6. Oranges, pawpaw and yoghurt.
7. The freedom that my car provides me.
8. Work and the ability to earn an income.
9. A great cup of tea.
10. Flavoured sparkling water.

For what are you grateful for?

Sunday Reads

• Food is a way of travelling for instance to Laos.
• I love this cute love story of how they met ❤
• I am doing a Whole 30 in June with a pal. Looking forward. Some meal inspirations here and here.
• Some ways to teach your kids about money.
• We are all guilty of e-bailing at some point or another.
• Maybe a bad feminist call but this article about female priests in the Catholic church pissed me off some.
•  I rather enjoyed this article about whether you are your moms favourite kid.
• Clean daily to help you stay on top of your household needs.

Recipes

• I am making this dhal for next week’s dinner, yum, with some chapati.
• Stuffed peppers.
• 15 taco recipes.
• Yummy froyo recipees

Gifts for New Moms

As friends of mine are in that phase of having babies, I enjoyed this post and felt inspired to copy a list of things I would take with me when I next go to visit as in that moment you are often at a loss of what is appropriate.

1. Time – to listen, help out with her errands, carry baby, fold laundry or cook. Just time.
2. Easy to warm and eat with one hand food. Also drinks.
3. What food did she miss during pregnancy that she can now eat? Stock up on that!!
4. A cozy gown as the new mom will be nursing or up in the cold of the day or night.
5. Comfy chill at home shoes/ other clothes.
6. Hand cream/ hand sanitiser because new baby = washing hands often.
7. A beautiful mug or water bottle as she might be drinking a whole lot more if she is breastfeeding.

When you had a baby, what would you have loved OR what great gift do you get new moms?

I Got You Friend

I miss my gal pals the most when I see stuff like this that we could do together .

I particularly think of the things that I have missed out on with my better female friends: baby showers, bridal showers, high tea, being able to do random things together, road trips, dinners, first homes, come meet my new guy, the new baby, watch a new show together and laugh about it – just a lot of stuff. Yes, IRL I have friends and people I do this but it’s also different.

From the blog post:

I particularly love #2,6, 9 and have done #3 – adult baking dates are awesome – 10, 13.

The comments as usual provides such gems and so here is my to do with a friend list.

• Volunteer together at a cause that’s meaningful to either or both of us.
• More concerts – I watched John Legend with a pal and her cool mom and it was awesome!
• Coworking sessions. Yes to these.
• Sit together and read dates.
• Sleepovers with no husbands or kids.
• Pottery / learn something class.
• Try and commit to an exercise class together.
• Talk about podcast episodes we both love. Tried to get so many pals into this that I am glad I can do it with my sister and partly with The Mr.
• Watch TV shows together and make comments in between, ideally together or even if separately, concurrently.
• Same day road trips and do stuff along the way or at the destination.
• Supper club where each person brings one.

In fact, I decided to have a little snacks and games afternoon at my place next month! Done!!

Some local food loves and hates

I have previously spoken of both positive and negative impressions of South Africa. Recently, I caught myself thinking of some local meals that I really enjoy, namely:

• Milktart
• Rooibos tea
• Malva Pudding
• Dumpling
• Chakalaka
• Amagwinya (Fat Cakes / Vetkoekes)
• Snoek fish

Equally, you could miss me with:

• Chicken feet
• Biltong
• Boerewors
• Peppermint Crisp tart
• Bobotie

Pictures and a fuller description available here.

Three Recent Experiences

1. I recently went to the Zeitz Mocaa and had my breath blown away, it’s a lovely experience and has quickly become one of the top things to do in Cape Town.
2. A pal celebrated his birthday and we went to the Reverie Social Table. Had such a great time while there that I immediately begun to plan the return visit. Do check it out. Below was the first fish course. 
3. Went with the Mr for our first spa day and we enjoyed it so much, we promised ourselves to do it often enough. Afterwards, we had a nice health lunch.

 

Belated Sunday Reads

• Love her PhD work on such a personally interesting topic: language.
• Also this article on the benefits of being bilingual for younger kids.
• This short movie trailer is awesome. Then again, anything Chimamanda-related is 🙂
• Television shows for adults.
• I like this conversation on race but overall I am not impressed by Rachel’s choices on #TheBachelorette. But then again, I don’t have to be, it’s really her choice to make.
• In Africa we call these food services “friends and family”.
• Women are ushered into motherhood in such different ways globally. Some PC pics. 
• I know why I do not want to have a baby in the car 😦
• I went to a Christian University for my undergraduate studies.
• Self care that we need.
• How do adults make friends?

We mentally compress our networks when we are harassed, bullied or being threatened by job loss. We close ourselves off, isolating ourselves, creating a huge blind spot where we can’t see our resources, allies and opportunities.

Sunday Reads

• How big is the size of the average cabinet in Africa?
• Oh for the love of grandparents for their grand kids.
• Some wonderful doccies to check out.
• School lunches from across the globe. Must say my favourite are the Spannish and Finnish ones.
• What happens when the Queen passes on?
• Chrissy Teigen opens up on post-partum depression.
• My lunch hour is wasted.
• Oh my word, organising grown meet ups IS AGONY!!!

(Long) Sunday Reads

1. Great marriage lesson about talking honestly of our growing up experiences
2. Clothes, beauty and Africa (NY Times)
3. Uganda’s fastest and cheapest street food: Rolex. Do yourself a favour and google how the typical Ugandan pronounces it 🙂
4. …. and then a brief history of Vietnam’s street food, the Banh  mi.
5. School lunches in Japan.
6. So much good in this story.
7. Relationship goals. Yes!!
8. I love mussels and this seems so simple to make at home.
9. I sometimes feel this way about my accomplishments. Yeah!
10. I WANNA host an ice cream social too.
11. Because Lagos loves to party.
12. Bringing up kids in this day and age is not for the faint hearted.
13. Giving birth in Guinea is not child’s play.
14. We must watch Hidden Figures. Very important story to tell!!
15. Yummy (no egg) ice cream recipe.
16. This is my plan for September – need to get a proposal out.
17. I had a similar meal recently at a restaurant, YUMMY cauliflower.
18. Some more productivity hacks.
19. This letter. So true and poignant!

Sunday Reads

1. Do this to improve your potluck hosting game.
2. Important subject matter (slavery in literature) and I definitely want to read the book, The Underground Railroad (Colson Whitehad)
3. Interesting thoughts on appropriating food from another culture. Not unexpectedly, I am more chilled about it provided you show respect.
4. So much I didn’t know about one of Brazil’s most iconic landmark.
5. Green bean stir fry.

The life of an immigrant is a life of two places, two identities. And maybe that’s especially so for those who feel they have no choice but to leave their native land. 

 

Sunday Reads

1. This post reminded me that bloggers ARE real people.
2. Useful apps for the travel bunnies in our midst.
3. Five uses for your Baseline Survey.
4. Imagine the impact on the enviroment if all take away coffee/tea mugs were recyclable?
5. An old friend from home released a song recently, check it out!
6. I suppose writing a cookery book is like any other project – emotional, time-consuming and involving.
7. BUT WE are not here for THEM.
8. Interesting article on food and the Vatican. (Aside: read the comments, ridiculous!)
9. On travelling while Black IN AFRICA. One. Two. AfDB Report on the same.
10. A beautiful conspiracy.
11. Down with small talk or, how to do it better.

My weekend in food

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Went to a fancy Stellenbosch restaurant for lunch with the Mr this past weekend and this is what I had.

XOXO

Sunday Reads

1. Interesting read on how running a cartel is similar to a legit business.
2. Another premie story that also broke my heart but is so well written.
3. Well documented studies that argue for mindful eating and some common blinders to look out for.
4. Grown up milkshakes anyone?
5. How we can learn to be more frugal from the poor.

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

1. ​This is so true of my Undergrad experience of Economics as a whole​.
2. Not really an Oatmeal fan, but this strip is very inspirational.
3. Great writing advice!!
   • The fuller article here if you are interested.
4. Article had such promise only to wind up with me asking, and then? so what?
5. ​This one too was well written about an emotionally evocative topic, white privilege.
6. ​Practical tips to help us think through nutrition. Also, thinking of stopping to take dairy and switch to alternatives.
7. Cue the farewell to 2015 posts!
8. How to respond when things go wrong.

18. Sunday Reads

1. Economists/ data nerds on Tinder might like this
2. In this day and age of super processed foods, it still surprises me to learn that baby foods are not verboten
3. I always wondered if Black Twitter is because the large majority of contributors are Black of whether it’s due to the ugliness of it.
4. For the love of all things Malcolm Gladwell.
5. “Is there hope for us?” Such a heartbreaking story of the state of mankind.
6. Please God do not let this become an actual thing! Please?
7. Wanna know the music that played the year you were born?
8. For my nephew that loves to bake cupcakes
9. 15 Quick fish recipes
10. All you need to know about cooking with all things coconut

 

 

 

 

17. Today’s quick lunch menu

Having a bit of a crazy weekend with entertaining, a surprise baby shower, a date with the said 11-year old nephew, Church and a surprise birthday party for a friend. Just felt exhausted typing.

Today’s menu for lunch was as follows:

• Chapati
• Coconut rice (one of the guests is gluten-intolerant)
• Beef stew
• Chakalaka
• Vanilla cupcakes

All went down as a treat but to say I am exhausted is an understatement!!