MUSHROOM & BROCCOLI SALAD

"A healthy attitude is contagious but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier." Tom Stoppard

This has become a nice alternative to the usual side dish, and is a favourite for when we braai. Fresh, crunchy and healthy!

Mushroom and Broccoli Salad
The How To:
1) Steam (about 250g) broccoli for 3-5 minutes, must be cooked but still crunchy. This is the bottom layer of your salad.
2) Cut slices of raw mushrooms and place a layer of it on top of the broccoli.
3) Mix the sauce. I usually use what I have in my fridge and any of these combos work well: half a cup of greek or plain yogurt, 3 tablespoons of cream cheese or mayo, a teaspoon of honey or syrup, 2 chopped chives or spring onions, 1 sliced gherkin (optional), salt, pepper, paprika.
4) Add the sauce as the final layer. Finish off with a dash of paprika for presentation purposes. ;)

A MOUTHFUL OF YUMNESS: GREEN BEAN SALAD

"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do." Walt Disney

 

Green Bean Salad

The How to:

1) Dice half an onion, and fry it in a teaspoon of butter until translucent. 

2) In the meantime, cut almonds into quarters, cut the ends off of the green beans and cut in half. Fry it with the onions for 3 minutes.

3) Serve (recommended) with fish. We ate it with fish cakes in the image below...mmm.

 

 

 

Considering a book: Notes on The Alchemist

"The dream-doers are the bravest souls I know." L.F.

There is something disturbing of looking into the eyes of, let’s say, a baker, who was once a dreamer, a dreamer who dreamed of being, let’s say, a musician. But, whose dreams were placed on hold, thinking that he/she will get to them someday. As time passes, someday gets stuck between sticky-dough fingers, slowly suffocating until it withdraws entirely.    We learn to yield to our complacency and betray our destiny. Then, the treasure that we always imagined we would find, that which we longed for, becomes a memory, becomes something that our betrayal makes us now seem undeserving of having. This is a lie, this is fear.

In the book, The Alchemist, you experience this. You tag along with a Shepherd-boy who sweeps you off to Spain and to the desert and then jointly, you satisfy your thirst with some overdue introspection. It makes you think of your own dreams and aspirations and those that you've long-forgotten. What are you doing or going to do to achieve them? The Alchemist signifies, that when you want something bad enough, all the Universe conspires to help you to achieve it. If you find where your heart is, there your treasure is also. It's an interesting read and perhaps, it will help re-kindle some of those long-forgotten aspirations, though it may come at a hefty toll.

CAULIFLOWER RICE

"The first wealth is health" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Comfort food for me means: vleis, rys en aartapples (meat, rice and potatoes), but since Antonie and I are trying to eat less refined carbs, and less carbs in general, we have needed to start being more creative with our meals. Last week we ate baby marrow spaghetti, which we used as spaghetti in a chicken stir-fry (yum). And Monday night we tried out cauliflower rice. It's very easy to make, and tricks you- by making you think that there is actually rice on your plate. I think the below is the most simple way to make it - I will definitely try a few variations of this in the future (for example, use it in a stir-fry, make fried rice, add peas/sweetcorn to it...).

Simple Cauliflower Rice
How To:

1) Grate cauliflower in a microwavable dish

2) Microwave it for 3 minutes

3) Season it as desired (we used salt, pepper and paprika with a dollop of greek yogurt)

THE REAL SELFIE

 

Last year my family and I all did the Myers-Briggs personality test. After stating your choice for each of the (approximately 80) questions, your personality type is provided by means of a 4-letter combination, e.g. ESTJ. You are one of sixteen different types, which can be divided into four categories: Analysts, Idealists, Sentinels (Guardians) and Artisans.   My family and I have read up a lot about it since then, sent each other funny memes, and when someone does/ says something, we jokingly respond with something like: “Well that’s because you’re an ENFP” or “It’s because of your J”. We each wrote one of our favourite quotes on a blackboard this holiday, only realising afterwards how well it reflects each of our personality types. We have discussed and scrutinised all the realms of the test, that we are actually getting bored of it and looking for a new test to try out.

 

Knowing the types of my family and some friends, though, has helped me understand where they get their energy from (I or E), how they take in information (S or N), make decisions (T or F), and organise their world (J or P). I am an INFJ, which is considered the rarest of all the sixteen types (which my INFJ friend and I were contemplating if that’s a good or bad thing). Nevertheless, knowing my type has been quite liberating. There is a lot of reading material about what INFJ strengths tend to be and what INFJ weaknesses tend to be, and many more interesting topics. Some famous INFJs are: Mandela, Ghandi, Batman and Elsa (from Frozen).   It has also been useful for gift suggestions, book recommendations, and so forth. Now, if I want to buy a gift for someone, I quickly google ‘gift ideas for ISTJs’ or if I’m interested in reading a book I look-up what is recommended for my type.

 

So I dedicate this piece to all my INFJ associates, idealists, confidants, creative wordsmiths, and simply, plain weirdos ;)…

THE REAL SELFIE

I have met many parts of my Self. And each Self has its place.

I greet my Organised Self behind the work desk, as it tidies up its space.

Creative Self comes over when the house needs a new look.

And Insightful Self is enclosed between the covers of a book.

My Dreamer Self walks the path between Narnia and Rivendell.

While Optimistic Self drops two pennies in tomorrow’s wishing-well.

I never want to miss a drink with Fun Self, when it comes into town,

whereas Loner Self pulls the covers over my head when it doesn’t want to be found.

Sometimes my Selfs collide, and Weird Self is left standing tall,

And it takes the liberty to invite Unorthodox, Odd, and Geeky Self to the ball.

My Save-The-World Self reaches for a cape and settles the world's mess.

And at times my Self means nothing, then I am Self-less.

 

Some Selfs remain hidden because Mysterious Self's a real tease.

But each Self has its place to make an Extraordinary Me.

 

L.F.