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Wilder and Hunt

After my market last Saturday, I couldn't think of anything more refreshing on a hot summer's day that a good smoothie! I was quite excited to realise that I was near Wilder and Hunt, a cafe I've been dying to try for months. Well, it didn't disappoint! This super cute cafe is nestled in St Heliers and is easy to spot from the road. The staff was super friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere was just as inviting. I was able to try the Forever Young smoothie (I'm a sucker for green juice), the Koka Mocha, and The Royal. Even though the Koka-Mocha was unbelievably good, after a day of markets and multiple coffees I thought it was best to steer clear of more caffein. I decided on The Royal - and did it hit the spot! The smoothie was extremely delicious and filling - positively perfect! The little shop is full of great local and healthy products that can be hard to find in other stores around the city. Not to mention they make their own goodies as well that were very hard to resist. If you're over by the bays or are looking for a little excursion, I highly recommend popping in and enjoying a delicious treat!   All photos are taken by Liora of Toodles Noodles.

Homemade Muesli

This weekend I decided to raid our pantry and make muesli for the first time!  My partner has a fantastic recipe that he used to make a couple years ago - but being from California - muesli was a bit foreign to me before moving to New Zealand. Over the past few years I've learned to love and crave this filling morning treat!  So an effort to do a little Spring Clean of our pantry I decided to make my own! This recipe is low in sugar and high in fibre and will keep you full all morning long (and is particularly good with natural yogurt). Enjoy! 1 1/4 C Oats 1/4 C    Pumpkin Seeds 1/4 C    Sunflower Seeds 1/4 C    Sesame Seeds 1/4 C    Chia Seeds (I found mine at the local Farro) 1/4 C    Raisins 1/4 C    Dried Cranberries 1/3 C    chopped Dates 1/4 C    Coconut Shavings 1/4 C    Bee's Blessings Mulled Honey 1 T        Coconut Oil Dash of Salt Mix ingredients together and toast in 150C oven until brown.

Bees Blessing

I have a soft spot for products made locally. When you combine that soft spot with cooking and beautiful packaging - things get can get a bit crazy! Over the past year, I've been lucky enough to meet Jo from Bees Blessing. And I can guarantee she is as delightful as all their products! Tonight I made an absolutely delicious marinade for our chicken made with their latest treasure: Lemon & Thyme.  I've never tasted anything so tender and full of flavour - it was absolutely fantastic. The chicken tenderloins were only marinaded for 30 minutes before being grilled. Here is what I made this evening (give or take). 1/4 cup Bees Blessing 3 Tbs soy sauce 2 tsp fresh ginger 2 Tbs fresh garlic 1 tsp chili flakes 1 tsp dried coriander The chicken was served along side a large green salad made out of: baby spinach basil sundried tomato feta sundried tomatoes pine nuts sunflower seeds Look for Bees Blessing in a cafe or store near you and make sure to pick it up on your next shop!  I guarantee you won't regret it!

October

October has turned out to be a crazy busy month for me. Lots going on with work and life.. new products arriving for the holidays, mini holiday down to Wanaka, a wee cold (made better with Wellington's own Bees Blessing), and a special photo shoot to be revealed later this week! Here’s a little snapshot of what I’ve been up to! You can follow me on instagram at @tootsnoots Can't wait to see what November has in store! x