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Lamb and Rosemary Shepherd's Pie

Ah, one of the great comfort meals! Good old shepherd's pie is another one of those dishes that always reminds me of my childhood as we often enjoyed it for supper. We would usually have the beef version, but this time around I decided to make a lamb shepherd's pie instead.

Lemon Loaf Cake with Saffron Syrup

A few weeks ago I was given a pack of gorgeous saffron to try out at home. I have only ever used saffron in savoury dishes in the past (this saffron chicken dish is one of my favourites) and wanted to try it in a sweet recipe this time around.

Bacon and Mushroom Quiche (with the tastiest quiche crust ever!)

What's for dinner tonight foodies? Today I am sharing one of my favourite week night supper recipes. It is a delicious and easy quiche recipe that can be adapted to include any of your favourite fillings. If I have a few spare minutes during the day I sometimes prepare the crust or filling in advance and simply add the egg and milk mixture just before baking, but it is quick enough to put together in the evening making it a brilliant weekday option. 

Caramel Sponge Pudding

If ever there was an excuse to indulge in some comfort cooking, the chilly winter season is most definitely it. This latest recipe, which was featured in the May/June issue of Cheers magazine, has comfort food written all over it - a classic (dare I say old-fashioned) dessert that you can easily make at home on those cold days.

Date, Carrot and Apple Muffins with Cream Cheese Topping (Refined sugar free)

It has been a while since I worked on a muffin recipe and I am rather pleased with this particular one. I was recently invited onto the Expresso Morning Show to present three different, easy recipes with one common ingredient. I chose dates as my star ingredient and wanted to include a baking recipe in one of the cooking segments. That was the inspiration behind these date muffins.

No-bake Chocolate Mousse Tart (Gluten free)

Credit for this heavenly recipe goes to my lovely mum. A light and creamy no-bake chocolate tart - it is one of our favourites and always a hit at family shindigs. If I had to imagine biting into a chocolate cloud I think it would be like eating a slice of this! 

Easy Beetroot Crisps

I have been making an effort to buy more organic vegetables lately. Besides being good for the family I like the idea of supporting smaller, local farmers... and their produce is fantastic! To make life easier I order a weekly veggie bag which I collect from a nearby organic shop every Wednesday and the kids love unpacking it to see what goodies we have for the week ahead.

Chocolate, Honey and Hazelnut Fridge Fudge

I was not quite sure what to call this recipe. It is not really like fudge in the traditional, crystalline sense but something in between fudge and chocolate. The reason for this is that I have sweetened it with honey instead of sugar, giving it a silky smooth, melt in your mouth texture - delicious!

Minute Steak with Sun Dried Tomato Butter and Teresa's favourite Quick Fry Veggies

Whoa, that recipe title is a bit of a mouthful! Fortunately the name is probably the most complicated part of this dish which is very quick and easy to prepare (ready in under thirty minutes), not to mention low carb. So we are ticking a lot of good boxes here today folks! 

Creamy Butternut Soup

I don't think I could have chosen a better day to share this recipe. The rain is (finally) coming down in buckets outside as Cape Town gets pummelled by a monster storm and right now I can think of no better lunch than a steaming bowl of delicious soup. Preferably followed by a nap. Local schools have been closed for the day due to the storm so there is not much chance of the latter but I will settle for soup! 

Chocolate Energy Squares (gluten and refined sugar free)

There is a fantastic meme doing the rounds on social media at the moment, you might have seen it. Two women are having coffee together and one says "I feel like March flew by so fast" to which her friend replies "It's May". *insert comical shocked face here* Judging from many of the conversations I have had in the last week it seems as though a lot of us are feeling that way right now. And look out, because tomorrow it will be June! Other than wondering where the year has gone I have also been looking out for healthier recipes to make at home. We are very fortunate not to have any food allergies in our family but lately I have been inspired to try new ingredients and find healthier alternatives to use at home everyday. This recipe was the result of some playing around I did a few weeks ago.

Saffron, Hazelnut and Honey Roasted Chicken

The past two weeks have been fraught with activity including birthdays, a school fair, dog sitting, a deadline or two, sick kiddies (and a sick me!) as well as the usual busy routine. As a result it has taken me a little longer than usual to get this post up. I made this roast chicken a few weeks ago and I know I have found a new favourite in this recipe. This dish would not be out of place at a dinner party with friends but works equally well as a weeknight supper - I hope you will love it too! It's a good 'un... 

Dark Chocolate and Amaretti Semifreddo

The unusual holiday heatwaves seem to be well and truly behind us here in Cape Town, and all of a sudden the dark, chilly mornings and early sunsets are more obvious and a reminder of the cold (and hopefully very rainy) months ahead. As I sit here I am wearing two jerseys and clutching a hot cup of tea and I had second thoughts about posting this recipe given the shift in seasons and the fact that this is a frozen dessert. Then I laughed at this silliness because frankly any time of the year is appropriate for a chocolate dessert, frozen or not. Who's with me? 

Thin Crust Spelt Flour Pizza

It's a new month and time to get back to normal after all of the school and public holidays which have had many of us wandering around much of the time scratching our heads and trying to work out what day it is! (Or maybe that was just me?) Last week I took a little break and the family headed to beautiful Knysna for a couple of wonderfully chilled days. Well, as chilled as you can be with two small children running about. We had a brilliant time and I so enjoyed being out of the normal routine, free from the usual daily chores and away from my laptop screen! Just what the doctor ordered. 

How to make easy rainbow meringues (and a rainbow cake!)

Crisp, white meringues are one my favourite things to make, but a few weeks ago I tried something a little different by adding some colours to the mix! The reason? I wanted to top my daughter's rainbow birthday cake with rainbow meringues. I had so many party guests (well, the parents) asking me for the recipe that I have decided to pop it on the blog this week along with my go-to meringue recipe. I am also sharing a few tips for making your own rainbow cake. 

Lemon Easter Cookies

Today's post is a bit of holiday fun for the kiddies, and given world events over the past two weeks and particularly here in S.A. I think us adults could do with a bit of fun too! In all seriousness though, this is an exceptionally tasty cookie, with or without all the icing and trimmings, and you should definitely give this recipe a try these Easter holidays! 

Low Carb Chilli Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry

It is time for another "dinner in a flash" recipe  - we love those right? And this one will also, I think, be met with nods of approval from the banting crowd. This beef and veggie stir fry is a very simple but delicious meal that works well for supper or lunch. (Or both if you have leftovers.) I say simple because I usually prepare my stir fries with a homemade sauce, or at the very least a splash of soy sauce but in this recipe I have simply used a couple of aromatics to give the dish its tasty flavour with the added bonus of making it sugar free.

Mini Chocolate and Almond Croissants

Hello foodies! I do hope the week has been treating you well, and if not hang in there as the weekend is just around the corner. And weekends mean brunch, and what is brunch without a few tasty pastries? I do love a good croissant every now and then, but did you know how easy it is to make them yourself? This week I am showing you how! 

Competition Time!

Those of you who follow me on Instagram will have seen me raving about my latest favourite account - @josieluvslocal. Her passion for local products is inspiring! Jo and I are both crazy about Cape Town and supporting our local producers and have decided to team up for a fun (and delicious) giveaway for our Capetonian followers!