Spicey Cous Cous Salad with Roasted Butternut and Feta

I feel like a bad mother who has been neglecting her child. I just saw that it has been almost 2 weeks since I updated... Although in my defense I updated 2 days in a row, and last weekend was Josh's birthday.

I took him for a beautiful weekend on a fruit farm in the Cederberg, where being the smart ass I am I fell into a freezing cold river... But that is another story entirely!

Seeing as I was the organizer of this weekend (it was a surprise for him) I got to choose every thing we were going to eat myself :)

Josh has a thing for ribs, and every time I tell him that the ribs where ever we are aren't up to standard I get a "well why don't you try do better?". I have been threatening to for a while so this was the perfect opportunity. I even did the braaiing myself to make sure they were perfect.

See girls can braai too!

Delicious sticky plum ribs straight off the braai

I have shared this recipe before, so if you have not tried it yet- today is the perfect day!

STICKY PLUM RIBS

However, this is not what I wanted to share on this stunning Saturday in beautiful Cape Town. Today I wanted to share my favourite braai accompaniment. Its a Moroccan flavoured cous cous salad with roasted butternut and feta, that is not only deliciously moreish, its also quite quick and easy to make (much more so than potato salad), very filling and super healthy.

Moroccan Cous Cous Salad

I love this salad so much that it often becomes dinner on its own, I also always have to make extra so that everyone has lunch for the next day.

If you are having a braai this beautiful afternoon, try it out. You won't be disappointed and neither will your guests.

 Moroccan Cous Cous Salad with Roasted Butternut and Feta.

Happy Saturday and Happy Braaiing!

Breakfast at Blue Water

Today Josh finally decided to humour me on my request to go for breakfast and a walk in Kalk Bay. Luckily for him today was also some or the other Sunday Times big walk, and half of the Southern Peninsula's roads have been closed. By the time we got anywhere near Kalk Bay the traffic was backed up so badly that no words even had to be exchanged in the "Never mind that" department.

We took a few minutes to way up our options and then decided that we were bound to find something at Imoff Farm, just outside of Kommetjie. 

In the end we chose The Blue Water Cafe, and wow am I glad that we couldn't get into Kalk Bay. This place is completely sheltered from the wind and 100% child friendly(not that I have any of those, but if I did- I'd definitely want to take them there). They also have a rather large, very delicious sounding menu where everything you read sounds yummier than the last.

We ordered 2 lattes-which I must say were not great, they tasted a little burnt, but we didn't come for coffee. We were there for food.

Seeing as I have big time FOMO(Fear of Missing Out) I chose to order the same thing as Josh because it sounded great and I would have been super jealous if I got a lame croissant or muelsi bowl and Josh had and amazing looking bacony delight of a breakfast.

We ordered the 'ALL DAY BREAKFAST TARTINE'-An open toasted ciabatta with 2 fried eggs,farm bacon, grilled mushrooms, tomato, beef sausage and rocket with a green herb dressing...

Blue Water Cafe's All Day Breakfast Tarting

It was incredible. Hands down the best breakfast I have had in years. Everything was cooked to perfection and the green herb dressing was so light and delicious it cut through the richness of the breakfast perfectly. 

Do yourselves a favour and go there next time you don't know where to have breakfast. There are also lots of other things to do at Imoff, so even if you are coming from a little further away, I'm sure you will find things to keep you entertained: there is a little petting zoo, a snake park, an amazing farm stall, a cheesery, horse rides, camel rides, paint balling, a chocolatier, wine tasting and some really nice little shops.

Can next Sunday just hurry up and get here now??

Summer Time Beetroot Salad

Beetroots are one of my favourite vegetables, with its beautiful rich red colour, dense texture and strangely sweet yet earthy flavour.

I first came across the combination of beetroot and goat's cheese while reading through my copy of The Flavour Thesaurus by Niki Segnit. If you do not own/have never seen this book, do your selves a favour and get your hands on a copy. Josh bought mine for me as a birthday gift a few years back, and it is pretty much my bible.

Niki mentions delicious things like goats cheese souffle with beetroot ice cream, and beetroot tart with goats cheese meringue-YUM!!! She also shares some wonderful recipes, but still, to me the most delicious and simple way to cook a beetroot is to roast it. With some crispy dark edges and a soft sweet centre (I always have to cook extra because most of it doesn't even make it to the table), paired with a lively stinging goats cheese is pretty much a match made in savoury heaven.

Having said that, who wouldn't love to spend a beautiful summer day, feasting on delicious bowls of guilt free (and delicious) salad and an ice cold glass (or two or three) of crisp white wine?? 

Summer time Al Fresco Style

So we have beetroot, we have goats cheese, we have salad, we have wine, and it's summer... What are we waiting for?!?!

Click here to see my fabulous Beetroot and Goats Cheese Salad Recipe.

Guilt free savoury heaven in a Bowl

Happy Feasting everybody.

Have a wonderful, guilt free Summer weekend .