I know it has been a while since my last post but between a new role at work and my commitments to my little family it’s been a little busy. Just a couple of months ago we were down by the coast for a last peek of Summer during the children’s half term holidays, and the weeks flew by and before I knew it, Autumn and its beautiful colours is here. I owe you all a few posts on some of the recent trips we made recently, I promise I will get to it, but today it’s an OOTD post. Time to don my knits and brace myself for the weeks when the glass wall in my home office will mean it gets a little chillier than comfortable.
Recently I have fallen head over heels in love with Lezanne Viviers, the designer behind Viviers Studio and the most dreamy pieces of clothing, mixing impossibly couture details, impeccable tailoring and a creativity not often found away from Paris Fashion Week… I found her totally by luck by going down my Instagram feed rabbit hole, and a few months later Lezanne and her team of incredibly talented tailors have made me a few beautiful pieces, all made to measure, including this fantastic pair of paperbag trousers. I fell in love with the structured look and oversized legs, and who cares if even my highest platforms disappear underneath, I adore the look. Although they are made of denim, the look ends up being very couture and fun but grown-up, if that makes sense.
Another current obsession of mine is puff sleeves. I can’t get enough of them, in dresses, blouses and this cool square neck knit. I like the 1970s vibe and how it makes my shoulders balance out the whole silhouette. It makes for fun MTeams looks as well, of course… Looking at my arms in the photos though I wonder if I shouldn’t have sized down. Perhaps a slightly warmer wash than advised will fix this.
I did give my Bronze B a little outing for the photos only… these days I barely need a bag to go to my “office”… Perhaps one day I will get back to putting full outfits together for work meetings, meanwhile, accessorizing for blog posts is all I got. How about you? How is the working from home situation going for you? Have you recovered from the loungewear everyday phase?
Summer in South Africa is usually a long, sweltering affair that starts around early October, and lingers all the way until the very end of March. In Johannesburg it gets particularly hot and stuffy most days, with sometimes a welcome relief storm in the late afternoon… This week we’ve not had much rain, maybe later today or tomorrow. I cannot wait.
Someone asked me earlier if I missed working in the office, and I candidly replied that no, I mostly missed the aircon at the moment (cue slightly shocked gasps)… That is not entirely true, as I miss the personal interaction with many of my colleagues that a MTeams screen can’t really convey, but it seems I’ve gotten used to it by now. One thing I do not miss at all (besides menial time-wasting office politics, I did not like those in London and still don’t in Johannesburg) is having to dress formally and wear high heels during the warmer months. In fact I wonder if I’ll ever be able to go back to heels over three inches!
These days I’m spending my days in long floaty dresses, like this beauty Merwe Mode made in this colour just for me. I am in love with the light fabric, the tiers, and of course it twirls beautifully, not that a serious grown-up like me ever twirls, no… What I love about maxi dresses is they look best with flats, and in the last seven months I’ve worn mostly flats; sometimes I fancy it up by wearing my Coco slingbacks or my Orans but usually it’s some version of the ones you see here… The bad news is all my pretty heels are languishing in my closet, and I’m not sure my feet will ever want to wear them again.
Although I do dress casually most days I try to fancy things up a little with accessories, like my Gucci Horsebit 1955 bag, which I wear with the strap fully extended, and a couple of glitzy Chanel necklaces… Let me reassure you, the necklaces were out by the minute I sat down for my first Teams meeting of the morning, and the bag is languishing until it’s time to log out for the day and go get my nails done (it’s time: I’ve had the same mani for three weeks, some nails have started to peel).
How about you? How is your style evolving this year? Anyone still wearing heels? If yes, where!?
Just like London goes through wisteria hysteria during Spring, if you live in Johannesburg then you know that October is the perfect month to enjoy the jacarandas in bloom, and many of us dedicate a full day to going through the beautiful purple canopied streets each year.
First, a little bit of history: Johannesburg is the largest man-made urban forest with over 10 million trees, but jacarandas are not exactly native to South Africa, they arrived in the late 1800s from South America and were planted along almost every new street being built; they are now considered an invasive species and it has become illegal to plant them, but you should be able to admire them for some years still given they have a 200-year lifespan. You can enjoy them in bloom from early October for about four to six weeks usually.
My own love story with jacarandas started in the early 90s, when we travelled to Zimbabwe and were absolutely mesmerized by the purple lined streets in Harare, and my mother brought back a few seed pods (yes, that’s my family, gardening smugglers since the 1980s…) that have now become two glorious jacaranda trees in our Casablanca home.
In my opinion, the most beautiful neighbourhoods to see the blooming jacarandas are Greenside, Westcliff, Melville (where they often contrast with bright pink bougainvillea), Melrose,… although to be honest the trees are dotted pretty much everywhere in the city. If you want full tree-lined roads, the following streets are where you want to go: Kent and Hume Roads in Dunkeld (they run East to West so this is the place for sunrise and sunset photos), Jameson, Reform and Victoria Avenues in Melrose, Bristol, Wantage, Griswold and Rutland Roads in Parkwood, and of course 4th in Melville for the contrast of the bougainvillea and jacarandas.
A perfect viewing day would involve a drive out to Houghton Ridge, Greenside, a breakfast or lunch at the Westcliff (also known as the Four Seasons hotel, they have the best view in the city and the terrace really comes into its own during Spring, I prefer the breakfast, before it gets too busy), and a stroll around Emmarentia park to enjoy the colours. With a bit of time, maybe a couple of stops on the way back to capture the afternoon light around Dunkeld.
Whilst the Johannesburg purple haze is stunning, Pretoria is the real Jacaranda City of South Africa. The city is built in a valley between two hills, making it easy to find a high point to admire the beautiful pattern made by the streets: jacarandas represent almost 20% of all trees in Pretoria, so the show is something well worth the drive from Johannesburg. Also, you can enjoy blooming jacarandas almost two weeks earlier here, seeing as the city is a little warmer than Jozi, which might also be why the purple looks a little more vivid. I love driving around Brooklyn, the trees here are really old and form a canopy that covers most of the street. Don’t miss out driving up to Groenkloof, where you can look down on most of Pretoria but also drive to Herbert Baker street to see the famously rare white jacarandas…
The trees are looking splendid this year, although some seem to be blooming either a little late or not at all, maybe they are taking a year off (I also wish I had taken 2020 off at this point). That said, it’s still a sight to be in awe of. Before I go, let me tell you what my favourite time for a jacaranda stroll is: the morning after a thunderstorm, when the floor is lined with a magical purple carpet, then you can catch me dreaming… See you there?
Here we are: we have all been on lockdown here in South Africa for well over 120 days now, the children have been homeschooled, some schools went back part time but if like me yours attend an international school the odds are they have now been on “vacation” for close to a month… By now we were all hoping that we would be allowed to travel, at least within the country, god knows we need it but also it would bring such a relief to the bleeding tourism industry, but sadly it’s not to be, and we are locked in our prohibition-ridden provinces for the foreseeable future… It’s no wonder then that so many of us are turning to some local options for days out, and whilst Gauteng (the province where we live) is no Western Cape or KZN, there are some options. Here are three we tried recently, for more ideas check out the Highlight on my Instagram stories called Johannesburg Staycation.
Dinokeng: Bring your own picnic, watch the game pass by
Dinokeng is a game reserve just outside of Pretoria, boasting most of the animals you’d find in a big park such as Kruger, and offering self-drives as well as lodge activities. We came for a self-drive one week-day morning early July, and whilst it doesn’t have the trappings of going on a luxury safari such as the ones we have become used to, spoiled as we are, it was lovely and we did enjoy being out and about in the middle of the animals.
You can bring your own picnic, as we did, and as it was a week day we had the picnic area pretty much to ourselves, or you can opt to lunch at one of the reserve lodges, and then have a ranger drive. I think being on a self-drive means you can come very early in the morning, and then do everything at your own pace, however neither Hubby Dearest nor I being professional trackers (who am I kidding we’re not even amateur trackers, I often mistake big rocks for rhinos!) we did miss out on big game such as elephants or lions, but then again that’s not really why we came. We wanted a day out and this very much filled the brief.
My recommendation: if you’re opting for a self drive avoid the week-ends as apparently it gets super crowded.
Modderfontein: On your door step, street food aplenty
If you want to stay within half an hour of North Jo’burg, then Modderfontein is the perfect outing, especially since it has started hosting some of the food trucks from the Fourways Farmers Market, which has still not re-opened sadly… so this is a good way to support businesses which have been struggling in the recent months, and have a fabulous time.
The reserve is quite big, with a few trails that are all quite flat and easy to walk, cycle or run (the children did a mix of running and walking, and hopping along, it was quite relaxed), and once you are done you can either get a coffee or a street food lunch from one of the stands. There is a large outdoor area with bales of hay and picnic tables that is perfect to enjoy the Winter sun whilst munching on burgers (it was Sunday, so cravings allowed, right?)
Remember this is super convenient for Jo’burgers so if you’re coming on the week-end (the food stalls are only here Saturday and Sunday for now) do try to arrive by 9:30 to avoid a long queue at the reserve entrance.
Ground, The Venue: Winelands vibe with a beautiful boxed picnic
Amidst the numerous venues on the wedding belt that is the Magaliesburg, many have remained shut, but some have embraced the challenge of lockdown by reinventing themselves. Ground The Venue has done so beautifully.
You start your day by hiking around or up the little koppie that stands just behind the farmland (little is an understatement, my legs still have tremors thinking of climbing that thing… but the view from the top was so worth it, not to mention the reward at the end). I did wear my new hiking monstrosities that day, and I am glad I did: whilst the hike is not hard per se, it is intense).
After about two and a half hours, you are back by the farm and, if you booked, make your way to a beautifully set table in the middle of the mini vineyard, giving you vibes of the Cape Winelands, especially if, like we did, you bring your own bottle of vino to enjoy the delicious picnic boxes… There is no rush to go home from there, the calm of the country surrounds are super chilled and even the children didn’t beg to move on as soon as they’d wolfed down their picnics…
Bookings are essential, especially if you want one of the tables, although you can also bring your own and enjoy the grounds. Do bring a hat and SPF, there isn’t a lot of shade around.
There you have it, three outings where you can take the little ones on a picnic within a short drive from Johannesburg… Which kid doesn’t love eating outdoors?
Here we are… still in lockdown but with harder restrictions than a week ago, and still very much in Winter: a bitter wind has joined the frozen temperatures meaning my habit of wearing bare legs with skirts and dresses even during the cold months will have to wait a little more. In truth, I’m getting a little bored of my usual working from home attire, especially as it means I’ve not worn any of my more formal clothes… That said, this week I received a few jackets I had ordered in London, and then my lovely seamstress delivered a few of my new pieces, including a copy of my favourite tiered dress in a more wintry fabric. And suddenly I was able to find my outfit mojo again.
First, a word on my jacket, by MiaGiacca… It is all 100% handmade by the beautiful Maja, who one day decided to eschew fast fashion and create beautiful pieces that look elegant and timeless no matter what you match them with. We exchanged a few messages on Instagram after I found her and agreed on the tweed, cut and chain trim (also handmade…) and after a few weeks my gorgeous jacket was delivered in London, waiting to be redispatched to me here… The jacket is not only gorgeous it’s also super light and exactly at my measurements, meaning the fit is perfect. I will be coming back to Maja for more and in the meanwhile I think it could be fun to do a post of how I can style it in more or less formal ways…
The dress is a replica of one of my absolute favourite white dresses (I realised by digging it out to take it to my seamstress to copy that I do own quite a few white dresses) in a lightweight checked fabric I found in one of my recent outings to the fabric store… The shape is oversized with exaggerated tiers, something I love as it feels very modern and unstuffy. Lightweight fabrics are perfect for South African winters because you can layer them and not feel too warm in the midday sun.
If you ever want to elevate a casual look, do it with accessories. That is why I love shoes and bags so much. With a tote and a pair of Stan Smiths this would be a perfect relaxed outfit, here I added a pair of my favourite slingbacks (they truly are my favourites: they are comfortable and chic, and in my view when you find a pair of shoes you love so much it’s totally justified to have them in various colour combinations…) and my beautiful little Coco Handle, both by Chanel.
There you have it… a look that wants to be for Spring but works for the freezing temperatures we’ve been having of late. I hope you like it.
Working from home is apparently going to be my new normal for a while still… Why else would my office management colleagues have recommended I order a bigger screen for my desk and made it possible for those interested to pick up their office chairs? I love my home office chair, it’s so beautiful, grey felt over light wood legs with a 1960s feel, there is not a chance I decide to bring the monstrosity that I have at work here… Still, I did get the bigger screen and even a proper keyboard. So now my home office is a little less pretty, but a lot more functional.
However, I am slowly relenting in the outfit stakes… Don’t let these photos fool you, this outfit feels almost as comfortable as if I’d stayed in my workout leggings and sweatshirt. And I think I am slowly finding my happy medium when it comes to dressing to work from home. And it seems a lot of it relies on long-line cardis.
I have decided long-line cardis are going to be my isolation staple, especially now that we are moving firmly into Winter here in Johannesburg. It’s basically like wearing a dressing gown, isn’t it? This one is in the softest traceable merino, and it’s from Country Road at Woolworths (I am not a snob when it comes to basics like this and I see Woolies as the SA equivalent to M&S), I love the paired-down chic look of it and the versatility. Sizing is quite generous, I’m wearing a small.
But the real ace in today’s outfit has got to be the jeans: we all love a flared cut, especially if you’re short and somewhat curvy like me… these jeans are the only thing that is going to make my legs look long-ish in real life (for everything else there are filters, thankfully), and of course the super dark wash does help. And what’s amazing? For some reason I managed to find the one model that has a high waist, all mamas out there will know why this is fantastic, and has just as much stretch as a pair of leggings, so everything stays nicely smoothed in. So they really are leggings disguised as jeans. They’re from Sissy Boy.
The babka of my dreams lives in one of my favourite New York neighbourhoods, and is made by Russ & Daughters, where it makes for the most indulgent breakfast or coffee accompaniment. If you’re lucky to live in the US, you can order online from them, they have the most delicious lox and so many other deli specialties I am addicted to. If not, you can do like me and bake your own homemade version.
Not quite as sweet as a cake but definitely leaning towards dessert, babka is a sweet buttery yeast bread, usually with swirls of chocolate or cinnamon running through. Those swirls pull apart into the most irresistible layers, so rolling and braiding your babka is quite key. Also, like all enriched doughs, making babka is time-consuming, mostly inactive time, waiting for the dough to rise, but patience is a big thing here. Good news, we all have a little extra time these days.
Disclaimer: my recipe is not a real babka one, because it has no eggs (hence it doesn’t raise as much), less butter and less sugar than the original recipe. My dough is almost that of a challah, although it does have milk and butter, so I call this is a hybrid… I do this for two reasons: the original babka recipe creates a dough that is very soft and I find it difficult to roll and braid, and my version is a little “healthier” (in the sweet bread category, this is not spinach soup clearly), so you can have some every fortnight without fearing a heart attack.
I always start by activating the instant yeast, by mixing it with the milk at room temperature and the sugar. I then add the flour, salt and butter and make a dough. If you like a little vanilla in your dough this is the time to add it; I find orange blossom doesn’t work well with chocolate (it does work in plain challah though… oh so well…) but orange zest does. If you have a stand mixer with a dough attachment or a Thermomix, it’s easier, otherwise using a hand whisk and your hands is also fine.
Now you wait. Your dough needs to rest at least an hour; I usually leave it in a bowl covered with a slightly wet cloth, in a dark and warm place. If you’re making your babka ahead, you can also put the bowl in the fridge and bring it out the next morning when you’re ready to work it. This recipe will make one large babka, or two smaller ones (just divide the dough after the first proof and repeat each step twice… maybe trying different flavours).
Roll out the dough onto a floured surface, making a rough rectangle, then spread the chocolate paste (we all know which one tastes amazing on this… don’t make me spell it, it’s the one that’s really loaded with palm oil, I haven’t been able to find good enough alternatives in South Africa but in London I used to get some really delicious palm oil free ones from Whole Foods, oh well, sorry…) to the edges of your sheet, and sprinkle with the nuts, and for extra deliciousness you can add some chocolate chunks in the middle, but remember the more stuff you add the harder rolling this baby will be. If you’re making a cinnamon babka then you make a spreadable paste with butter, sugar and cinnamon.
You then roll your dough: try to do it by rolling the short side over, so that you get more swirls into your babka. Once rolled, use a sharp knife to cut your roll down the middle to expose the chocolate and dough layers. You now have two long half rolls, which you cross at the middle before recrossing on both sides until you have a braid-like shape.
Transfer into a buttered loaf tin and, you guessed it, let it rest again. An hour to an hour and a half is perfect. Place into a warm oven and bake at 180°C for about 45 minutes. Test for done-ness (is that a word?) by poking with a skewer and checking if it comes out clean and dry. Or use a thermometer and see that the inside of your babka is at about 100°C.  Bring the loaf out and leave it to cool in its tin over a cooling rack.
Ok, if you want to go really out out you make a syrup during the bake by mixing equal parts of sugar and water, and you can pour it over the cooling babka (make some little holes in it with a little pick). It makes for a super soft and sweet bread, but I prefer it a little dryer so I usually just egg-wash the babka before baking… Like I said, I don’t have the sweetest tooth… Happiness is when you cut the babka into slices and discover all the swirls and folds you worked into your bread. I like it with strong coffee for breakfast… but also as an afternoon treat, anytime really. This is the perfect recipe for people who aren’t into the heavy butter in things like pain au chocolat (I really can’t take the crumbly buttery texture of croissanterie) but love the mix of bread and chocolate. Let me know if you try it…
Smoothies are my favourite on the go breakfast, it’s easy to pack them with nutrients and vitamins and you can take your smoothie cup pretty much anywhere in the morning. I have been using a Nutribullet for many years now, because I couldn’t get the right consistency from my traditional blender, which also didn’t like nuts much (that blender ended up at our local charity shop quite quickly after the arrival of the Nutribullet). Wonderful, but I still get a few messages on Insta and from my friends asking what does one do with these juice gizmos, and how to get the same tasty smoothies as the ones you get from juice bars? So I thought it would be worth a post.
Before we go on, just a little reminder: I am no chef, dietician or clean food guru (whatever clean food is), and I claim zero expertise in nutrition; I just love eating tasty, fresh, and mostly healthy food and most days of the week my breakfast consists of coffee and a smoothie of whatever I find between my fridge and my freezer. If you are a smoothie beginner, I would suggest starting with recipes that taste nice to ease you into it: there is no point starting a smoothie routine with something that tastes and looks like green pond water, as it will take all your motivation away. Most of my smoothies include at least one fruit to ensure a bit of sweetness, but on the other hand they always have one green leafy veg (usually spinach and kale when I can find baby kale leaves here) because that’s incredibly good for me.
To get you going, you will need to do a little bit of shopping: fresh and frozen fruit and veg (I love frozen bags because it means I can stock up, and sometimes I make my own frozen bags of anything, from bananas to raw spinach, and remember, organic is best…), a couple of good yoghurt pots (no good Greek yoghurt here in South Africa, sadly, but I did find a protein yoghurt by Danone that I like), a couple of unsweetened non-dairy milks, chia seeds and nuts, all of which can be found in most supermarkets these days. If you want, you can also visit your nearest health shop or order online some more esoteric ingredients such as spirulina powder, bee pollen, acai berry powder, cocoa nibs etc. and finally, I add protein powder to all my smoothies, at the suggestion of all the trainers I’ve worked with, but that’s not a must… Here are my five starter choices (PS – some taste like desserts, so are perfect as snacks as well)…
I picked my top five starter smoothies because they taste nice, they are great as a breakfast (these smoothies are full of nutrients, fats and carbs so don’t go thinking this is something to eat with your toast, the breakfast is in the glass…) and are a good intro to the whole smoothie fiesta. I hope you enjoy them!
In the run-up to our move to South Africa, I had developed quite a little addiction to all the boutique studios London has to offer, from dynamic pilates and barre to studio cycling in various studios around London, either closer to home or to the office, power yoga just around the corner from our house every Sunday evening to unwind before the week, and of course my thrice-weekly rebounder class at the Harbour Club…
It took me very little research to realise that, when it came to fitness, Johannesburg was not really a place where I would thrive. Here, most people go to gym (yes, gym, not the gym), pump iron or do a 1990s style spinning class starting from 4:30AM (not a typo, the peak hours for gyms in South Africa is 5:00AM to 7:00AM); many locals love nothing more than a sunrise bike ride of 80-100km on a Saturday, preferrably on roads where there are no cycle markings to ensure maximum adrenaline, I guess. If I was going to continue with my fitness routine, I had to create my own space. The alternative was giving up on years of efforts to be fit and strong, something that I was both proud and thankful for.
On a positive note, houses around here tend to come with a couple of extra rooms, and ours in particular came with a tiny TV room, which I guessed from the realtor’s introduction to it was where you were meant to lock your children’s TV and toys (and possibly the children also) away in, out of sight, out of mind. Seeing as we like our children, their toys and their Disney movies on the out and open, I decided that was going to be my little studio, for pilates, cycling, and even PT sessions.
I ordered an Allegro reformer from L.A., got it shipped to London, then put it on the container that was going to bring our 60-odd boxes of belongings here. It was expensive, hard work getting it here, and even more hard work putting it all together (ask Hubby Dearest), but it means I can do my little Pilates routines every few days, replicating the moves that my favourite London instructors Nadine and Zsofi had taught me over the years it took to get me back into shape after my pregnancies. I was even happier when I tried to go to a Pilates class in the beginning, before the container arrived, and realised the whole “breathe in, feel the marble roll on your stomach” training style was very much still a thing here… thanks, but no thanks?
Over time, we added a flywheel bike for those Soulcycle-like workouts; this one costs a fraction of the Peloton that is the hype everywhere… trust me it almost does the same job only you have to count on your own motivation and imagination, but Spotify is full of the playlists of some of the coolest trainers so it’s not that hard. I also found a rebounder, this isn’t the best out there, I prefer the one with the elastic links instead of the springs, which make an awful lot of noise, but considering I burn an average of 300 calories every time I spend half an hour on it, it does the job just fine. I also have elastic bands and weights, small ones for when I feel like a barre workout, and bigger ones since Hubby Dearest is now forced to work out at home as well since the beginning of the lockdown, a TRX that we hang on the little terrace outside the studio, and plenty of other goodies that basically make this the best boutique gym I can find south of the Med. I’m happy, and, most importantly, I’m working out most days.
We added posters that inspire me and a little seating area because the munchkins love to come watch me sweat, and sometimes they even take part, so I make little timelapse videos of us all looking like spastic hamsters jumping together, much to the enjoyment of my Insta friends. When we are not in lockdown, my wonderful trainer Wardah comes twice weekly to kick my dislike of heavier weights and burpees (I miss her but I’m not unhappy that I haven’t done a single burpee in four weeks, thank you Mr President…) I also recently started doing Tracy Anderson DVDs as well, and the little floor space I left in front of the mirrored wall is perfect for all those dance combos, which I am loving.
All things considered, it is pretty luxurious to have a studio at home, and I know I am very lucky, but carving out a little space for wellness is possible in most homes, even if it’s just a little mat, a couple of weights and some elastic bands; you can decorate it all nice and pretty so you feel happy when you are about to embark on a pretty gruesome 60 min HIIT workout. At least your eyes will be having a good time!
Everyone has a favourite meal… some love dinner, some are obsessed with the 11AM chocolate break, for me it’s breakfast. I can give up all the other meals, breakfast is my thing. I love sitting down and indulging in a leisurely meal at the dining table, overseeing the garden, reading news or scrolling through my Insta feed, but most days that is not an option.
I have smoothies most weekdays, as it’s super convenient to take my Nutribullet everywhere (when I lived in London it would often come with me on the Eurostar when I had to go to Paris for the day), but sometimes I like something with a little more substance, and I found some pretty cool options that I think some of you similarly busy bees might like as well. Here are two that you can prepare overnight, and just grab and go on your way out.
The perfect chia seed parfait
Chia seeds pack 40% fiber and 14% protein, not to mention magnesium, manganese, anti-oxidants, more omega 3 than salmon, more calcium than most dairy (I checked, and found no croissant with this type of nutrient list). Ok, that’s it for the educational minute of the day… Now, how do they actually taste?
Actually, they don’t taste of anything much, like most whole grains, so they make a perfect breakfast base. Yes, the texture is a bit gelatinous once soaked, a little like thick caviar, and it’s not for everyone… Putting together is child’s play, then all you have to do is add your favourite toppings: fruits, nuts, granola, cacao nibs, cinammon… My best option so far? Topped with a spirulina fruit blend, some blueberries and pecan nuts. You can make a bigger batch of the base and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days or to share with your family: Little Madame used to love this when she was a baby, although recently she’s more a porridge girl…
Overnight protein oats (a.k.a. muesli with a kick)
I have friends who skip breakfast and jump on the venti version of whatever their favourite barista mix is, usually a fat and sugar laden drink with very little caffeine in it, and yet would scream at the idea of ingesting any types of oats, on account of all the carbs. As you know I’m the black coffee type, but I adore oats, even though (or maybe because) they are carbs. By the way we all need a little bit of carbs in life, especially if we lead an active lifestyle or simply if we like wine (yes, carbs again), even rabbits, who eat theirs in the form of carrots and beets… Plus, oats are filled with complex fibres that help us keep a healthy heart, and given the number of jerks around, everyone needs a healthy, strong heart, right?
But, let me tell you, the reason I love overnight oats: they are the perfect busy bee breakfast, you can prepare them the night before, put it all in a jar and take it with you in the morning, and they are absolutely delicious; I usually add crushed nuts, some cinnamon, and either fruit or cacao powder if I’m feeling extra indulgent. I prefer mine made with real Greek yoghurt, the Fage type, alas in almost three years of living in Johannesburg I’ve not been able to find any, so instead I use regular yoghurt, but it’s not the same… Please, if you know where I can find proper Greek yoghurt in Jo’burg, can you let me know?
Do you have any infallible breakfast recipes that are good for you and still yummy? Please don’t try to convince me that a 90% kale smoothie with a bit of pineapple for sweetness is delicious, I know that to be a lie… but if you do have a favourite smoothie or omelette, do share!
A Styled Life 