BlogHide Reblurtszo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 3 min readBaked Apple Pie family recipeOk this one comes from my moms recipe book! We’ve got a sweet little tradition of making a copy of the home recipe book as an engagement gift to new soon to be wives. And anyone that knows my moms cooking appreciates this HUGELY!!! I’ve inherited the baking but not the cooking unfortunately. This recipe only takes a few minutes to throw…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readRestaurant Savvy Write Up: The FoodbarnI’m loving writing about our local spots so much that I’ve decided to give them a bit of a theme called the Restaurant Savvy Write Ups! I’m not into super high end eateries, so more than likely you’ll get a look at Cape Town’s local eateries (or wherever we happen to travel) that are family friendly, but also unique spots with quaint roots. Most…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readHealthy Lifestyle vs Diet (Confessions of a midlife mom)Everything in my being despises diets. The restrictions and resulting stress just counteract all the effort I put into trying to lose a little weight and make me miserable! My unhappiness and creeping weight gain started when I turned 40 a year and a half ago. I was in need a of a dramatic life change. I was stressed at work - on my way towards…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 1 min readOcean reflectionsThis was a warm day during our walk to the beach. There wasn’t a breath of wind which is unusual for our part of the Cape. The ocean and clouds were just gorgeous. You can see how the light changed as the cloud covered over. It’s been wonderful for me. Join us if you haven’t already.zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 5 min readThe Half Collared Kingfisher Trail in the WildernessThis is one fun and interesting hike that you should definitely do if you’re ever on the garden route of Southern Africa. The garden route is a diverse coastline that covers an area from Mossel Bay in the Western Cape to Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape. It’s lush, aloe & forest covered with extremely deep valleys and gorges with the wild…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 1 min readMinki the Chihuahua’s Beach WalkMy husband is rehabbing his ankle by walking on the beach for 2kms every afternoon so today we decided to take Minki along with us! Minki and her brother Max are a bonded pair of siblings that have never been without each other. A behaviourist said it might be wise to walk them and take them on outings separately to slowly teach them some…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readLunch date with Dad at the Famous Chapmans Peak HotelLast week was my dad’s 69th birthday and we celebrated with a good old fashioned lunch at the Chapmans Peak Hotel in Hout Bay (Cape Town, South Africa). This specific hotel is special to us because it was the spot where my Grandfather enjoyed the best Calamari in the country on a regular basis. He passed away at the age of 90 (almost two years…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 3 min readBrownies that take my cravings to a healthy place!I’ve been on the search for a healthy chocolatey option for the longest time and my search is finally over!!!!! Hannah Grant has met every expectation so if you’re in search of a healthy sport nutrition snack then head over to her website www.hannahgrant.com Today we’re working through a Brownie like tart with a topping that has the most…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readGarden route surprise visit to Boerqi BistroLast year we did a family vacay to Mossel Bay on the southern part of what is called the Garden Route along the south coast of the Western Cape. We were determined to do something new every day because we have been coming to Mossel Bay every year since I was born! We tend to do the same things and needed a change. The girls jumped in a car…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readHiking Newlands Forest on the slopes of Table MountainCape Town has amazing hiking trails for every age and ability. This morning we went for a short hike through Newlands Forest on the slopes of Table Mountain. This is a very beautiful part of the mountain reserve as is gets the biggest rainfall in the Western Cape. Today it was dry and although windy in other parts of Cape Town, it was absolutely…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 3 min readMidday Walks to the Giant LogLast week a friend popped for a walk, so we decided to head down to the beach. It was almost midday by the time she arrived and the sun was already very high, but it was too windy to even wear a hat. First we headed down along the river and then onto the dunes that feed the beach. This entry way is always a beautiful surprise as you climb the…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readTHE LONGEST OVER OCEAN ZIPLINE IN MOSSELBAY, SOUTH AFRICAWe have a slightly adventurous streak amongst the women in our family so on our last family vacay we decided that all the girls were going zip lining!!! I had done short stints, like a few meters, my sister and Aunt have done the treetop zip lines in Knysna, but my mom had NEVER ziplined. Anyway, she was in, we had convinced her. My daughter was…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 2 min readLast minute evening walk - Beach TexturesLast minute unplanned walks are just the best. Especially when the weather is perfect and you’ve got time to kill. My daughter went for a little meet and greet with a new family to do some babysitting for them and I had to wait for her, but when the meet and greet is near the beach! Well that’s my kind of hanging around. I love texture and…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 2 min readMy first flowering CactusHello Nature folks! I need your help identifying this little cactus. It was donated to me by a neighbour when I start building my rock garden on the corner outside my house. The garden has gone from overgrown and ugly to a succulent rock garden suitable to the stony ground that we have here. This beauty has been planted in the spot for 3…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 4 min readWhen Mozambik is just a car ride awaySunday was an unexpected surprise as plans changed last minute due to my folks having food poisoning. The lunch plans went down the tubes, so instead we headed up the West Coast of Cape Town for a late lunch at Eden on the Bay, Big Bay. My husband needed to run an errand in the area, so we decided to make the most of it. We used to live on this…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 2 min readBeach & Riverwalk treasuresWe live 600m from the beach in a town called Kommetjie on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa (the very tip of Africa) and we get to walk along this river to the beach most days. It’s rustic and beautiful and maybe not typically African, but it’s everything that we love about living here. I found this feather on the beach and loved its…zo3d in # blurt • 3 years ago • 3 min readSt. Blaize Hiking Trail along the cliffs of Mossel Bay (South Africa)South Africa has a rich array of hiking trails available to the professionals and amateur alike. I’m on the amateur end of the spectrum but have a love of nature and exercising outside. I think I’m allergic to gyms. So hiking is a natural fit. Every holiday we try to find one or two local morning hikes to do while investigating the area. We do a…zo3d in # blurtchef • 3 years ago • 3 min readWhat’s in Season?Some of the best advice I’ve ever got is to eat the fruit that is in season. Fruit is at its best when in season and hasn’t spent too much time in transport or unnecessarily packaged. Sourcing and buying out of season fruit is also often far more expensive, while buying local and in season works out far more economical. Seasonal sweet melon…zo3d in # blurtchef • 3 years ago • 3 min readTastiest Carrot Cake ever!!!This carrot cake wins the “most requested” prize in our family every time there is a special occasion. It’s not as easy to make as my previous recipes but it is definitely worth the effort. This cake cake be an everyday go to and baked in a loaf or ring tin, but I find it’s best received when serve as an iced layered cake. I made it recently…zo3d in # blurtchef • 3 years ago • 2 min readBest 4 Ingredient Oat & Banana Bread (no oil, sugar or wheat)I finally tested this awesome recipe and am LOVING IT! Definitely becoming a favourite for homemade quick and healthy bread. With only 4 ingredients that are usually in the cupboard, there is just no excuse for fresh healthy bread. Here’s how to make it at home! INGREDIENTS 3 over ripe Bananas (peeled) 2 cups rolled Oats 2 large Eggs 1…