All posts filed under: Healthy

Ozone Coffee Roasters

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About a month ago, a few foodies and I went along to the opening of Ozone Coffee Roasters in Grey Lynn, where we sampled some of their menu dishes and got to know more about their brand. At the opening, I came across a long table at the back of the eatery and thought “this would be perfect for the #NZBLOGGERS #BRUNCHCLUB!” So, a few weekends’ ago, I hosted my first #NZBloggers #BRUNCHCLUB at Ozone Coffee! There were about 20 bloggers in total, and it was lovely to welcome some new faces along, as well as catch up with old friends. Ozone Coffee has been roasting coffee and building relationships in New Plymouth, London and beyond for the past 20 years. Ozone’s latest venture in Grey Lynn is an all-day eatery, with seating for 100, complete with an open kitchen, and a dedicated coffee bar, with many brews on offer and their beans are roasted on-site – make sure you take a peek at the back to see all the action! The space is beautifully designed, …

Little Bird Unbakery

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Attention Little Bird Organics and The Unbakery lovers, the HYPE is real… Little Bird Unbakery is now open for dinner! At last year’s Taste of Auckland, the festival’s first dedicated vegan restaurant, Little Bird Organics, announced they were trialling out four dishes which could potentially go on the menu of their new dinner offering at their Ponsonby Unbakery! Think Smoked Watermelon Sashimi, Hemp Tacos with BBQ Cauliflower and Kimchee Slider with Gochujang Black Bean Patty. Yum! Fast forward to two weeks ago, Little Bird Unbakery opened for dinners, and I can see it becoming a very popular place! It is somewhere where you can enjoy a wholesome plant-based delicious meal… and feel great afterwards.  The idea of their new dinner offering is to showcase seasonal organic bites, meals and desserts (all dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan), paired with an all-natural wine list, organic cocktails and craft beer. The menu will change and grow over the coming weeks, depending on the seasonal produce available and feedback from the public. Little Bird Unbakery have only just obtained their liquor license this …

Choc-Almond Slice with Cocavo

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Baking is one of my favourite hobbies. Cookies, brownies and slices are my favourite things to bake. So, when I was sent the whole range of Cocavo products recently (and having never used their products in baking or cooking before), I was super excited to create a recipe using Cocavo’s products.  For those of you that are not familiar with Cocavo, they are a New Zealand owned and run company which produces a unique blend of extra virgin coconut and avocado oils, bringing the healthiest cooking oil to the market. Their products are made from all natural premium ingredients and are dairy and gluten free, and suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Cocavo has five delicious flavours, including: Cocavo Original (used in a variety of sweet and savoury dishes) Cocavo Light (the light flavour does not have the aroma or taste of coconut, which makes it the perfect cooking oil for everyday use) Cocavo with Chili and Lime (use for seafood or stir-fry dishes) Cocavo with Cilantro, Lime and Ginger (will bring out the flavours in Thai or …

5 Reasons Why I Love Poke Poke

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I absolutely love a good Poke Bowl. Poke is the Hawaiian word ‘to slice’ and is essentially a raw fish salad. It consists of raw marinated fish (like tuna or salmon) and is often served by itself, but also on sushi rice with vegetables. Many Poke eateries have been popping up around Auckland recently, so I thought I would go out and try a few, and also share with you my favourite one – Poke Poke in Newmarket. Here are five reasons why I love Poke Poke and why you should visit pronto. 1. The Poke! All of Poke Poke’s ingredients and sauces are prepared in-house and taste delicious, fresh, and healthy, plus you will feel great after eating. There are two options available – you can choose from their ‘Poke Poke Bowls with Purpose’ menu or build your own poke bowl. Do the latter as it is more fun! Here is a lowdown on how to customise your own: Step 1: Base: Offerings include white rice, purple rice and salad or choose to have half …

5 Reasons Why I Love Gemmayze Street

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I would love to share with you one of my favourite hidden gems in Auckland –  introducing Gemmayze Street in St Kevin’s Arcade. Here are five reasons why I love Gemmayze Street and why you should visit pronto.  1.  The owners. Chef Samir Allen runs the kitchen and produces the most beautiful, divine, mouthwatering and moreish Lebanese food (more on that below), while his mother, Liane Farry, is front of house. I read in one review that said she was ‘scary’ – she is definitely quite the opposite. Always friendly, always welcoming, and once on a very busy night, Liane took over our table of five and we received great service! 2.  The beautiful Lebanese food. I have dined at Gemmayze Street four times now, and the food has been excellent every visit. I generally order my favourite vegetarian dishes (a selection of mezze), and also a larger dish if I am feeling super hungry. These dishes come highly recommended: Hummus – this is my family’s favourite dish, for it’s beautiful flavour and texture, creaminess and lovely presentation. …

Hawke’s Bay Travel Diary

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Over the summer holidays, I spent a week in Hawke’s Bay, a region in the North Island of New Zealand, which is home to fresh, delicious produce and beautiful wines. In fact, Hawke’s Bay is the oldest wine region in New Zealand and the second largest (after Marlborough). There is lots to do in Hawke’s Bay, from dining at the many restaurants and cafes, sampling local wines, climbing mountains, exploring beaches, or picking up your produce for the week at the amazing farmer’s market. Check out my highlights for my favourite things to see, eat and do in Hawke’s Bay… #1  Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market Hawke’s Bay Farmers Market is one of my favourite markets to date for its abundant range of produce, and the fact that everyone is catered for. Highlights included: FIGS from Te Mata Figs, plus fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables, nutty and wholesome gluten free breads, organic blueberries and ice cream from Bay Blueberries, gluten and dairy free treats and products from HAPI, mouthwatering macarons from Monsieur Macaron, hot chilies like jalapeños and Padron …

Hapī, Napier

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Hapī is WOW. Their ethos “you are what you eat” and that “physical and mental wellbeing is a true reflection of how you fuel your body” rings true to my New Year’s Resolution for this year, so I was really excited to check out this cute cafe, while on holiday in Napier. At Hapī, their food is plant based, full of nutrients and very delicious. If you are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free or just love eating one or all of the above, then Hapī is your place! Their menu is extensive – for such a small cafe, they sure have a range of everything on offer. Their cabinet display is also one of the best I have seen in New Zealand, with all the food well presented and the staff continuously preparing all the goodies just behind the counter. I could literally stand there for ages, watching them make sandwiches! For breakfast, there are Acai and raw granola bowls, tofu scramble, omelettes and eggs your way on their beautiful paleo bread.  For lunch, you …

Garden Picnic with Uber Eats

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The Parnell Rose Gardens are just a stone’s throw away from my house. A favourite spot of mine during summer for its beautiful roses, Pohutukawa trees and close proximity to Judge’s Bay and views overlooking Auckland Harbour. A bonus is that you can lunch right next to the roses, making it the perfect spot for a picnic! Thanks to the Uber Eats app for making this possible! Last weekend, the weather had cleared and the sun was shining, so my sister and I headed across to the Rose Gardens for a picnic. I opened the Uber Eats app on my phone, and was excited to discover the many eatery options available for a picnic. We chose Bird on A Wire. Their aim is to simply feed the world with handmade and sustainable food – their menu includes free range rotisserie chicken, fresh salads, sandwiches and sides. Sounded like the perfect picnic food to me! We ordered a Chicken Feed For One – a quarter free range rotisserie chicken and a medium salad of Raw Beetroot and Japanese Slaw, plus a Small Salad …

Peanut Butter Acai Bowl

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I recently purchased Hippie Lane: The Cookbook by Taline Gabriel. It is filled with deliciously ‘luxe’ wholefood recipes, split into four sections – Rise + Shine, Lunch Vibes, Dinner Dates and Sweet Fix. I have been an avid follower of Taline Gabriel on Instagram for a while now. Her food inspires me daily and thus, have put this into perspective for 2018. I have never been one for New Year’s Resolutions, but I thought this year, I will finally jump on the bandwagon. Mine is to follow and maintain a healthy lifestyle by focusing on wholefoods (like fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, healthy proteins and fats), cutting down on refined sugar and processed foods, exercising daily and keeping up my water intake.  I have a mega sweet tooth, so it will be a challenge, but one I am willing to give my 100%. I will still be posting about eats in Auckland, new products and adventures on here and on my Instagram and Facebook pages, plus will have the occasional treat now and then (my weaknesses are ice cream, …

Summer with Uber Eats

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Summer has officially arrived in New Zealand! When I think of summer, I picture swimming at the beach, chasing waterfalls, hiking through native bush, going strawberry picking and visiting my favourite vineyards. And for those simple days, relaxing by the pool with friends… eating delicious, fresh and healthy food of course, without having to leave your sun chair! Thanks to the Uber Eats app for making this possible! Last weekend, the sun was shining and there was not a cloud in the sky, so we headed down to the pool. I opened the Uber Eats app on my phone, and was excited to discover one of the app’s newest eateries – Cali Press. Their aim is to create a fun and natural way of clean living, by serving healthy and delicious juices, smoothies, superfood breakfast bowls and wholesome meals. Sounded like the perfect breakfast to me! We ordered two Superfood Breakfast Bowls, two Toast Bar – Toppers and the Ah-Sah-Ee (Acai) Smoothie. The Superfood Breakfast Bowls are the perfect poolside breakfast – you can have a few …