All posts filed under: Vegan

#NZContentCollective Margarita Masterclass with Mexico

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Last Thursday night, #NZContentCollective and I hosted a Margarita Masterclass at Mexico in Britomart.  One of my other loves (besides food) is T E Q U I L A! I mostly like it straight, and of course, in Margaritas – my favourite cocktail! Since travelling around Mexico two years ago (including visiting the Jose Cuervo Distillery in the town of Tequila and learning about the history and how it is made), my passion for all things Mexican (hello calaveras!) has grown and I am an even bigger fan of the spirit.  So, when the opportunity arose to collaborate with Mexico by organising a Margarita Masterclass with Herradura and El Jimador Tequila, we were in! Plus, the idea of becoming a master in the fine art of making and consuming margaritas simultaneously sounded like our type of evening, so why not share it with 37 other like-minded people, namely content creators, bloggers, foodies, and business owners! On a chilly Thursday night, we arrived at Mexico in Britomart and were led upstairs to their super cool Mexican-style …

Bottomless Brunch at Wu & You

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A few weekend’s ago, #NZBloggers and I hosted our Xmas Soiree at Wu & You in Mount Eden. This was our last #BRUNCHCLUB for 2019, so we celebrated it in style! Wu & You are known for their exciting, dynamic and delicious Asian-Fusion dishes, and on the weekends, they offer Bottomless Bubbles and Brunch🍾🍾 Prior to the event, we loved the sound of their WFC Burger with Wu fried chicken, kaffir lime mayo, lettuce and coriander, the Five Spiced Pork Hawker Roll with hoisin and star anise glaze, Malaysian slaw, fried garlic and peanuts, and the Chili Scrambled Eggs with spicy mayo, fresh herbs, crispy shallots and toasted sourdough. YUM. Check out the rest of their menu here. On the day, we were seated in their outdoor courtyard and had this to ourselves! We priced our tickets at $40 which included Wu & You’s Bottomless Bubbles & Brunch (usually $49), sweet treats during the event (like Sweet Little Favors Christmas cookies and Krispy Kreme doughnuts), plus a FABULOUS Goodie Bag to take home at the end. …

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

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I don’t know about you, but when I hear ‘Chocolate’ and ‘Peanut Butter’ in the same sentence, I get REALLY REALLY EXCITED! I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but unfortunately they are full of sugar and also not good for the waistline, and because I love to eat a variety of chocolate during the week, I wanted to find a balance between the two.  Below is my recipe for Vegan Peanut Butter Cups – they are super simple and easy to make, and only require 4 ingredients! Can also guarantee that your friends and family will love them! Makes 24 mini cups. INGREDIENTS For the Peanut Butter Cups: 1 cup smooth peanut butter (I used Revive Peanut Butter) 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (I like Blue Coconut) 1 tablespoon maple syrup For the Chocolate Topping: 1 cup of coconut oil, melted 3 tablespoons maple syrup 2 x 100g blocks of 70% Lindt chocolate (it is in fact vegan – yay!), roughly chopped and melted METHOD 1. Pop 24 mini muffin cases on trays.  2. Combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and dark chocolate …

Mexico’s New Winter Menu

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Last week, Mexico launched their new Winter Menu… and it is full of new changes! Their new Winter Menu style includes two new sections – Mucha Carne, literally translating to ‘a lot of meat’ which includes four bigger dishes designed for sharing, including:  Agave & coffee braised pork ribs, capsicum mojo, habanero chili and agave mole; Barbacoa rubbed beef, chimichurri, crispy shallots and pickled vegetables; Guajillo chicken, pineapple salsa, candied sesame seeds and coriander; and Xocolate braised beef short rib, butternut pumpkin mojo, pink peppercorns and sango. PLUS, an all-new Sides section, designed to add a little something extra to the table. Your choice of Red Rice, Cos Salad, Broccoli Florets, Crumbed Portobello Mushrooms, Green Beans and Fried Patatas – YUM.  Mexico’s Winter Menu also features three new Frida’s Margaritas flavours – Blueberry & Lavender, Pineapple & Orange and Raspberry & Yuzu. Plus, new beers, wines, sangrias and an updated Tequila menu (with an added Mezcal section), and if you are the sober driver for the night, your choice of three new Sodas.  Between three of …

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 …

Auckland’s Best Street Food

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  I absolutely love street food. We are very lucky in Auckland as we are spoilt for choice when it comes to street food. There are many food trucks and stands offering a wide variety – think bao, dumplings, fried chicken, vegan burgers, tacos, sushi in cones, egg waffles, milk and cookies and gelato to name a few. Below, I have rounded up my favourite food trucks and food stands around Auckland, so that you can go out and enjoy them as much as I do! JUDGE BAO Back in 2015, I wrote a blog post – 5 Reasons Why I Love Judge Bao. Everything I wrote in the post remains the same – the owners, Debbie and Jamie are so down to earth, very welcoming and passionate about their product. Their bao is delicious and I enjoy trying their new creations and love seeing them at various food festivals and markets. Judge Bao make soft and fluffy Chinese steamed buns filled with mouthwatering tofu, pork belly or beef (and sometimes fish and chicken), fresh herbs …

Mexico – Britomart

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Mexico is one of my favourite eateries in Auckland, for its vibrant and fresh Mexican cuisine, extensive tequila list and super funky and delicious Frida’s margaritas.  Their menu boasts a wide range of dishes, and there is definitely something for everyone’s tastes. I also love the fact that their menu is so versatile – you can come here for margaritas and some snacks, or have a three course meal, or just order a three lots of their famous fried chicken and you will be set for the night!  Speaking of fried chicken, my favourite dish on Mexico’s menu is, and always will be, the Mexico Fried Chicken. It is spicy, served with the perfect sauces (chipotle mayo and jalapeno mayo) and I guarantee you will be licking your fingers. I even ordered it for my birthday buffet lunch last year, check it out here. Last week, Mexico launched their new Autumn menu. It is full of earthy local produce, like beetroot, celeriac, butternut pumpkin and black plums, plus there are brand new tacos, snacks, specialties and salads. Mexico …

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 …