All posts tagged: healthy

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 …

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 …

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 …

Gold Coast Eats

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If you are looking for a short, relaxing break, then I highly recommend the Gold Coast. There are beautiful beaches, shopping, and of course, many places to eat and drink. The last time I visited the Gold Coast was 6 years ago, before my obsession with food started, before I even had Instagram or my blog. On that trip, we enjoyed going to the theme parks and beaches. Fast forward to this year, I have made a few trips to the Gold Coast – mainly to relax, try out the food scene and for the first time, visit Byron Bay and the surrounds. Below, I list my favourite eats in the Gold Coast and beyond. I have listed them by area, so it makes it easier for you when you visit the Gold Coast! Enjoy! Main Beach Local & Co First things first, BEST Nutella Thickshakes EVER!!! Secondly, after reading great reviews on TripAdvisor and the fact that Local & Co was just round the corner from where we were staying in the Gold Coast, …

UberEATS app

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Imagine this. It’s Friday night, you are home from work and don’t feel like cooking. You also don’t feel like driving all the way across town to pick up your favourite takeaway. So, what’s the solution? The UberEATS app of course! The UberEATS App allows you to order your favourite dishes online from over 100 participating eateries, which are then delivered straight to your door. Think bagels, bao, gourmet burgers, salads, gelato, sushi, fried chicken, curry… even a warming bowl of noodle soup. I love the UberEATS app for its simplicity and ease of ordering food – simply download the UberEATS app on your phone (for both iOS and Android), login with your same Uber account details, put in your address, and a list of eateries within your delivery zone will show up. Delivery is available between 8am to 10pm, meaning you can order your day’s breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Some of my preferred eateries are not within walking distance to where I live and work, so it is super handy having the UberEATS …

Harraways Spiced Unbaked Oats and Seed Slice + WIN

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Harraways are celebrating their 150th birthday! The iconic New Zealand brand has been providing us with delicious oats since 1867, with the company still operating from its original site in Green Island, near Dunedin – WOW! As part of their milestone birthday, Harraways have released two Celebration packs: Chia, Coconut & Cranberry Celebration, and Birthday Berry Bonanza. These celebration packs come with free collectables – ‘Harry’ Scottish Terrier magnets and colour changing spoons. I love Harraways oats because they are so versatile and can be used in many ways. I have porridge for breakfast, which is simple, yet filling, I use their oats in smoothies, in desserts (I love making feijoa crumble at this time of year) and my favourite, in baking. While I usually use oats for making Anzac biscuits, cookies or pancakes, I was intrigued to try making a slice this time round! Check out the recipe for Harraways Spiced Unbaked Oats and Seed Slice below: Spiced Unbaked Oats & Seeds Slice Makes 20 bars INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup Coconut Oil 1/4 cup Liquid Honey 1/3 teaspoon Idodised Salt 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1/2 teaspoon …

Major Sprout

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If you are looking for the perfect inner city breakfast spot, then Major Sprout may just be the best choice. It ticks all the boxes – delicious food, great coffee and efficient service. Major Sprout is owned by David Lee, who also runs the popular eateries Dear Jervois in Herne Bay and Little King in Milford. I admit, Major Sprout opened in November 2015… so I am a bit late to the party. But it was definitely worth the wait, especially for their famous and Insta-worthy buttermilk pancakes. We visited Major Sprout last weekend for breakfast. The cafe is tucked down Graham Street, just up the road from Victoria Park. Inside, the fit out is modern, light and airy, with greenery in every corner and plenty of seating options. We arrived quite early (8.30am) so there was no need to make a reservation, but any later, I would definitely recommend booking a table. To start, I enjoyed a Mocha (using Flight Coffee), which was the perfect temperature, creamy and gone in a flash. My sister also loved their Turmeric Latte. If …