It's easy to create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise

NOLA Mayonnaise blog drop

A firm staple in our house is mayonnaise. It can be used in so many dishes, from savoury to sweet. In my pre-vegetarian days I used to make a mean chicken dish with mayonnaise that I could just pop into the oven. I now have a standard potato dish recipe with mayonnaise that gives an extra luxury to traditional baked potatoes.

NOLA Mayonnaise partnered with local foodie Sithembiso Ndashe (Ndash), who has some modern day twists to popular Mzansi recipes.

See below how you can create a stir with NOLA Mayonnaise.

Vampirina Party recipe - Chef Remy's bread bones and Pea dip

Vampirina Party

We got a Disney Vampirina party bag as a reminder of the new episodes of Vampirina on Disney Junior. Have you seen them yet? It's all about friendship, respect, tolerance and finding your place in the world.

The Vampirina Party bag came with a few party suggestions, and we decided to make Chef Remy's Bread Bones and Pea Dip as a party snack for guests on Saturday. It was also a great way to take a breather from the mid-year exams.

It's an easy recipe, and the kids will love helping make the bread bones. We did our own take on it, but we are posting the original recipe at the bottom.

Lazy evening dinner with Big Korn Bites

Big Korn Bites bags - recipe

Last night was one of those nights. The week is far too long, the energy is low, and the inspiration even less. Luckily we remembered about Miss Fine's camping trip where they had an easy dinner with packets of chips and chicken nuggets. She was in charge of the instructions last night.

The best butternut fritters recipe

Butternut fritters

The most tasty butternut fritters ever! I have found it! There is something about the taste of a sweet accompaniment to a Sunday meal that makes us salivate every time. That something is butternut fritters. I always tried to replicate it, but up until now my Kook en Geniet (the original Afrikaans food recipe book) did not have the best recipe. And I failed to successfully make it try after try. (Maybe it's just me?)

I found My Gran's Pumpkin Fritters / Pampoenkoekies recipe while searching yet again for that elusive perfect recipe.

This one worked. Of course I swapped a few things, but this recipe is a keeper. I did not make the sauce, as I wanted the fritters for the main meal, and not a dessert. Check out the original one for the sauce and if you want to make dessert.

Butternut Fritters

 (For a family of 6)

Ingredients

• 3 cups butternut cooked and slightly mashed, but not too much
• 3 cups flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar 
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• pinch of salt
• oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients and mix until you have a batter. There must still be a bit of butternut visible, not totally pureed.

2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and fry spoonfuls of the batter until golden brown and cooked throughout, approximately 2-3 minutes.

3. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on kitchen paper.

4. Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and sugar on top of the fritters.

5. Serve with your main meal.


They are delicious. They are even better today in our lunchboxes.
I am sure the sauce from the original recipe is great. Let me know when you make it?
I will also make this one again!

Meat-free Monday win - Quinoa Salad

Quinoa salad with chickpeas

Mondays are the worst with trying to conjure up easy and filling dinner ideas. One of us comes late with a hungry Miss in tow. This past Monday it was my turn to make dinner. A friend of mine made this quinoa salad at a braai (barbecue) a while ago, and it is simply delicious. I did not have all the ingredients that the recipe suggested, but it worked just as fine.

Recipe for easy Quinoa Salad

Tomato and Baby Marrow Tian - All Gold recipe

Baby marrows with All Gold Whole Peeled Tomatoes

I am always in search of a twist on a vegetarian dish. We bought a box full of extra large baby marrows the previous week, and it had to eaten before it got wasted! I found this on the All Gold website. I adjusted it according to our own ingredients.

Easy Black Bean Vegetarian Burger

It is Friday, and Friday is braai day with hamburgers! (Braai = barbecue in South Africa)
In my vegetarian adventures I have tried all the packet versions of vegetarian hamburger patties out there. Not only does it taste like carton, but my dietitian says they are very unhealthy and very fatty! It is not good for any diet!
I also get tired of mushrooms and eggplants as the go-to meal replacements for meat.

Google is such a great recipe book. Nowadays you list the ingredients that you have, and Voila! You've got tons of suggestions. The All Recipes Homemade Black Bean Veggie Burgers jumped out when I did a search for black bean burgers, and here is my take on it!