There is nothing more fulfilling than what I do.
Being a chef.
It’s everything to me.
It’s my driving force.
It gives me an incredible amount of joy.
It’s passionate and intense.
It’s absolutely all that counts.
❤️🍴
Month: January 2015
What’s for lunch?
One of the family members I work for is a vegetarian. She’s been one since birth.
So as a chef, this pushes me to major limits.
I need to be inventive without being repetitive and still make something that will appeal to her when she sits down to eat.
I experiment with loads of alternate proteins and have really tried to be more open minded and not just give her tomato pasta.
I have also noted (with some of her venting) that loads of restaurants and establishments are still very limited to what they offer on their menus for vegetarians.
It’s standard – tomato, pasta, stir fry, gnocchi. If all else fails, you can order a salad, which is also very limited in options.
I think, if I go out, I can be a fussy eater and no one will bat an eyelid because I’m a “meat eater” and I asked for medium rare and you gave me medium. But why do vegetarians have such bad reps?
❤️🍴
Picture – quinoa, fresh kale, carrots, cucumber, olives, tomatoes, portabellini mushrooms and my all time favourite kale pesto.
Sundaze
Because Sunday
Stay in bed
Breakfast
Coffee
Newspapers
Read books
Eat bacon
Walk the dog
Have a picnic
Croissants
Drink tea
Cake
Hug a loved one
More cake
Make dinner
Write a letter
Turn off your phone
Listen
Be still
Because Sunday
❤️🍴
Lazy mornings filled with cravings
Weekend, lazy days.
The joy of sleeping late, or waking early and staying in bed. Coffee and something toasted (PASTRIES PLEASE) with melted cheese and all things that are bad.
I don’t deprive myself of “evil” foods.
If I’m craving something, I eat it.
I know myself, if I don’t eat it, I’ll snack on anything and everything in sight to try and calm the urge, but it doesn’t work…so just give me the melted cheese please!
But my biggest cravings round up to the food I grew up on…..my moms crumbed chicken can make me cry, my aunt makes a mean spaghetti bolognaise and my uncle rocks in the curry department, my dads stirfries are heavenly and let’s not forget about an aunt of mine who makes a killer potato bake (I tend to eat this out of a bowl….warm or cold! Who cares!) and don’t get me started on the one who makes the masala chicken!!!
When you move out the house or are away from home, being welcomed back with a cooked meal means everything.
Being woken up in bed by your dad on a Sunday with a cup of coffee and a warm “koeksuster” (these deep fried bits of dough, drenched in an aromatic syrup and covered in coconut : which I shouldn’t eat. 🙈) – can make those extra few minutes spent in bed even more luxurious. (Overkill?) Ha!!!!
Nothing beats home cooking, and all the indulgence that comes with it, especially on those lazy lazy LAZY days, when all you do is eat!
❤️🍴
Love what you do
It is an old saying and most preach it everyday, because its absolutely vital to love what you do.
When you have to wake up with the dreadful notion of getting to work, then you might as well stay under the covers and call in sick.
I am blessed to be working for an amazing family in Johannesburg, as their chef.
Most of the food that I post to my Instagram account (@foodbyjill) and to this blog are actually their meals! Breakfasts, lunches, dinners and maybe some snacks in between.
I am fortunate enough to be given the time during the day to experiment with countless things, and they are obviously the ones that benefit from this!
They have been really supportive of me using their space to capture all the yummy amazing’ness for my blog, and I am ridiculously grateful for that!
Thank you for always reminding me to take photos, for your patience when I take the plate away to actually capture the picture and for pushing me out of my comfort zone (all the cakes) ha!
❤️🍴
Put your pesto forward
After my post about how good and amazing kale is for you, here’s a quick sticks recipe for a kale pesto!!!
10 kale leaves (stalks trimmed)
1 half bulb of garlic, peeled (very good for you)
1 cup of vegetarian friendly Parmesan
1 half cup of roasted almonds (I tend not to use pine nuts as it has an overpowering taste!)
About 1 and a half cups of really good extra virgin olive oil (more or less depending on how thing you want your pesto)
1 tablespoon each of salt and pepper
Blend the oil, garlic, salt, pepper, nuts and Parmesan
Add kale leaves one at a time and keep blending until you have your desired pesto consistency! Also check for more seasoning if needed!
USE IT ON ANYTHING
❤️🍴
What’s the story morning glory?
The inevitable morning.
Last night I had 5 hours and 20 minutes of sound sleep. Well done Jill!
Thanks to my new Jawbone, I’m trying to track my life….or at least my healthy habits….like steps taken daily and the amount of sleep I get every night!
I tend to get into bed and read…read and read! I love getting lost in a novel, to the detriment of my sleep and wake up feeling groggy and disorientated!
On the flip side, I love eating, and enjoy having breakfast, although most times its done in a panic of a whirlwind rush.
On less crazy days…….rye bread…fairly good and a better option than most, avocado…good fats, although you should only really have 1/8 of a single one. Some yummy low fat cream cheese, loads of fresh lemon juice, black pepper and fresh tomato.
Indulgence. ❤️🍴
To kale or not to kale?
I have come to love Kale.
It’s a type of wild cabbage.
It’s amazingly good for you.
It’s one of those Super foods that are ridiculously versatile. Think pesto, stir fry, wraps, curry, juice, smoothies, pastas and pastes.
Some of the scientific facts (as one does)
Low in calories, high in fiber and has ZERO fat content…..hellllllooooo!!!
It’s also rich in iron, vitamin K, A and C……is filled with powerful antioxidants………………high in Omega 3, helps keep cholesterol levels down, it also ranks high in the calcium department, AND it’s very good if you are detoxing, or just part of your green juice squeeze!
❤️🍴
Cofffffffffeeeeeee!
What’s your morning “pick me up?”
So after the “importance of breakfast” post yesterday and all the trends that we are currently following, coffee is still a staple for most of us!
Be it tall, short, long, grande, skinny, soy, latte, flat, white or black, we all tend to be driven by this dark, aromatic and intoxicating elixir.
I mean, the smell, the taste, that first sigh of contentment, can’t be beat!
In bed, on the run, at the table……….cooooooffffffeeeeee please!!!!!!!!!
❤️🍴
Popstars
Not of the Britney Spears variety, I’m talking about POPCORN! A star in its own right, it probably evokes memories of your favorite movie cinema visit, or just those Sunday evenings when Carte Blanche signals the end of the weekend for the kids, and movie time for the adults!
The microwave variety has a huge following, but with all the processed salt and other ingredients, it’s not really the best option for you.
Popping your own, with the help of the other star ingredient – coconut oil – makes a PERFECT snack for all!
Scoop about three tablespoons of coconut oil into a pot, turn up the heat and let that melt, then cover with popcorn kernels and wait for the magic to happen! ❤️🍴
food by jill 