bbq

Welcome To The Good Life

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Nestle rules Spain. Kind of sad because I hear they exploit child workers.
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Wholegrain Special K with wild fruit picked by little hands.
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A traditional convenience store.
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And I thought Japan had strange vending machines…This thing makes fresh orange juice!
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Okay, things just got weirder! This one’s for fresh milk :O
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What did I say? The good life.
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Went for a bicycle ride with Jose and the kids and stumbled upon fresh grapes (white and black).
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On the way home, we visited their elderly neighbour, a sweet woman in a floral dress, to ask for parsley for a dish we were to prepare later. When I casually told Jose her house smelt delicious, he asked her what she was having for lunch that day to which she did this:
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I still can’t believe how much fresh, organic and FREE fruit there is in Europe. So, our favorite activity (and by that, I mean MY favorite activity) is sourcing and eating it.
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Tonight we were invited to a typical summertime Spanish BBQ AKA pork fest. I made this vegan platter (hehe). #changingtheworldonevegetabledishatatime.
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Boys (and girls) and BBQ

At home, I eat mostly vegan/vegetarian. With my Japanese friends, I’m sorta obliged to eat meat because I don’t want to offend them when they have placed much care and time in either taking me to a favorite restaurant or preparing me a special dish. There, I suck it up like a big girl and wash it down with a kale smoothie, later. I’m serious. However; I don’t mind eating locally hunted deer. This is because, in the countryside, there are SO many of them and they often get themselves killed or kill people through severe road accidents. They just run everywhere. Venison is pretty lean and has very little fat to it. I enjoy the taste. Last night, the boys cooked the girls (Aki and I) a delicious BBQ and we loved it. I made a platter featuring hummus (recipe HERE) organic veggies, nuts, blue-cheese, olives, crackers, prosciutto wrapped bread-sticks and chia-seed corn-chips. My super talented friend, Lifa (the Israeli wood-worker) made his beautiful wife a gorgeous grocery box and for the our BBQ, a chimney coal starter.

For more of  his work check out his dope Instagram HERE. image
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pesto orzo salad aka the crowd pleaser

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Apparently it’s supposed to be Autumn in NZ? Well, the sun’s out and t’s scorching hot but I ain’t complaining. Especially as I keep getting invited to BBQs! So tonight I made this epic salad which, from previous experience, I can guarantee is a crowd pleaser! Also, I would like to encourage you all to take more vege options to BBQs!! Vegetarians are already frowned upon/teased/disliked in general (sad but true) so show them and your own body some love by taking a healthier meat-free dish to your next potluck! X

I made a massive salad probably enough to feed 5 or 6 people so feel free to halve the ingredients! In saying that, I like to add lots of veggies, more so in proportion to the orzo as I feel that that way, the dish becomes not only healthier but tastier too!

1 500g packet of organic whole wheat orzo
1 500g packet of frozen baby peas
2 punnet cherry tomatoes (halved)
1 cup basil pesto
1 cup pitted kalamata olives (halved)
1 cup crumbed feta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Leave the peas on the kitchen counter to thaw – note: if not thawed completely it does not matter at all!

Cook the orzo as per packet instructions.

Drain orzo, rinse and set aside to cool.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix evenly with a spoon.

**do not cook the peas, add them in frozen, this is what makes this dish so delicious!

Taste and further season if needed!

Refrigerate before nom nom X