Hashtag It’s Not Gelato: Utopia Ice Is Back In Sumner

Mandy, Sebastian, (and we can’t forget Levin!)’s astonishingly good ice-cream (not gelato) is back in Sumner. Except this time, it’s housed in the most dreamiest location ever. At 15 Wakefield Avenue you’ll find a tranquil courtyard filled with happiness. Happiness being a large wooden swing chair, flamingo cushions, strawberry plants, Belgian waffles (yes, real Belgian waffles), of course ice-cream, and much more! With 16 ever-changing flavours to choose from, Cantabrians, this is the place to spend our ever glorious upcoming summer days.

Before you ask, my favourite is dark chocolate, coconut, and cacao nibs (gf, df, V) so see you there!

Hours:
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11 to 6
Wednesday: 11 to 6
Thursday: 11 to 6
Friday: 11 to 9
Saturday: 11 to 9
Sunday: 11 to 6

Spoiler Alert: Love is worth everything, everything.

To help me cope with missing Soroosh, I started a NZ Bucket List for us to work through come June. Some of the options are luckily local and frequent. Like, the Saturday Farmers’ Market which I have always been in love with.

Nothing but organic.

My dad ordered something from the Bacon Brothers which came with a hug as well! LOL you should’ve seen his face! Such a character, this guy!

Mmmm! Remember Mandy, my ice-cream queen? Well, her and her partner don’t just make ice-cream – they make heaven: gluten-free waffles with coconut whipped cream, strawberries, roasted hazelnuts and dark chocolate drizzle.

You know you’re cheap/on-a-diet when you share one waffle between 3 hehe >.<

Sunday morning Baha’i children’s classes.

Today’s virtue was “justice”. Above, equality is demonstrated with a popcorn filled “scale”. And below, one “life-raft” for all. 
Last but not least, the rest of my brother-in-law’s grandmother’s Black Boy peaches stewed for alongside my ritual morning muesli.
Happy week y’all! <3

Seize The Moment. Remember All Those Women On The ‘Titanic’ Who Waved Off The Dessert Cart.

On the second last day of Christmas, I mean ‘The Parents Visit’ we ate. My healthy waffles (recipe HERE), my vegan thai curry (recipe HERE) and lastly, at Hokkaido (the name of the sushi train) in Tottori.

We have to remember what’s important in life:

…friends, waffles, and work. Or waffles, friends, work. But work has to come third. -Leslie Knope

SUNDAY
BRUNCH
Perhaps two of the most delicious words in history and together, saliva inducing. Today, I made healthy waffles using THIS recipe and served them with home-made apple and raspberry compote and coconut oil and honey fried bananas, yoghurt, macadamia nuts and fresh strawberries.

So, speaking of friends and waffles and waffles and friends. My dear dear friend Lifa made this absolutely gorgeous piece of art, a one-off personal chopping board for me. Which, was gifted to me by his adorable son (my valentine) straight on arrival accompanied by the cutest”I love you” I’ve evereverEVER had the pleasure of hearing. TOO CUTE. This kid is driving me insane. Friends are everything. Wow, how incredibly lucky am I? Just look at it. So pretty! Made from local Hinoki Cypress, it’s light, smooth, warm and inviting! I look forward to using it again and again and again. Thank you, Lifa.

To see more of Lifa’s artistic creations, click HERE and while you’re at it, follow his Instagram, for all things wood (not that kinda wood), Japan, and KAWAII (Oz-kun – oh and of course, his beautiful wife, Akiko-san).

compote:
3 apples, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cups raspberries
2 tbsp honey, maple or agave syrup (optional)
juice of one lemon
1 tsp cinnamon

In a large saucepan over medium heat, add apples, raspberries, honey and cinnamon, and ONE cup of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until thick. When nice and pulpy, stir in lemon juice. Can be eaten hot or cold.

fried nanas:
1 tbsp coconut oil
3-4 bananas, peeled and chopped, medium
1 tbsp honey

Melt coconut oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bananas and honey and GENTLY stir-fry until nice and yummy 3-5 minutes.

Healthy wholewheat waffles

Remember the “Sister Visit”? Well, my lovely lovely sister, who always likes and shares my blog-posts, brought over, all the way from NZ, my very abandoned yet dearly missed baby, Mr Waffle. Mr. Waffle Maker. Who this morning kindly provided me with healthy wholewheat waffles.

If you’re reading this Delaram, thank you! They were delicious and I highly recommend you (and everyone else) invest in one too (waffle maker and waffles).

1 free range egg
1 1/2 cups of your favorite milk
1 tbsp pure maple syrup (optional)
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour (or any GF flour of choice)
1/2 cup ground almonds (or other nut or seeds)
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of cinnamon

In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.

Next, stir in everything else.

Cook waffle according to waffle-maker instructions.

Serve with yogurt, fruit, maple syrup and peanut butter! OR BACON. Oh no I didn’t.

Healthy Chocolate Waffles

Everyday i’m waffling (in both senses of the word).

These waffles are super healthy (in addition to being super yum) so if your waffle maker is shit, you’re gonna be in trouble. For best results, use the non-stick variety otherwise grease your waffle-maker with a little oil.

1 free-range egg
1 ripe banana
2 tbsp raw honey
1 cup of almond milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
2 tsp baking powder

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and whizz until smooth.

Cook waffles according to the instructions of your waffle-maker.

I served ours with fresh fruit and drizzles of sunshine and by sunshine, I’m referring to sweet sweet organic honey!

Also good with nut butter or homemade nutella or both.

*dairy-free
*refined-sugar free

Healthy Waffles – Take One (Plain Batter)

So I received a super cute heart-shaped waffle maker from my sister and her fiancé for Christmas which means (just a heads up) that everything I cook for a while will be adorably dimpled. The pamphlet that accompanied the waffle maker included 4 basic recipes (plain, chocolate, buttermilk and gluten free) all of which contained large amounts of white flour, butter, margarine, eggs, cream and sugar. However; I’ve set myself the task to healthify (I know that’s not a word but it should be) each recipe by substituting most of the ingredients for “healthier” ones.

I heart my waffle-maker (see what I did there?). If I could, I’d call in sick to work and spend the rest of the day making waffles. Delaram and Andy (that’s my sister and her fiancé) if you’re reading this, TY! X

First and foremost, the “Plain Batter”:

1 free range egg
1 1/2 cups of milk (trim or almond is a good choice)
1 heaped tbsp raw honey or pure maple syrup (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 1/2 cups wholemeal flour
1/2 cup ground LSA or LSC (linseed, sunflower and almond or linseed sunflower and chia seed)
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the wet ingredients (egg, milk, honey, vanilla and coconut oil)

Stir in the dry ingredients (flour, LSA, baking powder and cinnamon)

Cook waffle according to waffle-maker instructions.

We served ours with probiotic coconut yoghurt, pure honey and fresh raspberries straight from the orchard (oh mama!).

*dairy-free
*refined-sugar free
*100% delicious