A Summer Salad To Kick Off The New Year

So… the festive season is well and truly behind us. People are back at work, and everyone is oh-so-motivated to stick to their new Year’s Resolutions… Apart from reading more, restarting my Bachelor’s degree, and the obvious getting in ridiculous shape for the wedding, I don’t really have any other resolutions. We’re just back normal healthy eating (or trying to, at least), and with that in mind, I have a gorgeous Summer Salad for you. I got the recipe from my fiance’s cousin, who is a bit of a foodie too. This salad is such a breeze, and is quite the crowd-pleaser. And look at those colours!

Roasted Beetroot with Goat’s Cheese Salad

1. Roast Beetroot, and let cool slightly before peeling. (To roast beets, you wrap your beets in parcels of tinfoil – about three or four per parcel – place on a baking sheet, and roast at 200°C for 45mins)
2. Blanche fresh green Asparagus and Green Beans (with the ends trimmed off), in boiling salted water for about 15 seconds, and dunk in a bowl filled with ice water immediately. I then let them cool on a plate lined with paper towel.
3. Chop your cooled beets into bite-sized chunks.
4. Layer the asparagus and beans on a platter, and top with the beets. The point here is to do it neatly, so the beet juice doesn’t stain everything on the plate. It has to look pretty, you know?!
5. Sprinkle some chopped cashews and walnuts all over.
6. Break off little chunks of goat’s cheese and distribute evenly. I used a Honey Goat’s Cheese from Fairview, but you can use whatever you like. I’m sure it will work.

Now you’re done. You can serve this with a vinaigrette too, which is what I did. Here’s how to make it:

In a glass jar with a lid, add the following:

1. 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2. 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
3. 1 tsp mustard (Wholegrain or Dijon)
4. 1 tsp honey
5. Salt & Pepper
6. A tiny squeeze of lemon juice – to taste

Screw the lid on, and shake like crazy. When the dressing is emulsified, you can pour it over the salad, or serve on the side. (Although I prefer to serve it already on the salad)

And voila! Simple, easy and very tasty. The platter was empty after I took it to my mom’s place on Sunday for lunch. Now that’s a successful salad. Below is the salad with the dressing added. Doesn’t that look like health, summer and good intentions? I think so.

Hello Darkness, my old friend…

Hi friends,

I have some sad news to share. Due to financial losses, and the general downfall in the photographic industry, the company who owns the shop I manage, has decided to close my shop. I am being retrenched. As soon as possible.

I am not really sad about the shop closing, this place was sucking the life and light right out of me. Much like a Dementor. It was feeding on my happiness, my positivity. I am angry however. I am angry that they waited so long to realise that we were going down. I sent through a four page proposal with ideas and suggestions on how to possibly improve the shop’s turnover. I sent that through in JULY of last year. I sent it through TWICE. I was ignored TWICE. Gah! That infuriates me. What’s even more infuriating, what gets my blood boiling, is that the labour law in my country stipulates that when retrenchment takes place, the employee (me) must be given the opportunity to offer suggestions to the employer (them) on how to possibly avoid retrenchment. I did that. Long before the R-word was put on the table. But now, to cover his ass, the big boss “wants to know my ideas”. Can you friggin believe it? The nerve. I looked him straight in the eye and told him: “All due respect, if you were going to take my suggestions seriously, you would have done so when I sent them through last year. It’s too late now. There’s nothing to be done now.” That seemed to wipe the smug, self-satisfied smile right off his face. Mumbling about how he never got them was just the cherry on top of the self-important, egotistical, self-serving douchebag. Clearly, denial is something you learn at prick-school. I was fuming. I have to pay the price for their negligence. That’s not fair. It’s a slap in my face. I tried. They failed me. And now, I have to pick up the pieces.

What’s worse is that I am scared. Shitless. I need to find a job. Quickly. I have a mortgage. I can’t afford to be unemployed. I’ll lose everything. I am so stressed. I’m emotional. Tense and teary. Frazzled and fearful. I don’t know how I’m going to get out of this mess. Is this bad karma? Is it because I am a mean girl? Because that kinda feels like overkill for punishment, don’t you think?

I went on a interview last Friday. I don’t think it went well. I didn’t get good vibes. I did look amazing though. Dress for the job you want, right?

This is a mess.

A New Disease

I have just diagnosed myself with a brand new disease: OCDFS. It’s a serious strain of the OCD disease. It is Obsessive Compulsive Desire For Shoes. And I have got it bad. Dearie, I have got it bad. Although, I must say, mine is not limited to shoes. It’s all fashion.

But today, my compulsion is aimed at boots. Oh, the boots. If you recall, I have been searching for specific boots for ages. So yesterday, I found them, and my heart nearly stopped. I already went to fit them on, but alas, I think it looks silly. The heartache! The pain! But I will go back in my lunchtime (yes dear, I am working today) and try them on AGAIN, and send a picture of me wearing them to my trusted advisor and see what she thinks.

I will keep you posted.

On a different topic, I completely went on a food debauchery yesterday and I feel terrible. (I don’t even know if a person can write like that, there are probably a million things wrong with that sentence)  Today, I will try to eat something healthy. At least, I will try. And friends, I am happy to report to those of you who don’t know, I have officially lost 20 kilo’s! Happiness!

WaywardMom is in Egypt on business! Jetsetter! I really want to travel more, but to be quite honest, I would be content staying on one place…that place though, must be Amsterdam!

Back to obsessing over Boots. Ah, boots. Also, I kinda have a lot of work to do!

Much Love