Markus Andrews

More stories

  • 150 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    All The Vegan Kits, Meals And Guides To Help You Go Vegan

    These genius boxes, guides and meals take the guesswork out of going vegan and deliver delicious, nutritious meal ideas that’ll keep you going from Veganuary into infinity. Being vegan has seriously never been *this* easy.

    ProVeg Vegan App

    Wanting to go vegan? Try signing up for the ProVeg Veggie Challenge for one month. With their app, you can access easy-to-make recipes that’ll make your transition so much smoother.

    The Deli Basic Vegan box, R450

    Stock up on the essentials with this basic pantry box, containing the vegan Holy Grail: nutritional yeast, which mimics the flavour of cheese.

    READ MORE: 5 Vegan Breakfast Recipes To Help You Ace Veganuary

    The South African Vegan Cookbook, R305

    Eating oats every day? Mix things up with this essential cookbook, containing South African products in their recipes, no foreign or hard-to-find ingredients.

    Plated Convenience 7-Day Starter Pack, R1183

    If you’re wanting to eat plant-based but aren’t sure of meals (or are short on cooking time), simply try the Plated Convenience box, which comes with seven days of frozen meals you just need to pop out and heat. Zero brain cells necessary.

    READ MORE: 6 Weight Loss Strategies That’ll Get You Closer To Your #BodyGoals

    Fit Food4U 21-Day Vegan Package, R1,319.88

    Get meals for 21 days (that’s basically your entire vegan month). They’re all vegan and nutritious, so you can focus less on what to cook and more on how good it feels to be vegan.

    READ MORE: All The Things To Braai This Public Holiday If You’re Vegan

    UCook Veggie Meal Kits

    Trying to cook more? Try these ready-to-go cooking kits, with everything you need to make smashing vegan meals. You’ll learn new recipes to try later on, too.

    Dinnerbox Vegan Box, R945 for 10 meals

    Another ready-to-heat-and-eat meal box that’s totally vegan! Plus, with every purchase, you get four free soups. More

  • 113 Shares

    in fitness and body

    Get Strong, Shapely Legs With This Do-Anywhere Leg Workout

    These moves, forming part of a killer leg workout, works *hard* to build lean muscle and firm those legs fast.
    The explosive moves (plyometrics) in this leg workout increase strength and help your body absorb impact to prevent injuries, says Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance in Florida.
    Warm up for 10 minutes and do two sets of eight reps twice a week. Or, slot them into your regular workout and witness the burn in your glutes, core and quads.
    Vertical Jumps
    Level: ModerateStand with your legs shoulder-width apart and your arms slightly in front of you. Squat down about 45 degrees and jump up as high as you can. Land on the balls of your feet, but make sure your whole foot touches the ground before repeating immediately.
    READ MORE: 4 Postpartum Exercises That’ll Give You A Tighter Core
    Long Jumps
    Level: AdvancedStand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Get into a quarter squat and immediately jump forward as far and as high as you can. Bring your arms in front for balance as you jump. For a more challenging move, jump forward over obstacles like cones or sticks.
    READ MORE: 6 Dance Fitness Lessons From The Fitness Marshall
    Lateral Obstacle Jumps
    Level: OlympianStand next to a step or cone with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands in front of you for balance. Get into a quarter squat and jump as high as you can laterally over the obstacle, landing on both feet. As soon as you touch the floor, jump back the other way.
    READ MORE: This 4-Week Bodyweight Challenge Is The Ultimate New Year Workout Plan More

  • 125 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    3 No-Cook Lunch Recipes That Go WAY Beyond The Sandwich

    Load shedding starts and hunger strikes! Within a few minutes of browsing foodie videos on Instagram and TikTok; Grrrrr; your hunger pains elevate. These quick and easy lunch recipes will fuel you up in a jiffy and you don’t even have to cook anything.

    Try these delicious and nutritious no-cook recipes:

    Roast Beef Salad

    Serves 4

    Time: 15-minutes

    What You Need

    2 small heads butter lettuce, torn into pieces

    35 grams sliced roast beef

    1 large tomato, cut into wedges

    1/2 red onion, sliced

    110 grams of soft goats cheese, crumbled

    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

    2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

    Salt and black pepper

    Method

    Divide the lettuce, roast beef, tomato, onion, and goat cheese among bowls. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

    Drizzle over the salad.

    Click here for more info

    READ MORE: Exactly How To Make The Perfect Pizza On The Braai

    Gazpacho Chicken Salad

    What You Need

    1 cucumber

    4 cups shredded chicken (buy a ready-cooked chicken)

    2 chopped peaches

    2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

    1 yellow bell pepper

    ½ cup diced red onion

    1 cup feta

    Dressing

    1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

    2/3 cup fresh basil

    2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

    1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

    Method

    Slice cucumber into long strips with a peeler; squeeze out excess water.

    Toss with shredded chicken, peaches, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper and red onion feta.

    Chill mixture. Serve on a bed of greens.

    Drizzle with dressing.

    READ MORE: 3 Healthy Braai Recipes For An Outdoor Summer Feast

    Fresh Spring Rolls

    What You Need

    1 large garlic clove, smashed

    1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar

    1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste

    2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

    2 tablespoons fish sauce

    1/4 cup chopped coriander

    1/4 cup chopped mint

    1/3 cup mayonnaise

    4 cups coleslaw mix

    2 cups of either shredded roast chicken, ready-cooked prawns or tuna depending on your preference.

    24 rice paper wrappers

    Method

    In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with the brown sugar and green curry paste.

    Add the lime juice, fish sauce and three tablespoons of water. Stir in half of the coriander and mint.

    In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with one tablespoon of the green curry dipping sauce. In a large bowl, toss the coleslaw mix with the roast beef and the remaining cilantro and mint.

    Fill a pie plate with warm water. Dip two or three rice paper wrappers at a time in the water, then set them on a work surface to soften, for about one minute.

    Spread a scant teaspoon of the curry mayonnaise on the bottom third of each wrapper and top with a scant three tablespoons of the filling you’ve chosen (tuna etc.).

    Roll the wrappers into tight cylinders, tucking in the sides as you go.

    Transfer the rolls to a plastic wrap-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining wrappers, curry mayonnaise and filling.

    Just before serving, cut each roll in half and serve with the dipping sauce. More

  • 138 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    This Simple Freezer-Friendly Pulled Pork Tortilla Recipe Is Perfect For Meal Prep

    Listen, we love pulled jackfruit and shredded chicken as much as the next person, but we all know pulled pork is the real deal. It takes so well to flavour and is sticky, sweet and succulent. That’s why we’re sharing this pulled pork tortilla recipe from Ilse van Der Merwe’s cookbook Simply Seasonal.

    It works great as a meal for friends (it makes at least 6 servings), or you can meal prep it for the week ahead. “I always double the recipe for the rub, meat and sauce, because pulled pork freezes exceptionally well and is a fabulous quick-fix filler for rolls, sandwiches etc,” says van der Merwe.

    READ MORE: Exactly How To Make The Perfect Pizza On The Braai

    And the best part is you don’t need to be a braai master to master this meat. No smoker? This tender and sticky recipe is adapted so that anyone can make it in a regular oven (using a good quality cast-iron pot).

    It is intended to be deliciously messy, so embrace this pulled pork tortilla recipe, eat with your hands and lick your fingers.

    Oven-Braised BBQ Pulled Pork Tortilla Recipe

    Ingredients

    Barbecue Rub

    30ml Soft brown sugar

    15ml Salt

    15ml Smoked paprika

    5ml Ground cumin

    2.5ml Ground black pepper

    Pork & Barbecue Sauce (recipe can easily be doubled)

    2kg Boneless pork shoulder, cut into 5–6 large chunks

    45ml Olive oil

    1 Bottle lager beer (or apple cider)

    125ml Tomato sauce

    45ml Apple cider vinegar

    45ml Dijon mustard

    10ml Brown sugar

    15ml Worcestershire sauce

    15ml soy sauce

    2 Cloves garlic, finely grated

    8–12 Toasted flour or corn tortillas

    To Serve

    Sour cream (or mayonnaise)

    Tomato salsa and/or cabbage slaw

    Sliced red onion, fresh coriander

    Salt and pepper, to taste

    READ MORE: 10 Healthy Summer Recipes You Can Make In Under 20 Minutes

    Directions

    For the rub, mix all the ingredients together in a wide mixing bowl. Now add the pork chunks and toss to coat all over, rubbing the mixture into the meat. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge, if you have the time, or continue straight on.

    Preheat the oven to 150°C. In a large cast-iron pot (try use a 31cm oval Le Creuset casserole for the doubled recipe) over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Working in batches, add the rubbed pork and sear on all sides (remember there’s sugar in the spice mix, so it will tend to burn quickly – watch carefully).

    Place all the meat back in the pot, add the beer and cover with a lid. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 3 hours, then remove the lid and cook for another hour, or until the pork is very tender and pulls apart easily. Remove from the oven, transfer the meat to a clean bowl and let it rest while you prepare the sauce in the used pot with drippings.

    To make the BBQ sauce, add the tomato sauce or ketchup, vinegar, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and garlic to the pot with the remaining drippings and stir well. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes over medium heat, scraping the bottom and sides to incorporate all the dark roasted bits, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

    Now shred the rested pork using two forks. Toss the shredded meat with about half the barbecue sauce (or more if you want). Serve warm with freshly toasted tortillas, sour cream or mayonnaise, salsa and/or cabbage slaw, red onion, coriander and some extra BBQ sauce on the side. More

  • 175 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    These 13 Simple Mocktails Are So Good, You’ll Make Them Long After Dry January

    Like it or not, alcohol is a major part of our daily lives. People enjoy wine with dinner, grab drinks with friends or co-workers after a long week, and raise glasses of Champagne to toast newlyweds. And while consumption in moderation (especially of wine) can offer a few benefits (it has antioxidants), too much alcohol can seriously put a wrench in your healthy-living goals. Enter mocktail recipes.

    For those of us looking to drink less booze, the non-alcoholic drink options out there aren’t exactly exciting. And they don’t quite serve the same purpose that many alcoholic drinks can when it comes to elevating your food. After all, nothing quite goes with steak quite like red wine, or pretzels with beer.

    That’s why we found 13 amazing non-alcoholic mocktail recipes that will work with your own cooking. These mocktail recipes are easy to make, delicious, and aren’t just juice.

    READ MORE: What Is Dry January — And What Are The Health Benefits? Experts Weigh In

    1. Lemongrass Iced Tea

    Cals 24 | Fat 0G | Carbs 6G | Protein 0G | Serves 6

    Ingredients:

    3 Lemongrass stalks

    6 Green teabags

    2 Tbsp Honey

    Ice

    6 Sprigs of mint, plus extra, to serve

    Directions

    Halve the lemongrass stalks lengthwise, then smash with the back of a knife (careful, now).

    Pop them in a pan, add 1.4l water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins.

    Take off the heat, add the tea bags and honey, and allow to brew for 5 mins.

    Strain into a jug and stir in 470ml of cold water. Serve over ice with mint. Zing.

    2. Rosemarie Pear Spritzer

    This pear variety is native to SA. Yay!

    Cals 169 | Fat 0G | Carbs 41G | Protein 0G | Serves 2

    Ingredients:

    65g Sugar

    1 Vanilla pod

    5 Cardamom pods

    2 Ripe Rosemarie pears

    6 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

    Ice

    Sparkling water

    Directions:

    In a saucepan, bring the sugar, vanilla, cardamom and 125ml of water to a boil.

    Cut a few pear slices for garnish and roughly chop the rest; add to the pot.

    Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 mins, then let it stand for 30 mins.

    Strain, then stir in the apple cider vinegar. Pop in the fridge to cool.

    Line 2 glasses with the pear slices, add ice and divvy up the mixture. Top with sparkling water.

    3. Cherry Crush

    Cals 119 | Fat 0G | Carbs 30G | Protein 1G | Serves 6

    Ingredients:

    50g Sugar

    4 Cloves

    1 Star anise

    3cm Piece of ginger, sliced

    1l Cherry juice

    Crushed ice, to serve

    Directions:

    Pour 125ml water and the sugar into a saucepan.

    Stir in the cloves, star anise and the ginger, bringing gently to a boil.

    Reduce the heat and simmer (refrain from stirring) until the sugar dissolves – it should take about 3 to 4 mins.

    Once cool, strain the syrup into a jug and stir in the cherry juice. Fill your glasses with crushed ice and pour in your cocktail. Berry nice.

    4. Tangerine Sour

    Cals 74 | Fat 0.5G | Carbs 16G | Protein 2G | Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    125ml Naartjie juice (you’ll need about 6 naartjies) plus some peel to garnish

    1 tbsp Lemon juice

    1/2 tsp Real maple syrup

    1 tbsp Egg white

    3 Dashes orange bitters

    Ice

    Directions:

    Pop all the ingredients except the peel in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously (see, that hen do cocktail-making class wasn’t a complete waste of time) for 1 min.

    Pour over ice and garnish with a sliver of naartjie peel. Voila.

    5. Green Mary

    Cals 75 | Fat 1G | Carbs 17G | Protein 2G | Serves 6

    Ingredients:

    225g Tomatillos, husked (Can’t find them? Use green tomatoes or unripe red tomatoes with a squeeze of lime)

    1 Cucumber, peeled and chopped

    4 Stalks celery, chopped

    50g Fresh coriander

    1 Jalapeño chilli, deseeded

    115ml Lime juice

    30g Fresh horseradish, squeezed of excess moisture

    2 Tbsp Peppadew brine

    1 tsp Green Tabasco

    ¼ tsp Salt

    ½ tsp Pepper

    Ice

    Celery, to garnish

    Pepperoncini or jalapeño, to garnish

    Aleppo pepper, to garnish

    Directions:

    Pop the tomatillos or tomatoes, cucumber, celery, coriander, jalapeño and lime juice in a blender and whizz until smooth (about 1 min). Strain through a medium-mesh sieve into a measuring jug, pressing to extract as much juice as possible.

    Next, whisk in the horseradish, Peppadew brine, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

    Serve over ice, garnished with celery and pepperoncini or jalapeño, in a glass rimmed with Aleppo pepper for max presentation points.

    READ MORE: 10 Healthy Summer Recipes You Can Make In Under 20 Minutes

    6. Guava Margarita

    Cals 78 | Fat 0G | Carbs 20G | Protein 1G | Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    Ice

    115g Guava nectar

    3 Tbsp Orange juice

    2 Tbsp Lime juice

    Salt

    Lime wedge, to garnish

    Directions:

    Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add the guava nectar and the juices and shake it like a Polaroid picture. Don’t have a cocktail shaker? Just chuck everything in a blender for a frozen version. (Don’t have a blender? Haai shame.)

    Strain into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice. Serve with a slice of lime, as fancy as you like.

    7. Ginger Hibiscus Spritzer

    Cals 23 | Fat 0G | Carbs 6G | Protein 0G | Serves 8

    Ingredients:

    5cm Piece of ginger, sliced

    6 Tbsp Dried hibiscus flowers

    3 Tbsp Agave syrup

    Ice

    Sparkling water

    Directions:

    Bring, the ginger, hibiscus, agave and 240ml water to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 mins.

    Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 mins before straining into a jug and stirring in 480ml of cold water.

    Pour a few tablespoons into each glass and top with sparking water or PURA Soda Cranberry. It’s low in sugar, natural and colourant free.

    8. So-Cal Mule

    Sylvie Gabriele, owner of Love and Salt, in Los Angeles created this mocktail recipe that pairs best with fish. | Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    80ml sparkling lemonade

    60ml pear juice

    20ml fresh lime juice

    20ml maple syrup

    Directions:

    In a highball glass, combine limeade, juices, and maple syrup and stir.

    Add ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

    9. Ginger Fizz

    This mocktail recipe created by Sylvie Gabriele pairs best with chicken. | Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    1/2 tsp grated ginger

    2 thin slices fresh mango

    60ml mango juice

    120ml ginger beer

    Directions:

    In a tall glass, muddle ginger and mango slices.

    Add mango juice and ginger beer and stir.

    Add ice and garnish with a slice of lime.

    10. Sparkling Tart Apple

    Another Sylvie Gabriele creation. This one pairs best with steak. | Serves 1

    Ingredients:

    150ml sparkling apple-grape juice

    1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

    Directions:

    Pour juice into a wine glass and add vinegar.

    Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

    READ MORE: Try This Trendy And Delicious Vegetarian Orzo Pasta Recipe Now

    11. Lyre’s Penicillin

    A modern classic with warm, soothing flavours of honey, citrus, ginger, and Lyre’s American Malt.

    Ingredients:

    Directions:

    Shake briefly with ice.

    Strain over large ice cubes and serve in an old-fashioned glass.

    12. Lyre’s Amalfi Spritz

    A tall refreshing, slightly citrusy beverage is perfect for those warm summer nights.

    Ingredients:

    Directions:

    Add all ingredients in a glass.

    Stir and fill with fresh cubed ice.

    Serve in a large or stemless wine glass.

    13. Lyre’s Mojito

    What’s not to love about a classic mojito? Serve in a highball glass with a lime wheel and mint sprig.

    Ingredients:

    Directions:

    Add all ingredients into the glass.

    Fill with fresh ice cubes and stir.

    Add soda and garnish.

    Text: Jessie Van Amburg, Isobel Bridge and Trish Clasen | Photography: Chelsie Craig, Getty Images/iStockphoto | Food Styling: Rebecca Jurkevich More

  • 113 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    5 Vegan Breakfast Recipes To Help You Ace Veganuary

    Looking for plant-based recipes for Veganuary that are more inspiring than a banana smoothie? If you feel that your vegan breakfasts are getting samey-samey, shake things up with these nutrient-packed, filling recipes to fuel you for the day ahead.
    These vegan recipes are courtesy of healthy foodie Alice Liveing and appear in our bonus book special: Little Book Of Breakfasts: 33 Recipes To Energise You For The Day Ahead.
    1. Spicy butter beans on sourdough

    This vegan recipe can be made gluten-free too if you swap the bread for a gluten-free bread of your choice.

    Ingredients

    Glug of olive oil
    1 shallot, finely chopped
    small garlic clove, crushed
    1⁄2 tsp smoked paprika
    200g tin of butter beans, rinsed
    200g tin of chopped tomatoes
    salt and pepper
    1 slice of sourdough

    Method

    Add the olive oil to a saucepan, then throw in the shallot and garlic, along with half a tablespoon of water and the smoked paprika and leave to sweat for a few mins.
    Next, add the butter beans and chopped tomatoes and leave to simmer on a low heat for around 20 mins, seasoning as desired. While that’s doing its thing, toast the sourdough. Serve the beans on toast and dig in.

    2. Cinnamon oats with stewed apple

    We love powering up our oats with extra fruit, like bananas, berries and stone fruit. Think of this as a healthy apple crumble breakfast.

    Ingredients

    1 small apple, cut into chunks
    1 tsp ground cinnamon
    50g whole rolled oats
    1 tbsp chopped dates
    1 tsp mixed seeds
    almond milk, to cover

    Method

    Begin by throwing the apple chunks into a saucepan with two tablespoons of water, along with the cinnamon, and gently simmer with the lid on for 3 to 5 mins.
    Leave them until softened, then add the oats, dates, and seeds and cover with almond milk. Cook this through until gently simmering, then serve and tuck in.

    READ MORE: 14 Of The Best Vegan Protein Sources

    3. Smashed avocado and mushrooms with vegan pesto

    You can get ready-made vegan basil pest from Princess Pesto

    Ingredients 

    2 tbsp olive oil
    200g mushrooms, sliced
    1⁄2 avocado
    1 slice of sourdough, toasted
    1 tbsp pesto
    salt and pepper

    Method

    Begin by adding one tablespoon of olive oil to a frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until slightly browned and cooked through.
    Mash the avocado and spread it over the sourdough toast.
    Combine the pesto with the remainder of the olive oil, then place the mushrooms on top of the avocado toast, followed by a good drizzle of your pesto sauce. Season and chow down.

    READ MORE: How To Make A Vegan Bolognese… With A Twist

    4. Vegan strawberry smoothie bowl

    Freezing berries (and other fruit, like bananas, mango, melon, pineapple) is a great way to always have these nutrient-packed powerhouses at hand.

    Ingredients

    6 large strawberries
    65g oats
    200ml oat milk
    100g frozen raspberries
    3 large ice cubes
    desiccated coconut (optional)
    almond flakes (optional)

    Method

    This one’s nice and simple. Blitz all the smoothie ingredients (save for the coconut, almonds and one strawberry) in a blender, then pour into a bowl. Top with whatever you fancy – I like desiccated coconut and almond flakes for added crunch.

    READ MORE: Raw Vegan Dark Chocolate Tart Recipe
    5. Porridge with plum and pistachio

    Adding a scoop of vegan protein powder to your oats, smoothies or smoothie bowls helps keep you feeling fuller for longer.

    Ingredients

    1⁄2 tsp coconut butter or oil
    1 large plum, cut into thin wedges
    50g whole rolled oats
    200ml unsweetened almond milk
    1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
    1⁄2 scoop of vegan vanilla protein powder (or similar)
    15g pistachios, shelled
    1 tsp maple syrup

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 180°C, then line a baking tray with foil and lightly grease with coconut butter or oil.
    Arrange the plum wedges on the baking tray and roast in the oven for 15 mins or until softened, turning halfway through.
    Meanwhile, put the oats in a small saucepan over low heat, add the almond milk and cinnamon, then gently simmer for a few mins, stirring often. Stir in the protein powder and continue to cook for another few mins, adding an extra splash of milk if needed.
    Roughly chop the nuts or put them in a sandwich bag and give them a bash with a rolling pin. Serve the porridge in a bowl, top with the roasted plum pieces and nuts, and then drizzle with maple syrup.

    READ MORE: 4 Healthy Vegan Dinner Recipes Worth Making
    These recipes were originally extracted from Clean Eating Alice Eat Well Every Day (Harper Thorsons), photographs by Martin Poole. Visit Alice’s website for more healthy foodie inspo. More

  • 125 Shares

    in diet and nutrition

    Try This Trendy And Delicious Vegetarian Orzo Pasta Recipe Now

    Have you been seeing orzo pasta all over your TikTok FYP or being used in Insta Reels everywhere and not quite sure what this new trendy ingredient is? Well, you’re in luck! We’re here to explain and then give you a recipe that will have you firmly on the orzo train in no time.

    What Is Orzo?

    It may look similar to rice but it definitely isn’t (and it definitely isn’t gluten-free either). Orzo is a thin, oval rice-shaped pasta. It is traditionally made with semolina flour which is a type of flour made from Durum wheat, but it can also be made of whole grain.

    READ MORE: 10 Healthy Summer Recipes You Can Make In Under 20 Minutes

    When you’re looking to buy orzo, as with any store-bought pasta, you want to find a quality brand that uses quality ingredients. We’re talking about a brand that uses semolina with higher protein content. Not only is it important to hit your #proteingoals, but this creates a sturdier pasta that is better to cook with and won’t leave you eating a mushy meal.

    Now that you know what it is, it’s time to find out what it tastes like with this recipe!

    READ MORE: 2 Delicious, Nutritious Side Dishes That Work With Almost Any Meal

    Orzo Pasta With Roasted Pumpkin, Red Onion, Feta & Almonds

    Serves 4 as a main course and 6-8 as a side dish

    This dish is as good served at room temperature as it is served warm. It can certainly be a vegetarian main course, but also as a side dish as part of a bigger spread, says Ilse van Der Merwe, the creator of this delish recipe and author of cookbook Simply Seasonal.

    But hey, don’t just stop there! If you’re wanting to get ahead, you can meal prep this on Sunday and portion it out for lunches throughout the week. The great thing about it being vegetarian is that it will keep for longer than a meat dish.

    Want to make it vegan? Lose the feta!

    READ MORE: You’ve Got To Try These Super Simple Summer Rolls With Asian-Style Sauce

    Ingredients

    ±500g Pumpkin, peeled and cubed

    3 Large red onions, sliced into slim wedges

    ±45ml Olive oil, plus extra salt and pepper, to taste

    500g Orzo pasta (or rosmarino or risoni)

    60–125ml Flaked almonds, lightly toasted in a dry pan

    2–3 Rounds feta cheese, crumbled

    Small bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

    Small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped (or basil or dill)

    Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste

    Method

    Preheat the oven to 220°C. On a large baking sheet lined with baking paper, spread out the pumpkin and red onions, drizzle evenly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes until tender and golden brown.

    In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 7 minutes, then drain. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pasta and stir to coat, then transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, adding the roasted pumpkin and onions.

    Add the parsley, mint, feta and a squeeze of lemon juice, then season all over with salt and pepper and stir gently to mix well. Top with the toasted almonds and serve warm or at room temperature. More

  • 175 Shares

    in fitness and body

    Get Outside Stay Outside This Summer With The New Under Armour SUMMERIZED Collection

    South Africa’s fitness scene is buzzing with activity and regardless of whether you run to train, do yoga, or train at the gym, you want your gear to be comfortable to not only elevate your training but help you reach those fitness goals this summer. Under Armour has you covered with their new SUMMERIZED collection. The scorching hot days need to be taken into account and the new Under Armour range does just that with these summer fitness essential items from the Under Armour SUMMERIZED collection.

    UA Infinity Mid High Neck Shine Sports Bra R999

    Those in search of the best sports bra to workout or run in this summer will be happy to discover the Infinity Neck Shone Sports Bra.

    Under Armour has created a winner by throwing out traditional construction rules and injecting padding in a figure-8 pattern for a more aerodynamic fit and a much lighter feel that actually works with your body’s natural movement instead of against it. Testing in a variety of different sports; so we could put the sports bra through its paces with actions that would necessitate support structures across variable axis of movements; left testers with the confidence and comfort to give this item the thumbs up for the summer season.

    Soft straps rounding the shoulders and over the back feel firm but not uncomfortable against the skin, even when adjusted to a tight fit. This is such an important aspect of choosing a bra. You can get those that rigorously hold everything in place, but it’s often at the expense of comfort. That is not the case here where the design attaches the straps to a wide band so that the forces needed for a firm secure fit are distributed over a greater surface area. The result is the fit lacks that restrictive squeezing effect and leaves you with a piece of workout gear that feels like a natural part of the whole outfit. 

    UA Mesh Tank R449

    Have you tried Padel yet? A great new sport in SA that is growing phenomenally quickly and the perfect way to get your heart rate up with friends. For a sport like Padel, a versatile top to move comfortably in is essential this summer. While bashing it about in inter-staff sessions on the court, we found the lightweight, smooth HeatGear fabric of this mesh is ultra-comfortable.

    A big part of the high-quality fabric is that the 4-way stretch material moves in every direction – as it does with this tank, while the strategic mesh panels provide breathability where you need it. Social summers mean things to do and places to go after your workout, and when you’re done moving you can rest assured this top dries quickly…testers were surprised at how fresh you can feel after working out and happily went on with the day wearing the same good looking gear.  

    UA Ankle Leg R999

    Attention to detail makes such a difference to your comfort and translates to great performance. Under Armour has identified waistbands slipping are the #1 pain point in tights. That results in constant adjusting, tweaking and tugging at your tights. It’s not a good look. That’s why Under Armour designed these tights to lock in while you’re in motion. The specific panelling will hold the fit no matter how explosive your next move. The multi-panelled design and thick waistband at the top help lock everything in place for a distraction-free workout: No pulling, tugging or readjusting. Ever.

    Our testers are committed to living a life packed with activities and often need to stay in touch with the world while working out. That’s why another detail we appreciated is the large pocket on the side of the thigh to accommodate the smartphone. This way you can measure the metrics of your workout, be in touch with your messages, listen to music or share your experience with a pic or two by having your smartphone close by.

    The new SUMMERIZED collection will be available from January 2023 at Under Armour Brand House stores nationwide as well as online: www.underarmour.co.za

    *In Partnership with Under Armour More