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Fit for a Queen: 12 Apostles Vegan High Tea Review
Jam and scones. Light cucumber sandwiches. Warm herbal tea. A good 'ol biscuit. Dang, I love tea-time. I like having an excuse to get dressed up in the middle of the day for a mid-day fancy meal. I feel a little like royalty.
Did someone say ROYALTEA?!
Ha.
After having a grand, fine dining experience at the 12 Apostles a few months back (you can read up on my review here) I was very curious to try out their new vegan high tea menu, Tea By The Sea, which I heard was a must-try!
With my dear mother's birthday drawing near, I figured it would be a good excuse to give one of Cape Town's favourite hotels a visit once again. It also so happened that the hotel was hosting a live screening of the British Royal Wedding that was taking place on the same day so we were all to have a stately Saturday b-day tea.
We sat in the elegant Leopard Bar, among some die-hard royal family fans (I must admit I didn't know who was getting married until about an hour before!) who were keenly keeping an eye on the wedding proceedings. My mom made me promise to never spend the same amount as Meghan Markle did on a wedding dress. I mean... I don't even know if I will even have a wedding, let alone have a gown to go with it! But I digress.
Enough about the fashuuun. How was the food and draaank?
The tea started with a classy gin and tonic topped with a rose petal and a slice of cucumber, served in the daintiest, little tea cup I've ever come across. We were then presented with two beautiful, three-tiered display stands, consisting of finger sandwiches, scones, sweets and strawberries. My dad doesn't trust this whole vegan thing very much so he ordered some extra french fries on the side to keep him going. They were thin and crunchy just how fries should be.
Oh, where to begin?!
Serious for savoury
We began with the savoury food. In first place: the fried aubergine and dukka spice sandwich. In second place: the roast veggie sarmie with peppadew hummus. It can't be a vegan meal if there's no hummus, right?! In a close second (aka third): the sammie that came with a purple olive tapenade. I don't know what type of bread they used was but it was soft and the crust was on point.
Unfortunately we weren't given any mini vegetable crudités, as stated on the menu, despite asking for them three times....eeeeep :( I know they are just raw, sliced veggies, but still. I love 'em veg.
Little sandwiches. Loads of flavour. Welcome to the party, peppadew hummus and roasted vegetables. You're most welcome here.
Right, onto other very important matters...
Delectable dessert
Their vegan dessert selection was great. I thoroughly enjoyed the Valrhona Manjari chocolate and peanut butter bon bons and Valrhona Manjari chocolate and hazelnut cake slice. Sounds fancy because it was! Sounds delicious because it was! We also had a cute banana and walnut loaf (like a mini banana bread) and a teeny tiny, yummy raw, berry cheesecake slice.
A moment for the nom nom scone
I can't even remember the last time I had a good 'ol scone with a slap of jam, and I must say, their scones were absolutely perfect. Insider tip: add some some berry panna cotta and jam to the scone for a match made in heaven! It's light, sweet, and silky all at once! Day made.
Maybe they can add a savoury scone?! Now that would be smashing.
Well done to the 12 Apostles team for putting together yet another awesome vegan menu. This team is definitely leading the way for vegan eating within the hotel and tourism industry in Cape Town and South Africa, which shows that there is indeed demand for plant-based food from locals and tourists alike! Thank you for setting such a high (tea) standard.
This special, vegan high tea costs R375 per person and must be booked 24 hours in advance.
If you end up going, let me know what you think of the overall, royal experience. I would love to hear if this article helped you in any way.
How To Break Free From Your Mind
Dear Soul,
This week hasn't been easy. You are trying your best to go beyond your habitual thought patterns - to move beyond the self-deprecating stream of thoughts around your body, which are continuous, nasty, hurtful and agonising. Maybe this is why this week has been difficult; because for the first time you actually have the strength to actively think differently, to challenge your assumptions and ways of perceiving reality.
Isn't that beautiful way of looking at your suffering?
Look at how far you have come.
The old way of thinking that used to protect you and keep you small are slowly crumbling down - and you feel vulnerable and open. The shield is lowering. The walls are falling. And there in your wholeness you stand, and you feel full and large.
You are knee deep in the change. From small to large, things are shifting and transitioning. Within this duality, there is the unknown.
But in this unknown, within the nothingness, there is everything.
If you can begin to gently rest in the center of it all - within the nothingness - where there is infinite possibility. To find the calm is to ride the activity of transiency. For if there is one truth in this world, it is that things always change, from good to bad and bad to good. They are both the same and as such, there is no bad nor is there no good. There just is. When you distinguish that the only dualities that exist are the ones you make up, then you can let out a sigh, take a deep breath, and come home to yourself.
She is waiting for you, resting in the void of nothing and everything.
- Francesca
xx
10 Tips to Establish a Healthier Relationship Towards Your Period
What does it feel like to get a period? And what does it feel like for you to get your period when you are trying to recover from an eating disorder?
Are you happy when you period comes?
Maybe you are actually scared.
What if you feel angry towards it?
I want to focus on the last two specifically: feelings of fear and/or anger when that blood either trickles down or gushes through into your underwear every month.
For a very long time, my period symbolised my womanhood; what it meant to be, feel and act like a woman.
And that terrified me.
My eating disorder kept me underweight and so I was unable to get a regular menstrual cycle. My body, straight up and down like a prepubescent tween, was something I could control and manage. "As long as I can keep my weight like this, I know how I'll look each morning, how my clothes will fit and what my body will look like when I wake up", I would think to myself.
But developing hips, breasts, a butt, or a cleavage...? No thank you! These womanly body parts felt wild, rawly sensual, voluptuous and out of my control. Too full-bodied, too powerful. Growing into my divine feminine was too much to bear.
So to suppress it all from budding from a little weed into a flower in full bloom, I chose to starve myself.
That is what I feared.
For a long time, my period symbolised that I was healthy. My eating disorder made me feel like super human. While everyone else was simply average (in my disordered eyes), I took pride in being underweight. At my remarkably low weight, I was still able to exercise like a robot, get top marks in class, and feel like I had unlimited will-power.
Hunger and resting were signs of weakness and laziness that I could never allow myself to give into. If I got my period, it meant I became "one of them" - a normal human, at a normal weight, doing normal things.
My anger towards my period was anger at my body for failing me. For not being good enough.
I had attached so many things to this monthly shedding of blood that ultimately these judgements and stories kept me from myself.
It has taken over ten years to truly feel happiness and to be in awe of the miraculous and complex cycle that my body does every month. I am honestly always so excited when it comes as I see it as a sign from my body (and my mind) letting me know that I am healthy and on the right track. I often message my close friends to let them know it's that time of the month - seriously ;)
If you want to start developing a happier and healthier attitude towards your period, here are some of my tips and advice that have helped me in the past:
Get off the pill. If you want to know more about my journey of getting off the contraceptive pill and how it helped me develop a better outlook towards my menstrual cycle, click here.
Join a woman's circle and engage in women's work.
If you are suffering from an eating disorder, I do suggest some form of therapy, to figure out where the fear or resentment comes from. You can also read my top 31 tips on how to recover from an ED here.
Practice gratitudes towards your body and towards all of the complicated tasks it performs seamlessly everyday.
Become aware of the moon cycles and how your cycle syncs with it.
Paint, dance or creatively express what your period means to you.
Start to embrace your sexuality.
Start a period appreciation group with your girlfriends :D Anyone want to join me for a period party?
Practice positive self-talk so that you begin to associate your cycle in a brighter, optimistic way rather than weighing it down with doubt or apprehension.
This may sound harsh, but deal with it. Accept that your period is going to be something you have live with for a very long time. You can either learn to love it and be grateful for it, or you can choose to tirelessly fight with yourself each month. You decide.
I wish you all the best on your journey to a happier, light-filled you.
In love, always,
Francesca xxx
How to Overcome an Eating Disorder: 31 Tips
I received an email the other day with the question: "What has helped you deal with overcoming an eating disorder and body image stuff?".
I could have easily answered with suggestions such as going to therapy or having a strong support system, but the more I kept going and reflecting on my journey over these last ten years or so, the more I realised how many things have helped me along the way.
So, this will be quite a short blog post - I'm literally writing it ten minutes before I head off to work - but I felt very inspired to share some of the experiences and tools that have pushed me, shoved me, carried me, or held my hand.
Just a few notes - my recovery is not over. It is a continuous work in progress. Every meal, every waking moment is a choice to say YES or NO to recovery. If you haven't read my thoughts on what it feels like to go through an eating disorder, head over here, and if you're curious about my eating disorder relapse(s), head here. Everyone's journey is different so what has helped me may not help you, and visa versa. If I've missed something on the list below, I would love to hear what has impacted your life in your path towards reaching your truth.
So let's dive in.
Here are 31 things that have helped me get over my eating disorder:
Paying for and regularly going to professional psychoanalytical therapy.
Having a strong and supportive network of friends and family.
Going to a clinic that specialises in eating disorders as an inpatient for a few weeks.
Going to group therapy.
Leaving group therapy when it no longer served me.
Doing Shakti Malan's Sexual Awakening for Women meditation work and attending women's circles.
Rediscovering and embracing my sexuality.
Getting rid of old clothes that no longer fit and letting go of clothes that are didn't make me feel good.
Travel travel travel.
Unfollowing triggering people on social media.
Eating out at restaurants where I couldn't control how they prepared the food.
Eating "scary" or "challenge" foods.
Dancing.
Movement meditation.
Microdosing (more on this in the future).
Taking plant medicine in ceremonies or in relaxed environments.
Talking to people who also struggle with eating disorders or body-related issues.
Writing blog posts like this (aka being vulnerable, feeling the relief of expressing and witnessing how many people support me and who can relate when I open up honestly).
Painting.
Listening to inspiring YouTube videos and podcasts.
Going to a dietician.
Thinking positively.
Practising regular gratitudes.
Going vegan.
Doing art therapy.
Using meal plans.
Throwing meal plans away when they became too restrictive.
Yoga.
Forcing myself to rest when my body was tired but my thoughts were guilt-tripping me and telling me to do otherwise.
Going off the contraceptive pill.
Allowing time to pass, experiences to be experienced and simply growing up.
Recovery is like riding a wave. Sometimes it's smooth sailing, other times it's bumpy, chaotic and you get dunked. But if you choose recovery everyday, no matter how hard it is, you won't ever drown. Sure, you may gulp down some water and cough and splutter, but it doesn't last forever. You will breathe again. You will flow through life again.
Lots of love always,
Francesca
Falling into Relapse and Getting Out
Slipping away from being in a state of recovery is a relapse. It means resorting to old, unconscious ways of coping - like over-eating, under-eating, or over-exercising (to name by a few) - to get by tough situations. To helps to numb out difficult or uncomfortable feelings. Can you relate?
In times of struggle, stress or change, the walls that you have slowly chipped away at in your efforts of recovery, slowly rebuild back again - sometimes without you even realising. Before you know it, the walls are back up and you can't see over them. The truth that was beginning to shine through is now dimmed behind a wall of defences and maladaptive coping strategies.
Or, to use another analogy as in my previous short article, you have started to peek into the box. You have been holding onto that box for years, slowly adding things into it that you don't want to deal with. It becomes heavier and heavier as you add more and more comfortable moments, experiences and thoughts to it. But you've bravely started to look inside, removing these items out of the box. It becomes lighter and who knows, maybe you're ready to put that box down and walk away without it. But before you know it, that box is heavy once more, and you're dragging it behind you, trudging along, unable to shake it off. Can you relate?
Will I ever recover? Will I ever be able to have a normal relationship with food or exercise? For how long will I be able to maintain a healthy weight with a regular period before things get difficult again and I resort to old patterns? 6 months? 12 months? 5 years? It feels like I'm constantly walking a thin tightrope and if I take one tiny step out of line, things fall apart and I'm back to square one. This usually means a loss of my menstrual cycle, weight loss, food restriction, acne breakouts, heightened anxiety around social situations that involve food, increased body dysmorphia, decreased energy levels, lower self-worth, and a lack of interest in sex. It also means increased sessions with my dietician, and being told what to eat like I am the inpatient again back in the clinic. It means my therapist is more concerned, resulting in feelings of shame and guilt like a little school girl having done something wrong.
When I moved cities, about four months ago, to a new job and home with no real friends, things were shaken up - naturally. I thought I was coping until I lost my period after the first month, indicating that maybe things weren't as hunky dory as I thought. I thought I was coping but my body was telling otherwise.
Getting back on the train of recovery hasn't been easy. Every day is a conscious choice. There were days where I just wanted to hold onto that box so badly, build up walls and never emerge again. There were days where I felt I was playing an unfair game, for I was trying to get back to a healthy weight but I wasn't seeing any results. And then there were days where I was so inspired to get my health back that I just wanted to sing and dance with joy. Those were the days I felt alive and happy, and grateful to have such an amazing network of people who have supported me over the last ten years or so to help me get to a point where I can choose recovery over relapse.
It took about three months to bleed again - and it happened on the vibrant, energetic fullness of the full moon. Getting my period meant that not only did I manage to get back to a healthy weight, it meant that the dust was beginning to settle.
My new home is starting to feel like home.
My new job isn't feeling as overwhelming.
I have found a group of people I can call friends.
Being at a healthy weight is not simply a biological thing or a science. It's a representation of how high that wall is, or how tightly you are holding onto that box. The lower the wall and the lighter the grip, the more open you are. It's scarier being more exposed but it's easier for the truth within to shine through.
If you're going through recovery right now, I hope these words help. Please share with others who you think may benefit. Also, please read my thoughts on recovery from eating disorders here and how I have healed my acne while going through an eating disorder here.
Vegan Fine Dining in Cape Town
I don't do fancy. I may be 25 years old/young but I still lick my knife despite my dear mother having told me countless times not to. I call all wines "smooth and fruity" even if they're not. My nickname is "Messy Chessie" after my messy eating habits. But hell, how could I say no to trying out the new vegan tasting menu at the fancy Azure restaurant at the 12 Apostles Hotel in Cape Town?!
When I heard they had just launched a four-course vegan menu, I made a booking right away. And I did this despite living in another city. I was that determined to give it a go.
Vegan fine dining in South Africa is pretty much unheard of so all the stops needed to be pulled, including buying an airplane ticket from Durban to Cape Town just to pay the restaurant a visit.
Just kidding, I was planning on coming to Cape Town anyway. But I made sure this menu was on my to-do list while I was back visiting my hometown.
I've always had a weird fascination with this hotel. I recall my mom mentioning to me when I was around 12 years old that Michael Jackson would stay there when he came to Cape Town. Now bizarrely so, I've never been MJ's numero uno fan but for some reason, this little nugget of info lodged itself in my brain for years. I would always think about MJ chilling in some shiny suit and hat at the 12 Apostles every time I drove past it as the years went by - and I drove past it often.
I never thought I would ever get to go inside this mystery, celeb hotel.... But then... I did. And it wasn't as mysterious as I thought and I also didn't get to meet MJ. Oh well.
However, it is one of the most beautiful hotels I've been to and some of the best views Cape Town has to offer.
And how was the food?
Sweet and fruity.
follow me on @francescaeatsmushrooms ;)
That was an attempt at a joke. Can you tell I don't really know how to review restaurants? I try guys, I try.
I think though, what makes a good menu, especially when it comes to fine dining is not only the taste, but also the variety, plating, textures, and colours. Basically, is the plate a conversation starter, or not?
So on to the food. For real.
the amuse-bouche
A lovely tomato gazpacho in a shot glass was our palate cleanser. It was so delicious, I tried to stick a spoon into the bottom edge of the glass to scrape the remains. Unfortunately, shot glasses are too small for spoons it seems.
We also were given a collection of different breads, including raw seed crackers (yum!) with a red pepper hummus. We initially were given butter and salmon paté which was surprising but I guess it was a slip-up and misunderstanding. Once we explained that we couldn't eat it and why, we were served a nice big bowl of hummus. Obviously as a vegan being served animal products is not only an inconvenience as you have to ask for things to be sent back, but it can even be seen as offensive. When we explained to the waiter to change it, the mistake was corrected. Being a vegan is considered "weird" to some people so I don't feel the need to get angry or upset at someone who doesn't fully understand what veganism means.
the starter
I love beetroot but I never really cook it, mainly because I don't know how to make it taste delicious. I mean, it's great when roasted but how can I make it different and exciting? Well, Azure showed me how it really can be done with their Barbecued Beetroot. This starter comprised of salt baked beetroot, burnt orange, BBQ dressing, and pickled beets. Super yum. I licked the plate clean.
the second starter (or baby main?)
Next up was Nouvelle Mushrooms. Don't worry, I didn't know what that meant either. The menu stated it was roasted shitatke, forest mushroom consommé, mushroom ketchup, and picked shimeji. Still confused? I don't blame you. Guess you will have to go to the restaurant to try it out for yourself! ;)
This dish was my absolute favourite! The intricacies of this dish, from the variety of the tiny mushrooms (some that were small I almost didn't see them!) to the delicate consommé, just astounded me. The waitress even laughed at how excited I was. Who wants to go foraging mushrooms with me?!
mains
I love tofu and I love butternut so when I saw the two paired together, I knew this was going to be a goodie! The main dish was a colourful and textured plate of Roast Butternut Tofu, made with corn succotash, slow cooked white beans, yellow baby carrots, wilted baby spinach and chunky herb oil. I think they may have infused the tofu with butternut as the colour was a gorgeous orange. It was a striking-looking plate of food indeed.
dessert
Hmmmm, caramelised nuts! My weakness. If you want to get into my heart, give me caramelised nuts, rotis, sweet potato, dates and tahini. That actually sounds like a freaking epic meal... We may be onto something here. But that's another story.
Dessert was Caramelised Pineapple with a pineapple salad, pina colada sorbet, and caramelised nuts. There were even rose petals on the plate - now I'm really living up to my name @francescaeatsroses :D It was sweet, satisfying and I wanted more! A winner dessert that I would happily have again.
I thoroughly enjoyed my multiple courses at Azure. For Cape Town (and South Africa) this menu shows massive steps in restaurants being more and more accommodating to vegans. What's also great is that non-vegans can order a dish or two off this menu; you don't have to eat the entire four-course menu, meaning that more people can try a vegan meal without having to commit to what may be a daunting menu to try in one go. It is very costly though - close to R500 per person so maybe reserve it for a special occasion. It's worth it.
If you're living in Cape Town, or are visiting the city soon, definitely set some time to give the menu a try and to show your support! The more people who express interest in this menu (and others like it), the more vegan options we will see cropping up over time! And that's the goal, right?
Thanks for the lunch 12 Apostles!
What Recovery Feels Like
Recovery is a deliberate, considered choice that is required everyday, at each meal, after each meal, between meals, when I wake up, when I go to bed, when I’m in a relationship, at parties, at functions, at work lunches, at best friend brunches, before I exercise, while I exercise, after I exercise, before I go to bed, when I wake up, on weekdays and on weekends.
It is relentless. It's so tiring having to choose to fight through my own mind all the time.
Some days don’t even feel like I’m in recovery. I may not be going backwards, but I am sure as hell not going forwards. That's what I call the "limbo state" of recovery - where nothing gets worse but nothing gets better. I maintain just the right amount of weight to remain healthy.
My recovery has been slow. It's been roughly ten years now. I envy those who seemed to have got over the majority of their disordered thoughts but on the other hand, I also fear to have what they have, which is recovery. Losing my grip on what is the remaining bit of my eating disorder would mean I would lose control and once the black hole opens, the falling never stops.
Am I right in my thinking though?
I’ve been told by therapists, friends and dieticians that I’m wrong and that my theory of falling down and down and down, unable to put on the brakes is a irrational thought. But I wouldn’t know as I’ve never truly allowed myself to fully let go of these annoying, harsh, self-deprecating thoughts.
I’ve stood on the edge of the waterfall and have looked down so many times - but just looking. Never jumping.
Why haven't I just leapt? For I have had the taste of freedom without my eating disorder and it was glorious, but for so long I have felt that my eating disorder was a part of me. Without it, who would I be? My identity would be compromised. I would no longer be that small, cute, unique person amongst all the "normal" people. It would mean I would lose the protective wall around me. I would have be vulnerable and raw; me at my most primal - something that cannot be controlled or contained within me would emerge. And that thought scared me.
After years of undertaking various forms of therapy and healing techniques, I came to the realisation, while sitting quietly and journaling in a yoga studio, that my eating disorder is like a box. It’s a box I have been holding on to dearly for years and years. Whenever something comes my way that is hard to sit with or face, I throw it in there.
So there it all sits - in the box - waiting and waiting, for years upon years, to be faced and dealt with. But it never does - so it grows old and ugly and disfigured. The inside of the box becomes messy, yet I still hold on, unable to look inside the mess and give it a clean.
What I can do though, should I truly want to, is to actually put that box down and walk away. That box is not me. I just picked it up during a tough time in my life without much thought - and it helped me through that experience; I could put that difficult thing away and move on with my life. Simple. But now I have been holding on to that box ever since because I don’t know how to deal with things without it.
To put the box down and walk away would mean facing things alone, unarmed. The box wouldn’t be held up tightly against me, protecting me from the blows. The truth of the matter is, is that I can put that box down. I really could. If I wanted to. But I would first have to deal with all the experiences I have been unable to face over my lifetime first that I have conveniently cast away in the box.
And how do I do that? Time and getting older, having awareness, being honest and delving deeper into past experiences. These are just some of the avenues I am exploring. It’s a continuous exploration and there is no real end goal in sight. I can’t put a date to it. I can’t ever say “AHA, I am now recovered.”
No, I just need to trust the process (a rather overused phrase that was often said when I was in a clinic for my eating disorder but which really helped me during that time).
Over the next few months, I will hopefully be sharing my journey on what it feels like to recover from an eating disorder. For the last few weeks, I have had an urge to write about this. I don't really know why, but I have been feeling very called to share what is an extremely personal and delicate topic with you all. I hope that these words touch you in some way. Please reach out to me if you are so inspired.
Keep shining,
Francesca xxx
Your Skin Will Heal
"This - your skin - your skin will heal", I thought to myself as I stroked my fingers up and down my face. And within five hours my acne had reduced to almost nothing.
It's a moment I will never forget: To go sleep and to wake up with significantly improved skin.
That night, I believed - more than I ever had - that my acne, pimples, scars and redness would disappear. It was such a simple, clear and affirming thought. With my internal thoughts, I was able to change my physical exterior.
I initially wanted to write this blog post explaining the various treatments and products I have used for my acne over the last two years but I realised I wouldn't be telling the full story. While I have been working incredibly hard to balance my hormones and attempting to cure my acne after coming off the contraceptive pill in June 2015, I had a profound experience that changed everything.
I was out of the city, in a beautiful retreat center, staying in big teepee tents beside a cactus labyrinth, neighbouring horses and a massive river dam. Held by the majestic Riviersonderend mountain range and gentle curved hills in Greyton, South Africa, I was guided into a deep plant medicine ceremony and meditation.
Having prepared my body and mind for the ceremony, I arrived with a very clear, concise and crisp intention of wanting to find the self-love within. Holding onto that intention throughout, never losing focus, and remaining calm, meant that I received exactly what I asked. I allowed myself to fully engage in a deep self-loving process of touching my body with intense mindfulness, adoration and love.
It was as if I had hands of another and was experiencing the curves, the softness, the resilience, the miracle of my body for the first time.
With the same care I gave my hands, stomach, arms and breasts, I gave my face, and by the time I awoke from the ceremony, all of my cystic acne and pimples had reduced significantly.
It is the power of the mind.
It is the power of the mind that can heal more so than cleansers, toners and laser treatments.
While I will get into the specifics of what skincare products have helped me over the last few years, I cannot stress enough the importance of having a clear mind and a loving heart when it comes to healing oneself of acne.
From my personal experience, angry skin is a result of a lack of self-love within.
so what is my story?
Acne was always an issue for me growing up. I went on various anti-biotics throughout my teenage years with very little success. By the time I got to my final year in school, my skin was clear. But it was also pale and lifeless. Why was this the case? I was suffering from an eating disorder.
Does your skin become clearer when restricting food? It's a question that's always puzzled me and I haven't been able to find many credible sources that could explain this. If you know of any information on this, please comment below :)
Straight after school, I went to a clinic for six weeks and was put on a meal plan. Going to a clinic was a tremendous step in my recovery. With all of the food and nutrition circulating around my body, my skin broke out - in particular, on my forehead (acne in this region usually indicates digestive issues which would make sense in my case). While my body was trying to fix the parts of me I had ignored, mentally I was still struggling. Recovery wasn't (and still isn't) easy and my skin was physically reflecting my internal world.
Upon leaving the clinic, I was told I had Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and was promptly put on Ginette (a form of contraceptive and hormonal pill). For most girls, going on the pill was as normal as wearing a bra so I didn't question it. It was something all girls did, right? Unfortunately, my skin was not getting better, so I was given another pill, Androcur, that I was required to take "for ten days, five days after getting a period". Again, I took it with no question. I just wanted clear skin for once in my life!
And it did clear. But after a while, I began to question if it was safe to take such medication. I attempted to stop Androcur and it just resulted in a messed up menstrual cycle, bad skin breakouts and an angry dermatologist. I was totally spooked. At that moment in my life, it was more important to have clear skin so I put myself back on Androcur, and continued feeding my body fake hormones.
Then I went vegan.
It was a defining moment as it was the start of a deeper desire to become more in tune with my body. I reattempted to go off Androcur once more and I experienced zero side effects (I credit that to the diet change). My skin remained clear and my cycle continued.
However, I was hiding a secret from myself that I didn't want to admit. And it went a little bit like this...
If I wanted to go off Ginette, I would have to gain weight in order to establish a healthy, regular menstrual cycle.
So what did I do? I continued taking the pill. On the outside, all looked perfectly normal: I had clear skin and I had a cycle. But I was underweight. It had been five years since leaving the clinic for my eating disorder but I had reached a plateau in my recovery. If I wanted to bleed without the help of synthetic hormones, I had to put on weight - which I wasn't prepared to do. (FYI: females require a certain amount of body fat % in order to produce the hormones required to have a menstrual cycle and to prepare the body for a baby).
In 2015, I decided to go traveling for just over six months, and half-way through my trip, while volunteering at a yoga retreat center, I threw all of my pills in the dustbin.
The end. There was no going back.
For two years from that moment, I struggled with balancing my hormones. I was in a constant fight with my face that was filled with sore, cystic acne that kept me up at night. Additionally, I went without a period for nine months. It was a confusing, daunting time and nothing could have truly prepared me for the side effects I would experience. But man oh man, did I grow. I made huge strides in my eating disorder recovery, overcame my acne and established a healthy cycle.
It took two years of patience and perseverance, and remaining firm in my belief that I was doing things in the safest, most natural and sustainable way.
Over the last few months, I have tried countless skin care products, and while I cannot mention it enough the importance of working on the inside first before you can expect to see results on the outside, topical creams and treatments can help speed up the process.
My acne journey over 2 years in 12 pictures
PS: I was too ashamed to take photos of my skin when it was at its worst so what you see below is a fragment of what I went through.
Here's what worked for me:
Nu Skin
When my skin was at its worst, I used the acne range from Nu Skin, including their Marine Mud face mask and Galvanic Spa (not 100% convinced about this product tbh). While the acne range may not be considered 100% natural, I felt my skin did require something a bit more intense to deal with the acne that was surfacing daily. I used their products for about four months, including a prescription spot cream, Retin-A, for individual pimples. I often looked like a spotty Dalmatian. Overall, I would say these products certainly helped as a first step in the right direction.
Origins Skin
Once my skin started getting more under control, I switched to Origins Skin. I found their products helped me as things began to stablise. I found this cleanser to work really well as well as this spot/mask cream (by now I was trying to stop using Retin-A as I was trying to move to more natural products). I also tried their Brightening Skin Care range to help with my redness and scarring but it caused more breakouts unfortunately (I think it's just that range that wasn't a good fit for my skin as everything else was really great!).
Microdermabrasion and Chemical Peels
Around this time, as my acne was coming under control, I began going for microdermabrasion treatments and having chemical peels to help with my scarring. These treatments are only useful if you don't have active acne, and are a good starting point before moving onto dermapen needling (more on this below).
Micodermabrasion makes use of tiny crystals shards which are sprayed on the face to remove the outermost layer of dry, dead skin cells. It's non-chemical, non-invasive and a fairly quick procedure with a fast healing time too. I saw pretty good results after a few treatments. Depending on your scarring, you can expect to see moderate results after two or three treatments.
Chemical peels are more intense but yield better results. I had about two treatments and saw a reduction in my scarring immediately. A chemical solution is applied to the skin that causes it to exfoliate and eventually peel off. The peel only stays on the face for about 30 seconds to two minutes. It's not the most comfortable of treatments but you get a nice cooling gel rubbed into your face afterwards :)
Dermapen Needling
My saving grace. While more expensive than microdermabrasion and peels, these treatments are usually staggered over a few months. It's not something you can do every week! I have had a few treatments extended over a year and have seen incredible results. The treatment is intense and requires a numbing cream to be applied to the face 45 minutes before. Micro-needles penetrate the skin in order to tighten, lift and and rejuvenate skin, as well as help with acne and scars. It is not suggested to be done if you have active acne and are often in the sun, but if you are dealing with scarring mainly, I would highly recommend it! The down time is about five days. Expect your skin to peel, lots of redness and burning sensations for a few days after the treatment. However, as you go to more treatments, the skin heals quicker and quicker.
Epi-max
This is a great moisturiser which I used for a long time, and in particular after my dermapen treatments. Epi-max is super light on the skin but incredibly soothing and restorative. It was a life saver when my skin was peeling after it had needles stuck into it. For my South African friends, you should be able to easily find this at any chemist at a very decent price.
Kaylan Bamboo Charcoal Soap with Tea Tree
This. Product. Is Everything. I came across this product by mistake while browsing online on Faithful to Nature. I almost didn't give it a chance due to its ridiculously low price of R27.00 ($2-ish). Surely it must be a low quality product with such a price?! I was however intrigued by the combo of ingredients and decided to give it a go.
Bamboo charcoal, often called "Black Diamond", in Asia, has been used for hundreds of years. Bamboo, after carbonisation is also called "activated charcoal", resulting in the creation of an exceptional purifier. The bamboo has naturally occurring anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties. The bamboo charcoal is absorbent, helping to unclog pores to remove dirt, toxins and free radicals. Lastly, tea tree essential oil helps kill bacteria and fungus and reduces skin reactions.
Each bar is hand cut and the ingredients are incredibly minimal: Avocado oil, olive oil, castor oil, coconut oil, tea tree essential oil, bamboo charcoal, lye and distilled water. I have gone through about four bars thus far and will probably continue using this simple yet effective and deeply cleansing soap for years to come. I am also very grateful to have found a local brand to support, and I am very keen to try other products from the Kaylan brand.
For those who don't live in South Africa, there are a few brands who have charcoal soap bars on the market. Read the ingredients carefully and enjoy the benefits of an awesome ingredient!
Gels and Serums
While traveling in New York City, I was told about Follain, a "safe skincare and beauty store". They test, curate and stock 70 non-toxic beauty and skincare products themselves. Want to know a crazy stat? Over 1,300 substances are prohibited in Europe as too toxic for use in personal care, while in the US, only 11 are banned! I walked into the store wanting something to add to my charcoal soap, to specifically hydrate my face, and to help with some last remaining scars and redness.
I was recommended Tammy Fender's Capillary Strengthening Blend for broken capillaries, redness and rosacea. Packed with fatty acids that help damaged tissue and stimulate regeneration, this serum has become a staple to my skincare regime. While it is an expensive product, it only needs to be used sparingly. Ingredients include: grape seed oil, chamomile and potent oils: neroli, rose and carrot seed.
I was also given a this bestseller gel/moisturiser combo that assists in calming redness and inflammation. Thanks to active aloe botanicals with transformative, skin-soothing properties, the Organic Soothing Gel from Dr Alkaitis is comforting, hydrating, anti-inflammatory and absorbent. I saw results immediately after using this product for a few days. This product was actually developed in response to curing the director's daughter who suffered from adult cystic acne.
So where to from here?
Skin care is an on-going process. As you can see I used many different products and treatments for the various stages of my acne. Some of these may work for you, some won't.
I now refuse to put my body through any form of fake hormone medication, even if it means my skin isn't totally clear all of the time. I will continue to fuel my body, mind and soul correctly with nutritious vegan food, good rest and exercise, while maintaining at a healthy weight so that I am able to create hormones for clear, bright skin, a regular menstrual cycle, sustained energy, and a happy and stable mood :)
Ultimately though, skincare starts within. Begin the internal journey. I wish you all the love. Keep your skin up. The world needs your beauty.
<3
No products mentioned in this post have been paid for. I have tried and tested a ton of brands and products and have shared only the best that I worked for me.
What I Ate In San Francisco as a Vegan
What I Ate In San Francisco as a Vegan
With the craziness of a fast-paced, densely-packed city shoved on the West coast, San Francisco, once a place sought out after for its gold, is now known for gold skin, gold sand, a few gold teeth, and gold medals. Why the gold medals? Well, everyone gets one after they climb one of the many San Fran hills. For hills there are a plenty.
San Francisco is defined by its hills. With cable cars moving up and down them like makeshift rollercoaster cars, they mirror neighbourhoods and divide the city. They shape the cold fog, guide the brisk wind and are home to famous landmarks like Coit Tower. And while it's a tradition to mention the "seven hills of San Francisco”, there are actually 42 (and some argue there are even more than that!). Either way, the hills make an excellent excuse to eat dessert twice a day, everyday - which I did #veganbootygains.
While I was only in the city for a few short days - this being my second time here - I ate pretty dang well. I don’t think I got to even a quarter of what was on offer, so please accept my humble apologises. In and amongst lunging uphill and viewing the Redwood Trees, the Mission district, the Summer of Love exhibition and Haight-Ashbury, I chowed.
Golden Era Vegan Restaurant
Voted the best vegan restaurant on Happy Cow, I dragged my unsuspecting family for some “amazing Chinese, Vietnamese and Asian food”. It unfortunately didn’t live up to the expectations from the reviews by past patrons. Maybe it’s just because I’ve never been a fan of the oily Chinese cuisine. Maybe the mock-meats were too meaty. Maybe I tried the wrong dishes. Who knows! I guess you win some and you lose some, but I’m still glad I ticked it off the bucket list nonetheless, otherwise I would still be wondering, “What IIIIFFFF!?!?!”.
My family shared some Stir-Fried Broccoli with slices of soy protein and black mushroom, the Quinoa Salad and Crispy Cauliflower. I had their Spicy Kung Pao that came with soy protein, celery, onion, zucchini, peanuts, bell peppers sautéed in spicy kung pao sauce. My dad had the Spicy Sweet Potato Curry while my mom and sister had two different soups. Highlight meal: Quinoa salad.
Nourish Cafe
Oh golly. This place was so nice we went there thrice! Twice for breakfast and once for lunch. Nourish is so special - the people who work there are so kind, the portions are generous and filled with fresh, organic and whole-food ingredients, and the meals are innovative, fun and nutritious. And they are a fully vegan restaurant. I wish I could take the whole kitchen in my suitcase to take back home!
While I didn’t devour the entire menu, I got through a fair amount of options on offer. Some dessert standouts included their melty, chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie, Super Seed Cookie, Magnesium Raw Chocolate Bar made with pumpkin seeds and figs, the power-packed soft ‘n gooey Energy Protein Bar and their Carrot cake Cupcake - both oil-free! For breakfast, try the Acai Bowl and their special Green Acai bowl that is made with spinach, broccoli, ginger, citrus and almond milk, topped with bananas, coconut and hemp & green granola. I also tried their Toast Sampler where I was given a slice of Country-bread divided into four. I decided on the Homemade Almond Butter, Sweet Ricotta (from Kite Hill), the slightly fishy “Lox” (nut cheese from Kite Hill, tomato, carrot, kelp flakes & red onion), and Housemade Nutella - my favourite one obviously. It was a tough choice but I hope I did you all proud. Try their green matcha latte, their magical blue-green matcha latte and their glowing turmeric latte.
For lunch, the Nourish Bowls with a side of tofu or falafel are light yet filling. Filled with quinoa, lettuce mix, yam, avo, hummus, sauerkraut, fresh veggies, toasted sunflower seeds and an oil-free creamy hemp dressing, I could tell these bowls were made with so much love.
I wish I tried their famous “Tuna” Sandwich, their Grilled Cheese Melt, the Bibimbap Salad and Quinoa Waffle. Guess who needs to come back to San Fran again?
Peña Pachamama
Apparently, this restaurant was one of the highlights for my mom from the whole trip (#winning)! This was my second time going here - the first time being in 2015 - and it was just as memorable. Peña Pachamama is an Argentina and Bolivian restaurant with live music and dancing; wonderful, accommodating hosts; fabulous decor; and of course, delicious and organic food. The one half of the menu is raw (FYI - their kale chips are one of the best I’ve ever had) while the other half is cooked.
My whole family shared their beautiful bountiful Organic Tapas Sampler that came with yuca fries, grilled plantains (YUM!), organic lentil pate with raw crackers, plantain chips, guacamole, roasted potatoes with a nut sauce and a green salad. I ordered the Raw Taco & Coconut Bacon BLT Combo (sunflower flax pumpernickle bread/taco, organic tomato, lettuce, avocado, sauerkraut, pickles, dehydrated coconut bacon and salad). My dad had the Vegan Mozzarella Pizza (great crust btw) while my mom and sister had the Vegan Chef’s Plate (yuca, organic quinoa, guacamole, kale chips & organic greens). For dessert, I had their utterly delicious white chocolate cheesecake while my dad had the coconut-vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce.
I would come back for a third time. The ambiance alone is enough to make anyone feel fill :) As Robin Williams said — "The kind of place even the Amish would dance."
(No photos unfortunately due to the lighting which, by the way, set a good ambiance but not a good setting for photography).
Project Juice
My sister and I found this place after a flowing yoga class in the Mission district. It’s a perfect place for a quick breakfast, on-the-road smoothie or refreshing juice. Their Green Acai Bowl, Nut Butter Acai Bowl, avo on cake-like toast, the raw Megaroon (their take on a macaroon) and Immunity Flush Kombucha on tap are on point!
The Slanted Door
My dad really wanted to check out this place as it’s meant to be the best modern Vietnamese restaurant in the whole of San Francisco. Some people book up to a month in advance but we got lucky and managed to get a table the day before we decided to book. It must be the South African charm. The place is pretty fancy, based on the Wharf, with a definite older crowd. The walls are filled with large paintings of dogs - I have yet to figure out why.
For every item on the menu, the Executive Chef, Charles Phan, goes to the original source region of that item. He first studies the traditional ingredients and techniques and then recreates the original using contemporary methods and with fresh local ingredients.
Standouts included the Vegetarian Banh Bot Loc (mung bean tapioca dumplings, scallion oil & thai chili soy sauce), the Green Papaya Salad, the Hodo Soy Beanery Organic Tofu (pressed tofu, shiitake mushroom, sweet roasted chili sauce & lemongrass), and the Young Broccolini with ginger and rice wine. Their tea selection is also on point.
So was it the best modern Vietnamese food? Maybe. Maybe not. The atmosphere was a bit stuffy for me but perhaps I just need to grow up a bit ;)
Other notable mentions from my previous visit:
Ferry Building Famers Market at Pier 1 - for all of the different date varieties, tofu testers and fresh organic fruit and veg.
Shizen Sushi - for creative, knock-your-socks-off fully vegan and Asian cuisine, in the trendy Mission area.
What I Ate in Seattle as a Vegan
Seattle is pretty cool guys. It is surprising not so sleepy, nor is it only about coffee. This is my second trip to the Evergreen state and both times were totally different. One was rainy and I was alone; the other was sunny and I was with my family. I like Seattle for its emerald green nature, bright flowers, epic hikes and shining lakes. I like its surprising hardcore punk scene, wild-coloured hair styles and friendly folk. I like its liberalism and accepting attitude despite its rather small town feel and cookie-cutter neighbourhoods.
My family continued to West coast, following my sister's graduation, to see family friends and to explore something other than the concrete jungle of NYC. You can read about my New York travels and vegan eating here.
We breezed in and out of Seattle for quick three-day visit, so I only got to a handful of vegan restaurants, but I think I did ok. Check out some of my favourite places to eat below:
Araya's Place
I'm going to be bold and say this is the best curry I have ever had. In my life. And I've had many curries in my time. If you can get yourself to Araya's Place, a fully vegan Thai restaurant, you must must must have their Massaman Banana Curry made with coconut milk, banana, potatoes, carrot, peanuts and delicious seitan. And how can I forget to mention that it also comes with warm roti - my weakness!
For starters, we shared Fresh Summer Rolls filled served with a tamarind sauce and ground peanuts, crispy fried Thai Tofu with a sweet and sour dipping sauce, and vegan prawns - which had the exact same texture as normal prawns. Creepy (but not as creepy as eating real prawns, let’s be honest).
Araya's Place is the first vegan-Thai restaurant in the northwest. It opened in 1987 and is still family-owned and family-operated today, aptly named after the founders' mother, Araya. They are rated one of the best Thai restaurants, by both vegans or non-vegans, across Seattle. A must!
Chaco Canyon Organic Cafe
Oh baby, this is a gem. My sister and I fuelled up Chaco Canyon in the University District before heading to some vintage stores. I love the humble and authentic community feel that exudes from the people who serve and cook, to the local, trippy artwork placed around the space, to the logo and furniture, and to the food ingredients. There is even a wall with the names of each person who contributed in helping establish the restaurant, as well as a board that outlines the ethos and values that Chaco Canyon stands for. They also have a Community Dhal Bowl where the customer can decide what price to pay!
I wanted to try everything on the menu but ended up going for the Mighty Breakfast Burrito that was stuffed with tofu, zucchini, and pepperjack cashew ‘cheese’ frittata with roasted chickpeas, avocado, rice, harissa sauce & cilantro wrapped in a flour tortilla. Yep, it was quite something. My sister had the Smokey Yam and Kale Bowl with roasted yams and kale with quinoa and lemon garlic tahini (and extra tofu). For dessert, we had their Lemon Poppyseed Doughnut and their Cowboy Cookie.
I really like the transparent and welcoming nature of this restaurant (the food happened to be great too). Some of their values include having equal respect for the planet, community, and employees; creating a welcoming space for a diverse community; and providing a safe space for people to be human, with the intention of growth and contribution. So nice :)
Frankie and Jo's
Restaurants like these make me freaking proud to be a vegan. With a line that was snaking out of the door, and a wait of close to 30 minutes, the excitement to try some plant-based ice cream from Frankie and Joe's was almost too much to bear!
I had their Salty Caramel Ash ice cream and their Chocolate Tahini on a maple-vanilla waffle cone, topped with moon goo (aka activated charcoal with cacao date paste). Other varieties that I managed to get a sneak peak included, Chocolate Date, Date Shake and Brown Sugar Vanilla. All were delicious. All were divine. All were delectable.
It was probably the best vegan ice cream I've ever had.
They keep their approach simple: They use dates or maple over sugar when they can, make their own nut milks and bases, keep their ingredient list short, and do not add any gums or other stabilisers. Some ice creams are nut free, some are free of cane sugar, most ingredients are organic, and all are vegan.
With creative flavours such as Carrot Coriander Shrub (apple cider vinegar included in this one!), Beet Strawberry Rose Sorbet, and Mexico Morning (which includes nutritional yeast!), it's hard to argue that vegans only eat fruit salad for dessert.
Plum Bistro and Plum Pantry
This was my second time at Plum. The first time I had their monstrous brunch Banana Hot Cakes, served with whipped cinnamon butter and warm maple syrup. It was glorious. This time around, I was there for dinner and it was just as yummo as I remembered it.
My sister and I shared their Sautéed Maitake Mushrooms and their super famous Mac 'n Yease. When the shrooms and yease were paired together, it was a full-blown mouth explosion. I highly suggest ordering both and eating them in unison. For mains, I had their Cuban Black Beauty (cumin spiced grilled tofu, black bean puree, fried avocado & sautéed baby bok choy), while my sister had their Kale Cesar and Tempeh Burger (panko-crusted tempeh, cucumbers, tomato, caramelised onions, raw kale, caesar dressing & russet fries). For dessert, we had some avo ice cream thingy-ma-bob with cherries and cacao wafer.
Taking their name from Japanese plum flowers that symbolise perseverance and hope, Plum aims to represent new beginnings in their approach towards food and business. With bold, sophisticated, vibrant and indulgent meals, Plum is changing the way that people view vegan food by opening them to the varied possibilities a meatless lifestyle can provide.
PS: If you are in a rush, hungry and close to the Space Needle, Chihuly Museum or MoPOP, Plum has a small stall in the Seattle Center, aptly named Plum Pantry. I can recommend their Protein Bowl (quinoa, roasted yams, roasted broccoli and lemon vinaigrette). They also have smoothies, juices, sandwiches and baked treats.
Sweetgrass
In an area where tall, glass building loom overhead, and where people in business suits mission about in an hurry, exists a little sanctuary called Sweetgrass. My sister and I were told about this place after a sweaty, morning yoga class and we were glad to have found it. As both a cafe and a creative space, Sweetgrass has ample seating, ample natural light and ample breathing space.
While not fully vegan, they have many options. My sister and I both had their Nana's Banana-Walnut Smoothie, blended with banana, spinach, walnuts, dates, coconut milk, flax and maca. We also had matcha lattes with a dash of cacao - a delicious combo. I would go back to try their Good Morning Brew Smoothie (cold brew coffee, spinach, banana, coconut milk, nut butter, dates, cacao nibs, maca, Himalayan salt & almond milk), and their Matcha Caesar Salad with vegan parmesan and vegan matcha caesar. Oh well, next time. 10/10 recommend.
What I Ate in NYC as a Vegan
New York, New York, I take my hat off to you. You are home to some of the most creative artists, craziest zanies, loudest natteres, fluffiest dogs, dirtiest pavements, brightest lights, busiest roads, biggest coffee cups and yummiest doughnuts. There is so much. There is too much. It’s glorious, disgusting, liberating and scary. New York, you have it all, and you hold it all together. Miraculously.
I arrived in NYC for my sister’s graduation. My brave, younger sister came to the city knowing no one over three and a half years ago, and has emerged the other side knowing all the cool places to eat, drink and party.
But my stomach is unfortunately not a bottomless pit, and there are only so many hours in the day, so it's just impossible to try all of the vegan restaurants, cafes, grocers, pop up stores, food trucks and retail products! New York, why do you torture me so?!
So much to eat, so little time.
NYC is considered to be one of the friendliest vegan cities in the world, alongside Portland, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Melbourne and Chiang Mai, and with over 8.5 million people living in the city every day, it's no surprise that there is a plethora of vegan-friendly options out there. From dedicated matcha bars, to vegan-only apparel stores, to super high-end vegan Asian restaurants, and to a combined techno club and vegan restaurant (I’m looking at you Black Flamingo), the city has it all.
I only had five days in the city, but managed to check out quite a few places during my short, whirlwind of a stay. If you ever find yourself in the crazy concrete jungle of New York City, be sure to check out the following vegan spots (I have put them in alphabetical order because sometimes a bit of systematic order amongst the NYC chaos is comforting):
PS: This is not my first time visiting the city, so I will also mention some old favourites too.
7th NYC Vegetarian Food Festival
When I found out I was going to be in New York City at the same time that the NYC Veg Food Fest was happening, I couldn't believe my luck (or maybe I planned to go there and use my sister's graduation as an excuse ;) !). With cooking demos and speakers such as Dominick Thompson (Vegan Athlete), Gene Baur (Farm Sanctuary), Brian Shapiro (The Humane Society of the United States), Yovana Mendoza (Rawvana) and John Oppermann (Executive Director of Earth Day Initiative), there were a range of topics to be explored and opportunities to network, and of course, many food and drink tasters - the most important part right?!
I got to try a delicious spicy cauliflower and almond ricotta pizza slice from the hottest pizza joint in Brooklyn, Screamers Pizza; eight varieties of macaroons from Sweet Maresa's (FYI, the chocolate and peanut butter brownie macaroon is the best); soft and sweet cupcakes from Mo'Pweeze Bakery; and Rebbl's Reishi Mushroom Cold Brew - which was interesting to say the least! I also got to try a delicious wiener from Yeah Dawg!!!, tofu nuggets from Hodo Soy, energising juice shots from the ShotCo, a selection of Amrita superfood and protein bars (their Choc Chip Coconut protein bar is a must-try and my new favourite post-workout snack!), and some mint chocolate biscuit thing that wasn't that great. I guess vegan food can't win all the time #realitycheck :(
In and amongst all of the eating, there were some hilarious apparel from Vegetable Slut Apparel and timeless classics from Unicorn Goods and Will's Vegan Shoes. And of course, Mercy for Animals, PETA, Compassion Over Killing and various other animal rescue sanctuaries were present. A full house indeed!
abcV Kitchen
I was told that my sister booked over a month in advance for this place, so it was a much anticipated trip into Union Square, with high expectations from the whole family. The wait did not disappoint. Having only opened in Feb of this year, abcV ("V" standing for "vegetables") is the third restaurant from Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Paulette Cole, after first being announced in 2013. With its 90% vegan and 10% vegetarian menu, abcV is possibly the most hyped plant-based restaurant right now.
The interior is a breath of fresh of air thanks to the delicate and all white furniture spaciously placed in the space and the see-through kitchen in which tattooed and dreaded chefs work and soft smiled waitresses flutter in and out. Pops of colour come into play with gorgeous table flowers, artisanal ceramic plates, chandeliers juxtaposed with pink neon wall panels and little buddhas and other south east Asian-style trinkets dotted around the restaurant.
The food menu is divided into “Light and Fresh” and “Warm and Hot” while the drinks menu has a section called “Restorative Tonics”, with items described as “Joy”, “Brain”, “Grounding”, “Heart” and “Spirit. I chose the Brain which includes brahmi, gotu, kola, kale, spinach, ginger and lime (my brain hurt reading that) while my sister tried the Grounding (ashwagandha, Brazilian ginseng, horsetail, pau d’arco, bartlett pear, green apple and agave). As you can tell, it’s not all rabbit food here. The menus also arrive with an insert chart detailing the health benefits of various fruits, veggies and herbs.
All ABC restaurants have the same approach: fresh ingredients always, and abcV is no different. The meals are hyper fresh, bold in taste, dynamic in texture and challenges any eye-rolling veg-defier to change the way they think about plants.
The green pea chickpea hummus served with warm pita has just enough chunk and just enough creaminess to keep us coming back for more carb-dunking, while the earthy, sweet carrots, that lay upon an unexpected pool of thick almond butter was a real delight. A whole roasted cauliflower, scattered with pomegranate jewels and a bright yellow turmeric-tahini sauce dominated the table. For my main, I had the tasty, umami-flavoured wild mushroom burdock noodles with marinated tempeh and pickles which was fun to eat with chopsticks. For dessert, we had their bright green matcha cCrème brûlée and the chocolate mousse that was topped with peppermint coconut cream and had hidden surprises of chocolate chunks below. I polished off most of it.
Bozu Sushi
Dark, dingy and trendy. If that sounds like a restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, you’re right. Bozu Sushi is an almost missable, hole-in-the-wall Japanese sushi and tapas restaurant serving well-priced and well-made Asian cuisine. While not fully vegan, they have a vegan and gluten free menu, so be sure to ask for that. If you can, try get a seat in the front section of the restaurant rather than in the separate back section. Trendy in the front, dingy in the back (a metaphor for New York City perhaps?).
Try their Guacamole Sushi Roll (guac, mixed vegetables & a spicy sour sauce), the Mushroom Sushi Roll (cooked mushroom with a sweet soy sauce) and their Fried Brussel Sprouts Party Bomb with Japanese curry spice. They weren't lying when they said it was the bomb.
Cha Cha Matcha
With lines teaming out the front door everyday, Cha Cha Matcha is leading New York's crazy current matcha trend. Almost all coffee shops in the city now offer matcha, but Cha Cha Matcha is solely about serving the finely milled Japanese green tea leaves. While you can get a traditional matcha tea, other exciting items on the menu include coconut matcha lattes, matcha desserts (not all vegan) and iced matcha teas. I tried their Golden Milk Matcha Latte with hemp milk which combines matcha, turmeric and other warming spices together, while my sister had their famous Divine Drink: A milkshake-like colourful shake filled with spirulina, blue algae, turmeric, beetroot powder and ginger, blended with almond, coconut and hemp milk! I bet that’s what unicorns drink!
And their beverages are just as exciting and memorable as the store design. Their branding is on point and no detail has been overlooked. From the pink Cha Cha–printed palm tree wallpaper, to the Thank You So Matcha cups, and to the Matcha Gracias neon pink sign that sits upon a wall lined with dark green fake grass, you can safely guarantee everyone carefully snaps a photo of their drink.
the divine drink
introducing your new milkshake
Cocoa V
I have a raging sweet tooth. Sometimes I think my blood runs silky, smooth brown liquid. So when I heard about Cocoa V, a fully vegan chocolate and confections kitchen, I couldn’t not pay them a visit. With the flagship location based in Chelsea, everything is made on-site by a small team of productive and passionate people. Never will there be the chance of the all too commonly seen text "produced in a facility that also processes dairy and eggs" on any of their labels or information packets as everything is so hands-on.
With exposed brick walls, dark wooden furniture, diamond-shaped mirrors, antique clocks, and telephones and bunches of soft-coloured bouquets, Cocoa V is a little (chocolate) slice of heaven. Chocolate bars, truffles, cakes and iced chocolate coffee are just some of the items on the menu. Stand outs include the Lavender and Vanilla Truffles, their S’mores Chocolate Bar, the Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, the Oatmeal-Cranberry-Pumpkin-Seed-Choc Chip Cookie, and their Coconut Almond Bark.
The Good Sort
This place has my heart. My sister and I trekked through the unrelenting rain into Chinatown to a restaurant I apparently “just had to check out”. While I was slightly apprehensive walking amongst bustling crowds on pavements scattered with soggy cardboard boxes and imported Asian fruit, all preconceptions disappeared when we arrived at the front door.
Stepping into The Good Sort, one is immediately able to exhale a sigh of relief. With dusty pink wooden walls, pastel printed pillows, happy golden Maneki-neko, an abundance of pink and red roses, delicate Asian-style floral cutlery, and The National playing on record, it feels almost out of place amongst the blinding neon lights, gadget stores, hair salons and dumpling and rice restaurants nearby.
The drinks menu is ordered by colour so between the two of us, we had the Blue algae-based and the Black Charcoal Signature Lattes. To eat, I had their Turmeric Congee Bowl which was made with turmeric spice, coconut cream, poached cranberries, dried strawberries and lemon zest, while my sister had the Breakfast Congee Bowl. I will not be forgetting that Turmeric Congee anytime soon. It was absolutely delicious! I’ll make the mission in rain or shine just for that again!
Orchard Grocer (and MooShoes)
Orchard Grocer, also located in Chinatown, is what they describe as a “haven for compassionate convenience”. While they have delicious sandwiches and desserts that one can order, what was more exciting for me were all of the retail products on sale! Like Veganz in Berlin, every single item on the shelves and in the fridge is 100% vegan so one doesn’t have to bother with double-checking the ingredients lists! My sister and I bought a few items to share and try out including toona (aka “tuna” made from mainly pea protein), BBQ jackfruit, vanilla espresso almond butter, aged cashew cheese with reishi mushroom, veggie snack sausage, and date paste. Other exciting items on sale included mac and cheese, sour worms, marshmallows, tofu feta, blue cheese, vegan eggs, dips, sauces and spices.
Next to Orchard Grocer resides MooShoes, an apparel store that stocks cruelty-free footwear, bags, t-shirts, wallets, books and other accessories from brands such as BeetxBeet and Matt & Nat. They are a home to a slew of rescued cats, adopted from various local organisations - my sister and I found a rather chilled black and white feline lying about on the faux leather chairs!
Other notable mentions from previous visits:
Avant Garden - for high-end, gourmet, vegan cuisine
Beyond Sushi - for creative vegan sushi, rice paper rolls and bowls (their enoki mushroom roll is great)
By Chloe - for burgers and fries, mac and cheese and ice cream
Blossom - for a selection of delicious, filling buddha-style bowls (try one of theirs or make your own)
Candles 79 - for fancy vegan meals (the chocolate brownie is to die for)
Fika - for great coffee and matcha
Franchia - for vegan Asian-fusion
Hangawi - for high-end, trendy Asian meals (this is still one of my most memorable restaurants I’ve ever visited)
The Juice Shop - for juices, smoothies and acai bowls (try their Coco Kale acai bowl)
Liquiteria - for on-the-go snacks and juices (try their choc-chip oatmeal balls and grasshopper juice)
Peacefood Cafe - for their chickpea fritters and so much more (this place is a must-go)
The Matcha Bar - for their matcha drinks, obviously
Urban Veg Kitchen - for pretty much everything on the menu (pizza, burgers, bowls, choc-chip cookies served with warm almond milk)
Uma Temakeria - for big burrito-style sushi rolls
00 + Co. - for gourmet vegan pizzas
Raw Vegan Special Chocolate Brownies
I'm going to be upfront and say that you can make these chocolate brownies special or special. Infused with herbs, or without, it's up to you. Either way, they will be special regardless as this recipe is so dang (dank?) tasty! If however, you decide to infuse your brownies with herbs like rosemary, buchu or basil, for example, I can't guarantee the same yumminess factor. So choose your herbs wisely friends.
pardon me sir,
there's something special in your chocolate
This recipe couldn't have come at a better time in my opinion. On the 31st of March 2017, the Western Cape High Court of South Africa made a landmark ruling, declaring that it is an infringement to ban the use of cannabis by adults in private homes. That means that the possession, cultivation and use of weed is allowed at home, for private use. This also means that Parliament is required to relook at drug trafficking laws as well as the Medicines Control Act, indicating a radical shift in what we consider addictive and harmful substances.
“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit...unnatural?”
What one culture vilifies as dangerous, another reveres. One needs to question why one group of people fears something while another group has fearlessly used it for centuries. Times are changing - more and more people are opening up to the benefits of using plants as medicine to treat physical pain and mental afflictions rather than perceiving it as ineffective or dangerous.
so good you may pass out.
why is this the case now?
As new-age-hippe-shit as this sounds, I do believe there is some sort of awakening happening. There is, without a doubt, a movement towards mindful eating, minimalism, responsible consumption and sustainable living. There is a greater awareness, where the glitz and the glam have been stripped away, and a deeper yearning from a more purpose-led life emerges. This means more people are questioning where their food is coming from, who made their clothes, how efficient is their car, or how eco-friendly their home is. It is about knowing one’s supply chain. It is about reconnecting with people, animals and the planet. It is about fostering deeper connections.
Living with that awareness inherently means there is an appreciation for nature. And Nature is the teacher of connections.
Mother Earth shows us how everything is here for a purpose and is delicately connected in strange and marvellous ways. With that understanding in mind, we can see plants as important and valuable entities, that when used respectfully, at the right time, for the right reasons, can reveal our purpose and connect us to all that is.
On a simpler scale though, plants and herbs can relieve us of pain, ease us into deeper relaxation, and help cultivate self-acceptance, encourage laughter and express love more freely. From helping to clear my acne almost entirely in a matter of hours (more on this in another post), to peacefully stilling my mind and to lovingly opening up my heart, I have experienced the healing power of plants myself.
This recipe is best enjoyed responsibly. And whether you decide to turn these into chocolate brownies into space cakes or not, this recipe is still utterly delicious. In fact, you may just want to infuse these with special herbs otherwise you might find yourself eating all of it in one go!
let’s get baked on these unbaked brownies.
ingredients for the raw chocolate brownies
1 1/2 cup dates, soaked
1 cup oatmeal flour (or rolled oats)
1/4 buckwheat
30g raw cacao powder
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 tbsp carob powder
1 tbsp maca powder
3 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
A pinch of vanilla
3-4 tbsp herb-infused coconut oil (or plain coconut oil)
ingredients for the glaze
1 tbsp nut butter (I used almond butter)
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp carob powder
1 tsp water
method
1. For every 1/2 gram, use 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Combine the cannabis and coconut oil in a small saucepan over the lowest heat you can manage. Once the coconut oil has melted, let the mix simmer uncovered (stirring ever so often) for 2 hours. It should become slightly green and smell pretty strongly. If it doesn't turn green, that's fine. The green colour relates only to the chlorophyll present, not how strong the oil is. Smell the oil occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn.
2. Let the oil cool and strain the herb out. Use a cheesecloth if you have. Let solidify in a jar at room temperature, uncovered. Once cooled, close the container and store in the fridge.
3. Now onto the brownies! If you don’t have oatmeal flour, grind the rolled oats and the buckwheat together in a food processor until finely ground.
4. Add all of the raw brownie ingredients, including the herb-infused oil, together in a food processor. The texture should hold together and be slightly chunky. Place the raw brownie batter in cupcake holders, or in a muffin or cake tray. Press into brownie shapes and set in the fridge for a few hours.
5. To make the glaze, add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour on top of the brownies and munch, munch, munchies away!
My Best Mate, Yerba Maté
After my most frequently asked question of “but where do you get your protein?”, people curiously ask what I'm drinking. I guess I do stick out like a sore thumb, trotting around the Cape Town city center wielding a straw that looks like a weapon lodged inside a weirdly shaped mug.
yerba maté
the drink beyond the drink
“Yerba Maté has the strength of coffee, the health benefits of tea and the euphoria of chocolate.”
Some people drink coffee. Some people drink tea. I drink both (and eat chocolate). But my true love is for a strange leafy, grassy plant that comes with a metal straw in a bulbous, ceramic cup. It's yerba maté. And I’m totally and unashamedly addicted to it.
If you’re from South America or have visited the country, you will know all about it. It’s basically their national drink. In fact, in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, it's drunk more than coffee. From how it's prepared, shared and consumed, the people of South America take great pride in the customs and traditions that go with it.
I challenge you to a maté drinking competition with an Argentinian.
Having drunk maté religiously for over a year now, I have become quite accustomed to the rules and regulations that govern this scared and precious drink.
here’s a quick crash course on the cardinal rules of maté drinking:
Sit in a circle with friends - Sharing this drink from a traditional gourd (aka the cup/mug) is a sign of friendship and bonding.
Always allow the preparer of the yerba to drink first. The preparation is an art and skill that takes time to master.
Pass the drink in a clockwise direction.
Slurping is ok and encouraged. It means you have reached the end of your drink and it's time to pass it back to the preparer to give to the next person.
Pass the gourd with the straw (aka “bomba”) facing towards the preparer when you are finished drinking.
Don’t overflow the cup with water and drown the leaves.
Do not, I repeat, do not stir the straw as this action will clog up the straw's filter with leaves.
Refill up to eight times or more.
so why do am I so dang obsessed with this foreign tea?
Well, I feel like a superhero when I drink it. So it's no surprise that it has been called "The Drink of the Gods" by the Guarani tribe (the indigenous people of the Paraguay, southern Brazil, north-east Argentina and Uruguay regions).
The Guaraní have a legend that says that the Goddesses of the Moon and the Cloud came to the earth one day to visit. Instead of a happy welcoming, they were confronted with a Yaguareté (a jaguar) that was going to attack them. An old man who was nearby, saved them, and in compensation, the Goddesses gave the old man a new kind of plant he had never encounter - yerba maté - as a reward for his efforts. They encouraged him to drink it and share with his whole Guaraní tribe as the "drink of friendship". When the Guaranís learnt about this plant and felt its powerful affects upon drinking it, the name "The Drink of the Gods" was born.
physical and mental energetic benefits
Maté is so much more than caffeine and the health benefits of yerba maté go beyond mental stimulation and energy boosting. Yerba maté provides a smooth increase in energy that is gentle and clean without the shaky come-down that coffee is known for. Containing less caffeine than your daily cuppa but more than tea, it enhances memory, mood and alertness. By stimulating the production of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, as well as two related compounds, theobromine and theophylline, maté provides a uniquely mild stimulant effect.
health and nutritional benefits
Maté is also a nutritional powerhouse, loaded with practically all the micronutrients needed to sustain life, other beneficial phytonutrients such as tannins, trace minerals, chlorophyll, flavonoids, 15 amino acids and 11 polyphenols. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants that help the immune system fight against things like cancer cells, seasonal allergies and inflammation, and protect the heart and cardiovascular system . Maté exhibits more antioxidant power than any other tea-based drink.
digestive and elimination tonic
If you want a healthy digestion, drink maté. Traditional yerba maté has been used for centuries in treating constipation and indigestion. It's also naturally antibacterial against E. coli, one of the most common causes of food poisoning, and helps to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, and bladder and kidney stones.
but does it taste good?
I'll be honest - It's an acquired taste. If you haven’t tried it or have grown up with it, the best way to describe maté is grassy and leafy, similar to green tea, but also not like that at all either :P Sorry to not be much help. I've had my friends say it tastes like straw, grass, moss and healthy (apparently "healthy" has a taste!). Most people who have tried it either pull a face of concern or say, "Hmmm, interesting, I could get used to this." And most of them do.
Trust me on this and give maté a few tries. Try it smoked and unsmoked, aged or fresh, finely cut or in a rough form, or with lemon, rooibos or coconut sugar (find your favourite kind of maté here). Experiment and fun learning the art of preparing it. Share a cup with friends, and enjoy how the simple act of preparing leaves in a cup with a straw, can bring people together harmoniously.
Coarsely ground yerba: Green gold goodness.
a cultural exchange: learn how to prepare yerba maté
Time to prepare: 2 minutes
You will need the following:
One maté gourd (cup)
Some loose yerba maté
A bomba (straw)
Water (cold or warm)
Friends (recommended)
1. Fill the gourd ⅔ with yerba maté.
2. Place your palm over the top of the gourd and turn the gourd upside. Shake the maté to one side.
3. Press the maté firmly against the side of the gourd with the flat end of the bomba.
4. Top up the gourd with your water down the opposite side of where the maté sits. Stick your bomba in the gourd.
6. Drink up through the straw. Once the first serving is done, fill up the gourd with water again and pass to the friend you have hopefully invited to share with. The yerba maté should be good for eight top-ups or more.
How to make maté your friend: Shake, tip, pour and sip.
what type of yerba maté did i use?
While I have my preferences, I find the varieties that are coarsely cut (shown in the pictures above) to be the easiest to prepare and the gentlest in flavour, making it perfect for first time maté drinkers. I always buy brands that harvest from organic yerba maté forests (not plantations). My favourite is the electic Berlin brand, Meta Mate 23.
While I enjoy rough cut varieties however, I really love drinking the finely ground, bright green variety called, Barão (pronounced, "bar-auw"). Don't worry, I still can't pronounce it. I find the taste to be more complex, but harder to prepare, as the finely ground yerba can get stuck in the straw's filter. The taste is definitely worth the extra preparation effort.
so you're keen to buy some green power and get some $$$ off your purchase at the same time?
If you live in South Africa, can you buy maté gear, flavour varieties and more from Yerba Mate South Africa.
Use the discount code " francescaeatsroses " upon checkout and receive R15 off your purchase :)
See you in the maté circle xx
Miso Tahini Marinated Tempeh
“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”
For millions of years humans and bacteria have co-existed and have depended on one another for survival. Think about the symbiotic relationship between those little birds who feed on ticks on the backs of elephants and zebras. The larger animals benefit as they now do not need to worry about ticks (and are warned of nearby predators by the shrill bird's cries!) while the birds get a tasty takeout meal.
The human relationship with bacteria is similar. This complex, symbiotic relationship reflects our planet's biological relationships but on a much smaller scale.
Eating fermented foods results in the creation of conditions in which naturally occurring organisms thrive and proliferate. And by eating a variety of fermented foods, you promote diversity among microbial cultures in your body. And we all know biodiversity is a good thing for the survival of large eco-systems. This same principle is important at the micro-level too, that is, within our bodies. We can call this microbiodiveristy. Our bodies are little ecosystems that can only perform at their best when populated by diverse species of microorganisms and bacteria.
The bacteria inside of us function on four different levels for the human body.
Regulates inflammation - Inflammation can be regulated, to a large extent, by our microbiome (the bacteria in our body). Western medicine often only looks at treating the inflammation itself rather than the underlying cause.
Maintains intestinal integrity - Think of your intestines like a fly screen. It can let in all the nutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids etc) your body needs to function. But if you have holes in the fly screen caused by bad-bacterial overgrowth, dairy, meat, sugar, alcohol, stress and more, you are going to have some nasty things filtering into your bloodstream that you don't want! "Leaky gut syndrome", "translocation" or "intestinal permeability" is what its called. All of those unwanted, big, chunky particles that were not designed to be in the bloodstream cause the immune system to attack them. Bacteria in fermented foods maintain integrity of the intestine wall by ensuring only nutrients needed by the cells move into the bloodstream.
Manufactures important nutrients and molecules for the brain - If you're hungry you're in a bad mood, right? So surely it makes sense then to conclude that your brain is nourished by the food you eat - which is then broken down, absorbed and circulated. A healthy digestive system = a healthy and happy brain! But it goes one step further. The bacteria in your gut manufacturers brain-specific chemicals. Around 95% of your serotonin (the "happy" neurotransmitter) is made in the gut! Personal side note: I didn't know what happiness felt like until I started eating fermented foods. I felt at once energetic and bouncy as well as connected and grounded. I felt alive.
They assist in the digestion and assimilation of nutrients from food - Do you ever feel you eat healthily but are not fully reaping the benefits? Maybe you still feel lethargic, or you are not developing muscle mass you desire, or maybe you suffer from acne despite putting all the measures in place to #eatclean and #trainmean. This could be due to the fact that you are simply not digesting and absorbing the food you eat. The bacteria in our digestive tracts create an abundance of enzymes that help break down and digest our food. By establishing a well-balanced microbiome we can significantly improve the amount of goodness we are able to absorb!
So then, what is fermentation? It is a natural, traditional method of preserving and maintaining the health benefits of raw food, boosting its nutritional value, and delivering deliciously complex and balanced flavours.
Sure, fermented foods may seem a bit intimating at first. Kimchi and sauerkraut? That stuff looks a little freaky. Kombucha? How do you even pronounce that? Coconut kefir? Ok, you've lost me. Miso paste? Like the watery soup? Tempeh? Sorry, what are you going on about? But slowly these foods are becoming more and more popular in health stores, on brunch plates and in sushi burritos.
Tempeh is one of my favourite fermented foods. It has a slightly earthy smell but like tofu, it takes on any flavour. You can marinade, steam, fry or bake it. It has meatier texture than tofu and is packed to the brim with protein (and of course, probiotics).
This is a new favourite recipe on mine. It's been adapted from my Marinated Almond Butter Tempeh (Or Tofu) recipe but is more ferment-y as I added miso paste to the mix. I hope you enjoy the amazing probiotic nutrition from this meal. Stay healthy folks!
PS: If you are interested in learning more about fermented foods, Sandor Katz of Wild Fermentation is your guy! He is my inspiration on all things fermented-related.
Ingredients
70g tempeh
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp liquid amino acids (or soy sauce or tamari)
1 tsp miso paste
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp chili flakes
1 - 2 tbsp water
Method
1. Slice your tempeh lengthways and place in a shallow dish.
2. Mix the ingredients for marinade until it reaches a smooth consistency. Add a bit of water to thin it out.
3. Pour the marinade over the tempeh and place in airtight container in the fridge overnight (or for a few hours).
4. When you are ready to cook your tempeh, turn on the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.*
5. Place the tempeh slices on a tray that has been lined with tin foil or baking paper.
6. Bake for 12-15 minute. Then turn them over and bake for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve immediately. Leftover tempeh (if you have any will last for 2-3 days).
to serve
Mix together tahini, water and lemon juice for a quick side dip
Lemon juice, squeezed
* Frying the tempeh with a bit of coconut oil is also a delicious alternative to cooking it!