It takes a village!

I'M MISSING MY HOT WINGS I've always liked vegetables and red meat but everything else is a blahh taste for me.  And don't get me started on chicken! The smell of chicken, cooked and raw makes me nauseous.  I feel like hurling the moment that pong hits my nostrils yet hot-wings are my cryptonite. If I was Superman, the villain would just have to wave a good hot wing in front of me to render me compliant, and yes there is such a thing as a bad hot wing. Now what's really weird about this, is that I can't stand the taste of anything else on the menu at Chicken Licken or KFC.  I shallow-breathe when I'm near or in their establishments so why do I love their wings?  No clue.  Equally perplexing is that once I've gotten to the 4th or 5th wing, I start to get that hurling sensation again and the taste just goes out the window- so, yes 5 hot wings are my limit. And now with the lockdown, if you're like my kids (or me), the hot-wing craving ad...

LOCKDOWN DAY 5 Just survived the weekend with everyone at home.  The tears and screaming, mostly from me has been forgotten and hopefully forgiven in the early morning light of a new day.  A weekday to be precise. I can handle the kids.  I can handle a house full of kids but add my husband to that mix and it's a whole different ballgame.  I'm not talking about the gap between football and soccer, I'm talking soccer and water-polo! He's a handful on his own.  And yes, God-forgive-me, but I'm glad he's part of essential services because I don't know if both of us would survive this lockdown otherwise.  Okay, so I guess you may think I'm exaggerating but one thing about Leon is that he has itchy feet.  He can't stay at home, even on the weekends.  He'll take a walk to the shops or the fleamarket. And if he can't go out, he makes everyone crazy. I have 3 boisterous girls which means that sometimes I have to make myself louder to be hea...

A PERSON IS SMART Officially, today is the start of South Africa's 21-day lockdown.  Judging from all the people still doing their own thing on the streets, I don't think we've ever had one before. A person, you see is smart but people are stupid.  When we're in a crowd, we worry about what others think about us, how we look, how we sound.  Instead of being safe and considerate to others, people will go to the shops without masks or gloves on . So think about the last few days in SA and the people-logged shops: how many of them did you witness wearing their masks and gloves while shopping?  Hmm, a minuscule number, I bet. How many were sick and didn't know it? But no worries, we'll all know it soon enough cos those coronavirus or Covid-19 numbers are climbing rapidly. Patient 31 and her 5000 This is how fast it spreads, people. Patient 31 has infected 5000 people-do you think she thought she even knew 5000 people?! Be safe and stay at home and let...

POTATOES It's the kitchen staple worth befriending, beloved the world over and such an interesting fella. With the highest production and consumption rate in the world, potatoes are undoubtedly the world's go-to and a staple food in every kitchen.  So maybe it's time you get comfortable and become a little more than friends. Potatoes have gotten a bad rap from the health and fitness communities. Choose sweet potatoes or other root vegetables, they say. It's healthier, they say.  Well let me tell you,  adding carrots or sweet potatoes to my mutton curry is a surefire way to start a fight in my house. And the bewildered potato is like whaaat? I'm not unhealthy, guys. Here's my profile pic, don't I look good? But studies show that it is how we prepare the potato that actually determines whether it's healthy or not.  I mean try deep-frying carrot sticks or broccoli heads in oil and then top them off with loads of sugary sauces and heaps of salt...

AND IN THIS CORNER, PROTEIN-PACKED BEANS.. The humble bean does not exactly make you drool when seen on the shelves in their dry  unappealing form.  Yet in a well-cooked curry, it is tastier than most meat dishes.   Kids love beans- it gives them an excuse to toot-toot and for all the toot-toot jokes!  Not only is it an excellent source of protein but it is a staple in any diet and there's a variety to choose from. For those hungry stomachs that need to be filled while  you cast a wary eye on your dwindling grocery supply, beans (pulses) are an excellent addition to your cupboard.   So choose a packet of your favourite beans or try different ones and let's cook.  The recipe below can be adapted to suit any beans that you want to cook.  I've used sugar beans to make little bunny chows for supper but you can eat them with roti, rice or bread. DURBAN SUGAR BEANS CURRY You will need: 1 cup dried sugar...

LOVE IT OR LOATHE IT Bread and I have a love-hate relationship.  I love it and it hates me. Yes, you heard right.  It hates me, it makes me bloated and lethargic and chesty. But I can't resist freshly baked bread or any good baguette or ciabatta. Slathered with butter and jam, it's heaven in a slice.  I know I shouldn't eat it but that how strong this love is. But now buying bread while on this Covid19 lockdown😕?! It's right up there with fighting in a war and swimming with sharks- no cages. I mean how do we stop the virus if it's on the bread? The shops, that frightened voice in my head says, are filled with potentially infected people- you just don't know.  As  I push my disinfectant-smelling trolley to the bakery section to buy a loaf or 2 of bread, I find myself eyeing everyone with suspicion.  I reach out to grab a loaf of bread when I meet the eye of one of the bakers behind the counter.  My mind drifts back a few mont...