All posts tagged: Our Growing Edge

Our Growing Edge – April 2017

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Hey April, it’s Genie here. You are one of my favourite months because you encompass Autumn. Autumn here means feijoas, figs and chestnuts. A couple of weeks ago, we started Bluff oyster season which for oyster lovers, is the tastiest season of the year. I’ve already scoffed a few dozen oysters and keen to gobble more. This autumn has been pretty messy weather-wise tough. Hopefully it sorts itself out. Soon. Many of you who are in the northern hemisphere are enjoying spring which means asparagus, early strawberries and toward the end of April, ramps. This month’s Our Growing Edge is being hosted by Michelle from Kitchen Mess. The theme is HEALTHY FOOD FOR THE SOUL. If you are embarking on any new food adventures this month, make sure to  share it with Our Growing Edge. Some food adventures you could try this month: Cook something that makes you happy Learn a fun new cooking technique Create a new recipe that is “a hug in a bowl” Recreate a recipe from vivid food memory To submit a post, click on the submission button below: …

Poké face

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Poké (pronounced “po–kay”) landed in Auckland last September in the tired underground IMAX food court on Queen Street. My fork buddy and I hit up Poke Time on opening day: bright and little tacky, as Hawaiian-themed things can be, the experience has a Subway vibe and is essentially a build-your-own raw fish salad bowl. You pick whatever you want, although it can be too many decisions for the uninitiated. If you’ve never tried poké before, it can be overwhelming but if you know what you are doing, Poke Time is great value. With heaps of options including salmon, two types of tuna, and trevally, they also have token vegetarian options, but that’s probably not what most will come here for. Tip: go for the seasoned fish, the non-marinated options are essentially sashimi bowls, rather than poké bowls. Poké means “chop” and is a Hawaiian dish influenced by Japanese cuisine. Poké is raw fish (such as tuna, salmon or octopus) is cubed and seasoned with soy sauce, sesame oil, seaweed. Poké is often served served with fresh vegetables and rice …

Our Growing Edge – January 2017 – Healthy Starts

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Many of us will begin the year with a food-related resolution. Whatever form your new years resolutions take, there’s no doubt that it can be tricky to start afresh after the decadence of the holiday season. A new year, a new month means a new edition of Our Growing Edge. This blog link up encourages us to try new things in the kitchen, in our bellies and in our every day lives. While I’m not a fan of extreme diets, incorporating whole foods into my diet is absolutely something I can get on board. Fresh produce, fresh fruit, fresh meat and fresh seafood can be super inspiring when it comes to eating well. January 2017 hosted by Terri from Food Meanderings and the theme is HEALTHY STARTS. Hopefully this link up with encourage us to think of healthy, delicious recipes and hold us accountable this month. I look forward to seeing all the delicious ways you start 2017 with. If you are creating any healthy dishes month, share it with Our Growing Edge. Some ideas you could try this month: Experiment with …

Our Growing Edge – December 2016 – Festive Feeds

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I am incredulous. How is it December already? Yesterday marked the first day of summer here in the southern hemisphere, which seems upside down to those in the north. Here we like to celebrate the holiday season with beach visits, backyard barbecues and meals eaten al fresco. This is the season for festivities…which leads me to this month’s theme for Our Growing Edge: Festive Feeds. December’s edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Rebecca from The Economic Foodie.  Rebecca is an economics grad from Sydney, Australia. The Economic Foodie has been going for a year and a half and includes healthy, wholesome dishes that are gentle on the pocket. Think salads with lots of colour and flavour and mostly (but not strictly) vegetarian recipes. Her mantra “Less waste, more creativity” is great for any time of year, but particularly for December which can be a little more wasteful and indulgent. If you are creating anything delicious for the holiday season, share it with Our Growing Edge. Some ideas you could try this month: Invent a recipe using up holiday leftovers Make an edible gift Host a …

Our Growing Edge – November 2016 Intro

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November edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Alicia from Alicia’s Bits n Bobs. Just a reminder: Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. So if you don’t already have a foodie bucket list, it’s time to write one. Feel free to browse my list for  some ideas. Some ideas you could try this month: Learn a new technique Reverse engineer a dish from your favourite restaurant Cross something off your bucket list Cook something new out of an old cookbook Try a new cuisine To submit a post, click on the submission button below: More info on the event can be found here. Last month’s event October was hosted by Annika from We Must Be Dreamers. Check out her round up of all the HALLOWEEN submissions on her blog later this month. Below is a preview …

Our Growing Edge – October 2016 Intro

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October edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Annika from We Must Be Dreamers. Theme: Halloween   This month’s theme can be as literal or as abstract as you like. Just imagine the final round up as an epic Halloween pot luck spanning food blogs from around the world! Some ideas you could try this month: Make a Halloween treat Pumpkin spice something Cook a dish that uses only Fall colours Host a Halloween-themed dinner party Cook with an ingredient that could be considered slightly horrifying Invent a Halloween cocktail To submit a post, click on the submission button below: More info on the event can be found here. Last month’s event September was hosted by Chrystal from The Smallwood Parsonage. Check out her round up of all the yummy FAMILY RECIPE submissions on her blog later this month. Below is a preview of just some of the FAMILY RECIPE submissions.

Our Growing Edge – September 2016 Intro

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September edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Chrystal from The Smallwood Parsonage.  Theme: Family Recipes Family recipes are important to foodies and food bloggers because the dishes we grew up with nurtured our love for food. Family recipes are often forgotten by adventurous foodies as we look for trendy and new recipes. This month’s theme asks for us to step back and dig into our family culinary histories. So pull out those old family recipe books, phone your family and share those family recipes. Some ideas you could try this month: Update a family favourite Beg a family member for their treasured recipe to share on your blog Cook something from a family cookbook and share it’s origins Host a pot luck with the theme of “Family Recipes” Recreate a dish from your childhood from scratch To submit a post, click on the submission button below: More info on the event can be found here. Last month’s event Cheryl at Business Chic was the host for August’s edition of Our Growing Edge. I know Cheryl from wine festivals here in Auckland and also because the blogging scene …

Our Growing Edge – August 2016 Intro

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August edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Cheryl from BusinessChic. Theme: WORK DAY EATING   I love Cheryl’s theme suggestion of WORK DAY EATING this month. The majority of lunches are eaten at work and it’s hard to eat well at work if you’re not prepared. When I first started working full time (way back in my early twenties), I ate out every day. I didn’t make the time to prepare lunch in the mornings and I liked having a bit of “me time” in the middle of the day while I checked out local cafes. Eating out for lunch cost me $50 to $70 per week but I didn’t mind because I had gone from a student budget to a full time salary. I was splurging. Then I got smart. Eating out every day is a big waste of money. Nowdays, I’m all about leftovers, whether it’s straight up leftovers or rehashing it slightly for lunch – such as a chicken salad using leftover chicken from the previous night’s roast dinner plus some chopped salad ingredients. You hardly notice a cost difference if you cook …

Our Growing Edge – July 2016 Intro

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July edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Sophie at Cooking Trips. The theme this month is “Travel”.   I am lucky to have travelled to some delicious destinations and have collected precious food memories. For me, food is an important part of travel and I love exploring other cuisines while expanding my growing edge. Some memorable meals include: Late night takoyaki made fresh to order out of a van in a deserted parking lot in Osaka, Japan Our first larb in Laos from this random restaurant in the middle of nowhere just on the border of Vietnam and Laos Killing and eating a snake at a snake restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam I have so many more food memories I want to collect but it’s nice to be able to travel to faraway places by recreating dishes at home. I hope this month’s travel theme inspires you to cook something from your travels or something from a place you would like to travel to. Because there’s nothing quite like falling in love with places you’ve yet to visit. …

Our Growing Edge – June 2016 Intro

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June edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Susan and Mike from Simply Sundays. The theme this month is “Tastes of Summer”.   Most of you will be enjoying warm weather, picnics, barbecues, salads, and al fresco dining late into the evenings. Summer produce is plentiful, affordable and delicious and maybe the produce is inspiring you to prepare more meals at home. At the same time, here in the southern hemisphere this week marks the first week of winter, I’m torn between warming winter dishes and also eating lighter so that the waistline doesn’t run away from me.  Adapting the taste of summer can be great for winter eating. Some ideas you could try this month: Adapt a classic oven or stovetop recipe to be cooked on the barbecue Cook with strawberries, cherries, apricots or watermelon Make something with avocado, heirloom tomatoes, radishes or corn Invent a winning smoothie using summer produce Make a refreshing drink or adapt a classic summer cocktail Host a picnic potluck To submit a post, click on the submission button below: More info on the event …

Our Growing Edge – May 2016 Intro

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May edition of Our Growing Edge is hosted by Joana from My Gut Feeling. The theme this month is “Allergy friendly recipes”.   We all know someone with a food allergy and the restaurant and cafe industry are increasingly catering to food allergies too. I love cooking for other people and sometimes this includes allergy friendly recipes. I am lucky that we don’t have any food allergies in our household, but I have dabbled in some gluten free baking after I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease a few years back. Gluten free seems to be fairly common and cafes around here usually stock at least one gluten free option, while dairy free, nut free and egg free can usually be arranged after speaking to the chef. Vegan isn’t a diet or way of life I personally follow but I have cooked vegan meals in the past which are both egg and dairy free. It’s good to have a recipe or two up your sleeve for those occasions. Hopefully this round up will inspire us to try some new recipes. Some …

Our Growing Edge March 2016 Intro

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How is it March already? It’s officially the start of Autumn here in New Zealand. While today seems cooler due to the rain we’ve been having, it’s still balmy and the grassy area in the front of our house is like a swamp. I’m half expecting gators to snap at me when I need to visit the bins out front. With a new month comes a new edition of Our Growing Edge. This month’s host is Mr Fitz from Cooking with Mr Fitz – a blog about food adventures both at home and abroad. Check out Mr Fitz’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for yummy pics of food and the antics of his cute basset hounds Mr Wentworth and Cora Murley. There is no theme this month so pull out those bucket lists and get ticking! Don’t have a bucket list? Feel free to browse my foodie bucket list for ideas… Some new food adventures you could try this month (stolen from my list) Pickle or ferment something Partake in a progressive dinner Souffle something Shuck an …

Our Growing Edge February 2016 Intro

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  HAPPY FEBRUARY! February is hosted by Chinelo from Good Cake Day. Theme: Love in all its forms. To join, click on the submission button below: We all have bucket lists. Whether they’re written down somewhere or kept in our heads and hearts. Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This blogging monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. If you have a blog and are planning to write about a new food related experience, join us! More info on the event can be found here. Some ideas you could try this month: Cook a loved one’s favourite meal Make up a recipe using an aphrodisiac Host a Valentines Day dinner Feast on your favourite food Make an edible gift to give to people you love Cook a romantic dinner for two Pack a picnic, your loved one/s …

Baked Mayo-Cheese Mussels

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We dined with friends at a local yakitori restaurant last week. Although one of our favourite restaurants in Auckland for their tasty morsels of individually selected skewers, it had been a long time since we had visited and it wasn’t quite the same. My favourite dish, scallops wrapped in bacon were disappointing this time and the other dish I was looking forward to (chicken hearts) was unavailable. They did however, have a special on the blackboard: 4 mussels for $5. These were baked, cheesy, creamy, a little sweet and very different to how I usually cook mussels (steamed with sauce added). I don’t know exactly what was in the dish but I figured there was mussels, cheese, mayo and perhaps something sweet for balance. Boom I wanted more. The Koala and I split a portion and 2 mussels each is just a tease. So when our Foodbox delivered a kilo of mussels yesterday, I took it as a sign from the universe that I should try and recreate it at home. This recipe is deceptively easy, very quick, and uses just …

Our Growing Edge January 2016 Intro

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Hello everyone. It’s been weeks since my last blog. I’m still technically on holiday. The Koala and I got back from holiday a few days ago where we had a magic 10 days away with friends. I had grand plans of blogging and cooking up a storm over the holidays but turns out I just really needed to chill. I’m not going to apologise for my absence. With a new year, comes a new year of Our Growing Edge. New Year resolutions, healthy eating plans, adventurous and ambitions intentions for the kitchen. I’m sure most of you have ideas you’re itching to try this month for Our Growing Edge. I haven’t written my NY resolutions yet. I guess I’ve been pre-occupied this season, but I do hope to come up with some intentions for 2016 in the coming week. I’ve enjoyed reading your resolutions. Bucket lists and resolutions are a great way to focus ourselves and also to review the year that has just gone. It’s now 3 years since I started Our Growing Edge. With over 600 entries …

Our Growing Edge December 2015 Intro

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This month is hosted by Jazz from Dash of Jazz. The theme is NOSTALGIA. To join, click on the submission button below: We all have bucket lists. Whether they’re written down somewhere or kept in our heads and hearts. Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This blogging monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. If you have a blog and are planning to write about a new food related experience, join us! More info on the event can be found here. Our host, Jazzmine is a Texas native with Nigerian roots, loves classic Southern cooking and has suggested the theme NOSTALGIA for this month. Some ideas you could try this month: Cook a recipe you remember from childhood Make a family favourite with a new main ingredient Cook a loved one’s favourite recipe Recreate a recipe that is well …

Our Growing Edge November 2015 intro

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This month is hosted by Lauren from Sweet Southern Lifestyle. To join, click on the submission button below: We all have bucket lists. Whether they’re written down somewhere or kept in our heads and hearts. Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This blogging monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. If you have a blog and are planning to write about a new food related experience, join us! More info on the event can be found here. Our host, Lauren is a keen baker and the theme this month is holiday baking. Some ideas you could try this month: Host Thanksgiving or a feast at home with a festive dessert Bake a pie Try a new cookie recipe Make a gingerbread house or gingerbread men Update an classic cake recipe with holiday spices …

Our Growing Edge August 2015 Intro – Treat Edition

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We all have bucket lists. Whether they’re written down somewhere or kept in our heads and hearts. Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This blogging monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. More info on the event can be found here. This month is hosted by Caroline from Shrinking Single. The theme is TREAT YOURSELF. I’m super excited because this month is Restaurant Month here in Auckland city. No doubt I’ll be treating myself to the various great restaurants over the month. I’m no sweet tooth but I know many of you are and I’m sure you can find some sweet ways to treat yourself this month. It was fun thinking about what I consider a treat and how I treat myself. I can find indulgence in lots of places. Some ideas you could try this month: …

Our Growing Edge July 2015 Intro – Party Edition

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We all have bucket lists. Whether they’re written down somewhere or kept in our heads and hearts. Our Growing Edge is the part of us that is still learning and experimenting. It’s the part that you regularly grow and improve, be it from real passion or a conscious effort. This monthly event aims to connect and inspire us to try new things and to compile a monthly snapshot of what food bloggers are getting up to. More info on the event can be found here. This month is hosted by Pia from Joie de Vivre and Cupcakes. The theme is PARTY WITH FRIENDS. I’ve got a few ideas for this month. Maybe I’ll even tick off a bucket list item. Some ideas you could try this month: Throw a 4th of July BBQ party Translate a family favourite to feed a large group Host a dinner party at home Invent some new drinks for a cocktail party Throw a make your own taco/burger/pizza party Create some make-ahead party canapés. To join, click on the submission button below:   Below are just a …

Banh mi in winter

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Early 2000’s, The Koala and I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam at 6am local time during the coldest month of the year. We’d just flown in from balmy Kuala Lumpur and had been awake for at 24 hours. We weren’t prepared for the cold but we dumped our stuff at our hotel and went exploring. The city was wide awake, bright and bustling. Big baskets of bread stacked on the footpath and banh mi sellers bundled up and huddled together like winter birds cozied up on a branch. What is banh mi? For those unfamiliar with banh mi, the word “banh mi” (pronounced BUN-mee) just means “bread” in Vietnamese but has come to mean a single serve baguette sandwich. The French colonials left behind baguettes and pate when they left Vietnam in the 1950s and the locals created this awesome fusion sandwich before fusion was a thing. Stuffed with pork or chicken, pate, mayo, cucumber, coriander (cilantro), pickled vegetables and sometimes chillies, they are made fresh to order so you get to choose (in our case point) the …