MyWorldMyLife

Posts

Charred Summer Peaches with Creamy Burrata & Fresh Herbs

There’s something effortlessly beautiful about a dish that celebrates simple, seasonal ingredients. This recipe is one of my favourite summer combinations - juicy peaches warmed on the grill, creamy burrata, buttery avocado, and crunchy walnuts all brought together with fresh herbs and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s vibrant, elegant, and perfect for sharing, whether served as a light lunch, a dinner party starter, or a centrepiece for a relaxed summer table. Ingredients 4 large peaches, halved and pitted 3 balls of Burrata 1–2 ripe avocados, sliced 3–4 cups baby spinach or rocket (arugula) ½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves (or substitute with fresh mint) 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper Edible flowers and crushed pistachios for a colourful, elegant finish (optional) Instructions 1. Grill the peaches Preheat your grill until hot. Place the peach hal...

Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad with Feta & Basil

Every summer, I make my way down to the allotment to gather the ripest tomatoes, filling my basket with every colour and variety I can find. There is something truly special about cooking with produce we have grown ourselves; he tomatoes are sweeter, juicier, and somehow taste like summer itself. By the time I bring them home, your stepdad is usually outside getting the braai ready, and we begin preparing everything together for a relaxed summer evening. I love making this salad with you. It’s such a simple recipe, but over the years it has become part of our summer tradition, the kind of dish that belongs alongside a sizzling braai, good conversation, and time spent together around the table. I hope this becomes one of those recipes you carry with you wherever life takes you. One day, when you make this salad in your own home, I hope it brings back memories of those warm evenings with us: picking tomatoes from the allotment, cooking together in the kitchen, the smell of the braai drif...

The Hidden Logistics of Living with Cancer

I saw a post on Instagram the other day about the "hidden bits" of cancer. You know the ones, the parts that don’t make it into the glossy brochures or the curated "warrior" selfies. It stayed with me, mostly because I was reading it while lugging around my own "hidden bits" in the form of a large, stylish, and incredibly heavy tote bag. They say you can tell a lot about a woman by what’s in her purse. If that’s true, my bag isn’t telling a story of simple endurance. It’s telling a story of negotiation . I look at this bag with a mix of deep affection and pure exhaustion. It is a beautiful monster. And today, I’m tipping it out. First, we have the cancer kit. The Heavy Hitters: My daily chemo tablets and Letrozole (my hormone blocker). Followed by the backup dancers: My anti-sickness pills, anti-diarrhea meds, and prescribed calcium. It’s a lot of science for one person to carry, isn't it? The Drama Queen: My lymphoedema compression glove. My hand lik...

My favourite healthy chocolate avocado cake

Sama, this cake will always hold a special place in my heart because of my friend Stef. During a time when I wasn't feeling my best, Stef showed up with this lovely cake that felt like a total indulgence but was actually exactly what my body needed. It’s rich, fudgy, and naturally sweet, but the real secret is that it's made with avocados! They make the texture incredibly soft and the chocolate frosting silky-smooth, but I promise you can’t taste them at all. Stef made this for me to help me feel better, and it truly did. It’s the perfect treat for a birthday or a rainy afternoon when you need a healthy dessert that still feels like a big, chocolatey hug. Ingredients 3 cups almond flour or almond meal ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¾ cup water 1 cup mashed ripe avocado (about 1½ medium avocados) 1 cup granulated sweetener that measures like sugar (e.g., monkfruit) 3 eggs 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 1 c...

Things I wish I knew at the beginning of my cancer diagnosis

As May begins to unfold and spring finds its full bloom, I’m marking something deeply personal... my third cancerversary. This time of year feels different now. It’s not just about longer days and warmer air; it’s about reflection, resilience, and honoring how far I’ve come. Three years ago, my life was divided into a “before” and an “after.” Since then, I’ve learned lessons I never expected to learn: about strength, fear, patience, and perspective. As I sit with this milestone, these are the truths that have made the road gentler, and maybe they’ll meet you wherever you are in your own season of healing or growth. You are not behind After treatment, I felt pressure to “bounce back”... physically, emotionally, professionally. I thought I should be further along in my recovery, more like my old self. But healing doesn’t follow a schedule. There is no universal timeline for rebuilding. Where you are right now is not behind; it’s in progress. Speak up for what you need For a long tim...

Family Favourite Fruit Crumble

I want to tell you about this fruit crumble and why it quickly became a family favourite recipe. A while ago, when I wasn’t feeling well, my friend Stef made it for me. Just the smell of it baking, soft, juicy fruit under a golden, buttery oat crumble.... made me feel cared for and a little bit better, even on a tough day. It’s such a simple, comforting dessert, perfect for using whatever fruit you have on hand. Serve it warm with custard, cream, or ice cream, and it instantly feels like a hug from the inside. I hope one day, when you make it yourself, it reminds you of Stef’s kindness and of the way food can bring comfort and love. Ingredients 4 oz self-raising flour 1 oz porridge oats 3 oz butter 3 oz sugar Fresh fruit (enough to fill an ovenproof dish) A little water Instructions: Preheat your oven to 170°C (conventional) . Prepare the fruit by placing it into an ovenproof dish. Add a little water to prevent it from drying out. In a mixing bowl, ru...

The opening line that changed everything

Can I just take a second to talk about the best opening line ever written? “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Tolstoy really knew what he was doing with Anna Karenina , didn't he? I’ve found myself obsessed with this idea, applying it to almost every corner of my world: family life, my kids, friendships…. even work (believe it or not!). There’s something so profound about how "normalcy" feels universal, while the hard stuff feels incredibly specific. But since cancer entered my life, those words have taken on a much deeper, more personal meaning. Before my diagnosis, health felt... well, ordinary. It was predictable. Days had a rhythm I didn't even think to question. I never realized that those "uneventful" stretches, the boring Tuesdays, the routine school runs, the quiet evenings were actually a form of happiness I hadn't learned to appreciate yet. Cancer changed that perspective overnight. It showed me just...