BREAKFAST

Porridge, with muesli, raisins and honey
OR Oat bran porridge with berries and almonds with honey
Tea

LUNCH

Vegetable, chicken, or butternut soup
Rye toast to dip
Fresh fruit

DINNER

Salmon with couscous and seasonal vegetables

TUESDAY

BREAKFAST
Plain or Bulgarian yoghurt with chopped dried apricots, walnuts and honey
Tea

LUNCH
Spicy chicken and roasted vegetable tortilla wrap
Tortilla wrap with avo, stir fried veg, fresh salads (chopped lettuce, cucumber and tomato), strips of grilled chicken breast and fresh chopped chilli.
Fresh fruit

DINNER
Beef burgers on wholewheat roll with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, avo, and pan fried mushroom and onion. Top with a little tomato salsa.
Dessert – fresh fruit salad with custard

WEDNESDAY

BREAKFAST
Rye toast with smoked salmon, low fat cream cheese and sliced tomato
Fresh fruit juice

LUNCH
Couscous mixed with chopped vegetables (raw or cooked vegetables, chopped avocado, walnuts or beans), and fresh herbs with low-fat yogurt.
Fresh fruit

DINNER
Roast chicken with baked potatoes and steamed veg. Top with home made gravy

THURSDAY

BREAKFAST
Breakfast smoothie – blend soft fruit (strawberries, banana, pear, papaya etc), low-fat yoghurt, almond/hazelnuts or granola muesli and ice
Rice cakes to snack

LUNCH
Roast beef sandwich on rye bread with rocket leaves, avo, roasted cherry tomatoes and yoghurt, and spice with Himalayan crystal salt and black pepper.
Fresh fruit

DINNER
Chicken fajitas with roasted vegetables
Dessert – baked apple with creme fraiche or custard

FRIDAY

BREAKFAST
Rice cakes or rye crackers topped with hummus / brie cheese / Tsaziki and thinly sliced tomato
Fresh fruit juice

LUNCH
Salad – lettuce, cherry tomato, cucumber, grilled chicken strips, Danish feta, Kalamata olives, sun dried tomatoes, onion sprinkles
Fresh fruit

DINNER
Penne Arabiata with fresh rocket, Danish feta and Kalamata olives
Fresh green side salad
Dessert – Greek yogurt with crushed mixed raw nuts and honey

SATURDAY

BREAKFAST
Boiled egg with whole-wheat toast and pan fried sliced tomato
Tea

LUNCH
Salad – Watercress, spinach and rocket salad with red peppers, red onion, smoked mackerel and a balsamic dressing
Fruit juice

DINNER
Beef or chicken, red pepper and mushroom stir fry

SUNDAY

BREAKFAST
Poached egg, grilled lean bacon, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms and a slice of wholemeal toast
Start or finish with half a pink grapefruit.
Tea

LUNCH
Jacket potato with cottage cheese, chopped cucumber and chives and a large green salad
Cereal bar

DINNER
Lean lamb chops with steamed veg and mashed potato

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 pound Shrimp, large, peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp Basil, fresh, chopped
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 1 pound Linguine (preferably fresh)
• Grated Asiago cheese (as desired)

How to:

• Set a pot to boil for the linguine, adding 1 tbsp of the olive oil and a few dashes of salt to the water.
• Cook the linguine for 7-8 minutes (al dente), stirring every minute.
• While the linguine is cooking, heat a large skillet with remaining olive oil.
• When hot, add the shrimp to the skillet, sauteeing until the shrimp turns pink, about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and the basil to the saute and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
• Add the butter, and then toss in the pasta, making sure to coat the pasta with the sauce. Remove from heat.
• Serve immediately and garnish with the Asiago cheese as desired!

Shrimp Linguine with Basil Garlic Butter

Recipe from: http://www.professionalrecipes.com/recipes/pasta/shrimp_linguine_basilgarlic_butter.html

Mushroom and garlic pasta

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Rotelle uncooked
• ½ cup onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ cup Shiitake mushrooms chopped
• ½ cup Oyster mushrooms picked clean
• 1/3 cup Portobello mushrooms chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 beef Bouillon cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tbsp clarified butter
• ½ cup red wine

How to:

• Put a large saucepan over med-high heat with the clarified butter. After the butter is hot, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms (all) to the pan and sauté till the onions are slightly browned and the mushrooms soften.
• Add the red wine and sauté until most of the wine is absorbed. Add the chicken stock and the bouillon cubes and bring it all to a boil.
• Once the sauce boils, stir in the Rotelle. Let it reduce for 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• When it’s all finished, stir in the fresh parsley and serve with a sprig of fresh parsley for garnish.
• This dish is versatile and many different things can be added for extra flavour. Adding strips of chicken (sauté before the mushrooms) makes a wonderful dish. Any number of vegetables that go well with mushrooms can be added: tomatoes, scallions, shallots, squash, peppers, etc. Any types of mushrooms may also be substituted as you see fit.

Recipe source: http://www.professionalrecipes.com/recipes/pasta/rotelle_mushroom.html

• flour
• salt
• pepper
• beef tenderloin
• 1 cut clove garlic
• butter or margarine
• chopped onions
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 pack chicken soup
• sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup commercial sour cream
• snipped parsley, chives, or dill

How to:

• Combine flour salt, pepper
• Trim fat from meat
• Rub both sides of meat with garlic
• Shake meat in plastic packet with flour, salt and pepper mix
• Cut meat into strips
• Brown meat strips in pan, turning often
• Add onions and sauté till golden
• Add water and stir
• Add soup and mushrooms; cook, uncovered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick and meat is fork tender – about 20 min.
• Just before serving, stir in sour cream; heat, but do not boil
• Sprinkle with parsley
• Serve with brown and wild rice,  tagliatelle, or mashed potatoes.

Beef Stroganoff

lasagne

Ingredients
For sauce:

For lasagne:

• 18 (7- by 3 1/2-inch sheets) dry no-boil lasagne (1 lb)
• 2 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella (smoked or plain), chilled and coarsely grated (6 cups)
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preparation

Make sauce:
Cook onions in butter and oil with oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste in a 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until onions are softened. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, orange juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 200′C. and butter 2 (13- by 9-inch) baking dishes.

Assemble lasagne:
Soak lasagne sheets in hot water to cover by 1 inch until softened and flexible, about 20 minutes.

Spread 1 1/2 cups sauce in each baking dish and top sauce in each dish with 3 drained pasta sheets, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle 1 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan evenly in each dish. Top with 3 drained pasta sheets per dish, overlapping if necessary. Repeat layering with 1 cup mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 cups sauce, and 3 drained pasta sheets in each dish. Finish assembling lasagne by topping each with 1 cups sauce. (You will have leftover sauce and mozzarella.)

Bake lasagne, covered with foil, in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 cups mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and cheese is melted, about 10 minutes more.

Serve lasagne with some of remaining sauce, reheated.

Tomato and mozerella lasagna

Cooks’ notes:

•Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• You can make and bake lasagne 1 day ahead up to point of adding last layer of mozzarella. Cool completely, then chill, covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating with final layer of mozzarella, covered, in a 200′C oven until hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

Neat, clean, tidy but not clinical. In fact, despite the white interior theme throughout, Geisha is actually a pretty comfortable place to relax after work with a glass of good wine, and indulge in the half price sushi special they offer.

If you’re looking for a sushi deal of the century Geisha definitely offers Baluga a good run for its money, not that I could complain about Baluga at that!

My friend Regan and I tucked into our usual spread of avo and tuna rolls topped with calamari tempura; prawn tempura rolls; salmon sashimi, salmon roses, and an additional bean pod dish.

The sushi special drives an incredible bargain, but careful which wines you order as a glass or two could literally triple you bill!
Succulent, fresh, and delicious is how I choose to describe the sushi at Geisha…
As for the noodle dishes… I’m saving that delicacy (if I may call it that) for a whole nother chapter!

Geisha in Green Point

Contact:

Tel: 021 439 0533
47 Main Road
Cape Royal Hotel
Greenpoint
www.geishawokandnoodlebar.com

Ingredients:

* Penne pasta
* 2 tins tomato and onion mix
* 1 onion
* Garlic butter
* 1 chilli
* Feta
* Rocket
* Mixed herbs, salt and pepper

The how to:
1. Boil pasta in a big pot of water with a drop of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

* Strain, rinse and steam to re heat once ready.

2. Chop up onions and sauté with garlic butter in frying pan till golden in colour.

* Pour tins of tom and onion mix into pan, add chopped chillies, salt, pepper and mixed herbs, and allow to simmer.

3. Serve over a bed of pasta, and top with feta crumbles and fresh rocket leaves

(Catering for the crowds)
Ingredients:

* Spaghetti pasta
* Lean mince
* 1 x Onion
* Mushrooms
* Mixed herbs (e.g. oregano and thyme)
* 1 x cube beef stock
* Garlic
* Butter (or garlic butter)
* 1 x sachet/tin tomato paste
* 1 x can whole peeled tomatoes
* 1 x can tom & onion mix
* Tomato sauce or 1 table spoon brown sugar
* Cheddar cheese

The how to:

1. Boil spaghetti in a big pot of water with a drop of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

* Strain, rinse and steam to re heat once ready.

2. Chop up onions and sauté in deep frying pan with butter and herbs.

* Add mince with beef stock diluted in a quarter cup boiling water.
* Allow mince to brown throughout, stirring regularly, then add mushrooms to mix and cook for a couple more minutes.
* Add the cans and sachet of tomato mix
* Mix in one table spoon of tomato sauce/brown sugar and allow to simmer.
* Add salt and pepper for flavour.

3. Serve bolognaise over pasta with grated cheddar cheese to top.