Chocolate Berry Pav

This recipe is to die for!!  The pav is lovely and crisp with a delicately chewy centre which I love and as an added bonus – it’s chocolate, something else I just can’t get enough of. 

You can do this dessert all year round and I have experimented with a variety of toppings.  In the summer I love to use fresh raspberries and/or blackberries and/or strawberries and in the winter I mix a drained tin of boysenberries in with the cream itself which provides a completely different twist.  For a berry overload use the boysenberry cream and then top with fresh berries.  I’ve even made miniature chocolate berry meringues to complete a finger food theme for my brother in laws party and I can tell you that they really went down a treat that night.  Whatever the combination, I just know that you’ll love this delicious dessert.

Meringue

6 egg whites

300g castor sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

75g finely chopped dark chocolate

1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

Topping

500ml cream

500g of fresh berries

50g grated chocolate

To make the meringue

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Beat egg whites until they form peaks and then gently add the sugar little by little until the egg whites are stiff.  Add the cocoa, chocolate & vinegar to the mixture and then gently fold until everything is nicely combined.  

Place mixture on a lined baking tray.  Put into the oven, then immediately turn the temperature to 150 °C. 

Bake for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the crust is crisp and you can still feel softness in the centre.  Once cooked, turn off the heat and leave the pav to cool inside the oven with the door left slightly open which should take about 1 hour.

To make the topping:

Whip the cream until nice and soft and top the cooled pav with the cream.  Delicately toss the fresh berries all over the top of the cream until you’re happy with what it looks like.  Top with the grated chocolate and then serve.

Serves 8-10 people.

Gorgeous Cabinet Gets Makeover x 2

Nearly two years ago, I acquired this lovely side table which was made out of a jarrah hardwood.  When I first started out with planning what I was going to do with it, I knew I wanted to paint the inside green.  Which is exactly what I did.  I painted the inside in ASCP Antibes Green and finished it with clear wax.

With the inside complete, I then went on to paint the whole exterior ASCP Graphite with dark wax.  When it was all finished, I was happy initially, but then realised that it didn't give this beautiful piece the makeover it truly deserved.  

I pondered on this for quite a while until I found this beautiful piece of vintage wallpaper that inspired me to redo it all over again.  I kept the top of the piece graphite, but change the exterior to ASCP Olive with the vintage wallpaper on the front of the door.

Before the first make over

Second makeover complete

The piece sits right at the front door entrance and I pretty happy with the final results.

Happy living peeps!

I'm Back .... So What Have I Learnt?

I can not believe it has been early four months since I last blogged!  Reflecting on my last post, I can honestly say that my MBA journey consumed my year particularly the last six months. 

On the last weekend of study, we were required to reflect on our leadership development during the MBA.  I focussed on four learnings that resonated with me throughout the year and as a result, I presented on four types of leadership;   one of which was collarborative leadership.

The learning that resonated with me for collaborative leadership was delivered in my high performing teams paper by our lecturer Yvonne O'Brien when she stated 

"There is no such thing as a dysfunctional team, only a dysfunctional leader".

Without getting too heavy into the topic of high performing teams, this resonated with me for a number of reasons.  Firstly, every individual is a leader in terms of their own behaviour and choices in life.  For example, if you make yourself accountable for what you are responsible for, the right outcomes will be achieved, particularly when it involves a group of people such as a project team, sports team or work environment. 

Secondly, absolute trust is the fundamental foundation of creating a culture within team.  With absolute trust, you are able partake in constructive conflict where open conversations can occur without the threat of implications or consequences.  In addition, authenticity compliments absolute trust; when a person is authentic, then "what you see is what you get", therefore people are able to relate to you better.

Lastly, a leader creates and manages the culture in which they want.  For example, if a manager wants a culture where their staff can work collaboratively and feel valued, then creating and managing a culture where "it's their way or the highway" is not the right approach.  Furthermore, exclusion of people is also not the right answer and neither is telling people what to do.

In conclusion, I am very happy of my massive effort of study.  On the morning after submitting my last assignment, the immense workload I had just achieved hit me.  11 papers over 36 weeks which included 40 assignments.  Over and above this, it included 18 weekends of staying away from my whanau.

Year two of my MBA journey starts in April 2017 and my intention is to reground myself by relaxing, reflecting and enjoying my time with my whanau; all while enjoying the view along the way.

Happy learning peeps!

I'm Still Here, I Promise

Far out!  It has been a very long time since I posted anything on my blog and I have received feedback that people are concerned I've stopped all together.  Rest assured, I have not.  It has just been a very busy year, which has seen me enter into a new kind of learning journey - my MBA.  This is my first year of a two and a half year journey and although it is definitely challenging, it is enjoyable and very fulfilling.

So to give some context, I enrolled in the University of Waikato and chose to study with the programme delivered through Waikato-Tainui College back in February this year.  My cousin Marian had enrolled in the last class, and she inspired me to take on the challenge.  In fact, if I am to be totally honest with myself, she asked me to enrol with her, and like many others given that choice, I took the “I’m too busy” option.  Two years later, I am listening to Marian deliver a speech at the annual Raupatu dinner, feeling so proud of my cousin’s achievements, when it hit me.  “Idiot! I should have done it”.  Over the next few days, I reflected on that decision and was overwhelmed by another decision I made, over the same journey.

18 years ago I was given the same opportunity from my manager at the time to complete an MBA.  At that time I struggled with the concept of investing in myself, over investing in my family and it definitely wasn't an easy decision to make.  My wonderful husband has always been very supportive of my career and development, but costs at that time was enough for a deposit on a house with additional means to decorate.  After careful consideration I felt the best decision for my family was to get our first home, and to date, it is a decision I have never regretted.

Reflecting on my second decision to postpone my MBA journey, I came to a cross road again.  Sometimes it is easier to brush off a huge challenge with the reason of “being too busy”.  Although my life was VERY busy when Marian asked me to join her on her journey, I came to the conclusion that if I am truly living, loving and learning throughout life, then my life will only get more demanding as the years go by. In 2016, the cost is still enough for a deposit on a first house, although in today’s economy, it won’t be in Auckland, Hamilton or in Ngaruawahia for that matter.  I just needed to bite the bullet and decide whether this is something I truly wanted to do and if so, just do it!

To date, I am thoroughly enjoying my new challenge.  Particularly deciding to study through the Waikato-Tainui College, and especially given that this programme demands the delivery of indigenous learning concepts.  This presents its own challenges for a MBA programme which is traditionally built around mainstream concepts and research.  There is an interesting debate on whether these concepts are relevant in today’s world, and my belief is that they are.  The maori population continues to grow and the maori economy will only get larger as time progresses.  If we, as a people, truly take our future seriously, we need to understand what that means today and tomorrow, then implement our own business concepts that are relevant to us.    They shouldn’t be copied from ideas and structure that is based through a non-maori lens.

I have formed some great friendships with my fellow colleagues taking the same challenge.  We have quickly shaped into a whanau who feed off each other in order to succeed.  More importantly, when times are tough, they provide me with the motivation to get over myself and get the job done.  What truly fascinates me, is seeing the evolution of knowledge and the growth occurring, not just for me, but within my fellow classmates and our tutors.  The environment that we are in at the college helps me tremendously to enable that to happen, because to me, it is an inspiration to always challenge myself to learn more, even when I may think I already know everything.

 

The view from my room when I'm in MBA study

Although I am not finished my MBA journey, I do feel compelled to shout from the rooftops.  If anyone is thinking about an MBA, then I highly recommend looking to do it at the Waikato-Tainui College.  The journey is absolutely 150% challenging and definitely tests your critical thinking, but the enriched learning you receive is truly uplifting.  When comparing feedback from people who are studying their MBA through the Waikato University campus, quite a few have stated that had they known about the college, they would chose that programme because the environment provides a sense of belonging and purpose.



Now when I reflect on my decision to decline the offer to study with my cousin Marian, I believe I still made the right choice.  It has empowered me and my cousin to create our own success and experiences as individuals, and although she has completed her MBA journey, mine is still on track. 

Happy learning peeps!