100 WAYS TO LIVE LIFE WELL

CAPRESE STUFFED

chicken breasts

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 TBSP olive oil • 4 chicken breasts • 4 TBSP basil pesto • 4 slices mozzarella cheese • 4 slices tomato • ½ cup chicken stock • Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. 2. Heat the oil over moderate heat in an ovenproof pan. 3. Cut a pocket horizontally into each chicken breast. 4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out. Spread 1 teaspoon of pesto into each chicken pocket. 5. Place 1 slice of cheese and 1 slice of tomato in each pocket. 6. Wrap each chicken breast in 2 strips of bacon – use toothpicks to secure if necessary. 7. Brown the bacon-wrapped chicken breasts in the pan for 3 minutes on each side. 8. Remove from the pan. 9. Deglaze the pan with the stock and remove from the stovetop. 10. Return the meat to the pan with the stock and place in the oven to bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Serve hot with a salad. TIP: Make your own basil pesto! Place into a food processor: a big bunch of fresh basil, 2 cloves of garlic (peeled and chopped), a handful of pine nuts (optional – leave out if you’re allergic), ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup olive oil, dash of lemon juice, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pulse on medium speed until smooth and well combined.

Sipho says: “Quickly whip up your own basil pesto (above) or use store-bought pesto. I prefer to use streaky bacon to wrap the chicken, but you can use any bacon cut that you like. Deglazing is also an easy way of cleaning a pan when some of the meat residue sticks to the bottom. To deglaze a pan really quickly, use an ice-cube of wine.”

Excerpted from Hearty Home Food by Siphokazi Mdlankomo, published by NB Publishers and available at leading bookstores and online

100 WAYS TO LIVE LIFE WELL

By Liesl Lamprecht

In celebration of our 100th edition, we’re sharing 100 small ways you can lead a healthier, happier and more fulfilling life.

We encourage you to draw inspiration from Janine Ripper’s wise advice: If you’re not in love with your life, change it. You don’t have to sit in life’s passenger seat, gliding along in an apathetic state of passivity. Instead, by taking back the reigns and gaining a new perspective, you can once more find joy in daily living, and be encouraged to make the better decisions for which your future self will thank you. Covering physical, mental, vocational, financial and social wellbeing, we hope these tiny tips will help you rethink your habits and make you fall in love with life all over again…

2. Learn a new healthy recipe

3. Attend a creative cooking class

4. Organise your pantry and stock healthy kitchen staples

5. Make sure your body is getting all the vitamins and nutrients it needs

6. Stay hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the day 7. Stretch for 10 minutes before bed

8. Try to exercise for at least 20 minutes, three to four times a week

9. Make a habit of getting up from your desk every 45 minutes for a stretch, and perhaps even invest in a standing desk

10. Aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night

11. Go for regular health and dental check-ups

12. Try to stay away from screens 30 minutes before bed

13. Wake up 30 minutes earlier

14. Invest in a good self-care routine with skin, body and hair care products that work for you

15. Every once in a while, spoil yourself to a home spa day. Put on a face mask, paint your nails, take a long bath – all that jazz!

16. Switch to sulphate-free and paraben free hair care products for naturally healthy hair, and go for regular haircuts 17. Learn how to do your own makeup or personal grooming well by going to a class or watching YouTube tutorials

18. Try one of those much-hyped ice baths…

19. Don’t scroll through or reach for your phone first thing in the morning

20. Stop snoozing your alarm; it only makes you feel more tired

21. Take breaks from work. Even if it’s just a weekend away, the intentional escape can do wonders in helping you pause, rest and reset.

22. Go on a walk or hike in nature

23. Spend more time in the sunshine

24. Read a good book

25. Set healthy work-life boundaries by clocking off at set times and not checking your emails outside of work hours

26. Stay organised by buying a planner or making a habit of using your phone calendar or notes

27. Be diligent about putting away savings every month

28. Start investing early - your future self will thank you for the compound returns!

29. Set up a budget and track your expenses

30. Buy a new plant for your home

31. Keep your dishes washed and maintain a clean living environment

32. Make your bed every morning

33. Do a closet cleanout and donate the clothes you haven’t worn in the past year

34. Switch to eco-friendly cleaning products for a green home

35. Grow your own herb and vegetable garden

36. Declutter your home and try not to become too attached to material things

37. Become a conscious consumer by shopping pre-loved clothes and not supporting fast fashion

38. Make a habit of journalling. Writing down your thoughts and going through old entries can help to put things into perspective and show you just how far you’ve really come. 39. Appreciate the little, beautiful things around you. Like a delicate dewdrop on a protea flower; the golden shafts of light escaping through clouds on an overcast day; or the toothy smile of a carefree child who has just lost his first pearly white.

40. Do a weekly digital detox

41. Every morning, reflect on or write down five things for which you’re grateful

42. Put your feet in the ocean

43. Join a book club

44. Find out where you can serve in your local community. Not only is this a rewarding and fulfilling way to live, but it also makes a world of difference to the people you’re helping.

45. Forgive others, and be someone who says sorry

46. Community is one of life’s sweet blessings. Cultivate wholesome friendships with people who make life meaningful.

47. Watch a sunset and sunrise

48. Find a new hobby or creative outlet

49. Build others up rather than tearing them down by becoming bitter, pointing out their flaws or gossiping

50. Treat people the way you wish to be treated

51. Write down your favourite quote and pin it somewhere you can see it daily

52. Make a new friend

53. Adopt a pet

54. Write down five goals that you want to work towards

55. Sign up for a short course to learn a new skill

56. Practise one act of kindness a day (some ideas: write a good review for your favourite restaurant or hotel; buy a hungry person a meal; or compliment a stranger)

57. Call up a friend you haven’t talked to in a while, and find out how they’re doing

58. Surprise someone you love with a gift

59. Go on a picnic

60. Take time to be quiet

61. Clothe yourself in compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience

62. Visit a museum, art gallery or book shop

63. Write down five things you like about yourself. Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see shines through as confidence to others, and helps you to live an abundant life in which your insecurities don’t hold you back. 66. Get out of your comfort zone by travelling to a place you’ve never visited before

67. Volunteer for a cause you care about

68. Think before you speak.

69. Take a family photo

70. Define your ‘why’ – Why do you live the way that you do? Where are you heading in life?

71. Learn a new language

72. Let go of all your anger and grudges

73. Learn to deal with stress and things that trigger your sadness

74. Practise generosity

75. Don’t take on too much at once. You’re only human, and you too can burn out if you don’t protect yourself from being overburdened.

76. Decide what you really want in a romantic relationship - and don’t settle

77. Say ‘yes’ to new experiences and places

78. View trials and challenges as learning opportunities

79. Know your priorities

80. Work on your side hustle. Whether it’s writing a book, starting a small business that you hope will eventually take off or taking photographs.