\nInstead of coming together to just eat dinner though, the Get It <\/em><\/strong>girls were about to learn how to make our own delicious cocktail canap\u00e9s (all plant-based!) with the help of Roots Caf\u00e9 & Deli<\/strong> owner and our host for the evening, Jennifer Swanepoel.<\/p>\n
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To add to the ‘glam’ factor and for a little extra interactive fun, instead of sitting down to a beautifully laid table, we also styled our own stunning cocktail benches with d\u00e9cor supplied by the team from The Creativity Lab.<\/strong><\/p>\n After the first glass of wine \u2013 and lots of selfies \u2013 the girls settled down and Jen told us a little about herself and what we were going to cook. She split us into three teams \u2013 starters, mains and dessert \u2013 and the dessert team had to get going first! Aprons were donned and the oven switched on. More wine may have been poured at this point. A qualified teacher who has owned her own preschool and worked with children for more than 17 years and a mother of two, Jen actually has no formal chef training. This ended up being one of the things we liked most about her! She cooks from the heart and manages to make every dish seem easy and unintimidating \u2026\u00a0 even for the most culinary-challenged among us!<\/p>\n Jen loves chatting and she loves people, which is one of the reasons, she says, she always dreamed of owning her own coffee shop.<\/p>\n \u201cI love getting to know people, and there really isn’t a better place to do that than around good food. There is something comforting and transparent about conversations that are shared around a meal.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When she opened the doors to Roots Caf\u00e9 in Umhlali in November last year, Jen’s vision was to introduce people to delicious food that was both nutritious and free of any animal products. \u201cI wanted to show people that following a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have to live on lettuce leaves and broccoli!\u201d<\/p>\n Located in the beautiful garden setting at Burnedale, Roots Caf\u00e9 offers a wide variety of plant-based lunches brekkies, desserts and dairy free smoothies and freshly squeezed juices. They also, apparently, have the best carrot ever!<\/p>\n It was after she had quite a big health scare and was diagnosed with renal failure in 2015 that Jen started following a plant-based lifestyle (she does occasionally throw in some dairy and eggs). \u201cWhile I was on dialysis, I had to make very specific changes to what I was eating and drinking. After my kidney transplant (my sister lovingly shared her spare one with me), I started having gut issues and was diagnosed with Inflammatory bowel disease. After much trial and error with medication, I decided to follow a plant-based diet. I felt so much better within a few weeks. I have been in remission ever since and haven\u2019t had any issues or relapses.\u201d<\/p>\n Jen says it\u2019s important to remember that people choose plant based lifestyles for various reasons, whether it\u2019s for health, weight loss, to lessen their carbon footprint or a love for animals. \u201cWe need to remember to show kindness and consideration towards everyone and not make uniformed judgements if this is a not a lifestyle we would consider.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOn the menu for evening? Polenta Bites with Avocado Dip, Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce, Falafel Balls, Loaded Hummus, a Cream Cheese Ball with Crackers and Pecan and Apple Blondies with Salted Caramel Sauce for dessert!<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/ballito-umhlanga\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2020\/10\/DSC_3702-e1603799816717-267x400.jpg\")