The Gold Coast is one of the quintessential Australian locations. It’s been featured in dozens of Hollywood features and proves to be a popular place among tourists. I spent one night here and thoroughly enjoyed my time on these white sand beaches.
I stayed only minutes from Surfers Paradise; I could walk to the beach in seconds. Naturally, a lot of time was spent lounging on the beach, taking in the waves and watching the surfers. The surf was quite strong so I made sure to stay in the life-guarded areas and not go out too far. It was absolutely lovely. Nothing is too far from the beach either so if you’re hungry, there are tons of cafes and bars.
One of my favourite parts of my entire backpacking experience was surfing with Get Wet Surf School on the Gold Coast. We surfed at The Spit and it was a wild couple of hours. The instructors were so great and really went through the basics with everyone on the beach. They came in the water with us too and were there for a push and a little advice. I had surfed only a handful of times before and I was determined to stand up on my own. (Which I did!). There’s nothing like catching a wave. It’s such a cool feeling – you’re on top of the world. I felt very safe out in the water and they even snapped some photos for us! If you’re heading to the Gold Coast – check them out!
On the drive down to the Gold Coast, I spotted an inflatable aqua park. From the moment I saw it, I knew I had to check it out. It was like real life wipeout zone and it was a blast. You pay per session and you have 50 mins on the water. That was the perfect amount of time for me – any longer and I would’ve been toast. It was pretty physically demanding but so much fun. It provided some hilarious slips and falls as well! Check out GC Aqua Park for a fun-filled day that the entire family with love!
The one night getaway was filled with delicious food; beach time and some much needed relaxation. SANDBAR is your destination for an amazing smoothie bowl. The food is great but be prepared to wait a while for your meal. It’s not the quickest service but at least you have a beach view!
xoxo,
linds
Check out the next leg of the adventure: 3 Day Trips from Brisbane
The day started with chugging a tall glass of water. Which was great, as I was feeling a touch hungover. Then I drank another glass of water, this time with lemon and ginger. I never knew there was such an easy way to juice fresh ginger, just grate the ginger and then squeeze the juice out of the pulp with your fingers. It was so easy! I expected it to be gross, but it tasted so good and really woke me up (hangover=gone). I’ll be drinking this most mornings from now on!
For breakfast, Nicole had chia seed pudding with mango-lime puree, topped with banana and granola. I’ve made chia seed pudding many times, but never with coconut milk. The coconut milk made the pudding set much faster than almond milk, which is what I normally use, so breakfast was ready in 30 minutes rather than having to prepare it the night before. The mango-lime puree was simple and delicious. Overall this was a tasty, filling, and healthy breakfast that energized me for the whole day.
I was pretty excited about lunch. The 
Throughout the afternoon, I got lots more work done and sipped more herbal tea. I’m a big green tea drinker anyway, so having this much tea wasn’t anything new for me. I finally dug into the aromatic muffins I made in the morning and they were scrumptious. You’d never guess they are healthy! I was even told, “they’re the best muffins you’ve ever made.” Thanks, Nicole– I’ll be saving this recipe to use again and again! Like her, I may or may not have eaten three.
I’m someone who enjoys cooking but has trouble coming up with creative meal ideas, so learning a new recipe for supper was awesome. This twist on a Nicoise salad with chicken and a soft boiled egg was really tasty and made for a balanced meal. I’ve always had trouble getting soft boiled eggs right (who likes runny egg whites? Yuck!) and Nicole’s directions helped me nail it– a soft centre with perfectly cooked whites. The chicken, potatoes, and green beans were tasty too.
We find ourselves on the go a lot. From the day job to the side hustle to the side side hustle to the volunteering, we don’t get much of a break. We’re always testing new recipes for fast, easy, healthy, and nourishing meals to power our busy bodies.
First, steam your veggies. You can use any vegetables you please, but we love a good bean-mix. Try edamame, green, and yellow beans. Throw in some baby carrots for extra flavor. Frozen veggies are a great option for people who are always on the go because they won’t go bad and they are just as healthy as fresh if you buy from the right brands.
If you try this recipe leave us a comment or tag us in your #foodlove pictures on social media (@twowildtides).
I got my first box free from a friend– Hello Fresh has some great reward and referral offers. I ordered the Pronto Box for two people with three meals, they also have vegetarian and family plans. The box I ordered is $79.99 regularly, but they often have great deals on. You get to choose your meals for the week from five potential options and if none appeal to you, skip the week for no charge. The pronto box has the option of three or four meals; I chose three, opting for beef, pork, and vegetarian dishes.
The insulated box is dropped off at your door on your selected delivery day, and mine arrived right on time. They boast sustainable packaging, using recyclable and biodegradable materials wherever possible. Unfortunately, I noticed that a lot of plastic was used, and although they promise that it is food safe, in some provinces, such as Newfoundland and Labrador, ordinary plastics cannot be recycled. I ended up with more packaging waste than I’d like, but on the bright side, I was able to reuse the ice packs and insulated box! They run a fantastic ice pack return program, but I prefer to keep them for my own use.
The first meal I tried was the Spicy Beef Ragout. It was so easy, so filling, and so tasty! I was super impressed and so was my family. Although the box is portioned for two, I fed four people heaping servings– you’ll have leftovers for sure! Three meals can actually become six (three suppers and three lunches). Bang for your buck, am I right?
The next meal was Pork Schnitzel and a mixed greens salad. I’m not a huge pork person, but I did really enjoy this meal. It was fresh and light. Hello Fresh only assumes you have pantry basics such as salt, pepper, and cooking oil. Everything else they include in your box so you won’t have to deal with annoying grocery runs.
Finally, I made the Peanut Satay Noodle Stir-Fry. I won’t lie, I felt like Master Chef that night. I seriously didn’t know I was capable of cooking such unique, delicious meals! Hello Fresh boosted my cooking confidence, saved me so much time during my busy week, and kept me on track with healthy eating. Since that first box, I’ve been devoted to Hello Fresh.
