Talk us through your average daily routine
I start my mornings nice and slow, which I know is a luxury and I’m enjoying it while it lasts in my current phase of life!
I live out in the bush in West Auckland and work in the city, so I avoid all the traffic and start a bit later which suits me better because I’m a bit of a night owl and prefer to work late.
I make a smoothie to drink in the car most mornings, either a green one with spinach, banana, mint, oats and coconut water or an Açaí one with frozen Açaí pulp (I use the Riversea Trading brand), banana, boysenberries, oats, Guarana and coconut water).
Days are mostly a busy blur but I love our team at Your Home and Garden and we always find time to share some laughs together during the day.
We spend so much of our lives in the office, it’s so important to have good vibes with your colleagues!
I’ll be honest and admit lunch is often something takeaway eaten at my desk, but dinner is always something home-cooked and hearty. I love cooking so dinner is often an experiment with seasonal goodies.
What are your favourite meals to nourish your body?
I’m really passionate about good produce – fruit and vege shopping is one of my favourite things to do and inspires what I’m going to cook that week.
If the butternut pumpkin is looking amazing I’ll make a red Thai curry pumpkin soup or if the vine-ripened tomatoes are on special I’ll make a big batch of oven-roasted tomatoes to have on pasta or spread over pizza bases.
I always make vegetables the hero rather than meat which makes me feel nourished and healthy.
Do you have any food cravings or guilty pleasures?
Oh yes. As much as I love vegetables I also love carbs, fried preferably.
There’s this roast shop I drive past on the way home and they make 50c deep fried potato balls with cheese and onion. So bad, but so good. I want one now!
How do you try to stay positive and mentally healthy?
It’s very much a work in progress but I find getting out in nature helps immensely.
I’m working six days a week at the moment while we’re filming The Block so I keep Sundays free for pottering around home and beach walks with our pup, Blue.
There’s something incredibly grounding about the beach. It makes me focus on the bigger picture, rather than all the little things that don’t really matter.
How do you pick yourself up and stay strong?
I crave alone time when I’m going through a rough patch, it’s how I recharge.
It’s a fine balance though, because you need to spend time with your friends and family too – so for me it’s about making time for both.
My advice for others who find themselves going through challenging times is to identify what helps you recharge – what works for one person could be totally different for someone else.
Kristina Rapley is a judge on The Block NZ, screening Sunday – Wednesday on Three.
