Ashburton Guardian | YOU and your lifestyle | February 15 2020 by Ashburton Guardian

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FEBRUARY 2020

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PHOTO HEATHER MACKENZIE

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

Deputy mayor Liz McMillan with the two special people in her life, son Floyd, 14, and daughter Estella, 12. PHOTO HEATHER MACKENZIE 100220-HM-0026

A woman of many talents S

he’s a free spirit who’s backpacked her way around the world, she’s a single mum raising two teens, she sells underwear as a business and she’s a Justice of the Peace. Liz McMillan is all of these and more. She’s also Ashburton’s deputy mayor and no-one is more surprised than Liz herself that she holds arguably the district’s second most powerful position. It’s a big responsibility, a big commitment and it’s something she takes seriously. While it’s not a job you can prepare for, Liz says her great rural upbringing meant she was as prepared as she could be for tackling the task. Her growing years were close to idyllic. The child of farming parents, she and sister Belinda ran wild and free on the family’s 1200-acre (485.6ha) Waikari Valley farm. “It was a lovely, free, growing up. We had a great time. There were lots of cousins around and

If your image of a deputy mayor was of a conservative, older male, think again. Ashburton’s 2IC for the district’s top civic job is a relatively young free-thinker, a single mum with seemingly endless energy. The woman whose heart is firmly in her community talks to reporter Sue Newman.

we were always out on the farm doing stuff. We’re a close family,” she said. Turning five meant hopping on the bus and joining neighbourhood kids at Waikari School where she was one of 60 students. Year 9 saw a move to Hawarden Area School. By the time she was 17, Liz’s restless spirit and desire to see more of the world had surfaced and she spent Year 13 in Japan as an AFS student. While that was a huge step, she was no stranger to the Japanese culture. She and her parents visited friends they had

made through their farm stay business. None of that, however, prepared Liz for the reality of swapping a free Kiwi life for a more regimented regime in Japan. “I was the only foreigner in this little town about two hours’ north of Tokyo, but there was a group of us AFS students in the prefecture, a couple of Australians, so I had a little touch of home,” she said. Life in Japan was far more structured and strict than life in New Zealand. At the final assembly before summer holidays, the principal made it clear what her

students could and could not do during the break. The do-nots included riding motor bikes, riding in cars with strange men and drinking, to name just a few forbidden activities. Thirty years ago there were no cellphones. Letters were the only way to stay in touch with friends and family. “I was allowed to call home once a month, they were quite strict, but I was lucky, I’d often get two or three letters a day. I made some really good friends over there and it was quite different coming home because I’d been so totally immersed in their

February 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Left – Liz McMillan having an after-school catch-up with children Floyd and Estella. Below – Floyd McMillan, 14.

culture.” She attended a school with a roll of 1000 girls, light years away from rural Hawarden, but she thrived on the experience, loved the country and the culture and has returned several times over the years. And she’s heading back to Japan in October for a 30-year reunion with her classmates. “Japan is in my heart really. The people are a lot of fun. It’s so different to what I’m used to, but I like that.” She’s also taken children Floyd, 14, and Estella, 12, over there. Back in New Zealand, Liz completed a two-year Japanese course at Christchurch Polytech. That course and her experience living in Japan would open career doors. Over several years she worked with the Mount Cook Line as a tour guide with Japanese, initially based in Christchurch but later in Queenstown “It was a great job. Mt Cook owned the skifields, an airline and buses, so I got a ski pass and buses home. It was the perfect job. I ended as manager of the inbound office at 24, the first non-Japanese to get the job, and it was a great time to be in Queenstown. It was just starting to take off.”

Her urge to travel remained centre at Christchurch’s QEII. and after four years she signed Time ticked by and in 2005 son off and took off – no plans, just a Floyd arrived, followed two years backpack and an airline ticket to later by his sister Estella. And that South America. meant a change of focus for Liz. The change was also the catShe trained as a playcentre alyst for her move to Methven. supervisor and when Estella was Before heading overseas she just four months old she was secured a ski express job with Mt elected to the Methven CommuHutt Skifield and for the next four nity Board. years she alternated winters at “I’d been here three Mt Hutt and off seasons overseas or four years when I or in the Mt Cook National Park stood for the board. as a hiking guide. I remember I was Liz’s life is a travelogue – India, walking to playcentre Nepal, North America, South and a friend said America, Japan, China, Mongolia. she’d just put her The countries mounted up and husband’s nomiso did the experiences; some of nation in for the them hair-raising in retrospect. board and I told “Sometimes when I look her I’d like to back I wonder how I didn’t get do that too,” murdered somewhere. You do she said. so much without thinking when Liz went on you’re young, but you do keep to serve nine your wits about you.” years on the The September 11, 2001, board, six of those terrorist attacks on New York’s as its chair. World Trade Center prompted During that time Liz to think about returning she became Methhome. Decision made, she ven’s underwear enrolled in a sports expert, taking on massage course with the Intimo lingerie the Canterbury Natufranchise. ral Medicine School. “This opened up Graduation saw her a whole new world relocate to Methreally. It made a ven, joining dozens huge difference of friends she’d as I had regular made over her years money coming in. of working in the ski It’s such a good industry. organisation to She divided her time be in, there’s so between Methven’s much personal Sports Massage development Centre and the training.” sports mascontinued over page sage

Estella McMillan and Milo.

Liz’s kitchen garden means there are always fresh herbs on hand.

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

From P19 Liz loves the customer contact and the ability to fit her business in around her other commitments. “It’s something I’d never have thought of doing, but when someone suggested it, I thought, I can do that. It’s quite personal, but if you’ve done sports massage, well, that’s pretty intimate too.” Over her nine years on the community board, Liz said there had been plenty of change and growth. “We were quite a young group when I first started and it’s just evolved over the years.” One of the highlights during her time was hosting the national community board conference in Methven. It came from a suggestion she made at an earlier conference. The offer was accepted and she found herself with a huge event to organise. But Liz is no stranger to organising events, or to getting people on board to help. She’s been a big driver behind several Methven projects, including the bike park and skate park. Getting stuck into community affairs is just what people in her family do, she said. “Mum and dad have both got Hurunui Community Awards, dad’s in search and rescue and mum does heaps of stuff.” It was inevitable Liz would make the step from community board to the Ashburton District Council. She stood for the western ward for the first time at the 2016 election, won her seat and admits the first months of that term were a huge learning curve. “I was quiet as a mouse when I first started. I was a newby and it took a while to feel comfortable in my role.” When she sought re-election last year, the role of deputy mayor was not on her radar. When Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said she was his first choice deputy, Liz was stunned. “I was totally surprised and absolutely honoured. It didn’t occur to me that he’d ask me,” she said. She talked to her children, talked to her parents and all gave their overwhelming support. “My parents particularly thought it was amazing.” She realised just how big a deal the deputy’s job was in the days after she was sworn in when people kept stopping her on the street to congratulate her. She’s enthusiastic about her second council term and her new role. It’s a different era for the council with numbers reduced from 12 to nine. That’s a move Liz supports. “We are more streamlined now there are not as many of us and yes, we are rewarded much better for what we do and for me that’s doing what I love.” Four months into the job, Liz

Above – Bras and undies might not be a traditional deputy mayor’s stock in trade, but they’re a business for Ashburton’s deputy Liz McMlllan. Inset – Relaxed, easygoing and loving her new role in the district’s second top job. Below – Estella, 12, Floyd, 14, and Liz McMillan, a family unit bound together by love and laughter.

said she’s enjoying the extra responsibility and commitment. “I’m enjoying working with Neil. He includes me in quite a bit of stuff and I seem to be getting invited to quite a few things. We seem to be a good mix,” she said. She believes it’s important elected members are seen at events, whether it’s mayor, deputy mayor, or a councillor. Liz doesn’t describe herself as ambitious, saying she has goals in the back of her mind she wants to achieve, but that she’s not a big planner. She’s pretty

easy-going and said there’s not a lot that winds her up too much. “I just get on and do stuff really and I always try to treat people how I want to be treated.” Life is busy. Council absorbs many hours each week, her underwear business does the same and both have to be fitted around her commitments to Floyd and Estella and daily walks with Cloud the wire-haired jack russell. “I’m on the rugby sideline and the netball sideline at the weekends, I ski in the winter, walk, garden and read heaps of

books.” And after reading a weighty council agenda every week, Liz admits her reading habits are currently trending towards lighter novels. She’s a night owl and usually doesn’t stop working until around 9.30pm. If there’s time for television, she admits to being a Coro fan. She also enjoys cooking and loves going to live concerts and dancing her heart out. After years of wandering the globe, Methven is now very firmly home to Liz and her chil-

dren. “I’ve been here 15 years and I love this place, the mountains and the people. It’s a very cool spot.” Travel has been on the backburner since her children were born, but with her 50th birthday on the horizon, she’s keen to celebrate that milestone somewhere distant. And would she ever chase the top job? She’s non-committal. “I’m very happy where I am. It’s a great partnership with Neil. He’s a great leader.”

February 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Exercise can help arthritis T

oo often we see patients that have had an x-ray done and been told they have arthritis and will likely need a joint replacement, now or in the future, but don’t often get told what they can do to help it. There is so much you can do to help yourself! So, here’s a little bit about what osteo-arthritis is, where you actually get your pain from (it’s not the cartilage) and a brief summary on all the stuff that some very good research has shown helps reduce the secondary pain and improve function. OA is a condition, particularly in the knees and hips, where the smooth, hard cartilage that forms a smooth surface on the

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ends of your bones wears down. This cartilage is a firm, rubbery material and its main function is to reduce friction and act like a shock absorber. Things that cause arthritis to happen (or happen earlier) is past injury to the joint (such as past cartilage or ligament injury), obesity, genetics and family history, to name a few. How does OA cause pain? Firstly, you don’t actually get pain from your cartilage – you can’t, there is no pain receptors in your joint cartilage. So, even if an x-ray shows cartilage degeneration, that doesn’t

mean it is causing you pain, you can have cartilage degeneration and be totally pain free! Arthritis causes a joint to gradually become stiffer and lose elasticity. When pain occurs, it is due to loss of cartilage and a subsequent increase in load on the tissues around it. This can cause a number of things to become sore, such as the bone marrow close to it, the joint capsule or synovial lining, as well as ligaments, which are on increased stretch and load. So what can you do to help that? Guided and graded strengthening has been PROVEN to reduce pain ... increase joint health and increase function.

Exercise has been shown to decrease inflammation as well as decreasing stress on the joint by improving muscle strength and integrity. It is so important to know that exercising and loading a joint with arthritis does not do it harm. Loading a joint with compressive load has been proven to actually maintain cartilage. Without regular physical activity, your muscle strength decreases, which means you would have less and less support for your knee (or hip etc) and you would get stuck in a downward spiral. Whereas we know for knees, at least, that to stabilise joints and decrease the chance of OA getting worse, strength in the

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muscles around it, such as the quads, is essential. With OA, there are some things you cannot change, but there are certainly some things that you can. Improve the strength of your muscles and exercise to increase joint stability, shock absorption capacity and improve joint health. What have you got to lose? Shaun Clark is principal physio and director at PhysioSteps Ashburton and Selwyn and has experience at the Commonwealth Games and World Rugby 7s. The team are experts in musculoskeletal pain and injury rehab.

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

Giveaways TINA Simply the Best

he Australian production team behind the hit concert tours of The ABBA Show, Queen: It’s A Kinda Magic and The Bee Gees Night Fever are set to debut their hit tribute extravaganza TINA Simply the Best in New Zealand when it tours nationally from March 16 to 30 at various New Zealand venues. The new show has been designed as an homage to the barrier-breaking music and pioneering stage shows of the great Tina Turner and claims to recreate her electrifying concert experience. In the lead role, and taking on arguably one of the hardest and most energetic characters in music, is South African-born singer and celebrity Caroline Borole who, thanks her extensive experience with other demanding productions, such as the Dreamgirls musical and TV talent show South African Idol, with giving her the discipline needed to recreate such a raw, powerful presence on stage. “I’ve done lots of really hard work before, but this is definitely a next level kind of challenge. Between the massive belting songs and the crazy dancing and the super intense emotion in everything she does, she [Tina Turner] is just the most incredible performer on stage. “I appreciate that more now that I’ve had to study and emulate it. She’s the epitome of a super woman,” Borole said about preparing for her role. Borole and her accompanying international cast of eight, including live band, brass instruments, backing vocalists and high-energy dancers, will

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HOW TO ENTER: Email your name, address and phone number to goodies@theguardian. co.nz Or Send your letter to YOU Tina’s the best, PO Box 77, Ashburton and please include your address and phone number. Please include the name of the competition (YOU Tina’s the best) somewhere prominent, ie in the subject line or on the envelope. be moving at a blistering pace on this, their first ever New Zealand tour, with 13 venues scheduled within March. Audiences can prepare themselves to hear live performances of all the biggest Tina Turner hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s including Simply the Best, What’s Love Got to Do With It, River Deep Mountain High,

We Don’t Need Another Hero, Private Dancer, Proud Mary, Nutbush City Limits, Let’s Stay Together, Typical Male and more. The show will roar into Ashburton on March 22, with a 7pm start, at the Ashburton Trust Event Centre and Showtime is giving a double pass to one lucky YOU reader.

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Make me over winners Congratulations to the winners of a free make-up makeover and a creative hair-up or a blow wave: Jodie Meadows Nicole Griffiths Winners will be contacted by Melissa from Minx Hair Spa and/ or Tenielle for dates/options for you to be spoiled.

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February 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Eat a salad a day D

uring the summer season a salad can become a great meal option for lunch or for dinner with the abundance of green plant-based foods on offer in the local glasshouses and supermarkets. This time of year it is easy to put a salad together with such a variety of salad ingredients to choose from. Winter may be a little different, but winter vegetables can easily be turned into salads that are just as delicious. Salads have multiple health benefits – packed with nutrition, it is a great way to get a large proportion of the essential nutrition that your body requires on a daily basis. Nutrition that your body needs, and sometimes craves, on a daily basis, to help it perform a myriad of daily tasks efficiently to help maintain optimum functioning. The body can quickly fall prey to ill health if it does not receive the nutrients for every cell in the body to utilise. Salads provide a good amount of fibre as a meal option that has the ability to lower cholesterol and prevent constipation and prevent an array of other health conditions. Eating more fibre helps with weight control and helps you to feel fuller for longer. It can help you eat less, especially if you have a salad as a starter before a main meal. Having a salad for lunch can help curb the lunchtime appetite. Indulging in a salad on a daily basis, your body will benefit immensely from the influx of powerful phytochemicals and antioxidants from the large variety of ingredients that can be found in an interestingly-made salad. Antioxidants help mop up the free radical cells that have the ability to cause havoc and, potentially, disease, hence the benefits of eating a variety of salad ingredients. Nutrients such as vitamin C in peppers and tomatoes, vitamin E in almonds and sesame seeds, folic acid in spinach and mesclun, lycopene in tomatoes and magnesium in spinach and mesclun, are all easy sourced by

NATURALLY YOU with Jane Logie

the body from these food types found in a salad. Having a salad each day is an easy way to ensure that you are getting the good fats into your diet, fats such as monounsaturated olive oil and advocado oil. Nuts, such as pistachios and almond, and seeds, such as sesame, sunflower and pumpkin, all hold the good fats and nutrition essential to the body. It has been observed that people whom consume plenty of olive oil can have a higher life expectancy in those above the age of 60. Olive oil reputedly unlocks the nutrients found in the salad ingredients that makes it easier for your body to absorb. Eating a daily salad is a great way to reduce your daily calorie intake and helps increase the amount and variety of fruits and vegetables that you otherwise may not get. It is often quite difficult to include such a wide variety into any particular meal and a salad can achieve this goal. Remember, we are trying to eat five to eight-plus a day of fruits and vegetables to maintain our optimum health. Many health professionals say that we need to include more fruits and vegetables in our daily diets, with at least half of our daily intake consisting of these types of foods. Many of us are just not getting this amount and our health suffers as a consequence. There have been many studies done that have concluded that consuming a diet of more plant-based foods has a positive impact on our general health and lowers the risk of many diseases such as cancers and heart disease. Foods that are of great importance are the dark green leafy variety and those that are brightly coloured. With the compliments of Jane Logie, a medicinal herbalist, clinical nutritionist and chef from Methven

PHOTO AND RECIPE JANE LOGIE

Summer salad – avocado and blueberries with pistachios and avocado dressing Serves 1

1 handful mesclun 1 handful spinach 1/2 avocado, cubed 6 cherry tomatoes 12 blueberries 8 small cubes goat feta (optional) 1t sesame seeds Handful of pistachio nuts 6 small basil leaves 2 calendula flower heads (optional)

– Place the mesclun, spinach, avocado, cherry tomatoes, blueberries and goat feta on a large dinner plate, arranging evenly. – Then place sesame seeds, pistachio nuts, basil leaves and calendula flowers

on top. To serve more people just repeat that same process to the number of people required to serve.

Avocado dressing: 1C olive oil 1/2 lemon 4T apple cider vinegar 1 avocado, cubed 1/2 t rock salt 6 shakes white pepper

– Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. – Place in a glass jar with a lid to chill until ready to serve. – Give it a few shakes in the jar with the lid on before drizzling across the top of the salad.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

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FEBRUARY IS HEART AWARENESS MONTH

Get Heart disease is the single biggest killer of men and women in New Zealand. For this very reason, the Heart Foundation is calling on nationwide support for its upcoming appeal. “While the Heart Foundation is committed to tackling heart disease in New Zealand, we can’t do it alone,” says medical director Gerry Devlin. “Our volunteers around the country make a huge difference in our ability to help.” They are searching for people to volunteer as street collectors for the Big Heart Appeal on Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February

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22. Gerry says that a few hours of a volunteer’s time on the day is huge and plays a vital role in the fight against heart disease. “We are calling on big-hearted Kiwis all around New Zealand to volunteer a few hours of their time to help collect funds to support our vital research and work in the community.” Funds raised during the Heart Foundation’s annual appeal are used to support life-saving heart research and specialist training for cardiologists, he says. For more information, visit heartfoundation. org.nz or call 0800 BIG HEART.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

FEBRUARY IS HEART AWARENESS MONTH

Looking after your heart

eart attacks are a leading cause of death in New Zealand. Learn to recognise the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack, so you know what to do if you see or experience them. Minutes matter – if you think you are having a heart attack, call 111 immediately. Too many New Zealanders die or live with permanent disability because of the lack of awareness of heart attack warning signs and delays in seeking medical help. Even if you have had a heart attack, you may experience another and next time, the symptoms can be different.

What does a heart attack feel like? A heart attack may not be as dramatic as you think. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be having a heart attack. Are you experiencing …. Heaviness, tightness, pressure, discomfort/pain. In any of these areas …. Chest, shoulder, jaw, arm, neck, back. You may also experience.. sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, dizziness If you think you are having a heart attack: - Stop and rest and make sure you tell someone how you feel. If the symptoms continue for more than

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10 minutes, call 111 and ask for an ambulance and chew an aspirin as advised by a paramedic. If you have angina medication, take one puff of your GTN spray. Wait five minutes. If symptoms continue take another puff. Wait five minutes. If you still have symptoms, treat it as a heart attack and call 111 immediately.

Is it possible to have another heart attack? After having a heart attack, you’re at risk of having another one. Many people do not recognise their next heart attack as the symptoms may be different.

Women and heart attack warning signs Women may experience any of the heart attack warning signs. However, they can sometimes experience heart attacks slightly differently to men: • the pain is more likely to spread as far as the shoulders, neck, abdomen and even the back • the pain may feel more like indigestion and not be consistent

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• there may not be pain but unexplained anxiety, nausea, dizziness, palpitations and cold sweat Women may also experience unexplained tiredness prior to developing other heart attack symptoms.

‘Silent’ heart attacks and diabetes People with diabetes can develop damage to their nerves (neuropathy). If the nerves supplying your heart are damaged, you may not feel the usual pain if your heart muscle becomes short of oxygen. If you’re living with diabetes, you must rely on other warning signs such as: • shortness of breath • unexpected nausea • consistently high blood glucose levels that don’t seem to have an explanation Information courtesy of the Heart Foundation

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February Month 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Carrot and cumin spread

Pan-fried chicken with carrot salad and potato rosti

Serves 4

Carrots and cumin seeds roasted and blended with peanut butter. A great addition to your lunch box as a dip or spread. 8 carrots, peeled and chopped 2t whole cumin seeds 1T canola oil 2T peanut butter 1T lemon juice – Heat oven to 200°C. – Mix the carrots with the cumin seeds and canola oil. – Spread out in a roasting dish. – Roast in oven for approximately 45 minutes or until browned, stir every 10 minutes. – Remove from oven and allow to cool. – In a food processor blend roasted carrots with peanut butter and lemon juice. – Serve with pita bread crisps or vegetable sticks.

Here’s a flash looking dinner recipe that is actually pretty easy to make and will have you coming back for seconds. Pan-fried chicken 500g skinless and boneless chicken pieces 1T oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 C lemon juice 1/4 C water 1/2 C chopped fresh herbs Carrot salad 3 carrots, peeled into ribbons 1/2 C chopped fresh herbs 1T oil 1T lemon juice Potato rosti 4 potatoes, grated 1 apple, grated 1 onion, grated 2T oil

– Carrot salad: Mix ingredients together. – Potato rosti: Rinse grated potato, apple and onion in cold water. – Squeeze out as much water as possible. – Heat oil in a large frying pan over a low to medium heat. – Place handfuls of potato in the pan without crowding. – Cook on one side without moving until it becomes loose from the bottom of the pan. – Flip and cook on the other side, pressing down to flatten slightly. – Cook for another 5 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown on each side.

– Pan-fried chicken: Heat oil in a large pan until very hot. – Add chicken and cook on one side until they are no longer stuck to the bottom. – Turn them over and do the same for the other side. – Once browned and loose from the pan add the garlic and cook briefly. – Add lemon juice and water and cook until all has evaporated from the pan. – Check the chicken is cooked through. Recipes courtesy of the – Once cooked add the herbs and season. Heart Foundation

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

Tutus touring A

otearoa’s finest ballet dancers take to the Ashburton Trust Event Centre stage on March 14. Tutus on Tour – the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s much-loved regional touring programme, bringing homegrown and cutting-edge classical dance to theatres from Kerikeri in the Far North to Gore in the Deep South, takes in 14 regional centres. Tutus on Tour is so popular with audiences up and down the country, that new shows have been added as some performances are sold out. Artistic director Patricia Barker believes Tutus on Tour plays an important role at the RNZB. “Performing is what gives our dancers true joy and bringing great dance to the many communities and audiences throughout New Zealand is what drives our passion. Transcending the everyday through dance is what connects the human in us all. We can’t wait to see you over the summer.” Many RNZB dancers had their first experience of professional ballet with Tutus on Tour. “When I was little, I loved when Tutus on Tour came to Tauranga,” Olivia Moore, who has danced with the company since 2018, said. “I would sit in the audience and dream of dancing on stage with the company and now that dream has come true. I hope that I am now that dancer, inspiring the next generation to reach for their dreams.” Tutus on Tour also kicks off a celebratory year of dance, featuring a line-up of all-female choreographers, with four works that include a world premiere and two other RNZB commissions. These hour-long performances include: – Recently retired RNZB Principal Abigail Boyle restages Artemis Rising on the company, alongside the work’s choreographer Sarah Foster-Sproull. At the heart of this piece is a graceful, evocative solo for a strong female dancer, inspired by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and of the moon. – Remember, Mama is Danielle Rowe’s tender look at the relationship between a mother and son at different stages of their life, from childhood to old age. It was commissioned for the RNZB’s critically acclaimed Strength & Grace season in 2018, marking the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. – Berceuse by award-winning American choreographer Penny Saunders is a rapturous, deeply musical pas de deux set to a lyrical lullaby by Benjamin Godard. – Former RNZB Dancer Kiara Flavin premieres her newly-commissioned classical ballet Wayward in celebration of the power of dancers performing in harmony with great music, compassion, strength and soul.

With tickets priced at a very reasonable $27-$37 for adults ($12-$22 for children) the Tutus on Tour are sure to be dancing to packed audiences throughout regional New Zealand.

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Month 2020

Summer favourites FROM JAPAN with Miya Komatsu

he hot summer weather is here. In summer, the appetite can disappear due to heat and poor physical condition. In such a case, cooking with vinegar and ginger may restore your appetite. I would like to introduce my two favourite summer recipes. And this month, I would like to share two basic Japanese omelettes. Hope you enjoy them! Miya Komatsu is a Japanese-trained chef and nutritionist who has made Ashburton her home. She has been living here for 14 years.

Hiyashi chuka Cold ramen 2 servings

Noodle dressing 50ml soy sauce 40ml rice or cider vinegar 25ml cold water 1 1/2 T sugar 1t sesame oil

2 pieces sliced ham, thinly sliced 6 prawns, boiled, then cooled 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Shredded thin omelette 1 egg Pinch of salt

Noodles 2 packet Hiyashi chuka noodles or singapore noodles 1t sesame oil

Toppings 6cm cucumber, julienned

Topping 2t roasted sesame seeds

– Combine all the noodle dressing

–

– – –

ingredients in a bowl and whisk until sugar dissolved. Set aside and keep in the chiller. Whisk together the egg and salt. Heat the oil in the pan (non-stick is best) over medium heat and pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook on both sides. Cool the omelette and slice thinly. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions and then drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again. Drizzle sesame oil over the noodles.

This prevents them from sticking together and adds more flavour. Divide the noodles on to plates. – Place all the toppings on and pour the dressing over. Garnish with sesame seeds. Miya’s tip: Try Japanese creamy sesame dressing (recipe is below) instead. – In a small bowl, whisk together 1T each of tahini (sesame paste), sugar, vinegar and 3T water.

Month 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Dashimaki tamago Japanese rolled omelette 2 servings

3 eggs 2T oil in small bowl

Seasonings 80ml dashi stock or 80ml cold water + 1/2 t dashi powder 1 1/2 T sugar 2 pinches salt 1t soy sauce

– In a small bowl, combine the seasonings and mix well. – In a bowl, crack eggs and whisk gently 10 sec. Pour the seasonings mixture into the egg mixture and whisk gently another 10 secones. – Heat the pan over medium heat, dip a folded paper towel in oil and apply to the hot pan. – Pour 1/3 egg mixture into the pan, tilting to cover the bottom of the pan. – Poke any air bubbles to release the air. When the bottom of the egg has set but still soft on top, use spatula to start rolling it into a log shape from far side to front. – Move the rolled omelette to the far side and apply oil to the pan with a paper towel. – Pour the other 1/3 egg mixture to cover the bottom of the pan. – Lift the rolled omelette up to let the egg mixture run underneath. – When the new layer of egg mixture has set and still soft on top, start rolling from far side to front. Wipe the empty side of the pan with oil soaked paper towel. – Pour the last 1/3 egg mixture and repeat roll. – Turn the heat off and wrap the omelette with a paper towel. – Roll the wrapped omelette with a sushi mat to hold shape if you have one. Rest to cool down. – Once cooled, slice the omelette into 1cm pieces.

Miya’s tip: Dashimaki tamago makes good sandwich fillings too!

Beef sushi salad 2 servings

Shigureni – beef in ginger soy sauce 300g beef (I recommend rump steak), thinly sliced 30g ginger, finely grated 4T soy sauce 3T mirin 3T sake 2T sugar Sushi rice 3/4C rice, cooked and kept warm 2T rice or cider vinegar 1/2 T lemon juice (optional) 1 1/2 T sugar 1t salt

Toppings 4 lettuce leaves 1 avocado, cut in half and sliced 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 6 thinly sliced dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelette) Sushi ginger (as much as you want)

– First, make shigureni: In a pot, combine ginger, soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar. Heat the pot over a medium heat until boiled. – Add the beef and cook until the sauce has evaporated. Set

aside. – Make sushi rice: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, lemon juice (if using), sugar and salt until sugar and salt dissolved. – In another bowl, put rice and pour vinegar mix over and mix with a wooden spoon in a cutting motion. Divide the sushi rice on plates. – Place toppings on rice and serve.

Miya’s tip: This ginger soy sauce is good for all kinds of proteins such as pork, chicken, seafood and tofu.

YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

OUT AND ABOUT @ Methven Racecourse

The sun shone down on the annual Hororata Trotting Club meeting at the Methven Racecourse earlier this month. YOU photographer Robyn Hood called in to see who she could find.

Above – Sarah Crawford (left) and Anna Ridge.

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Above – Laura Proudman and James Wasley. 090220-RH-201

Above – Ian White and Sue Baxter.

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Above – Tracey and Mike Fuller.

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Left – Dianne and Michael Parsons.

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Above – Mark Guthrie, Vicki Hampton and Monty. 090220-RH_202

Above – Lois Star and Alf Wightman.

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Left – Cathy Brewerton (left) and Vicki Veenings.

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Right – Jason and Karen Wood.

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Above – Heather Middleton and Terry May. 090220-RH_212

Above – John Moodie (left) and Alan Cornwall. 090220-RH_203

February 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Karma or guilty conscience? W

hat would you do with $260 in cold hard cash, slapped into your hot little hand and begging to be blown immediately on something fabulous. Money that is over and above any wages you earn, income you receive and not to be spent on boring things like bills and parking tickets that may have piled up from frequent hairdresser visits. Well. This awfully tricky yet wonderful problem landed on my very lap, but it didn’t come without a small moral dilemma. The problem was, while some cows and things were sold recently on the farm, it appears my little baby cow Mocha got swept up with the herd and was moved on. I did not know about this! My gorgeous little jersey-cross who I’d saved from death row (because the farmers didn’t want that particular breed) made next to no money and was sold. Sold to live a happy life on another farm, apparently. The farmer thinks it probably cost more to actually keep it alive, so in fact I possibly owe him around $50. However, as fate would have it, I ended up with the cash. But how to spend it? It surely would need to go on a good cause? Was I not a good cause? I had, after all, survived six fulltime weeks

FARMY PRINCESS with DONNA-MARIE LEVER

with my children on school holidays and deserved a small reprieve! So a trip to town was on the menu, but why go to town when you can have a day in the city? Yes ... off I went to the twinkly lights of Christchurch for some much-needed pampering, all the time, thinking and thanking little Mocha for my day trip. It may be that I should have just donated the money to charity and maybe I really did have blood on my hands, as the trip to the city didn’t go quite as expected. First stop, a massage, where I ended up slightly bruised, followed by an eyebrow wax and colour that left me somewhat stained. On the plus side the Kmart purchases were a complete winner, until I returned to my car, complete with a $55 fine for being in the mall too long. It was karma. Sigh. Mocha, I’m sorry, I may have to start saving up again to buy you back! TV reporter, journalist, mum and born and bred Aucklander Donna-Marie Lever talks about life after marrying a farmer and moving to rural Mid Canterbury

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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | February 2020

Summer end F

ebruary is a busy month for harvesting fruit and gathering mature vegetables. It can be a little challenging with typically very dry weather and strong winds. With daily care, you can limit the impact on your garden. Vegetable gardens Where vegetable gardens have been well cared for, summer vegetables should be prolific in February. Continue to replant quick maturing summer veges like dwarf beans, lettuce/ salad greens and radishes. Remove plants after they have cropped and add them to the compost bin. Maintain a regular watering regime and apply side dressings of vegetable fertiliser around slow-maturing vegetables. Towards the end of the month, begin planting winter vegetables. Flowering annuals Flower gardens and containers should be resplendent in colour as summer annuals peak in their display! Remember to trim petunias to ensure continual flowering. Bulbs The end of February marks the beginning of the bulb-planting season and garden centres will now stock a full range of bulbs. Preparation for bulb planting is similar to preparation for vegetables and flowering annuals. Dig over the soil thoroughly, adding generous amounts of compost. Ensure the soil is well-drained and the site receives full sun. Mark where you have planted your bulbs with a label that

identifies the species and date of planting. Fruit trees It’s harvest time for late-season peaches and plums, and the beginning of apple and pear season. Young fruit is now forming on all citrus trees so water regularly. This is especially important for younger trees to prevent fruit fall. Mulch to help maintain soil moisture and begin applying fertiliser in late February. Strawberries Fruiting of strawberries has now finished. Allow plants to grow vigorously to provide runners for next season planting. Keep strawberry beds weeded, plants mulched and water to maintain strong, vigorous growth. Raspberries In most seasons, there will be a second crop of raspberries in February – not as prolific as the earlier crop, but often quite plentiful. Continue thinning and removing excess growth and tie up new season’s growth for next year’s cropping. Roses Towards the end of the month, roses will perk up again and start providing beautiful displays of flowers. It’s also a good time to start applying rose fertiliser. Remove any diseased leaves and spray regularly to keep rust and black spot at bay. Add compost around plants.

Giveaway We have a $95 Daltons Summer Garden Survival Pack to give away which includes 2 x Garden Time Landscape Bark (40L), 2 x Besgrow Coir Briquette (9L), 2 x Garden Time Compost (40L), 1 x Garden Time Complete Fertiliser (5kg), 1 x Garden Time™ Liquid Feed, 1 x Water Storage Crystals (250g), plus Red Back gardening gloves from Omni Products www.omniproducts.co.nz.

Compliments of www.daltons.co.nz

February 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE

Dry and shady Lynda Willis is this month’s winner with the following question: What plants do you recommend for a dry, shady spot in my garden?

dry, shady location is one of the more difficult sites in the garden to successfully cultivate plants. Almost all homes have such a spot in their garden. To ensure success, site preparation is very important before planting. The soil is often very compacted in dry shady areas so it needs to be broken up with compost added in generous amounts. Having selected plants appropriate for the site, plant in the cooler months and mulch in spring after the soil has warmed up and before the area dries out excessively. Below we have listed some plants for your dry, shady area: Ground covers

Ajuga reptans Campanula porscharskyana Clivia miniate Liriope muscari Vinca minor Perennials Alchemilla mollis Dietes bicolour Eucomis punctata Hemerocallis (day lilies) Myosotidium hortensia (chatham island forget me not) Low-growing shrubs (max height of one metre) Azaleas – Kurume types Coprosma rhamnoides (NZ native) Rhaphiolepis umbellatum Sarcococca ruscifolia For more advice and tips, check out our How to Guides at www.daltons.co.nz.

Entry details

Email goodies@theguardian.co.nz with

Daltons Summer Garden Survival Pack giveaway in the subject heading, or write to Daltons Summer Garden Survival Pack giveaway, Ashburton Guardian PO Box 77 Ashburton 7740

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: – You must provide a gardening question

for the Daltons experts to answer. – Please include your address and phone number in email and letter options. Giveaway entries must be received by March 2, 2020.

For more information on Daltons products visit www.daltons.co.nz

All questions supplied are entered into the draw to win a Daltons prize pack, but the Guardian reserves the right to choose which questions and answers will be published. Daltons post the prize to our lucky winner.

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