you
Saturday,December12,2020
AND YOUR LIFESTYLE
A festive visual feast
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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, December 12, 2020
It’s time to crank up some festive spirit FROM JAPAN with Miya Komatsu
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he festive season has arrived. It’s a time when family and friends gather together to eat, drink and be merry. This month’s recipes are fun and different to nibble on at your leisure. I was introduced to the warm camembert dip over 20 years ago at a friend’s barbecue. I really enjoyed it and have made it many times since. I hope you will try and like it. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. Miya Komatsu is a Japanese-trained chef and nutritionist who has made Ashburton her home. She has been living here for 14 years.
Warm camembert dip
250g camembert 3 mushrooms, chopped into small pieces 3 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces 3T white wine 2 spring onions, thinly sliced Crackers, to serve
- Place the whole camembert in a small frypan. - Add the mushrooms and the bacon around the camembert and put the lid on. - Heat on high for about five to six minutes, until the cheese puffs up. - Remove the lid and pour the wine and the spring onion in, stir well. - Remove from the heat and serve warm with crackers or whatever you choose to use for dipping. Miya’s hint – Try an oven-proof dish instead of a frypan and cook on the barbecue grill.
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Saturday, December 12, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE
Sushi cake
21cm springform cake tin Sushi rice 2 1/3C sushi rice, cook as packet direction 1/2 C rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar 3T sugar 2t salt 3T black sesame seeds Filling and topping 6 eggs, add 1t salt and make scrambled eggs 1/3 telegraph cucumber, thinly sliced 100g smoked salmon 1 avocado 4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
– In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt then set aside until it dissolves. – Put cooked rice in a large bowl and add the black sesame seeds, then pour the vinegar mix over and mix well. Set aside. – Line the cake tin with plastic wrap. – Place half the rice at the bottom of the cake tin and evenly spread it out and press it down. – A layer of the sliced cucumber (set aside a few pieces for decoration) over the rice and scatter half the scrambled eggs. – Place the rest of the rice, cover with the plastic wrap and press it down. – Remove the sushi cake and flip it over on a plate. – Sprinkle the rest of the scrambled eggs over the cake. – Make smoked salmon roses and the avocado rose. Cut the thinly sliced smoked salmon into an inch wide strip. Roll it from the end to shape like a rose. – Cut, pit out and peel the avocado. Lay the avocado pieces, cut side down, on a cutting board and slice width-wise thinly. Fan out the avocado slices and gentry curl up to make a rose shape. – Decorate the cake with the salmon roses, avocado rose, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Miya’s hints – You don’t like smoked salmon? You can use shaved ham instead. – Kids will surely enjoy helping to make this recipe and they love to eat it as
Black tea chicken chashu 2-4 servings
1 big chicken breast 1 tea bag
Marinade 1T brown sugar 1T soy sauce 1T rice or apple vinegar Lettuce, for garnish
– Boil water in a medium pot, add the tea bag and chicken, put the lid on. – Turn heat to low and cook for about 20min until the chicken is fully cooked. – Put all the marinade ingredients into a
medium bowl. Mix well. – Put the chicken in the marinade and leave it for a while. – When it is cooled, put chicken and marinade in a resealable food bag and put it in a chiller for at least a half day. – Slice and serve with your choice of vegetables. Miya’s hints – You can make it ahead and keep in the freezer for up to a month. – This chicken is good in sandwiches with some mayonnaise.
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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, December 12, 2020
Staying healthy this festive season
taying healthy and keeping your weight in check over the festive season can be particularly difficult for many, when there are so many tempting Christmas treats on offer. Many of us get to the other side of Christmas ready to put our summer holiday clothes on, only to find that they are fitting a bit too tightly and we are not feeling as healthy as we should after our Christmas indulging. Here are a few tips to try and stay healthy this festive season:
◊ Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day By drinking water you are actually helping yourself feel fuller for longer. You’ll find yourself not needing to snack so much in between meals and on the wrong foods. Water is a great way to stay hydrated and keeping our digestive system healthy and therefore improve our overall health. ◊ Drink more herbal teas, especially green tea
NATURALLY YOU with Jane Logie
Replacing caffeine beverages, such as brown tea and coffee, for herbal options will help you to feel less stressed and anxious at this time of year, with the reduction of caffeine in your system. By reducing your caffeine intake you are reducing the amount of the stress hormone cortisol, which is often involved in those feelings of increased stress. You will also notice an improvement in your sleep if caffeine beverages are replaced with herbal or green tea, especially in the afternoon or before bed. ◊ Keep exercising At this time of year the exercise regime can drop off, as there is so much on the to-do list. Finding ways to keep up the exercise is important in staying and feeling healthy and less stressed.
For example, walking to work or the shops when the weather allows. ◊ Keep indulging in plenty of fruits and vegetables Staying healthy this Christmas means filling up on plenty of fruit and vegetables when and where you can. Your skin will shine and your digestive system will be thanking you. But, most importantly, it is a great way to ensure your waistline doesn’t expand too much. Opt for these food groups more often than not, rather than eating the not-so-healthy Christmas snacks and foods on offer. ◊ Eat just enough to feel full and satisfied When you are enjoying a meal, try to eat only until you are 80 per cent full. Your digestive system will feel happier as it makes for much easier digestion. Eating until you are just full and satisfied, indulging in healthier foods can also ensure a healthier summer waistline.
◊ Avoid snacking on too many sweet Christmas foods It is easy to relax and start snacking on all the Christmas sweets and treats on offer in and around the home and office. But, before you know it, putting on those summer clothes may prove to be difficult. A treat here and there is okay, but over-indulging in them you may find you notice a few more bulges after the Christmas season. Staying healthy over the festive season can often prove to be very difficult indeed. But try to keep these few tips in mind, they may help get you to the other side still feeling fit and healthy and able to wear your summer clothes in the height of those hot summer days to come. Happy Christmas and happy holidays. With the compliments of Jane Logie, a medicinal herbalist, clinical nutritionist and chef from Methven
Saturday, December 12, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE
PHOTO AND RECIPE JANE LOGIE
Pear and rhubarb crumble Serves 4 people
1 tin 415g pears/precooked pears 6T precooked/stewed rhubarb Crumble topping: 2T rice/gluten-free flour 2C rolled oats 1 1/2 C light brown sugar Pinch of salt 1/4 t vanilla bean essence 70g cold butter, cubed small 1t cinnamon (optional) 4 ramekin bowls
› Make the crumble topping first and set aside – mix together all the ingredients into a large bowl and rub through the cold butter until the mixture resembles soft crumbs. › Chop the pears into small cubes and place into a bowl, heap the stewed rhubarb on top and mix through the pears. › In the ramekin bowls place the pear and rhubarb mixture, until the ramekin bowls are 3/4 full. › Then place the topping on the pear and rhubarb mixture to the top of the ramekins. › Place the ramekins into a 180°C oven and bake for 30 minutes. › Take out, set aside to cool and serve with ice cream or cream.
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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, December 12, 2020
Avoiding marathon training injuries PHYSIO LAID BARE with SHAUN CLARK
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ver half of those training for a half marathon or marathon get injured every year. There are some very common lower limb running injuries that you can reduce your risk of, while increasing performance. You just need to know what is a myth (hint: don’t waste your time stretching) and what DOES lead to injury … and avoid that!
The five most common injuries in long-distance runners are: › Patellofemoral Syndrome › Achilles Tendinopathy › Iliotibial Band Syndrome › Plantar Fasciitis › Tibial Stress Syndrome (a version of shin splints) The thing about these five most common injuries runners get when training for long-distance running is that they are all gradual onset injuries and, the majority of the time, happen due to training error. You might think that that is a load of
bull and I totally understand as it’s actually been shown in research that the majority of runners are way off when asked what they think causes injury. Here’s what the majority of runners think causes injury:
› Not stretching – this was the most popular reason runners thought led to injury › Excessive running › Shoe type › Foot type (over/under pronated) Let’s break that down quickly as not many of those reasons are backed by the studies that have looked at it. Stretching has been shown to have no protective effect and even though it can benefit recovery, does not help prevent injury. Excessive training when training for a half marathon is spot on though. Runners build up too fast or don’t have enough recovery to allow adaptation, overload certainly occurs, this is true. Selecting shoes based on foot type has not been shown to be protective or beneficial either. There is no evidence that choosing shoes based on
your arch height etc help reduce the risk of injury. There have been quite a few studies looking into this with thousands of participants – don’t get caught up in all the marketing you see! So, what can you do to legitimately reduce your risk of injury when training for a half marathon? Here are your three BIG things to give yourself the BEST chance in staying injury free and performing well: › Warm up: This is not static stretches where you stand around stretching a few muscles. Warming up should increase body temperature and prepare your body. Think of it as a dynamic warmup – this has been shown by high-level evidence to decrease injury rate. › Avoid spikes in training load: Follow a set plan where weekly mileage goals are set out as well as adequate rest. The gradual buildup, following the 10 per cent rule as well as factoring in rest days in order to give your body
time to adapt is key in preventing overload injuries. › Have variation: In distance, speed, footwear and terrain. This means you load your tissues differently, avoiding repetition and ensuring you build resilience.
Takeaways: › The more consistently you can train, the better you will perform. The less pain and injury you have, the more consistently you can train. › Rest is not a loss of training. Rest is when your body adapts to your training! 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.
Saturday, December 12, 2020 | YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE
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Reaping the In pursuit gardening rewards FARMY PRINCESS with DONNA-MARIE LEVER
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eeling merry and bright? If not, this will definitely make you laugh. But this time it’s not me at the centre of a total farmy faux pas. You see it’s a bit festive and uplifting to sometimes see others also having a small mare – even the most experienced of farming warriors. While at home, simply pottering about, I noticed a small but very eager mob of cows charging down the road. Naturally I expected to see a car, ute or at least a farmer and dog combo hot on their tails heading them towards greener pastures. But nothing – these free-range farm animals were frolicking completely unattended, having a little adventure of their own. A quick call to the actual farmer revealed they were in fact our cows, and with the farmer in a paddock with no vehicle nearby, it did occur to me how did he plan on resolving this wee situation. In fact the only thing that had wheels and was in close proximity was a dusty little digger. Surely not. I quickly made a cup of tea to watch the amusement unfold through the window. Sure, I could have helped, but watching was far more amusing. Yes, the farmer had a “moment”, leaping into his little yellow steel machine and giving chase to the bouncy cows at a massive 15 kilometres an hour! This slow-motion pursuit becoming more hysterical as the eager-faced farmer at the wheel attempted to catch up with the much quicker cows down the shingle. With luck, a neighbour, in an also slow, but slightly faster golf cart, came to the rescue. The pair very, very slowly rounded up the now confused looking herd, with the farmer opting to finish the chase on foot as he realised he could fast-walk much quicker than on the digger. I suspect I could have even done yoga on the side of the road and still been more productive than the farmer on this occasion. Success finally ensued, with the cows safely in a new paddock as I watched the two farmers shaking their heads in disbelief none the wiser they had an active audience! I’m yet to mention what I witnessed, but will possibly save it for a story on Christmas Day in the spirit of the festive season! Merry Christmas and stay safe … I look forward to sharing more of my farming disasters with you in 2021 – it’s got to be better, right?!
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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inally, we are nearing the end of possibly New Zealand’s most challenging year ever. The home garden has never been more important than in 2020. Time to enjoy the many rewarding aspects of our home gardens and all the hard work we have put in. Vegetable garden Harvest time for many of our summer vegetables, others should all be in full growth. Continue regular plantings of seedlings of rapidly maturing vegetables eg dwarf beans, lettuce, and radish. Start planning how to manage your vegetable garden in the upcoming dry months; mulching existing beds, installing irrigation systems, cultivating more vegetables that are tolerant of hot, dry conditions. Too often vegetable gardens are abandoned during January and February. Aim to maintain a successful and heavily producing vegetable garden through to autumn 2021.
Summer flowering annuals Summer annuals should be in full flower for Christmas! They include alyssum, cornflower, cosmos, marigolds, petunias, portulacas, salvias, strawflowers, and zinnias. Top-up earlier plantings with ‘potted colour’ (readily available flowering annuals from garden centres). Flowering annuals grow superbly in pots, containers on decks, balconies or entrances to homes. Regularly ‘deadhead’ spent flowers to encourage continuous flowering. Herb garden Herbs thrive in the heat of summer so the supply of fresh herbs for the kitchen will be plentiful. Trim plants regularly, even if they are not being used. This encourages the growth of fresh plant material. Some herbs may start flowering. Remove the flowers with some herbs eg parsley, this also indicates that it is time to plant new specimens. Fruit trees The first of the new season’s fruit will begin to ripen towards the end of the month e.g. Wilson’s early plum. Other pip and stone fruit trees may require some light summer pruning to allow full sunlight to reach developing fruit. Young trees should be watered regularly, and all trees can be mulched to help water retention and reduce weed infestation. Strawberries A great month for picking strawberries in the home garden. Remember to cover the strawberry patch with bird netting otherwise, you will be sharing your
harvest! Add more pea straw around the plants to provide a clean bed for the strawberries. Check the plants for any sign of botrytis (grey mould). If it is apparent remove and destroy any infected fruit or leaves. With modern strawberry varieties, it’s possible to continue harvesting berries through to January next year if you care for your strawberry patch well. Raspberries Hopefully, there will be fresh raspberries for Christmas! Raspberries can grow very rapidly at this time of the year. Canes need to be tied up and surplus canes removed. Remember there will be a second crop of raspberries early in the New Year. Roses While the peak of spring/early summer flowering has finished, with careful management, most varieties should produce excellent displays throughout December. Continue ‘deadheading’ (the removal of finished flowers), fertilise in early December with Daltons Premium Rose and Flower Fertiliser (recommence
again in mid-February), and mulch with fresh compost to reduce the impact of bushes drying out. Inspect all plants regularly for signs of insects and/or diseases and take appropriate action if needed. Container gardens With flowering annuals, salad vegetables or herbs, these ‘compact’ gardens should be at their very best in December. With the salad vegetables, replant with new, young seedlings to replace harvested vegetables. Top-up rewarding annuals with potted colour to maintain flowering displays. Increase watering as summer temperatures rise. Planning for your summer holiday Approach family or friends to water your garden while you are on holiday or install an irrigation system with a timer. It can be devastating to return to a garden, especially the vegetable garden, that has suffered due to lack of watering over the hot, dry holiday period. For more gardening advice or information on the wide range of Daltons products visit www.daltons.co.nz.
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YOU AND YOUR LIFESTYLE | Saturday, December 12, 2020
FREE Cherry not
Daltons Summer Flower Care prize pack
We have a Daltons Summer Flower Care Pack valued at $65 with everything you need to keep your summer flowers blooming! The pack contains 2 x Daltons Easy Lift Garden Mix (25L), 1 x Daltons Premium Rose & Flower Fertiliser, 2 x Daltons Easy Lift Potting Mix (25L), and a pair of Omni Gloves.
Be in to win Email goodies@theguardian.co.nz with Daltons Flower Care prize pack in the subject heading, or write to Flower Care pack giveaway, Box 77, Ashburton. 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 December 23. 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.
fruiting
John C. Blef is this month’s winner with the following question:
Despite growing well and good flowering, no fruit set on my cherry tree this year. Is this a failure to fertilise? Is there a product to set fruit? Could a sugar or honey spray help? Is there a male/female thing involved? Should the tree be removed?!! (worst scenario). Most cherry trees are self-sterile, meaning that in order to set fruit, pollen is required from another variety and a specific variety at that. Is your cherry tree the variety Stella? If so, this is a true self-fertile cherry which means that you only need one tree instead of two for cross-pollination. If it is not Stella and you have the label of the existing cherry tree when purchased, it will be necessary to return to the garden centre and ask for guidance on the exact cherry variety that will pollinate your existing tree. It is disappointing you were not given the right advice when first purchasing your tree. Hopefully having sorted out pollination problems, you can turn to tree manage-
ment as cherries have the potential to grow into quite large trees. For ease of harvesting and covering with bird netting, prune in winter to encourage a multi-branch tree that grows no taller than four metres high.