8 minute read
HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE
Chefaholic Chefaholic
Cooking School Cooking School and Catering and Catering
Chefaholic Cooking SchoolA PADDOCK TO PLATE COOKING EXPERIENCE FOR ALLA PADDOCK TO PLATE COOKING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
•250ml Pureed pumpkin (room temperature) •50 ml warm water •1 tsp Salt •1 Tsp sugar
Method For further information please contact:
www.chefaholiccookingschool.com
PUMPKIN BREAD Duck à l’orange A paddock to plate cooking experience for all
Ingredients
•1 x 2kg whole duck •1 Tbsp olive oil •150g butter •500g plain flour •100ml Grand Marnier •2 tsp dry yeast. • • • 50ml vinegar 50g castor sugar Juice of 3 oranges •Pepitas and sunflower seeds (optional) •6 oranges
Method
1. To make pumpkin puree you will need a cup of Clean and pat dry duck, chopped pumpkin and enough water to cover it. heat butter in fry pan large
Either boil on the stove top in a saucepan or place in enough to hold duck and a microwave on high for 8 to 10 mins.fry duck for approximately 2. When the pumpkin is soft use a blender to process 5 minutes. it. Stand aside to cool. Place duck in oven for *These next steps can be done with a bread maker on approximately 45 minutes dough setting. on 180°C basting as you go. 3. In a bowl place the 50 ml warm water, sugar and Turn heat down to 160°C yeast together. Mix and set aside until frothy, or and cook for a further 30 about 10 mins. 4. In a larger bowl place the flour and salt. Make a well For further information please contact: E: P: in the centre and put in olive oil, cooled pumpkin puree and the yeast mix. Mix together and turn out onto a floured bench top and knead for 10 mins, if chefaholic.tas@gmail.com 0407 175 720 or 0448 820 367 dough is sticky add a bit more flour. Set aside for www.chefaholiccookingschool.com half an hour or until doubled in size. Knead again for 10 mins and set aside for another half an hour. 5. When dough has risen again flatten out slightly and sprinkle pepitas and sunflower seeds onto the dough. Form into the shape of loaf you want, containing the seeds on the inside. 6. Set aside again to rise for 40 mins. 7. Set oven to 195oC 8. When dough has risen again, brush the top with water and sprinkle on more seeds. 9. Bake for 20 – 30 mins, depending on shape of loaf. 10. Bread is ready when it is golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when you tap it with 11. your knuckles. Let cool a bit then eat! Enjoy
MUSHROOM RISOTTO
Ingredients
Ingredients minutes. Remove from oven and cover with Grand • Marnier and cook for a further 5 minutes.2 tablespoon butter • Remove from oven and 1 medium onion, finely diced • strain all liquid into a 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed • pot, add in vinegar, sugar and juice of 3 oranges 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice • and reduce until a nice 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (dried thyme also works) consistency. • Meanwhile peel and cut a pinch or two of salt and pepper • 1/4 cup white wineoranges and prep with no skin or seed. When sauce is • nearly ready add segments 1 cup arborio rice (also called risotto rice) to sauce and warm - do not let oranges break down. • 1 1/2 cups chopped white mushrooms Carve duck and cover • with sauce and arrange 4 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock • segments. Enjoy!fresh parsley or thyme and Parmesan cheese for garnish
Method
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. 2. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. 3. Add the lemon juice, thyme and salt and pepper. 4. Add the wine and stir as the wine reduces (cook for about five minutes until the wine reduces). 5. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the rice. Toss the rice in the onion mixture until it’s coated and move it around the pan for about one minute. 6. Stir in the mushrooms. 7. Add the hot chicken stock (or vegetable stock) about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until the stock is absorbed by the rice until you add another 1/2 cup. 8. Repeat the process above until all the stock has been added and absorbed by the rice and a creamy sauce has formed, stirring constantly throughout. 9. Serve immediately with shaved
Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped thyme or parsley.
Jo Cordell-Cooper hiking at Mount Field
Get hiking fit for Larapinta
Jo Cordell-Cooper
I’VE had my eye on the Larapinta Trail (230km along the West MacDonald Ranges in Central Australia) since visiting the region with my family 10 years ago. Finally, the time is right and I’m going in July 2023 so now I need to get hiking fit for Larapinta.
So how do you prepare for an 14-18-day hike with a heavy pack, while simultaneously working three jobs and raising a family? That’s what this article is about.
Most believe the best way was to prepare for multi-day hikes is to hike more. My personal training expertise tells me there are many intelligent, time-efficient and targeted ways to get fit for hiking, especially when you have big goals and a few niggles in the body.
Hiking fitness programs always include walking – to neglect this is to invite overuse issues in the ligaments and tendons from about week two, as well as muscle soreness.
When I hike I want to thrive, be strong and capable and really enjoy the hike. I don’t want to be a burden to others, and I certainly don’t want to have to quit. So prepare I must, and here’s how:
Stage 1: 30 weeks to go
Goal: to be able to hike eight hours without muscle soreness (currently I’m sore by the six-hour mark)
What: build endurance, strengthen my fussy hip, work on dynamic balance (see last month’s article), build core and back strength by wearing a weighted pack (even on short walks)
How: Each week I’ll take my Friday NIGHT beginners hiking session wearing a 6-8kg pack (Meehan Range, Pilchers Hill and Mount Direction are my go-to short sharp training hikes).
Additionally, I’ll do a weekly Pilates reformer class, and something rehabilitative like yoga, foam rollering or swimming. In my gym I will complete two whole body strengthening sessions (30-40 minutes each, focusing on dynamic balance and leg strength and endurance).
Once every four weeks I’ll do a long day hike to check for muscle soreness. Additionally, I’ll do two weekend hikes, minimum three days, similar underfoot to Larapinta (rocky). The first one is booked for late December – in the Lake St Clair region around Shadow Lake there are several mountains to visit. Finally, I’ll complete a daily short walk – wearing a pack while simultaneously walking my dog.
This takes me through to mid-February, so I’ll share the next stage of my fitness preparation then, or you can read my full blog article at jocc.com.au/ hiking-fit-larapinta. There’s free resources also on this page, so if you are wanting to get fit hiking you can access those.
Making medical expenses easier! Making a claim from your health insurance
HEALTH insurance gives you peace of mind (and maybe some tax benefits), but you have to claim to really benefit from your cover!
How do you claim?
The easiest way is to claim on the spot. So, if your provider can swipe your health cover card, be sure to use your card!
Otherwise, you must give the receipts to your health fund. That usually means dropping into their office, or mailing or emailing a claim form. At HCi, you also can use our free app or online form.
What can you claim?
That depends entirely on what sort of cover you have. Hospital cover helps pay for your accommodation and care in a private or public hospital.
Extras or ancillary cover varies between policies. It can include dental visits, remedial massages, glasses, physiotherapy and podiatry.
How much can you claim?
Claim amounts depend on your level of cover. Your cover may have per year or per visit limits.
Stated limits generally apply per person for couples and family policies. For example, $500 dental usually means a couple can claim up to $500 each.
If you chose a hospital policy with an excess, the excess amount is paid to the hospital, usually at admission. It generally applies to each adult on the policy, but rules vary so check with your fund (before admission if possible). You generally pay an excess once per year.
HCi claiming tips
From more than 80 years’ experience, our suggestions for maximising your claims are: 1. Submit your claim as soon as you can.
Receipts older than two years often aren’t accepted 2. Provide all the information you can to avoid any delays or a refusal to pay 3. Make sure you add your member number to your claim 4. Before treatment, check you are using providers your health fund recognises 5. If you mail a claim, keep copies of the receipts just in case 6. Give your fund your current email address and phone number in case of any queries 7. Keep your premiums up to date – you can’t claim if your membership is in arrears.
If you have any other claiming questions, just give HCi a call on 1800 804 950.
