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These 8 health changes could mean you need to eat more vegetables

<p><strong>8 clear signs you're not eating enough vegetables</strong></p> <p>You know veggies are good for you. You may also think you’re eating enough. The truth is, you probably aren’t. Read on to discover the many ways in which your body is telling you that it needs more fruit and vegetables, and what nutrients it craves.</p> <p><strong>How many veggies do you eat, anyway?</strong></p> <p>You may think you eat enough vegetables, but more than likely, you don’t. On average, we only get two servings of vegetables per day. </p> <p>The Australia Dietary Guidelines recommend adults eat five servings of vegetables (one serve equals 75 g of vegetables, approximately half a cup of cooked or one cup of salad veg) and two servings of fruit (one serve equals 150 g, about one apple or two apricots) per day. Skipping key nutrients can seriously affect your overall health.</p> <p><strong>There's a lack of colour on your plate </strong></p> <p>We’ve come a long way since the old meat and two veg. But there are still plenty of people that stick to the simple formula. However, “it isn’t very colourful or loaded with balanced nutrition,” says dietitian Abby Sauer. “And even though they may be favourites, pasta, rice and bread don’t add much colour or much nutrition to your meals in terms of essential vitamins and minerals.”</p> <p><strong>You bruise easily </strong></p> <p>Consuming too little vitamin C can cause you to bruise easily, as well as increase bleeding around gums and slow the healing process. Vitamin C can be consumed by eating red capsicums, kale, red chilli peppers, dark leafy vegetables, broccoli, brussels sprouts and tomatoes.</p> <p><strong>You're tired all the time</strong></p> <p>Deficiency in folate can cause fatigue and anaemia. This B vitamin can be found in dark leafy greens, legumes and starchy vegetables such as black-eyed peas, kidney beans, lima beans, navy beans, asparagus and lentils.</p> <p><strong>That nagging cold won't go away</strong></p> <p>“If you lack vegetables in your diet and the important vitamins they provide, your body may lack the defences it needs to release free radical fighters against viruses,” says Sauer. “Stock your fridge with dark leafy green vegetables, an excellent source of vitamin C, to give your immune system a boost and help shorten your recovery time.”</p> <p><strong>Your memory is foggy</strong></p> <p>While occasional forgetfulness can affect all ages, if you find your brain’s processing speed and efficiency fading as you get older, a lack of nutrients could be the culprit. </p> <p>“Lutein, a nutrient which has been shown in early research to enhance learning and memory, can be found in a variety of vegetables, such as leafy greens, carrots, broccoli, corn and tomatoes,” says Sauer. “Adding a few or all of these vegetables to your weekly meals can provide a helpful and natural brain boost.”</p> <p><strong>Daily stressors are getting harder to handle </strong></p> <p>While stress is an inevitable part of life, how we eat and treat ourselves directly affects our body’s response. “Inflammation is your body’s natural response to stress, so if you’re not handling stress well, inflammation and its damaging effects could be taking place,” says Sauer. </p> <p>“Foods rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, such as unsaturated fatty acids [like salmon and tuna], antioxidants, polyphenols and carotenoids [like green leafy vegetables and bright-coloured capsicums] can help lower the levels of inflammation in the body and increase your mental capabilities to handle life’s curveballs.”</p> <p><strong>You're prone to muscle cramps</strong></p> <p>Fruit and vegetables contain potassium that may prevent muscle cramps, especially if you exercise regularly or spend a lot of time outside in the hot summer months, says dietitian Dr Emily Rubin. “One medium banana has 422 mg of potassium.”</p> <p><strong>Your scales won't budge </strong></p> <p>“Fruit and vegetables have fibre, which makes you feel full so you eat less,” says Rubin. “Most fruit and vegetables are low in kilojoules. Fruit may also help with those sweet cravings. Choosing a bowl of strawberries instead of ice cream can save you 800 kilojoules.”</p> <p><strong>Eat more veggies: Keep them on hand </strong></p> <p>According to medical weight-loss specialist Dr Adrienne Youdim, prep is everything. “Spend a Sunday grilling your favourite veggies. Make them in abundance so that they can be incorporated into your salad or lunchbox,” she says.</p> <p><strong>Eat more veggies: Get one serving per meal </strong></p> <p>“Adding colour and variety to your daily meals with at least one serving of fruit or vegetables per meal can be as easy as thawing out a bag of frozen green beans, slicing up an apple or adding a bowl of colourful berries,” says Sauer.</p> <p><strong>Eat more veggies: Buy frozen</strong></p> <p>“Many people avoid fresh vegetables because they go off before they get a chance to eat them,” says clinical oncology dietitian Crystal Langlois. “Buying frozen vegetables is a great alternative that is convenient and easy. If all the prep work and chopping scares you, many supermarkets carry pre-chopped items in both the frozen and fresh produce areas.”</p> <p>And if you still have that inner-kid kicking and screaming to avoid eating your veggies, blend your veggies into shakes or smoothies. “The taste of vegetables is easily masked in shakes or smoothies by using fruit and fruits juice,” says Langlois. “Small diced mushrooms can be incorporated into hamburgers or Bolognese, as well.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/diet/8-clear-signs-youre-not-eating-enough-vegetables?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Body

Aussie actress in catastrophic bus crash offered $16 voucher as compensation

<p>An Aussie tourist left injured and stranded after a fatal bus crash in southern Italy has claimed the travel company only offered her a meal voucher for the inconvenience.</p> <p>Australian actress Sinead Curry, who has starred in TV shows like The Haunting of Nancy Drew and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, said that nine hours following the crash, the European bus company offered her a $16 meal voucher for her troubles.</p> <p>Curry and partner Salma Salah, both from Sydney, boarded the FlixBus in the city of Bari on June 3 for the long journey to the Northern city of Bologna with a transfer to Rome.</p> <p>However, two hours into the trip Curry said the “bus hit something”.</p> <p>“We were all asleep, it went airborne and spun around a bunch of times,” she said in a TikTok video posted the following day, showing her in hospital wearing a neck brace.</p> <p>Curry told followers the bus was “flung around like in a blender” before it landed down by an embankment, which she claimed was “on the other side of the road”.</p> <p>“Several cars then hit the bus moving the bus closer and closer to the side of the road,” Curry explained in her video.</p> <p>Italian and German media reported the bus crash occurred near the town of Avellino, approximately 50km east of the southwest city of Naples.</p> <p>Five cars were caught up in the accident and local emergency services were quoted as saying the “lifeless body of a man was found” along with 14 people sustaining injuries.</p> <p>Curry said there were 38 people on the bus, including another Aussie woman called “Caity”, who suffered a broken collarbone.</p> <p>After Curry was discharged from the hospital, fearing her nose was broken but was assured it was not, she made another video emphasising how she felt abandoned by the bus company.</p> <p>“FlixBus none of your numbers are working,” an emotional Curry urged.</p> <p>“They ring out and they hang up on us. We cannot get any information from FlixBus, we cannot get our luggage back.</p> <p>“They offered us by text a 10 euro ($16) meal replacement voucher for the inconvenience.</p> <p>“There are a bunch of people here who nearly died we don't have any information.”</p> <p>Curry later claimed FlixBus even blocked her on social media.</p> <p>“We just want some information and some help,” she explained, complaining that she was still waiting on her luggage to be returned.</p> <p>FlixBus issued a statement claiming “a support line and email” was provided to all passengers and their families following the incident.</p> <p>"Outbound calls were made to passengers who had registered their mobile numbers, and emails were sent to passengers with instructions,” the bus company said.</p> <p>“At all times, the safety of its passengers and drivers is of highest priority to FlixBus.”</p> <p>Two days following the incident Curry received her luggage and was in Rome after an emergency shuttle had been deployed for stranded passengers.</p> <p>However, she said that as they arrived in Rome, passengers were finding “shrapnel” from the crash in their bodies and she had gotten a piece out of herself.</p> <p>On June 5 Curry took to TikTok again, saying she and her partner were grateful to be “safe and in Rome”.</p> <p>Although safe, she did note that they were heading to the hospital to get checked again as she was suffering from “very severe headaches” and had intense pain in her jaw.</p> <p>Curry then thanked the “heroes” in Italian fire and rescue, who she said took her and her partner in and gave them pasta, crackers, water and a change of clothes.</p> <p>She said FlixBus had rung her twice at a later date to tell the couple to keep receipts for a full refund.</p> <p>Curry jetted to Europe for her dream holiday but given the incident, she and her partner are dumping their Italian plans to recuperate in Rome.</p> <p>“We are so grateful to be alive please hold your loved ones close,” she said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Legal

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

<p>The world is facing a significant food waste problem, with <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i4068e/i4068e.pdf">up to half of all fruit and vegetables</a> lost somewhere along the agricultural food chain. Globally, around <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca6030en/ca6030en.pdf">14% of food produced</a> is lost after harvesting but before it reaches shops and supermarkets.</p> <p>Alongside food prices (66%), food waste is a concern for 60% of people that participated in a <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-and-you-2/food-and-you-2-wave-5">recent survey</a> published by the UK Food Standards Agency. <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">Other research</a> suggests that as much as 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes grown in the UK are destroyed because they don’t look right. This means that producers’ efforts to meet stringent specifications from buyers can lead to <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">perfectly edible produce being discarded</a> before it even leaves the farm – simply because of how it looks.</p> <p>Aside from the ongoing environmental implications of this food waste, UK shoppers currently face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/04/food-tsar-blames-shortages-on-uks-weird-supermarket-culture">produce rationing in some supermarkets</a> due to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/british-supermarkets-are-rationing-fruit-and-vegetables-amid-shortages.html">shortages of items like tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries</a>. Any solutions that increase locally grown produce on shop shelves could improve the availability of fresh food, particularly in urban areas.</p> <p>When imperfect fruit and vegetables don’t make it to supermarket shelves, it can be due to <a href="https://cases.open.ubc.ca/insistence-on-cosmetically-perfect-fruits-vegetables/">cosmetic standards</a>. Supermarkets and consumers often prefer produce of a fairly standard size that’s free of blemishes, scars and other imperfections. This means fruit and vegetables that are misshapen, discoloured, or even too small or too large, are rejected before they make it to supermarket shelves.</p> <p>In recent years there has been a growing trend of selling such “ugly” fruit and vegetables, both by <a href="https://my.morrisons.com/wonky-fruit-veg/">major</a> <a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/sustainability/food-waste">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/wonky-veg-5th-anniversary/">chains</a>, as well as <a href="https://wonkyvegboxes.co.uk/">speciality</a> <a href="https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?exp=plans_rollback">retailers</a> that sell <a href="https://www.oddbox.co.uk/">boxes</a> of <a href="https://etepetete-bio.de/">wonky produce</a>. And research has shown that 87% of people say they would <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fruit-and-veg/nearly-90-of-consumers-would-eat-wonky-fruit-and-veg-according-to-new-survey/670155.article">eat wonky fruit and vegetables if they were available</a>. But other research indicates consumers can still be picky and difficult to predict. One study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329316302002?via%3Dihub">showed</a> consumers are likely to throw away an apple with a spot, but would eat a bent cucumber.</p> <h2>Getting ugly produce into baskets</h2> <p>So how can producers and retailers boost the amount of non-standard fruit and veg that not only reaches our shelves, but also our plates? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221723000668">Our recent research</a> suggests a separate channel for selling ugly produce would increase profits for growers, lower prices for consumers and boost overall demand for produce.</p> <p>For growers, a dedicated channel – either independent or set up by a supermarket – to supply wonky fruit and veg creates a new line of business. For retailers, this provides an opportunity for further revenue over and above current sales of standard produce to shops. When selling both types of product to a single retailer, the ugly items might be undervalued compared with the standard-looking products. Our research also shows that selling the ugly produce through a dedicated channel is likely to increase total demand for fruit and vegetables, while also decreasing on-farm loss.</p> <p>Having two parallel channels for selling produce (the main one and the dedicated “ugly” channel) would increase competition. This benefits shoppers by lowering prices for regular and ugly produce, versus selling both types of products alongside each other in one shop.</p> <p>On the other hand, the growing market for ugly fruit and vegetables could be an economic threat to traditional retailers. It encourages new entrants into the market and could also limit the availability of “regular” produce because growers could become less stringent about ensuring produce meets traditional cosmetic standards.</p> <p>But there is a way for traditional retailers to add ugly produce into their product offerings alongside other produce without affecting their profits. By building on existing consumer awareness of the environmental benefits of ugly food, they could also compete in this growing segment. This would benefit their bottom lines and help consumer acceptance of misshapen fruit and vegetables, possibly leading to less food waste and shortages like those UK shoppers are experiencing right now.</p> <p>Boosting demand for imperfect fruit and vegetables across the supply chain will require all participants to get involved – from grower to seller. Here are some steps the various parties could take:</p> <h2>1. Educating consumers</h2> <p>Education about the environmental and economic impact of food waste could happen through marketing campaigns, in-store displays and even social media.</p> <h2>2. Reducing cosmetic standards</h2> <p>Supermarkets and other major food retailers could revise their cosmetic standards to accept a wider range of produce, including imperfect fruit and vegetables. This would help reduce food waste by making sure more produce is able to be sold.</p> <h2>3. Direct sales</h2> <p>Farmers and growers could sell non-standard produce directly to consumers through farmers’ markets or subscription services. This allows consumers to purchase fresh, locally grown produce that might not meet cosmetic standards for supermarkets but that is just as nutritionally beneficial.</p> <h2>4. Food donations</h2> <p>Supermarkets and growers could donate produce rejected for how it looks to food banks, shelters and other organisations that serve those in need. This would help reduce food waste while also providing healthy food to those who might not otherwise have access to it.</p> <h2>5. Value-added products</h2> <p>Produce that doesn’t meet cosmetic standards could also be used to create other products such as soups, sauces and juices. In addition to reducing food waste, this would create new revenue streams for growers and retailers.</p> <h2>6. Food composting</h2> <p>Anything that cannot be sold or otherwise used should be composted. This would help reduce food waste while also creating nutrient-rich soil for future crops.</p> <p>By implementing these solutions, the supply chain can reduce the amount of ugly or imperfect fruit and vegetables that are wasted, while also providing consumers with healthy, affordable produce, even in times of supply chain shortages.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-could-tackle-food-waste-and-solve-supermarket-supply-shortages-201216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

10 nifty new uses for your vegetable peeler

<p>The humble veggie peeler has a place in most homes. Its life is mostly spent peeling potatoes or carrots, perhaps the occasional pumpkin or zucchini before being popped in the dishwasher for the next skimming session. As it happens, your veggie peeler actually has a range of different uses far and beyond merely peeling. Here are 10 of our favourites.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Hull strawberry stems</strong> – In nifty news, the pointy end of your peeler is actually designed to remove potato eyes. Make use of that newly discovered function by using it to hull the stems on strawberries.</li> <li><strong>Peel an onion</strong> – Bye bye onion tears! A veggie peeler can be used to shave thin slices of onion so that you can speed through the process before the tears start to well up.</li> <li><strong>Seed a chilli</strong> – Remove the spicy seeds in a hot chilli by slicing off the top then working a peeler around the middle to cleanly remove the seeds.</li> <li><strong>Create soap shavings</strong> – If you’re sick of slippery bars of soap that stick to the bath or shower, try creating ‘soap shavings’ that can be used a handful at a time. Less wastage as well!</li> <li><strong>Create a decorative lemon</strong> – If you’ve got a dinner party coming up, a pretty floral lemon is an easy way to impress guests. Simply use your peeler to make ridges down the sides of the lemon then slice with a knife as usual.</li> <li><strong>De-string celery</strong> – If the strings on celery end up in your teeth remove them altogether with your peeler. All you need to do is shave the curved side of the celery to remove fibres with ease.</li> <li><strong>Make chocolate shavings</strong> – Decorate a cake or bowl of ice cream with super easy chocolate shavings. Use a peeler to shave off three to five-cm pieces that can then be used to sprinkle on top of your favourite dessert.</li> <li><strong>Zest citrus</strong> – Need the zest of a lemon for a recipe but don’t have a zester? No problem! Use a veggie peeler to slice strips of your citrus fruit then process or crush the pieces for your recipe.</li> <li><strong>Sharpen your chalk</strong> – If you run your house off a chalkboard or have a chalkboard calendar you’ll know that blunt chalk is a nightmare. Use a peeler to remove blunt ends and bring chalk back to life.</li> <li><strong>Peel a mango</strong> – It may not be summer but come the warmer months be prepared by using a peeler to peel a delicious mango. The tough skin can be tricky to slice effectively where as a peeler does a neat and tidy job in a fraction of the time.</li> </ol> <p>Have you ever used a peeler for an unusual purpose? Tell us about it in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Home & Garden

“Fly free beautiful angel”: Lisa Curry says final goodbye to Jaimi

<p dir="ltr">Lisa Curry has shared an emotional tribute to her late daughter Jaimi after laying her ashes to rest on Australia’s tallest mountain.</p> <p dir="ltr">The swimming legend hiked 2228 kilometres to the top of Mount Kosciuszko with her daughter’s ashes and some meaningful items, including dried petals from her funeral, more than two years after Jaimi passed away.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d368007f-7fff-b90f-c008-0986a617f5ea"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I needed something to help me find focus again and get out of bed but my main purpose was to take my daughters ashes to the top of Mt Kosciuszko,” Curry wrote on Instagram, sharing a slew of photos from the venture.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkW9ogChpTW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkW9ogChpTW/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Curry revealed that the hike, which she did with a group of friends and was delayed by Covid, was the hardest thing she had done, adding that it was out of her comfort zone.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The conditions were very challenging, plenty of snow, ice, rain, sleet, baby hail (sago), 60-100kmh winds, we had it all,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Once we headed out, we were committed. No turning back. One step at a time. The second day I carried the emotion of what I was there for.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When she got to the final hill, which she described as a “complete struggle”, Curry said she felt an “overwhelming sense of achievement and emotional anxiety” about saying goodbye to Jaimi one last time.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ee41cb8a-7fff-e78d-f991-2a3f2458efa1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I could see a blurry Glenn standing there waiting for me, every step I was getting closer but couldn't see through my tears," Lisa wrote.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkQESrxrpzT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CkQESrxrpzT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"The wind was extreme, and took the balloon quickly, but it landed on the snow not far away, so Glenn went and picked it up and let it go again</p> <p dir="ltr">"I honour our Jaimi by taking her ashes and dried petals from her funeral to amazing places around the country and the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This spot on top of Mt Kosciusko is the closest to heaven that I could get so it was very meaningful to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Everyone has their own way of honouring those that are special to them. Fly free beautiful angel. Never forgotten. Xxx"</p> <p dir="ltr">The Olympian also revealed that she completed the monumental feat while taking beta blockers Atrial Fibrillation (AF), which helped keep her heart rate down but felt “like a full body of heavy lactic acid”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e95faa3-7fff-2077-670c-0aea9cf09fcd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @lisacurry (Instagram)</em></p>

Family & Pets

Chickpea curry

<p>Perfect for dinner through the week, this chickpea curry isn’t just tasty; it’s also healthy, cheap and filling.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 tablespoon oil</li> <li>1 onion, chopped</li> <li>1 garlic clove, crushed</li> <li>¼ teaspoon salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon cumin powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon coriander powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon turmeric powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon red chilli powder</li> <li>1 fresh tomato, chopped</li> <li>400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed</li> <li>5cm piece root ginger, grated</li> <li>Pinch of garam masala </li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></p> <p>1. Heat a deep saucepan (with a lid) and add the oil. Cook the onions and garlic, until the onions are caramelised.</p> <p>2. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and red chilli powders. Mix for a minute and tip in the tomato. Cook the sauce until it begins to thicken.</p> <p>3. Add four tablespoons water and stir. Then tip in the chickpeas and mix. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Then add the ginger and the garam masala. Cook for another minute.</p> <p>TOP TIP: Best served with rice.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Pumpkin and chicken red curry

<p>If you’re feeling like Thai food tonight, but the take-out menus away and give this pumpkin and chicken curry recipe a try. We bet you’ll be converted!</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>1 small pumpkin, halved, peeled and cubed</li> <li>2 shallots, chopped</li> <li>3 cloves of garlic, chopped</li> <li>1 tablespoon of red curry paste</li> <li>2 tablespoons of water</li> <li>1 can of unsweetened coconut milk</li> <li>2 tablespoons of Asian fish sauce</li> <li>1 lime, juiced</li> <li>2 teaspoons of brown sugar</li> <li>3 tablespoons of peanut oil</li> <li>0.5kg of chicken breast, cut into pieces</li> <li>2 tablespoons of fresh basil</li> <li>White rice to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <p>1. In a large pot of boiling water, boil pumpkin until it begins to get tender, for about seven minutes.</p> <p>2. Using a blender, blend shallots, garlic, curry paste and water until smooth.</p> <p>3. In a bowl, mix coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar. Stir until dissolved.</p> <p>4. Heat two tablespoons of peanut oil in a large wok on medium heat. Add chicken, searing until lightly brown. Remove chicken from wok.</p> <p>5. Add remaining oil to wok and return to heat. Add mixed curry sauce and cook, stirring. Add coconut milk mix and bring mixture to a boil.</p> <p>6. Add pumpkin and chicken and let simmer until chicken is cooked through and pumpkin has grown tender.</p> <p>7. Garnish with basil and serve with white rice.</p> <p><em>Image: Taste</em></p>

Food & Wine

Lisa Curry opens up on Steve Irwin losing Australian of the Year award

<p dir="ltr">Former Olympian Lisa Curry’s new memoir has revealed how crocodile hunter Steve Irwin lost the title of Australian of the Year over a controversial photo, with the Aussie swimmer expressing her regret over a “shemozzle that should never have happened”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Curry was chair of the National Australia Day council in 2004, when the decision to bestow the title on Irwin was overturned at the last minute and cricket star Steve Waugh received it instead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The switch came amid outcry over a photograph of Irwin holding his then-baby Robert while feeding a crocodile at the family-run Australia Zoo in early 2004.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite telling Irwin he would be the recipient of the award, the council made the call in the belief that he could nominate again in a few years’ time - with no-one imagining Irwin would be fatally stung just two years later.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to News Corp papers, Curry said she would have made a different decision if faced with it today, and that she would award Irwin the award posthumously if that were possible.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was such a shemozzle that should never have happened,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Today, I would have just said, ‘No, we are going ahead with it’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sometimes you do things to please people, to please the media or the public, and these days I’d go, ‘No. This is what we are doing. The person deserves it and it’s going to stand’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 59-year-old opened up about the controversy - and her life as an Olympian, motherhood and her relationships - in her memoir, <em>Lisa: 60 years of Love, Life & Loss</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amid never-before-told stories from her life and career Curry also wrote about the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/lisa-curry-honours-late-daughter-with-touching-birthday-message" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death of her daughter</a>, Jaimi, and how she struggled with her grief in the years after.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the Steve Irwin “shemozzle”, Curry wrote that despite him losing out on the award, she wants his family to know he will always be a “worthy recipient”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Steve was aware that he’d won because, in those days, it was my job to ring the recipients and let them know,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was so hard to make a decision to take away somebody’s award, which they’d won fair and square.</p> <p dir="ltr">“After speaking with Steve, it was agreed he would withdraw his nomination. He could renominate another year. Steve Waugh ended up winning it that year and he was a very good Australian of the Year for 2004. I don’t know whether he knew that Steve Irwin had been the first choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want (Steve’s) family to know that he was, and always will be, a worthy recipient of that award.”</p> <p dir="ltr">To read the full <em>Saturday Telegraph</em> story, click <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/crocodile-hunter-steve-irwin-lost-his-australian-of-the-year-over-a-crocfeeding-controversy-lisa-curry-reveals/news-story/eef3272d3b47c6ebdc89ec6c02254ad3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ff8afc74-7fff-5c37-5746-cdec412c7583"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @lisacurry (Instagram) / Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

"We'll all miss you": Lisa Curry shares heartbreaking news

<p dir="ltr">Former Olympian Lisa Curry has shared heartbreaking news that her beloved mum had passed away aged 86.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 59-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday night to share the sad update about Pat, two weeks after <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/lisa-curry-finally-reunites-with-86-year-old-mum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they were finally able to reunite</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart is broken again. Our beautiful mum slipped away peacefully this morning,” Curry wrote in her heartfelt tribute, along with sharing a photo of her mum with a red rose and a teddy bear.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-77001a45-7fff-9bfe-65fb-6eac05199a80"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“My brother Scott travelled for 48 hrs from Berlin, my sister Melanie and I continually counting down the days, hours and minutes to mum until he arrived. She waited. We shared some last laughs, memories and lots of tears.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CapF1_Gp0qM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CapF1_Gp0qM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The loss comes less than two years after Curry lost her daughter Jaimi, who died battling an eating disorder in 2020.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ma to Jaimi, Morgan, Jett and Bodhi; Mama to Flynn and Taj,” her tribute continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My baby girl, and now my mum … 86 years, nearly 87 …</p> <p dir="ltr">“I took this photo just yesterday … so beautiful and peaceful, I love this photo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for being a wonderful mother. Have a nice long sleep mum. We love you so much and we’ll all miss you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Curry previously shared a clip of herself in full PPE in mid-February, when she was able to visit her mum in her aged care facility after it was locked down for a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Shout out to all the nurses and doctors, or anyone who has to wear this stuff every single day - I don’t know how you can do it, I can’t breathe!” she said in the video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good on you. Thanks for looking after our elderly parents. Thanks.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Her tribute to her mum was quickly flooded with supportive and kind messages from her followers and friends, including her <em>I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!</em> co-stars Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Tegan Martin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sending you so much love beautiful. 💗,” Bassingthwaighte wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So sorry 😢 sending you lots of love jungle ma. 💗💗,” Martin commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a beautiful picture of your mum. She looks peaceful and content. I’m so sorry for all the sadness you have had to endure. Love to you and all your family xx 💗💗,” another follower shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sorry to see you’ve lost your mum Lisa. I lost mine 12 years ago,” a second person wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s so hard… there’s truly no one like your mum. Carry her in your heart 💗💗.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-44975433-7fff-b98e-3989-c7a383b16a4d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @lisacurry (Instagram)</em></p>

Family & Pets

Lisa Curry finally reunites with 86-year-old mum

<p>Lisa Curry has finally reunited with her 86-year-old mother Pat in her aged care facility. It has been one month since the centre was placed into a Covid lockdown.</p> <p>On Thursday, the former Olympian, aged 59, shared a video of herself wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) during her visit, as she thanked the staff at the facility for looking after her beloved 'ma'.</p> <p>'Finally able to visit my mum in her aged care facility after it was in lockdown for a month. RAT, PPE, sign forms and we can see our ma,' she captioned the footage.</p> <p>Thank you SO MUCH to all the staff, and all the carers, nurses, doctors who have to wear this get up every single day!! #morepayforournurses.'</p> <p>She offered the same message in her video, saying: 'Shout out to all the nurses and doctors, or anyone who has to wear this stuff every single day - I don't know how you do it, I can't breathe!</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaESqdYrSVG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CaESqdYrSVG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>'Good on you. Thanks for looking after our elderly parents. Thanks.'</p> <p>Lisa shared a sweet tribute to her mother on her 86th birthday last April, where she praised Pat as being the 'rock' of the family.</p> <p>'Happy 86th Birthday to our beautiful mum, ma, mama....' she wrote. 'The constant rock of the family... we love you mum.'</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/Group-photo.jpg" alt="" width="578" height="325" /></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Should doctors prescribe fruit and vegetables?

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <h2>New research suggests that providing healthy foods in a medical context can help some conditions.</h2> <div class="copy"> <p>We all know that fruit and vegetables are good for us, but are they so good that medical programs should prescribe them? A new study by Australian researchers suggests they should.</p> <p>A review carried out by the George Institute for Global Health, NSW, and Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, US, examined 13 programs that either subsidised or directly provided healthy foods as a form of medical treatment. They found that overall, participants in the programs ate more healthy foods and improved in a few different health indicators.</p> <p>“Collectively, we saw a positive impact on the health of patients in these programs, even though there were quite different ways in which they provided the healthier foods and measured the outcomes,” says Jason Wu, program head of nutrition science at the George Institute.</p> <p>“We found the effect of healthy food prescriptions on blood glucose was comparable to what you would expect to see from some commonly prescribed glucose-lowering medications – this adds weight to the growing evidence that food can also be medicine.”</p> <p>The researchers say that healthy food prescriptions could be beneficial for people who have limited access to these foods in particular.</p> <p>Roughly half of the study participants were experiencing food insecurity, while three-quarters had existing medical conditions.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p152223-o1" class="wpcf7"> <div class="wpcf7-response-output" aria-hidden="true">“People experiencing food insecurity are less able to manage chronic diseases owing to mental and financial strains, such as high costs of medications and other out-of-pocket health-related expenses,” says Saiuj Bhat, a clinician involved in the study.</div> </div> </div> <p>“Boosting the intakes of healthier foods like fruit and vegetables has even greater potential to improve the health of more vulnerable people.”</p> <p>Fruit and vegetables have been the focus of these health food prescriptions for now, but the researchers suggest that more work should be done investigating the effect of other healthy foods like nuts, beans, whole grains, and fish.</p> <p>The researchers are now running a study with 50 food-insecure patients in Sydney, in which each patient is being prescribed a box of these foods each week.</p> <p>The review is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmab039" target="_blank">published</a> in <em>Advances in Nutrition.</em></p> <p><strong>Read more:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/confused-about-what-to-eat-here-s-a-doctor-s-recommended-meal-plan/" target="_blank">Here’s a doctor’s recommended meal plan</a></li> <li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/society/packaged-foods-where-healthy-is-relative/" target="_blank">Packaged foods: where healthy is relative</a></li> <li><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/nutrition/taxing-sugar-is-good-for-all/" target="_blank">A sugar tax is good for all</a></li> </ul>  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=152223&title=Should+doctors+prescribe+fruit+and+vegetables%3F" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/should-doctors-prescribe-fruit-and-vegetables/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian">Ellen Phiddian</a>. </p> </div>

Food & Wine

“Keep fighting": Lisa Curry's powerful message

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lisa Curry continues to struggle with the death of her daughter Jaimi Kenny.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former Australian Olympian described her daily pain in an emotional tribute to Jaimi on Instagram.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Our Jaimi. My brain has thoughts and conversations that my mouth can’t say. It’s hard to talk about the pain and fear that is felt daily… life goes on,” Curry wrote, accompanied by a selfie of the pair.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People say you get stronger… You don’t. You just learn to hide it better. It saddens me greatly that life goes on without Jaimi… constantly stopping to remember that she’s not here.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curry has been open about her grief following her Jaimi’s death from long-term illness in September last year. Recently, Curry shared touching photos to mark </span><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/ray-of-sunshine-and-healing-for-lisa-curry"><span style="font-weight: 400;">six months</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> since her daughter’s passing.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMX60LrLY0E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMX60LrLY0E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If YOU are struggling… and living in a way that is on the road to the inevitable… I hope by reading this, you can feel the pain of the people left behind,” she continued.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I know you would say it’s not about us… and it’s not .. but I hope you can understand, know and feel how loved you truly are, and that living life, and not just existing, is worth it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She concluded, “Keep fighting and don’t give up. Where there is life there is hope. Life is so precious and there’s so much to look forward to. Jaimi was so loved and is so missed. We hide our tears when we say her name, but the pain in our hearts is still the same. Remembering our Jaimi.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMknAfCru7v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMknAfCru7v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans shared messages of support and commiseration over the loss of their own family members, while praising her eloquent message.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Beautifully written Lisa. Sending you strength,” commented one.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So so sad. I hope your post makes a difference to someone out there,” another wrote.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Curry and former Iron Man champion Grant Kenny welcomed three children during their marriage, which ended in 2009: Jaimi, Morgan, 30, and son Jett, 26.</span></p>

Family & Pets

Moving photo shared by heartbroken Lisa Curry

<p>Former Australian Olympian Lisa Curry is struggling to cope with her daughter Jaimi Curry Kenny's death after attending her funeral.</p> <p>The 33-year-old died of an undisclosed illness last Monday and was farewelled at a small event on the weekend.</p> <p>Lisa shared a touching photo of the two of them with her Instagram colours.</p> <p>“I don’t know what to do...” the heartbreaking caption read.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFaecAADrFo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFaecAADrFo/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">😞💔👼 I don’t know what to do....</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/lisacurry/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Lisa Curry AO</a> (@lisacurry) on Sep 21, 2020 at 2:28pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Lisa shared her daughter's funeral, describing it as "perfect, beautiful, quiet, pretty and sparkly".</p> <p>“Yesterday, as the sun was setting, we said goodbye to you, our Jaimi,” Curry wrote on Sunday.</p> <p>“As the last sun rays filtered through the trees onto you, fairy lights flickering everywhere around, with the most divine flowers surrounding you, and a room full of unconditional love, we farewelled you.... always our bubba.</p> <p>“It was just perfect... beautiful, quiet, pretty and sparkly... just the way you would have wanted it.</p> <p>“Our little angel, you can now rest peacefully. Free of pain, free to flourish and free to grow, free to just be...</p> <p>“Jaimi...as dad and I lovingly held you when you took your first breath, we lovingly held you as you took your last.</p> <p>“Jaimi, my love, our hearts are aching, but know you will be forever with us, and forever loved wherever we go.</p> <p>“Goodnight sweet girl... we hope you have a nice long sleep.”</p>

Caring

Family tragedy unites rivals Lisa Curry and Tracey Wickham

<p><span>After the loss of Lisa Curry’s daughter Jaimi Kenny on Monday, tributes have flown in to the family.</span><br /><br /><span>A joint statement from Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny revealed their beloved oldest daughter Jaimi had passed away in hospital that morning after a battle with a long-term illness.</span><br /><br /><span>While many across the nation shared their condolences to the family, there was one from a long-time rival that particularly stood out.</span><br /><br /><span>Tracey Wickham and Curry were both swimming stars the 1980s, and won more than 20 international gold medals combined.</span><br /><br /><span>Despite the Aussie duo dominating between the lanes, out of the pool their relationship was far from friendly.</span><br /><br /><span>This was obvious when media caught wind of a frosty moment the two shares ahead of the 1982 Commonwealth Games when Curry slow clapped her rival as she walked out to the pool.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837918/snake-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e95e8d8a81734f4588f289f9d1211eff" /><em>Wickham (left) and Curry (middle)</em><br /><br /><span>But after the tragic announcement of Jaimi’s death, Wickham put their rivalry aside and reached out to Lisa.</span><br /><br /><span>“Lisa, my heart breaks for you and your family,” she wrote on Curry’s Instagram.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s a tragic time when losing a child. I can’t believe we both have lost our beloved daughters.</span><br /><br /><span>“God bless you and hoping everyone holds you tight. Big hugs … much love. Tracey.”</span><br /><br /><span>Wickham lost her daughter Hannah Ciobo in 2009 after a five-year battle with the rare disease, synovial cancer.</span><br /><br /><span>Hannah, 19, was first diagnosed with synovial sarcoma — a rare and aggressive cancer — in 2004.</span><br /><br /><span>While she did beat it after several operations and rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, it sadly returned for the final time in early 2009.</span></p> <p><span>She died three hours after achieving her final wish — marrying Tom O’Driscoll in a hospital wedding.</span><br /><br /><span>The pair met two years earlier in a cancer ward.</span><br /><br /><span>Wickham said her daughter was in a hospital gown and on oxygen, but was aware of the ceremony.</span><br /><br /><span>The heartbreaking nuptials were attended by 20 family and friends including Hannah’s dad and brother Daniel.</span><br /><br /><span>“There was love in her eyes,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Tom was alone with her, and he saw her slip away.</span><br /><br /><span>“She was too young to die. Hannah was a fighter until the end, just like her mother.</span><br /><br /><span>“She passed away peacefully with family and friends.”</span><br /><br /><span>Curry thanked the outpouring of love after she made the heartbreaking announcement of her daughter’s death.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFLUI5KDRgA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFLUI5KDRgA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a> on Sep 15, 2020 at 5:10pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>She also issued advice to fellow parents in an Instagram post.</span><br /><br /><span>“Right now, go and give your children the biggest hug and tell them how much you love them, and do that everyday because you’ll never know if it’s the last day,” she wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>Sadly Curry was forced to hit out on social media when a fundraiser was set up by internet scammers.</span><br /><br /><span>“SOME PEOPLE !!! Someone has started a go fund me page on Mark Andrew Tabone FB page … this is NOT US,” Ms Curry wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s also sending friend requests. PLEASE DO NOT OPEN ANYTHING FROM THIS FAKE ACCOUNT.”</span></p>

Family & Pets

Lisa Curry begs parents to do one thing in memory of her daughter

<p>Devastated Olympian Lisa Curry is struggling to come to terms with the death of her daughter Jaimi, who passed away from an unspecified illness at the age of 33.</p> <p>Lisa has called on parents to hug their children and tell them they love them after her heartbreaking loss.</p> <p>She's also thanked her fans for the "outpouring of love and strength" as they have flooded her social media with kind messages.</p> <p>“There are so many messages from so many people and it’s difficult to get back to all of you but in time we’ll try,” Lisa wrote.</p> <p>“Sadly, I know that we are not the only parents who have lost a child...</p> <p>“So to all the parents who have lost a child, and to those who will, today, tomorrow.... somehow I guess we get through it.</p> <p>“The grief is immense and we are allowing it to take its course.</p> <p>“If I can ask you to do something [for] Jaimi ... right now, go and give your children the biggest hug and tell them how much you love them, and do that every day, because you’ll never know if it’s the last day...</p> <p>“Our beautiful Jaimi. Resting peacefully now.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFLUI5KDRgA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFLUI5KDRgA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Thank you so much for the outpouring of love and strength we are receiving. There are so many messages from so many people and it’s difficult to get back to all of you but in time we’ll try. Sadly, I know that we are not the only parents who have lost a child... so to all the parents who have lost a child, and to those who will, today, tomorrow.... somehow i guess we get through it. The grief is immense and we are allowing it to take its course. 😞💔 If I can ask you to do something from Jaimi... right now, go and give your children the biggest hug and tell them how much you love them, and do that everyday because you’ll never know if it’s the last day... 😞 Our beautiful Jaimi🌸Resting peacefully now🌸</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/lisacurry/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Lisa Curry AO</a> (@lisacurry) on Sep 15, 2020 at 5:10pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Lisa announced on Monday that her daughter had passed, saying she was "heartbroken".</p> <p>“Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself,” Lisa said.</p>

Family & Pets

Plant-based Goan curry

<p>Warm up your dinner table with this gluten-free, dairy-free curry.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <p> Spice blend</p> <ul> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander</li> <li>2 teaspoons ground cumin</li> <li>3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger</li> <li>5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons coconut sugar</li> <li>1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar</li> </ul> <p>Curry</p> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons coconut oil</li> <li>2 (300g) brown onions, peeled and cut into quarters, leaving the base of the onion intact</li> <li>250g cherry tomatoes, some halved, some left whole</li> <li>600ml coconut milk</li> <li>2 green chillies, slit lengthways in quarters, seeds removed</li> <li>400g firm organic tofu, cut into 2cm pieces</li> <li>1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds</li> <li>1 cup coconut flakes</li> <li>To serve: fresh coriander or toasted curry leaves, basmati rice, extra steamed vegetables</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>To make the spice blend: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.</li> <li>To make the curry: Place a sauce pan on low to medium heat, add coconut oil and spice blend and cook, stirring frequently for about 90 seconds.</li> </ol> <ol start="3"> <li>Add the coconut fat from the top of the coconut milk can (this is the solidified part of the coconut milk, under which you’ll find more watery substance) with the onion and cook with the lid on for about 5-6 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add the remains of the coconut milk (the more watery part), chilli and mustard seeds, cover and bring to the boil for about 5 minutes.</li> </ol> <ol start="4"> <li>Add tofu, tomatoes and 1/4 cup water, cover and bring to the boil, then remove lid and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Just prior to serving, gently stir through the coconut flakes, garnish with your choice of coriander or curry leaves (make sure you give these a quick dry fry in a pan if you choose to use them), season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with basmati rice and extra steamed vegetables.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe by Jacqueline Alwill</em></p>

Food & Wine

How to start a vegetable garden

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Growing your own vegetables can save you money and give you a huge amount of satisfaction. Ready to get a green thumb?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your own homegrown vegetables taste much better and are fresher than any that you buy in the shops. Fruiting vegetables, like beans, tomatoes, capsicum and sweet corn, have the best flavour if they’re eaten as quickly as possible after harvest; leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, lose water and rapidly become limp, and all vegetables are more nutritious if they are consumed when as fresh as possible. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Growing your own can save a considerable amount on food costs and will also give you a wider choice of vegetables. Unusual vegetables are often difficult to buy in shops, but are easily grown in the home garden. Lots of vegetables are ornamental so can be grown for their good looks as well as their produce. </span></p> <p><strong>WHEN TO GROW VEGGIES</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vegetables can be loosely grouped according to their growing season.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Cool Season Vegetables:</strong> Grow best when temperatures are between 10-20 degrees C or even lower. They include: broad beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, peas, spinach and turnips.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Intermediate Season Vegetables:</strong> These are best between temperatures of 15-25 degrees. They include: beetroot, carrot, parsnip, celery, leek, lettuce, radish, silver beet.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Warm Season vegetables:</strong> Are grown best when temperatures are above 20 degrees celsius. They include: Beans, capsicum, eggplant, potato, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomato and cucurbits (including cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins etc.) </span></p> <p><strong>VEGETABLE CULTIVATION</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Position:</strong> Vegetables must have sun! Try to select a growing area that is sunny for most of the day, is sheltered, and is close to a source of water. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Soil: S</strong>oil is often the easiest thing to adjust to your growing needs. In fact, strictly speaking, soil is not absolutely necessary. Vegetables can be grown in potting mix or in a hydroponic set up, but the most common medium is still good garden soil. Soil must have good drainage and a good structure. Regular incorporation of old organic matter (such as compost) will keep the soil functioning well. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Nutrients</strong>: Vegetables, more than most other plants, need to be supplied with adequate nutrients.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Mineral fertilisers:</strong> are reliable sources of good quantities of nutrients. Mixes with a balanced NPK ratio are suited to a wide range of crops. Balanced, all-purpose fertilisers, such as Thrive All Purpose, can be mixed into the soil before planting. Soluble fertilisers, such as Thrive, can be applied in liquid form to plants during their early stages of growth. Additional dressings of Sulphate of Potash and Superphosphate may be necessary, especially for fruiting and root crops.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Organic Fertilisers:</strong> are derived from once-living material. They’re excellent for improving soil, but their nutrient levels can be very variable. In recent years, however, increased interest in these products has led to many improvements, with fertilisers such as Dynamic Lifter organic pellets now having guaranteed nutrient levels. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>pH:</strong> pH is the level of acidity or alkalinity in the soil. Most vegetables produce best results if grown at a soil pH level of 6.0 to 7.0. In some areas this may mean adding lime before planting. Checking the pH level of the soil is recommended. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Mulching:</strong> Mulching over plants’ root systems, preferably with an organic mulch, will retain moisture, suppress weeds, reduce temperature fluctuations, and prevent soil crusting. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Watering:</strong> Water thoroughly so that the entire root system of the plant is moistened. Thorough waterings are more effective than light sprinklings. Don’t allow plants to reach wilting point but, conversely, don’t flood them as this washes away nutrients and may cause drainage problems. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Crop rotation:</strong> It’s important to avoid growing successive crops of the same type of vegetable in the same spot in the garden. This practice, which is called crop rotation, helps prevent build up of soil diseases. Seasonal crop changes often lead to natural crop rotation. </span></p> <p><strong>FAVOURITE VEGGIES</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Beans –</strong> Available in dwarf or climbing forms, beans produce pods that are sliced or eaten whole. They must be grown during the warm season. Origin: Tropical America. Nutrition Value: Vitamin C, Vitamin A (beta carotene), iron, fibre and some protein.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Beetroot – T</strong>he deep crimson swollen root of beetroot is cooked in stews and soups or cooled for salads. Its leaves can also be used as a vegetable. Origin: Southern Europe. Nutrition Value: Excellent source of folate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Brassicas</strong> (cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts) – All grow better when temperatures are not too hot or too cold although new varieties are more heat tolerant. The introduction of Chinese cabbages and other oriental brassicas has encouraged new culinary uses for this group of vegies. Origin: Europe and Asia. Nutrition Value: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, mineral salts, fibre, protein.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Broad Beans –</strong> Grow on upright bushes during the cooler time of year. The whole pod can be eaten when young or (more commonly) the seeds are removed and cooked. Origin: Prehistoric Europe and ancient Egypt Nutrition Value: High in carbohydrates, fibre, minerals, Vitamin A and Vitamin C.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Vegetable -</strong>garden -carrots -potatoes -wyza -com -au</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you're short of space for growing veggies, try square foot gardening</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Carrot</strong> – A root vegetable that is traditionally bright orange in colour. Must be grown in well-drained, friable soil that is free of stones, fresh manure or fertiliser. Origin: Europe. Nutrition Value: Potassium, carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C and fibre.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Cucurbits –</strong> Includes vine plants such as pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, melons. They must grow during warm season and almost all have separate male and female flowers. Only the females produce fruit. Origin: Tropical America and the Orient. Nutrition Value: Vitamin C, minerals and fibre.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Lettuce –</strong> The most popular salad plant in the world, lettuce is grown for its crisp green leaves. Butterhead lettuce has soft, buttery leaves; crisphead or iceberg have firm, solid hearts; cos has upright, loose leaves. Origin: Mediterranean. Nutrition Value: Carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, fibre.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Onions –</strong> Onions are bulbs with a pungent flavour. The bulb develops in response to day length and correct sowing times are critical for onions. Origin: Central and Western Asia. Nutrition Value: Vitamin C, calcium.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Peas –</strong> The pea is a legume that is grown for its pods or for the seeds they contain. For many centuries peas were eaten only in their dried form but the fresh pea has a sweet, pleasant flavour. Available in dwarf or climbing forms. Origin: Asia and North Africa.Nutrition Value: Protein, fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, mineral salts. One of the most nutritious vegetables.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The underground tuber of a warm season plant that is now one of the world’s staple foods. Easily grown in the home garden but needs plenty of room. Origin: South America. Nutrition Value: Protein, Vitamin C, carbohydrate and fibre.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Sweet Corn</strong> – A warm season cereal that is grown for its sweetly flavoured seeds, sweet corn grows on a tall plant. The seeds must be pollinated by pollen falling from the tassel at the top of the plant. Origin: South America. Nutrition Value: Vitamin C, fibre, minerals and protein.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Tomatoes</strong> – A warm season fruiting vegetable that is popular both in salads and cooked dishes. Fresh tomatoes are best eaten at room temperature. Origin: South and Central America. Nutrition Value: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fibre and protein.</span></p> <p><strong>MATT’S TOP 7 TIPS</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney based Landscape Gardener Matt Paton says the secret to growing a great home veggie patch is finding the right location to plant, using a good potting mix and watering regularly. </span></p> <p><strong>1. Choose the best location:</strong> Always plant in a bright and sunny area which is away from any windy spots.This will maximise the growing potential for your vegetables and will help to provide years of fresh vegetables for you and your family.</p> <p><strong>3. When planting in clay:</strong> If you have a clay type soil use a liberal dose of clay breaker or gypson. This powder needs to be worked into the soil with a garden fork (as a guide you should go as deep as the garden fork goes in the soil) for best results. This helps breaks down the clay to release the other vital nutrients in the soil to the plants but must be done several days before planting the seeds.</p> <p><strong>4. Draw up a plan:</strong> Then mark up the spacing with a tape measure and create holes with your finger or a stick to show where you are planning to put the seeds. Then tag the area with whatever is handy such as coloured pegs or if you want the professional look then buy specific plant tags from a nursery.</p> <p><strong>5. Use a good quality potting mix:</strong> Buy this from a nursery and use your garden fork to mix this into the soil. This winning combination gives added nutrients to your growing vegetables and provides a healthy environment for a great crop to grow.</p> <p><strong>6. Space out your vegetables:</strong> Follow the instructions given on the side of seed packets regarding spacing out the vegetables. They will grow better and it really does make a difference to help maximise your seasonable vegetables crop. If they are planted too close together then pests and diseases are likely to become more prevalent in your vegetable garden. </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>7. Apply a layer of mulch:</strong> This should be about 50-75 mm thick of mulch to the whole area of the vegetable garden (just cover the rows you will be planting and harvesting) as this reduces weeds and provides organic matter to the plants when it breaks down. </span></p> <p><strong>8. Liquid fertilisers give good results:</strong> Consider using a liquid fertiliser as the plants take up the nutrients of the fertiliser quicker than they do with a granular fertiliser. It also saves you time. If you use a granular fertiliser then always water when the soil appears dry and apply the fertiliser before you water.You can use a granular slow release fertiliser such as 'Osmacote' for vegetables.You can also use a liquid fertiliser such as 'Seasol’. This has the added benefit of watering the plants and fertilising them simultaneously.</p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Republished with permission of </span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/property/how-to-start-a-vegetable-garden.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wyza.com.au.</span></a></em></p>

Caring

Warm up with delicious slow cooked massaman beef curry

<p>Make sure you leave enough time to cook this delicious recipe.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 6</p> <p><strong>Prep time:</strong> 30 mins</p> <p><strong>Cooking time:</strong> 3 hrs 45 mins</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>11/2kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces</li> <li>2 tbs olive oil</li> <li>1 large brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>¼ tsp ground cinnamon</li> <li>¼ cup desiccated coconut</li> <li>1/3 cup (114g can) Massaman curry paste</li> <li>400ml can coconut milk</li> <li>½ cup beef stock</li> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 5cm chunks</li> <li>1 tbs fish sauce</li> <li>1 tbs lime juice</li> <li>1 tbs finely grated palm sugar or brown sugar</li> <li>3 tbs roasted salted peanuts, chopped</li> <li>Steamed jasmine rice, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven 130°C fan forced. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add one third of the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat twice with oil and remaining beef.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes until soft. Add cinnamon, coconut and curry paste. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and stock. Return the beef and any juices, bring to simmer. Press a piece baking paper onto the surface and cover with lid. Transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.</li> <li>Stir in the sweet potato. Cover with paper and lid and cook, in oven a further 11/2 hours until sweet potato is tender. Combine fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir into the curry. Scatter over the peanuts. Serve with rice.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> If you don’t have a cast iron casserole dish suitable for both stove top and oven, cook step 1-2 in a frying pan then transfer to an ovenproof dish to cook in the oven.</p> <p><strong>Tip:</strong> The curry will keep 3-4 days in a ceramic or glass dish in the fridge.</p> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of Australian Sweet Potatoes.</em></p>

Food & Wine

Hearty Chicken and root vegetable tray bake

<p>Healthy recipe blogger Lilian Dikmans shares her go-to meal recipe that requires minimal effort! She shares a delicious dinner bake recipe here.</p> <p>"I love tray bakes. They're versatile, require minimal effort and create minimal washing up. I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than do a mountain of dishes. They are also great if you're cooking for a crowd; just use a huge tray and add more ingredients.</p> <p>I use free-range chicken thighs (which I buy in bulk and freeze in portions) and then change up the root vegetables depending on what I have (i.e. what's in season/cheapest at the grocer). So feel free to adjust the recipe to suit what you have, keeping in mind that larger pieces of meat will require longer cooking time."</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>4 free-range chicken thighs</li> <li>1 sweet potato</li> <li>2 small white potatoes (I used dutch cream ones)</li> <li>1/4 teaspoon chilli powder</li> <li>Sea salt</li> <li>Black pepper</li> <li>Olive oil</li> <li>Fresh parsley, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat your oven to 180°C fan-forced. Place the chicken thighs in a large baking tray.</p> <p>2. Chop the potatoes into pieces about 3cm thick and arrange around the chicken. Drizzle everything with a good amount of olive oil and sprinkle over the chilli powder, some sea salt and cracked black pepper.</p> <p>3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and everything is browned. To serve, season with more sea salt and black pepper if required and top with torn up fresh parsley.</p> <p><strong>Tips:</strong></p> <p>I used skinless chicken thighs, but if you're using chicken with the skin on I would recommend searing the chicken skin-side down in a pan (or in the baking tray if it's flame-proof) before baking to ensure that the skin goes crispy.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/chicken-and-root-vegetable-tray-bake-ld.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

Delightful oven-roasted chicken curry

<p>This grounding, warming curry is a meal in itself, with the split peas adding sustenance to keep you feeling full. I make it fairly mild so that everyone can enjoy it, then add a good sprinkle of fresh or dried chilli to mine at the table, along with a dollop of yoghurt. I think cooking this in the oven rather than on the stovetop produces a far richer, thicker curry, but you could take the stovetop option. Just keep the temperature low and the lid slightly off. The spice paste is worth having on hand in the fridge – simply rub it over chicken or lamb before barbecuing or use it as a marinade.</p> <p><strong><u>Serves:</u></strong> 6</p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 Tbsp coconut oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, diced</li> <li>700 g (1 lb 9 oz) skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3 cm (11/4 inch) pieces</li> <li>1/2 cup (130 g) Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra to serve</li> <li>2 Tbsp tomato paste (concentrated purée)</li> <li>680 g (1 lb 8 oz) jar tomato passata</li> <li>3 cups (750 ml) chicken stock</li> <li>1 cup (205 g) chana dahl (split yellow lentils), soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour</li> <li>2 handfuls English spinach</li> <li>Toasted slivered almonds, to serve</li> <li>Steamed rice, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Spice paste</strong></p> <ul> <li>5 green cardamom pods</li> <li>2 cloves</li> <li>1 cinnamon stick</li> <li>4 black peppercorns</li> <li>4 garlic cloves, peeled</li> <li>1 thumb-sized piece ginger, <br />roughly chopped</li> <li>1 thumb-sized piece turmeric, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp ground turmeric</li> <li>1 Tbsp ground cumin</li> <li>1 tsp ground coriander</li> <li>A good pinch of chilli flakes, <br />or to taste</li> <li>2 Tbsp coconut oil</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>For the spice paste, combine the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and peppercorns in a dry frying pan and toast for a few minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to a food processor, spice grinder or mortar and pestle and bash/blitz until well ground. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilli and coconut oil and bash/blitz again until combined.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 130°C (250°F). Heat the coconut oil in a large ovenproof saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Cook the onion for 7–10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. Bump <br />up the heat to high, add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes to seal.</li> <li>Add 1 tablespoon of the yoghurt, stirring well so all the flavours mix together and the yoghurt dries somewhat, then repeat with another tablespoon of yoghurt and another until it’s all incorporated. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute.</li> <li>Add the passata and stir until the chicken is well coated in the spiced yoghurt mixture. Cook for 5 minutes, then pour in the stock and chana dahl and stir well. Transfer to the oven and cook for 3 hours, stirring every now and then so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.</li> <li>Stir in the spinach and serve the curry with slivered almonds, yoghurt and steamed rice.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images and Text from A Basket by the Door by Sophie Hansen, Murdoch Books RRP $39.99.</em></p>

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