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Gluten-free bride roasted over wedding day menu

<p>A gluten and dairy-free bride has copped a roasting online for sharing what she ate on her special day.</p> <p>According to the <em>New York Post</em>, Sam Cutler, the creator of The Fit Fatale community, revealed everything she consumed on her wedding day in a video on TikTok, including green protein smoothies, salmon and vegetables and gluten, dairy, and sugar-free chocolate wedding cake.</p> <p>Cutler and her husband welcomed guests to enjoy a taco bar during the reception, as well as a rosé that, she emphasised, has a low sugar content.</p> <p>Her video quickly went viral, attracting over four million views on TikTok and more than 3,000 likes on Instagram.</p> <p>Cutler began her fitness and wellness journey about four years ago, she wrote on her website, after she suffered “a severe concussion and brain trauma from a fitness accident”.</p> <p>As she focused on her own health and wellness, she started sharing tips to encourage others to “find balance daily through a healthy lifestyle and stillness”.</p> <p>The content creator described herself as a “health-focused bride”, but numerous viewers felt she’d gone too far.</p> <p>“Your wedding day is supposed to be enjoyable,” one commented on the clip.</p> <p>“Bro ONE DAY IS OKAY,” another stressed.</p> <p>Others dubbed Cutler’s wedding “sad” and “insane”.</p> <p>“Can you imagine going to a wedding and on the tables are anti-bloating gummies?! Byyyyeeeeeeeee,” one person said.</p> <p>One user pointed out the bloat pills, which had been placed on the tables at the reception for guests, explaining it made them “so upset”.</p> <p>Some came to Cutler’s defence, arguing that “she was eating and drinking pretty constantly throughout the day”.</p> <p>“If she’s paying for an expensive wedding then she should eat what she can eat and likes,” one exclaimed.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Body

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National Duck Day: Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck whole roasted duck with a cinnamon and orange glaze

<p dir="ltr">The family owned business and Australia’s leading duck producer Luv-a-Duck has partnered up with MasterChef alum and duck lover Diana Chan, to officially launch National Duck Day, which falls on Tuesday May 23rd, 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr">Diana Chan is a Malaysian-Australian and won the 9th season of MasterChef in 2017. She has since become a well-known TV host, menu designer, product creator and restaurateur, turning her passion for food into her career.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Diana Chan’s Luv-a-Duck whole roasted duck with a cinnamon and orange glaze</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Serves:</strong> 6-8</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Prep time:</strong> 20 mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Cook time:</strong> Approximately 3 hours</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>INGREDIENTS:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 x Luv-A Duck whole duck</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 lemon, sliced into wheels</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">5 cloves of garlic, chopped</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 cinnamon quill</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cooking salt to rub</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>For the cinnamon and orange glaze:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup balsamic vinegar</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">¼ cup honey</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Juice of ½ a lemon</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Juice of 1 whole orange</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pinch of salt</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp ground cinnamon</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Buttered greens:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">200g green beans, blanched in boiling water</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 garlic cloves minced</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">50g butter</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pinch of salt and pepper</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>To garnish:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Freshly chopped coriander</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>METHOD: </strong></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat the oven to 180C.  </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To prepare the duck, remove the giblets from inside the duck. Rinse the duck, inside and outside, with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Set the duck on the working surface. Score the duck's skin on the breast in a diamond pattern, making sure you only cut the skin, without reaching the meat. Poke the other fatty parts of the duck with the tip of the knife all over, to ensure fat releases. Season the duck very generously with salt both inside the cavity of the duck and outside on the skin, legs, all over. Place the duck breast side up.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Put the chopped garlic, sliced lemons and cinnamon quills inside the duck cavity (NB:these are just for flavor, not for eating - you will discard them after cooking). The duck will have flapping skin on both ends - fold that skin inwards, to hold the garlic and lemon inside. Tie up the duck legs with butcher's twine.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place the duck breast side up on a large roasting pan with a rack within  (roasting pan should have a roasting rack to lift the duck from the bottom of the pan and allow the fat to drip below the duck).</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Roast the duck, breast side up, for 1 hour at 180C.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">After 1 hour of roasting, flip the duck on its breast and roast it breast side down (roast the other side) for 40 minutes at the same temperature.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Remove the roasting pan with the duck from the oven and carefully pour off all the duck fat juices from the roasting pan into a large glass or metal bowl.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Flip the duck, breast side up again, and place back on the rack in the roasting pan.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Add to the bowl with the juices from the duck fat, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, lemon juice with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Brush all over the duck with the balsamic mixture and cook the duck, breast side up for another 40-50 minutes at 180C, brushing every 10 minutes with the mixture.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">You can carefully use the grill function in the oven to crisp up the duck skin for the last 10-15 minutes (do it carefully, checking the duck regularly to make sure it doesn't burn).</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In the meantime, prepare to cook the beans. Using a pan over medium heat, add in the butter. Once melted add in the garlic and toss for a few seconds before adding in the beans to coat through.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">After the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven, let the duck stand for 15 minutes. Then, carefully remove and discard the lemon from the cavity (being careful not to get burned). Carve the duck and serve with the beans as a side.</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>Image credit: Luv-a-Duck</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Jimmy Barnes roasted by fans

<p>Jimmy Barnes was left mortified after he awkwardly confused a blowtorch for a microphone and attempted to sing into it.</p> <p>The legendary hitmaker, 66, shared a hilarious photo of the mishap to Facebook, which captured him screaming into the device while waving at the camera.</p> <p>Thankfully for Barnes, the blowtorch was turned off, so he was not injured by the blunder.</p> <p>“PLEASE DO NOT try this at home, or anywhere. When you've been singing on stage for 50 years and have four months off, everything looks like a microphone,” he captioned the photo.</p> <p><iframe style="overflow: hidden; border: initial none initial;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjimmybarnesofficial%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0tPF4kMM7bqciDBJmN1sSH65pXYTwbhEEeAfiAHpD5Tuh4DhAKADZMqjWQHGcuzZ7l&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="628" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Barnes’ followers were quick to drop their opinion, also begging him to be more careful.</p> <p>"Oh no, Jimmy is hallucinating,” one fan wrote commented, while another said he needed to go to Specsavers to buy a pair of glasses.</p> <p>"Mate, take a rest,” a third fan added.</p> <p>The concerns came after the singer announced he was cancelling his summer tour in order to receive urgent back and hip surgery to relieve chronic pain.</p> <p>He’s been active on social media since his operation, giving fans regular updates on his recovery.</p> <p>During an interview on <em>The Project</em>, he said he would like to write a new album and finish a book during his downtime.</p> <p>The singer admitted he hated to “let people down”, referring to making the challenging decision to cancel his tour.</p> <p>He said he only cancelled the shows because he feared that he would not be able to deliver the high-quality shows his fans expect.</p> <p>Barnes is currently recovering in his second home in Thailand with his wife, Jane.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Music

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Right royal nonsense: online scam roasted for being most pathetic ever

<p>It hasn’t taken long for scammers to swoop in and take advantage of the Queen’s death, only two short weeks after her funeral was watched by literally billions of people.</p> <p>Pretty audacious then for this particular scammer to think that pretending the Queen is actually still alive would fool anyone for even a moment.</p> <p>Twitter account UberFacts shared a screenshot of just such an attempt that has been circulating on Instagram.</p> <p>An account pretending to be the Queen herself is behind these ludicrous messages, with the handle @queenelizabet._3 ... and the messages claim the Queen isn't dead, that she's simply been shipped off to a desert island by King Charles so that he could ascend to the throne.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have some news <a href="https://t.co/f1QbInTJNl">pic.twitter.com/f1QbInTJNl</a></p> <p>— UberFacts (@UberFacts) <a href="https://twitter.com/UberFacts/status/1572279949201117186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 20, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>According to the message, "the Queen" "can't get hold of her royal money" - and needs people to send her some cash so she can return to the UK.</p> <p>The absurd message concludes with "Tea and biscuits" and a Union Jack flag emoji.</p> <p>As expected, the scam was thoroughly mocked online for its outrageous attempt at conning people out of money.</p> <p>Scammers come up with new ways to target social media users every day, but there are a few ways to help protect yourself and your information including: treating contact from unfamiliar accounts with caution - particularly if it claims to be an official account. Even if it is familiar, legitimate users often get hacked, so it still pays to watch out.</p> <p>Don't click on suspicious links or attachments - these are often the most dangerous parts of a scam message. As always, if you're unsure, better to be safe than sorry and avoid the links and messages altogether.</p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Brooklyn Beckham roasted over bragging about how he makes his money

<p>Brooklyn Beckham has been roasted online after a cringe-worthy video emerged of him bragging how he makes his money. </p> <p>The son of David and Victoria Beckham featured in a now-viral TikTok with the person filming asking about his career, and how he was able to afford the multi-million dollar red McLaren P1 he was driving. </p> <p>He has since come under fire for claiming it is his job as a chef that helped him afford the luxury car, rather than growing up in a very rich and famous family. </p> <p>Daniel Mac, who films himself asking random drivers of pricey vehicles how they pay for them, excitedly grilled Brooklyn, who frequently posts videos of himself cooking various dishes at home.</p> <p>“Hey, man! What do you do for a living? Your car’s awesome!” asked Mac, who wrote atop the clip that the car costs a whopping $US1.2 million ($A1.7 million).</p> <p>“Um, I’m a chef,” the smiling 23-year-old replied after realising he recognised the influencer.</p> <p>“You’re a chef! Really? Are you like the best chef in the world?” Mac asked, prompting Brooklyn to respond, “Tryna be!”</p> <p>When the TikToker inquired about his “chef name,” the husband of heiress Nicola Peltz simply said, “My name’s Brooklyn.”</p> <p>As for what advice he’d give to those trying to venture into the culinary world, he encouraged, “Just follow your passion. Whatever makes you happy, just keep doing it!”</p> <p>As if Mac’s tone weren’t sarcastic enough, the barrage of comments left under his post called out the influence for being completely "tone-deaf".</p> <p>“‘What do you do for a living?’ ‘My parents are rich so I just kinda vibe,’” one person wrote in reference to Brooklyn’s legendary soccer star dad and pop star-turned-fashion designer mum.</p> <p>“‘What do you do for a living?’ ‘I was born,’” someone else similarly joked, as another remarked, “Born into a multi-millionaire family and now married a billionaires’ daughter. But he’s a chef!!”</p> <p>“Not him pretending being a chef got him that car … Brooklyn, please,” someone else quipped, while another pointed out that he’s likely “never worked a shift in a restaurant in his life.”</p> <p>While the post welcomed a lot of comments about nepotism, other defended Brooklyn saying, "He genuinely seems like a nice guy who isn’t harming anyone, and yet people have to comment that he’s only where he is because of dad?”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / TikTok</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Young girl fights for life after being left on bus in roasting temperatures

<p dir="ltr">A three-year-old has been left fighting for her life after she was found unresponsive from being on a daycare bus outside a Queensland childcare centre for nearly six hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Temperatures in Rockhampton reached 28 C on Wednesday, and it’s believed that three-year-old Nevaeh Austib had been on the bus - parked outside the Le Smileys Early Learning Centre near Rockhampton - since she was picked up from her family’s home at 9am.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was found unconscious at approximately 3pm and rushed to Rockhampton hospital in critical condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nevaeh’s father, Shane Austin, told the <em><a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/rockhampton/child-found-in-critical-condition-on-bus-at-le-smileys-early-learning-centre-on-lucas-street-in-gracemere/news-story/c86e5ffa4a41f1c4d6ef8631fe547f25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a></em> his little girl has since been taken to a Brisbane hospital to undergo a deep brain scan and treatment for potential kidney failure.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She’s the most loudest little girl they tell me … she’s the heart of the daycare,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The childcare centre has remained closed as of Thursday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jason Thompson, the operations manager for Queensland Ambulance’s Central Region service, told media on Wednesday that Nevaeh was found “unresponsive” and described the situation as “traumatic” for those who treated her, per <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10783585/Karl-Stefanovic-breaks-girl-fights-life-left-daycare-bus-Rockhampton.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On the crew’s arrival Queensland Police were already on scene and escorted the crew into the childcare centre where the young child was on the floor in the admin room,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have launched an investigation into the incident and interviewed the daycare staff, according to <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/child-critical-after-being-left-on-central-queensland-bus-rockhampton/7cb7646c-350e-4cf5-908e-0d0f7d69f58d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes just two years after Muriel Namok’s three-year-old son died after being left on a minibus by childcare staff for a similar amount of time in Cairns.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Namok appeared on the <em>Today Show</em> on Thursday morning and shared her anger at Nevaeh’s situation, saying it made her “sick to her stomach”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s just too tragic. Again, why?” she told co-hosts Ally Langdon and Karl Stefanovic. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This is terrible.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d9cba41-7fff-e294-b401-b0a192801ebd"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel really sick to my stomach. Angry. I know this feeling too well.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/karl-nevaeh.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Today show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Ally Langdon fought back tears after speaking to the mum who lost her son in a similar situation. Image: Nine</em></p> <p dir="ltr">She said that parents should be able to trust that their children are safe in childcare centres, and that the centres need to take responsibility when things go wrong.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They are taking our children and we are trusting them to bring them back,” Ms Namok said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For this to happen, they need to be held accountable.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After speaking to the grieving mum, who broke down as the interview ended, both Stefanovic and Langdon were fighting back tears live on air.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s horrendous,” Stefanovic said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s nothing else to say to that,” Langdon added. “And that poor family. It really shouldn’t happen.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f62bbcf3-7fff-02f3-aac6-d50c1b0477e7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

News

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“It’s not the time”: Gavaskar roasted over Shane Warne response

<p>Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has copped a slew of online criticism after his comments about Shane Warne just days after his death. </p> <p>Gavaskar was just one of many who paid tribute to Warnie after his sudden death on March 4th while he was holidaying in Thailand. </p> <p>While the former Indian captain had plenty of kind words to share, he refused to cave when asked if Warne was the greatest ever spinner. </p> <p>"No, I wouldn't say that no. For me the Indian spinners and Muttiah Muralitharan were better than Shane Warne," he told India Today.</p> <p>"Look at Shane Warne's record against India, it was pretty ordinary."</p> <p>"In India, he got five wickets only once in Nagpur, and that too because Zaheer Khan swung wildly against him to give him a five-for. Because he did not have much success against Indian players who were very good players of spin, I don't think I would call him the greatest."</p> <p>"Muttiah Muralitharan with a greater success he had against India, I would rank him over Warne in my book."</p> <p>While the greatest spinner conversation is a reasonable topic to discuss, many were outraged by Gavaskar's timing. </p> <p>Sports journalists and fans alike took to Twitter to call out the cricketer, saying the comments were distasteful given the circumstances. </p> <p>"Honestly, Sunny, it's not the time ... could have just sidestepped it," British journalist Jack Mendel wrote on Twitter. "The body isn't even cold yet".</p> <p>Both Warne and Muralitharan struggled during their careers due to the difficult playing conditions in India, despite their prodigious wicket-taking abilities elsewhere in the world.</p> <p>The Aussie finished with 34 wickets in the nine Tests he played in India, with those coming at an unflattering average of 43.11. Muralitharan did not fare much better, grabbing 40 wickets in 11 Tests played in India at an average of 45.45.</p> <p>Gavaskar's out-of-pocket comments were more head-scratching as it came after he admitted Warne's leg spin was the toughest art to master as a bowler.</p> <p>"He mastered a craft which is so difficult to master, which is wrist spin," he said.</p> <p>"To pick 700-plus wickets like he did in Test cricket plus hundreds more in one-day cricket just tells you how good a bowler he was."</p> <p>Gavaskar opened up on the moment he found out about Warne's death, saying a text message from his son had left him stumped.</p> <p>"A big shock, a real big shock because who expects anybody to pass at the age of 52," he said.</p> <p>"Within 24 hours the cricket world has lost two giants of the game, not just Australian cricket, but the cricket world. This is unbelievable. It's hard to come to grips with."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Unbelievable deal: ALDI shopper scores lamb roast for under $1

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An ALDI customer has shared how she bought a lamb roast for just 83c and the unexpected reason why.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Posting the story on the </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1034012533313136"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ALDI Mums</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Facebook page, Monique said she was excited to pick up the dinner favourite at her local ALDI.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The half leg of lamb was still four weeks out from its ‘best before’ date, so it wasn’t reduced because it was close to expiring.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Upon closer inspection, the ALDI label shows that it had been incorrectly weighted at 68g.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Seasoned ALDI shoppers estimate that a similar leg would weigh anywhere from 1.5kg to 2kg, with the error pricing it at well under 100g.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was so excited about my bargain find today I knew you mums would appreciate it!” Monique wrote on the page.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I paid a whole 83c for this lamb roast today as it was marked and weighed wrong!”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monique said she even checked if the price was right with the checkout worker.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was like so this is marked 83c, does that mean I get it for 83c? He went and spoke to his manager and they were like ‘Yeah we can’t charge you any more for it’.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since it even scanned at 83c, Monique said, “I was like, ‘Yes! Get in my basket!’”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fellow shoppers were amazed by her good luck.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Lucky you, enjoy! Just about need a bank loan to buy any cuts of lamb these days!” one said.</span></p>

Food & Wine

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Feel fuller for longer with a roast sweet potato and cherry tomato omelette

<p>A perfect breakfast after an early morning walk or workout, this omelette is sure to leave you feeling full and satisfied.</p> <p><strong>Serves: </strong>1</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>3 eggs</li> <li>½ small sweet potato (cubed)</li> <li>¼ bunch of fresh parsley finely chopped</li> <li>6 cherry tomatoes</li> <li>2 large handfuls fresh spinach</li> <li>½ tsp smoked paprika</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <ol> <li>Cut the sweet potato into small cubes and lay onto an oven tray and roast until soft at 180°C. They should only take about 10-12 minutes. Half way through cooking throw the cherry tomatoes onto the tray and roast for the remaining time.</li> <li>Microwave the spinach in a bowl for 30s.</li> <li>Whisk the eggs then season with salt and pepper and smoked paprika, pour into a pan on medium heat. Stir the eggs quickly once or twice then evenly scatter the sweet potato and cherry tomatoes across half of the omelette, sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top then carefully fold the other half over the top.</li> <li>Slide onto a plate and serve. I love a little squeeze of spicy sriracha sauce over the top.</li> </ol> <p><em>Recipe courtesy of Richard Kerrigan, <u><a href="https://www.instagram.com/rkthebeachlife/">The Beach Life</a></u>, Qualified Chef and Personal Trainer. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/roast-sweet-potato-and-cherry-tomato-omelette.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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How to cook the perfect Christmas roast

<p>One of the most loved Christmas traditions is the succulent roast we devour with family and friends over Christmas lunchtime or dinner. Below are some tips and tricks that will help ensure your roast ham, pork or turkey is the most tender and tasty roast you've made yet. </p> <p><strong>Ham</strong><br />Glazed ham is a Christmas classic and with these simple tips you’ll be on your way to ham heaven. You want to make sure you’re choosing the right sized ham – a 4kg ham for example will feed up to 10 people and allows a little extra for leftovers.<br /><br />To give the ham a decorative look, use a sharp knife to cut around the shank in a zig-zap pattern. Run a knife under the rind and gently pull it off. Use the knife to cut diamond squares into the ham.<br /><br />To glaze your ham, place it on a wire rack in a large baking dish. Brush the surface of the ham with your glaze of choice – options could include honey, mustard, apricot or orange jam. Bake for as long as the instructions on the package tell you too, and make sure to brush the ham at frequent intervals with glaze whilst cooking.</p> <p><strong>Pork</strong><br />It’s hard to resist a plate full of tender pork and crispy crackling at Christmas time – and the best thing is, making the perfect roast pork isn’t all that hard! Contrary to popular belief, pork doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through as overcooking it makes the meat dry and tough. Cooking it to slight blushing pink will ensure it remains succulent and juicy.</p> <p>As a general guide when roasting pork with rind, preheat your oven to 220c to crisp the rind (roughly 15-20 minutes) and then reduce the temperature to 180 to finish cooking the meat. The pork should be in the oven for 45 minutes per kilo. To get a crispy crackling, rub some oil and salt into the rind before cooking.<br /><br />Once the pork is done, remove it from the oven, cover it in foil and let it sit for 5-10 minutes – this ensures all the flavours and juices to settle which keeps the meat tender. Carve up the pork, serve and enjoy!</p> <p><strong>Turkey</strong><br />While everyone prepares their turkeys in different ways, if you’re thawing a frozen turkey make sure you always thaw it in the fridge and never on the bench. A full-size turkey can take up to three days to defrost properly so keep that in mind when it comes to preparing it. Turkey breast is very lean so it can potentially dry out during the long cooking process. Rub the outside of the turkey top and bottom with softened butter (use liberal amounts) and place it breast side down on a baking tray. The butter prevents the turkey (particularly the turkey breast).</p> <p>Some recipes say to cover the turkey with foil, or leave it uncovered. We recommend that you brush it with butter then place two large sheets of foil in a roasting pan then place your turkey in the centre and bring the foil up to form a loose tent. Make sure there is a pocket of air between the turkey and the foil. This ensures the turkey will cook in a moist environment and not dry out.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/food-and-wine/how-to-cook-the-perfect-christmas-roast.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Retirement Life

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Enjoy a nutritious roasted whole cauliflower with tahini yoghurt and chermoula

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A spectacular yet simple dish of roasted cauliflower that’s complimented with creamy yoghurt and a vibrant, lemony and herbaceous chermoula dressing. The addition of pickled red onion finishes the meal perfectly.</span></p> <p><strong>Serves</strong>:<span style="font-weight: 400;"> 4</span></p> <p><strong>Benefits</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ENERGY BOOSTING</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">HEALTHY DIGESTION</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">PURELY DELICIOUS</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 whole cauliflower</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">extra virgin olive or avocado oil to drizzle</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">generous pinch of sea salt</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 red onions, thinly sliced</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 lemons, juiced </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">500 ml (2 cups/16 fl oz) thick Greek yoghurt </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 tablespoons tahini</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">pomegranate and pistachio to garnish</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">chermoula (see below)</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">PREHEAT your oven to 200°C (400°F) fan-forced.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DRIZZLE cauliflower with a generous amount of olive oil and season with sea salt.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">ROAST for 45 minutes until golden and slightly charred on the surface, then remove from the oven. Combine red onion, the juice of 2 lemons and a pinch of salt. Massage through and allow to pickle for 15 minutes.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMBINE yoghurt and tahini then spread onto a serving platter and top with the whole roasted cauliflower. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DRIZZLE over a little chermoula dressing and garnish with pickled red onion, pomegranate and pistachio. Serve and enjoy.</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Inspiration</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cranberries can be used in place of pomegranate. Add a handful of chopped green olives and capers. Serve with yoghurt flat bread or with good crusty rye sourdough.</span></p> <p><strong>Chermoula</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This herbaceous chermoula dressing makes the perfect accompaniment to your roasted cauliflower. Any leftovers can be used as a pasta sauce or salad dressing.</span></p> <p><strong>Makes</strong>:<span style="font-weight: 400;"> 1 Jar</span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 bunch coriander (cilantro), chopped</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 bunch parsley, chopped</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">½ lemon, juiced</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 clove garlic, smashed</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">60 ml (• cup/2 fl oz) extra virgin olive or avocado oil</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">COMBINE coriander, parsley, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BLEND until smooth, adding more olive oil if required for consistency. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SERVE and enjoy with roasted cauliflower.</span></li> </ul> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This recipe is from Teresa’s new plant-based cookbook ‘</span><a href="https://j7rr69opun380owk-2321186860.shopifypreview.com/products_preview?preview_key=99280db5e6f397e27a240c3507413de4"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Earth To Table</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">’ for Meat Free Week 2019. The campaign runs from 23-29 September in support of Bowel Cancer Australia. See</span><a href="https://www.meatfreeweek.org/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">meatfreeweek.org</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to sign up.</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teresa Cutter, founder of</span><a href="https://thehealthychef.com/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Healthy Chef</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, is an author, nutritionist and classically trained chef. You can find more of Cutter’s tips and recipes on her</span><a href="http://www.thehealthychef.com/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">website</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and in her</span><a href="https://thehealthychef.com/pages/cookbooks"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Cookbooks</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1019047858?mt=8"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Healthy Recipes App</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/id1029254909"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">eBooks</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/healthychefteresacutter/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and</span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/teresacutter_healthychef/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram.</span></a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Slow roasted onions with cheesy bacon crumble

<p>These delicious slow roasted onions with cheesy bacon crumble make for a great side dish. Caramelised and packed full of flavour, this is sure to be a hit at your next dinner party.</p> <p><strong>Serves:</strong> 8</p> <p><strong>Prep:</strong> 15 mins</p> <p><strong>Cooking time</strong>: 1 hour 20 mins</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>8 medium brown onions</li> <li>2 tbs water</li> <li>2 tbs olive oil</li> <li>2 tbs maple syrup</li> <li>100g streaky rindless bacon, chopped</li> <li>2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs</li> <li>1⁄2 cup finely grated parmesan</li> <li>Fresh thyme, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 150°C fan forced. Peel the onions, then cut in half crossways.</li> <li>Place the onions in a roasting pan, so that they fit snugly together in a single layer. Pour the water into the pan, it should just cover the base. 3. Press a sheet of baking paper onto the surface then cover tightly with foil. Cook for 1 hour.</li> <li>Remove the foil and baking paper, drain the liquid. Increase the oven 220C° fan forced. Combine the oil and maple syrup in a jug, pour over the onions then return to the oven. Roast uncovered, for 20 minutes, carefully turning over after 10 minutes or until onions are lightly caramelized.</li> <li>Meanwhile, place bacon into a non-stick frying pan over medium heat, cook stirring until light golden. Add the breadcrumbs and, cook, shaking the pan until breadcrumbs are light golden. Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan and season.</li> <li>Spoon the crumble and thyme over the onions to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Serving suggestion:</strong> Delicious served with chicken or roast lamb, beef or pork. Also great for Christmas buffet table.</p> <p><strong>Serving suggestion</strong>: Great served with steak and slaw on an open steak sandwich.</p> <p><em>Recipe and image courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.australianonions.com.au/#o1QVCch0ERQvqoLz.97"><em>Australian Onions</em></a><em>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Sweet roast chicken bun

<div id="ingredients"><strong>Ingredients</strong> <ul class="no-bullet"> <li>⅓ cup (90 g) wholegrain mustard</li> <li>1 tablespoon honey</li> <li>4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, about 85 g each</li> <li>4 large hamburger buns, plain or wholemeal</li> <li>8 small cos lettuce leaves</li> <li>2 small ripe mangoes, sliced</li> <li>2 spring onions, thinly sliced (optional)</li> <li>salt and pepper</li> </ul> </div> <p><strong>Preparation</strong></p> <div> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C.</li> <li>Mix the mustard and honey together and season to taste.</li> <li>Enlarge the hollow left by the bone in each chicken thigh, cutting to open them out.</li> <li>Press to flatten them a little.</li> <li>Place the thighs, smooth side up, in a lightly oiled ovenproof dish or small roasting pan.</li> <li>Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the honey and mustard mixture, and spread the remainder over the top of the chicken thighs.</li> <li>Roast for 12–15 minutes or until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a knife.</li> <li>Meanwhile, split open the buns and toast them.</li> <li>Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom half of each bun, top with the mango slices and sprinkle with the spring onions, if using.</li> <li>Spread the reserved honey and mustard mixture over the underside of the top halves.</li> <li>Put the roast chicken thighs on top of the mango and spring onions, then top with the remaining lettuce.</li> <li>Put the tops of the buns on and press the sandwiches gently together.</li> <li>Serve immediately.</li> </ol> <p><em>This article first appeared in </em><span><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/sweet-roast-chicken-bun"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer.</em></a></span></p> </div> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Food & Wine

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Delicious roast tomato and capsicum soup with crispy chorizo and fresh basil

<p>Packed with flavour you’ll be making this soup again and again, it’s perfect for the whole family and really cheap to make.</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>4 large capsicums</li> <li>6 large vine ripened mixed tomatoes (yellow, purple, red etc)</li> <li>1 punnet cherry tomates</li> <li>2 garlic cloves</li> <li>2 celery stalks</li> <li>1 red onion</li> <li>1 tbs tomato puree</li> <li>120g chorizo sausage (cut into cubes)</li> <li>½ bunch basil</li> <li>1 tin kidney beans</li> <li>Olive oil</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Cut the top off your capsicums and scoop out the seeds then place upside down onto an oven proof tray lined with greaseproof paper. Slice the large tomatoes into ¼s and place on the tray with the whole cherry tomatoes. Slice your red onion into ¼s and add them to the tray.</p> <p>2. Drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and make sure all the veg is coated. Roast in the oven at 220°C for 15-20 mins until they start to colour and the skin from the capsicum blisters. Once cooked remove and leave to one side.</p> <p>3. In a pan slowly fry the chopped garlic and sliced celery. Remove the thin skin from the chorizo and dice then add ½ of the sausage and some finely chopped basil stalks to the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins until golden brown.</p> <p>4. Next add the tomato puree to the chorizo and cook for another 2 mins, add a little water so the tomato puree doesn’t burn.</p> <p>5. Once the capsicum has cooled, carefully remove the skin then roughly chop. Add the capsicum, roasted tomato and onion to a large thick bottomed pan along with the chorizo mix in the pan.</p> <p>6. Add 1 litre of boiling chicken stock to the pan and bring back to the boil. Whilst the soup is coming to the boil fry off the other half of the diced chorizo until really crispy then tip onto some kitchen roll to remove some of the grease.</p> <p>7. As soon as the soup starts to boil remove from the heat. Blend until smooth and adjust the seasoning, careful not to add too much salt. Add ½ bunch of basil leaves and blend once more.</p> <p>8. Finally mix in a tin of drained kidney beans into the soup and serve. Top with crispy chorizo.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>Double the batch and freeze it until you need a quick dinner one evening. Remember this has meat in it so make sure to remove from the freezer the night before and heat until piping hot before serving.</p> <p>Recipe courtesy of Richard Kerrigan, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rkthebeachlife/">The Beach Life</a>, Qualified Chef and Personal Trainer.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/roast-tomato-and-capsicum-soup-with-crispy-chorizo-and-fresh-basil.aspx"><em>Wyza.com.au.</em></a></p>

Food & Wine

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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>

Food & Wine

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Herb roasted potato wedges

<p>Coated in thyme, oregano and rosemary, these oven-roasted potato wedges will make a delicious addition to any meal.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong> <br /> </span></p> <ul> <li>4 large potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed</li> <li>4 cloves garlic, minced</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>½ teaspoon rosemary</li> <li>½ teaspoon oregano</li> <li>½ teaspoon thyme</li> <li>3 tablespoon olive oil</li> </ul> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Method:</strong><br /> </span></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 210°C.</li> <li>Cut potatoes in wedges, according to your preference. Place in bowl.</li> <li>Add olive oil, garlic and herbs. Season well with salt and pepper. Toss ingredients to evenly coat wedges.</li> <li>Spread the potato wedges evenly onto a baking sheet-lined tray. Bake, turning half way, for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and crispy.  Serve immediately, sprinkled with more salt. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.</li> </ol> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Related links:</strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/08/catalan-style-spinach-raisins-pine-nuts/">Catalan-style spinach with raisins and pine nuts</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/08/zucchini-eggplant-gratin/">Zucchini, eggplant, tomato gratin</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/07/three-bean-salad/">Three-bean salad</a></strong></span></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Slow-roasted lamb shoulder with Greek tomatoes

<p>The flavour and texture combination in these roasted tomatoes is outrageously good – fragrant, sweet, salty and crunchy… magic. They make the perfect accompaniment to slow-roasted lamb shoulder.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 6</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2.2kg lamb shoulder on the bone</li> <li>2 red onions, thickly sliced</li> <li>4 large sprigs rosemary </li> <li>5 sprigs thyme, or 3 sprigs thyme and 2 sprigs oregano</li> <li>13 cloves garlic, peeled</li> <li>1½ cups (375ml) white wine</li> <li>18 ripe, vine-ripened tomatoes</li> <li>3 tablespoons olive oil</li> <li>1 teaspoon cumin seeds</li> <li>Finely grated zest of 1 lemon</li> <li>¼ teaspoon chilli flakes</li> <li>1 cup black olives (not pitted)</li> <li>½ cup currants</li> <li>150g soft feta, crumbled</li> <li>½ cup lightly toasted pine nuts</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Remove the lamb from the fridge half an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 150°C. </p> <p>2. Put the onions, 2 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme in the base of a medium-sized roasting pan. Put the lamb on top, fat side up. Make 8 slits in the flesh and poke 8 cloves garlic into the holes. Pour the wine into the base of the dish and season the lamb really well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with foil and cook for 4¼ hours, then remove the foil and cook for another hour.</p> <p>3. Meanwhile, snip the tomatoes into bunches of three or four and place in a medium oven dish. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle over the cumin seeds, lemon zest and chilli flakes. </p> <p>4. Lightly squash the remaining 5 garlic cloves and tuck in around the tomatoes. Tuck the olives around the tomatoes with the remaining 2 sprigs thyme or oregano. Sprinkle over the currants.</p> <p>5. After the uncovered lamb has been in the oven for an hour, crank up the heat to 180°C for a further 30 minutes, then add the tomatoes to the oven and cook for another 15 minutes. Remove both the lamb and tomatoes from the oven, crumble the feta over the tomatoes and return them to the oven for 7 minutes before sprinkling with the pine nuts and serving with the lamb.</p> <p><em>Written by Sarah Tuck. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. Photo credit: Aaron McLean/Stuff.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Roasted rhubarb, strawberry and rose conserve

<p>Roasted rhubarb, and rose conserve, made with sweet strawberries that have been kissed by the sun is a delightful taste of summer.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Makes:</span> </strong>2 x 300g jars</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients: </span></strong></p> <ul> <li>500g strawberries, washed and leaves removed</li> <li>5-6 rhubarb stalks leaves removed, about 300g</li> <li>½ cup (100g) sugar</li> <li>Juice of ½ a lemon, about 2 tablespoons</li> <li>2-3 teaspoons rose water</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven 180 degrees Celsius.</li> <li>Cut the strawberries into halves, and rhubarb into 3cm lengths. Place on a lined baking tray and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Mix well and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes until the fruit is tender and fragrant.</li> <li>Scoop fruit and juices into a shallow saucepan, and add the remaining sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer over a moderate heat.</li> <li>Cook uncovered, stirring regularly until thickened – about 20 minutes. Keep in mind the conserve will thicken some as it cools. Add the rose water to taste. Remove from the heat and cover.</li> <li>Sterilise 2 x 300g jars. Place clean jars in a 120C oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil lids for 10 minutes, drain and air dry. Carefully remove one jar from the oven, place on a wooden board and fill immediately with the hot conserve (reheated if needed). Wipe the rim and secure the hot lid. Repeat with the second jar. Cool completely, then check lids are sealed.</li> <li>Store in a cool dark pantry and use within six months. Once opened keep in the fridge and consume within four weeks.</li> </ol> <p><em>Find comprehensive home preserving guidelines in my new cookbook, </em>Homegrown Kitchen – Everyday Recipes for Eating Well<em>. For more of Nicola's recipes visit, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.homegrown-kitchen.co.nz/" target="_blank">Homegrown-Kitchen.co.nz</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em>Written by Nicola Galloway. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz.</span></strong></a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Roasted pumpkin and rice salad

<p>The pumpkin roasts in the oven while the rice cooks on the stovetop, then you can potter around and make the dressing at your leisure.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>4 to 6 as a meal, 6 to 8 as a side</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span>:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>600g peeled, deseeded pumpkin, chopped into 2cm cubes (about 800g with the skin and seeds still intact)</li> <li>1 cup brown rice, rinsed in running water until it runs clear</li> <li>1 clove garlic</li> <li>good pinch of flaky sea salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon honey</li> <li>Juice of 1 orange</li> <li>2 tablespoons white wine vinegar</li> <li>2 tablespoons sesame oil</li> <li>2 tablespoons peanut oil</li> <li>6 spring onions, thinly sliced</li> <li>4 sticks celery, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices</li> <li>¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 200C and grease an oven dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Tip in the pumpkin and drizzle with the other tablespoon of oil. Bake for around 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is cooked and beginning to crisp up. Set aside.</p> <p>2. While the pumpkin is cooking, put the well-washed rice in a medium saucepan with 450ml cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Let simmer for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat (do NOT lift the lid) and let sit for 15 minutes. The rice should be perfectly cooked and all the water absorbed.</p> <p>3. Next, make the dressing. Crush the garlic and salt together with the blade of a knife, then scrape into a screw-top jar. Add the honey, juice and vinegar and shake well. Add the oil and shake again until well mixed. Taste for balance and adjust accordingly.</p> <p>4. When the rice and pumpkin have cooled down a little, tip both into a serving bowl. Add the spring onions and celery, then pour the dressing over the top and toss gently. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds on top and serve.</p> <p>5. Best served at room temperature. This makes an excellent packed lunch or serve it alongside a piece of fish with some greens. Makes enough for four lunches or six to eight side dish servings.</p> <p><em>Written by Lucy Corry. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>. Image credit: Maarten Holl/Stuff.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Roasted broccolini, kale and chickpeas with herbed ricotta

<p>The beauty of this dish lies in the grilling – don’t be afraid to char the broccoli a little, as it delivers a great flavour. You can serve this as an individual starter, or as a main with grilled ciabatta.</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>350 g broccolini, stems cut in half lengthways</li> <li>400 g tin chickpeas</li> <li>1 garlic clove, crushed</li> <li>60 ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling</li> <li>1 bunch Tuscan kale, about 550 to 600 g, cut into 2.5 cm pieces</li> <li>250 g smooth ricotta</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped dill</li> <li>2 tablespoons finely chopped basil</li> <li>1 teaspoon grated lemon zest</li> <li>1 tablespoon lemon juice</li> <li>Pinch of chilli flakes</li> <li>2 teaspoons sea salt</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Preheat the grill (broiler) to medium.</li> <li>In a mixing bowl, toss the broccolini, chickpeas and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Spread the mixture onto a baking tray.</li> <li>In another bowl, toss the kale with the remaining olive oil, then spread over another two baking trays.</li> <li>Place the broccolini mixture under the grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, then turn the broccolini over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes, until nicely chargrilled. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.</li> <li>Meanwhile, transfer the kale trays to the oven and bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to brown, then turn the kale over and bake for a further 2 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.</li> <li>In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, dill, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice and chilli flakes. Season with salt and mix together with a spoon.</li> <li>Smear the ricotta mixture onto a serving plate and top with the kale and broccolini and mixture.</li> <li>Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.</li> </ol> <p><img width="123" height="172" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7265262/the-vegetable-cover_123x172.jpg" alt="The Vegetable Cover (1)" style="float: right;"/></p> <p><em>This is an extract from </em>The Vegetable: Recipes that celebrate nature<em> by Vicki Valsamis and Caroline Griffiths, published by Smith Street Books, RRP AU$49.99 or NZ$59.99.  Image credit: Chris Middleton.</em></p>

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