The Active Cubby

Capsicums

What are they?
Bad title I know, but I do corny so well it just works! Okay so today we’re discussing Capsicums, or Sweet Peppers in some parts of the globe. They are related to chillies and are native to the Western Hemisphere and received their ‘pepper’ name from Spanish explorers who had mistakenly believed they were related to the peppercorn. While I will admit to not overly enjoying these vegetables I can’t deny that they are actually a very healthy food to consume and have a variety of meals they can be put into (including some of the lesser healthy ones…). Capsicums can be found in numerous Asian style dishes, pasta sauces, made up into finger foods for dips, can be made into dip, and can even be found on numerous pizza recipes; this to name a few examples of its many culinary options.

The four-lobbed capsicums are the most commonly found of the sweet variety, and depending on the degree of ripeness their colour can range from green to yellow to red. Interestingly enough if picked while green a capsicum will not change in colour as they only ripen while on the vine. Capsicums will grow sweeter as they ripen, this being the reason why people will say that a red capsicum is sweeter than a green capsicum. They also come in other coloured variations such as orange and purple-brown but they are harder to come by.

Why Are They Healthy?
One medium capsicum contains around 150 kilojoules of energy, which isn’t such a bad boost of energy from a vegetable, however in terms of vitamins its content tends to vary from colour to colour. When compared to a citrus fruit (weight for weight) a capsicum actually possesses more Vitamin C than they do, with a Green Capsicum providing more than 100 per cent of the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) of Vitamin C – interestingly enough a Red Capsicum provides an extra 90 per cent more than the Green Cap. Once again it seems that consuming a Red Capsicum is more in your interest with their provision of around 450 RE (Retinol Equivalents), also known as Beta Carotene or Vitamin A, when compared to a Green Capsicum which only provides about 80 RE.

It has also been noted that deeply coloured capsicums are a strong deterrent for cancer related illnesses. Being high in bioflavonoids, a type of plant pigmentation, it has been shown to fight off the appearance and development of cancer, not only this but they also contain phenolic acid which inhibit the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, and plant sterols which are a precursor of Vitamin D which is also believed to help protect the body against cancer.

Finally capsicums also contain a healthy supply of lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants linked to the reduction of muscular degeneration and blindness in adults. Plus a little secret – consuming two Red Capsicums a week help reduce the signs of aging and help to keep the skins elasticity and collagen levels up.

Are there any negatives to eating Capsicums?
You know, I just don’t really think there are. I mean sure, if we were going on taste alone I might argue that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but that’s to be expected when peoples taste vary from person to person. Health wise you could not find a better vegetable to add to your consumption repertoire with all the benefits you stand to gain from eating them.

What types are there and how do they differ?
Well, as I mentioned earlier there are number of different types of capsicum out there to be found. The two main colours in high supply are the Red and Green Capsicum with Yellow and Orange Capsicums being some of a situational thing (they only appear once in a while). As for Purple-Brown Capsicums I will admit to have never seeing one before in my life – but I’m really keen to see how they look!

As for how they all differ, really the major thing you need to know is that Red rules, a Red Capsicum is substantially higher in its provision of vitamins and antioxidants* than its Green counterpart. The main reason for the choice in colour for most is taste, Green Capsicums tend to be less sweet than Red Caps which is why some people prefer them instead.

References
1. http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/bell-pepper.html
2. Dr Rosemary Stanton. Readers Digest: Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal. Readers Digest (Australia) Pty Limited, 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007. Page 85.
3. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodtip&dbid=68
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_A

Steamed chicken with spring onion

This is somewhat of a more challenging dish (not Masterchef hard – but really that’s not setting the bar too high…) but one if made correctly can really make for a great dinner among family or friends. It’s both lactose and gluten free so almost everyone can enjoy this meal and to be honest who doesn’t like chicken, its steamed I know so it may have a little less flavour but what come with the chicken more than makes up for this little jive. The bonus to steaming chicken is you’re pretty hard-pressed to burn the meat so you don’t have to worry too much.

Prep Time

5 -10 minutes

Cooking Time

25 – 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Bunches Spring Onions
• 1L (4 cups) Chicken Stock
• 8-12 Small New-Season Potatoes (such as baby chat, anya or kipfler)
• 4 x 220g Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 tbs Olive oil

Utensils Recommended

• 2 Steamer Pans
• Wok/Saucepan
• Heatproof Dish

Method

1. Trim the tops from the spring onions, leaving a good part of the green stems. Finely chop your remaining green stems and set aside to use as a garnish.
2. Add your stock to the wok or saucepan and then bring to a boil. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a steamer, then place over the pan, cover and steam for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, rub the chicken with the oil and some sea salt. Place in a shallow heatproof dish that’s large enough to hold all the breasts in a single layer, and will fit on a steamer in the wok or saucepan.
4. Place the chicken dish in a second steamer and sit over the potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the lengths of spring onion to the chicken and steam for a further 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through* and the potatoes and spring onions are tender.
5. Remove the steamers, then pour 600ml of the chicken stock into a jug. Strain any chicken cooking juices from the dish into the stock to make a light chicken broth.
6. Add the chopped spring onion greens. Divide the spring onion lengths among 4 shallow bowls, top each with a chicken breast, then halve the potatoes and scatter them around the chicken.
7. Ladle over the chicken broth, season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

* Be very wary of your chicken when steaming, you still need to make sure that the chicken is cooked the whole way through, testing it by touch (making sure the flesh I firm but still slightly springy will indicate its  readiness) but if you are still unsure you can always butterfly your breast (cutting it down the middle) and seeing if the inside is either pink (uncooked) or white (cooked).

Be Creative

Adding some thin rice noodles to your recipe is always a sure fire way to give that meal just and extra bit of size and will help to keep you fuller for longer. You already have potatoes in your meal so don’t go overboard with the carbs but just a small amount is always a winner.

Chinese-style pork skewers with Asian greens

A jump on over to the Asiatic culinary section of cooking is just what I like to see. I’m always fascinated by the creativity of Chinese dishes and while not all of the meals made are exactly the healthiest choice you sometimes stumble across some that look too tasty to be healthy but actually are. Pork is a great source of Protein and will help to keep you fuller for longer and add on a few choice vegies and you’ve got yourself a healthy main meal going on!

Nutritional Information

Protein: 44.80g, Dietary Fibre: 4.10g, Fat Total: 6.20g, Saturated Fat: 1.70g, Carbohydrate Total: 8.30g, Energy: 1163kJ, Sodium: 715mg, Total Cholesterol: 181.00mg

Prep Time

10 -15 minutes

Cooking Time

15 – 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 750g Pork Fillet, trimmed, diced
• 2 tsp Chinese Five-spice Powder
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray
• 1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• ½  Cup (125ml) Vegetable Stock (made using stock cubes or liquid bottles)
• 2 tbs Oyster Sauce
• 3 Baby Bok Choy, quartered lengthways
• 100g Snow Peas, opped, thinly sliced lengthways

Utensils Recommended

• Skewers (needed)
• Chargrill
• Wok (for vegies, frying pan works if you don’t have one)

Method

1. Thread pork equally among skewers. Sprinkle with five-spice. Preheat a chargrill plate on high heat. Lightly spray skewers with oil. Cook for about 3/5 minutes each side until your pork is just cooked through, be careful not to remove the pork too early otherwise when you try to lift the skewers the meat could tear.
2. Meanwhile, heat your wok (or fry pan) over a medium-high heat. Lightly spray with oil. Add onion and garlic. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the onion is starting to go clear and soften. Add stock, oyster sauce and bok choy. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the bok choy has just wilted. Remove from heat. Add snow peas and toss to combine. Divide between plates. Serve with your pork skewers.

Be Creative

Now if you not a big pork fan you can always substitute this meat for one of your own liking such as beef or chicken. Note that you can still use the five-spice mix as it will give it a similar flavour base or you can be a little more bold and try maybe marinating your beef earlier in sweet soy sauce, plum sauce and a bit of ginger (an interesting marinade I only just came across while working).

Be Naughty

Now while most would be happy with just a bit of meat and veg I’m a carbs cub and I generally can’t do without that little extra filling on the side to make me feel fuller for longer. By adding some extra Jasmine rice to mix you’re doing just that and honestly a bit of rice isn’t all that bad in the first place.

Mixed Berry Sorbet

So it’s no big surprise I’m a sucker for anything a little sweet and sorbet is just one of my little ‘healthy’ alternatives when I feel like reaching for the tub of Ice-cream I have meticulously hidden right at the back of my freezer. I saw this recipe a while back on Taste and tried it out for myself and was pleased with the results. A nice Mixed Berry Sorbet, who would say no to that and a big bonus for all those out there who are lactose intolerant – this dessert is lactose free!! The only downside is this desert is an all-day dessert, so make sure you have the day off otherwise it’s a bit hard to make.

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cooking Time

10 – 15 minutes

Waiting Time

8 hours (the time is blocked 3h:2h:3h)

Ingredients

• 600g Mixed Frozen Berries
• 1 cup (220g) Caster Sugar
• 1 Vanilla Bean (split lengthways, seeds scraped)
• 2 tbs Creme de Cassis (optional)
• 2 Eggwhites

Utensils Recommended

• Blender/Processor
• Heatproof Bowl
• Meduim Sized Saucepan

Method

1. First place the berries, sugar, and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Make sure you keep an eye on your mixture as so that it doesn’t burn.
2.  Increase the heat to medium-low and simmer for 4 minutes or until it begins to thicken slightly. Cool for 10 minutes. Now if you’re a little naughty like myself you can chose to add in your optional dose of Creme de Cassis. This liqueur has a sweet and fruity blackcurrant flavour so it’ll add a little zing to the mix.
3.  Pour the mixture into a plastic container and freeze for 3 hours or until the sides begin to firm. Place the sorbet in a food processor and process to break up the ice crystals, then return to the plastic container and freeze for a further 2 hours.
4. Place the sorbet in a food processor with the eggwhites and process until the mixture is combined. Return the mixture to the plastic container and freeze for 3-4 hours until firm. Serve in scoops.

Be Creative

Now while this recipe is quite a tasty one on its own you can always choose to mix it up and a little and try a different fruit substitute for mixed berry. I have tried this one before with an interesting mixture of Mango and Passionfruit and it was really nice. Make sure you weigh out the fruit to be about 600 grams so that the rest of the ingredients are enough to create the desert however.

Be Naughty

So if you were to be a little naughty or daring if you’re trying to build up you lactose tolerance why not add either a scoop of chocolate ice cream or better yet frozen yoghurt which will have less of an impact on your belly and will taste just as good in my honest opinion.

Hi there Bears and boys! It’s time for another health related article and this time I thought I’d try my hand at a topic I’ve been keen to write for some time – Lactose Intolerance. Now as most of you would already know a person who is lactose intolerant is simply that; intolerant to any kind of food product that contains lactose in it. Lactose or ‘Milk Sugar’ is the natural form of sugar found in milk and requires the body to break it down into glucose and galactose (and be absorbed) by an enzyme in the body known as lactase. Those who suffer from lactose intolerance do not possess enough of the enzyme and are unfortunately doomed (as one might put it) to suffer the repercussions of ingesting any milk or milk by-product.

These repercussions are most likely to be unpleasant symptoms such as gas, bloating, cramps and the ever popular stint of diarrhoea. This is because the unabsorbed lactose passes into the colon where it is then consumed by bacteria. The by-products of the bacterial activity are naturally created gasses, this being the main perpetrator in any form bodily discomfort. The condition itself is diagnosed by measuring the amount of hydrogen exhaled before and after ingesting lactose. If one possesses an excessive amount of hydrogen then it is believed they are suffering from lactose intolerance.

Unfortunately, apart from a few inedible shrubs, milk is the only source of lactose available to people. Interestingly enough in prehistoric time’s people after being weaned off breast milk never actually consumed lactose again, so in effect their lactase levels were no longer important. Through an evolutionary thrift lactase in the body was programmed to disappear as a child since they had no need for it within their diet. In fact those who are able to digest milk with no complication are actually a minority in the world’s population with about 70 per cent of those with African and Asian decent being intolerant to lactose by age 4.

It is also believed that certain illnesses can bring on a certain emergence of lactose intolerance; with it being either transient or possibly more permanent. Illnesses that damage the intestinal wall linings such as gastrointestinal illness, coeliac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease are believed to be responsible for such cases. It can also be caused by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and certain anti-biotics. The good thing however is that most cases are only temporary and will disappear when bowel health returns to normal.

Now just in case you are curious lactose is found in most dairy products, including milk and yoghurt to name a few. Cheese can contain traces of lactose but are generally quite minimal. It can also be found as an added ingredient in various foods such as confectionaries, Chocolate, Icecream and Cheese Cake (stay away Mr Reader…..) as well as processed meats and sausages and some types of medication.

Bears of all kinds love Milk!

Another thing, people who are lactose intolerant may like to know, is that the word tolerance can be taken quiet craftily – it’s a tolerance to lactose, which means that with enough time and safe practice you can start to build up your tolerance to lactose. In fact it’s believed the more you try to avoid lactose the greater your intolerance will become. Try starting off slowly with a quarter cup of milk at meals and work your way up, avoid drinking milk by itself or on an empty stomach and try to eat yoghurt more often as the active cultures found in it will help you to digest lactose more easily. For those who suffer from more severe cases and still wish to have lactose it’s worth seeing your GP and requesting what your options are since there are certain kinds of enzyme drops and tablets that can assist in the proper digestion of lactose.

So that’s it for another healthy blog post, I hope this helped in some way either for those who are lactose intolerant or know someone who is. I will be creating a couple of lactose free recipes to go up on the site very soon so keep your eyes peeled. Cheers

So with the anniversary of my birthday being today 24/04/1987 – 24/04/2012, I finally hit 25 and it’s been a very long time in the making. I have done so many things in my life that I cannot hope to recount even a sliver of them here on my blog. However this time I thought I’d use my more personal section to discuss my progress since just before my 23^rd birthday. I had a fun weekend out with a few mates I had been invited to tag along with. It was a very good highlight of my somewhat young age level. Pictures were taken and memories were made, however there was one picture in particular that had such a significant effect on me that it forced me to re-evaluate my whole life and who and what I saw myself as.

The Photo that Changed my Life

It was a photo of myself with mates that showed me at my biggest at around 163 kilos which left little to my imagination. It scared me more than any other image I had seen of myself up until then, and believe me I had seen some pretty bad angled ones. I was so torn as to what to do; I had only recently found happiness in a community that celebrates and accepts size and not just in body, the bears love and accept all those with big hearts and souls as well. But I also felt that the clock was ticking faster for me because of the size I was, I wasn’t truly happy with who or what I was in terms of my weight. I knew I could be slimmer and healthier but I was afraid – afraid to lose weight, afraid to try and fail or worse yet succeed and possibly lose some amazing and beautiful new friends I had come to easily love and cherish.

The strange thing is that I don’t know why I was really afraid, I had all these reasons to be but none of them seemed valid, they were all excuses, made up to protect my mind from feeling inadequate about who I had become over the last 23 years. I was proud to be out, I was proud to be a part of a wonderful community, but I was not proud of my size – in all honesty I was ashamed at what I had let myself become, an unhealthy and inactive overweight adult who acted like a hermit and closed off any kind of help from those wanting to give it.

My mother who always told me time and time again that she didn’t want to be the one who buried her son because she felt my weight would kill me in the end, my father who was forever telling me (in his own fatherly way)  that it was my own weaknesses holding me back and that I had it in myself to change this, my brothers who all the while teased me (they’re my brothers of course) about my size but still showed concern when it was apparent I was unable to do things they easily could do, and certain friends who were brave enough to mention to me about their own concerns about my weight. All of this should have helped me come to my senses but in reality it just sent me into a spiral of shame and self-pity that grew deeper and deeper with each passing day.

I owe my new life to this one picture, my sheer stubbornness not to be beaten and from there I have not looked back. Of course there have been times in my life since then where I’ve wished for the impossible; a quick and easy fix to weight loss, a bowl of ice-cream that wouldn’t make me drool a litre and a half of saliva, a way for my cravings for all things sweet to go away completely, but it was never gonna happen and to be honest that’s a good thing it means I’m only human. Working hard to achieve my goals have shown me just how much I have fought to gain control of my life and how much I can accomplish if I work hard enough at it.

I still have a ways to go before I can honestly say I’m happy with my body but part of that is admitting that I’ll never be the perfect body type – who wants to be, too much high maintenance anyway. Lol! It’s also about fixing the mental scars and psychological damage made by those in my past who lead me to believe beauty is thin, hairless and proportionate perfection. I don’t want that or need it, what I do want is happiness and although it’s a while away with more hard work and perseverance I’m sure I can attain it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and perfection is what you perceive not what others dictate.

Chargrilled Chicken with Tropical Fruit

This recipe is quite an interesting take since it’s a dinner meal and one I would never have thought of trying. Granted there’s quite a few ingreedients it looks like it’s able to be edited to your tastes. But some items such as the Star Fruit is a seasonal fruit (October – February) that if you live in North Queensland are sure have seen and tried (trust me in a salad with some Kiwi they are spectacular).

Prep Time
40 minutes

Cooking Time
10 – 15 minutes

Ingredients – Serves 4• 4 (about 170g each) Chicken Breasts, skin on
• 1 Lime, Zested
• 40ml (2 tbs) Olive Oil
• 2 tbs Crushed Garlic
• 5 Limes, Juiced
• 60ml (1/4 cup) Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 20ml (1 tbs) Fish Sauce
• 20ml (1 tbs) Mirin*
• 20ml (1 tbs) Grated Palm* or Brown Sugar
• 10ml (2 tsp) Sesame Oil
• 125ml (1/2 cup) Peanut Oil
• 1 cup Mizuna Leaves
• 2 Kiwi Fruit, Peeled, Sliced
• 1 Small Papaya, Peeled, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Star Fruit, Sliced
• 1 Tomato, Seeded, Sliced

Utensils Recommended• Garlic Crusher
• Char Grill
• Medium Sized Bowl
• Small Sized Bowl
• Cling Wrap or Tea Towel

Method
1. Place chicken breasts, lime zest, olive oil and half the garlic in the medium bowl. Then you need to toss the chicken to coat, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Combine lime juice, sweet chilli sauce, fish sauce, mirin, palm sugar and remaining garlic in a small bowl. Add the oils and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
3. Heat a chargrill pan or barbecue until hot. Chargrill chicken for 4-5 minutes each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly, then slice each chicken breast into three.
4. Divide the mizuna leaves between four plates, top each with sliced chicken breast, then divide the fruit and tomato between plates.
5. Drizzle with some of the dressing and season.

*Any leftover dressing can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks
*Both Mirin and Palm Sugar can be found in most Asian stores or well stocked Woolworths stores

Be Creative – As I did mention Star Fruit is a seasonal fruit so what I suggest you try as a substitute fruit would be pineapple – its taste is quite similar to that of a crisp star fruit and is also a nice fragrant change that may add an extra sweet tone to the dish.

Kiwi, Lime, and Mint Cooler

Now I realise that winter is creeping up on us but we do still live in a country where the seasons mean squat at times…. So when searching for a fun recipe to make that included Kiwi Fruit I came across a really nice cooler drink recipe that I thought would be worth a go. Granted this recipe is a little on the naughty side of the consumption spectrum I still thought it worth a go.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cooling Time
20 minutes

Cooking Time
15 minutes

Ingredients – Serves 8

• 1/2 cup (110g) Caster Sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) Boiling Water
• 4 gold and 4 Green Kiwi Fruit
• 1/3 cup (80ml) Lime Juice (from 3-4 limes)
• 1/2 cup Mint Leaves
• 2 cups Ice Cubes
• 1 cup (250ml) Sparkling Wine or Sparkling Water

Utensils Recommended

• Blender
• Measuring Cup

Method
1. In a large jug, dissolve 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar in 1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water, then place in an ice bath or fridge to chill. Place in a fridge not freezer to make sure you don’t damage you container.
2. Peel and roughly chop 4 gold and 4 green kiwi fruit, then blend until smooth with the cooled syrup, 1/3 cup (80ml) lime juice, 1/2 firmly packed cup mint leaves and 2 cups ice cubes.
3. Next pour into a jug and top up with 1 cup (250ml) sparkling wine or sparkling water, or divide among glasses and top up with wine or water. Serve with extra mint.

Be Creative – As mentioned you can make this drink a virgin version if you’re not a big fan of Sparkling or if you have guest who are unable to drink alcohol. The other bonus is that beverage is lactose free so those who would like a smoothie-like drink can have this without worrying about an upset tummy.

Be Naughty – Of course go with the Sparkling wine! Enough said! =P

Keen for Kiwi?

So, it no secret that the boys from New Zealand are absolutely yummy, but I actually had a different kind of ‘kiwi’ in mind for this next blog.

What Are They?
Kiwi Fruit (or Kiwi for short) are a small brown egg shaped fruit with a green inner flesh and a sprinkled line of seeds along the centre. Its flavour has been described as being either tart or slightly sweet, and possesses, what some may say, a hint of berry to it. Surprisingly enough the Kiwi Fruit actually didn’t originate from New Zealand as its name would imply, but instead came from China. However it was renamed by New Zealand farmers after it native bird and the name just stuck. Kiwi fruit is now grown in Australia and has shown bountiful harvests with each successive season. Prices are almost always affordable with their availability being all year round. Kiwi can be used in many sweet desert dishes and salads, they are always a favourite of mine to put on Pavlovas, and they are also a great on the go snack if you’re feeling a bit peckish.

What benefits do we get from eating them?
There are a few benefits that come from eating Kiwi including a decent provision of Vitamin C, with a single Kiwi containing around 90mg. As you may know Vitamin C is an indispensable resource the body requires, as it has a number of positive affects on body including the strengthening of blood vessel walls, the promotion of wound healing and iron absorption and the possible prevention of atherosclerosis vascular disease – a condition that thickens the artery walls as a result of fat build up.

Not only that but it provides both potassium and pectin, a soluble fibre that may assist in the control of blood cholesterol levels. Kiwi’s also contain both lutein and zeaxanthin; antioxidants both associated with good eye health.

Are there any negatives from eating them?
Well as far as I know there isn’t a really big issue when it comes to eating Kiwi. The only times when it can be considered bad for your health is when you possibly eat an insane number of the fruit (say 10) and then end up with certain health complications such stomach pain, mouth sores caused from the acidity of too many and even bad teeth from the sugar content in the fruit. All in moderation, as they say.

Of course do be careful as some people do possess an allergy to this fruit and like all foods each possesses its own level of severity with individual people. Some will get a scratchy throat or break out in hives while others can actually go into anaphylaxis if unlucky enough. The best course of action is to always see your medical specialist or doctor if this is the case.

What kinds of Kiwi Fruit are there and how do they differ?
There are two main types that can be found here in Australia, they are the normal Green Kiwi Fruit and the popular Golden Kiwi Fruit. A golden kiwi is simply a sweeter and smaller version of the kiwi that was created through cross-pollination of a few species of kiwi fruit. As I said before their size is slightly reduced, their coloration is also brighter on the outside and their flesh is a golden-green hue. Apart from that their nutritional value is basically the same and not much else differs in them.

Interesting But True…

Fact: Did you know an enzyme found in kiwi’s, actinidin, is a natural meat tenderiser – placing the flesh on the piece of meat for in-between 30 minutes to an hour will soften the meat without imparting any of the flavour of the fruit.
Fact: This same enzyme prevents gelatine from setting and curdles cream and milk.
Fact: The original Chinese name for Kiwi Fruit was Chinese Gooseberry.

Not much more can be said about these little delights except that it is easily within your power to improve your health by simply eating a tiny ‘monkey nut” as a few of my mates have affectionately nicked named them. A recipe or two for this fruit will also be posted on the blog soon. =)

References
1. Dr Rosemary Stanton. Readers Digest: Foods that Harm, Foods that Heal. Readers Digest (Australia) Pty Limited, 80 Bay Street, Ultimo, NSW, 2007. Page 228-229, 380.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwifruit
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atherosclerosis
4. http://www.zespri.com/zespri-health/fabulous-facts.html

One of my favourite parts about this blog is my chance to put up interesting and fun recipes for you to have a look and try. Since starting work at as an Apprentice Chef my cup has been run over with so many new recipes and tricks to try out. With that in mind I thought I’d take a marinade recipe I learned at work and turn it into one that you can all try at home!

Tandoori Lamb Cutlets with Basmati Rice
So this little jem I was taught how to make from a chef who specialises in Indian style cuisine and he is quite a friendly guy to work with. So this version of it is quite an easy version of the recipe and I chose instead of using chicken like in the original recipe to try it on lamb and it worked just as well!

Prep Time
10 minutes prep & 4 hours minimum marination time

Cooking Time
10-20 minutes (depending on how you like your lamb)

Ingredients
• 130g (1 ½ cup) Greek Natural Yoghurt
• 80g (1/4 cup) Tandoori Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon juice
• 12 Lamb Cutlets (French Trimmed)
• Olive Oil, to grease grill
• 2-3 cups Basmati Rice

Utensils Recommended
• Char Grill or Grill
• Medium Sized Bowl
• Medium Sized Pot
• Cling Wrap
• Spare Plate (to sit cooling cutlets)

Method

1. First you need to combine the tandoori paste, yoghurt, and lemon juice in a medium sized bowl. Add the lamb and turn over to coat well. Cover the bowl either with glad wrap or a tea towel and place in the fridge for up to at least four hours.
2. Preheat the grill and brush slightly with oil to avoid any of the pieces sticking. While this heats put on a pot of water and bring to the boil, then add in the rice remembering to stir straight after pouring in and stirring once every so often to avoid the rice from clumping or burning.
3. Once the grill is at a medium to high temperature place the cutlet onto the gril and cook on each side for approximately 3-4 minute so that you can achieve a medium well finish. Of course you can cook for a shorter/longer time if you prefer your lamb more on the medium rare or well done side.
4. Once cooked you need to transfer the cutlets onto a plate where you let them rest for about five minutes, allowing the remaining fluid in the meat to redistribute itself evenly among the cutlet.
5. Once your rice is cooked drain and place on a plate and then add your cooled cutlets and enjoy!

Be Creative – So as had mentioned before this recipe’s marinade was actually intended to be used on chicken and let me say that it does taste quite spectacular. I thought why not give lamb a go; so if you’re keen try marinating chicken instead but make sure you marinate for at least 8 hours or better overnight as it will give the chicken more chance to marinate with the paste.

Be Healthy – Now you should know that grilling is a fairly healthy way of cooking as it will dispose of most fatty oils and by-products you maintain when you cook in oil or in a frypan, but if you were looking make it even healthier just as a few stir-fry style vegies to the mix. Vegetables such as green beans, carrots and broccoli will always add some colour to the dish as well some welcome healthy additives – try steaming for best results! =)