0215 Big Voice in Alverstoke by Big Voice Directories

February 2015 | Issue 111 | Priceless

PECAN CHICKEN

SENSEI SAYS...

What’s in store FOR FEBRUARY © Michael Branicki

THIS MONTH..

15 17

, ealth h , y t u ni omm nd more c , s a pe Reci operties r p

FOOD AND DRINK

HEALTH, BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE

Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast

...stuffed with roasted butternut squash and goats cheese served with a white wine and pancetta cream sauce. Deeelish!

HOUSE AND GARDENS 17

Plant of the month

Primroses. A sign that spring may spring its way into a garden near you soon!

MOTORING AND TRAVEL 15

Toyota RAV 4

Tim Barnes-Clay says “Indeed, it’s all-wheel drive capability is more sophisticated than ever before” Take a look at page 26 to find out why.

Health the Harcombe Way

So you thought you knew about fat? Think again and see what Zoe Harcombe has to say….

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL 21

Winter’s a coming!

Martin Lewis gives us some great tips on how we can save money during winter.

COMMUNITY 8

Life Matters

Gig Guide

Putting out the street life by local Reverend Andrew Norris.

Your indispensable guide to local bands playing around the area in January and February

february issue 2015

BVD Publishing 01329 630630

Joint Editors Coralie Todd & Sean Middleton editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

Advertising Sales sales@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

Regular Contributors Martin Lewis, St Mary’s Church, Tim Barnes-Clay, Amy Levin

Distribution This Big Voice Bigazine is delivered to residents and businesses in Alverstoke. For distribution enquiries please give us a call and speak to Sean. Four other editions are also published in Whiteley, Stubbington & Hill Head, Lee on Solent and Gosport.

“N

ew Year

Smalalltalk Sm ltalk

...New Habits”.

Whether it's forging new ones to enrich our lives or its creating ones to replace bad habits that are holding us back..... It's time to make a change. We recently came across these wise words in Huffpost and wanted to share them with you Our minds and bodies are dependent on stimulants, actions and patterns that come to define who we are. Our habits are our security blankets, enveloping us in their consistent presence and comfort of familiarity. We do them unconsciously, sticking fingers and cigarettes in our mouths and cracking our knuckles only to find that we can’t remember when this habit began. Habits are not born, but created. Every bad, good or insignificant habit starts with a psychological pattern called a “habit loop.” The “habit loop” is a three-part process. The first step is the trigger that tells your brain to let a certain behavior unfold. The second step is the behavior itself, or the routine it creates. The third step is the reward, or “something that your brain likes that helps it remember the ‘habit loop’ in the future.” Once we’ve formed habits, they are hard to break because, many times, we forget we’re doing them. Because of the habit loop, we are able to do other things without thinking about our habit.

If a habit does not include addictive additives or stimulants, which make the withdrawal and brain processes different, who’s to say it won’t take you 66 days to cut out all those nasty habits that have been overtaking your life? If you take the habit out of your life, the same way you put one into your life, you will find yourself free of the unconscious and, many times, detrimental patterns that habits cause. You could replace those old bad ones with new good ones. Instead of watching Netflix before bed, you make yourself read a book. Maybe instead of soda with dinner, you make yourself drink water for 66 days. The only way to solidify the end of an old habit or the birth of a new one is to celebrate it. Throw a party, have some champagne, shout it from your Coastal rooftop. Make a day of it or call up your friends and have a swanky dinner party. If it’s a habit people have been hoping you would break they will be more than willing to celebrate with you. Who knows, you can even make it a yearly tradition.

All our love

Coralie and Sean x Whilst Big Voice Directories aim to provide a quality publication for local reference, it cannot be held responsible for the services, reputation or cost of any of the advertisers, and content of adverts or editorial herein. Readers must make their own enquiries to establish the credentials of each entry. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the Publishers. The magazines

Advertise with us! Reliably delivered by our local teams, reaching over 25000 homes each issue, five editions of Big Voice provide exceptional monthly coverage of our area every single month. Call our friendly team now on 01329 630630, jump on our website and have a chat or link up with us on Facebook. Visit our Facebook page Big Voice Directories

Visit our website www.bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

Out and about Tea and talk time For the over 50's. Meeting every Wednesday from 2 -4pm at the Empower Centre, 2a Layton Road, Bridgemary, Gosport. We have interesting speakers, quizzes, music and much more. Just £2 per session to include tea/coffee/biscuits. A friendly welcome awaits you. Tel: Anne 01329 513383 or Irene 02392 502298

Gosport Discovery Centre February see’s the Discovery Centre’s 10th birthday so to celebrate we’ve got lots happening on Saturday 28 February. We’ve got storytelling and balloon modelling as well as the ever popular Booster Cushion Theatre presenting Alan in Wonderland for children. There’s also the Big Noise Samba Band and the Ukulele Band, the Stokes Bay Strummers so Youth Open Art Exhibition there’s something for everyone. It’s all From 17th January - 21 February at free so just come along. Gosport Gallery. Free admission. 10:00 - How well do you know your local area? 5:00 Monday - Saturday. On Thursday 12 February we are holding a quiz night based on Gosport past and Silent Movie Live present so come and test your A homage to Charlie Chaplin at the knowledge! Gosport Discovery Centre. Thursday, 29th We’ve also got local band Solent Sunrise January at 19:30. performing music from the 50s to the 80s Tickets are £4. Call 023 9252 3463 to on 20th February so come and sing along book. or dance or tap you feet to this great music. All the details including booking and ticket prices are in our What’s On Guide

available to pick up in the Discovery Centre. Cinderella - Crofton Amateur Dramatics Society (CADS) January can sometimes be a dull and cold month, but don’t fret, there will be a smile on your face if you come along to enjoy the CADS pantomime. On 29th, 30th, 31st January 2015 and 1st February your CADS will perform Cinderella at the Crofton Community Centre, Stubbington. Performances at 7.30pm on 29th and 30th, and 2pm matinees on 31st Jan and 1st Feb. Ticket prices: Children £6 and Adults £8. Ticket hotline:01329 661143. Will Cinderella go to the grand ball? Come to the panto to find out!

List your local event for F REE on our Out and About pages Email details to editor@bigvoicedirectories.co.uk

P uzzle Answers Answers

SUDOKU

KIDS PAGE

February 2014

HONEYCOMB

WORDSEARCH

CROSSWORD

STEP ON IT

SCRAMBLE

Important Phone Numbers COMMUNITY Gosport Community Association 023 9251 0012 Bay House Secondary School 023 9258 7931 Family & Friends Lesbians & Gays 0845 6520311 St Marys Parish Office 023 9258 0551 Alverstoke Infant School 023 9258 2403 Alverstoke Junior School 023 9258 0450 Local Councillor 023 9252 2494 Local Council Offices 023 9258 4242 Neighbourhood Watch 023 9258 3637 Police 101 or emergency 999 RSPCA 01329 667541 Tourist Information 023 9252 2944 Victim Support 0845 3899528 HEALTH Alcoholics Anonymous 023 955 80776 Dental Helpline 0845 0508345 Gosport War Memorial Hospital 023 9252 4611 Gosport Medical Centre 023 9258 3302 NHS Direct 0845 4647 NHS Smoking Helpline 0800 0224332 TRAVEL Coastguard 023 8032 9486 Dial a Ride Gosport 01329 223151 National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950

Love where you live!

Life Matters at St Mary’s

PUTTING OUT THE

STREET LIGHTS It seems that budget squeezes are putting out the street lights for communities up and down the country. Very few of us feel comfort in the darkness, preferring the safety of light on our path. Such Light to guide our path features strongly in the teaching of many faiths, and in these dark winter nights Christians consider how the events of Christmas were followed by the light of the star guiding the three wise men. The Magi reached Jesus late - and in arriving they aroused the darkness of Herod’s hatred causing Mary and Joseph to flee as refugees to Egypt. How little seems to have changed for the peoples of that region who, even today, hope for some light in the darkness of the conflicts and sufferings that are visited upon them by intolerant people causing young families to flee in fear for their lives. When it was safe for Jesus to able to be presented as a child in Jerusalem, an old man called Simeon picked him up and sang a song about him to God: “my own eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every

people, a light to lighten the nations.”

holders made of an orange to depict the world; with four seasons as cocktail sticks How the nations of the middle east and laden with dried fruits of the earth; and a beyond need such light in the darkness of red ribbon to think of Jesus dying for their suffering - a saviour who can bring forgiveness and reconciliation to God. peace through forgiveness and They hold a candle which symbolises the reconciliation. Forgiveness and light of God’s love in Jesus in the midst of reconciliation can shed a great light into the darkness that can so overwhelm our darkness, not just in other nations, but lives and our nations. Why not make a also in personal lives when so many crave Christingle with children at home? Or the freedom of being reconciled to others come to St.Mary’s on 1st February at and to our own situations. 10.45am and you can make and light one with us! You’d also be welcome at As the nights start to shorten, that 6.30pm that day in St.Mary’s Alverstoke episode of Jesus’ visit to Simeon in for a very full traditional service when the Jerusalem is celebrated in churches on 1st church will be wonderfully lit with February - it is called candlelight in celebration. Candlemas. St.Mary’s in Alverstoke will be ablaze with candles and is well worth a So, even if some UK communities find visit during that day. Just wander in - the their streets lights are dimmed, or if the church is open all day every day for you to darkness of suffering seems to overwhelm find some space and peace - you can even in 2015, the message of hope remains light a candle of your own. that “the light of Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not The morning service at 10.45am on 1st overcome it.” February will feature Christingles. Christingles celebrate Jesus Revd Andrew Norris who said “I am the Light of the Rector, Alverstoke Parish World”. Kid’s love them. They are candle Church Office: 023 9258 0551 Rectory: 023 9250 3308 Rector@alverstokeparish.org www.stmarysalverstoke.org.uk

By Nig el M ais ey

GIG GUIDE All gigs start at 9pm unless otherwise stated.

Janu January ary

Friday 16th Friday 16th Saturday 17th Saturday 17th Sunday 18th Friday 23rd Saturday 24th Sunday 25th Friday 30th Saturday 31st Saturday 31st

The Glitter Bugs Burnt Orange Roy Peplow Band Rock of the Pops The Worried Men Cracklin Jack The Startled Monkeys Reactor One The Anthems The Mafia Fine Southern Gents

Febru February ary

Sunday 1st Friday 6th Friday 6th Saturday 7th Sunday 8th Friday 13th Friday 13th Saturday 14th Sunday 15th Friday 20th Friday 20th Saturday 21st Saturday 21st Sunday 22nd Friday 27th Friday 27th Saturday 28th

Stone Pig Cover Ups Monster The Herbz TBA Monkey Butlers The Mighty Fly TBA Scarlet Ghost Pond Life Hazzard County Amy Winehouse Tribute Louise (Blondie Tribute) Punk Pirates Four Play Carnage Ian Hunt

The Carisbrooke The Bird The Hoeford The Carisbrooke The Bird The Bird The Bird The Bird The Carisbrooke The Hoeford The Carisbrooke

Gosport Fareham Fareham Gosport Fareham 6pm Fareham Fareham Fareham 6pm Gosport Fareham Gosport

The Bird The Bird The Carisbrooke The Hoeford The Bird The Bird The Carisbrooke The Carisbrooke The Bird The Bird The Carisbrooke The Carisbrooke The Hoeford The Bird The Bird The Carisbrooke The Carisbrooke

Fareham 6pm Fareham Gosport Fareham Fareham 6pm Fareham Gosport Gosport Fareham 6pm Fareham Gosport Gosport Fareham Fareham 6pm Fareham Gosport Gosport

ÂŠ Tim Stephens

Crossword Across 8 Travel in a wind-driven boat (4) 9 Tied (5) 10 Flesh from animals (4) 11 Signal with a flag (6) 12 Plentiful (8) 13 Tame (8) 15 The circle of colour around a nipple (6) 17 Like a phantom (7) 19 Engraving (7) 22 An obvious truth (6) 24 Planning (8) 26 A large arboreal boa (8) 28 An affront (6) 30 Weight-loss program (4) 31 Submarine (5) 32 A language of Pakistan and India (4)

Down 1 City in Italy (4) 2 Without fault or blemish (8) 3 Plague (6) 4 Rub (7) 5 A military assistant (8) 6 A tiny amount (6) 7 Sound an alarm (4) 14 Different (5) 16 Cloth made from flax (5) 18 Radiant (8) 20 Characteristic of country life (8) 21 Swordfish (7) 23 Motivate or prod (6) 25 Machines for lifting heavy objects (6) 27 French for "Black" (4) 29 Ore deposit (4)

Auto biographies Toyota RAV 4 swamped the Japanese automaker in the first four weeks alone, production volumes had to be doubled. To begin with, it was available only as a three-door with a 2.0litre petrol engine and either five -speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. Measuring just 3.96m long (little more than today’s Toyota Yaris), it was unlike anything else at the time.

manoeuvrability, ease of access, lofty view of the road ahead, ingenious packaging, versatility and reassuring capability, even when the going gets tough.

As a result, 2014’s RAV4 points towards an even stronger focus on family use. The result is a car that is more refined with better exterior styling, a more airy cabin and loadspace, greater comfort and higher levels of safety. The only drawback with the current RAV4 is the old-fashioned interior. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a major The public had an appetite for the new kid on the block, issue – but it is noticeable all the same. The car is undoubtedly however, and in 1995 RAV4’s luxurious, especially in ‘Invincible’ 2.2 first full year on sale – almost FAST FACTS PROS ‘N’ CONS 6,800 were sold, quickly D4D Auto guise, but the cabin still Spacious √ looks at least a decade old. It’s not establishing it as the fourth best Max speed: 115mph selling car in Toyota’s 14-strong poor quality or anything. In fact it all Punchy √  0-62 mph: 10.0 secs British line-up. looks very hard-wearing. It’s mainly Grip √  Combined mpg: 42.2 the switchgear that looks really  Engine: 2231cc 4 cylinder 16valve Driving Position √ dated. Twenty years on, and the RAV4 turbo diesel is almost unrecognisable. That’s  Max. power (bhp): 148 at 3600 rpm Dated Interior X Behind the wheel, much of that is because the compact SUV forgotten once the pure pleasure of marketplace has evolved and  Max. torque (Ib/ft): 250 at 2800 rpm matured in line with customers’ driving takes over. The RAV4 is  CO2: 176 g/km smooth and gracefully punchy. changing requirements and Indeed, its all-wheel drive capability preferences.  Price: £29,305 on the road is more sophisticated than ever Generally speaking, two decades ago, before. this type of car was regarded as a The 1994 Geneva motor show signalled the arrival of a new kind of substitute to sporty hatchbacks and Toyota’s Integrated Active Drive System has been developed to offer vehicle, one that would revolutionize coupes. Today its popularity is a more engaging “sport” mode, with the world motor market. At the time among families wanting a more fun gadgetry to automatically adjust the few people could have predicted the car over multi-purpose vehicles amount of twisting power distributed effect the Toyota RAV4 would make. (MPVs) and estates. between the front and rear axles. Over the years, Toyota has worked The initial ecreational Activity Vehicle hard to keep the model firmly at the It’s easy to see why the RAV4 was, and is, such a hit. It is undoubtedly heart of its segment, without with 4-wheel drive (hence RAV4) thanks to this car that the SUV opened up a new sector for compact, forfeiting the entertaining-to-drive market developed from a niche to quality that defined the original manoeuvrable sport utility vehicles become a vital feature of the RAV4. (SUVs). motoring majority. When it came to creating the latest model, Toyota talked to existing Toyota had unpresumptuous aspirations for its new car, expecting RAV4 customers around the globe to worldwide sales of only around 4,500 understand what was best about their car. They named its models. When 8,000 orders 14

By Tim Barnes-Clay, Motoring Writer

www.carwriteups.co.uk

@carwriteups

PRIMROSE

The primrose is a sign in the UK that spring is starting to sprung!

Many varieties bloom in the spring or summer but the English Primrose makes a pretty choice for some winter colour, being one of the first perennials to bloom. Indeed the word Primula

derives from the Latin word for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;earlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; so their name implies earliness. Some species only have one flower per stem whilst others have dome shaped or rounded clusters of flowers on each stem. Most varieties need good drainage.

Prices include Fi ng Good Underlay Grippers Door bars & Disposal of old ďŹ&#x201A;oor

It’s a long held business fact that employees and staff members who work together as a team tend to turn out better products and better results as well as be more content at work. Indeed, an excellent working environment is tantamount to happier clients and bigger revenues for the business as a whole. Simply put, happier employees mean more profits.

In the Picture

will have. Today, many companies are starting to realize how important it is to provide their employees an environment where they feel welcome and appreciated even the most jaded of employees. and they are starting to offer them the things that they need to feel that way. At the end of the day, having beautiful and interesting artwork in the office will not only elevate your employee’s moods From open work areas that get rid of but it will spur them to talk about the art those dreaded cubicles to more itself, a team-building stroke of genius. It comfortable and attractive furniture, will also let them know that their feelings businesses all over the country are beginning to change their work and appreciation for the finer things in life There are several trends today however that are making it more and more difficult environment so as to change the attitude really do matter, something that will make and aptitude of their employees. One of coming to work a little more enjoyable. for employers to keep their teams together and happy. One of the biggest of the biggest changes that’s being By Gita Joshi, AWAD. www.orsomajor.com these is the trend of working from home seen is the addition of beautiful, but the old standby of dreary cubicles and interesting and thoughtprovoking artwork to common big, blank white walls are also hazardous to your employee’s happiness. Frankly, it’s work areas, lunchrooms and meeting rooms. hard enough to get people to come into work these days and, once they get there, Art of any kind has the ability to it’s even harder to keep them happy and motivated. increase someone’s enjoyment level of any location and, since To that end, social psychologists have many people spend the majority been saying that the more open, inviting of their time at work, placing artwork into any business can and friendly the work environment the better the results and the higher the immediately elevate the mood How art can improve teamwork and increase the productivity of motivation the people who work there

P lanning Matters A monthly round up of planning applications submitted since 1 December 2014 GOSPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL REF

LOCATION

PROPOSAL

STATUS

14/00635/FULL

Ancrum 4A Palmerston Way Gosport Hampshire PO12 2LZ

Erection Of Single Storey Front Extension With Balcony Over

Pending Consideration

14/00622/FULL

9 Beatty Drive Gosport Hampshire

Erection Of Detached Garage And Office

Pending Consideration

14/00633/FULL

9 The Paddock Gosport Hampshire PO12 3PZ

Erection Of Part Two Storey/Part First Floor Front Extension

Pending Consideration

For more details visit http://www.gosport.gov.uk/welcome/

National Trust The days and weeks following the anticipation, excitement and festivities of Christmas and New Years Eve can feel a little flat. Perhaps you want to burn off the Christmas calories and kick start your New Year’s resolutions. Help is at hand from the National Trust to get outdoors and enjoy an exhilarating walk. Many of the beautiful gardens and countryside spaces the National Trust cares for in London are open from Boxing Day onwards, offering the perfect opportunity for winter walks in picture-postcard landscapes. So, wrap up warm and experience some outdoor delights, from avenues of frost-covered topiary to ice-rimmed lakes, slow misty rivers to high energy sports challenges: To help you decide where to visit, we’ve come up with our top winter wonders in London: Join in a park run at Osterley Park in Isleworth. Taking up running is the ultimate New Year’s resolution. The 5K park run at Osterley takes place every Saturday morning. It’s free, open to everyone and takes place on safe, car-free pathways around the National Trust park, with beautiful views of the mansion and lake. If you prefer cycling, then take

Top Winter Wonders in London

part in the Evans Cycles Ride It! which sets off from Osterley Park on 11 January. The gardens, parkland and café are open everyday at Osterley, with a natural play area for kids in the grounds. So if your other half is more into fitness than the rest of the family, come and treat yourselves to some lovely family time, while they wear themselves out. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/osterleypark

weather. Morden Hall Park, near Wimbledon, is free entry and has paths running through a large countryside estate in the heart of South London. Try going out for a gentle jog whilst the kids scoot or cycle, then warm up in the café afterwards with a hearty stew or soup. There are also pocket-money priced gifts in all our shops and little bags of old-fashioned sweets, in case any extra incentives are needed.

Go on a romantic winter walk at Ham House and Garden. This Stuart palace near Richmond has formal gardens, topiary and tree lined arches that look magical in the frost, especially with grand backdrop of the house and the river Thames. The atmospheric cellars of the house are open and you can warm up with a hot drink or lunch in the Orangery café, or pick up some gifts in the shop. The garden, below stairs, café and shop are open 7 days per week and the house is open for tours from 23 February. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse

The café at Morden Hall Park is open daily www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mordenhall-park

Get the family out of the house at Morden Hall Park, near Wimbledon. There comes a time in the winter when you can’t snuggle up on the sofa any longer and you just have to get out, whatever the

Meet up with friends for a walk around the lake at Claremont Landscape Garden, near Esher. See the island and pavilion, grotto and many viewpoints and vistas. There are hidden features to enjoy such as the children’s play area and the thatched cottage. Don’t miss the Camellia Terrace, which is a mass of blooms from December to May. Claremont Landscape Garden and its tea room are open every day in January and February. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ claremont-landscape-garden

The National Trust is an independent charity and all profits generated by visits help to pay for the care and conservation of some of the country’s most beautiful and historic places. For further information about days out with the National Trust, please see: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

South Foreland Lighthouse —National Trust

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Book Review Boa’s Bad Birthday by Jeanne Willis Illustrated by Tony Ross It was Boa’s birthday. All his friends came round to bring him presents so he was very excited. But as he started to open them it becomes apparent that his friends haven’t really thought about what he would like or indeed what might be suitable. Tony Ross’s illustrations are full of colour and movement (children will be familiar with his pictures from the Little Princess series) and older children will understand the absurdity of the situation Boa finds himself in. There’s also a nice moral to the story – that present you thought was awful might just turn out to be the best thing ever so always say thank you.

Boa’s Bad Birthday

OPERATION CYCLE SAFE Bikes continue to be stolen in the Borough. People with less expensive bikes can sometimes become complacent. Divisional commander, Chief Inspector Jim Pegler has deemed it to be one of the policing priorities for the area and appointed PC 3489 Celine Bowen (Gosport SNT) to take the lead in combating this issue, entitled ‘Operation Cycle Safe’. The aim is to target thieves and deal with them in a robust manner, in conjunction with raising awareness amongst cycle owners about the importance of adequate security measures. In the new year PC Bowen and her team aim to hold a number of events across the town, promoting Operation Cycle Safe. Dates and locations are yet to be confirmed. These events will entail the distribution of cycle safe packs containing information on ‘Immobilise’ (a website Hampshire police recommend for the registration of property), UV marker pens and stickers. It will also allow cycle owners the opportunity to purchase high quality cycle ‘D’ locks at a reduced price and have their cycles coded. Police urge people to ensure their property is kept secure at all times, including sheds and garages. Complacency is the number one issue in relation to burglary and theft. Once dates and locations are issued Gosport Neighbourhood Watch will advertise them on their facebook page and website.

Don’t forget to follow us on

www.gosportnhw.co.uk Tel: 023 92583637 To contact the Police phone 101 or in an emergency 999

It’s all child’s play On a crisp cold day, with gloved fingers keeping the cold at bay and the sun warming noses and cheeks, there’s something really thrilling about venturing out in fresh snow. If you’re like me, you may even be tempted to create snow angels or start a snowball fight. But I wonder if the same is true on chillingly cold damp grey days, when all but the most stalwart adult would rather stay snuggled up indoors? For children their keen interest in just about everything outside seems to protect them from the cold and damp, much like the Ready Brek ad of my childhood. If you have children then at some point you too will probably have felt the need to explain to strangers their lack of coat when you’re wrapped up from the cold like Michelin man! Children, unlike adults, show little awareness of the cold and given something exciting to do, can play absorbed in low

temperatures for hours. Adults however, myself included, are much less likely to respond enthusiastically when cold which makes me wonder if it is the adults rather than the children in nurseries and schools, who need the protective clothing! So if the right clothes and being absorbed in something are key, here are some ideas for fun things to do on those cold grey winter days:



Make a mud pit as this is great for splashing in; experimenting with consistency for creating mud pictures; mixing up hearty concoctions with old pots and pans; and of course, making mud pies.



Freezing February Fun

sliced citrus fruit in transparent plastic takeaway containers. Add a loop of string for hanging, fill with water, put the lid on and leave to freeze over night. Freezing accentuates the colours in the leaves, berries and fruit creating a truly mesmerising display guaranteed to melt even the frostiest heart!

Sue Gascoyne

Fill an old ice cube tray with mud and leave outside overnight to freeze in the freezing temperatures. Turn the mini bricks out for lots of building fun. Add small world figures for firing imagination.



If you don’t fancy getting messy, make frozen mini ice bricks instead to build igloos with.



If it’s damp and cold outdoors then why not create a fire pit for charcoal making, toasting of marshmallows and warming chilly fingers by the fire? Share a flask of hot chocolate for the best snack ever!



Make ice sculptures to hang on the trees. Simply arrange holly and other foliage or

Sue is a published author and educational consultant and therapeutic play practitioner. She is the founder and Creative Director of Play to Z Ltd, specialist providers of award winning Sensory Play resources. To find out more about Sue’s latest research and resources go to; sue@playtoz.co.uk www.playtoz.co.uk 01206 796722

Classes held at Stubbington Community Centre

Sensei Says I was asked recently why I teach karate and it occurred to me that not only has it become a way of life, but in the years I've undertaken what many may consider to be a chore, being committed to scheduling life around being at the dojo for every class whilst avoiding those things that might interfere with classes it struck me that I just totally enjoy it. After all it doesn't appeal to many! Then it dawned on me that the rewards are immense. Some of my best friends I have around me in life are people I've trained with, trained under or have actually taught since they were very young themselves and who now have very young families attending the dojo (I hasten to add at this point, i was the youngest instructor in the UK when I started teaching!) Seeing people change and grow more confident in life is exactly the reason I do what I do. That first day when they walk through the academy door shy, reserved and quite frankly almost scared to enter the dojo and progress and flourish into respectable, assertive and healthy members of the community cannot be more reason to welcome students to begin training. Over the years many have asked me to stand as a referee in everything from scout badges, university applications, military applications and even as God Father to their children! How humbling is that?! Although it always makes the hairs on my neck stand up with pride when asked to do these things, it still remains only part of why I do what I do and I can see why teachers take the path they taken. Teaching children has to be THE most rewarding job in the world. Being a mentor, role model or merely someone to aspire to be has to be the biggest compliment anyone can be given. I know parents, employers or coaches aren't supposed to have favourites but hey, if I'm honest, teaching infants has to be the highlight of all my weekly classes.

They're fun, full of energy and if I could bundle all those random little funny sentences they come out with into a book I'd have enough to fill a library, after all children say things how they are, albeit sometimes not quite in context to what's being taught but hey at the end of a long day in my full time job it does make me smile.

It's a given that there is a healthy respect and I've never doubted that their skills would be used in unprovoked public use but in the dojo it's a different playing field and quite honestly one that keeps me feeling like I'm in my twenties! With so many positives, why wouldn't you want to teach?

It's those moments that only a teacher gets to experience, so when I hear people say teaching is a job they'd avoid like the plague, I absolutely disagree. Although my juniors are equally exciting to train, they are of course slightly older and therefore more self conscious of their peers and surrounding which sadly limits the amount of times I get have moments that make me smile (or chuckle inwardly) but being energetic, enthusiastic and keen to learn still makes for the reason I'm in class too. As students gets to that teenage part of their lives, my life in the dojo takes a bit of a challenging turn. Despite the respect students have for their Sensei (and visa versa) there comes a point in almost every students karate career where they knowingly but respectfully what to show me that the student has surpass the Sensei (obviously none have succeeded ... Yet!) All my students know that I train as hard as them so when I partner a cadet for sparring and they're standing in front of me with that look in their eye that says "tonight is MY night to show Sensei I am amazing" i can tell that I'm in for a lively time! I have to admit, it does keep me on my toes but letting my guard down even for a split second will absolutely let them fulfil their ambition.

Sensei Rob Wood is a Fourth Dan in GojuRyu Karate and has taught children and adults for over 20 years in his dojo in the UK South Coast.

Health

the Harcombe Way

The truth about fat

5) Dietary advisers don't know their fats from their elbow! How often are we told to consume olive oil and to avoid red meat? Olive oil is pure fat – it contains no water, protein or carbohydrate. In 100g of olive oil 73g is monounsaturated fat, 14g is saturated and 11g is polyunsaturated (trace elements make up the rest). Pork is 75g water, 21g protein, 1.8g monounsaturated fat, 1.5g saturated and 0.5g polyunsaturated fat. So, olive oil has 25 4) Only one food group contains more times the total fat of pork and over 9 times the saturated fat content. Bet saturated than unsaturated fat Dairy products are the only food group you didn't know that! with more saturated than unsaturated We are told to eat oily fish and avoid red meat. Mackerel has twice the fat. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and even lard – all have more unsaturated overall fat of sirloin steak and one and than saturated fat. Not that any real fat a half times the saturated fat. 1) Fat is utterly life vital is better or worse than any other, but There are three fats: saturated; 6) Fat has not made us fat just to set the record straight. monounsaturated and The average UK person consumed polyunsaturated. We would die 51.7g per person per day of saturated If you think that Mother Nature is without these fats and we must fat in 1975 and 28.1g in 1999. Intake of trying to kill you – by all means avoid consume them in our diet. Fat provides dairy produce. But you have no reason all fat, butter, meat, whole milk and the two essential fats (omega-3 and to avoid any other real food – offal, red eggs fell. Dramatically in some cases – omega-6) and the four fat soluble meat, seafood, eggs etc. And you had the UK eats half the number of eggs vitamins A, D, E and K. From eyesight to better eat over 200g of fish (with that we used to and one fifth of the bone density to cell viability to blood bones) daily (or 39 eggs!) to get just the butter and whole milk. During this time health – every fat soluble vitamin is obesity increased from 2.7% for men vitamin D, let alone the calcium and and women in 1972 to 22.6% for men utterly vital for our survival. phosphorus, so vital for bone health. and 25.8% for women in 1999 – almost a tenfold increase in obesity, as 2) We need to eat more fat The UK government’s own data saturated fat intake all but halved. confirms that we are dangerously deficient in fat soluble vitamins. The UK 7) Saturated fat has never even been Recommended Daily Allowances on trial (RDAs) are inexplicably low compared In the 1984 document that first to American nutritional standards. The demonised saturated fat, the following average UK citizen is getting 2.78mcg confession is made: “There has been no (micrograms) of vitamin D from controlled clinical trial of the effect of household food. The UK RDA is a paltry decreasing dietary intake of saturated 5mcg. The USA upgraded their RDA fatty acids on the incidence of coronary from 10mcg to 15mcg in 2011. Hence heart disease nor is it likely that such a UK citizens are getting half the UK trial will be undertaken.” requirement for vitamin D, or one sixth They may be even more astonished to of a much wiser minimum. It’s no know that the trial has still not been wonder that the UK has seen a redone nearly 30 years later. The UK emergence of rickets in children. Food Standards Agency admitted in 2009: “The ideal controlled dietary trial 3) Every food that contains fat for prevention of heart disease has not contains all three fats... yet been done and it is unlikely ever to ... there are no exceptions. Meat, fish, Thirty years ago we demonised ‘fat’ – saturated fat especially. Only it wasn’t fat that we demonised. We called biscuits, cakes, confectionery, crisps, ice cream, pastries, pies, savoury snacks etc “saturated fat”. They are, of course, junk food; predominantly carbohydrate and, perhaps surprisingly, invariably containing more unsaturated than saturated fat. Nutritional gold mines – meat and dairy products – were put on the same list, rather like lumping Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker together. They could not be more different. So let’s state some facts about fat and I mean real fat – not processed food or carbohydrates or anything else that we have got terribly wrong...

eggs, dairy products, avocados, oils, nuts and seeds – all of these foods contain all three fats – saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. The only thing that varies is the proportion of each fat. It is therefore impossible to avoid one fat and consume another. This alone makes nonsense of the idea that saturated fat is bad and unsaturated fat is good – why would they always be found together, without exception?

“It is impossible to avoid one fat and consume another”

be done.” Common sense should tell you that the experiment doesn’t need to be done. Nature didn’t provide food, containing all the essential fats, protein, vitamins and minerals that we need for survival and then lob in something harmful at the same time. Will biscuits, cakes, confectionery, pastries etc make you fat and sick? I have no doubt. But they are not fats – they are junk food carbohydrates. If you think that 60% of the few grams of fat in your steak are trying to save you while the other 40% is trying to kill you – may the force be with you!

Zoë’s books (“Stop Counting Calories & Start Losing Weight”, “The Harcombe Diet Recipe Book”, “The Harcombe Diet For Men”, Why do you overeat? When all you want is to be slim” and “The Obesity Epidemic: What caused it? How can we stop it”) are published by Columbus Publishing Ltd and are available: on Amazon; in all good book shops and online at www.theharcombedietclub.com Zoë writes regularly on her blog at www.zoeharcombe.com

Remarkable relationships Questioning your comfort zone

find what it is that you want to move towards, for a ‘towards’ motivation is far stronger and far longer reaching than an ‘away from motivation’. ‘Away from’ motivations diminishes So, how do we break this cycle of the as we move away from the cause whereas ‘towards ‘motivations will comfort zone? Where can we find always keep us moving in the right the confidence to break out of the direction. When I explored it more I found that familiar place and rebuild our selfesteem in all areas of our lives? I am our comfort zone is our zone of familiarity and as soon as I heard that, a great believer in turning and lean- So, once you have seen what you ing into a situation rather than trying want to move away from the next the old proverb, familiarity breeds question is what do I want to move contempt sprang in to my mind. We to move away from it. So the first towards. In identifying that, and thing you can do is simply often stay in this zone of familiarity because it is something we know and acknowledge where you are in rela- allowing yourself to feel how good it will be once you are there, the next tionship to your comfort zone. Ask yet I have found working with my thing is to identify one very small yourself just how comfortable is it? clients that they firstly don’t like Is it really where you wish to stay or thing that begins to move you out of what happens there and they don’t is there some other place that would the familiarity zone and into the feel very good about themselves stretch/growth zone. Then you are actually be more truly comfortable, either. on your way and as you grow in conand more importantly be inspiring? So, not only is the comfort zone actu- By doing a reality check we often find fidence you will find that the contempt you felt for the place you ally not comfortable at all but it also that in fact we are not where we thought was your comfort zone (and would consciously choose to be, undermines our self-esteem. We for yourself for being there) disaprather it is simply that we haven’t start to feel stagnant, displeased pears and you become an effective with our lack of progress and then, as really questioned the status quo. force once more in your life. Once you do that, and are honest we feel less and less good about ourselves, the ability to make chang- enough to see that there are things es diminish. It is like a no win cycle, in your life that are not working, they and we get even further entrenched will become so uncomfortable that you will feel the impulse to make into the zone of familiarity. changes. Jessica McGregor Johnson, an international Now interestingly this can be differspeaker, guide & mentor and author of “The We are motivated by two things – ent for different areas of our lives. Right T-Shirt, Write Your Own Rules and Live the We can consistently move our of the either because we want to move Life You Want” and “Remembering Perfection – away from something or because we Everyday Inspiration for Living Your Spiritually”. ‘comfort zone’ in our relationships but hang back when it comes to our want what we can move towards. She helps people who are at a crossroads in their life, knowing that there must be more Sometimes it is useful to identify work. Whereas we may address all meaning than they currently feel, discover what you want to move away from, manner of tricky subjects with our themselves anew, identify their true passions, and taking an honest look at your partner when it comes to talking and live them, whether it be in their work or comfort zone will begin to give you honestly and openly with a work personal life. You can read the first two chapter the impetus to be different in your colleague or approaching someone of her book here http:// own life. However you also need to who we really feel would be a great How comfortable are you in your comfort zone? Interesting question isn’t it, because this term is used widely to talk about the space we mainly operate in. It is also said that to grow we need to leave our comfort zone and stretch.

to do a project with, we hang back because we don’t feel good enough. The familiar discomfort zone has robbed us of our confidence.

www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com

We are always looking for volunteer drivers, so if you have some spare time, your own car, enjoy driving and would like to help your community, please contact the GVA office on 02392 583836. Driving Force is a transport service provided by volunteers using their own cars to transport people who are older or disabled. The service is used by people in the Gosport community who do not have access to their own transport but need to attend medical appointments or would like to visit a social club or go shopping. Public transport is often not an option for an older or disabled person and our volunteer drivers understand the needs of their clients and drivers are all checked by the Disclosure & Barring Service. A small donation of 45p per mile is suggested to cover the driver`s basic petrol costs plus any car parking charges. If you would like to check if you qualify for the service and book a trip, please call the Bookings Co-ordinator on 07722 743 217 or email: drivingforce@gva.org.uk.

Practice being healthy to be healthy

The Health Boss

Health doesn’t magically happen does not mean never indulging in after a 3 day detox. your vices again. It means implementing daily detoxing and A break in your schedule, where you stress relieving practices to maintain submit to a day or so of not indulging your body’s ability to cleanse, calm in any of your regular daily ‘not so and heal itself. healthy’ indulgences is not going to set you up for long-term health. If you are about to undertake a detox or retreat, make sure you commit to You may have all the intentions in taking home what you’ve learnt and the world of this being your new implement it. Even if it’s only one start, but unless you take the new thing! If you just want to start techniques you learn during this practicing being healthy today, here health kick and implement them in are two key practices that will set your daily life, your daily life will not you up achieving everyday health: change. Glowing daily health will not be any closer. Before you know it Start the day will a glass of warm you’ll be looking to start your new water and lemon. This will provide daily support for your liver, helping it normal again… and so it goes on. remove toxins from the body To break this cycle, you have to practice being healthy – daily. This Consciously breathe. Inhale deeply

through your nose and exhale deeply through your mouth, slowly and consciously. This will help pump toxins through the lymphatic system while eliciting a parasympathetic response that de-stressors the body. Start practicing to be healthy today and remember, detoxing should be done daily, not just for a weekend.

Kristin is based in sunny Australia and is the creator of Health Boss and designer of Salad As The Main Meal. She shares her expertise on how you can become your own health boss whilst living a high-paced, time poor lifestyle. She is a firm believer that despite how successful you are, you will never truly feel it unless you have the health to match it.

Time to Pause

Why reflecting is an important part of goal setting As the year draws to a close we naturally turn our attention to the year ahead. Planning, dreaming and creating start to dominate our thoughts as we look forward in anticipation of what the next year will bring, both in personal life and our careers too.

As one year ends it’s natural to look ahead, but what about looking backwards too? I’m going to be controversial here and say that I don’t believe traditional goal setting always works. Why? Well one of the reasons I believe traditional goals don’t work is that they usually only focus on the future. I know that it sounds a bit strange, after all isn’t that what a goal is? A place in the future you want to reach? Yes! But I’ve learned that if you want to make your goals really

stick you need to reflect backwards to help you move forwards. How many times have you sat and written goals that sound just like this; Buy X, reach Y, achieve Z. The missing step in goal setting is reflection.

avoided entirely going forward.

Were there any themes or patterns to your highs and lows?

To best reflect on the past year, try asking yourself these three questions:

So lets dive in a bit deeper to that statement. The real key of What gave me most joy last year? reflecting is that it helps us to inform our future goals and set them with a more realistic and When did I feel most out of place balanced approach, taking into last year? consideration past effort, positive Danielle Marchant had a long work history as a highly feelings, negative experiences successful executive coach in the corporate industry until and outcomes. Mapping the highs life gave her a wake up call – burnout. After learning that goals and ambitions could be just as happily achieved when simply allowing the body and mind to pause, she and lows of your past year is a adapted her coaching style with both personal and great way to see what you value corporate clients to flow rather than fight against the ups and downs of life. Danielle has coached hundreds of most and what gives you the people to adapt to this methodology in her renowned most joy. This can also be a tool Pause Retreats and is a regular contributor for online publications such as 30ish me, We Are The City and to help you understand which Smarta. areas need a little work, or to be

the Wealth Chef “Don’t toot your own horn”, “Don’t boast!” “Hide the good things in your life so you don’t make others feel bad about their lives” “Don’t take more than your fair share”.

success and receiving all the good in our lives openly and with joy. Time to shed the shame around:

not having it; having it; being in debt; not being in debt; not knowing how money works; and knowing how money works and making So here I am, financially free, living the it work hard for you Being successful life of my dreams, with wonderful experiences, people and opportunities Not being successful Being pretty flowing in my life - and a part of me believes I need to hide that and Not being pretty pretend I don’t have all this. Perhaps I Having a wonderful loving relationship have too much good in my life. Perhaps Not having a wonderful relationship I’ve been greedy. Catch 22 meets One Flew Over the At a young age we connect a gambit of Cockoo’s Nest. emotions such as feeling worthy, lovable, happy, as well as feeling guilt, Please indulge me a bit here. It’s time shame and inadequacy to things to shed the shame around money, outside of us. Things like money, relationships, success, intellect, or our physical I used to feel shame about not having money and so I pretended I had it, believing that once I had the money, I would no longer feel ashamed.

appearance. We then spend our time and energy pursuing the emotions we want and running from those that make us feel bad, believing that when we are wealthy enough, successful enough, pretty enough, fit enough, clever enough those “bad” feelings will disappear and just the “nice” ones will remain. Here’s The Doozy - The Double Bind The Real Kicker Our pursuit is futile. The solution is not outside of us. Only when we realise there is nothing we need to (or indeed can) do, create, be, or have to make us worthy; can we actually do, create, be and have all we dream of. Doing, being, creating, having, contributing, taking, experiencing... have absolutely nothing to do with our worth. We just are! When we can fully embrace this, when we can fully accept the truth that our worth will never come from outside of ourselves, when we de-couple our selfworth from our money, relationships, success, body shape and achievement that is when it all starts flowing beautifully. That is when we free ourselves to just play at this wonderful thing called life and pursue the money, relationships, success, intellect and fit healthy bodies because we can!

Ann Wilson is a multi-millionaire with a difference. Today Ann is a woman with a mission and a big message for the World as ‘The Wealth Chef’. The Wealth Chef International works with people all over the world, bringing much needed wealth education and hope to thousands from every walk of life. Ann is a sought after money expert and speaker by large corporations. She is also a regular on International radio and TV having been featured on 702 Radio, Kaya FM, Classic FM, Power FM, SABC and CNBC.

the legal eagle exaggerations won't help. Make a sketch of the area, showing the location of the pothole as best as possible. This is particularly important if there is more than one pothole, as saying you hit "a pothole" without being able to identify the exact one won't help you. Note also the lateral position of the pothole, 1. Who can I sue? The Local Authorities throughout the i.e. was it in the wheel tracks, near UK are responsible for the roads that the edge of the road, etc. ii) You now need to know fall within their area (if they have been adopted by them). This means certain information about the road that if you damage your vehicle due and how the Local Authority looks after it. Only the Local Authority will to a road being in a bad state of know this so you need to ask them. repair, you can turn to the relevant There is a law known as the Freedom Local Authority that is local to the road in question and ask them to pay of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information for the repairs. Regulations 2004 and under these laws you are entitled to any 2. What does ‘adopted road’ information (usually free of charge) mean? that is held by a council or highways This means that the Local Authority agency about a road and the safety has taken responsibility for it. On most occasions this will be the case. inspections of it. Armed with these laws you need to send the Local By way of example, when a new Authority an email with the heading housing development is built the 'Freedom of Information Act roads on the site usually belong to Request for Information'. the developer who purchased the land, whilst the development is in Your email needs to identify the road progress. On completion the Local Authority will then ‘adopt the road’. and ask the following questions: a. Dates of all safety inspections undertaken on the carriageway in 3. How do I make a claim? the two years preceding the date of To make a claim follow these steps: your incident i) Gain as much information as b. Details of all carriageway defects identified during safety inspections in you can on the pothole you hit as the two years preceding your soon as possible after you hit it. As long as it is completely safe to do so, incident take photos using something such as c. Details of how carriageway safety inspections are undertaken, including a ruler to give an idea of scale, and whether walked or driven, the speed measure the width and depth of a pothole. of the inspection vehicle and the Keep it as number of persons in the vehicle. accurate d. The intended frequency of carriageway safety inspections. as possible - e. Details of all complaints and/or enquiries relating to the carriageway, received in the two years preceding

Over the past few weeks I have received lots of emails from readers asking if they can sue anyone if they drive into a pothole and it damages their vehicle. The simple answer to this is yes, here’s what you need to know:

Claiming compensation in relation to potholes your incident. f. The hierarchy classification. g. The road/section number. h. The defect intervention criteria adopted in relation to the identification of all categories of carriageway potholes (in other words, this means how they define a pothole as requiring attention) i. The time period(s) adopted between identification and repair (temporary and permanent) of all categories of carriageway defects. j. Whether or not the authority has formally adopted all or part of the standards contained within the national code of practice for highways maintenance management. Obtaining answers to these questions is important as under section 58 of the Highways Act (another law governing roads) Local Authorities can avoid paying compensation to people who have damaged their vehicle after driving over a pothole if they can show that they have taken reasonable measures to ensure that problems such as potholes are found and dealt with swiftly. iii) Armed with the information that you have received from the Local Authority send them a letter and make your claim. Don’t be surprised if they reject the claim to start with. If this happens write back and demand that they look at your claim again.

For more information visit Dean’s FREE legal and consumer website: www.consumeruk.co.uk

Martin Lewis @MoneySavingExpert

Savings rates are spit-worthily low; but it could get even worse as the UK base rate doesn't look likely to rise till late 2015 and 'swap rates' - which influence fixed saving rates - have plummeted recently. Yet there are weapons in a saver's arsenal most don't use them, it’s time to change that. As an aside, before you start saving, do pay off any expensive debts, as they’re costing you more than saving will pay you. This is often true for mortgage too – read my full www.mse.me/mortgageoverpay guide to see if it’s worth it.

next best, and so on.

Use the savings fountain to boost your savings

because you need to put cash in each month, you'd need to trickle The top tier... earn up to 5% easy it across from your top savings -access via 'bank account' account anyway - hence why it's savings. Some bank accounts' in- second. credit rates now smash easy access savings accounts and ISAs. - Bank linked 6% regular They're done as a loss leader to savings. If you’re a First Direct entice new banking customers bank customer, it offers a linked yet if you're prepared to switch regular savings account at 6% account, you gain. Aim to cover AER fixed for a year - you need to as much as possible at decent put £25-£300 in per month and rates. can vary that each month. The - Earn 3% AER on £3,000-£20,000: Lloyds current account has a With the www.santander.co.uk similar linked account at 4%. 123 account. There's a £2/mth - Anyone can earn 3.05%. The fee, but this is usually more than www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk covered as it also pays cashback Regular Saver pays 3.05% AER My savings fountain is designed on bills. variable if you pay in £50 to £250 to maximise your interest on - Earn 4% AER on £4,000-£5,000: every month for a year. every penny of your cash. It With the www.lloydsbank.com works because different types of Club bank account. Got more? Pour it into a cash ISA - Earn 5% AER for a year on savings have different rules on 2.6% tax-free with access. Cash how much you can put in and £2,500: With the ISAs are just savings accounts when. Think of it like a www.nationwide.co.uk FlexDirect where the interest isn't taxed (so champagne fountain - put your account. you keep all of it). Anyone over cash into the best-paying savings - Earn 5% AER on up to £2,000: 16 in the UK can put up to vehicle possible, then when that's With the www.tsb.co.uk/ Classic £15,000 in an ISA each tax year (6 Plus bank account. full and overflowing, fill up the April - 5 April) and once in, it stays tax-free year after year. Next trickle into regular With fixed-rate cash ISAs, unlike savings... save normal savings, you can access monthly to earn the cash within the term - though up to 6%. you'll lose some interest in Regular savings penalties. Yet even if you accounts often withdraw early, these can still be pay high interest winners. as it's only on a small amount for a short time. While the top rate's slightly more than bank accounts,

Naturally good.. Pecan crusted chicken breast stuffed with roasted butternut squash and goats cheese served with a white wine and pancetta cream sauce 1. Pre heat the oven to 380F/180c.

Ingredients for 4 servings: For the stuffed chicken 4 chicken breasts 170g butternut squash (peeled and diced) 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme 100g soft goats cheese Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 250g toasted pecans, finely chopped 3 free range eggs, beaten 50ml olive oil For the sauce ¼ white onion (finely diced) 4 slices of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, chopped 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme 1 clove garlic, crushed 180 ml double cream 120 ml dry white wine 4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated

2. Place the butternut squash onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven to bake until cooked through and starting to turn golden brown; this should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes. 3. Using a small knife, make an incision into the side of each chicken breast. Move the knife around horizontally inside the breast to create a pocket for the filling. Try to keep the incision no wider than an inch in length to keep the filling from spilling out when cooking. 4. Fill each breast with equal amounts of goats cheese and butternut squash by pushing them through the incision. Close the incision with a cocktail skewer. Save some roasted butternut squash to garnish the tops of the chicken breasts when they are cooked. 5. Sprinkle each filled breast with the chopped thyme and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. 6. To prepare the pecans take whole pecans and pulse them in a food processor until they resemble course breadcrumbs. 7. Beat the eggs with ¼ tsp of salt (which helps to break down the egg making it easier to dip the chicken in) and place the chopped pecans into a bowl. Then dip each cutlet into the egg mixture and then the pecans and make sure they are well coated. 8. Place the chicken breasts onto a tray drizzled with olive oil and then drizzle each breast generously with more olive oil and season once more. Place into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. 9. Garnish the escallops with the remaining caramelized onions and freshly chopped parsley, don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewers before serving! 10. To make the sauce start by sautéing the pancetta or bacon until crispy and then add the onions and cook through until softened. At this point add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for another minute to release the flavors. 11. Add the white wine and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Then add the cream, parmesan and seasoning. Continue to simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

12. To serve, place each chicken breast onto a serving plate (don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewer) and spoon over the sauce. Top with some of the remaining butternut squash Ryan Turner, real food and low-carb and some roughly chopped pecans and a sprinkle of parsley. chef - www.thefoodbible.com 65

Lucy’s recipe corner

RASPBERRY ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS 300g frozen raspberries 100g sugar 150ml cream METHOD Great for lunches or a mid afternoon You don’t need an ice cream maker for this easy recipe and snack! if you fancy substituting the raspberries for another berry thenisyou can!recipe for little hands as it involves no This a great cooking but provides some great chopping practice.

Put the frozen raspberries and sugar into a

Carefully blender.dice the lamb into small pieces and pop into a mixing bowl.

Whilst it’s running, slowly pour in the cream and mix it up until it’s really well combined.

Add the lime zest and juice, mint and yoghurt.

Give it a good mix up with a wooden spoon then add the and it tomatoes. Youcucumber can serve immediately or freeze it. The

mixture lasts for up to one week.

Use some of the shredded lettuce to fill half of each pitta. Then scoop in the lamb mixture to fill the rest.

The scene is set, the time is right To join us here for Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s night Perhaps a meal and a bottle of wine With your special Valentine!

8:30pm start