8 minute read
HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Chefaholic Chefaholic
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Chefaholic Cooking SchoolA PADDOCK TO PLATE COOKING EXPERIENCE FOR ALLA PADDOCK TO PLATE COOKING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
•250ml Pureed pumpkin (room temperature) •50 ml warm water •1 tsp Salt •1 Tsp sugar
Method For further information please contact:
www.chefaholiccookingschool.com
PUMPKIN BREAD Duck à l’orange A paddock to plate cooking experience for all
Ingredients
•1 x 2kg whole duck •1 Tbsp olive oil •150g butter •500g plain flour •100ml Grand Marnier •2 tsp dry yeast. • • • 50ml vinegar 50g castor sugar Juice of 3 oranges •Pepitas and sunflower seeds (optional) •6 oranges
Method
1. To make pumpkin puree you will need a cup of Clean and pat dry duck, chopped pumpkin and enough water to cover it. heat butter in fry pan large
Either boil on the stove top in a saucepan or place in enough to hold duck and a microwave on high for 8 to 10 mins.fry duck for approximately 2. When the pumpkin is soft use a blender to process 5 minutes. it. Stand aside to cool. Place duck in oven for *These next steps can be done with a bread maker on approximately 45 minutes dough setting. on 180°C basting as you go. 3. In a bowl place the 50 ml warm water, sugar and Turn heat down to 160°C yeast together. Mix and set aside until frothy, or and cook for a further 30 about 10 mins. 4. In a larger bowl place the flour and salt. Make a well For further information please contact: E: P: in the centre and put in olive oil, cooled pumpkin puree and the yeast mix. Mix together and turn out onto a floured bench top and knead for 10 mins, if chefaholic.tas@gmail.com 0407 175 720 or 0448 820 367 dough is sticky add a bit more flour. Set aside for www.chefaholiccookingschool.com half an hour or until doubled in size. Knead again for 10 mins and set aside for another half an hour. 5. When dough has risen again flatten out slightly and sprinkle pepitas and sunflower seeds onto the dough. Form into the shape of loaf you want, containing the seeds on the inside. 6. Set aside again to rise for 40 mins. 7. Set oven to 195oC 8. When dough has risen again, brush the top with water and sprinkle on more seeds. 9. Bake for 20 – 30 mins, depending on shape of loaf. 10. Bread is ready when it is golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when you tap it with 11. your knuckles. Let cool a bit then eat! Enjoy
CREAMY, CRISPY
IngredientsMUSHROOM PASTA
minutes. Remove from Ingredients oven and cover with Grand Marnier and cook for a • further 5 minutes.4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil • Remove from oven and 500g mushrooms, sliced into bite-size pieces strain all liquid into a • Salt pot, add in vinegar, sugar • and juice of 3 oranges and reduce until a nice 2 medium shallots, finely chopped • consistency. 500g spaghetti or fettuccini • Meanwhile peel and cut Half a cup of heavy cream • oranges and prep with no One third of a cup of finely chopped parsley • skin or seed. When sauce is nearly ready add segments Zest and juice of half a lemon • to sauce and warm - do not 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces • let oranges break down. Half a cup of parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving Carve duck and cover • with sauce and arrange Freshly ground black pepper Method segments. Enjoy! 1. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high. Cook half the mushrooms in a single layer, undisturbed, until edges are brown and starting to crisp (about three minutes). 2. Give mushrooms a toss and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until all sides are brown and crisp (about five minutes more).
Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate; season with salt. Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil and mushrooms and more salt. 3. Reduce heat to medium-low and return all mushrooms to the pot. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until shallots are translucent and softened (about two minutes). 4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente (about two minutes less than package directions). 5. Using tongs, transfer pasta to pot with mushrooms and add cream and one cup of pasta cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and cook, tossing constantly, until pasta is al dente and liquid is slightly thickened (about three minutes). 6. Remove pot from heat. Add lemon zest and juice, parsley, butter, half a cup of parmesan, and lots of pepper and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt if needed. 7. Divide pasta among bowls and top with more parmesan.
Jo Cordell-Cooper can get you up to speed
Hiking faster
Jo Cordell-Cooper
HIKING can be enjoyed at any age and stage; I’ve always said that. But on a recent winter hike into the Central Highlands, I was surprised at how quickly a strong and savvy hiker overtook me and left me in their dust.
I’m still feeling quite capable all things considered, so I pondered – was she extraordinarily swift, or had I become slow? I think the truth is a combination of both.
As a personal trainer in my 50s it was easy for me to reflect on how I’ve been hiking lately and why I might be so much slower. My dog is aging, and my hiking buddies now are social and steady.
So, what to do about this? Can I train so I’m able to keep up with my younger and fitter hiking buddies? The answer is yes! Here’s what to do to improve your walking speed:
First, ditch the dog – not every day, but take a few 20-30 minute walks weekly where you can walk faster. Regardless of your age if you frequently walk fast and push it on some hills or stairs, even for shorter hikes your body will become accustomed to this.
Little efforts add up. On hills and the flat allow the heart rate to rise and then rest. Push, rest, push, rest – that’s the way to build cardio strength as well as muscle endurance, so there is your first strategy. By rest I mean walk a bit slower – don’t stop completely!
Secondly, resolve any longstanding injuries. I had a long-standing hamstring and glute strain, and this had made me walk with more caution. Often even when injuries are resolved we retain a more careful way of moving and I had been doing this.
So, by allowing adequate recovery and then re-strengthening my glutes and hamstring I regained my hiking fitness and speed. By adding some squats and lunges to my workout improved my strength and confidence that the injury would not flare.
Thirdly, head off with some fitter hikers. This challenged and motivated me to keep up and boost my cardio fitness.
I had noticed my hiking buddy whom I met in Nepal was letting me go first which is a social and kind thing to do so we can walk and talk, talk and walk. But this was not getting me fitter and faster. Mostly we ambled along side by side, but at times I let her set the pace (and tried to keep up).
Even as you age your body is incredibly adaptive to the way you move and train. Even if your fitness and way of moving is slower than it once was, fitness can improve at every age and stage.
Jo Cordell-Cooper is Jo CC Holistic PT. She offers beginner Friday NIGHT Hikes (weekly) on the Eastern Shore, and regular intermediate half-day hikes. Check out her website at https://jocc. com.au/hiking for more information, or phone 0409 86 2206.
What is ‘the gap’ in healthcare costs?
AS an inpatient in hospital, you are likely to hear about a fees gap (also known as patient payments or out-ofpocket expenses) and it’s important to understand what this means.
What is the gap?
There are fees charged for hospital accommodation, surgeons, tests, anaesthetists and other expenses as a private patient.
Medicare pays a set amount for each treatment or procedure as listed in the Australian Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS). As a private inpatient, Medicare will pay 75 per cent of the MBS cost. The remaining 25 per cent is paid by your health insurance if you are covered, or by you.
Your doctor may charge more than the MBS cost. The gap between the MBS and the doctor’s charges has to be met by you, and cannot be claimed against health insurance.
How can you reduce the gap?
While paying for our health is worthwhile, there are ways to reduce the gap and minimise your expenses.
Most of us are not used to ‘shopping around’ for medical providers, but you certainly can and it may save you a lot of money. Research has shown there is not a direct relationship between higher medical costs and better providers, so don’t feel you have to pay a larger gap to be well cared for.
At HCi, we have relationships with a number of doctors and private hospitals around the country who charge a lower gap for our members. Some doctors will not charge you a gap at all, while others will ensure you know the gap ahead of time and will not change that cost.
Remember that you are entitled to ask your doctor about costs, including asking your GP to refer you to a non-gap specialist or surgeon.
