Get ready to fuel your body, mind and gut with the ultimate combination of nutritious ingredients in our Super Food Detox Salad! This salad packs a punch with semi activated almonds and kale, we think, two of the healthiest and most flavourful ingredients you can find.
These almonds are a step up from regular almonds. Soaking them removes phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors, making them easier to digest and allowing the body to absorb all the goodness, like healthy fats, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Kale is the king of leafy greens and for sound reason. It's loaded with the good stuff, including antioxidants, vitamins K, A, and C, and minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium. Plus, its high fibre content make it a top choice for anyone looking to maintain a healthy diet.
So, dive into the Super Food Detox Salad and get ready to feel your best!
Ingredients:
2 cups blanched chopped kale
1 cups chopped raw broccoli
1/2 cup soaked raw almonds, chopped
1 finely chopped chilli
1 cup cooked black pearl barley (cooled)
1/2 cup roughly chopped coriander
1 avocado, cubed
1 lime, juiced
Maldon sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Blanch the kale for a minute or two in boiling water, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove the kale from the water and squeeze out any excess moisture.
Remove the stalks from the kale and chopped into 1.5 cm pieces.
In a large bowl, mix together the blanched kale, raw broccoli, activated almonds, chopped chili, black pearl barley, coriander, and avocado.
Squeeze lime juice over the salad, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss everything together until well combined. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Post Script:
To properly soak your almonds, put them in a bowl and cover with filtered warm water. Let the bowl sit on your countertop overnight or for 8-12 hours. Then, drain and rinse the almonds and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
We love a chopped salad and live for freshness and health - this is our version of a traditional Greek salad. We've popped some Meredith goats cheese on the top because we love it!
There will be a great line-up of some of Tasmania's best designers, makers and artists ready to show their latest work at our upcoming event at the elegant and historic Hobart Town.
The event brings together a unique range of product which often is hard to access, and meeting the maker directly, definitely adds to the experience”, stated Linda Fredheim one of the event organisers. "2022 has been a better year for many of Tasmania’s designers and makers but with borders opening and closing, and interstate events being cancelled or closing unexpectedly, it's been tricky for many artists and designers to decide where to focus their creative energy. Everyone has had to adapt and just takes things as they come"
There will be lots to see and purchase from a mix of past exhibitors and some new faces including Andrea Barker, Benita Vincent, Christine Hannan, David Pannell, Duncan Meerding, Emily Snadden, Hermie Cornelisse, Leigh Rigozzi, Linda Chee, Linda Fredheim, Paul Allen, Penny Malone, Prue Quarmby, Rachel Dean, Svend Madsen, Tanya Scharaschkin, Till Julien and Zsolt Faludi
The event kicks off with drinks and nibbles on Friday night at the official launch event which kicks off at 5.00pm. Bookings not necessary but entry may be restricted due to venue capacity
Here's a snapshot of just some of the work that will be on show....
The Negroni is, quite simply, a perfect cocktail. With equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, it couldn’t be easier to make, proving that, like sisters, luck and Musketeers, the best things really do come in threes.
Bitter, sweet, dry, and refreshing all at once, the carmine-colored cocktail has developed a reputation as a summer mainstay, but the truth is there’s never really a bad time to whip one up.
Ingredients
30ml Hellfire London dry gin
30mlCampari
30ml vermouth rosso
Directions
Add the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker.
Those who know me know that I am one of many Pisceans in our friendship group and so for the month of March we tend to eat with friends a lot. We discovered this darling salsa during one of our impromptu Birthday dinners, we’d been eating so much over previous days we all felt like we needed something a little bit fresh to go with our Birthday champagne! It was perfect!
Ingredients:
6 peaches ripe but firm peaches
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 red cayenne chilli, minced
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped into 1 cm pieces
2 limes - juiced
1 pinch Maldon salt flakes
Handful chopped fresh coriander leaves
Directions:
Heat a char grill pan on medium-high heat and add a little olive oil.
Cook peaches for 2 minutes each side or until they have the nice char lines on them from the pan.
Cool for 2 - 5 minutes.
Cut into 1cm pieces.
Combine the cayenne chilli, red onion, tomato with the peaches.
No confusion here - we love a little olive brine in our martini - that puts us firmly in the dirty camp, but for martini purists out there, there is no shame in being perfect.
Martinis, like a classic white shirt - need personal touches to make it your favourite and ‘go to’ for cocktail night.
This easy, elegant cocktail combines dry gin, vermouth and green olives
Ingredients: (Serves 2)
140ml London dry gin
25ml dry vermouth
6 green olives, pitted, plus 25ml of the brine
ice
Method:
Put two martini glasses in the fridge to chill.
Thread the olives onto two cocktail sticks and set aside.
Fill a shaker or mixing glass with the ice, then pour in the gin, vermouth and olive brine. Stir until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
Strain the mix into the chilled glasses and garnish with the olive skewers.
OR if you prefer to be perfect, the following might be more your style.
Ingredients: (Serves 1)
60ml vodka or gin
1 tbsp (15ml) dry vermouth
olive or lemon peel to garnish
ice
Method:
Chill your glass.
Stir the gin or vodka, dry vermouth and a little ice together or put them in a cocktail shaker to combine.
Strain into a chilled martini glass. Serve with an olive on a cocktail stick or a twist of lemon peel.
This version of a green juice is my favourite. Refreshing, energising and clean, drinking this is an incredible way to start the day. Kale is full of calcium and antioxidants and when juiced with a bit of lemon, apple and ginger and a hit of refreshing mint, it turns into a sort of grassy lemonade.
Ingredients
5 large leaves of kale 1 large green apple 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger 3 sprigs of fresh mint
1 lemon, juiced
Serves one.
Push the kale, apple, ginger and mint through your juicer and finally add the juice of your lemon. Pour into a glass and drink immediately.
We find that our lime tree provides us with so many limes over Winter that is has become a yearly tradition to enjoy a margarita or two in the depths of a Tasmanian chill. I like to crank the heat up and pretend it's summer - call me a denialist - but it gets me through the cold.
Equipment A shaker Cocktail glass
Ingredients 2 parts blanco Tequila (we used Espolon - mainly for the pretty label) 1 part Cointreau 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice Salt
Cubed ice
Directions 1.Chill your glass 2.Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass before rolling it in salt. 3. Put a handful of ice and all of the ingredients into a shaker, then shake hard for about 30 seconds to chill the liquid really well 4.Strain the mix into the glass being careful not to disturb the salt rim.
Perhaps not one for a zoom meeting during the day, but this is just about our favourite weekend ISO drink; it is so fresh, so easy to make and has just the right balance of bitter and sweet.
Once only found in the back of Grannie's booze cupboard - white port is making an appearance in our weekend cocktails. The people of Porto drink it with tonic, but given they invented it, we might follow their lead.
To serve 3 people you will need:
- Dry White Port - 1 Grapefruit - Soda Water - Mint - Ice - Low ball glasses or tumblers
Make sure your port and soda water are well chilled.
When you are ready to make the drinks, fill your glasses with ice, then take a hefty slice of grapefruit and squeeze it over the ice. You want the pith to give up some of its oil and a decent slug of the juice in the glass.
Fill the glass about three quarters full with the port, give it a quick stir with the fruit wedge and top with a head of soda. Garnish with mint to serve.
We love this cake because it is easy to make and everyone raves about it. It is robust too! This cake will travel well wrapped in foil and be a marvellous treat at the end of a hike or picnic.
2 oranges 6 free range eggs 250g caster sugar 250 g almond meal 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon bi carbonate of soda 50 g best quality cocoa powder
Cocoa to dust.
Preheat your oven to180 degrees C and prepare a 20 cm round lined tin.
Simmer oranges on stove top for two hours. Cool slightly. (You can also pressure cook them for 12 minutes)
Cut the oranges in half and take out as many of the seeds as you can. Add the oranges and the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until combined. Don’t over mix - it can be nice to see some chunks of orange peel as you cut the cake.
Pour the batter into the tin. Bake for one hour. Check after 45 minutes to stop it getting too brown on the top. If it is too brown, cover the top with foil and keep baking.
Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and cool in the tin.
Remove from the tin and dust with cocoa.
Serve with double cream if you like, but also delicious by itself.
A play on the traditional shakshuka, this flavourful, bright green dish is going to be your new favourite breakfast for dinner.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch Swiss chard, cut into ribbons
½ teaspoon salt
6 free range eggs
For the paste:
1 cup roughly chopped parsley with stems
1 cup roughly chopped coriander with stems
2 red chilies, seeds removed
2 leaves Swiss chard
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup water
½ teaspoon salt
To serve:
mint leaves
chili flakes
flatbread or pita
1. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, leeks, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and soft (about 5 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, add parsley, coriander, red chili, 2 Swiss chard leaves, ½ cup olive oil, ⅓ cup water, and salt to blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Add Swiss chard to skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Once chard has wilted, combine the herby green paste into the skillet, and stir until well combined.
4. Lower heat and use a spoon to create 6 small wells; crack an egg into each well and cover with lid. Let sit for 4 to 6 minutes until whites of eggs are cooked.
5. Serve with mint leaves, chilli flakes, salt, and your favorite flatbread or pita.
Research reveals that environments can increase or reduce our stress, which in turn impacts our bodies. What you are seeing, hearing, experiencing at any moment is changing not only your mood, but how your nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are working.
The stress of an unpleasant environment can cause you to feel anxious, or sad, or helpless. This in turn elevates your blood pressure, heart rate, and muscle tension and suppresses your immune system. A pleasing environment reverses that.
Nature heals
Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, and stress and increases pleasant feelings. Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it contributes to your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. It may even reduce mortality, according to scientists such as public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell.
Research done in hospitals, offices, and schools has found that even a simple plant in a room can have a significant impact on stress and anxiety.
Nature soothes
In addition, nature helps us cope with pain. Because we are genetically programmed to find trees, plants, water, and other nature elements engrossing, we are absorbed by nature scenes and distracted from our pain and discomfort.
This is nicely demonstrated in a now classic study of patients who underwent gallbladder surgery; half had a view of trees and half had a view of a wall. According to the physician who conducted the study, Robert Ulrich, the patients with the view of trees tolerated pain better, appeared to nurses to have fewer negative effects, and spent less time in a hospital. More recent studies have shown similar results with scenes from nature and plants in hospital rooms.
Nature restores
One of the most intriguing areas of current research is the impact of nature on general wellbeing. In one study in Mind, 95% of those interviewed said their mood improved after spending time outside, changing from depressed, stressed, and anxious to more calm and balanced. Other studies by Ulrich, Kim, and Cervinka show that time in nature or scenes of nature are associated with a positive mood, and psychological wellbeing, meaningfulness, and vitality.
Furthermore, time in nature or viewing nature scenes increases our ability to pay attention. Because humans find nature inherently interesting, we can naturally focus on what we are experiencing out in nature. This also provides a respite for our overactive minds, refreshing us for new tasks.
In another interesting area, Andrea Taylor’s research on children with ADHD shows that time spent in nature increases their attention span later.
Nature connects
According to a series of field studies conducted by Kuo and Coley at the Human-Environment Research Lab, time spent in nature connects us to each other and the larger world. Another study at the University of Illinois suggests that residents in Chicago public housing who had trees and green space around their building reported knowing more people, having stronger feelings of unity with neighbors, being more concerned with helping and supporting each other, and having stronger feelings of belonging than tenants in buildings without trees. In addition to this greater sense of community, they had a reduced risk of street crime, lower levels of violence and aggression between domestic partners, and a better capacity to cope with life’s demands, especially the stresses of living in poverty.
This experience of connection may be explained by studies that used fMRI to measure brain activity. When participants viewed nature scenes, the parts of the brain associated with empathy and love lit up, but when they viewed urban scenes, the parts of the brain associated with fear and anxiety were activated. It appears as though nature inspires feelings that connect us to each other and our environment.
Too much time in front of screens is un-natural
“Nature deprivation,” a lack of time in the natural world, largely due to hours spent in front of TV or computer screens, has been associated, unsurprisingly, with depression. More unexpected are studies by Weinstein and others that associate screen time with loss of empathy and lack of altruism.
And the risks are even higher than depression and isolation. In a 2011 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, time in front of a screen was associated with a higher risk of death, and that was independent of physical activity!
get outside, look at an indoor plant, grow a garden
This recipe came from my darling sisters cookbook. Her name is Emma Dean and in 2013 she was on the telly in one of those cooking competition show (which she won by the way!)
Emma and I used to share a house a while back and one of my favourite things to do was cook with her. She is the best baker, and cook and so much fun to be around.
You can check her out here, where you can find all sorts of wonderful cookery and baking treats.
Gingersnap Biscuits
Makes about 24
125 g unsalted butter 1 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup treacle (I used molasses in my batch) 1 free range egg 300g all purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon all spice Raw granulated sugar for rolling
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
To make the biscuits, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the treacle and egg. Sift in the rest of the ingredients (except the sugar for rolling), and mix everything until combined.
Pour the raw sugar onto a small plate or shallow bowl. Portion out dessert spoon sized balls of mixture and roll into balls. Coat the balls in sugar by rolling them around in the sugar. Place the balls on a lined baking tray and press down with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes for a chewy biscuit or 13 for a crunchy one.
Cool on a rack.
Enjoy with a cup of tea and Facetime with loved ones.
Maryam Ajayi, the founder of Indagba and Dive in Well, is hosting virtual breathwork classes over the next few weeks to help manage stress and anxiety and to stay grounded during the coronavirus outbreak. Ajayi is offering the classes for free and is accepting donations.
We adore anything by Robin Wall Kimmerer but if you are after a quintessential taste of who she is, Braiding Sweetgrass is a book we can't go past. If you indulge in audio books you'll experience her soothing voice, that heals as it informs.
Drawing on her life as an indigenous scientist, a mother, and a woman, Kimmerer shows how other living beings offer us gifts and lessons, even if we've forgotten how to hear their voices.
Coronacast is a podcast that helps to answer your questions about coronavirus or COVID19. We break down the latest news and research to help you understand how the world is living through an epidemic.
We think everyday is a day to acknowledge our heroes in the post-punk and goth music scene that just so happen to be women. These ladies are not only brilliant musicians and artists, but also cultural pioneers.
SIOUXSIE SIOUX
Siouxsie and the Banshees’ debut single “Hong Kong Garden” was a game-changer. Released on August 18th, 1978, the Steve Lillywhite-produced song created a sound that everyone took inspiration from. This invariably caused lazy journalists would then begin the sexist epidemic of writing off most women daring to be as creative as Siouxsie as sounding exactly like her—which no one did!
Meanwhile, in Germany, Nina Hagen made her debut with singing in a hybrid style of opera and punk with “TV-Glotzer” (a cover of “White Punks on Dope” by The Tubes), developing a persona whose influence reverberates to this day.
NINA HAGEN
We would be remiss if we were not to mention the importance of Debbie Harry, Nico, and Patti Smith, who preceded post-punk and goth by a generation. We also do not want to overlook punk singers like Poly Styrene, whose classic punk anthem “Oh Bondage Up Yours!” set the tone for the feminism to follow.
Each of the women listed below is selected from the original generation of artists that came out in the late 70s and 80s, and has undeniably made an important contribution to post-punk and goth, so much so that there deserves to be a book on the subject.
ANJA HUWE (XMAL DEUTSCHLAND)
ELIAZABETH FRASER (COCTEAU TWINS)
LISA GERRARD (DEAD CAN DANCE)
LYDIA LUNCH (TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS)
VIV ALBERTINE (THE SLITS)
GRACE JONES
ANNE MARIE HURST (SKELETAL FAMILY AND GHOST DANCE)
Global warming, plastic pollution, societal inequality, female education in the developing world, the plight of asylum seekers, animal rights – whatever you’re passionate about, there’s a cause that could use your voice.
It’s been said that we’re now entering Generation ‘A’ – the era of the activist. People are starting to understand that, to truly create change, we have no choice but to make activism part of the fabric of our daily lives.
For many, the term ‘activist’ will conjure images of people marching down city streets with placards or chained to trees; but while these more radical acts of civil disobedience are admirable, they are certainly not the only ways to be heard. In these modern times, let’s look at some alternative ways to use our choices and voices to drive change.
1.
First, get clear on the issues that matter to you.
These days it’s hard to get to the end of a news bulletin without feeling a sweaty, breathless panic sweep in. With problems so wide-ranging in geography and scale, it can lead to a sense of existential dread and one lingering question: where on earth do you start? (Literally.) The official term for this train of thought is ‘eco-anxiety’ and let’s just say, it’s a mood.
The problem with anxiety is that it can quickly atrophy into apathy – and then no one wins. Before this sets in, make your new mantra: “You can do anything, but you cannot do everything.” Instead of becoming overwhelmed by all the things, choose to start small (preferably local) and focus on an issue you’re passionate about. Keep your eyes open and see what grabs you. Is it a local development proposal that might affect you? Or is rubbish building up in your nearest creek? If something moves you, start to learn what you can do about it and then take action to get involved in the solution.
2.
Start conversations with companies.
With conscious consumption on the rise, it’s clear that consumers understand the power of rewarding companies that ‘do the right thing’. We’ve got the memo to vote with our dollar – however, so often we forget the important final step: to be explicit about the reasons we choose one business over another.
It’s an undervalued act of everyday activism to open lines of communication with brands and underline the issues that influence your decisions, ergo their bottom line. Companies pay big money for market research and are therefore generally receptive when you offer it for free.
While most companies have feedback pages on their sites, social media can also be a powerful forum. By conversing in a public (but positive) way, you open up an opportunity for other consumers to learn, ask and communicate their own concerns. It also provides a great opportunity to give publicity to companies that have taken an ethical stance.
Here’s a simple template you can use to get the ball rolling: “Hey Company A. I really love that your competitor Company B doesn’t use palm oil in their corn chips, which is why I always choose to buy them. Can you please tell me if you have plans to phase it out in the future?”
3.
Host a movie screening with meaning.
We’ve all seen one of those documentaries – films that entirely and irrevocably change the way you see the world. You find yourself unable to stop thinking or talking about them and you’re desperate to find a partner in conversation to help digest your feelings.
Given most of us love a trip to the cinema, why not host a community screening where people who are actually interested in the topic can opt to watch it? Not only are they easy to organise, but it’s a great way to meet like-minded locals and fellow activists.
Most filmmakers provide plenty of information on how to screen their documentaries. Many local councils are supportive of these sorts of community events, and local halls and libraries are cheap to hire out. If you want to go the whole hog, there are also on-demand film services, such as Demand Film or FanForce, that allow you to propose an event at a local cinema and crowdsource a viewing. You’re in charge of the promotion (posters outside schools and shops work a treat), and if you sell enough tickets they’ll screen your movie. If not, they won’t; it’s zero risk. Most cinemas also have equipment you can use if you want to host a Q&A after the film (another fantastic way of meeting local legends). My current recommendations would be 2040 and Peloton Against Plastic – both inspiring watches that will stoke the hope of anyone who sees them.
4.
Invest your money wisely.
We’ve all heard of clean eating, but what about clean money? Just as ethical eating requires us to consider the true impact of the food on our plates (from production to packaging), ethical banking asks us to pursue the same line of enquiry with our finances.
Despite being such societal stalwarts, financial institutions can often still feel enigmatic. Their role in environmental, social and cultural issues often isn’t obvious to customers, but as Bank Australia explains, “a truly responsible bank can make society better because where people and organisations put their money has a big impact on the world”.
The reality is that banks are a vital cog in the fight against climate change and other issues. They can use your money to fund sustainable industries or, on the flipside, they can use it to support practices you are totally opposed to – a new coal mine here, an intensive farming operation there – without you even knowing it. And many of the big banks in Australia do fund these types of industries.
When choosing a bank, it’s important to consider the industries it supports and how transparent it is about it. Bank Australia is a bank with ‘clean money’, as they refuse to invest in industries that do harm, such as fossil fuels, intensive animal farming, live exports, gambling, arms or tobacco. If in your everyday life you would never dream of supporting these industries, find a financial institution whose values align with your own so you can put your money where your mouth is.
5.
Join the Fashion Revolution.
Just six years ago it might have been possible to walk past a clothing store and its racks of impossibly cheap garments without too much extra thought. However, that all changed on 24 April 2013 with the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, in which 1134 garment workers were killed. The despair of it all and our consumer culpability inspired Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro to co-found Fashion Revolution – a movement demanding better working conditions for those vulnerable to being exploited in the name of fast fashion.
Now, every April, you can take part in a digital flash mob demanding transparency from brands regarding the manufacturing of their clothes. All you need to do is tag a clothing brand’s social media handle in a templated ‘Letter to the brand’, which asks the million-dollar hashtag – #WhoMadeMyClothes?
Since its inception, millions of people have taken part in the revolution and shown that consumers care about the rights and safety of garment workers. It has led to real, lasting change within the industry, with many brands becoming more transparent about their supply chain, including Marks & Spencer, Levi’s and H&M.
6.
Write a letter to your local MP.
We’re blessed to live in a democracy where we have the opportunity to vote and make our voices heard – but often we forget the power of using our words. While it may seem like no big deal, writing a letter is a powerful act. It’s even been estimated that one letter has the impact of 50 emails saying exactly the same thing.
Every geographical area in Australia has an MP who represents them in parliament – if you don’t know yours, a quick google will shed some light. From there, you’ll easily be able to find their website, which should clearly state their values and key objectives, as well as their postal address. In your letter you can briefly introduce yourself, letting them know you live in their electorate, and explain the reason you’re writing to them – for example, you’re concerned about a proposal that will destroy a local wetland or you want more money invested in renewable energy.
Voice the reasons you think this would be a mistake (maybe choose to focus on the social, cultural, environmental or economic importance of this issue), and ask them a question about it. End the letter by saying you’re looking forward to hearing from them.
Hey presto! You’ve started a relationship with your local member, who has a direct line to the House of Representatives. For the parents among us, you could get your kids to write their own letters at the same time for some added oomph.
7.
Tell friends what you’ve done.
In 2018, Greta Thunberg was just a 15-year-old girl sitting by herself outside the Swedish parliament building. Just over a year later, she led the largest climate strikes the world has ever seen. Before she commenced her strikes, she worried that she was just a little girl, too small to make a difference. Well, it turns out that even the smallest stone can cast ripples that are felt around the world.
You are just as powerful as Greta. If you feel strongly about an issue, start talking to your friends about it. Tell them what you’re doing and why it’s important to you. Invite them to join you. If enough of us stand up for the things we believe in, it might just make a world of difference.
A Slavic workshop of stylists and photographers called Treti Pivni (translates as Third Rooster) have decided to bring back one of the more amazing Ukranian traditions by giving it a new meaning. They’ve produced a portrait series of modern Ukranian women dressed in traditional Ukranian floral headdresses.
According to the tradition, these headdresses were worn by young, unmarried women to show their “purity” and marital eligibility. Now though, the artists are using them as a reminder of Ukrainian identity in rough times the country is going through. With continuing political and actual physical pressure from Russia, the country faces serious threats to its integrity and unity is needed more than ever.
As model Nadiia Shapoval told Vogue Magazine: “I think we are coming back to floral themes because fashion is starting to react on wars that we are having around the globe. We need some tenderness.“
We just love a mid week movie night! Here are some delicious snacks to share with loved ones while watching your favourite or new favourite movie.
Coco Pop Corn.
This salty, sweet, chocolaty combination works well with the subtle nuttiness of the coconut oil. This is the perfect treat for the sugar freak.
SERVES 4 1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup coconut oil, melted ½ cup organic popping corn 2 tablespoons cocoa powder ¼ cup coconut sugar ¾ teaspoon salt
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large metal pot over medium-high heat. 2. Add 2 corn kernels to test the oil temperature, cover with the lid (leaving it slightly ajar), and cook until the kernels pop. (When they pop, the oil is ready.) 3. Add the popping corn and cook with the lid slightly ajar, shaking the pot every 30 seconds or so, until almost all of the corn has popped (you’ll know because there will suddenly be much longer breaks between popping sounds). Cover with the lid and turn off the heat while you prepare the seasoning. 4. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder, coconut sugar, and salt. 5. Place the popcorn on a baking tray and drizzle with coconut oil. Toss to coat evenly, then sprinkle the cocoa mixture all over, tossing again to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Vegan Cheesy Pop Corn
Nutritional yeast is an absolute favourite in our kitchen - delicious vegan cheesy goodness that packs a wonderful flavour punch!
SERVES 4 1 tablespoon + ¼ cup sunflower oil ½ cup organic popping corn 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast ¾ teaspoon salt
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large metal pot over medium-high heat. 2. Add 2 corn kernels to test the oil temperature, cover with the lid (leaving it slightly ajar), and cook until the kernels pop. (When they pop, the oil is ready.) 3. Add the popping corn and cook with the lid slightly ajar, shaking the pot every 30 seconds or so, until almost all of the corn has popped (you’ll know because there will suddenly be much longer breaks between popping sounds). Cover with the lid and turn off the heat. 4. Place the popcorn on a baking tray and drizzle with sunflower oil. Toss to coat evenly, then sprinkle the nutritional yeast and salt all over, tossing again to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
Olive Oil and Herb Pop Corn
We love using hearty herbs like thyme and rosemary in this recipe (giving them a rough chop helps release their essential oils before you add them to the hot popcorn), but you can play around with other aromatics, like toasted chilli flakes, lemon zest, or fennel pollen.
SERVES 4 1 tablespoon + ¼ cup olive oil ½ cup organic popping corn 1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon rosemary ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large metal pot over medium-high heat. 2. Add 2 corn kernels to test the oil temperature, cover with the lid (leaving it slightly ajar), and cook until the kernels pop. (When they pop, the oil is ready.) 3. Add the popping corn and cook with the lid slightly ajar, shaking the pot every 30 seconds or so, until almost all of the corn has popped (you’ll know because there will suddenly be much longer breaks between popping sounds). Cover with the lid and turn off the heat while you prepare the seasoning. 4. Roughly chop the herbs and combine with the salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. 5. Place the popcorn on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and herb mixture. Toss to coat evenly.
Happy 101st birthday to "Hidden Figures" mathematician Katherine Johnson. One of the earliest women to join NASA, Johnson's skills in celestial navigation were renowned. Among other mathematical feats, she calculated -- by hand -- the launch window and trajectory for the 1961 space flight of Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon. For her contributions to the space programs and for blazing a trail for women and African Americans at NASA, Johnson was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian award, by President Barack Obama in 2015.
NASA also dedicated a research building in Johnson's honour at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. At the dedication ceremony, "Hidden Figures" author Margot Lee Shetterly observed: "At every fork, her talent, her hard work and her character pulled her toward her destiny. At every turn, she made a choice to become the protagonist in her own story and then of ours... You work changed our history and your history has changed our future.”
To share Katherine Johnson's extraordinary story with children and teens, 'A Mighty Girl' have showcased the best books on her life and impact for all ages in our new blog post athttps://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=20192
Greta Thunberg has won the GQ Game Changer award for her tireless dedication to global activism, all before sailing off on a zero-carbon yacht to New York City. Is there anything she can’t do?
It’s sometimes hard to believe that Greta Thunberg is only 16 years old! After rising to mass-media fame through her inspirationalTED Talkand countless appearances at critical climate-change protests, this inspiring teen’s tireless efforts have been officially recognised by popular publicationGQ magazine.
Noting Greta’s efforts to encourage global action on climate change, GQ have decided to commend Greta with the first ever Game Changer Award, at the GQ Men Of The Year Awards 2019. According to the magazine’s Editor-In-Chief, Dylan Jones: “The Game Changer Award was created for Greta Thunberg. Her fearless dedication to raising awareness of the global climate change crisis makes her the absolute embodiment of this award and on behalf of GQ we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate her at the upcoming GQMen Of The Year Awards.”
If that wasn’t quite enough achievement for Greta, the trail-blazing teen has embarked upon azero-carbon sailing excursionfrom Plymouth to New York City, in the hopes of demonstrating her unshakeable passion for living a sustainable life. The yacht journey will see Greta voyage through the Atlantic seas, alongside her father and two crew members, in order to save the carbon emissions otherwise polluted by such a journey taken via aeroplane.
In a speech at her shoreline press conference prior to the sail, Greta told her audience: “There’s always going to be people who don’t understand or accept the united science, and I will just ignore them, as I’m only acting and communicating on the science” adding that her mission’s purpose was “to do everything I can to tackle climate change which was a very big problem”.
The yacht is powered by solar panels to facilitate communication and lighting, whilst underwater turbines help generate zero-carbon electricity, helping sustain the 18 meter yacht throughout Greta’s journey. An inspiring young activist, whom encourages you to makesustainable changesin your everyday life – a true Game Changer if ever we did see one!
I've been listening to Clare Press and her wonderful podcast for a while now. Clare interviews and has incredible conversations with important and interesting people of our time - she talks all things fashion and environmental.
Each week, Clare interviews designers, change-makers, academics, creatives and fashion insiders about fashion, ethics, the environment and sustainability.
Clare Press is the presenter of the Wardrobe Crisis podcast and Australian VOGUE's Sustainability Editor-at-Large.
A passionate advocate for the circular economy and sustainable, ethical fashion, she is the industry’s go-to journalist on the subject, globally.
Her book, Wardrobe Crisis, How We Went From Sunday Best to Fast Fashion (Nero), was named one of the Best Books of 2016 by The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald.
if you are at all interested in fashion and how it impacts our lives and the planet we live on, this is a pod cast for you.
Thank you Clare for creating such a wonderful thing.
Every 7 hours a woman is diagnosed with ovarian cancer in Australia.
In 2016, two days before my 43rd birthday one of those women was me.
And despite my recent life events I consider myself lucky. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who love and care for me, I am lucky that my life afforded me time and space for treatment and healing and I am lucky that Tasmania, a place I’ve called home for only 7 short years has some of the best and most caring health care professionals in the world.
Like most women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer - I exhibited no symptoms, well no symptoms from the ovarian cancer any way. My cancer was discovered during an unrelated surgical procedure and soon after that my journey into cancer treatment began.
Through out this journey I’ve met some truly incredible human beings, human beings who also happen to be medical professionals. Prior to ovarian cancer I would see a GP every two years for a routine pap smear, which by the way were all normal. After each clear result I would proudly stick the letter on the fridge like a piece of primary school art or a great exam result. The medical world was one I that I viewed from afar and one that I didn’t think I would be so involved in as a patient at my age. The surgery that unexpectedly uncovered my ovarian cancer was the first time that I had been in hospital as a patient.
I was told of my cancer diagnosis on 16th of March 2016.
The next day I met with gynaecological oncologist Penny Blomfield and on that day a whole classification of new words, medical definitions would apply to me: words like debulking, chemotherapy, oophorectomy, hysterectomy, serous.
I celebrated my birthday on the 18th of March with my close friends and sisters who flew in from Melbourne. We drank a lot of champagne.
Seven days after my initial diagnosis I underwent major surgery to remove my uterus and ovaries.27 pieces of pathology along with 14 lymph nodes were also taken. The procedure lasted five hours. I remember thinking how surreal this all is. And I remember waking up in recovery to my surgeon Penny looking down on me. She told me that things had gone well and that there wasn’t any visible cancer outside my ovaries and uterus - this was good news. I told her that I loved her, looked at her pearls and wondered if she wore them when she performed surgery. Word around town is that she did, or does. Even if this isn’t true, it’s an image that makes me smile when I think of it.
A few days later, while still in hospital, Penny told me that she was going to be away for a couple of days and that nurse Adele was going to be looking after me, Penny gave me her number and I put it into my phone. I liked her name, Adele. My mum was in the ward and she liked her name too. We both thought of this as a good sign. See when you are a cancer patent , you look for signs, things that give you hope.
Despite this good sign, I thought to my self, how is one nurse, one person, one woman going to make a difference to me and my healing. Surely she’ll be busy, she’ll have many of other patents, would she even know who I was?
But wow, was I wrong! I was wrong, because I learnt that one woman can make a difference, one woman can help you heal, one woman can be there for you, one woman can show you a clearer path. But here’s the thing, we can’t have a system where it is one woman, we need more. We need more women like Adele, like Penny, like my GP Elizabeth.
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all women’s cancers.
Each year in Australia approximately 1580 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and more than 1047 women die from the disease.
If women are diagnosed at an early stage, they have a 44% chance of being alive and well within five years of diagnosis. But there is no early detection test for ovarian cancer.
So while awareness is good and a very important step in the process of developing a deeper understanding of this disease, it is not enough. Awareness must lead to funding for research.
We need more research into this cancer that affects many women, a cancer that has a high mortality rate, a cancer that is difficult to catch early, a cancer that can be complicated to treat. More funding to develop early diagnostic tools, so that more woman with ovarian cancer can feel that they are ‘lucky’ to have caught this disease early rather that thankful that they have had a wonderful life.
NB. This is an an excerpt of a talk that was presented at a fundraising event a few years ago. I thought that I would be ready to talk about my experience publicly, but it turns out I was not. An event organiser read my speech out while I left the building for a bit.
