Eat

These tick all the (lunch) boxes! Nut free, egg free, freeze-able and full of goodness.  To up the nutritional value I’ve thrown in a few scoops of a chocolate flavoured, plant-based supplement; this can easily be substituted with drinking chocolate. Similarly, for vegan muffins the dairy can be substituted with almond, oat or soy milk. 3 medium ripe bananas, equal to 1 cup when mashed1 ¾ cups self-raising flour½ cup soft brown sugar2 tablespoons ‘Lovewell Grow’ chocolate supplement powder or/ 2 tablespoons drinking chocolate½ cup milk½ cup rice bran oil½ cup dark chocolate chips (optional) Line 12-15 cupcake tins with patty pans or baking paper.Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a potato masher until smooth. Add brown sugar, milk and oil, stir to combine. Sift in flour, chocolate powder and chocolate chips if using. Divide amongst cupcake tins and bake for 15 minutes or until the tops start to brown slightly. These freeze best on the same day that they are made. Allow to cool and freeze in reusable containers so they can be popped straight into lunchboxes.

MARKET MINI’S There’s nothing like the excitement of the hustle and bustle of new smells, flavours and people when you’re a kiddo exploring the wonders of the Adelaide Central Market for the first time. Actually, that’s a lie, even as adults we’re still not over the excitement of picking a cheese at The Smelly Cheese Shop or a shiny apple at The Organic Store. Now, you can enjoy a coffee and give the newest edition of KIDDO Mag a flick while your little one enjoys one of the new Mini Market Sessions at Adelaide Central Market. The new program for preschoolers has been designed by Sprout Cooking School in a fun and engaging way to help the very littlest market-goers understand more about the food they eat. The dietitian-designed program aims to help kiddos glow, go and grow while empowering them to make great food choices themselves, as they make their way into the school years. The sessions are approximately 20 minutes in a drop-in format so that parents and carers can chillax close by while their Market Mini discovers the wonders of using seasonal fruit and vegetables to create a simple dish they will get to enjoy afterwards. Yes, that’s right, no more here comes the broccoli train trick. Teach them to love fresh produce in a more engaging way that they can put into practice and be proud of themselves. The recipe will change weekly and will include dishes such as a yoghurt trifle and seasonal vegetable dippers. Suitable for 2 to 5 year olds and is FREE for Market customers. Launching from 4 February 2020 and continuing every Tuesday morning from 10:00am to 12:00pm during the school term. Visit on Tuesday 4 February for freebies and giveaways! Bookings not requiredMore information: adelaidecentralmarket.com

The weather is warm and fresh fast meals are back on the menu! This zesty salsa also works with pork, chicken, prawns and other types of fish such as barramundi and swordfish. If seeing the ingredients mixed together will result in a resounding ‘NO!’ from your little ones you can always leave their portion of the salsa ingredients solo allowing them to pick and choose the vegetables they like. Ingredients:1kg / 2 medium sweet potatoes1 teaspoon ground cumin3 tablespoons olive oil2 cobs of corn1 teaspoon sweet paprika (optional)4 x 200gm skinless salmon fillets1 large avocado1 red capsicum1 large lemon or 2 limes5 spring onions1 handful parsley or corianderSalt and pepper Method:Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. Cut each sweet potato into 8 slices along its length, leaving skin on if you like. Sprinkle with cumin, salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in single layer on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Remove husk and silk from cobs of corn. Toss in 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper andpaprika. Pop on baking tray with sweet potato and place in oven. The sweet potato will need tocook for 40 minutes, the corn will need to be removed after 30 minutes to be put in the salsa. To prepare the salmon line a tray with baking paper and place fillets evenly along it leaving space in-between each one. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for: 15-17 minutes well done / 12-15 minutes medium / 10-12 minutes medium rare. Time your fish to come out of the oven at the same time as the sweet potato. Whilst the vegetables and fish are cooking, prepare the ingredients for the salsa.Finely dice avocado, capsicum, spring onion and herbs. Mix through rest of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. If it’s tasting too tart add a tiny sprinkle of castor sugar. For extra zing also add lemon zest. Once the corn is cool enough to handle cut kernels off cobs and add to salsa. To serve, divide the sweet potato between four plates, place a salmon fillet on each and top with a generous spoonful of salsa. www.foodbyannabel.com.au @foodbyannabel

This is the perfect dessert for a hot Christmas Day. Jam packed with tons of treats it is loved by young and old. You can easily substitute these fillings to create so many other flavours, choc-caramel, dried fruit + nuts, choc-mint, the combinations are endless! Ingredients 1 x 2 Litre pudding bowl or mixing bowl sprayed with oil and lined completely with cling film.(**Note – make sure you clear room in your freezer for this bowl before you start making the pudding.)3 Litres of ice cream – I used a combination of Golden North boysenberry and vanilla330 grams of mixed chocolates, chopped – I used a combination of cherry ripe, raspberry Maltesers, strawberry freddo frogs, and Lindt intense raspberry To serve Raspberry coulis1 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted1 dessert spoon caster sugar Decorations 1 x 75 gram block of Adelaide Hills ‘Red Cacao’ chocolate – Mixed Berry & Pop Rock300 grams of rose flavour Turkish delight1 punnet strawberries, fresh raspberries or blueberriesEdible flowersToothpicks Method Allow ice cream to soften on the bench whilst you prepare the pudding bowl and chop the chocolates. When it is soft enough to scoop easily but not at melting point spoon into a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped chocolates and smash through the ice cream until evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared pudding bowl lined with cling film. Cover and place in freezer for at least 12 hours. To make the raspberry coulis, puree berries with a stick blender then push through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Sweeten with caster sugar if necessary. To serve chop the ‘Red Cacao’ chocolate (or another similar item) into shards and slice one side off each piece of Turkish delight so that the pink interior is exposed. Lower the frozen pudding in its bowl into warm water to loosen at the sides and tip out onto a serving platter, next remove the cling film. Arrange chocolate, Turkish delight and fresh fruit on top using toothpicks to secure each item if need be. Decorate with edible flowers and serve with the raspberry coulis and any left-over fresh berries. Other filling options Choc-Caramel:malt Malteasersmars barscaramello koalasLindt salted caramel milk blocksalted caramel sauce Fruit + Nut:chocolate coated sultanasfruit “mincemeat”Tobleronechopped nutscinnamon spiced custard Choc-Mint:Aero mint chocolate barsPeppermint pattiesHaigh’s peppermint frogsIce-Magic choc-mint sauce ww.foodbyannabel.com.au @foodbyannabel

As students head back to school this week, South Australians are reminded to make sure school lunch boxes are prepared and stored safely to avoid cases of food poisoning in warmer weather. The Department for Health and Wellbeing’s Manager of Food Standards Surveillance, Alessia Centofanti, said that foods stored in a warm lunch box or bag for several hours can reach temperatures above 5oC and allow potentially harmful bacteria to grow. “Ninety-four per cent of households with children pack school lunches on a daily basis, so it is important that food is prepared and stored safely to avoid the risk of food poisoning,” Ms Centofanti said. “Food poisoning can occur at any age with common symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, nausea and flu like symptoms that usually appear between 8 and 72 hours after eating the infected food. “High risk foods that should be kept under temperature control include, cooked meat, poultry, seafood, cooked rice, milk and dairy products that require refrigeration (eg yoghurt, milk drinks, most cheeses), and some foods that come in packages can become high risk after opening. “If lunches are prepared the night before it is a good idea to keep it refrigerated overnight and foods such as meat, poultry or eggs should be discarded if not consumed at lunchtime. “Another important way to avoid food poisoning is to always wash and dry your hands thoroughly before preparing food and wash all fruits and vegetables to remove any visual dirt and grime. “During warmer weather it is a good idea to consider providing safer lunchbox alternatives, such as hard or processed cheese, canned tuna or sandwich spreads and whole fruit. “Always try to make healthier choices by including something from each of the five food groups; whole fruit and vegetables are a great healthy and safe option.” Ms Centofanti said when buying lunchboxes, it is a good idea to choose one that has room for a frozen drink or freezer block which is easy to clean and dry, avoiding any contamination. “A lunchbox with a frozen drink or ice brick will keep food at a safe temperature until lunchtime at school, however, some foods are more sensitive to heat and will grow dangerous bacteria quicker,” Ms Centofanti said. “It is a good idea to pack each food item into separate containers and wrappers before packing in the lunch box, which will ensure it stays fresh and prevent cross contamination. “We also encourage parents to teach children about the importance of food safety and get them involved in food preparation and shopping so they can better understand why food safety matters.” There have been 889 confirmed cases of Salmonella in South Australia so far this year compared with 995 cases reported in the same period in 2018. For more information on food safety click here

Welcome Joybird! Chicken and chip shops have been saving the sanity of families grappling with mid-week dinner dilemmas for generations… but the humble chook shop has changed. Welcome Joybird, Hyde Park. When Adelaide caught wind of this new venture from Adam Liston, the chef behind Leigh Street’s popular restaurant, Shobosho, alongside restaurateur Simon Kardachi people were eggcited, to say the least. Since opening its doors earlier this month Joybird has exceeded Adelaide’s gleeful expectations, delivering the modern day chicken and chip shop that we’ve all been waiting for. The food is what sets Joybird apart from a takeaway chicken shop, but the experience of full table service indoor and outdoor dinning, a carefully considered wine list, cocktails and Asahi on tap also takes things to the next level. The venue caters to those who want a quick solo bite to eat or others who want the full experience. Diners can opt for bar, kitchen dining or takeaway or even pop in for a coffee. Like any of our other favourite Kardachi restaurants (Osteria Oggi, Proof, Melt & SeaSalt, just to name a few) Joybird has a delectable wine list full of local South Australian wine makers and producers. You’ll find many natural wines to whet your palette on date night. After taste testing for ourselves we chatted with owner and mum of 2, and wife to Simon, Emma Kardachi about the secrets behind the success of Joybird and its next-level succulent chicken. What sparked the idea of Joybird? The idea has been inside Simon (Kardachi, my husband) and Adam’s (Liston, partner at Shobosho and long time friend of Simon’s) heads for a long time. For so many people, everywhere around the world, chicken is a staple food and pretty much universally liked. Simon’s philosophy is always to go after a niche in the market that isn’t being fulfilled, and the concept of a next-level chicken shop makes sense for the current market, in line with the trend we are seeing for more accessible, more affordable options that still deliver quality. Joybird is a restaurant, with a great bar, that serves quality food, based around the concept of chicken cooked over fire (amongst lots of other options including hot gravy rolls, a modern take on the Chicko Roll, kimchi cauliflower cheese, and grilled veggies). And you can opt for takeaway too. What kind of atmosphere did you hope to achieve? What makes it more than just your ‘average’ chicken shop? We wanted to evoke memories of the 1970s/80’s chicken & chip takeaway shop – but diner-style! With an open kitchen, the kind of place you can sit at the bar solo for a drink (now wouldn’t that be nice!) or in a group for a family weekday dinner. The venue has a lot of clean lines and open space. There is emphasis on yellow and gold (interior and brand / logo) because it’s joyous, and evokes the feeling of sunshine, health, corn, happy chickens and green grass. Are you family friendly? Yes, it was important for us to cater to the local market (lots of young families in our area) and the food style lends itself to appealing to families. Are your chickens ethically sourced? All of our produce are healthy happy chickens that are boned out, brined and cooked to order over redgum. We take that much care in sourcing ethical products that our drinking straws are wheat stems. What culinary influences/fusions are there in the menu? Following the strengths of Adam’s cooking background, there is a Japanese / Korean influence but it has a broader spectrum of other influences including the rest of Asia and the Middle East. Does the menu cater to healthy and light options too? The idea behind Joybird was about bucking the trend of Belle’s Hot Chicken and the huge popularity (and success) of American-style fried chicken shops. We wanted to offer something that aligned to this concept but was a healthier option, and still harking back to the old chicken shop days. It can be as healthy, or as naughty, as you want it to be. There are grilled veg and salad options, hummus and other lighter starters. There are also options for vegans and vegetarians.(But, to be honest, I think it’s best to not go to Joybird on a fasting day!!) Birthday Parties! Joybird is available for birthday parties! Tailor the party to your needs! Hire a face painter or balloon artist for entertainment alongside the back room of the restaurant, which also doubles as a dance floor / party space. Joybird even has kids t-shirts, stickers, balloons and hot sauce for the ones that are naughty! 1/164 King William Rd, Hyde Park SA 5061 Joybird.com.au @_joybird Images by Meaghan ColesPhotography 

Chocolate Cake 1 x 24 cm cake tin greased and lined with baking paper125 grams very soft butter1 cup castor sugar1 tsp vanilla bean paste2 eggs2/3 cup cocoa sifted (no lumps!)1 cup of milk2 tsp balsamic vinegar1/2 cup hot coffee1+1/2 cups self raising flour In a stand mixer (or with hand held electric beaters) whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Add eggs and vanilla for a further two minutes. Combine milk with balsamic vinegar and set aside, It will curdle slightly but that’s OK.Sift in cocoa and whisk very gently, it will go everywhere if you try to mix it in too fast! Next, slowly add in milk + vinegar combo. After this add the flour and hot coffee, mix until just combined. Remove beaters and quickly stir with a spatula, scraping the base and sides of the bowl to make sure all ingredients are mixed evenly. Pour into prepared tin and bake at 180 degrees celsius for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sit in tin for for ten minutes before turning out onto a tea towel on a cooling rack. I always pop my cakes in the fridge, or better still, the freezer before icing. It makes them less likely to crumble and it’s easier to get smooth sides. Vanilla Buttercream Icing and Chocolate Drip Topping 500 grams icing sugar (it must be sifted!!)250 grams softened butter1 tsp vanilla bean paste1/4 cup milk at room temperature200 grams white chocolate75 mls thickened cream Beat butter on high until very light, pale and fluffy. (This can take a while) 
Next, slowly beat in icing sugar and vanilla bean paste for a further 3-5 mins, start slowly then build up speed. To finish stir in milk with a spatula knocking out any of the larger air bubbles to make a smooth icing. If you are feeling really brave you can cut the cake into two layers and fill the centre with buttercream before starting with the crumb layer of icing. Put aside 1/4 of the icing for a “crumb layer”. This is a layer of icing you do under the final outer layer of icing to catch all of the crumbs and create a smooth, crumb free base. Put the cake back in the fridge with the crumb layer to set for 5-10 minutes before adding the final layer of icing which will be thicker and fingers crossed, crumb free! Return to fridge to set before adding drip effect to the top. Melt white chocolate and cream in a microwave safe jug stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Add a few drops of food colouring and drizzle at evenly spaced intervals around the top edge of the cake so it drips over and runs down the sides of the cake. Pour the rest onto the top of the cake. Tip : Softened butter is when it still holds its form but will squash down when pressed. If it is melted too much the butter will split into oils and solids and not come back together or make a good icing. @foodbyannabel

Hey, sugar! Just how much sugar is too much for little teeth and tummies, and where is it hiding? By Bloom Nutrition StudioJulia Boase and Angela Stradwick, Accredited Practicing Dietitians Sugar can be a divisive little word for parents. For some, the thought of a little sugar sparks joy, sprinkling love into baked goods packed off into lunch boxes around the country. Where others go into combat mode, with a zero-tolerance approach to the sweet stuff. So just where should we sit in the debate on how much sugar is the right amount for our kids? What exactly is sugar? Typically, we think of dietary sugar as those little white grains of table sugar. But technically speaking this is actually sucrose, a simple carbohydrate made up of glucose and fructose. In Australia, this is usually made from sugar cane. There are many different naturally occurring sugars found in our food supply, like fructose from fruits, vegetables and syrups, and lactose in milk. Our digestive system also breaks down more complex carbohydrates from starches to form sugars within our body. All of these different types of sugar are a fuel source for all the amazing things we do – like growth and development in childhood, and physical activity in all stages of life. Where is it? For Australians, naturally occurring sugars come mostly from fruit, vegetables, honey and dairy products, but these aren’t the real issue. Not only are they travelling companions with a host of dietary good stuff – think fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, vitamins and minerals – they also don’t make up the bulk of our sugar intake. The majority of our excess sugar intake comes from added ‘free sugars’, in high calorie, low nutrient foods and drinks – soft drinks, flavoured waters, sweetened fruit juices, as well as commercially made cakes, biscuits and pastries. And while more than half of us eat over the recommended amount, the highest consumers of free sugars are our teenage boys. What’s wrong with too much? When our intake exceeds our energy needs, too much sugar can be a risk factor for excess weight gain. Even when growth and activity levels are on track, having too many sugary foods leaves less room in the diet for the healthy nourishing foods and drinks our bodies need to stay well and be at our best. And then there are teeth. Bacteria in our mouth break down sugar and convert it to acid that causes tooth decay. Food and drinks that are consumed slowly or regularly throughout the day or those that stick to teeth are the worst. Soft drinks and sweets, we’re looking at you. How much should we be having? To lower the risk of excess weight gain and tooth decay, the World Health Organisation says to limit our intake of free sugars to no more than 10% of energy each day. Exact amounts will vary, but this equals a limit of about 6-8 teaspoons for toddlers and preschoolers, 8-10 teaspoons for primary schoolers, 12-14 teaspoons for teenage girls, and 15-18 teaspoons for teenage boys. Calculating your child’s actual sugar intake is a tricky business! So at home, rather than focus on how much sugar your child is currently having, just try cutting back on free sugars where you can. When they are eating sugar, try to ensure it’s mostly in foods that also deliver a range of other nutrients. Fill up lunch boxes and family meals with choices based on real foods – vibrant veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and dairy. It’s ok to include a little sugar in our home cooking when the good stuff makes up the bulk of your food. Cut down on processed and packaged snacks. Most store-bought snacks have a surprising amount of sugar added. Make your own and experiment with gradually reducing the sugar in your favourite recipes. Sweetened drinks are best avoided, so don’t offer soft drinks or cordials (1 can of Coca-Cola contains 10 teaspoons of added sugar!). If you choose fruit juice, keep it to no more than 1/2 a cup per day, and only buy unsweetened 100% juice varieties. Limit sweetened milk drinks, instead choosing plain milk or sweeten with fruit, smoothie style. Avoid sugary breakfast cereals and choose wholegrain “plain” varieties, like rolled oats, Weet-bix and shredded wheat biscuits. Keep occasional or party foods as just that, occasional. Avoid letting them creep into lunch boxes, or become regular pantry items. Read labels on the food you buy. Ingredients have to be listed from most to least, if sugar is high up on the list you probably want to avoid it. And don’t forget to brush those little pearly whites! Oh, and date sugar, rice malt syrup, coconut sugar, palm sugar… while they have a little less refinement and a little more nutrients, yep, you guessed it – they’re still sugar. Banana Oat Pikelets Ingredients: 1 banana1 cup of rolled oats1 teaspoon of baking powder1/2 cup greek yoghurt1 egg1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon Method: Put all ingredients into your blender (I used a high speed nutri-bullet). Blitz until smooth. Place a frying pan on medium / low heat and melt a small amount of butter. Pour mixture into pan in “pikelet size”. Cook for about 1- 2 minutes or until the underside is starting to turn golden brown. Flip over and cook on the other side for another 30 seconds. Suitable for freezing. Angela and Julia are Accredited Practicing Dietitians. Between them they have 8 children, and over 30 years experience years of experience helping women, children and families to eat well. Visit them at bloomnutritionstudio.com.auor @bloomnutritionstudio to find out more.

Kid’s Eat FREE These School Holidays at Rosemont Hall This school holidays, Rosemont Hall will be launching their first ever kids menu. The Asian-influenced kids menu retains the street style Thai of Sunny’s Shop and Hong Kong Cantonese of Mr Chans – but for the mini’s! To celebrate the launch, kids will eat free with any main meal purchased throughout the school holiday period from April 12 – 28 (restaurant closure dates are April 19-22, and April 25). A great local spot for families to enjoy a meal together during the break. Check out the menu below: Rosemont Hall @rosemonthall

Discover new flavours, tastes and delights from around South Australia when the Urban Pantry returns to Rundle Mall for Tasting Australia this April. Open daily from Friday April 5 to Sunday April 14 at the Gawler Place Canopy, the Urban Pantry will offer a rare chance to sample some of the finest cheeses, seafood, gins, vodka, coffee, smallgoods, chocolates, wine, spices, pastes and relishes from many corners of South Australia – and Rundle Mall. More than 25 artisan producers from five food regions will be featured, including Sunnyhill Distillery from Yorke Peninsula, the Adelaide Hills’ Udder Delights and the Fleurieu’s Port Willunga Fine Foods. Butch’s Smallgoods and Arrosto Coffee from the Riverland will also take part, along with Barossa Valley Cheese Company and Seppeltsfield Road Distillery. Haigh’s Chocolates, Jonny’s Popcorn, Charlesworth Nuts and Liquid Gold Kombucha will also provide a taste of Rundle Mall and Adelaide. While enjoying product tastings and stocking up the reserves at home, Urban Pantry visitors can also collect a map to Taste Rundle Mall, a self-guided foodie tour of the Mall Precinct. Taste Rundle Mall will uncover hidden gems and special offers from Rundle Mall traders and producers including cocktail chocolate truffles at Just Bliss, T2, Charlesworth Nuts, Foods for Life, Lindes Lane and Hotel Richmond. By enjoying one of the many Taste Rundle Mall special offers, foodies will earn a chance to win the ultimate getaway – a trip for two to Port Lincoln for two nights to sample the finest of Eyre Peninsula, including a 2.5 hour oyster farm tour and tasting. Rundle Mall Management Authority General Manager Johanna Williams says the Urban Pantry provides an opportunity for Rundle Mall visitors to experience some of the special produce often only found out of Adelaide. “Rundle Mall plays an integral role in the lives of so many South Australians, so it is a great opportunity to connect them with majorevents like Tasting Australia,” Johanna says. “The Urban Pantry was so popular last year, and we’re thrilled it can return to introduce emerging artisan producers to a wider audience while also celebrating some of the more well-known brands on Adelaide’s doorstep.” The Urban Pantry regional showcase is supported by I Choose SA, an initiative of Brand South Australia. Brand South Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Karen Raffen says the state has earned an enviable reputation for its clean, green environment and produce. General TastingUrban PantryTASTE Rundle Mall

If you are looking for a fun, family day out this April, Tasting Australia has the perfect list for you. From cooking classes to food-filled fairs, the 2018 Tasting Australia program has so much on that kids – both young and old – will enjoy. Taste Buds 13-22 April, Rundle Mall, FREE Is your little one an aspiring chef? Taste Buds is a program exclusive for 7 to 12-year-olds to teach them about food, nutrition, food provenance and food preparation. This fun, hands-on and sensory approach will be led by leading South Australian chefs, producers, artists and gardeners and will be a guaranteed good time for all (and it won’t cost you a cent!) Tickets available here. Food Saucerers BBQ Gurus for Teens 18 April, Scoffed, $75 Teach your teens all about the fun of firing up the family barbecue. This three-hour cooking class hosted by Scoffed will empower teenagers to cook several dishes – including dessert – all using a Weber barbecue safely. A great opportunity to perfect the grilling technique, learn about cuts of meat and how to prepare them properly, and cook with fresh vegetables and herbs straight from the garden. Tickets available here. Feast on Yorkes 15 April, Barley Stacks Wines, FREE A fair-like event showcasing local food, wine and talent in the unique Barley Stacks barn-style cellar door and function centre. Mix and mingle among the ambient atmosphere while enjoying local seafood, spit-roasted meats, beverages and more. All products available for tasting are sourced from the Yoke Peninsula. Tickets available here. Westfield Food and Wine Weekend 21-22 April, Westfield Marion, Tea Tree Plaza and West Lakes, Various prices Westfield Marion, Tea Tree Plaza and West Lakes are excited to be hosting the Westfield Food and Wine Weekend in conjunction with Tasting Australia. You can register for Mini Foodies Masterclasses with Sprout Cooking for kids aged 6 to 12 at these Westfield centres (just $10 with a gift to take home). Meanwhile, parents can try complimentary tastings from pop-up cellar doors, try delicious foods, and watch free demos with renowned South Aussie foodies. Tickets available here. Tasting Australia runs from 13-22 April 2018. View the full program here.

This is an absolute family favourite at my house, I can guarantee that after cooking it once it will be highly requested and on repeat. Serves 6 1 whole Chicken approx 1.8kg OR 1 BBQ chook (don’t add salt if using this!) 30 grams of butter 1 brown onion finely diced 1/4 teaspoon of salt 300gms washed sliced leek (2 small/1 large) 2 -3 garlic cloves 1 cup of salt reduced chicken stock 2 tablespoons of plain flour 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard 1 loosely packed cup of parsley leaves 1/3 cup Parmesan 300 mls of thickened cream Season chicken with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Place in an oven preheated to 190 degrees for 1 hour. (180 if a fan forced oven). Sauté the onion and salt in half of the butter until soft. Add the rest of the butter, the garlic and leek. Sauté for one minute before adding the stock. Pop a lid on and cook on medium for five minutes or until leek is soft. Sprinkle the flour over the leek mixture stirring quickly. This will help thicken the sauce. Add the mustard, cream, parmesan and some pepper. Next, add finely chopped parsley. Once the chicken is cooked (allow to rest for 10 minutes once it’s out of the oven) remove the skin and shred the meat into the leek mix. Pop in a pie tin, top with a sheet of puff pastry and brush with lightly beaten egg. Bake at 200 degrees for 35 minutes or until brown. We all fight over the pastry so I always cook a spare sheet or two on a separate tray to share at the table. The chicken can be roasted in advance and stored in the fridge. If I’m doing roast chook I often roast an extra one to have spare for lunches or a pie like this. Certainly saves time! As an alternative to pastry you can top with mashed potato or sweet potato. For sweet potato mash I pop whole un-peeled ones in the oven at 190/200 degrees for about 1hr20. They steam inside their skins and make a delicious mash. Much less watery than when steamed or boiled. This pie freezes really well so make double and pop one away for a lazy winter day! I often add lightly steamed broccoli to the mixture to bulk up the veggies. Otherwise serve with peas, beans or a green salad. Annabel Bower graduated from the world renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland seventeen years ago. Annabel has since worked in events and catering and her present focus is on recipe development and food styling. As a mum of three and a passionate foodie, Annabel spends most of her time in the kitchen! Her favourite people to cook for are friends and family and even though like all children, her kids won’t eat everything she cooks, she is determined to keep trying and happily share a few of her fail-safe, crowd-pleasing recipes with you! @foodbyannabel

For many of us school is well and truly back for the year, which means daily school lunch boxes, snacks galore and eating out. We all know that reducing waste and recycling will help the environment, but we are often stuck as to HOW TO. Never fear, we have put together a list of simple, effective (and often cost saving) things that you can do to help the environment and reduce waste. *NOTE – with this list comes a warning, we recommend that you label what you can, to avoid trips to the Lost and Found (again…) Beeswax Wraps Made from beeswax and cotton, this environmentally friendly product is a great alternative to plastic cling wrap and sandwich bags, and can be used for up to 6 months! Bees Wax Wraps are readily available these days in a range of sizes and designs and can be found in most supermarkets, as well as online. Beeswax Wraps can also be used at home to store things like fruit, vegetables and are great for storing cheeses. Another benefit is that once they have had their day, they can be put straight into the compost. Winning all round. Reusable containers and Bento lunch boxes These days there’s a huge range of snug-fit, airtight containers and Bento lunch boxes that are suitable for almost any food imaginable. Reusable plastic containers are a great alternative to single use plastics for lunch rolls, sandwiches, crackers, fruit and yoghurts. They are a great investment just make sure EVERYTHING is named. Cutlery Reusable cutlery is another way to cut down on waste, with a range of Eco friendly reusable options available including recycled plastics, wood and bamboo, this is an easy switch out for plastic cutlery and goes a long way in reducing waste. Plastic straws If you haven’t heard that there’s an entire global movement on this, we’re guessing you’re living under a rock. So, if you are still using them STOP! If your kids are obsessed with straws try out alternatives on offer; paper, stainless steel and now bamboo (also, say NO to straws at cafes, restaurants and fast food outlets). Plastic bottles A recent report from Roy Morgan Australia found that 5.3 million people, or 27.1% of the Australian population, drank bottled water in any given week. That’s a lot of plastic. The solution is simple, and so much more economical – reusable drink bottles, they are everywhere!! You can find them in plastic, glass, stainless still at a spectrum of options at different price points, colours and styles. And if used at home, work and school we will see a significant decrease in the problems we face with plastic. 
Coffee Cups Australians consume more than 50,000 cups of coffee every half hour, and an estimated 1 billion takeaway hot drink cups every year… before you yell at us through a caffeine withdrawal rage, we’re not saying don’t drink coffee (hello, we are not insane) drink coffee and lots of it… in a keep cup. Keep it in your handbag, in the car at home or at work, and the best thing about this one is that many cafes have realised the negative environmental impact that coffee cups are having (and the saving they are making not having to use them) and offer a discount for keep cup coffee orders – Win, win! Plastic Bags This one is also super simple… Don’t use them and if you do use them, use them again and again and again and again.. and again! There are so many opportunities to say “no thank you, I don’t need a bag” or “I have brought my own bag”. Buy some reusable bags and keep them in your car (preferably in arms reach), when you go to do your groceries take them with you and use them! There are also now a range of smaller cotton and mesh bags available that can replace the plastic bags used for fruit and vegetables in supermarkets. According to website ‘1 Million Women’ the average Australian uses 170 plastic bags every year. 150 million of these end up as litter, only 3% of them are currently being recycled (which you can do at Coles and Woollies) and 200,000 bags are dumped in landfill every hour. This is not good enough and we all need to pick up our game, it’s so easy to shop with reusable bags, so let’s make a pact to be more conscious of this, deal? Check out these websites for products and healthy recipe ideas: packagemefree.comdobeewraps.comnudefoodmovers.com.auhealthylunchbox.com.auhellogreen.com.auschoollunchboxblog.wordpress.combloomnutritionstudio.com.au