Life

A low fat chicken and leek pie, bound to become a favourite in your house hold and when the grandchildren come to stay!

They’re our ‘babies’ and our besties –  welcome to the first in a new series of articles on pets, the buddies we wouldn’t be without! Whether it’s transporting your cat to the vet, a cattery or the bach, here are some tips to make their journey safer and much less daunting.

New Year resolutions come in all shapes and sizes, but this year I hope you take into consideration utilizing Social Media as a grandparent.

Not all snacks are created equal, and I think that’s why, for so long, snacking got such a bad rap. Traditionally, snacking meant something from a packet that was highly processed and refined, and most likely laden with sugars, seed oils and fillers I can’t even pronounce. So, knowing how to snack smart can make a huge difference to your health and wellness journey. And here’s how.

You can bake your own Vanilla Slice at home without the fuss of making puff pastry or any refined sugar, so you can put up a sign out the front of your house saying ‘home of the best vanilla slice’.

It’s not news that New Zealand has the highest rate of melanoma (skin cancer) in the world, thanks to lying right under a massive hole in the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere. This unfortunate positioning means that, especially between the hours of 10am and 4pm, from September to April, we really do take our life in our hands when we’re working or relaxing in the big outdoors – and that includes in the garden.

It’s rich, fruity, concentrated and delicious; yet despite the best being valued as highly as fine wine, most of us in the 50 plus age group had to wait until we were well grown up to discover it! We’re talking about balsamic vinegar.

Christmas, is a time of fun, joy and celebration, but it can also be the most stressful of times.

A soufflé without whipping the whites and the prepared pudding can rest for more than a day before baking. Ideal for a busy schedule!

Not so long ago, I helped a friend with the difficult task of downsizing her home in preparation for moving into a retirement villa. What struck us both, was how many items of ‘value’ she had stored away for a special occasion, yet never used.