Fresh off the Chopping Board

We have an amazing new Fresh and Healhty food concept in our Campus based at the Basement in Garthdee Annexe House - "Fresh off the Chopping Board" is Healhty and Nutritious! and your choices can be wrapped hot or cold, a simple salad or a chopped salad, chopped and dressed by our star choppers.

 Opening hours are Monday - Friday 10.30 -2.30. So.... what you waiting for , make sure you come down to the Basement at Garthdee Annexe House ASAP and sample the delicious food.

Fun time Cooking with the Kids

Cooking up some fun with the kids

Getting the kids involved in cooking is a fantastic family activity all year round and there are many ways to get them involved, no matter how old they are!

In the kitchen, children can learn maths skills, practice fine-motor coordination, make choices about nutrition, and of course, learn basic cooking techniques. Making foods from different countries is also a superb way to start conversations about other parts of the world.

 

Measure and Pour:

Very young children can watch as you measure wet and dry ingredients, explaining the terms ‘teaspoon’, and ‘tablespoon‘. Once you level the dry ingredients, your child can pour them into a bowl. This is a great time to practice counting (to keep track of how many cups or teaspoons are already in the bowl).

As children get a little older, around 4 or 5 years old, you can start letting them pour or scoop ingredients into measuring tools. Teach them how to level dry ingredients by using the straight edge of a knife or metal spatula, and how to check liquid measurements at eye-level.

School-age children can continue to measure and count on their own, but this is also a good time to introduce conversions (i.e., 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons) and measuring by weight.

 

Stirring and Combining

Very young children can practice stirring batters and combining dry ingredients using a wooden spoon, a fork, or a spatula.

Pre-schoolers can start learning to use different techniques, including beating or whipping ingredients using a whisk. When they stir ingredients together, teach them to scrape the sides to incorporate everything.

School-age children can begin using hand-held electric beaters and learning new techniques like folding when using airy ingredients.

 

Preparing Ingredients

Even the youngest children can help with preparing ingredients by fetching things from the refrigerator, assisting with the salad spinner when you clean greens, and rinsing fruits and vegetables.

Preschool kids can start tearing lettuce for the salad, scrubbing potatoes to clean them, and cutting soft foods (like olives and strawberries) with a butter knife or dull plastic knife. They can also begin learning how to crack an egg.

Make sure school-age children are aware of knife safety before letting them use the “grown-up” knives. It’s up to you to determine when your child is ready for these serious tools, but peeling vegetables and cutting ingredients are great jobs for older kids. You can also start teaching culinary skills like grating, chopping and dicing. Another great skill to teach at this time is how to separate an egg. Just make sure you have extras!

 

Cleaning up

Small children can help with clean-up tasks by using a small brush or broom and handheld dustpan on the floor. They can wipe up spills on the counter using a tea towel, and put away clean utensils that are safe for them to hold (great for practice in sorting!).

4- to 5-year-olds can add to these cleaning skills by using spray bottles of nontoxic cleanser to spray the counter before wiping it clean. They can use brooms or mops on the floor, and help with the dishwasher by filling the soap compartments and pushing the ‘start’ button.

School-age children can begin washing dishes and loading the dishwasher. When the dishwasher is finished, they can put away things in the cabinets and drawers that they can reach.

For all ages, make sure to reinforce these skills and habits by making cleaning fun, praising kids for independence in the kitchen (even when they make a mess), and holding kids accountable.

 

Tips and Notes

1.    Make sure your children are always aware of kitchen safety. Establish rules and stick to them.

2.    Cook with your children when you have time to be patient with them, not when you’re in a rush  to do dinner. You want your kids to associate family cooking with positive feelings, not with anxiety and impatience.

3.    Neat freaks: Relax! Kitchens are messy places, and kids are messy people. Don’t worry about a few spills, and let the kids help clean up even if they don’t do it perfectly. You can fix it later (when they’re not looking).

4.    Give your child ownership. Maybe this means your child has his or her own recipe box to fill with favourite recipes, or special colourful measuring cups and spoons. Your children might have their own aprons and kitchen towels, too. Also consider including your children when making your menu for the week.

5.    Make sure to let your children know when they’ve done a job well! Thank them for helping you in the kitchen, and celebrate their accomplishments together.

Health and Wellness - BBQ Ideas

With August in full swing many of you will have BBQs planned with family and friends, whatever the weather, so we thought we would put together some simple ideas  on how to keep your BBQ healthy but still impress your guests

 

Marinades

Making your own marinades can mean less sugar and salt than the shop bought versions.

They are a simple way to add bursts of flavour to meat, fish and vegetables.

Here two quick marinade ideas:

Spicy – mix equal amounts of honey, reduced salt soy sauce and sriracha sauce together. Add a squeeze of lime. This is perfect for poultry.

Herby – stir finely chopped fresh herbs (try thyme, parsley, mint and chives) into olive oil and crushed garlic. Add some lemon zest and black pepper. This is ideal for fish.

 

Safety precautions

Marinade in a plastic bag or container and place in the fridge as bacteria multiply quickly at room temperature, increasing the risk of food poisoning.

Steer clear of cross contamination when handling raw meat or fish by washing hand thoroughly with soap along with any brushes you have used on the meat or fish.

 

Flavour boosters

   Scatter herbs and spices around the edges of your coals to give the BBQ smoke a lovely aroma. Try cinnamon sticks, whole star anise or bay leaves

        Use large sprigs of woody herbs such as thyme or rosemary as a brush for oils and marinades.

 

Simple sides

      Mix sliced watermelon, cucumber, thinly sliced red onion and pitted black olives. Dress with lemon juice, olive oil and fresh mint leaves before serving

        Jazz up coleslaw by adding grated green apple, dried cranberries and toasted nuts

      Barbeque mini corn on the cobs then brush lightly with olive oil, chilli powder, crumbled feta and fresh coriander

 

Put veggies on the grill

Vegetables can be barbecued too! Skewer a selection of vegetables and brush lightly with vegetable or olive oil or wrap a selection in foil with a slice of lemon and a splash of water to steam them.

 

Keep your guests cool

These honey yoghurt tropical ice-blocks are a great dessert for a BBQ and kids and adults with love them

Difficulty – Easy | Prep – 10mins | Ready in – 5 hours |

INGREDIENTS

• 125ml of plain yoghurt

• 1 tablespoon honey

• ½ a mango

you can freeze remaining mango in a zip-lock bag

for up to 3 months. Use in smoothies, ice-blocks,

cakes or muffins

• 125ml fresh orange juice

• 2 medium passion fruit

you will need 60g of passion fruit pulp

• Freezer ice block moulds (6 holes)

METHOD

Mix yoghurt and honey together, spoon 1 tablespoon

yoghurt into each mould. Freeze for 1 hour or until just firm.

Meanwhile, blend mango and orange juice until smooth.

Transfer to a jug. Stir in passion-fruit. Carefully pour over

yoghurt in moulds.

Place lids on moulds.

Freeze for 4 hours or until frozen.

Serve Honey yoghurt tropical ice-blocks and enjoy!

Hydration

HYDRATION

We all know by now that we should be aiming for at least 1.5 litres (or 6-8 glasses) of water per day but are we achieving this on a daily basis?

If you’re one of the people that thinks they are not hopefully our 5 top reasons to hydrate might convince you to up your water intake!

 

Are you getting enough? You should drink water even when you don’t feel thirsty as by the time you do your body has lost between 2 to 5 cups of water.

 

Unable to concentrate? When you are dehydrated your attention and concentration can decrease by 13% and short term memory by 7%. Drinking six to eight glasses a day helps to improve your concentration. Your body is 50- 60% water, so by drinking six to eight glasses a day, your body can function properly.

 

Feeling peckish, snacking all the time? Have a glass of cold water when you start to feel hungry. People often confuse mild feelings of thirst with mild hunger. Eat more fruit and vegetables each day. They are good for you and are 80-90% water. Drinking water can help manage weight by curbing the appetite and it is calorie free!

 

Exercise and increased temperatures result in higher demand for water. Drinking water before, during and after any physical activity helps keep your heart rate and body temperature lower. When the weather gets hotter your body loses more water. You should drink additional water each day to compensate for this loss.

 

Water is the ultimate beauty product - dehydrated skin looks older. Drink lots to keep your skin looking younger and more vibrant.

Be Sun Smart

Be sun smart!

 

The sun may not be shining at home at the moment but with many of you off on holiday to sunnier climates this month’s it’s important you take time to make sure you being sun smart.

 

Here are some top tips:

 

• Spend time in the shade between 11 and 3. If you work outside try spending breaks in the shade when it’s hot.

• Cover up - When there’s no shade around, protect your skin from the sun with loose clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and good quality sunglasses.

• Avoid sunbeds – they are not a safe alternative to tanning outdoors.

• Use sunscreen with SPF 20 or above - Sunscreens can be useful for protecting our skin from the sun’s rays. However, they will not protect us completely from sun damage on their own. This is why we recommend using sunscreens together with shade and clothing to avoid getting caught out by sunburn. Look out for the star rating on sunscreen too – the higher the better.

• Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside so it doesn’t sweat off, and reapply every 1½ hours. If you have been swimming, reapply sunscreen after drying off.

• Remember that no sunscreen, whether its factor 15 or 50, will give the protection it claims unless you apply it properly – around two teaspoons for your head, neck and arms. Or two tablespoons if you’re covering your whole body while wearing a swimming costume.

Remember you can burn in the UK and Ireland  when it’s hot so care in the sun at home as well as abroad.

• If you like the bronzed look of sun-kissed skin, try a cosmetic bronzer that can be applied with a makeup brush. This will give you a more even look than a day in the sun and without the pink nose and peeling skin.

 

Do you know your skin?

 

Spotting skin cancer at an early stage saves lives so it’s important to know the signs.

Keep an eye on your skin and report any changes in the size, shape or colour of a mole or any other change to a mole or normal patch of skin to your doctor without delay. Remember that skin cancer doesn’t only develop on the bits it’s easy to see; it can develop anywhere. In women melanoma is most common on the legs, and in men it most often develops on the chest or back.

 

Important signs of skin cancer:

• New growth or sore that will not heal

• Spot, mole or sore that itches or hurts

• Mole or growth that bleeds, crusts, or scabs

 

The ABCD rule can help you remember the main types of changes to moles (whether they’re new moles or existing ones) to look out for.

 

Asymmetry - the two halves of the mole don’t look the same.

Border -the edges of the mole are irregular, blurred or jagged.

Colour- the colour of the mole is uneven, with more than one shade.

Diameter - the mole is more than 6mm

8 Summer Steps for Healthy Living

 

Improve your health with steps so simple you'll barely notice the effort.

In the warmer, longer, lazier days of summer, the living may not be easy, but your life probably feels less chaotic. Even adults tend to adopt a ‘school's out!’ attitude in summer. That's why this is a perfect time to improve your health in a fashion so seasonally laid back you'll barely notice the effort.

 

1. Give Your Diet a Berry Boost

If you do one thing this summer to improve your diet, have a cup of mixed fresh berries -- blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries -- every day. They'll help you load up on antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to tissues and reduce the risks of age-related illnesses. Blueberries and blackberries are especially antioxidant-rich. They are also extremely versatile, you can use them to add to your cereals/ yoghurts/ smoothies/salads/ desserts – enjoy.

A big bonus: Berries are also tops in fibre, which helps keep cholesterol low and may even help prevent some cancers.

 

2. Get Dirty -- and Stress Less

To improve your stress level, plant a small garden, cultivate a flower box, or if space is really limited, plant a few flower pots -- indoors or out.

Just putting your hands in soil is ‘grounding’. When life feels like you're moving so fast your feet are barely touching the stuff, being mentally grounded can help relieve physical and mental stress.

 

3. Floss Daily

You know you need to, now it's time to start: floss every single day. Do it at the beach (in a secluded spot), while reading on your patio/garden, or when watching TV.

Flossing reduces oral bacteria, which improves overall body health, and if oral bacteria is low, your body has more resources to fight bacteria elsewhere. Floss daily and you're doing better than at least 85% of people.

 

4. Get Outside to Exercise

Pick one outdoor activity -- going on a hike, taking a nature walk, playing games such as tag with your kids, cycling, roller blading, or swimming -- to shed that cooped-up feeling of gym workouts.

And remember, the family that plays together not only gets fit together -- it's also a great way to create bonding time.

 

5. Be Good to Your Eyes

To protect your vision at work and at play, wear protective eyewear. When outdoors, wear sunglasses that block at least 99% of ultraviolet A and B rays. Sunglasses can help prevent cataracts, as well as wrinkles around the eyes.

And when playing sports or doing tasks such as mowing the lawn, wear protective eyewear. Ask your optician about the best type; some are sport-specific.

 

6. Vacation Time!

Improve your heart health: take advantage of summer's slower schedule by using your vacation time to unwind.

Vacations have multiple benefits: They can help lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormones such as cortisol, which contributes to a widening waist and an increased risk of heart disease.

 

7. Alcohol

Summer's a great time to skip drinks with hard alcohol and choose a light, chilled alcoholic beverage (unless you are pregnant or should not drink for health or other reasons).

A sangria (table wine diluted with juice), a cold beer, or a wine spritzer are all refreshing but light. In moderation -- defined as one to two drinks daily, with at least 2 days no alcohol per week -- alcohol can protect against heart disease.

Check out last week’s blog for other health non-alcoholic drink ideas.

 

8. Sleep Well

Resist the urge to stay up later during long summer days. Instead pay attention to good sleep hygiene by keeping the same bedtime and wake-up schedule and not drinking alcohol within three hours of bedtime.

It's also a good idea to avoid naps during the day unless you take them every day at the same time, for the same amount of time.

There they are, eight super simple ways to boost your health this summer. Try one or try them all. They're so easy you won't even know they're good for you.