Mangoes - "King of Fruit' are insanely good for you

How to choose and cut a mango
The best way by far is to simply eat the mango after cutting it expertly as shown below. Recipes to follow.

Mango - Childers Queensland  Australia- in mid January
it was so dry the grass was crunchy beneath my feet.
Two weeks later the area is in flood.
 

Mangoes  - Noosaville Markets

 

Is it ripe?  You can't always judge the ripeness by colour as they come in many hues depending on variety. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, color may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination.

 

Ripeness of mangoes can be determined by either smelling or by gently squeezing. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emitting from the stem end and can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, like a ripe peach. 
 
Cutting a Mango can be a slimy, slippery challenge. The best way to go about it is to start first with a ripe, but still firm fruit. If the mango is too ripe, it will be a mushy mess, and hard to cut into pieces, though easy enough to scoop out for pulp.

Cubes

Holding the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down. With a sharp knife in your other hand, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit. Then repeat with the other side. You should end up with three pieces - two halves, and a middle section that includes the pit.

Take a mango half and use a knife to make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, but try not to cut through the peel. Using your fingers on the skin side, raise the fruit cubes into eating or cutting position. Simply serve and eat the fruit or for a salad peel off the segments with your fingers. Or use a small paring knife to cut away the pieces from the peel.
Take the mango piece with the pit, lay it flat on the cutting board. Use a paring knife to cut out the pit and remove the peel.  Some simply eat this section holding it over the sink as you eat.
 

For easy slices cut off cheeks as above then slice lengthways

Or using a sharp thin-bladed knife, cut off both ends of the fruit. Place fruit on flat end and cut away peel from top to bottom along curvature of the fruit.Cut fruit into slices by carving lengthwise along the pit.

 

 Nutrition - They are high in fiber and antioxidants and are rich in Vitamin A, C, E, B6 and potassium. They have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers and promote heart health and lower blood pressure.

 

It would be great to receive your feedback or suggestions. Click on "0 comments". You can choose 'anonymous' from the drop down menu if you don't have a google account. Or send an email - clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au
 

New Years Resolution to fit in your jeans

Time to reflect and move forward with or without a New Years' Resolution. Oscar Wilde wrote," A New Year Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."
and "Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account."


I like this one by Hal Borland - "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."
So do we or do we not make one???? I found some of Sonja Lyubomirsky's hints to be helpful from her recent book 'The How of Happiness'.
A summary of a goal's / project's ideal characteristics.


Identify what you expect to accomplish

* Imposed by self
* Approach rather than avoidance
* Flexible and be able to work with other aspects of your life
* Activity based - not relying on circumstance


Identify and Imagine the most positive outcome of your goal and the biggest obstacle that stands in the way. (The obstacle bit apparently is the tricky part which most of us don't think through.) They give the example re specific details of when and where and how the person wants to act in critical situations.
For example; If the goal is to "eat more fruit and vegetables", the subject might think of how they will act in restaurants, when travelling , and at other situations where they may be tempted not to follow through with the goal. Then they have to specify the behaviour they would do with an ..."if I am at a restaurant and they ask about dessert, then I will choose options with fruit, not cake."
Have fun

Happy healthy New Year
Clara

How to glam up your leg ham



A glistening glazed ham is the centrepiece of a Christmas feast

 whether you serve your leg ham hot or cold.

1 x 4.5kg / 9 lb leg cooked ham on the bone
Preheat the oven to 180C / 355F.  With a small sharp knife cut around the top of the ham bone and then gently peel the skin from the ham using your fingers to loosen the skin.
Keep a thick layer of fat on the ham - discard skin and  score the fat in a diamond pattern.
Brush the ham with glaze and  bake for about 30 minutes, basting once or twice.
The ham should be beautiful and golden. Leave it to cool before slicing.
Serves about 10

Or if cooking the ham from scratch, follow the  producer's directions,  but add the glaze for the last 30 minutes, covering with foil.

Glazes

Who says you can only have cranberry sauce with turkey? 

Cranberry glaze
1 cup cranberry sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup soft hrown suqar
 Mix together and heat gently over low heat. 


Soy & citrus glaze
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 star anise
Mix together the soy, mirin, brown sugar, orange juice and star anise in a small
saucepan and heat gently until sugar dissolves.


Zesty glazed ham with mango salsa
1 orange zest and juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar sea salt
freshly ground Black pepper
Clove
Stir to combine. Spread over ham as above.
Mango Salsa
Combine - Serve with glazed ham
3 small ripe mangos diced
1 small red onion finely diced1 finely chopped red chillisea salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil

Aren't those jeans more suitable for a younger woman? Fightin' words!

Hi Jean Scene
Renotta (jeanophile)
Renee (fashion blogger)
Re - What shoes to wear with skinny jeans?
Ok, so we are coming into summer but it still feels like winter.  It hasn't been warm enough to bare the toes but it's time to wear white jeans. 
So here I am - on my way out to meet up with weekly, long term, similar - aged friends and I am wearing new white skinny jeans I bought on sale;  to-die-for  Hudson jeans with fabulous detail, which fitted damned well!   I tucked them into my short black boots, and said, 'Let's go, Baby!" 

So then G says, " Aren't those jeans more suitable for a younger woman?     Fightin' words!

I ran it past my friends who said, diplomatically, unlike G, "You have such slim hips etc"
But in the lift, on our way out, husband of friend said, " Hmm,  I see what he means - whatever that meant!"  Did they have a quiet conversation about it?  How extraordinary!

I guess it was the white jeans tucked into the black boots that caused the upset, but I really like that look with blue jeans.  Perhaps it was the contrast that didn't work.  

Clara 

It's not about dieting - establish a happy eating pattern

The fashion show in Milwaukee looks amazing

Hi C
Love what you did with the blog and website. Now that I am through with all the fashion shows, I can get back to the tasks at hand. As you know, I have been dieting seriously since July, for health and yes vanity reasons. 12 pounds of fat has miraculously disappeared from around my middle. All your delicious recipes make dieting so much easier. This evening we're entertaining a neighbor at the cabin, so I'm trying out some more of your suggestions. I especially love how you make everything look so beautiful. I'll let you know how my meal goes  R

Hi there
A few valued words from Renotta whom I usually refer to as R and I'm C for obvious reasons. 
Wow - we have to wonder where the fat goes once you are on track with a healthy, tasty, fun way of eating. Would love to be there in your Northwoods cabin,  and hope the meal is fresh and delicious.
It's about establishing a happy eating pattern, including food which you want to eat -  you love it because it's delicious as well as being healthy.

A few selected words from Jill Dupleix reflect 'fit in your jeans cuisine philosophy'. 
"Salads and that includes warm salads,  are the new comfort food, and fresh herbs are the fastest way to add flavour without fat. Choose citrus for tang and yoghurt for richness"
Clara

JEAN SCENE - BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD - FIT IN YOUR JEANS

Hi there
Yes, I know it looks different but  wait,  it's the same blog!  While you are enjoying  'fit in your jeans cuisine'  we thought you may need an update as to how to wear your jeans so you look fabulous.

There's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans and yet, one of the hardest things to find unless you have to know the rules.  So I have enlisted the expert help of Renotta, www.shopatnextdoor.com who could write a book about styles, length, what shoes and tops to wear etc........ and  Lynee Follow That Girl    "We have over 1300 pairs of jeans in our store and an all-consuming passion to find the perfect pair for everyone who walks through our door."
We look forward to answering your questions about jeans because that is our passion.

Clara

      JEAN SCENE    BECAUSE WE THINK YOU SHOULD     FIT IN YOUR JEANS

To What Length Should You Go? Adapted from 'Jean Scene' www.shopatnextdoor.com 
and Follow That Girl the latest from Lynee

We could write a book about the length of jeans. Suffice it to say most jeans are too long and need to be shortened.  If you're a jeanophile, you know that the original hem needs to be reattached. There's nothing worse than jeans looking like your mom chopped them off for you or shrunk them in the dryer.  At 'Shop at Nextdoor', Milwaukee USA, we have perfected the art of reattaching the original hem so when you purchase your jeans, we'll shorten them for a small fee.  But since you may not live here, here are a few hints you can apply.    

Firstly, you need someone in the know re the 'New York' method of shortening jeans so your best bet would be your specialist jeans store or boutique. 

The next decision is how long should they be?  That's where we come in.  Having shortened over ten thousand pairs, we feel we have something to say about it.  For starters we're just going to deal with bootcut, flare, and trouser jeans. We'll leave the skinnies and leggings for next time. We all know we want to look fabulously tall and lean in our jeans even if we're not. So here's our rule of thumb: if your shoes show, your jeans are too short. You want your jeans to just skim the ground, about 1/4" short of dragging. It gives you that long continuous line even if it's an illusion for most of us.

The next thing you need to deal with is what shoes you will be wearing. Unfortunately, you can't wear one pair of jeans with flats, comfy heels, and killer spikes. We're good, but we're not magicians. You have to pick one height shoe and go with it. And yes, it means you have to have more than one pair of designer jeans. We'll say it again, there's nothing like a great fitting pair of jeans. And there's nothing worse than a pair of jeans that are too short! 

Renotta (jeanophile)
Renee (fashion blogger)

 

Deep fried Mars Bar V zucchini and pumpkin salad with feta

Hi there
We've been away for a weekend to Nelson Bay, about 3 hours north of Sydney.  G & I  played 9 holes of golf one day, accompanied by kangaroos on the green.  They didn't budge, until an unexpectedly accurate shot of mine hit the largest one, so I moved on quickly.

Nelson Bay Golf Club enhanced by wildlife; kangaroos,
 wallabies, and a vast range of bird life. 
We even saw a koala.




Did we eat this?  No, but we were fascinated by this sign and
wondered how many people it attracted from a cuisine point of view.



Zucchini and Pumpkin Salad with Pinenuts

What we did enjoy was the light lunch of Zucchini and Pumpkin Salad,
 on the way home at the Brookland Pub, as we listened to live music
 and enjoyed some lovely (late) spring weather,
 where this simple dish somehow hit the spot.

Serves 4

400g/12oz butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, cut into wedges
3 medium zucchini cut into thickish slices

2 tsp olive oil
250g / 8 oz pkt baby spinach leaves or rocket leaves

200g feta  - preferably a softer variety than greek such as Bulgarian or South Cape Tasmanian
 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts - toasted in oven or in pan

Dressing

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 tbs honey

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Handful basil and/or flatleaf parsley (or your own preferred herbs)

Process until smooth to form a dressing, season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 220 C/400 F.   Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper - place pumpkin and zucchini in a single layer on the lined tray and spray with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.   Bake, turning once during cooking, for 25 minutes or until golden brown then cool.

To serve, place the pumpkin, zucchini, spinach and pine nuts in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing and gently toss until just combined - crumble over the fetta.
Serve immediately. 

Enjoy the video of our walk around Shoal and Nelson Bays.

 

Who's afraid of cooking squid ? Tenderness guaranteed for long French lunch

Variation - I combined prawns with the squid. 
However,  squid was the star. I adore ce plat

Bonjour from Sydney

It was a long weekend here - Labour Day, celebrating the bringing in of the 8 hour day, and it's usually warming up at this time of the year.  However, we lit a cosy fire for our late, long,  French-inspired lunch (Dejeuner)
The entree was Chilli squid with capers, followed by Pork fillet with orange sauce (I really wanted to cook duck breast with orange sauce, but for some strange reason we pay a high price here for not-so-good duck). I did, however, cook the potatoes in 2 tablespoons of duck fat, much to G's amazement, since this is generally a fat free zone.  I read...... another blog.  Served the above with a peppery salad with pear. http://fitinyourjeanscuisine.blogspot.com/2011/09/pears-marries-well-in-peppery-salads.html

Dessert was Citrus Cake with orange (or mandarin) and almond which we had served to us by a friend in France.  Recipes to follow.

I'm no longer afraid of cooking squid - and this recipe is a winner -  with tenderness guaranteed.
Saute!  Clara

Chilli squid with capers

Serves 4 as an entree

2 large squid tubes; OR 3-4 medium tubes.  (If frozen, thaw quickly in a bowl of cool water. Cut into rings)
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp preserved lemon rind - sliced into strips
juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 to 2  long red chilli  thinly sliced or 1-2 tsp dried chilli (according to taste)
2 tbsp salted capers
1/2 cup dill or flatleaf parsley
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thinly

Place the squid~ oil, preserved lemon, garlic, chilli and capers in a bowl and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours to allow the lemon to tenderise the squid.

Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the squid and cook, in small batches for 1-2 minutes
or until squid is tender. Return to pan to reheat slightly, adding some dill or parsley.

Serve on a bed of fennel, with a wedge of lemon, sprinkled with dill or parsley.

Leafy green vegetables are like the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world

Hi there
Back on track with green leaves which we need to eat heaps of since we are grazers.

Leafy green vegetables are like the 'little black dress' of the vegetable world. They go with just about everything and they’re appropriate for every occasion. Green leaves are perhaps the most anti-ageing of all foods and since I am passionate about my greens, once I start on them I seem to need to give all the good news. (below)
Hope you are all eating plenty of fresh green leaves.
Clara

Obviously, the best way to eat greens is uncooked, fresh from the garden, with Spinach or Rocket being my favourites because of their versatility. They can be stir fried in a little olive oil, wilted by steaming for a very short time, but I love them when added to cooked vegetables, at the last minute for extra colour and super nutrition.

We need heaps of green leaves  because we are grazers

Sichuan Style Spinach or Green Leaves
30g peanut oil
20 black peppercorns
4 dried red chillies
2 garlic cloves
2 bunches English spinach
Sea salt
30ml chinese wine
Dash sesame oil
Heat oil over medium heat, add groundpeppercorns and chilli until fragrant. Remove, add garlic, then wine, salt, spinach and cook until wilted and liquid nearly evaporated. Add seasoning, and chilli.

It was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day, ie a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Calorie for calorie, they are perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, can help prevent age-related cognitive decline and may also reduce your risk of skin canceramong many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.
Almost Carb-Free, with the carbs that are there packed in layers of fibre, which make them very slow to digest.


Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important functions.
Vitamin K
•Regulates blood clotting
•Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
•May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthritis.
Fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.
Quick-cooking Greens
These greens can either be eaten raw or lightly cooked. Six cups of raw greens become approximately one cup of cooked greens and take only a few minutes to cook. Spinach, Chard, Rocket, Beet Greens, Dandelion greens, Sorrel and Cabbage belong in this category.
Greens should be dry or almost dry, after washing; store in a bag with as much of the air pushed out as you easily can. I like to put a barely damp paper towel in for just the right amount of moisture. Then, put them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge.

Re the very delicious, very wicked Pear and Almond cake. And real reasons french women don't get fat

Hi skinny jean wearers

Clara's first attempt at  
Pear and Almond Cake
tasted amazing but didn't look
quite the same as Belinda's

Veronica, http://stantoninteriorstyle.blogspot.com who passed this recipe on to me,  commented,

"Clara, the cake is very good but don't eat too much or you won't fit into your jeans! "

And she is absolutely correct!  It should have come with a warning so here is a retrospective one. 

What was I thinking?  I promise it won't happen again, but here is a little justification via an article in the weekend Telegraph.

The secret - small portions.

"Oui! the secret's out: real reasons french women don't get fat." And the relevant point here follows  exactly what Veronica wrote. 

"They eat cake and chocolate - Why it works paradoxically: not having a list of forbidden foods can put an end to bingeing, Sainsbury-Salis says.  French women only eat small amounts of treat foods- and those foods are available in small portions." 

There were a few other hints which I will tell you about in the next blog.

Cheers

Clara

ps I only ate one and a half pieces with low fat, low sugar icecream .......it was a special occasion.......... hmmmmmmmm

Frittata, fresh from Tuscany

Ciao from beautiful Tuscany where G and I are fortunate to be able to enjoy Alvina and Umberto's excellent food and hospitality, at the same time picking up a few hints.   From the website www.timeintuscany.com .  Vegetable frittata to come but first some photos of this fabulous vista.



Podernouva - Tuscany

"A visit to Podernuovo is the perfect opportunity to experience some of the Italian food lifestyle. There are several butcher shops in Castel del Piano which sell locally grown produce including prosciutto, capocollo and a variety of fresh and cured sausages along with excellent beef (bistecca fiorentino), cinta senese pork and chicken. There are a numerous local vegetable shops, a fresh pasta shop (open 7 mornings a week) and bakeries and pasticceria including the internationally renown Corsini which was founded in 1921 and is a major producer in the village. Of course great gelato and coffee can be found at any number of local bars."
Alvina and Umberto's choice of food for the day depends on what can be harvested from the garden and the farm so frittata was an ideal choice using the freshest eggs and zucchini.   Like many experienced cooks, they use a basic method but rarely follow a recipe as such so the ingredients are approximate.

Vegetable Frittata  - a perfect lunch or picnic dish

Vegetable Frittata
2 eggs per person beaten with a little milk (optional but makes for a lighter result).
Slice some onion and garlic and in a ovenproof pan, fry gently in olive oil.  Add a little sliced and chopped panceta or bacon if desired.

Slice potato and zucchini and add to pan. (Potato can be quickly boiled for a few minutes if you are in a hurry.)

Add the seasoned egg mixture and some chopped parsley, and cook in pan until cooked around the outside but still liquid in centre.  Finishing the dish in a moderate oven for about 10 to 15 mins, with the top grill on, results in a light, fluffy dish which is golden on top, but alternatively you can continue to cook it on the top of the stove, placing it under a grill for the last few minutes.

The sliced frittata,  garnished with chives was served by itself,  followed with a salad using seasonal vegetables. 
Thanks Alvina!

Lamb and green onion pancakes as a simple variation for Peking Duck

This is a simple variation of Peking Duck and is ideal for finger food or entree.  This recipe uses lamb but BBQ'd chicken, skin and meat removed from chicken and thinly sliced could be substituted. 

LAMB AND GREEN ONION PANCAKES - makes 12



1 pkt mandarin pancakes - these are available in large super markets or Asian Specialty stores and are very versatile.  They generally come in packets of approximately 40 so freeze the remainder in a sealed plastic bag for later use. Before assembling the pancakes, place the packet, or wrap the required number in plastic wrap and microwave on high for 50 to 60 seconds.


300g cooked lamb backstrap, kept warm or warmed in microwave
2 lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced into long strips
4 green onIons, thinly sliced into long strips
hoisin sauce and sliced red chilli to serve (or plum sauce - recipe below)
To assemble:Smear some hoisin or plum sauce on a pancake.
Place a slice of warm lamb on top.
Add a little spring onion and cucumber.
Roll up and enjoy!

Alternative - Plum Sauce
Throw  6  destoned plums into a pan with 3 tablespoons of sugar, a  pinch of five-spice, a  tablespoons of soy sauce, a pinch of chilli powder and a splash of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until you get a nice shiny pulp.
Remove the plum skins if you want to, and put aside to cool before tasting to check the seasoning.

Seafood Chowder



Chowder Bay



Chowder Bay, named after whalers who made "chowder" from the bay's abundant seafood, is a great place to relax. You can enjoy an afternoon on the beach, meal by the harbour or just wander around the complex of historic buildings.

 

Seafood Chowder

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 40g butter
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 large stick celery, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 4 cups (750ml) fish stock
• 3 cups (750ml) milk
• 12 raw prawns, peeled leaving tails intact, deveined
• 12 mussels, scrubbed, debearded
• 1 salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into 2cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• salt and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 3 minutes or until softened (do not brown).
2. Add the flour and stir until the mixture bubbles and begins to come away from side of pan. Cook for another 2 minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the fish stock and milk, scraping to dislodge any sediment on the base of pan to avoid lumps forming in the soup.
3. Return pan to heat, reduce to low and cook for 25 minutes. Add the prawns, mussels, salmon and parsley and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until seafood is just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Ladle soup between serving bowls and serve immediately

New Year Resolution hints to Fit in your Jeans

Time to reflect and move forward with or without a New Years' Resolution.  Oscar Wilde wrote," A New Year Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other."
and "Good resolutions are simply cheques that men draw on a bank where they have no account."


I like this one by Hal Borland - "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."
So do we or do we not make one????  I found some of Sonja Lyubomirsky's hints to be helpful from her recent book 'The How of Happiness'.   
 A summary of a goal's / project's ideal characteristics.


Identify what you expect to accomplish

* Imposed by self
* Approach rather than avoidance
* Flexible and be able to work with other aspects of your life
* Activity based - not relying on circumstance


Identify and Imagine the most positive outcome of your goal and the biggest obstacle that stands in the way. (The obstacle bit apparently is the tricky part which most of us don't think through.) They give the example re specific details of when and where and how the person wants to act in critical situations.
For example; If the goal is to "eat more fruit and vegetables", the subject might think of how they will act in restaurants, when travelling , and at other situations where they may be tempted not to follow through with the goal. Then they have to specify the behaviour they would do with an ..."if I am at a restaurant and they ask about dessert, then I will choose options with fruit, not cake."

 We are under the influence of Oprah after her recent visit, who said, "Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right."
 

"Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right."

 We know she struggles too with getting it right.

Happy New Year.


Clara

"I only need a belt in case my jeans burst."

Re - Post Christmas trauma or "I only need a belt in case my jeans burst."

I only need a belt in case my jeans burst

Or Peter Hinchliff's experience,  "The other day I got a clean pair of jeans out of the wardrobe. Then began a two-minute nightmare as I struggled to get into them. I couldn't get the wretched things past my knees, let alone fasten the button at the waist.
"Oh no," thought I in the midst of the wrestling match. "No more cake. No more biscuits. No more eating for a week." Then I noticed the label on the jeans. They were my wife's. She'd hung them in my wardrobe by mistake.

Everyone should be lucky enough to find a smaller person's jeans in their wardrobe after Christmas feasting. The relief at discovering they belong to someone else makes up for having gained an inch around the waist..........  and then about why it happens...... "Eating up every chocolate and biscuit, draining the whisky bottle to the last drop isn't mere self-indulgence. It's a duty. A display of appreciation. A way of saying thank you." Let waist-lines bulge and buttons strain as we accept the responsibility of showing appreciation to our gift-givers.

Like many people today we are more conscious that good food can taste indulgent without necessarily being so, with the obvious exceptions of course.  So here are some of the delicious, less indulgent dishes we enjoyed on Xmas day, which I will post over the week.  At this time of the year, one needs to keep on making the dishes rather than write about them.

Capsicum Dip with Parmesan Cheese Rounds

Thai BBQ prawns served with Mango and Avocado salad with snowpeas and roasted sesame seeds

Stuffed Turkey Breast, and honey cured ham with Green salad with Salsa Verde, and Roasted beetroot and pumpkin salad with goats' cheese and walnuts

Pavlova with berries served with Yoghurt and Mascarpone cream.

We were fortunate to have some wonderful wines to accompany each course, thanks to our resident wine expert.

I hope you all had a fantastic festive dinner and can still 'fit in your jeans.'  If not, all is not lost - visit http://www.fitinyourjeanscuisine.com/ for tasty healthy food or if all else fails, read the instructions below on How to put on Skin Tight Jeans
Clara

Put the jeans on in the morning, after a cold shower. Putting your skin-tight jeans on in the morning will increase the chances of success since you haven't eaten much. Also, a cold shower will get your body as taut as possible, making you slightly slimmer.

Wiggle into the jeans. Putting a belt through the jeans' belt loops will help you pull the jeans up. Using the belt as a grip, wiggle side to side to get the jeans over your hips.

Zip up first. Closing the button is almost always the hardest part of putting on skin tight jeans, so try get the zipper closed first. If the jeans are really skin tight, hook the end of a hanger into the zipper so you can leverage the zipper up.

Hold your breath. Like an athlete at the finish line, the last step takes a deep breath in. Breathe in deeply so you contract your midsection and in one quick and deft motion get that button closed.