“Pets just make us feel happier” – the simple reason why many elderly people benefit from the companionship of an animal
We are a nation of pet lovers and for many this doesn’t change just because you have to enter a care home – man’s best friend can become even more important at this time of life.
Ill health, loneliness, depression and anxiety-related issues can all make later life harder but pets can help ease the elderly through and studies have shown that interacting with a dog, cat, rabbit, ducklings and even fish can kindle memories about past experiences and provide an opportunity to talk.
One charity which knows a thing or two about the benefits our furry and feathered friends can bring is Oxfordshire-based Pets As Therapy who say a PAT pet can improve a person’s mental health and overall wellbeing, adding that there’s often an increased connection with carers and family too, and those living with dementia can feel energised and elated, “It comes down to a very simple truth: pets just make us feel happier”.
The charity was founded in 1983 by dog owner and volunteer Lesley Scott-Ordish and as it enters its 40th year, its vision remains unchanged to ensure everyone has access to the companionship of a pet regardless of their circumstances. In addition to its work in care homes, Pets As Therapy also extends the services to schools, hospitals and prisons.
More than 4,000 volunteers go out and about with their animal friends extending the paw or claw of friendship to day care centres, residential homes and hospices as well as the other facilities. Pets As Therapy volunteers are pet owners who give up their time to help, if you would like to help find out more and apply at petsastherapy.org/information/for-volunteers
One such home company which has benefited from the love and attention of a PAT dog is Brendoncare which has homes in and around Alton and Winchester in Hampshire and at Froxfield near Marlborough.
Staff and residents there have seen first hand the positive effects of the joy and companionship that animals can bring.
Rebecca Spicer, Volunteer and Activity Manager at Brendoncare, said: “Wellbeing is so much more than the word games and outings. Bringing animals to show our residents adds an element of home: a visiting PAT dog, social farm experience or even a pet animal for the home adds to this.
“Animals bring love and comfort to our residents, and for them the nurturing feeling of caring or parenting something is familiar. In practice all residents have a natural instinct to stroke a dog, hold a chick or pet a horse. It’s those integrated moments that are engrained in our memories that give us that warm fuzzy ‘good’ feeling in our tummy.”
Animals offer unconditional love and companionship. Sometimes, they provide a level of companionship that people can’t and many find interacting with pets such as simply stroking their fur to watching their antics can have a very calming and reassuring benefit.
Animal visits to care homes can bring back fond memories for residents, with many remembering previous pets or happy times with friends and family when they come face to face with visiting animals.
Brendoncare Alton recall a recent visit by a range of farm animals which for one resident was a special afternoon as he reminisced about the pig farm he used to run and remembered precious memories for him and his family – whilst stroking a pig!
Animals give residents a break in routine and something they can look forward to. But that’s not all – research suggests that animals and their calming nature and affection can offer health benefits such as lowering people’s blood pressure and heart rate, increasing levels of oxytocin (the stress-reducing hormone) and decreasing the production of the stress hormone cortisol.
Brendoncare say that while they love seeing their residents’ excitement when they get to hold a duckling or stroke a donkey, their lovely smiles aren’t the only benefit of petting these animals. Stroking an animal’s fur/feathers, hearing their unique sounds, holding them in their lap, feeding them and grooming them are all interactions which provide great sensory stimulation for residents and are particularly beneficial for people with dementia.
Brendoncare Park Road in Winchester helped welcome some baby ducklings into the world and alongside the familiar caring and nurturing aspects that bring back familiar feelings, cuddling and petting the ducks also provided sensory stimulation.
In addition to the work of charities such as Pets As Therapy in care homes, many residential homes welcome residents to bring their much-loved pets with them with they move in recognising the benefits to older people – improving mental wellbeing, decreased dementia rates, a sense of purpose and fun.
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Planning for the future – Get your financial affairs in order with a Will or Lasting Power of Attorney
Here’s a taste of Suzanne Mulholland’s The Batch Lady: Cooking on a Budget, out now, published by HarperCollins
She says in the introduction to this book: “As I became a busy working wife and mum I realised that those skills are also very much needed in our home environment too. We’re constantly playing the juggling game that is modern day life, and it can be stressful as we try to manage budgets, feed our families well, and get nutritious meals on the table that offer variety and keep everyone happy. That, combined with trying to reduce packaging, reduce food waste and eat less meat, can have our brains spinning.
“This book was packed full of hearty recipes designed to fill your freezer (and your belly!) with tasty food that could be put on the table with little fuss. My second, The Batch Lady: Healthy Family Favourites, focussed on making the comforting family food we all love a little bit healthier.”
Roast butternut squash with a couscous crust
Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking: 70 minutes | Serves: Four
Ingredients:
• Glug of olive or vegetable oil • One large butternut squash, topped, tailed, cut into quarters and seeds removed • ½ cup (100g) couscous • ½ cup (120ml) boiling water • 100g feta cheese • Juice of one lemon • Two heaped tbsp pesto • Eight cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • Olive oil, for roasting
Roasting butternut squash in this way brings out its natural sweetness and delicious earthy flavours. Bulked up with fluffy couscous this is substantial enough as a main meal, but would also work as a side dish or even a dinner party starter.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Add a glug of oil to a lipped baking sheet. Place in the oven to warm. 2. Once the oil is hot, add the butternut to the tray, turning to coat in the oil as you do. Bake for 40 minutes, turning halfway through, until the squash is golden and just tender. 3. Transfer the couscous to a large bowl and pour over half a cup (120ml) of boiling water. Cover and set aside for five minutes, then fluff the couscous up with a fork. 4. Crumble the feta into the bowl, then add the lemon juice, pesto, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
If you’re cooking to eat now… Spoon the couscous mix over the roasted squash and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Divide the wedges between serving plates and serve. Zhuzh it up with a good drizzle of balsamic glaze.
If you’re making ahead to freeze… Set the squash and couscous aside until cooled to room temperature, then transfer the squash wedges to a large freezer bag and the couscous to a smaller bag. Seal the couscous bag and then place inside the bag with the squash before sealing. Label and freeze flat for up to three months.
Then… Remove the squash and couscous from the freezer and place in the fridge to defrost, ideally overnight. Once defrosted lay the squash on a foil-lined baking sheet and spoon over the couscous. Transfer to an oven preheated to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4 and bake for 30 minutes, until piping hot all the way through. Serve as above.
Mexican beef nacho topper
Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking: 8-10 minutes | Serves: Four
Ingredients:
• Splash of vegetable or olive oil • One cup (115g) frozen chopped onions • 1 tsp frozen chopped garlic • 250g minced beef • 1 x 30g packet taco seasoning • 1 x 395g tin mixed beans in chilli sauce • 2 tbsp tomato purée • One cup (175g) frozen sliced peppers
To serve:
• One 200g bag lightly salted tortilla chips • One cup (90g) pre-grated Cheddar cheese • MAKE IT Veggie! Replace the beef with a plant-based mince of your choice.
Cheesy, spicy and loaded with flavour, this is the ultimate sharing dish for when you have lots of hungry mouths to feed. If you’re feeding more than four, this is easy to scale up by simply doubling or tripling the ingredient amounts.
Method:
1. Heat a splash of oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and mince and cook, stirring, for about five minutes, until the onions are translucent and meat browned. 2. Drain any excess fat from the pan, then return to the heat and add the taco seasoning, beans, tomato puree and sliced peppers. Give everything another stir to combine, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and leave to cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Remove from the heat.
If you’re serving now… Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Transfer the tortilla chips to a large baking dish and warm in the oven for five minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven and ladle the chilli over the top. Scatter over the grated cheese then return the dish to the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Put the dish in the middle of the table for everyone to enjoy. Zhuzh it up… Scatter over some fresh coriander and serve with guacamole and pickled jalapenos alongside.
If you’re making ahead to freeze… Leave the beef chilli to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a large, labelled freezer bag and freeze flat for up to three months.
Then… Remove the bag from the freezer and leave to defrost in the fridge, ideally overnight. Once defrosted, tip the beef chilli into a large saucepan over a medium heat and reheat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, until piping hot. While the chilli is reheating, warm the tortilla chips then assemble the Mexican Nacho Topper as described above.
Best-selling author Kate Mosse OBE shares her thoughts ahead of her Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries tour at a theatre near you
Q. Hello Kate! How are you?
“Very well, thank you for asking! I’ve just become a grandmother, so loving everything about that.”
Q. It’s wonderful that you’re shining a light on previously overlooked trailblazing women. Can you tell us a little about any of your favourites?
“There are so many amazing women – from every corner of the world, in every period of history – but I love the extraordinary footballer, Lily Parr, who scored more than 1,000 goals in her professional career in the early 1900s, and also the legendary 18th century pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Reid, who were fierce and uncompromising – my next novel, The Ghost Ship, is partly inspired by their story.”
Q. What was your favourite book as a child?
“So many, but certainly The Golden Hamster, a beautiful story for young children about being true to who you are (a hamster, not a rat or a cat or a mouse). My beloved, and much missed Dad, used to read it to me at bedtime, and I still have that 1960s edition. I also loved The Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder for their sense of freedom, the amazing descriptions of the American mid-west in the 1880s and 1890s, and the feisty, principled heroine of the books herself.”
Q. And how about now – who is your favourite author?
“I try to avoid ever answering this question – too many of my friends are writers – but, going back in time, certainly Emily Bronte, Adrienne Rich, Rider Haggard and Agatha Christie would be at the top of the list.”
“It’s quite a challenge starting a new career as a performer at the age of 61!”
Q. Do you enjoy touring?
“I’m excited and nervous – what if nobody comes or my voice gives out – and it’s quite a challenge starting a new career as a performer at the age of 61! On the other hand, you have to keep having new challenges and pushing yourself. I’m not ready to hang up my boots and sitting dozing by the fire quite yet. I’m really looking forward to meeting audiences and hearing all the amazing women from history they would like to celebrate. The tour is about starting a conversation, having a great night out in the theatre, and putting some incredible women back in to the history books.”
Q. How well do you know the parts of the South East where you’re on tour?
“Very well. I grew up, and live now, in Chichester, so one of our days out was always to Guildford. My aunt and uncle lived in Woking, and my son-in-law comes from a beautiful village in the Surrey Hills. So, it’s home from home. Also, the Guildford Book Festival is one of my favourite festivals. I was lucky enough to go to university in Oxford, so I had three years of getting to know not only the city itself, but also the amazing countryside around about. The joy of being on tour is not only meeting audiences from all over the country, but also getting to know new parts of our beautiful country. Every day before the evening show, I’ll be out exploring.”
Q. What is your first memory of music?
“My fabulous Ma had an LP of Nancy Sinatra’s Swinging Safari, and I adored it and dancing along with her. In those days, you had to drop the stylus on to the record, listen, and then start again…”
Q. Who would be your dream dinner party guests?
“So many of the women I’ll be celebrating in my show – so, as well as those I’ve already talked about, the great British composer Ethel Smyth; the extraordinary 13th century Mongolian wrester princess, Khutulan – who was the inspiration for Puccini’s opera Turandot; Pauli Murray, one of the ‘freedom riders’ along with Rosa Parks who changed the racist ‘Jim Crow’ laws in America in the 1940s and 1950s; Josephine Cochrane who, in 1893, invented the dishwasher (yes, really!) Eunice Newton Foote, who discovered global warming but saw her discovery attributed to the men who came after her; and perhaps Beatrix Potter, to talk about her amazing work in conservation as much as her writing for children. Oh, and of course, my own great-grandmother, Lily Watson, who is at the heart of the Warrior Queens tour, who I would have loved to have known.”
Q. How much do you love life in West Sussex and why?
“I’m a Chi (Chichester) girl, born and bred, and it’s where all my family live. So, my whole life – apart from a few years away at university, then working in London – has been spent in and around Chichester and Fishbourne. There is something for everyone – amazing woods and beaches, incredible art galleries and an internationally-renowned theatre, the canal and Roman Palace, history and folklore, music and community. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
Q. Can you tell us a bit about your first impressions of Carcassonne and how you fell in love with it, changing the course of your life?
“We first bought a tiny house in the shadow of the medieval city walls of Carcassonne back in 1989 and, from the moment I first saw the extraordinary ‘crown of stone’ sitting on the hill above the river Aude, 52 towers and turrets, two rings of defensive walls, everything stepped in history, I fell in love. I didn’t intend to write about Carcassonne but, little by little as I read history about Languedoc and learnt about the people who had lived there in the 13th century, the ‘whispering in the landscape started’ … that’s to say, I started to hear the voices of characters and the outline of a story. Those whisperings became my novel, Labyrinth, and since then, almost all of my fiction has been a kind of love letter to this beautiful corner of southwest France.”
Q. What advice would you have for any woman out there who has always dreamt of writing a book? “Do it! A little writing every day, just so you start to get your muscles used to the process, that’s how a novel or biography takes shape. Don’t worry about how good it is, or quite where it’s going, just get some words down. Soon you’ll have a sentence, then a paragraph then, before you know it, a chapter. Once you have a rough draft, then you have something you can start to edit into the novel you’ve always wanted to write.”
Q. If you could make one wish for the world, what would it be? “That we all share the same planet. So, more kindness, more remembering how to listen and respect one another’s point of view – even if it’s not the same as our own – more attention to saving the planet, and a return to public service not self-interest built on values of decency, honesty and equality. I’m still an idealist and believe that we can all work together, we can leave the world in a better state than we found it. And most of the women I’m celebrating in Warrior Queens did precisely that.”
David Walliams answers some questions ahead of the theatre adaptation of his book landing at New Victoria Theatre in Woking from Wednesday 9th February to Saturday 12th February
Calling all families! The coolest Granny around is coming to Woking from Wednesday 9th February to Saturday 12th February.
The West End production of David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny is being brought to Woking by the producers of the hit stage shows, Horrible Histories and Billionaire Boy.
Inspired by Walliams’ own granny the show follows Ben as he dreads going to stay with his cabbage-obsessed granny every Friday. But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine, as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with his very own Gangsta Granny!
David Walliams Q&A:
Q. What inspired Gangsta Granny?
“When I was a child I would spend lots of time with my grandmas. Sometimes I would selfishly think spending time with them could be boring but when I got them on a subject like living in London during World War II when bombs were raining down, they would become very animated and I would be enthralled. I realised everyone has a story to tell.”
Q. What were your grannies like and are there any elements of their characters in Gangsta Granny?
“There was definitely a smell of cabbages in one of my grandmas’ houses. The other did break wind like a duck quacking when she walked across the room.”
Q. Many people would say there’s a special bond between children and their grandparents, why do you think that is?
“I think grandparents love being grandparents because they get to give the children back to the parents! Children love spending time with their grandparents because they love hearing their stories and being allowed to stay up past their bedtime.”
Q. When did you decide to write children’s fiction and what encouraged you?
“Ten years ago I had an idea for a story. What if a boy went to school dressed as a girl? I thought it would be a thought-provoking children’s book. That became The Boy in the Dress, the first of my children’s novels.”
Q. What are the delights of writing children’s fiction?
“The only limitation in a children’s book is your imagination. You can take children on magical journeys in books that many adults would be reluctant to go on.”
Q. And the challenges of writing for children?
“Children love to be scared but it can’t be too horrifying. Children love to laugh but it can’t be too rude. You always have to be the right side of the line.”
Q. You’ve often talked about Roald Dahl, what do you think makes him special?
“I think Dahl’s books always feel a little bit forbidden. He manages to balance the humour and scary elements in his stories perfectly.”
Q. Which Dahl books do you particularly like and why?
“The Twits is utterly hilarious and I love that it is a children’s book with no child characters.”
Q. Which other children’s writers did you enjoy as a child and why?
“I loved Dr Seuss books as a child, especially ‘Green Eggs and Ham’. His books are like nightmares come to life. They are rich and strange and utterly unlike anybody else’s work.”
Q. What do you think children enjoy in your books?
“I imagine they like the humour and that I don’t patronise them. I deal with quite big topics, crossdressing, homelessness, grief. I know children are a lot smarter than most grown-ups think.”
Q. What were your feelings on seeing Gangsta Granny adapted for the stage?
“It’s a huge thrill seeing Gangsta Granny have this whole new life on the stage. It has already been a TV film. People seem to really like the story. In fact, Gangsta Granny is my best-selling book by far and the stage production is brilliant.”
“There is lots of action in Gangsta Granny, especially when they try to steal the Crown Jewels.”
Q. Do you feel there are any particular challenges or difficulties with staging Gangsta Granny?
“There is lots of action in Gangsta Granny, especially when they try to steal the Crown Jewels – so it’s quite a challenge for the Birmingham Stage Company to bring those scenes to life, but they do it so wonderfully well.”
Q. Are there any scenes you particularly like seeing on stage?
“I like the characters of Ben’s mum and dad. Their obsession with ballroom dancing is very funny brought to life in the play.”
Q. Why were you keen to work with Birmingham Stage Company on the adaptation?
“I saw their Horrible Histories show which was superb. I loved the humour and the interaction with the audience, so I knew they were the right people to stage my book.
Q. What do you hope children will take away from watching Gangsta Granny on stage?
“The moral of the story is ‘don’t assume old people are boring just because they are old’. In fact, they are likely to have had a much more interesting life than yours. Talk to old folk, listen to their stories. They are bound to be full of magic and wonder.
Q. In what way do you think experiencing the stage show will differ from their experiences when reading the book?
“The great thing about seeing Gangsta Granny on stage is you will get to share it with an audience. So hopefully you will laugh and cry along with everyone else. That’s what makes theatre so special.”
Q. What do you think are the elements that make up a good theatrical production for children?
“Those for children need to be fun and fast-paced which Gangsta Granny certainly is.”
Q. Strictly Come Dancing raises its head in Gangsta Granny – would you like to be in the show and, if so, how do you rate your hopes of holding the glitter ball?
“I can’t dance at all (as you might have seen in the TV adaptation of Gangsta Granny when I tried to dance with Miranda Hart). So I would say my chances are less than zero.”
Gangsta Granny was adapted from David Walliams’ book by Neal Foster, actor-manager of Birmingham Stage Company. He has also directed the show. The show is suitable for ages 5+ and duration is about two hours.
Tickets from £13, fees apply. You can book tickets by calling the Box Office on 0844 871 7615 (Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge), Groups Booking Line 0207 206 1174 or online at ATGTICKETS.COM/Woking (fees apply).
M&S have just launched their biggest ever breakfast range from its own label for the first time, offering a range of tasty new cereals, granolas, porridge, breakfast toppers and breakfast pots to brighten your morning
Start the day right with an Eat Well breakfast from M&S Food – our clever product developers have created lots of new tasty cereals and breakfast toppers – complete with the health benefits you’d expect from Eat Well – for all the family.
Some have even been given the professional footballer seal of approval thanks to Eat Well’s partnership with the home nation football associations. Midfielders Mason Mount and Jordan Henderson and defender Eric Dier have all picked their choice for breakfast.
Mason Mount’s choice
Jordan Henderson’s choice
Eric Dier’s choice
Not only do we have some brand new cereal-ously tasty Eat Well options but we also have porridge, granolas and a new breakfast pot.
Our breakfast boffins have also added more Made Without options, alongside Vegetarian and Vegan options to cater for special dietary requirements – so no matter who you are we have a breakfast FOR YOU.
Sarah Jane Large, Product Developer, M&S Food, said:“At M&S we are constantly listening to our customers on what food and new products they would like to see across our Foodhalls. We know that most people have the same breakfast every day and think that’s a travesty! So, we wanted to inspire them to try something new this New Year and while we were at it completely overhauled our entire range to make it healthier and EVEN tastier.
“In particular our new gut health products taps into 48%* of Brits who are interested in breakfast items that support digestion and gut health – so we have introduced some great options for them. Our new Eat Well Plant Kitchen High Protein Vegan Choco Crunch and Made Without Wheat Triple Chocolate Crunch also mirrors the trend that although people are looking to be healthier, they just can’t beat that sweet chocolate fix – just mix them with your favourite milk or alternative for a breakfast that feels like you should only have on special occasions!”
It’s not just chocolate and gut health that are trending at breakfast. Taking inspiration from our American friends across the pond, dessert flavours in the morning, yes in the MORNING, are also on the rise. And as the home of the food hybrid we HAD to get involved – so have introduced Eat Well Pecan Pie Flavour Porridge and Made Without Wheat Maple Syrup Flavour Porridge to our breakfast line up. And hey, who says you can only have it at breakfast anyway!
The Butcher’s Tap & Grill is inviting under 12s to eat for free on Mondays to Fridays, 3-5pm
Spoil your kids at The Butcher’s Tap & Grill on Spittal Street Marlow, where kids 12 years and under eat for free Monday to Friday between 3pm-5pm.
Young guests can enjoy a range of tasty dishes such as a Hot Dog Topped with Fried Onions, Tender Chicken Goujons or Mini Cheese-Burger (or plain) all served with a Pot of Fries and an optional side of Coleslaw. Plus, kids can pick a choice of fruit and a soft drink such as apple or orange juice.
There is no minimum spend, or sneaky extra terms and conditions, simply turn up with your tots and leave the rest to us!
Adults may want to enjoy a pint or glass of wine from the bar or indulge in an early dinner with a range of burgers, hot dogs and steaks to choose from or just have a little nibble from the Bits ‘n’ Bobs menu.
So, when schools out and your munchkins have the munchies you know where to go.
Our wine columnist Giles Luckett is on a mission to raise January spirits with these wizard (wines) of Aus!
Hello, and a belated Happy New Year.
While for many people January can be a trying month, for the wine trade it’s a time of excitement and discovery. With the Christmas rush a distant memory and stocks as low as many people’s moods on Blue January, this quiet sales month gives wine professionals the chance to get out and taste. While tasting invitations are already piling up like pizza leaflets, there’s one that’s a big red-letter day in my calendar: 24th January and the Australia Trade Tasting.
I’m part of the generation of wine lovers who got to know wine thanks to Australia. In the late 1980s they exploded onto the scene, offering big, bold, fruit-bomb wines that were about as reserved as an Aussie backpacker in an Earl’s Court pub at closing time. They were a revelation. Affordable and accessible, they offered budding wine students the chance to get to grips with a range of grapes and styles.
Fast forward 30 years and Australian wines have matured and now boast a raft of examples that are fit to rank with the world’s best. Wines such as Penfolds’ Grange Hermitage and Bin 707, Henshke’s Hill Of Grace and Mount Edelstone, Leeuwin’s Art Series, and Wynn’s Michael Shiraz should be on every fine wine lover’s tasting wish list. And beyond these super stars there remain hundreds of exceptional wines that encapsulate Australian wines’ founding principles of individuality, brilliance and value. So, here are some suggestions for alleviating the January gloom with a taste of Australian wine excellence.
My first recommendation is the Robert Oatley Signature Series Chardonnay (The Co-Op £11.50) Oatley produce wines in various parts of Australia with the emphasis being on producing ones that have a “taste of place”. Modern in origin and outlook – the winery was founded in 2006 – the Signature Series Chardonnay is a fine wine at an affordable price. Pale green gold, the use of oak is well-judged and the nose is focused on fruit and floral tones. In the mouth there’s an immediate freshness and lift from apple, white peach and melon tones, before richer, fatter vanilla and honey comes through. The whole thing is rounded off with crisp acidity and touch of savoury minerals. Sophisticated is the word that leaps to mind, this is a far cry from the ‘bottled sunshine’ Chardonnays of old.
Next up is a wine that’s as leftfield as its much-missed creator, Taras Ochota. I had the pleasure of meeting Taras in London and his home in the Adelaide Hills before his untimely death at the age of 49. He was a maverick, a devout punk – wines such as Fugazi and In the Trees are named after bands and songs he loved – and one of the most talented winemakers of Australia’s modern era. Ochota Barrels Weird Berries in the Woods (Indigo Wines) Gewurztraminer is, for me, his best white.
I’ll be honest, usually Gewurztraminer isn’t my cup of tea. I find the combination of lychees, black pepper, sickly lavender honey, and tinned peaches about as lovely as it sounds. Taras, however, managed to tame these wild elements to produce a dry, elegant, complex wine that flows with oriental fruits with hints of spice and add a dryness, and a cleansing acidity that make for a memorable glassful.
Jacob’s Creek were one of the first brands to make it big in the UK wine market. Their wines have always been good value make for a great buy when popping into a corner shop for a last-minute bottle. Their Reserve Adelaide Hills Chardonnay (£6, Amazon) is on another level though. Adelaide Hills is a cool climate region that’s making some of the most exciting wines in Australia. This fantastically well-priced wine offers a smoky, crisp, elegant example of Chardonnay. Peaches, pears, stonefruit, and a touch of grapefruit make for joyful drinking.
I’ll leave the whites with a Riesling. Australia is rightly proud of its dry Rieslings, with examples from the Clare or Eden Valley being as good as the finest French and German efforts. One I’ve always liked is the Tim Adams Riesling (Tesco £10). This Eden Valley wine offers an intense nose of limes, grapes, and citrus mingled with apple blossom. In the mouth its precise, clean, and poised, with a lovely combination of white berries, green apple, pear and citrus fruit, with minerals on the long, dry finish.
Australia arguably offers the most consistent and consistently good value reds in the world. From entry level wines such as Koonuga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet (Waitrose £7.99) to the likes of the mighty Hill of Grace (£250 Berry Brothers & Rudd), Australia has it all. I’m going to start my red recommendations with a pair of Cabernet Sauvignons from revered producer Wynns.
Wynns’ wines are classically styled and are made to reflect the vineyards from which they are made. Founded in 1891, their years of experience shines through their wines which are always beautifully crafted and offer an exceptional drinking experience at all levels.
My first wine is The Siding Cabernet Sauvignon (Tesco £15). This is produced in the Coonawarra region which is famed for its iron-rich terra rossa soils. This soil gives wines minerality and an extra level of complexity and depth, something Wynns have taken full advantage of. The Siding offers fresh, intense notes of blackcurrants, mint, mulberries and raspberries on the nose, while in the mouth fleshier notes of black cherries, roasted meat, plums and dried herbs come through. Medium-bodied but with powerful intensity, this is one for the hearty winter dishes.
Providing a fascinating contrast we have the Wynns Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Majestic £25). Same grape, same producer, very different results. This is Aussie Cabernet showing its elegant, nuanced side. While the characteristic blackcurrants, mint and cherries are present, there’s also plums, earthy spices, these are all low-key, seamlessly integrated and nuanced. This is a fine wine that deserves respect. If you’re drinking it this year, I’d decant it or at least give it several hours open and serve it with fine red meats or baked cheeses.
Good Australian Pinot Noir was once a rarity. This notoriously fickle vine was once ‘a nice idea’ as one Australian producer caustically described Australian Merlot. These days great examples abound, and one of my favourites is the Yering Station (Waitrose £12.99). Based in the cool Yarra Valley in Victoria, Yering Station has established a reputation as one of Australia’s leading Pinot producers. The 2016 has a fragrant nose of plums, raspberries, with highlights of flowers and spices. In the mouth this gentle, medium bodied wine gradually reveals layer upon layer of black fruit flavours intermingled with creamy oak and touch of jamminess to the finish. This has to be one of the best value Pinots on the market, and it well-worth seeking out.
My last red is another Cabernet and another wine from Western Australia, the Robert Oatley “Signature” Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Taurus Wines £13.99). This is Cabernet in the Bordeaux mould. The benign climate and exceptional soils of Margaret River give us a Cabernet whose emphasis is on elegance and complexity rather than power and drama. Deeply coloured, the nose is a quiet riot of fresh blackcurrants, eucalyptus, black cherries, spices, and smoke. The silken palate is packed with fruit, but everything is sedate, unhurried and poised. Like a great Bordeaux, it deserves time and fine food to appreciate its charms.
“I was lucky enough to spend some time in Tasmania on my last trip to Australia”
And finally, a fizz. Well, I couldn’t write a column and not mention at least one sparkling wine, could I? I was lucky enough to spend some time in Tasmania on my last trip to Australia, a region that is probably the most exciting in Aus. Cool, damp, and undulating, it’s ideal for sparkling wine production and Jansz Rosé (Fenwicks £15.99) is a fantastic wine. Pretty in pink colour, the vibrant red berry and yeast nose is followed by a fresh, tangy palate that leads with raspberries and strawberries, before darker, richer notes of dried cherry, rhubarb, and yeast come through.
Right, all this writing and meandering down wine memory lane had given me quite a thirst so it’s on to the practical for me – well, I need to have my palate in shape for the trade tasting, don’t I?
Next time out I’ll look at some reds that will banish those winter blues.
Wholesome food and a warm welcome await at Squire’s this January and there’s a comforting 15% off the bill
Healthy eating habits are often front of mind when looking to start the new year, with vegan and vegetarian preferences a considered choice, as well as wholesome, thoughtful eating options.
Squire’s Garden Centres has a great range of delicious, flavoursome food and healthy meal choices available to start the new year off – and all with a welcoming 15% discount off total food and drink* bills (promotion does not apply to alcoholic drinks) – from 1st-31st January* across all centres.
A visit to a Squire’s Café Bar makes the perfect spot this January to keep warm, meet up with friends, and enjoy saving money too.
Now is the time to try different flavours in the comfort of Squire’s Café Bars with a great range of dishes including Light Bite options of Mushroom & Sage Soup and Parsnip or Apple & Thyme Soup – served with sliced sourdough, Jacket Potato with Cheesy Beans as well as the delicious Smashed Avocado & Red Onion Sandwich.
More filling options available are the plant-based ‘Moving Mountain’ Burger in a vegan brioche bun with chargrilled tomato chutney, the delicious Butternut Squash, Cranberry & Red Onion Tagine – roasted butternut squash and red onion wedges in a sweetly spiced tagine style sauce served with basmati rice and garlic flatbread and Cauliflower & Spinach Balti Pie. Alternatively, and for a satisfying taste of tradition, try Squire’s Hand-Battered Fish & Chips – MSC certified cod with petit pois and fresh tartare sauce. Menus vary by centre.
An initiative launched by The Outdoor Guide Foundation is helping provide Waterproofs and Wellies to state primary schools to allow pupils to enjoy their childhood
As a child, there’s nothing like the simple pleasure of splashing in a puddle. But to do this without being told off and getting too wet, you need the right clothing.
Sadly many children in state primary schools do not have these basic “tools” – Wellington boots, a hooded waterproof jacket and over trousers – to enable them to get out and enjoy this most innocent of pastimes.
However, thanks to The Outdoor Guide Foundation many are now being given this opportunity through the Waterproofs and Wellies Project, the first of what it is hoped will be several similar schemes from the foundation to help disadvantaged children make the most of the natural world around them.
The Outdoor Guide Foundation is the charitable arm of The Outdoor Guide, a free walking tool founded by TV presenter Julia Bradbury and her sister Gina, which aims to make the outdoors more accessible for all.
Waterproofs and Wellies splashed onto the scene in March 2021 with CBeebies presenter Gemma Hunt launching the initiative alongside Gina. Gemma said: “I am thrilled to be supporting this wonderful initiative and encouraging more children to get outside. The kits provide the basic gear that will allow children to have wonderful outdoor experiences when at school, whatever the weather!”
The goal is to donate 10 sets of wellies and waterproofs to every state primary school in the UK – a whopping 20,000 – to make the outdoors more accessible for all, allowing youngsters to experience, understand and protect nature. The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns proved the benefits of being able to get outside: educational, social interaction and empathy, enhancing wellbeing, reduction in anger, stress and anxiety, improved physical fitness and community engagement.
The Children’s Society says spending time outdoors and in nature enhances a young person’s short and long-term wellbeing. It is also known to improve mental development and personal fulfilment, all of which is endorsed by Mind, advocates of the health benefits of outdoor activities in all age ranges including a reduction in anger, stress, anxiety and an increase in physical fitness as well as a sense of balance and personal awareness.
Waterproofs and Wellies is the result of working with reputable suppliers to source the best value kit with the sale cost for the whole kit just £30. The not-for-profit project donates 10 various-sized kits to a school for them to decide how to distribute at their discretion. Schools and parents can buy extra kits at the same cost.
Julia says: “I am thrilled to be supporting this and encouraging more children to get outside in all weathers! These packs have been sourced as the basic gear that will allow children to have wonderful outdoor experiences, whatever the weather.”
Waterproofs and Wellies are calling on businesses to help support the project too – every business which donates £300 to the initiative will receive a certificate thanking them for their gift for putting something back into the community and will be able to choose which schools they support.
Thanks to the generous donations so far, The Outdoor Guide Foundation has been able to help more than 200 schools since the launch. Businesses interested in getting involved in Waterproof and Wellies should email Gina at [email protected] or call 0203 393 5084.
Lelita Baldock is a web-developer by day, fiction author by night. Part-time nutritionist, full-time foodie. She says: “I love food. But I am also very busy. So for me, healthy, satisfying meals that are quick and easy to prepare, that also come in on a tight budget are essential” Follow her tips & recipes here
It’s the new year, a time of renewal, resolutions and looking forward to the future. And if you are anything like me, a time to focus on healthy choices. The festive season is delightful, but it can often come with over-indulgence. And that’s all part of the fun. But by January our bodies can be crying out for simpler, more nourishing meals.
Luckily for us in the UK, January is also a time of hearty, healthy seasonal produce: think root vegetables and leafy greens. Perfect food to nourish our bodies and come in on a budget too.
The cost of living has been rising, and many of us are feeling the pinch. So it is natural that we are looking for savings everywhere, including on our grocery bill.
But budget doesn’t mean meals can’t be delicious too!
To help us all incorporate healthy, nourishing meals into our routine, while also being budget conscious, I have put together a series of tips and recipes to guide your choices. And have fun with food!
Let’s start with the basics of nutrition. We all know we want to be eating a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. This baseline ensures our intake of fibre, vitamins and minerals. Also fruits and vegetables are some of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Low in calories, high in nutrition. The perfect bang for your buck!
So, the first focus is to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. Add berries or chopped fruit to breakfast cereals or toast. Add spinach or kale to smoothies. Include vegetables with lunch and dinner.
And my biggest tip? Include a serve of beans/pulses everyday. Beans are a nutrition powerhouse. Packed with fibre and plant-based protein, they are filling and great for digestion. Including them is easy. Spread hummus on wraps or sandwiches, add lentils to soups and stews, mix white beans into salads.
Aim for 30 different plants a week. Time and time again, research is showing the importance of fibre and consuming a variety or different plants. The fibre and variety supports the development of a healthy microbiome. Don’t get hung up though, 30 is just a positive goal.
Other tips to round out your nutrition basics are:
Enjoy dairy twice a day. Top porridge with yogurt, snack on a slice of cheese, add milk to coffee and tea. If you are plant-based or doing veganuary, swap your animal products for plant alternatives, just be sure to choose calcium fortified options (see more veganuary tips below). Base each meal on whole grains or starches. Grains and starches are rich sources of soluble fibre, that type of fibre that adds bulk to our stool and helps waste move smoothly through our digestive tract. Full of nutrition and filling, these foods should form the base of each meal. Snack on fruit, dairy or nuts. An easy way to reach your five a day. Keep red meat to a maximum of two serves per week. Red meat is a great source of iron and protein, but we don’t need huge quantities. Enjoy up to twice a week. Enjoy fish. Fish is a lean, healthy protein that also boosts our intake of healthy omega 3 fats. Aim for two serves per week.
So how do we keep to a budget?
With the rising cost of living many of us are looking to save where we can. And our food budget is a great place to look for bargains.
Healthy eating does not have to be expensive. Here are some tips to fill your plate with nourishing food at a low price.
Buy in season Use what you have: stew, soup, roast veggies – don’t let anything go to waste, it can all be made into a meal Use fresh first so thing’s don’t go off Add bulk: cabbage, kale, spinach will add nutrition and satiety to meals for low cost Halve meat and add beans/ pulses to make it go further Cook in bulk Buy in bulk. Purchase large bags of staples like rice/pasta/potatoes. If you have time to prep them, choose dried beans/ pulses and soak, rinse and cook. With meat/poultry/fish buy large amounts when on special and portion and freeze Focus on starches. Cheap and filling Use herbs and spices for flavour, rather than buying packaged food Buy the fruit that is on sale. If apples are 6 for £1, buy apples, if oranges are on special, buy oranges Purchase essentials then add extras according to budget: fresh herbs, out of season veg (eg salad items for sandwiches/ wraps)
So what’s in season in January?
Think hearty roots and filling greens: Potato Swede Parsnip Carrot Beetroot (can cook and eat leaves too!) Cabbage Kale Onion Leek
Another budget tip is to include frozen fruits and vegetables. Frozen is great. Produce is snap-frozen as soon as possible after picking, which ensures that the nutrients are kept. You can buy frozen food at a lower cost and in bulk to save money. Great for fruit and meal bulking veggies.
Putting it all together
As an example, I have created a 2 week meal plan that will provide all your nutritional needs, with all meals coming in at under 30p per serve (most even less).
This menu is what I call a ‘base shop’. It is a plant-based menu that will cover all your nutritional needs, for around 30 pounds.
Potatoes x6 Carrots x4 Parsnip Swede Pumpkin Cabbage Onion Leek x2 Avocado (if you enjoy them, buy the large bags much better value) Apples x3 Pears x3 Frozen mixed berries Frozen peas Frozen ratatouille mix Frozen spinach Peanut butter Bread mix Canned tomatoes x2 Canned chickpeas x2 Canned cannellini beans x2 Canned red kidney Canned lentils Basmati rice Porridge oats Pasta Almond milk (traditional milk is fine, this is just personal preference)
You can take this base menu and then add meat and dairy as per your taste, preference and budget. To keep the cost of these additional lower, go for bulk:
Dairy
Buy litre tubs of yogurt for breakfast topping and snacks Choose large cheese blocks for sandwiches and grated on meals
Meat/ fish/ poultry
Halve your meat portion and mix with beans/pulses to make it go further Look for bargains, choose cheaper options such as: beef chunk, chicken drumsticks, fish pie mix
All meals are quick and easy to make, simply peal, wash and chop the produce, put it in a pot, cover with water and cook. All can be cooked in a slow cooker or on a stove top. You can sauté or fry the onion first if desired. But I am a lazy cook, so I just put it all into a pot and cook!
All herbs are optional. Fresh or dried is fine. Add according to preference and availability
Breakfasts:
Oats, berries, linseed Toast peanut butter apple slices
Lunches:
Leftovers Sandwich topped with bean spread and lettuce/ grated carrot/ spinach/ tomato/ cucumber Soup – I have chosen pumpkin, leek and white bean soup
Dinners:
Pumpkin, pea, spinach, thyme risotto White bean, carrot, onion (sage optional) stew over baked spud Slow-cooker root stew (beef optional) Ratatouille and lentil pasta Shepards pie with lentils carrots, peas, onion (mince optional) Cabbage and red lentil dahl over rice (fish optional) Chickpea, spinach, tomato stew over rice or pasta (chicken optional)
Other budget meal ideas:
Muesli and milk/ yogurt Corn and potato chowder with peppers Goan fish curry Fish pie Beef stew Pea and ham soup Tuna and corn in baked spud Baked beans on toast with cheese Potato and spinach pie Sardines on toast with spinach and tomato slices Chicken drumsticks with rice and steamed veggies (great in air-fryer) Red lentil, chickpea, can tomatoes, onion, pepper and chipotle Red lentil, grated carrot, onion, gammon soup Peas, onion, bacon soup Salmon, pea, spinach risotto with fresh dill
Time-saving tips:
I like to bulk cook on the weekend, portion and freeze. Great time saver.
I will cook up the following on a Sunday to enjoy through the week:
Soup for lunches Bean spread (e.g. hummus) for sandwiches/ wraps Stew for dinner Pasta sauce to top pasta or baked potatoes Curry to top rice A bake/ pie
Some Veganuary swaps for healthy plant-based eating
Veganuary is a fun way to focus on getting more plants on your plate, and do something for the environment and animals. If you are vegan, or looking to eat more plant-based, here are some tips to ensure you are still getting all the nutrition you need:
Plant-based swaps:
Beef – lentils Chicken – chickpeas/ tofu Fish – white beans Milk – oat milk Iron – eat plant foods rich in iron with foods high in vitamin c, this helps iron absorption Calcium – fortified plant milks such as almond, oat, soy If you eat vegan long term, add in a high quality vitamin b12 supplement
Whole grain swaps
It is not essential to choose whole grain options. If you are getting a variety of fruits and veggies you will cover your fibre needs. But whole grains are more nutritious and higher in fibre than their more processed equivalents. Experiment and find some you like.
Bread – grainy/ whole grain bread White rice – brown rice Pasta – whole grain pasta/ bean based pasta White wraps – corn tortillas
Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices add flavour and variety to your meals. The initial cost to purchase them can be high, but a little goes a long way. They will last you for many meals. My tip would be to stock up your spices over time, purchasing something new each week as you build up your selection.
The essentials I swear by for versatility and taste are:
Dried thyme Paprika Cumin
From just these three options alone you can create all manner of Mexican, Indian and European dishes.
Condiments
Mustard – a little goes a long way Mayo – buy in bulk for dressings Ketchup – if you like Hot sauce – great for extra flavour and affordable
By focusing on eating a variety of in season fruits and vegetables, basing meals on grains and starches and adding small portions of meat/ fish/ poultry and dairy, you can build a tasty, health-promoting meal plan that is also affordable.
Experiment with different recipes, use what you have, and most of all, enjoy your food!
Toast bread. Spread with peanut butter. Top with chopped banana (Tip: experiment with different nut butters and fruit combinations. I love almond butter and blueberries)
Bean-spread open sandwich
Serves 2
· 4 slices whole grain bread · 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed · 1 avocado · 1 cup salad vegetables of choice, eg chopped tomato, cucumber, lettuce, spinach
Place beans and avocado in a bowl. Mash together until mixed like a chunky spread Toast bread. Top with bean spread and salad vegetables. enjoy.
Pumpkin and white bean soup
Serves 4-6
· 1 whole pumpkin (technically out of season, but always a cheap staple at the supermarket) · 1 can cannellini beans – drained and well rinsed · 1 leek – green part discarded. Washed and chopped · 1 litre chicken stock or water and salt to taste · Dried thyme
Chop pumpkin and leek. Add all ingredients into a saucepan. Cover with chicken stock. Cook until pumpkin is soft. Allow to cool. Blend with stick blender. Sprinkle with dried thyme. Serve warm with thick slice of whole grain toast.
Pumpkin, pea, spinach, thyme risotto
Serves 4-6
· 1 cup basmati rice · 1 cup chopped pumpkin · 4 rounds of frozen spinach (or 2 cups fresh) · 1 brown onion, finely chopped · 1 cup frozen green peas · 2 cups chicken stock, or water and salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until rice is cooked and vegetables are soft. Serve warm. Optional – top with grated cheese
Slow-cooker root stew
Serves 6-8
· 1 swede · 2 potatoes · 2 carrots · 2 celery stalks · 1 brown onion · 1 parsnip · 200 grams chunk beef (optional) · Chicken stock to cover · Black pepper to taste
Peal and chop all vegetables into large chunks. Place in a saucepan with beef if using. Cover with stock and cook on medium to low heat until cooked. Serve warm.
White bean, carrot, onion (sage optional) stew over baked spud
Serves 3-4
· 1 can white beans, drained and well-rinsed · 2 carrots · 2 stalks celery · 1 brown onion · 4 sage leaves, chopped finely · 1 potato per person
Peal and chop carrot, celery and onion. Place in a saucepan with white beans. Add chopped sage. Cover with water. Cook on medium heat until all vegetables are soft. While cooking, wrap potatoes in foil and bake in the oven until soft. Serve potatoes cut open with bean mix as filling. Optional – sprinkle with grated cheese.
Ratatouille and lentil pasta
Serves 4-6
· 1 packet of mixed Mediterranean vegetable: eg. courgettes, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes · 1 can lentils, drained and well rinsed · Chicken stock · Pasta for number of people you are feeding
Place vegetable mix and beans in a saucepan. Cover with chicken stock. Cook until soft and soupy. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Serve vegetable mix over pasta. Optional – add a sprinkle of grated cheese
Shepards pie with lentils carrots, peas, onion (mince optional)
Serves 6-8
· 1 can lentils, drained and well rinsed · 1 cup frozen pea · 2 carrots, pealed and chopped · 1 can chopped tomatoes · 4 rounds frozen spinach · 250 grams lean beef mince (optional) · 2 large potatoes · 1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)
Place all ingredients except potato into a pot. Cover with water and cook until vegetables are just soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. While cooking. Boil and then mash potatoes. Pour vegetable and beef mix into a baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with grated cheese (optional). Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for around 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve hot.
Cabbage and red lentil dahl over rice (fish optional)
Serves 3-4
· 1/2 green cabbage, washed and chopped · 1 cup dried red lentils · 1 carrot grated · 250 grams fish pie mix · 1 can diced tomatoes · 1 cup water · 2 teaspoons curry powder (or, if you have them, a teaspoon each of: turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes) · Salt and pepper to taste · Rice for each person
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until lentils are soft. Cook rice according to package instructions Serve over a portion of rice Top with fresh herbs like coriander (optional)
Chickpea, spinach, tomato stew over rice or pasta (chicken optional)
Serves 3-4
· 1 can chickpeas, drained and well rinsed · 4 rounds frozen spinach · 1 can diced tomatoes · Salt and pepper to taste · 250 grams chicken thighs, diced (optional)
Rice or pasta for number of people Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until soft. Cook rice or pasta according to package instructions Serve vegetables over rice or pasta
