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Tangy apricot Bavarian whip, fried rice medley and bombe Alaska: what Australia’s first food influencer had us cooking

Our food choices are being influenced every day. On social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, food and eating consistently appear on lists of trending topics. Food has eye-catching appeal and is a universal experience. Everyone has to eat. In recent years, viral recipes like <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/02/11/baked-feta-pasta-recipe-tiktok/">feta pasta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-dalgona-coffee-the-whipped-coffee-trend-taking-over-the-internet-during-coronavirus-isolation-137068">dalgona coffee</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-butter-boards-bad-for-you-an-expert-view-on-the-latest-food-trend-192260">butter boards</a> have taken the world by storm. Yet food influencing is not a new trend. Australia’s first food influencer appeared in the pages of Australia’s most popular women’s magazine nearly 70 years ago. Just like today’s creators on Instagram and TikTok, this teenage cook advised her audience what was good to eat and how to make it. <h2>Meet Debbie, our teenage chef</h2> Debbie commenced her decade-long tenure at the Australian Women’s Weekly in <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4814245">July 1954</a>. We don’t know exactly who played the role of Debbie, which was a pseudonym. Readers were never shown her full face or body – just a set of disembodied hands making various recipes and, eventually, a cartoon portrait. Like many food influencers today, Debbie was not an “expert” – she was a teenager herself. She taught teenage girls simple yet fashionable recipes they could cook to impress their family and friends, especially boys. She shared recipes for <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4925379">tangy apricot Bavarian whip</a>, <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4819441">fried rice medley</a> and <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4807813">bombe Alaska</a>. Debbie also often taught her readers the basics, like <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52249448">how to boil an egg</a>. Just like today, many of her recipes showed the readers step-by-step instructions through images. <h2>Teaching girls to cook (and be ‘good’ women)</h2> Debbie’s recipes first appeared in the For Teenagers section, which would go on to become the Teenagers Weekly lift-out in 1959. These lift-outs reflected a major change taking place in wider society: the idea of “teenagers” being their own group with specific interests and behaviours had entered the popular imagination. Debbie was speaking directly to teenage girls. Adolescents are still forming both their culinary and cultural tastes. They are forming their identities. For the Women’s Weekly, and for Debbie, cooking was deemed an essential attribute for women. Girls were seen to be “<a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4818166">failures</a>” if they couldn’t at least “cook a baked dinner”, “make real coffee”, “grill a steak to perfection”, “scramble and fry eggs” and “make a salad (with dressing)”. In addition to teaching girls how to cook, Debbie also taught girls how to catch a husband and become a good wife, a reflection of cultural expectations for women at the time. Her <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page4920059">macaroon trifle</a>, the Women’s Weekly said, was sure to place girls at the top of their male friends’ “matrimony prospect” list! <h2>Food fads and fashions</h2> Food fads usually reflect something important about the world around us. During global COVID lockdowns, we saw a rise in <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-historical-roots-of-your-lockdown-sourdough-obsession-137528">sourdough bread-making</a> as people embraced carbohydrate-driven nostalgia in the face of anxiety. A peek at Debbie’s culinary repertoire can reveal some of the cultural phenomena that impacted Australian teenagers in the 1950s and ‘60s. Debbie embraced teenage interest in rock'n'roll culture from the early 1960s, the pinnacle of which came at the height of Beatlemania. The Beatles toured Australia in June 1964. To help her teenage readers celebrate their visit, Debbie wrote an editorial on how to host a <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48077701">Beatles party</a>. She suggested the party host impress their friends by making “Beatle lollipops”, “Ringo Starrs” (decorated biscuits) and terrifying-looking “Beatle mop-heads” (cakes with chocolate hair). <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55185376">A few months later</a>, she also shared recipes for “jam butties” (or sandwiches, apparently a “<a href="https://slate.com/culture/2013/03/the-beatles-and-the-mersey-beat-in-the-latest-blogging-the-beatles-how-the-beatles-popularized-the-sound-of-liverpool.html">Mersey</a> food with a Mersey name”) and a “Beatle burger”. We can also see the introduction of one of <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/italian/en/article/spag-bol-how-australians-adopted-a-classic-italian-recipe-and-made-it-their-own/9ogvr96ea">Australia’s most beloved dishes</a> in Debbie’s recipes. In 1957, she showed her teen readers how to make a new dish – <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48076527">spaghetti bolognaise</a> – which had first appeared in the magazine <a href="http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article46465023">five years prior</a>. Debbie was influencing the youth of Australia to enthusiastically adopt (and adapt) Italian-style cuisine. It stuck. While the recipe may have evolved, in 2012, Meat and Livestock Australia <a href="https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/marketing-beef-and-lamb/last-nights-dinner.pdf">reported</a> that 38% of Australian homes ate “spag bol” at least once a week. Our food influences today may come from social media, but we shouldn’t forget the impact early influencers such as Debbie had on young people in the past. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared in <a href="https://theconversation.com/tangy-apricot-bavarian-whip-fried-rice-medley-and-bombe-alaska-what-australias-first-food-influencer-had-us-cooking-199987" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

7 things you didn’t know your rice cooker could do

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the humble rice cooker is a one trick pony. After all, the name implies that it performs a highly specific function with no mention of anything else. Interestingly, though, the rice cooker can be used for a whole range of culinary tasks far above and beyond booking your long grain. Here are seven of our favourite dishes to cook in the rice cooker. <ol> <li>Frittata – Perfect frittata by simply switching to the cook setting, heat olive oil, add veggies followed by beaten eggs, cover and reset to let the cycle run through.</li> <li>Macaroni and cheese – Super simple with minimal mess. Add all the ingredients and set to cook. Perfect mac and cheese with no washing up!</li> <li>Rice pudding – Cook in the same way you’d usually cook your rice, just make sure to stir every 15 minutes or so.</li> <li>Cheesecake and banana bread – Prepare your recipe as you usually would and then pour the batter into the lined rice cooker insert.</li> <li>Porridge – Wake up to perfect porridge every time! Presoak steel cut oats overnight in the rice cooker then run the cook cycle in the morning for creamy, delicious porridge.</li> <li>Quinoa – If you fancy jumping on the quinoa train, try cooking it in your rice cooker. It cooks at the same rate as long grain white rice so makes the perfect substitute that doesn’t require any fiddly programming changes.</li> <li>Polenta – Create creamy polenta by adding one cup of polenta to three cups of liquid and set to cook. Add cheese or butter at the end and you’re done.</li> </ol> Have you ever used your rice cooker to cook something other than rice? Share your experience with us in the comments below. Image: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Baked rice custard

As featured in the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, Patricia Smith says of her recipe, “I used to make this for my three daughters and then I started making it for my five granddaughters and five grandsons — they all love it and request it whenever they come over to my place.” For a limited time you can get 23 per cent of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It. Serves: 4–6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 cups milk</li> <li>2 egg yolks</li> <li>300 ml cream</li> <li>1½ cups cooked rice, rinsed, drained</li> <li>½ cup caster sugar</li> <li>½ teaspoon cinnamon</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of nutmeg, plus extra to sprinkle</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C.</li> <li>Combine the milk, egg yolks, cream, rice, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg in a bowl.</li> <li>Pour the mixture into a ceramic ovenproof dish. Stand the dish in a baking dish with enough water to come halfway up the sides. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the custard is set.</li> </ol> Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Chickpea curry

Perfect for dinner through the week, this chickpea curry isn’t just tasty; it’s also healthy, cheap and filling. Serves: 2 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 tablespoon oil</li> <li>1 onion, chopped</li> <li>1 garlic clove, crushed</li> <li>¼ teaspoon salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon cumin powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon coriander powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon turmeric powder</li> <li>¼ teaspoon red chilli powder</li> <li>1 fresh tomato, chopped</li> <li>400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed</li> <li>5cm piece root ginger, grated</li> <li>Pinch of garam masala </li> </ul> Method: 1. Heat a deep saucepan (with a lid) and add the oil. Cook the onions and garlic, until the onions are caramelised. 2. Add the salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and red chilli powders. Mix for a minute and tip in the tomato. Cook the sauce until it begins to thicken. 3. Add four tablespoons water and stir. Then tip in the chickpeas and mix. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Then add the ginger and the garam masala. Cook for another minute. TOP TIP: Best served with rice. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

How to tell if leftover rice is safe to eat

Meal prepping for a busy week? Or keeping leftovers in the fridge? Here’s all you need to know about storing rice. <h3 dir="ltr">How long does rice last in the fridge? </h3> Cooked white rice lasts in the fridge upto four to seven days. If you stored your rice properly it will have a much longer shelf life. However, don’t completely rely on this general rule: use your sense of smell or the rice’s texture to help you judge if it’s still safe to eat. <h3 dir="ltr">Does rice go off?</h3> Yes, your cooked rice can go off, and it goes off much faster depending on how it was stored. Here are a few signs that your rice is no longer safe to eat. <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> It has a strange smell. If your rice smells a bit funky and sour, that may be a sign that bacteria is already growing in your leftovers, so it’s best to throw it out. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Your rice is dry, crumbly, and tough. Rice that’s been in the fridge for too long will have lost a lot of its moisture content. Even if it doesn’t smell strange yet, it could be an indication that it has been sitting there for too long. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> The rice is slimy. This is a sign that rice had too much moisture when it was refrigerated, essentially helping bacteria grow which then leads to the first stages of fermentation. </li> </ol> <h3 dir="ltr">Why do I feel sick?</h3> CSIRO food microbiologist Cathy Moir, says the Bacillus cereus, a spore forming bacterium that produces toxins that cause vomiting or diarrhoea, is what makes you sick. Have you experienced food poisoning after eating a bad batch of rice? Sometimes it only takes 30 minutes for the nasty bacteria to produce toxins that make you feel ill. The classic symptoms of food poisoning are diarrhea, vomiting, and can upset the stomach. If you have food poisoning from your expired rice, drink plenty of water, avoid food for a few hours, then slowly ease your stomach back into gear by eating bland food like bananas and saltines. But it’s not just rice. Bacillus cereus is commonly found in soil and sometimes in plant foods that are grown close to the ground, like legumes, cereals and spices. When food is cooked and handled properly, Bacillus cereus is not a problem. The major issue at hand is dry conditions - think rice packets or spice containers. <h3 dir="ltr">Can you cook the rice to kill the spores?</h3> Unfortunately not, the cooking process doesn't kill the heat-resistant spores or the toxin the bacteria produces. Cooked rice is a breeding ground for bacteria, as it loves moist and warm environments. If anything, the spores will thrive especially when other bacteria are already present in the initial stages of cooking. It’s good practice to store your rice in the fridge, preferably within an hour of cooking it, but definitely within four hours. However, keep in mind that refrigeration won't kill the bacteria but it will slow down their growth. <h3 dir="ltr">Does the rice variety make a difference?</h3> White rice generally lasts a bit longer than other rice from between five to seven days in the fridge. Brown rice on the other hand lasts only four to five days in the fridge. This is because <a href="https://www.bhg.com.au/how-to-cook-brown-rice">brown rice</a> is less processed than white rice, and the oils that make it <a href="https://www.womenshealth.com.au/27-kilogram-weight-loss">healthier</a> are also the reason why it expires faster. Wild rice also has the same expiry period as white rice. <h3 dir="ltr">Can you eat cold rice?</h3> If you are cooking rice to consume later, wait until the steam stops rising, then cover the rice and put it in the fridge. As a preventative measure, this will help it stay out of the food temperature danger zone which is 5-60 degrees. For large portions of hot rice, scoop the rice and place into shallow trays to get them to cool faster. But do not stack the containers until the rice is cool. Cold rice is just as safe to eat as hot rice, although you may have issues with the texture. Use the same tips as recommended above to know if it’s still okay to eat. <h3 dir="ltr">Can you freeze cooked rice?</h3> Absolutely. Freezing your cooked rice is a great way to ensure that you don’t let any leftovers go rancid in your refrigerator, and you can conveniently defrost it any time for your meals. However, you should add a little bit more moisture into your leftover rice – perhaps some olive oil or butter – because it’s lost a bit of water through the freezing process. Cooked rice in the fridge will last less than a week, but frozen rice will have a shelf life anywhere from six to eight months in your freezer before it’s not okay to eat anymore. If you cook rice in large batches, storing it in airtight containers and freezing it is a good way to cut your meal prep time and eliminate food wastage. <h3 dir="ltr">Tips for storing cooked rice</h3> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Let your rice cool properly before you put it in the fridge. Putting your rice in the fridge while it’s still hot can allow moisture to pool and collect, which encourages bacterial growth and makes your rice spoil faster. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Use airtight containers. Keep unwanted moisture out of refrigerated rice by using resealable plastic bags, or airtight containers. The less exposure to bacteria, the safer it will be to eat the next day. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Only reheat what you’re going to eat. Reheating and cooling your rice multiple times creates opportunities for bacteria to grow, so just get the portion you want to eat and heat that. If you have too much leftover rice, freeze it. </li> </ol> <h3 dir="ltr">When in doubt, throw it out</h3> Proper storage is the key to avoiding food poisoning. If you’re not sure if your cooked rice is still safe to eat, the smartest thing to do is to throw it in the bin. It may be wasteful, but it’s better than dealing with stomach cramps from spoiled leftovers. In the future, put your cooked rice in the freezer if you’re not going to eat it ASAP. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

Tasty rice paper rolls with persimmon

Try this delicious meal with the perfect amount of sweetness. Ingredients <ul> <li>260g dried rice vermicelli</li> <li>8 16cm round rice paper wrappers</li> <li>8 medium butter lettuce leaves, washed</li> <li>8 large cooked king prawns, peeled, de-veined and sliced in half lengthways</li> <li>24 fresh mint leaves</li> <li>1 small Fuyu (crisp) persimmon, sliced</li> <li>1 small Lebanese cucumber, sliced</li> <li>24 fresh coriander leaves</li> </ul> Dipping sauce <ul> <li>1 tbs Japanese rice vinegar</li> <li>4 tbs hoisin sauce</li> <li>1 tbs unsalted peanuts (or almonds), roughly chopped</li> </ul> Method 1. Prepare rice vermicelli as per packet instructions, drain well. 2. Combine all sauce ingredients for dipping. 3. Place one rice sheet in warm water until just softened, remove from water and place on a clean, damp tea towel. 4. Lay a lettuce leaf over the wrapper, top with two pieces of prawn horizontally, three mint leaves, a little persimmon, cucumber, rice vermicelli and three coriander leaves. 5. Fold bottom of wrapper up over the filling, fold one side in, roll up tightly. Keep rolls under damp cloth while preparing remaining ingredients. 6. Serve with dipping sauce. For more information and recipe ideas, visit <a href="https://www.persimmonsaustralia.com.au/">Persimmons Australia</a>. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/recipes/rice-paper-rolls-with-persimmon" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Food & Wine

Delicious pork belly and prawn fresh rice paper rolls

Time to prepare 20 mins | Serves 4-6 A great fresh-tasting starter or snack, and you can even get creative with the ingredients you put inside! “Although I love Vietnamese fried spring rolls, these fresh rice paper rolls are my favourite rolls to eat. They’re light and delicious and hugely popular in Vietnam as well as all around the world,” says chef Adam Liaw. Recipe from <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fadam-liaw-s-asian-cookery-school-adam-liaw%2Fprod9780733634307.html">Asian Cookery School by Adam Liaw</a> (Hachette, RRP $49.99) -. Ingredients: <ul> <li>300g pork belly, skin and bone removed </li> <li>1 tbsp salt </li> <li>100g dried rice vermicelli </li> <li>30 rice paper sheets </li> <li>3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce </li> <li>1 cup loosely packed mint </li> <li>1 cup loosely packed coriander or perilla </li> <li>300g cooked prawns, peeled, deveined and split lengthways </li> <li>1 bunch Chinese chives, halved </li> <li>1 cup Nuoc Cham* (see tip below), to serve</li> </ul> *If you don’t feel like making it yourself or can’t find Nuoc Cham at your local Asian supermarket then try it with sweet chilli sauce or experiment with your favourite Asian dipping sauce. Directions 1. Place the pork belly in a pot just big enough to fit it. Cover with cold water. Add the salt, bring the water to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pork belly is cooked through. Remove from the water and allow to cool. Thinly slice the pork into 5cm wide slices no more than a few millimetres thick. 2. Place the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and pour over plenty of boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes then drain, rinse in cold water, drain again and cut into 5cm lengths. 3. Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water and dip a sheet of rice paper into the water until it slightly softens. (It will continue to soften out of the water.) Transfer the rice paper to a plate and place a pile of pork, lettuce, rice vermicelli and some mint and coriander on the paper in a line just in from the edge closest to you. 4. Place a few prawns at the centre of the paper with the orange backs facing down and roll the paper, folding in the edges halfway along, as shown. Add a few spears of chives just before finishing the roll so the cut ends stick out of the top. Serve with Nuoc Cham. Tips: <ul> <li>Keeping the prawns separate from the other fillings is purely for presentation, so you can see the colourful backs facing outward through a single layer of rice paper.</li> <li>You don’t need to do all the work yourself – you can put the ingredients on platters on the dining table with bowls of warm water to dip the rice papers into and everyone can make their own.</li> <li>The filling of the rolls can be whatever you like. Try leftover <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lemongrass-beef.aspx">Lemongrass Beef </a>or <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/porchetta-sliders-by-matt-moran.aspx">shredded chicken</a>. </li> </ul> Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/fresh-rice-paper-rolls.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a>

Food & Wine

Enjoy some sweet mango and prawn rice paper rolls

Enjoy a fun and sweet twist on a traditional dish. Makes: 24 Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 0 mins Ingredients <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">4 Calypso® mangoes</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">2 x 250g packs Qukes® peeled into ribbons </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">2/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1/2 lime, juiced</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 tbs hot chilli sauce</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">200g dried rice vermicelli noodles </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">36 cooked medium king prawns, peeled, deveined </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">24 (2 x 150g packets) rice paper wrappers </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 small iceberg lettuce, shredded</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 cup fresh mint leaves </li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Cut the cheeks from the mangoes and scoop the flesh from the cheeks. Roughly chop 1 mango cheek and place in small food processor. Add mayonnaise and lime juice and pulse until well combined. Remove to a bowl and swirl through the chilli sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Thinly slice the remaining mango crossways, place onto a plate and refrigerate until required. </li> <li>Prepare the noodles following the packet directions. Refresh under cold water and drain well. Return to bowl. Cut into shorter lengths using kitchen scissors. Cut the prawns in half through the centre of the prawn so they still resemble prawn shape. </li> <li>Working with one rice paper sheet at a time, submerge it in a shallow dish of luke-warm water for 3 seconds, it should still be firm. Place on a board and pat dry with paper towel to remove excess water. Place 4-5 mango slices down the centre of the rice paper sheet.</li> <li>Top with 4 Qukes® slices, 3 pieces of prawns, lettuce, noodles and mint. Fold in the sides and roll-up firmly from the end closest to you to enclose the filling. Repeat to make 24 rolls. Serve with mango dipping sauce.</li> </ol> Tip: You can make the rice paper rolls up to 2 hours ahead. Place on plate and cover loosely with paper towel and plastic wrap Recipe and photo courtesy of Calypso Mangoes.

Food & Wine

Warm up with delicious slow cooked massaman beef curry

Make sure you leave enough time to cook this delicious recipe. Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 mins Cooking time: 3 hrs 45 mins Ingredients <ul> <li>11/2kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces</li> <li>2 tbs olive oil</li> <li>1 large brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>¼ tsp ground cinnamon</li> <li>¼ cup desiccated coconut</li> <li>1/3 cup (114g can) Massaman curry paste</li> <li>400ml can coconut milk</li> <li>½ cup beef stock</li> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 5cm chunks</li> <li>1 tbs fish sauce</li> <li>1 tbs lime juice</li> <li>1 tbs finely grated palm sugar or brown sugar</li> <li>3 tbs roasted salted peanuts, chopped</li> <li>Steamed jasmine rice, to serve</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Preheat oven 130°C fan forced. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof casserole dish over a high heat. Add one third of the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a plate. Repeat twice with oil and remaining beef.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tsp oil and the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally 3 minutes until soft. Add cinnamon, coconut and curry paste. Cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and stock. Return the beef and any juices, bring to simmer. Press a piece baking paper onto the surface and cover with lid. Transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.</li> <li>Stir in the sweet potato. Cover with paper and lid and cook, in oven a further 11/2 hours until sweet potato is tender. Combine fish sauce, lime juice and sugar and stir into the curry. Scatter over the peanuts. Serve with rice.</li> </ol> Tip: If you don’t have a cast iron casserole dish suitable for both stove top and oven, cook step 1-2 in a frying pan then transfer to an ovenproof dish to cook in the oven. Tip: The curry will keep 3-4 days in a ceramic or glass dish in the fridge. Recipe courtesy of Australian Sweet Potatoes.

Food & Wine

Revealed: The foods we’re eating that contain weed killer

A new study called the Total Diet Survey, which was done by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has found that Australians are eating the RoundUp chemical “glyphosate” for breakfast. The research also found that parents are unknowingly feeding it to infants as the chemical was found in baby food. The chemical was also found in: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Multigrain, wholemeal, spelt, rye and white breads</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Savoury biscuits and crackers</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based breakfast cereals</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based flours</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Rice-based crackers</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Infant baby cereal, as this is also a rice-based product</li> </ul> Cereals and cereal products, in particular bread, were the “major contributing food category to glyphosate dietary exposures” according to the agency. However, the agency was quick to point out that the levels found within the bread was well below accepted dietary limits and concluded that there was “no public health and safety concerns for most substances”. The 25th Australian Total Diet Survey sampled 88 foods for a wide range of herbicides and pesticides and found that contaminant levels were “generally low, with a large proportion of food supplies containing no detectable residues” according to <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2019/07/20/roundup-food-cancer/">The New Daily</a>. However, the agency has come under fire for its unchanged levels of glyphosate amid mounting calls for Australian regulators to review the chemical’s use and potential carcinogenic effects on people. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world with more than 6 billion kilograms applied over the last decade. In a recent landmark case, a US couple was awarded $2 billion in damages when a California jury found that their cancer was caused by exposure to RoundUp. Public health academic Dr Bruce Armstrong, from the University of Sydney, said it was time for regulators to “get real” about glyphosate instead of “point-blank denying the evidence”.

Food & Wine

Easy butter chicken with rice and naan

Craving a hearty meal for dinner but don’t know what to make? There’s nothing better than digging into a plate of butter chicken. The aromatic flavours and spices not only prove why this dish is a favourite, but it’s also simple to whip up. Serves 4 Prep 15 mins Cooking time 35 mins Ingredients <ul> <li>1⁄4 cup Greek yoghurt</li> <li>1⁄4 cup butter chicken paste or tandoori paste</li> <li>1 tsp ground cumin</li> <li>1⁄2 tsp ground ginger</li> <li>1kg chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut in half crossways</li> <li>1⁄4 cup Ghee or vegetable oil</li> <li>2 brown onions, peeled, halved, thinly sliced</li> <li>2 cups tomato passata sauce</li> <li>300ml thickened cream</li> <li>1 tsp white sugar</li> <li>Steamed rice, toasted naan bread, coriander to serve</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Combine yoghurt, paste, cumin, and ginger in a large bowl. Add chicken, stir until well coated.</li> <li>Heat half the ghee/ oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches, turning occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove to a clean plate.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium, add onions and remaining ghee / oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until onion is soft. Return chicken to pan with passata, cream and sugar. Bring to simmer. Simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickens and chicken is cooked through.</li> <li>Serve butter chicken with rice, naan bread and coriander.</li> </ol> Tip: If you can’t find butter chicken paste you can use tandoori paste, it’s a little spicier. Tip: Ghee is clarified butter; you will find it in jars in the international section of the supermarket. Once opened store in the fridge. Use it in place of butter when working with filo pastry or cooking pancakes. Tip: Toast naan bread in a large dry frying pan over a medium-high heat or wrapped in foil in a hot oven. Recipe and image courtesy of <a href="https://www.australianonions.com.au/australian-onion-recipes/butter-chicken-with-rice-and-naan/#t5k5EYIe2pqhvj1R.97">Australian Onions</a>.

Food & Wine

How to make restaurant quality fluffy rice

Making fluffy rice that’s restaurant level quality is easier than you think. The trick is to simply wash your rice to separate the grains before you cook them. A thorough rinsing of the rice washes off any excess starch that would act as a glue to stick your grains together in the simmering and steaming process. What you'll need: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Sieve</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Medium saucepan with lid</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Fork</li> </ul> Ingredients: <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1 cup white rice</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">1½ cups water</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Place rice in a sieve and rinse really well until the water runs clear. This is a key step as it rinses off extra starch and stops the rice gluing together as it cooks.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Place rinsed rice in a saucepan with water. Bring to the boil. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Cover with a lid and reduce to a very low simmer. Cook for 13-15 minutes. </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;">Remove saucepan from the heat and stand covered for 5 minutes. Remove lid and fluff with a fork.</li> </ol> Recipe courtesy of <a href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/how-to/how-to-cook-rice/9102984c-0417-4993-8c6c-1ce8c94c59b8">Nine Kitchen</a>.

Food & Wine

Zesty persimmon prawn rice paper roll

Looking for a healthy lunch option that’s packed full of flavour? These persimmon prawn rice paper rolls are the answer to all of your cravings. Not only are they simple and easy to make, but they don’t compromise on taste. Try it out for yourself. Ingredients <ul> <li>60gm dried rice vermicelli</li> <li>8 16cm round rice paper wrappers</li> <li>8 medium butter lettuce leaves, washed</li> <li>8 large cooked king prawns, peeled, de-veined and sliced in half lengthways</li> <li>24 fresh mint leaves</li> <li>1 small firm persimmon, julienned</li> <li>1 small Lebanese cucumber, julienned</li> <li>24 fresh coriander leaves</li> </ul> Dipping sauce <ul> <li>1 tablespoon Japanese rice vinegar</li> <li>4 tablespoons hoi sin sauce</li> <li>1 tablespoon unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped</li> </ul> Method <ol> <li>Prepare rice vermicelli as per packet instructions, drain well.</li> <li>Combine all sauce ingredients for dipping.</li> <li>Place 1 rice sheet in warm water until just softened, remove from water place on clean, damp tea towel.</li> <li>Lay a lettuce leaf over the wrapper, top with 2 pieces of prawn horizontally, 3 mint leaves, a little persimmon, cucumber, rice vermicelli and 3 coriander leaves.</li> <li>Fold bottom of wrapper up over the filling, fold one side in, roll up tightly. Keep rolls under damp cloth while preparing remaining ingredients.</li> <li>Serve with dipping sauce.</li> </ol> Photo and recipe courtesy of <a href="https://www.persimmonsaustralia.com.au/recipes/">Persimmons Australia</a>.

Food & Wine

Egg fried rice

You can eat this dish by itself or as an accompaniment to meat and vegetable dishes. Serves: 4 Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 cups (400g) long-grain white rice</li> <li>2 tablespoons vegetable oil</li> <li>4 eggs, beaten</li> <li>250g (8oz) slices rindless bacon (bacon strips), trimmed and chopped</li> <li>3 carrots, diced</li> <li>8 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, crushed</li> <li>1½ cups (200g) frozen baby peas</li> <li>250g (8oz) raw prawns (uncooked shrimp), peeled and deveined</li> <li>2 cups (180g) bean sprouts, trimmed</li> <li>3 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce</li> <li>3 tablespoons sake or dry sherry</li> <li>3 tablespoons mirin or 1 teaspoon honey</li> <li>1 tablespoon sesame oil</li> </ul> Preparation: <ol> <li>Put the rice into a large saucepan with 3 cups (750ml) water and 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil.</li> <li>Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is cooked.</li> <li>Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.</li> <li>Add the eggs and swirl the wok to make a thin omelette.</li> <li>Cook the eggs until set.</li> <li>Remove to a plate, cool and thinly slice.</li> <li>Add the remaining oil to the wok and cook the bacon over medium heat until cooked through.</li> <li>Add the carrots, reduce the heat and cook for 2 minutes.</li> <li>Add the spring onions, garlic and peas and cook for a further 2 minutes.</li> <li>Add the prawns to the wok, turn up the heat, and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they start to turn pink and are cooked through, then add the bean sprouts and toss well to combine.</li> <li>Add the rice and egg to the wok, then pour in the soy sauce, sake, mirin and sesame oil and mix well to combine and coat the rice.</li> <li>Stir-fry over high heat for a further 5 minutes, or until the mixture is dry.</li> <li>Serve immediately.</li> </ol> This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/egg-fried-rice">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&utm_campaign=RDSUB&utm_medium=display&keycode=WRA85S">offer</a>.

Food & Wine

Rice pudding with apricots

Rich in flavour and wonderfully creamy in texture, this satisfying rice pudding is a modern version of a popular old favourite. It's flavoured with tangy orange zest and sultanas and paired with a cinnamon-spiced fresh apricot compote. Serves: 4 Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: Approx. 1½ hours Ingredients <ul> <li>850ml full-cream milk</li> <li>¼ cup (55g) caster sugar</li> <li>Finely grated zest of 1 orange</li> <li>½ cup (110g) short-grain rice</li> <li>½ cup (60g) sultanas</li> <li>Ground cinnamon to sprinkle</li> <li>Apricot compote</li> <li>300g fresh ripe apricots halved and stoned</li> <li>Juice of 1 orange</li> <li>1 cinnamon stick</li> </ul> Method <ul> <li>Preheat the oven to 160°C.</li> <li>Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the sugar and orange zest.</li> <li>Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the milk is almost boiling.</li> <li>Put the rice and sultanas in a shallow 1.5 litre ovenproof dish.</li> <li>Pour over the milk mixture and stir.</li> <li>Bake the pudding for 30 minutes, then stir well.</li> <li>Leave to bake for a further 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the pudding is creamy.</li> <li>Meanwhile, to make the compote, combine the apricots, orange juice and cinnamon stick in a heavy-based saucepan.</li> <li>Cover and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the juice is reduced.</li> <li>Remove the cinnamon stick from the compote.</li> <li>Sprinkle the top of the rice pudding with a little cinnamon, then serve hot, with the apricot compote.</li> </ul> This article first appeared in <a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/rice-pudding-with-apricots">Readers Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&utm_campaign=RDSUB&utm_medium=display&keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a>. <img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" />

Food & Wine

Jamie Oliver faces backlash over new product

An English MP has accused Jamie Oliver of cultural appropriation after the celebrity chef launched a new product. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Jamie has released a new range of ‘punchy jerk rice’ and the £2.30 (AUD$4) product has been hit with a wave of criticism for copying an original Jamaican recipe. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">The MP in north west London, Dawn Butler, suggested the father of five used the word 'jerk' to increase sales of his rice. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Ms Butler tweeted: “#jamieoliver @jamieoliver #jerk I'm just wondering do you know what #Jamaican #jerk actually is?" <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">“It's not just a word you put before stuff to sell products. @levirootsmusic should do a masterclass. Your jerk Rice is not ok. This appropriation from Jamaica needs to stop.” <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: center; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;"><img style="width: 443.3566433566433px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820336/1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0392f065cceb4f3593e7f7611a5214f4" /> <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Jerk is a type of cooking that originates in Jamaica, where meat is marinated or dry-rubbed in a seasoning made up of allspice, Scotch bonnets, but usually also contains garlic, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Some critics also slammed the chef for using ingredients that aren’t traditional. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">"I saw this description of Jamie Oliver's Jerk Rice. On what planet can "garlic, ginger and jalapenos" be described as 'Jerk'?" <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Others have been quick to jump to Jamie’s defence, arguing that the UK is a multicultural country and that cooking different cuisines isn’t the same as cultural appropriation. <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">One person tweeted: "Now while I do think Jamie needs taking down a peg or three you're all getting very silly over this appropriation stuff." <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">"If no one cooked/ate food from other cultures in the world what a boring life we'd lead." <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">Replying to Ms Butler’s tweet, UK MP Neil O’Brien wrote: “If Jamie Oliver isn’t allowed to make Jerk chicken because it’s cultural 'appropriation' she’s going to go mad when she finds out about 'Jamie’s Italy'." <p style="margin-top: 0cm; background: white; vertical-align: baseline; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; orphans: 2; text-align: start; widows: 2; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; word-spacing: 0px;">What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.

News

Multigrain rice pudding with cardamom apricots

This can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Serves: 6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>30g butter</li> <li>100g risotto rice</li> <li>50g brown rice</li> <li>50g quinoa (I used red)</li> <li>1.25 litres milk</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste</li> <li>Zest of 1 lemon (I used a sweet Meyer lemon – do your best to get one too!)</li> <li>125g neutral-flavoured honey (substitute with sugar)</li> <li>¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice</li> <li>1 teaspoon cardamom seeds (bash a few cardamom pods to open them and remove the seeds)</li> <li>12 apricots, halved, stones removed</li> <li>2 tablespoons golden caster sugar</li> <li>½ cup thick Greek-style yoghurt</li> <li>⅔ cup cream</li> <li>75g pistachio nuts, shelled</li> </ul> Method: 1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the rices and quinoa and toast for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the milk a little at a time and stir continuously for about 25 minutes or until all the grains are cooked through and the milk absorbed. 2. Add the vanilla bean paste, lemon zest and honey and stir until combined. Set aside to cool (this rice pudding is eaten cold so can be made the day before and stored in the fridge). 3. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Pour the orange juice into an ovenproof dish, scatter over the cardamom seeds then add the apricots to the dish, cut side up. 4. Scatter with the sugar and roast for 30 minutes or until the apricots are soft but still holding their shape. 5. Remove from the oven and transfer the apricots to a plate. Pour the liquid from the dish into a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes or until syrupy. Strain and set aside. 6. When you're ready to serve, stir the yoghurt into the rice pudding. 7. Lightly whip the cream and stir in, then divide the pudding among 6 dishes, top with the apricot halves, drizzle with the syrup and scatter with the pistachio nuts to serve. Written by Emma Boyd. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Emma Boyd via Stuff.co.nz.

Food & Wine

Roasted pumpkin and rice salad

The pumpkin roasts in the oven while the rice cooks on the stovetop, then you can potter around and make the dressing at your leisure. Serves: 4 to 6 as a meal, 6 to 8 as a side Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>600g peeled, deseeded pumpkin, chopped into 2cm cubes (about 800g with the skin and seeds still intact)</li> <li>1 cup brown rice, rinsed in running water until it runs clear</li> <li>1 clove garlic</li> <li>good pinch of flaky sea salt</li> <li>½ teaspoon honey</li> <li>Juice of 1 orange</li> <li>2 tablespoons white wine vinegar</li> <li>2 tablespoons sesame oil</li> <li>2 tablespoons peanut oil</li> <li>6 spring onions, thinly sliced</li> <li>4 sticks celery, trimmed and cut into 1cm slices</li> <li>¾ cup toasted pumpkin seeds</li> </ul> Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C and grease an oven dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Tip in the pumpkin and drizzle with the other tablespoon of oil. Bake for around 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is cooked and beginning to crisp up. Set aside. 2. While the pumpkin is cooking, put the well-washed rice in a medium saucepan with 450ml cold water. Cover and bring to the boil. Let simmer for 12 minutes, then turn off the heat (do NOT lift the lid) and let sit for 15 minutes. The rice should be perfectly cooked and all the water absorbed. 3. Next, make the dressing. Crush the garlic and salt together with the blade of a knife, then scrape into a screw-top jar. Add the honey, juice and vinegar and shake well. Add the oil and shake again until well mixed. Taste for balance and adjust accordingly. 4. When the rice and pumpkin have cooled down a little, tip both into a serving bowl. Add the spring onions and celery, then pour the dressing over the top and toss gently. Sprinkle the toasted pumpkin seeds on top and serve. 5. Best served at room temperature. This makes an excellent packed lunch or serve it alongside a piece of fish with some greens. Makes enough for four lunches or six to eight side dish servings. Written by Lucy Corry. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>. Image credit: Maarten Holl/Stuff.

Food & Wine

What’s the healthiest rice option?

A staple for more than half the world's population, rice is also an everyday food for many New Zealanders. But with many varieties available, are some better than others for health? We decided to help by comparing three commonly purchased varieties – white long grain, basmati and brown. Nutrition comment: Rice is a grain – the seed of a rice plant. Each unpolished grain has a protective husk called the bran, and a germ, from which a young seedling grows. Rice can be classified in several ways: <ul> <li>Wholegrain or polished: black or brown rice are whole grains with bran and germ intact, while white (polished) versions have these removed. Because the bran and the germ are rich in nutrients (B vitamins, magnesium and fibre in particular), black, brown or wild rice are superior nutritionally to white rice, which is little more than pure starch. </li> <li>By grain shape: long, medium or short grain. </li> <li>By variety: basmati, jasmine and Arborio are common examples, each with unique characteristics. Brown versions of these are best nutritionally but white basmati deserves a mention because it is much slower to digest than the other white rice varieties. Being less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar, it's the best white rice for people with diabetes or those watching their weight.</li> </ul> Brown rice A whole grain with bran and germ intact, it is richer nutritionally than white rice. Its fibre content – 3.9g/100g (compared to less than 0.1g for white rice) means it is slow to digest, fills us for longer and maintains even blood sugar levels. The nutty flavour and chewy texture make it popular with many, the only downside being the longer cooking time. It is slightly more expensive than white long grain, but the significantly better nutrition is worth the additional cost. Overall rating: Best – least processed, richest in nutrients and promotes even blood sugar. Basmati rice Basmati has a distinct advantage when compared to other white rice varieties; it is slow to digest, similar to brown/black varieties. This is because it has proportionately more of a type of starch that is difficult to digest. While lacking the B vitamins, minerals and fibre for brown/black rice, the better effect on blood sugar means it is the only white rice that people with diabetes or above a healthy weight should consider. Overall rating: Second – not as rich in vitamins and minerals as brown, but slower digestion than other white varieties. Long grain white rice Little more than pure starch, this rice is quickly digested and absorbed. While it can be useful as a "filler" or sports recovery food for active people, it is not a good choice for people with diabetes or those above a healthy weight. This is because its speedy digestion and absorption can play havoc with blood sugar levels. Overall rating: Third – little nutrient value, can promote blood sugar swings. Bottom line: Choose brown or black rice most of the time. If using white rice, basmati is the best choice. Written by Bronwen King. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Body

Pineapple quinoa fried rice

This pineapple quinoa fried rice is a healthy take on a classic making for the perfect accompaniment with your next BBQ lunch. Serves: 2 Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>6 large green prawns, peeled</li> <li>1 cup pineapple chunks</li> <li>1 carrot, julienned</li> <li>2 sprigs spring onion</li> <li>2 tablespoons tamari</li> <li>1 tablespoon fish sauce</li> <li>1/4 cup cashews</li> <li>2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (see note below)</li> <li>1 cup cooked and cooled brown rice (see note below)</li> <li>2 teaspoons sesame seeds</li> <li>2 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped roughly</li> <li>Red long chilli, sliced finely, to serve</li> </ul> Note: Use leftover rice that has been refrigerated, or for a speedy version look for pre-cooked quinoa and rice pouches. Freshly cooked, hot rice will make a too-sticky, glue-like texture in your fried rice. Method: <ol> <li>Heat a tablespoon oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.</li> <li>Crack in the egg and scramble.</li> <li>Transfer the cooked egg out onto a plate.</li> <li>Wipe the pan clean, return to medium-high heat and add one tablespoon oil.</li> <li>Add the prawns and cook for one to two minutes on each side or until they’ve turned opaque and light pink. Transfer to the plate.</li> <li>Return the pan to the heat and add the pineapple.</li> <li>Cook for two to three minutes, stirring, until the pineapple begins to caramelise a little.</li> <li>Reduce heat to medium, add carrot, spring onion, tamari and fish sauce, stir quickly.</li> <li>Add quinoa and rice and stir-fry until they are mixed in well and warmed through.</li> <li>Return the egg and prawns to the mix and sprinkle the lot with sesame seeds, fresh coriander and chilli to serve.</li> </ol> Are you a fan of fried rice? Recipe courtesy of <a href="http://www.aussiepineapples.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Pineapples</a>. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</a>.

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