A Touchy Subject

Three words often showing up in the media at the moment is mental health awareness. It seems every time I open a news app or even Facebook there is an article, meme, poster or cartoon dedicated to this issues. It is the big buzz word on everyone's lips, but why only now?

Mental health issues have been around as far back as human history, however for most of this time it has been treated as something unholy or dirty; something we don't really talk about.

Even well respected leaders like Winston Churchill suggested barring people with mental illness and learning disabilities from getting married and called for them to be sterilised, saying "the multiplication of the feeble-minded is a very terrible danger to the race." However, it is now widely thought that Churchill himself battled with bipolar-disorder or manic depression, as it use to be know. He has even been credited with coining the phrase Black Dog, in reference to depression but this is still being debated among historians.

These days there is a big push in the media to promote mental health awareness, celebrities are coming forward and openly talking about their own struggles and encouraging others to do the same. Hospitals and care facilities are being scrutinised and are encouraged to deliver person centered care tailored to each patient's needs. Even the young British Royals are openly supporting Mental Health charities and encouraging people to end the stigma attached to mental illness. Their Heads Together movement encourages everyone to be open about the struggles they face and to ask for help when they need it.

In our house mental health is not a buzz word, it is a normal part of everyday life. My husband was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his late teens, and was open about his struggle from the start of our relationship. Since then I am always trying to find out as much as I can about bi-polar and the treatments available, but even after twenty years of marriage I still feel like a  novice grasping at straws.

The thing about bipolar is that it is a mean, selfish, destructive monster that loves nothing more than to torment sufferers and make them feel worthless, unloved and alone. It sometimes takes a step back into the shadows just long enough for sufferers to catch a ray of sunlight and a glimmer of hope while it sits and waits with an evil grin on it's face waiting for us to relax before it pounces on our loved ones and drags them down to the ground again while we stand by helplessly trying to find a way to chase it off.

Author J.K. Rowling personified depression in creating the Dementors in her Harry Potter books, creatures that make you feel "as if you will never be happy again." The only way to feel better again is to eat chocolate, unfortunately there is no cure for bipolar, no one magic pill to fix everyone. The best we can hope for is that we can find a way to manage this disorder and break down the stigma around it so that our loved ones can enjoy some peace, and see how much they are loved and valued.

 

 

Finding Passion

For years we have been told by doctors, dietitians and the media that fat is the enemy. Fat will make you fat and will clog up your heart. Entire industries have been build on this simple idea, there are low fat versions of every kind of food and drink imaginable available on the market and yet people are getting bigger all over the world. We have tried to blame it on the fast food industries, the food producers, the frozen food markets and just about anything that would stand still long enough for us to pin the blame on it.

Then came the BIG news, science now tells us that it is not fat but sugar that is too blame for the growing obesity problems all over the world. While the food industries were removing fat from the food they were adding loads of sugar to make the food taste acceptable, so now once again, we are blaming the soft drinks companies, the fast food industry, the food producers and everyone else around us for adding all these hidden sugars to the food we eat and making us all fat.

The food industries have responded by flooding the market with new low-sugar and sugar-free products and giving us even more 'choices' when we shop, and yet somewhere along the way, between all the brightly coloured jars and boxes in the supermarket isles, I have lost my love of food. I have become bored with cooking, and eating has become something I do just to give my body some fuel to run on. I often skip meals as I am just not bothered to even go into the kitchen anymore and most restaurants leave me cold as I struggle to find anything exciting or different on their menus.

I use to have a passion for food, a desire to try new things and create meals to serve to my family and friends. Sharing the joy of discovery with the people I love, exploring new flavors and learning new ways to combine texture and taste. Watching people take that first hesitant taste of a new meal and then seeing their expression change with delight as they discover a new love affair with food.  

I want it back.

I want to stop listening to the industry 'experts' telling us what to eat and what to avoid. If I have learned one thing from the 'experts' it is that they don't have a clue either and in a few years time, when they find something else to blame the obesity rate on, we will all jump on the bandwagon again ready to blame the food industries for giving us the wrong information.

It is always so much easier to blame someone else than it is to take responsibility for our own actions.

Well, this is me taking responsibility. I want to rediscover flavour. I want to challenge my senses and wake up my taste buds. Life is too short to eat bland food and live without passion. It is time to try new things, see new places and eat real food.

The S Word

These days I often find myself with the telly on in the background and considering my interests it's no surprise that it is usually on one of the food channels. 

I don't often get time to sit and watch a program but I still find the sound soothing and it makes the house feel somehow more friendly, it is also a great way to get some inspiration while planning the weekly menu or shopping list.

One thing I have noticed though is how often the discussions turn to seasoning, you often hear someone pointing out that a dish is over seasoned, under seasoned or perfectly seasoned. I find this a bit puzzling as we all have different pallets so what is perfectly seasoned for one person might be completely unacceptable to someone else yet so many chefs claim to have the answer and seem very indignant if their food is not to everyones liking.

What ever happened to putting some salt and pepper on the table and allowing everyone to adjust the seasoning to their own taste without upsetting the chef's ego?

I know these days everyone is very concerned about their health and I can't even remember how many times I have heard of people cutting salt out of their diet because they believe it to be bad for them, however they seem to forget that we all actually need some salt to function normally. Salt not only helps to maintain the flow of water in the body but the sodium ion itself plays a role in the electrical signaling of the nervous system. In Roman times soldiers even received part of their salary paid out to them in salt, bringing about the still popular expression of someone being worth his salt.

I'm not saying everyone should rush out and start eating salt by the spoonfuls, but I do feel it has been getting so much bad press in the last few years that these days a lot of prepared food come across quite bland and lacking in that little something to make it stand out.

Salt is not just great for preserving food but it also has the ability to enhance other flavors, bringing them together and lifting a dish to new heights. Not convinced? Try and make a basic curry from scratch, adding all your normal herbs and spices but leaving out the salt, once cooked have a taste - then add the salt, give it a good stir and taste again. You will be amazed at the difference, without the salt the flavors will be dull and somehow separate, but once you add the salt it becomes a complete dish with all these subtle flavors coming alive and making it a real joy to eat.

Rediscover this simple, essential seasoning and give your taste buds a real treat. 

The long journey

It's been just over two months since our family arrived in the UK to start our big new adventure. During the past 10 weeks we have explored castles and waterways, walked through historic towns and ancient forests, experimented with new flavors and discovered a few new favorites. Although we are still a long way from being settled in this wonderful country and spend most days riding an emotional roller-coaster we know this is were we want to be and all we can do for now is to take it one day at at time, enjoy the ride and share the journey.

Walmer Castle

   
The Garden of England

At the moment we are staying with family in the county of Kent that lies South East of London and is known as the Garden of England, driving through it's forests and farmlands it's not hard to see why. The little winding country roads are lined with hedgerows teaming with life and everyday when we return to the cottage we drive through a tunnel of trees with rays of light shining through in places casting light and shadow all around us. Squirrels, peacocks and pheasants are our daily companions on the winding narrow roads, along with horse riders, dog walkers and day hikers, occasionally we might even meet another car - although that is an adventure in itself.

Meeting a car going in the opposite direction on a narrow, winding road can go a number of ways; the right way would be for both cars to slow down, and whomever has the most space on their side of the road will pull over to let the other car pass while both drivers give each other a friendly nod or wave, and this actually happens most of the time, however you also get the rude, grumpy ones who just stare straight ahead, put foot and expect everything else to get out of the way. These are the ones who scare the horses, squish the squirrels and miss all the beauty around them, they should do the forest a favor and just stick to the highways.

Denge Wood

 
Retail Therapy

Shopping in England is still a bit new to us although we are slowly starting to get the hang of it. It is an adventure trying to buy even the most basic ingredients as the variety and quality of foodstuffs available are absolutely mind-boggling; just after we got here we went to buy some plain white sugar for the kids to use on their cereal but even this turned into a 5 minute debate while we tried to decide whether we wanted normal white sugar, half-spoon white sugar (which is made so that you only need half a spoon full to get the same amount of sweetness as a normal full teaspoon of plain sugar) or half-calorie white sugar (which, as the name suggests, has half the calories as other white sugar but tastes the same)? The result of this is that running into the shop to grab a few basics can easily turn into a two hour debate trying to decide between all the different brands and slight variations available on the shelves. I can only imagine what it is going to be like shopping for Christmas.


The Long Wait

Although I fully understand the reasoning behind the UK's strict policies and quarantine rules for animals coming from other countries I still feel being separated from the furry, four-footed member of the family for 6 whole months is torture. We miss him dearly and can't wait for the day he will be able to come home so we can cuddle and spoil him again. I know he is well looked after at the kennels and I will gladly recommend them to anyone but it's just not the same as having him home where he belongs.

Quarantine is a necessary evil but the fact that the UK's quarantine rules are changing from January 2012 shows that there are better ways of making sure that the animals coming into the country are healthy and that separating them from their families that love them for such a long time is just cruel.

JD (aka Lumpy) is the most gentle, loving dog that steals hearts wherever he goes and I can only hope that he will remember how loved he is and that we are all waiting for him to join us on this big new adventure.

JD (aka Lumpy)

What is tradition?

One of my favorite blogs is Life as Mom and recently I saw that she was looking at traditional foods from different countries, which got me thinking, what is traditional South African food?

We are a country made up of people from many different cultures and backgrounds, and inevitably, different tastes. One person might feel that pap and wors is the true backbone of South African cuisine while someone else might argue that it is bobotie or 'bunny chow'.
 

But what does 'traditional food' really mean? Is it the food that everyone in the country eats most regularly or is it the food the country is best known for?

Let us take America; I have quite a few American friends and I know from their food blogs that they enjoy a wide variety of different cuisines, yet when we think of American food the first thing that comes to mind is burgers. When ever we have been invited to or even hosted an 'American' evening everyone expects that there will be burgers on the menu, even though logically we know that not all Americans eat burgers all the time.

The same goes for other countries, mention England and we thinks of tea with freshly fried fish and chips, or Scotland with their haggis and deep fried mars bars and of cause everyone knows the Italians only eat pasta and pizza.

But what about us here at the tip of the African Continent? What do people really know about our food? I'm sure some will think we all eat mopani worms (never tried it thank you) or crickets (again, no thank you) and although I am sure there are perhaps some people who would enjoy such things they are not at all commonly available ingredients.  I for one would not even know how to get my hands on one mopani worm let alone enough to feed a family of four, besides we prefer pasta or a good currie.

There is one type of 'food' though that is enjoyed by most people in our Rainbow Nation, although it is not really a food but more an occasion. This would be the well known South African braai, and no this is not the same as a barbecue or a grill, it is an event and as South African as blue skies, biltong and Table Mountain.

National Braai day is celebrated on the 24th of September every year as part of our Heritage Day celebrations, with Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu as its official patron. South Africans from all walks of life, all cultures, ethnic groups and social standing all love a really good braai and there is always a story of how someone had a braai in the rain, snow or storm somewhere in the world whether on top of a mountain, deep in bush or the middle of a desert. It is the glue that holds our nation together, the one thing we can all agree on and the one topic of conversation that always brings a big smile to a South African's face, no matter where in the world they now happen to live.

We have a doctor friend who always tells of how a small group of South African doctors had a braai on the roof of a UK hospital they were working in at the time in the middle of a bitterly cold English winter while it was snowing. They bought the little portable braai from a local shop keeper who thought they were crazy asking for it and just kept telling them 'but it's winter' before eventually giving in and letting them have it.

We even have our own Braai Boy, who after a dare from friends in 2009, to braai every day for a year, has now become so well known that he is still at it, not only braaing for his own family but also being involved in braai events all over the country and even the world.

What makes a braai different from a barbecue or a grill?

 A proper braai starts with the fire, although gas has gained in popularity and I personally prefer the speed and cleanliness of gas, for it to be a true braai it has to be a wood or charcoal fire. Half the fun is in watching the men trying to get it going and then sitting around and visiting with your friends while you wait for the fire to reach the right temperature.

The next part would be your meat and other bits that you intend to cook on the fire. This can vary greatly from person to person, although most South Africans would think it absolute sacrilege to cook burgers or hot dogs on a braai, it has to be some sort of sausage and at least one or two types of meat, which can be marinated or coated with a spice rub. Other popular things you might find cooking on the fire would be corn on the cob, braai bread, mushrooms, potatoes or oepsies (bacon or other cured meat on a stick, marinated in a sweet sticky sauce and then cooked on the fire) to name but a few.

Side dishes are just as important at these gatherings and there are as many variations as there are people. If its a payday braai you might be served a selection of salads, dips and snacks with your meat where as the last braai before the end of the month might see you only getting a garlic roll or pap - either way, both braais will be equally enjoyable as the most important thing to remember about a braai is that its not just about the food, its about family and friends sitting around the fire sharing a laugh and making memory that can last a life time.

Magical Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts are some of the most versatile things to keep in your freezer. They are quick to defrost and can be used in a hundred different ways to suit everyone’s taste, pocket and time, so to get things cooking here are two of my favorite things to do with them.

(Please note all amounts are based on what I would use for my family of four)


1. Green Chicken Curry

- 4 chicken breasts – cut into bite size cubes
- Green curry paste (to taste)
- 1 tin coconut milk
- 1 green/red/yellow pepper cut into julienne slices
- 2 large carrots cut into julienne slices
- 3 spring onions cut into julienne slices
- Thumb size piece of ginger – peeled and grated
- 1 tsp crushed garlic
- Cooking spray or 1 tbls oil
- Cooked rice or noodles to serve

Heat a large frying pan or wok and spray with the cooking spray or coat with the oil, stir-fry the vegetables till just cooked but still crunchy.
Take the vegetables out of the pan and stir-fry the chicken pieces.
When the chicken is cooked through add the green curry paste, ginger and garlic and fry for a minute.
Then add the vegetables and coconut milk and heat through.

Serve with cooked rice or noodles.


2. Lemon Chicken

- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 cup plain flour
- salt and pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or your favorite spice)
- 60ml lemon juice (about a quarter cup)
- 250ml chicken stock (1 cup)
- 30ml cooking oil (2tbs)

Cut each chicken breast in two then place each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound flat (I just use a rolling pin).

In a dry bowl mix the plain flour, salt, pepper and spices.

Heat a large frying pan and lightly coat with the oil.

Take the flattened chicken pieces and coat them all over with the spiced flour.

Lightly fry the floured chicken pieces turning regularly till the chicken is just

cooked through and no longer pink, take the chicken out and keep warm.

Add the lemon juice and chicken stock to the hot pan and stir continuously, the flour from the chicken will start to thicken the sauce - if its to thick add more chicken stock.

Put the chicken pieces back in the pan with the sauce and let it coat the chicken.

Serve while still piping hot with green vegetables and mashed potatoes (to soak up all that lovely lemon sauce) or with pasta and a side salad.

Chicken and Chorizo Magic

Yesterday was birthday and to celebrate my kiddies each made me a chocolate cake while hubby made my all time favorite supper.


Chicken and Choriza Jambalaya

225g chorizo sausage (1/2 lb) cut into thin slices
4 skinless, deboned chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 green peppers (one red one green) chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2tbls olive oil (30ml)
600ml chicken stock (1pt)
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
salt to taste

- Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large pot.
- Add the sausage and the chicken and fry for 5 minutes or untill the chicken is just cooked through.
- Add the onions, green pepper and garlic and fry while stirring for 1 minute.
- Pour in the stock then stir in the thyme and rice.
- Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot and let simmer till the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
- Once cooked season to taste and serve.

To me this must be one of the ultimate comfort food recipes, it hits all the right spots and is completely delicious.

If you have any trouble with converting any of the amounts in this, or any other, recipe then have a look at this very useful converstion chart .

If Chorizo is not available in your area you can use any other spicy, smoked sausage as a substitute.

For those days you want to splash out you can also add some cleaned, shelled prawns to the Jambalaya when you add the rice to turn this into a real dinner party dish.