How to make Eggs Florentine with bacon

EGGS FLORENTINE: RECIPE
This is a classic dish that is great as a starter or brunch dish. Eggs Benedict is a dish that consists of a half of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. Eggs Florentine substitutes spinach for the ham/bacon. The recipe below is a combination of the two. For vegetarians, simply leave the bacon out. Hope you enjoy.

Eggs Florentine Ingredients (serves 4)
- 8 thin bacon rashers
- 20g butter
- 2 bunches of spinach, trimmed, washed, dried
- dash of white vinegar
- 4 fresh eggs, at room temperature
- 4 slices ciabatta, sourdough or English muffins, toasted

Hollandaise sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine vinegar
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 200g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp lemon juice

Step 1
To make the hollandaise sauce, combine the vinegar, peppercorns and shallot in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until mixture reduces to 2 tsp. Remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve.
Step 2
Place the vinegar reduction and egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan that is half-filled with simmering water. Use a balloon whisk to whisk, while very gradually adding the melted butter in a thin, steady stream. Whisk until thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and ground white pepper. Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Cover with foil and set aside.
Step 3
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. Add the bacon rashers and cook for 2 minutes each side or until crisp. Transfer to a plate. Melt the butter in the pan until foaming. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until spinach wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Add vinegar to a deep frying pan filled with water and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and bring to a gentle simmer. Crack 1 egg into a small cup. Use a large spoon to stir the water to create a whirlpool. Gently slide the egg into the water and poach for 1-2 minutes for a soft egg, or until cooked to your liking. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. Cover loosely with aluminium foil to keep warm and repeat with the remaining eggs.
Step 5
Place the toast on the serving plates. Spoon the spinach and bacon over the toast slices. Top with the poached eggs and drizzle with hollandaise sauce. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

EGGS FLORENTINE TIPS:
– Vinegar added to the poaching egg water will immediately set the eggwhite, giving the final poached egg a better shape.

Source: Sarah Hobbs

How to make Spaghetti Bolognaise: recipe

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE: RECIPE
Spaghetti Bolognaise consists of a meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti with a good sprinkling of grated Parmigiano cheese. Although Spaghetti Bolognaise is very popular outside of Italy, it never existed in Bologna, where ragù is served always with the local egg pastas tagliatelle or lasagne. Spaghetti Bolognaise (Spag Bol) is by far my favourite meal – easy to prepare and delicious to eat!

Spaghetti Bolognaise Ingredients (serves 4)
- 1/2 tbs olive oil
- 1 large chopped onion
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed
- 50g chopped pancetta
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 600g diced tomatoes
- 1/8 cup tomato paste
- 250g spaghetti

Step 1
Heat 1/2 tbs olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook 1 large chopped onion, 1 large garlic clove, crushed, and 50g chopped pancetta for 4-5 mins. Increase heat to high, gradually add 500g beef mince and cook until well browned.
Step 2
Add 1 cup beef stock, 1/2 cup red wine, 600g diced tomatoes and 1/8 cup tomato paste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 3
Cook 250g spaghetti in boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain. Serve half the bolognaise with the pasta and freeze the remaining sauce for later. Serve with grated parmesan, if desired.

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE TIPS:
– Add mushrooms to the bolognaise sauce for extra flavour.
– Spag Bol is a great meal for children (especially if they do not enjoy eating their vegetables) – by grating vegetables into the bolognaise sauce you can disguise the fact that they are eating them.

Source:
Fresh Living - June 2005, Page 35
Recipe by Rebecca Truda

How to make Macaroni & Cheese: recipe

MACARONI AND CHEESE: RECIPE
Macaroni and Cheese is a classic baked pasta dish which can either be served as an entrée or as a side dish. It is a very simple dish, sometimes referred to mac 'n' cheese. There are endless combinations with common additions like peas, corn, ham and even ground beef.

The key to a good Macaroni and Cheese is the cheese and ultimately the cheese sauce. Make sure you try to buy a block of aged cheddar cheese and grate it yourself.

Macaroni Cheese Ingredients
- Melted margarine, to grease
- 145g (1 cup) dried macaroni pasta
- 40g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar
White Sauce Ingredients
- 375ml (1 1/2 cups) milk
- 20g (1 tbs) margarine
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbs cornflour
- 125ml (1/2 cup) water

Step 1
Preheat oven to 250°C. Brush a 1-litre (4-cup) ovenproof dish with the melted margarine to lightly grease.
Step 2
Cook the macaroni in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water following packet directions or until al dente.
Step 3
Meanwhile, to make sauce, heat milk and margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. Combine cornflour and water and stir in gradually. Bring to the boil, stirring. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring, for 5-7 minutes or until thick.
Step 4
Drain the macaroni. Add to the white sauce and stir to combine. Transfer to greased dish and sprinkle with cheddar. Cook in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Jessica Vanderwolf

How to make a Bellini cocktail

BELLINI COCKTAIL RECIPE:
The Bellini is a peachy version of the Champagne Cocktail and makes a great brunch cocktail. It was created in the 1930's or 40's at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy by bartender Giuseppe Cipriani and was named after a favorite painter, Giovanni Bellini. Originally, the Bellini was intended to use sparkling Italian wine and is still made that way in Italy, elsewhere it is often made with Champagne.

Bellini Cocktail Ingredients
- 1 ounce peach puree
- 3 ounces champagne
- 1 peach slice for garnish

Step 1
Wash and peel the peaches.
Step 2
Remove the pits and blend peaches into a puree in either a food processor or a blender.
Step 3
Spoon one ounce of peach puree into a fluted champagne glass.
Step 4
Fill the glass with champagne or sparkling white wine.
Step 5
Garnish with a peach slice and serve.

Quick and Easy Bellini:
- 1 ounce peach schnapps
- 3 ounces dry sparkling white wine or champagne
- 1 dash grenadine

Combine ingredients in a champagne glass for a quick and easy bellini.

Bellini step by step video tutorial:

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Top 10 Nutrition and Fitness Tips and Tricks

TOP 10 TIPS, TRICKS AND HINTS TO GET YOU FIT AND HEALTHY

1. Get real and be specific.
Write down three or four realistic goals that you can stick to. For example, "I will try to lose one pound of body fat every week. I will walk for 30 minutes minimum five days a week." Avoid fantasy-land goals that will only frustrate you.

2. Get prepared.
Throw away all the junk, the processed, and the "bingeable" foods now and replace them with fresh, whole foods like lots of water and veggies. Buy a new pair of walking shoes and find some clothes in your closet you feel comfortable to walk in. During a lifestyle change, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail!

3. Get support.
Whether it's your best friend, spouse, or pet, it helps to have some nonjudgmental and nurturing support when trying to lose weight, especially during trying times.

4. Make daily notes.
Research has shown that keeping track of your daily exercise and food intake in a journal or notebook will increase the likelihood of success. Keep it simple, or if you're inspired, write a novel! The key is to hold yourself accountable.

5. Create a food-free reward system.
How about a new workout outfit, pair of jeans, shoes -- or what the heck, even a spa treatment, shopping spree, or weekend getaway? You deserve this kind of treatment when you reach your goals.

6. Buy a pedometer.
A pedometer keeps track of how many steps you take daily. Wear it every day, around home, work, and while exercising. Your National Body Challenge goal is to increase your steps by 10,000 or more daily! Remember this: You'll burn roughly 100 to 125 calories by taking 2,500 steps (about one mile). The goal during the challenge is to burn 300 extra calories and to eat roughly 200 calories less in a day. This 500-calorie deficit is equivalent to one pound of body fat per week and a healthy boost to your self-esteem.

7. Don't skip breakfast.
Research shows that the most successful "losers" never skip it. Try to keep it balanced with some protein, a healthy carb, and a small amount of fat. Here are some examples: an egg-white omelet with fresh berries and a piece of whole-wheat toast, or a skim milk shake with fruit and yogurt.

8. Stop the late-night eating.
If you eat a lot of excess calories after 8 p.m., you wear them the next morning. Put a stop to this by making sure you have a healthy dinner consisting of lean protein, veggies, and fruit.

9. Eliminate processed sugars.
Processed sugars are carbs that have been stripped of their valuable nutrients. How can you identify these sugars? They are all white: table sugar, pasta, rice, and bread, and they're nothing but trouble, since they kick up your appetite for more of the same.

10. Have a mid-afternoon snack.
This will curb your appetite and provide fuel for your after-work walk or workout at the gym. Some great snack ideas include: reduced-fat peanut butter on a multi-grain cracker, a couple of pieces of low-fat string cheese and an apple, cottage cheese with pineapple, or try a low-fat cheese microwaved in a whole-wheat pita.

article by Discovery Health Channel National Body Challenge medical advisor Dr. Pamela Peeke