MOST WANTED FOOD at CHRISTMAS TIME

As November quickens its pace and December gets ready to welcome us with open arms, Christmas cheer spreads across Southeast QLD (and indeed most of the world). I was flipping through a local newspaper a few days ago when an article caught my eye; ‘Help to spread the word: Food Charity reveals its most wanted list in the lead up to Christmas’. I have been so grossly consumed with my business, the renovations on my new house, how bad it is that I don’t have all my kitchen equipment at my fingers at my temporary house that I haven’t stopped to think about people less fortunate than myself in months. I take for granted that I can purchase whatever food I want every day and occasionally find myself complaining about all the stores I have to frequent to find the best price on chia seeds or the oat milk brand that I prefer. What about all the people in Australia (and the world) who don’t know where their next meal is coming from? Now there’s something to complain and worry about.

So in the lead up to Christmas I am going to spend more time thinking about how truly lucky I am to be able to afford food and consider it a blessing that I have a kitchen to cook in and two fully functional hands to assist me. Why don’t you all join me? Let’s all donate one, two or all 12 of the Most Wanted Foods by Foodbank to a donation point nearby. The City South News has joined Retail First and All-Purpose Transport in the hope of raising 30 TONNES of donated food over the coming Christmas and New Year period. Looking at this list drove me to do a quick scan of my cupboard that revealed 10 of the 12 most wanted items on the list, eight of which had accumulated a thick layer of dust. I’m certain many of you would open your pantry and see a similar scenario. I have listed the 12 Most Wanted Foods and all the Southeast Donation points below - if you live on the other side of Brisbane I am sure you won’t have to look far to find collection bins; outside Woolworths or Coles or asking Information in a shopping centre is a safe bet!

Most Wanted Foods by Foodbank in 2013

1.      Vegemite

2.     Weet-Bix/breakfast cereal

3.     Tea bags

4.     Long-life milk

5.     Tinned tuna

6.     Pasta

7.     Tinned fruit

8.     Tinned vegetables

9.     Rice

10.   Baked beans

11.   Pasta sauce

12.  Two-minute noodles

Donation Points

·      Fairfield Gardens

·      Mt Gravatt Plaza

·      Sunnybank Plaza

·      Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtwon

·      Sunny Park- Sunnybank

·      Capalaba Park

·      CannonHill Kmart Plaza

Merry Christmas!!! 

x Emily 

OLIVIA WILDE'S GROWING BABY BUMP AT PILATES

Rush actress Olivia Wilde was spotted leaving a Pilates class last Friday in Los Angeles sporting a very small baby bump! Even though Wilde and her fiancé Jason Sudeikis are yet to officially confirm that they are expecting, Hollywood is impatiently anticipating their gorgeous baby's arrival! The stunning actress was snapped in Reebok stretch pants and a grey workout shirt that revealed a tiny baby belly on Friday morning.  Wilde has actually been spotted on a few other occasions over the last few weeks attending Pilates classes. It is clear that she wants to keep fit and healthy as she prepares for her baby's birth. 

Health and fitness has always been paramount to Wilde. She tries to be active every day, wherever this involves walking her dog, hiking or riding her bike on the beach. Olivia tries to mix up her exercise so she stays motivated. "I make fun of it (exercise), but it's amazing, because you have to push yourself through this resistance, which is so therapeutic," the fit actress says. Wilde has also recently taken up paddleboarding along with her regular Pilates classes. 

The 29-year-old actress has a few fundamental health tips: "Drink water, sleep eight hours (I wish), and don't go within 400 feet of a tanning booth, or I'll slap you. Hard." Wilde is also a very clean eater. She is a longtime vegetarian and made the choice to become a vegan five years ago. "My veganism is at times consistent, other times less so...but I love how it makes me feel. [Being vegan] is not always easy and accessible, but it's a way of life and makes me as a person feel really good and physically look better. My skin was better, my energy was better."

The recently engaged actress is very excited about her future family plans with fiancé Jason Sudeikis. Oliva told magazine Marie Claire that "we've (Jason & her) have discussed all our ideals and hopes. I can't wait for children. I'm open-minded about how many, but three (children), which I love, is like a little party. "

Wilde also gushed about Sudeikis's fatherly skills in the interview;  "[Jason's] so good with kids...I've never before experienced looking at someone and thinking, 'That's who I want to raise a child with.'" 

We wish this lovely couple all the best with the birth of their first child! 

Recently fallen pregnant and want to get your fitness and health under control? Interested in having a body like Oliva's by summer? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com. 

x Emily 

KERRY WASHINGTON'S SCANDALOUS PILATES WORKOUTS

Gorgeous actress Kerry Washington is becoming a bit of a household name in Hollywood these days. When she's not working hard on the ABC show Scandal she is starring alongside mega famous actors in films like Django Unchained. She was also crowned number two on People's 100 Most Beautiful People list this year and beauty company Neutrogena has taken her on as their creative consultant. 

What does Kerry do during her precious down time, you may wonder? Lots and lots of Pilates!  

According to Women's Health Magazine Washington is a serious Pilates devotee and has been incorporating this exercise into her workout regime for the past six years. The 36-year-old actress does love the toning and weight loss aspect of this exercise, however she has also noticed more skin deep benefits."Pilates has allowed me to be focused on my appearance and my health in ways that are not abusive or critical," says Kerry. 

This Emmy nominee is known to be a very hard worker, as she often spends 16 plus hour days shooting. Washington credits her lean physique to having a very experienced Pilates instructor, Nonna Gleyzer, train her for the last six years. Gleyzer recently shared some insight into Kerry's Pilates workouts with Shape magazine. 

"...she (Kerry) is just so dedicated, devoted, hard working, and focused on her workouts. She does Pilates as much as she can, usually three to four times a week for 60 minutes per session. She initially wanted to try Pilates because this type of training doesn't put pressure on her joints, as she has pinched a nerve in her neck and shoulder area in the past while working with another trainer. My method is gentler on the body but also keeps it toned and strong." 

Kerry's Pilates instructor reveals that a typical Pilates session with the actress starts with lower body work, focusing on the quads, inner thighs, gluts (bottom) and calves. After that the lower abs are targeted intensely, which improves the stability of the sacrum, which in turn keeps the hips and pelvis in alignment, resulting in correct posture and a taller stance - very important for celebrities walking down the red carpet! Once the lower abs have been worked, Kerry's shoulders and triceps get a strong workout and the biceps are lightly engaged. Mid back muscles and oblique exercises complete Washington's tough one hour workout. 

Its not all Pilates that keeps this svelte actress in shape however. Kerry admits that she "lives quietly" and doesn't drink as she considers alcohol to be "empty calories". As Washington simply puts it:  "I watch what I eat. I train, I do Pilates." The beauty reveals that she drinks "maybe twice a year" when she's catching up with old friends. As Pilates instructors ourselves we have to admit that alcohol is one of the best ways to massively increase your calorie intake and looking at Kerry's body she seems to be doing alright without it. However for so many of us, alcohol is part of our social routine. Another way that Kerry stays trim is by eating healthily, which we can all try to do. Washington eats a lot of lean proteins, vegetables and loves coconut water. 

Want to be in the best shape of your life like Kerry Washington is? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com. 

x Emily 

MEATLESS MONDAY- PUMPKIN, CHICKPEA & BLOOD ORANGE SALAD

It’s been rough and tough renovating a house over the last eight weeks. It has been emotionally and physically draining being at work and the house 12-14 hours a day, however the most difficult part for me has been not having time to cook. I feel lost and adrift without my ‘me’ time to experiment with new recipes, seasonal flavours and writing my thoughts down every day. So when I get a window of a few hours that does not consist of work, renovating or exercise I jump at it with arms wide open. That is exactly what I did yesterday (Sunday) and my enthusiasm lead to this sunny salad. Happy meatless Monday everyone. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 450g Jap or other type of pumpkin, skin and seeded removed, cut into 4cm pieces
• 200g cooked chickpeas
• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 3cm fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach, washed 
• the flesh of a blood orange, skin removed and chopped into even pieces
• the seeds of one pomegranate, washed 

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water 

COOKING

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Combine the cut pumpkin, chickpeas, oil, ginger and garlic in a large bowl and toss/stir well to combine. Spread the pumpkin mixture out on the prepared tray and roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft but not mushy. Remove from the oven. 

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a small jar or cup and stirring well. 

3. Prepare the salad by placing the baby spinach in a large serving bowl, then topping with the cooked pumpkin and chickpeas, then add in the blood orange and pomegranate and the dressing. Toss to combine all the flavours and serve whilst the pumpkin is still warm. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 

Total Cooking time / 25 minutes 

x Emily 

VIETNAMESE SHREDDED CHICKEN SALAD

I love making this recipe during summer, as it is fresh, light and filling. If you are looking for a substitute for chicken, 300g of tofu will do nicely. Don't be put off by the ingredients list and cooking steps, as this salad is really quite simple to make. It also serves EIGHT, which is wonderful for those of you out there that are not cooking crazy and want a dish to last you lunch and dinner for several days.  I've kept this salad as basic as possible, however you could add red cabbage, ginger, coriander, mint and other vegetables and herbs. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 x 250g chicken breast fillets, fat removed 
• 300g wombok (Chinese cabbage), finely shredded
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 250g cucumber, roughly chopped
• 100g green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped 
• 3 green shallots, finely chopped
• 200g rice vermicelli noodles 
• Optional- extra shallots, fresh coriander 

Dressing

• the juice of 3 large limes or 4 small to medium limes 
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• approximately 6 tablespoons water 
• 4 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

COOKING

1. *Because step 1 involves poaching the chicken, which takes around 25 minutes, you can use this time to prepare the vegetables*.  Place the chicken breasts in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, covered, then simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the stove and let the saucepan stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Remove the poached chicken from the pan and leave to cool for a few minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl and stirring well. Taste the dressing as you go and add more of any ingredient if need be. 

3. When the dressing is finished, soak the noodles in a large bowl or pot with boiling hot water. Make sure all the noodles are covered with water and leave to stand for 5 minutes or until the noodles are soft. Drain well in a colander or large sieve and rinse with water until cool enough to handle. I like to cut the noodles with kitchen scissors so they are easier to toss and serve. 

4. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into small pieces. 

5. Combine the shredded chicken, wombok, grated carrot, cucumber, green beans, shallots and cooked vermicelli noodles in a large serving bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well to combine. Serve, topped with extra chopped green shallots or coriander, if you wish. 

Serves / 8 as a main

Total Preparation time & Cooking time  / approx 35 minutes

x Emily 

FOODS TO FILL UP ON for a LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE

An email in my inbox caught my eye earlier this morning; USA Men's Health pick of the 10 top foods to live a longer life. Below are my favourites out of the 10 and are foods that I think we are quite capable of incorporating into our daily diet. These superfoods truly do have super powers; they can fight diseases, lower cholesterol and blood sugar and boost your metabolism. 

Almonds are the chosen nut, as around 28 grams (1 ounce) of almonds will supply your body with almost 9 grams of heart-healthy oleic acid. Peanuts, walnuts and cashews unfortunately do not stack up in this department. Almonds contain monounsaturated fat in the form of oleic acid, which is proven to improve memory (many studies on rats being feed oleic acid has confirmed this). Snacking on almonds also make you feel fuller for longer, as a quarter of the calories in almonds come from protein and fibre. 

Capsicum. Who can go past these brightly coloured red, yellow, orange and green vegetables? These colours are not just for show; they are the result of concentrated carotenoids, organic pigments found in plants and vegetables which have a bucketload of benefits. These include a decreased risk of many types of cancer, increased immune function, protection against sun damage and a heightened communication between body cells. People who consume food containing carotenoids regularly also have a substantially lower mortality from several chronic illnesses. Fun fact - these carotenoids are what give carrots, grapefruit and tomatoes their vivid hues. The cousin of capsicum, chilli, is also loaded with carotenoids as well as vitamin C. Chilli has the added benefit of containing capsaicins, a type of natural chemical that boosts metabolism, battles headaches and reduces arthritis pain. 

Eggs are not everyone's cup of tea and I can understand that. However, if you don't mind these little babies I'd read on. Eggs contain only 72 calories and are filled with 6.3 grams of protein and essential nutrients. Many surveys and studies have been conducted concerning eggs, with overwhelming results. A study that was published in the International Journal of Obesity revealed that people who swapped carbohydrates for eggs at breakfast lost weight 65% quicker than people who stuck to toast and cereal. Studies in Michigan demonstrated that frequent egg eaters had much vitamins and minerals in their diets than non or irregular egg eaters. Surveys of over 25,000 people found that egg eaters were half as likely to be lacking in vitamin B12, 35 % less likely to be insufficient in vitamin E and 24% less likely to be deficient in vitamin A. And here's some data to blow the common argument that the yolk of eggs contains too much cholesterol out of the water. Participants who ate four eggs a week had substantially lower cholesterol levels than people who ate fewer than one. 

Avocados. They so often get portrayed as full of fat and therefore become a food to avoid. The truth is this; more than half of the calories in avocados come from one of the world's most healthiest fats, monounsaturates. These fats are different from saturated fats, as they contain one double-bonded carbon atom. I know that this slight difference seems minuscule, however this individuality at the molecular level results a much healthier food. Monounsaturated fats have been proven to lower the number of triglycerides (other types of fat) in your blood stream as well as improving your cholesterol profile, which in turn can potentially decrease the risk of stroke and heart disease. Concerned about weight gain from eating avocados? There is no proven link between monounsaturated fats and body fat, so go ahead and enjoy this creamy green fruit. 

Grapefruit is a food that I wanted to include on my condensed list, as I did not know much about it before reading this article. To be honest I'm not even sure if I have ever tasted a grapefruit, however North America seems to have been preaching its health benefits for years. Here's why; this fruit is packed with lycopene, a cancer-preventing antioxidant (also found in tomatoes). In a study of 100 obese participants conducted in California, those who consumed half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 1.63 kilograms (3.6 pounds) over 12 weeks, with some participants losing as much as 4.54 kilograms (10 pounds). In comparison, the study's control group lost only 0.23 kilograms (1/2 a pound). In addition, grapefruit can reduce insulin levels, which was proven by the participants' increased ability to metabolise sugar. If you cannot face eating a grapefruit by itself, try to incorporate it into a green juice or into a salad packed with many other ingredients. 

Off to do my weekly shopping now and I can tell you I'll be purchasing a grapefruit or two! 

x Emily 

SANDRA BULLOCK'S ARMS are TONED to PERFECTION with PILATES

At the photo call for Sandra Bullock's new film Gravity eyes should have been on her and George Clooney's chemistry. However, all eyes and cameras were memorised by Bullock's enviable physique and super toned arms. 

The stunning actress wore a pink, green and orange colour-block dress to the photo call that made her body look much younger than that of a 49 year-old woman (pictured above). Sandra's youthful physique once again ruled the red carpet hours later at the actual premiere of the film, as she wore a fashionable red dress that showed off her trim arms and toned décolletage. 

Bullock looks to not have aged at all in the last twenty years, due to daily workouts and a healthy, active lifestyle. The five-foot-seven actress insists that keeping in shape is not difficult for her as it is a requirement of her job to be fit and look good. "People always ask me how do actresses do it [stay in shape]? And I say um, they pay us to do this in order to look good on film." Sandra's personal trainer  Simone De La Rue can vouch for all the hard work Bullock puts in to get her rock-hard physique. “Sandra puts in an hour a day, six times a week", De La Rue informs. "She is extremely motivated and driven.”

What does the beautiful actress do to stay looking so good?  "I do a lot of Pilates, kick-boxing and weight training in L.A., and when I'm in Austin [Texas], I run or ride a bike," she recently told Vogue magazine. 

To be more specific, Sandra has recently incorporated Plyometrics (exercises based around having muscles exert maximum force in as short a time as possible) into an hour long workout that combines Pilates and yoga with dance. Bullock does this workout six times a week and has clearly been getting results, if her toned torso and muscly arms are anything to go by. 

Whilst the majority of actresses over 40 seem to stop getting job offers, Bullock is more in demand than ever as she approaches the business end of her 40's. Sandra has had incredible success over the last few years, winning an Oscar for her 2010 drama 'The Blind Side' and grossing over $200 million for her latest comedy 'The Heat'. In fact, Sandra's movies have grossed almost $2 billion worldwide to date! 

As a mum to her little adopted boy Louis, Sandra knows where her priorities lie. Whilst she enjoys her movie star success, becoming a mother has had a profound impact on her life. "Everything becomes richer or more important or more frightening or more challenging [after you're a mum]," she told E! "You feel like you were dead compared to the way you were emotionally before."

Want to get toned arms like Sandra for summer? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com to get working on your summer body now! 

x Emily