Crack the code

There I was yesterday arvo, happy as anything, curled up on the couch with a magazine and a plate of snacks. Once I'd devoured my cheese, rye bickies, pickles and olives, I started to feel a bit edgy. I couldn't sit still, my mouth was dry and I found myself in one helluva bad mood. I couldn't concentrate on the mag in hand so I turned the TV on and distracted myself with those curious Desperate Housewives. Later, when making dinner, I snuck a peek at the olive jar... sure enough, there it was, loud and clear... 621.

I just learned last week that Twisties have MSG/621 in their ingredients, for real, but Always Fresh green olives stuffed with anchovies? Really? WHY? No wonder my lips were numb and my headache was a tingly, horrid mess. Yuck.

Monosodium glutamate is a chemical additive, otherwise known as a flavour enhancer, that doesn't seem to be going away anytime soon. Scientists and food authorities (in all their wisdom) might be approving its use all over the world as they claim there's no solid link with ill health, but I'm not convinced. No way.

MSG side effects include rashes, itching, burning, numbness, chest tightness, heart palpitations, heart arrhythmia, anxiety, irritability, restlessness, sleep disturbance, seizures, brain cell and damage, allergies, asthma attacks, headaches, migrains and possibly brain tumours.

So keep your eyes out peepsies, and not just for 621. Definitely avoid anything in the 600s, but preferably stay away from all numbers, flavours, colouring and preservatives. If you don't know what it is, someone made it up. If someone made it up, they probably messed with nature. Do not want.

Zesty festival

There are some dishes which simply cannot live up to their potential without a good fix of lemon zest. Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and chilli would be dull without it, as would pea soup, risottos, roast chicken, seafood, frittatas, potato salad and many types of cakes and muffins. Lemons are easy, readily available and delicious, plus they're crazy good for you. In a big way...

* Antioxidants protect our DNA from cancer-causing damage, and citrus fruits contain high concentrations of flavonoid antioxidants as well as a number of other potent antioxidant compounds. One of these - lycopene, found in large quantities in citrus fruits - has been shown to protect against prostate and other cancers.

* The antioxidant naringenin not only helps prevent DNA damage, but also enhances DNA repair thereby reducing the chances of cancer development.

* The phytochemicals in citrus are at their most potent in the skin/zest. Nobilitin, in particular, does amazing work to kill cancer cells directly as well as indirectly, by interfering with the cell cycles involved in certain types of cancer. It has also been shown to be effective in preventing the onset of cancers of the colon, breast and some leukaemias.

Just make sure you wash your lemons well before you cut or zest them, especially if they're not organic, many dangerous pesticides are found on the skin of conventional citrus fruits. Need proof? Read this.

Friends with benefits

I've been on two walkies today with my dog. To me, that's a sign of a happy, stress-free day. When I'm with Scout I smile just because she makes me smile, I don't worry about things because I'm too busy looking for a stick or laughing at her antics and I am approached by a lot more strangers just wanting to give her a scratch and tell me how cute she is. I know.

The BBC reported a couple of years back on how healthy it is to own a dog. They spoke to psychologist Dr Deborah Wells from Queen's University, Belfast, who said that dog owners often had lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Yays! She has reviewed dozens of research papers which looked at the health benefits of pet ownership and saw that dog owners suffered fewer minor ailments and serious medical problems than the general population. Plus, dogs may aid recovery from serious illnesses such as heart attacks.

Dr Wells said "The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance both physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."

A beautiful creature that makes you smile and play and gets you out into grassy fields and fresh air? That's my girl...

Nectar of the queens

I love honey. You could take away all the other sugars in the world, but leave me just honey and I'd be happy. I have it on toast, in tea, with yoghurt and fruit, in smoothies and every which way in desserts. My local grocer had zero organic produce when we moved here four years ago, but now it's stepping up with a few and I was bowled over to find a huge jar of Eco Organic Honey. It is so delicious I can't keep my paws away. But why organic? Haven't I harped on enough about organic? Never. Listen here peeps, there's a lot less happening in a jar of conventional honey than this one in my pantry.

Firstly, you'll only get the goodness of honey - mainly its anti-bacterial properties - from raw honey. 'Pure' honey isn't the same, nor is '100%' honey or 'Australian' honey. They're just good marketing ploys. Raw is key, and when it's organic, you can be assured it hasn't been chemically treated or over-heated, two steps that take away most of the flavour and health properties. This particular organic honey of mine is from the Aussie bush and tastes so full of flavour, you only need a little.

For more info go to WHFoods... very interesting foodie site.

Chookie cure all

It's getting cold. And people are getting sick. Not a fun time of year if you're in bed or just bunged up. Hubby hasn't been well since Sunday, so I did the only thing I know how to do. I didn't fetch antibiotics, or a spray, or pills because I don't think they're necessary much. But I did fetch a chicken. And noodles. And I put some things together and made a heavenly chicken noodle soup. Cures all.

In a big pot, fry up plenty of garlic and onion in oil until transparent. Chuck in diced carrot, thyme, two big chunks of lemon zest, a bay leaf and seasoning. After a few minutes pop in your whole organic chook, brown just a little top and bottom, then fill pot with water until chook is covered. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 1.5-2 hours, or until chook is cooked. Remove chicken, shred meat into small pieces, discard bones. Strain broth, discard carrots and friends, pop broth back on a simmer, add noodles, when they're almost cooked add chicken meat. Season if it needs it, serve with fresh parsley.

Sweet 'n' spicy

Hope you've all had a legendary long weekend. I have. Thanks for asking. Just topped of my day with a sensational banana milkshake. Normally I would make it with banana, milk and yoghurt, but today was a freaky day where yoghurt was missing and ice-cream was sitting pretty in the freezer. What's a (pregnant) gal to do? On top of that good stuff, I added a sprinkle of Herbie's Fragrant Sweet Spices, a little magic ingredient I'm beginning to crave. It contains Coriander Seed, Cassia, Cinnamon Quills, Nutmeg, Allspice, Ginger, Poppy seeds, Cloves, Cardamom and Rose Petals. Oh so lovely and delicious on porridge with apple and/or banana, in milkshakes, in cakes, with fruit and yoghurt for dessert or a snack, on toast with butter and a little brown sugar and all over ice cream. YUM.

Thirteen ideas for three days

Who's excited?? A lush, long weekend to devour is coming right up. I'm sure you've all got a million people to see, things to do, stuff to BBQ... but just in case you need more, here's 13 things to do betwixt here and Monday.

* Go to your favourite cafe, wait ages for a table and order too much food and a bowl of coffee with newspapers and magazines. It's always worth the wait when you know the food rocks.
* Take your camera out somewhere lovely and snap off a bunch of random pics. Just because.
* Start a blog. If you don't like it in two months you can forget about it or start another, at least you gave it a shot and fired up your imagination.
* Forget the snags and cook something delicious and good for you - like an organic duck or chicken, covered with spices and served with a green salad, sourdough bread and homemade aioli. (Need help? Go to Gourmet Traveller)
* Strap your trampers on and get some fresh air. There's no better time of year for a bushwalk. Head here first.
* Clean the windows of your house. Just kidding, that can totally wait.
* Join your local library and borrow a pile of books. It's free (or extremely cheap) and a great distraction from the tube.
* Head to the fish markets, stock up on your fave, fresh amigos of the sea and make something special. Like a pot of spaghetti with chilli, basil, lemon, olives, fish, mussels, prawns... I'm so there.
* Splash out on an extraordinary bottle of red. You'll savour every single sip and (probably) won't want to get trashy and ruin the vibe.
* Find a hidden gallery or four and mooch about.
* Make pancakes. Smother with banana and maple syrup. Polish off while making a mess. Repeat.
* Hire a few DVD classics like Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's and Kill Bill. Classics.
* Head to the country for markets, scones, tea and a reminder of what real hospitality looks like.

I'm not sorry

Someone once wrote a song about how hard it was for them to say sorry... sorry, for them, seemed to be the hardest word. HA! I wish! I use the word waaaaay to frequently and I've decided it's time to take action. It's now banished from my vocab until such time as it is necessary to use it.

Take last week... I went to the hairdresser and apologised for the state of my hair. Why? I'm thinking it's their job to turn my lifeless locks into shiny gorgeous waves of light. Next day I went for a massage (sounds a bit spoilt but this wasn't my average week amigos) and apologised for the mess my back was in. WHY? Aren't they pro's trained in the art of undoing a knotted back?

So I'm taking leave from the word, and will only use it if I upset someone. Like if I steal their donut. Mmm donuts.

Magnolia mooching

I love cool ideas for winter weekends... and considering this weekend looks hideously boring and wet, here is the bestest idea yet! It's retail therapy, it's quality local goods and it's a little crafty. It's called Magnolia Square, showcasing new artists, designers, stylists, and craftspeople. Sydney peeps, head to the Oaks Lawn Marquee at Randwick Racecourse and pick up something terribly gorgeous from the range of homewares, jewellery, clothing & accessories, textiles, furnishings, stationery and gourmet food. I'm pretty excited the entry fee - $8 - includes a donation to Beyond Blue, helping amigos with depression. Sweet.

It's open today til 5pm, tomoz 10am – 5pm and sundee 10am – 4pm... yay hooray see you there x

Share the love

Feel like doing something great for the less fortunate of this gorgeous city but don't have much time? Well my amigos, it's Feed Sydney Month, bringing much-needed meals to about 250,000 people this winter. It's a collaboration between OzHarvest and Do Something and all you have to do is add a few (or more) casholas onto your next Woolworths bill or go to feedsydney.com.au and donate away. A $1 donation equals one meal for someone who seriously needs it.

You can also book yourself in at Arras, Sean's Panaroma, Rockpool Bar & Grill, Aria, Lucio's or the Sydney Park Hyatt for dinner on June 16th and a percentage will go to Feed Sydney. Nice one foodies.

Winter wondersoup

I heart pumpkin soup. It's the gastronomic equivalent of hugging someone sexy in cashmere. Besides the major wrist action involved in peeling and chopping, it's actually too easy to make. A friend gave me a couple of pumpkins last week (long story involving a puppy, a tropical island and a wedding) and I've made soup galore since.

Seed, peel and roughly chop a small pumpkin (or normal size butternut). Simmer in water on medium heat for about ten minutes, or until soft. Strain and set aside. In the same pot, saute garlic and onion in oil and butter (and a little more butter) until translucent. Add chopped chillies (leave the seeds in if you're brave), coriander root (slice off and discard the bottom cm of the root, and use the bottom half of the remaining stems - wash well and chop) and fresh ginger (peel and chop or grate finely). Stir and cook for two minutes, then add the pumpkin and three cups chicken stock (or 2 cups stock, 1 cup water). Simmer for five minutes, then blend with a hand blender or in batches in a blender. Taste, season if you need it and serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt and fresh coriander... with plenty of crunchy, crusty bread.

You can also add parsnip and sweet potato to the mix if you like, cook with the pumpkin as above. And if you'd rather forgo the chilli, coriander and ginger, add plenty of parsley to the bowl and top with sour cream instead of yoghurt.

Yes peeps, winter is here and it ain't half bad... if you have to eat your way through it, start with this.