You are browsing the archives of Jay.

Photo: gurke / Flickr

Cake mixtures can be broken into four different types of mixtures. There are creamed mixtures, rubbed in mixtures, melted fat mixtures and whisked mixtures. We will give you some tips on each method below but first some baking tips to keep in mind. It’s important to accurately measure out and prepare ingredients before you start mixing. Cake tins should be greased, the oven preheated to the correct temperature and oven trays arranged as required. Also, avoid opening the oven door when baking. (more…)

Photo: WellSphere

This recipe is for health nuts who prefer to eat their food as raw as possible. Then again, it’s also a winner for those who are short of time. All you have to do to create about 25 biscuits is mix together rolled oats, dates, raisins, Brazil nuts and some honey. You’ll need a food processor or power blender to grind up the oats and blend the dates. This basic recipe can be used to make chocolate biscuits, peach, or apple and cinnamon biscuits. (more…)

Photo: avlxyz / Flickr

Hamburgers are loved by all because they are tasty and easy to make for a quick dinner, at a barbeque and at children’s parties, but hamburgers come with the stigma that they are fast food and as such are unhealthy and full of fat. Is there such a thing as a healthy hamburger? Stay away from chain food stores, make your own hamburgers and they can indeed be a healthy and filling dinner or lunchtime meal. (more…)

Photo: Pedro Moura Pinheiro / Flickr

Frank Wilczek won the Nobel Prize for physics in 2004. He had this to say about mistakes ‑ or not making them: ‘If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems. And that’s a big mistake.’ Tim Ferriss is comfortable with mistakes, saying in his book The 4-Hour Work Week that mistakes are the name of the game in lifestyle design. ‘It requires fighting impulse after impulse from the old world of retirement-based deferral.’ (more…)

Photo: Lee Bennett / Flickr

Not only are wraps a healthy and filling alternative to burgers and pastas they are also really easy to make! Simply change up your fillings and your wrap is good to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Buy some store bought wraps or make your own, heat them up in the microwave or in a frying pan, find the freshest fillings, roll it all up and enjoy! Serve your wraps with potatoe wedges or a nice side salad. (more…)

Photo: Stock.Xchng

If you’re heading to India and you’re keen to learn more about Buddhism or meditation, consider paying a visit to the Tushita Meditation Centre in the North. The Tushita Meditation Centre is set amongst forested hills above the Dalai Lama’s seat in exile in the town of McLeod Ganj. If you have the time there are a wealth of other things to do in the area including volunteer opportunities like teaching English. There are also various courses cookery courses, amongst others, on offer. (more…)

Photo: augatti / Flickr

What to do when a recipe speaks of Fahrenheit and you’ve got a metric oriented oven? Simply use a conversion chart to help you, or read on for the relevant conversions. In terms of the range of oven temperatures, cool temperatures range from 130 to 150 degrees Celsius or 250 – 300 degrees Fahrenheit while hot temperatures range from 230 – 250 degrees Celsius or 450 – 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The norm for baking is a moderate 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (more…)

Photo: *Bárbara* Cannnela / Flickr

Chutney is made by cooking fruit or vegetables, or a blend thereof, to a smooth pulp consistency. The chutney is preserved with vinegar, spices and salt. Relishes differ from chutney in that roughly chopped fruit and veges are used, allowing for a coarser texture. Chutney making requires a heavy -based stainless steel saucepan. Don’t use copper or brass as the vinegar will react and the preserve will be tainted as a result. Mellow flavoured chutneys add zest to various dishes, including sandwiches and curries. (more…)

Photo: ToNG!? / Flickr

It is always easier to blame something else or somebody else for your woes. But when you accept personal responsibility, you get to step out of the blame game. It is hard to get out of victim mode if you’ve had difficult parents, siblings, bosses or colleagues who have hurt you. Moving beyond victim mode may feel like a challenging thing to do, but breaking out of the cycle of helplessness and blame can only set you free. (more…)

Photo: HeatherW / Flickr

This protein-packed soya nut loaf can be served hot or cold. For a hot vegetarian meal, cut the warm loaf into thick slices and serve it with mashed potatoes and peas. Add a creamy mushroom sauce and your meal will be delicious. Leftover vegetarian soya nut loaf can be used the following day for a cold meal, in which case it will go well with a fresh green salad, healthy rolls and some mayonnaise. If you have time constraints, prepare this meal over the weekend. (more…)