Keep moving this weekend

We might eat healthily and go to the gym during the week, but our weekends tend to involve a bit more TV time and a lot more chocolate. You definitely need some chill time, but there are easy ways to keep active as a family. The chilly winter weather might put you off, but unless it's raining, bundle up with scarves, beanies and wellington boots and get moving.

• Go for a walk on the beach.
• Dust off your bikes and go for a ride.
• Play a game of soccer or tennis.
• Take a scenic walk or hike.

These kinds of activities are fun and your children will love them. Plus, when you do settle down on the couch with a slab of chocolate at the end of the day, you can do it guilt-free!

Oh, and we also love making these healthy flapjacks on a Saturday morning.

Have a lovely weekend!

Creamy ham and mushroom bake

What's up with this weather? We're supposed to be heading into the thick of winter and it's 23ºC and sunny here in Cape Town. One of the most frustrating things about a change of season is that the mornings and evenings are chilly, but the afternoons are often sunny and warm. So what do you put on the menu when it's too hot for a bowl of soup, but not balmy enough for a summer salad?

Our answer is good ol' pasta. This simple ham and mushroom bake makes a great week night meal for the family.

Ingredients:
500g macaroni
50g butter, plus a little extra
200g small mushrooms, halved
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
50g plain flour
500ml milk
140g thickly cut ham, chopped
140g cheddar cheese, grated

Method:
1. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, then drain.
2. Heat oven to 200ºC, then melt a little butter in a large saucepan.
3. Fry the mushrooms for a couple of minutes, then scoop out and set aside. Use some kitchen paper to wipe out the pan.
4. Melt the remaining butter in the pan, then add onions (leaving some aside) and soften for one minute.
5. Stir in the flour for another minute, then gradually stir in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce.
6. Increase the heat and bubble the sauce, stirring for a few minutes to thicken. Turn off the heat, stir in the ham and most of the cheese, then season to taste.
7. Pour the pasta and mushrooms into a large ovenproof dish, then pour over the sauce and mix well in the dish.
8. Scatter over the remaining cheese and spring onions, then bake for 10 minutes until golden.

Congratulations to our winners!

We're so excited for all those Club members who won prizes in our February 2013 Superdraw and Competitions.

Your names have been published in our June/July 2013 issue of Club which will be arriving later in May. But for now you can check out all the winners here.

February 2013 Superdraw Winners
February 2013 Competition Winners

Blueberry Muffins

What was your favourite recipe from our April/May 2013 issue? The blueberry muffins looked so delicious at our food shoot that they were first on our list to try. They were so easy to make, although mixing the liquid ingredients with the dry in only a few strokes was a bit of a challenge. In the first batch we used blueberries and the second time round we used chocolate chips – the recipe works well with pretty much anything.

Ingredients:

2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup sugar

¾ teaspoon salt

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

4 tbsp butter, melted

180ml milk

125g blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 210ºC.

2. Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the melted butter and milk.

4. Quickly stir the liquid ingredients into the dry, using as few strokes as possible. Leave any lumps as too much handling will result in tough muffins.

5. Add the blueberries and fold gently. Spoon into the prepared muffin pans, allowing the mixture to fill about two thirds of the cup. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Muffins will be a light golden colour when fully cooked.

Makes about 12 muffins.

Butternut soup

This would be amazing with some fresh home-made bread.

Ingredients:
40 ml butter
1 onion, chopped
Pinch of ground cumin
500g butternut, peeled and cubed
300ml chicken stock
20 ml lemon juice
125 ml cream

Method:
1. Heat the butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the onion and sauté for 30 seconds.
3. Add the butternut and chicken stock and bring to the boil.
4. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the butternut is soft.
5. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and cream.
6. Pour into a food processor and blend until smooth.
7. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Serve with fresh bread.

Chicken noodle soup

Chicken soup for the soul, and a cold, and a hearty winter meal. Add noodles to bulk it up.

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 medium onions, quartered
3 stalks of celery, sliced
2.5ml garlic paste
1½ litres chicken stock
300g noodles of your choice

Method:
1. Sauté onions, garlic and chicken in a pan until just cooked. Allow the chicken to cool enough to shred it into pieces. Then transfer to a pot and add all the vegetables.
2. Cover with the chicken stock and cook at a low heat for 10 minutes. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add the noodles and simmer until almost completely cooked, then drain noodles and add to the soup.
3. Season to taste and serve with homemade bread.

Tomato soup with toasted cheese

An inexpensive and tummy-warming weeknight meal.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 can tomatoes, with juice
1½ cups chicken stock
½ cup cream, warmed
Salt and pepper

Method:
1. Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft.
2. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Stir in flour to blend, about one minute.
3. Add tomatoes with juice and the stock to saucepan, increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until slightly thickened, about three minutes.
4. Working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth.
5. Pour into a bowl until all soup is pureed. Return soup to saucepan, stir in cream and cook over low heat for three to five minutes, until heated through. Do not boil.
6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with toast and melted cheese.