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Coronation quiche? Not if the French have anything to say about it

When the British royal family revealed Charles’ ‘Coronation Quiche’, the internet was sent into a frenzy. From concerns for the nation’s crippling egg crisis to complaints over the entirely uninspired choice, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/king-charles-signature-coronation-dish-mercilessly-mocked">people had a lot to say</a>. And now, the French have chimed in, though their issue isn’t necessarily with the dish itself, but instead with its name. They claim that the celebratory dish has been given an incorrect label. The recipe for the Coronation Quiche - released by Buckingham Palace - calls for broad beans, tarragon, spinach, and absolutely no meat in line with Charles’ environmental concerns. The ingredients are considered by many to be traditionally English, although fresh tarragon is often included in various French dishes. But according to French quiche enthusiasts, there can only be one kind of quiche, and that’s the 'lorraine'. The dish is named after the northeastern Lorraine region that it comes from, and is made from shortcrust pastry, eggs and cream with nutmeg, and small bits of bacon. Although, to sidestep that particular issue, Twitter user @RebeccaCNReid used a little red, white, and very blue language to suggest an alternative name that comes close enough to ‘lorraine’ to get it over the line ... <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> what fucking idiot didn't call it quiche le reign? <a href="https://t.co/EFbCZ52UZN">https://t.co/EFbCZ52UZN</a> — Rebecca Reid (@RebeccaCNReid) <a href="https://twitter.com/RebeccaCNReid/status/1648087895025041409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Evelyne Muller-Derveaux, president of the Quiche Lorraine Guild, explained to The Times that “they called it a quiche, but I would rather say it's a savoury tart. "When you say quiche, you automatically imply it is from the Lorraine region." Evelyne’s associate, Laurent Miltgen-Delinchamp had similar thoughts, quipping that, “I think it would have anyway better reflected the British spirit if they had called it a tart.” However, the two don’t intend on taking their particular gripes any further, and were even willing to admit that in France the term “quiche” is already quite misused. “Frankly,” Laurent said, “it shocks me less when Anglo-Saxons do that than when the French do it.” And as The Times reported, Evelyne took pride in knowing that the humble quiche had been elevated to such royal heights - even if it wasn’t exactly the most authentic. “I was surprised when I found out,” she admitted. “I said to myself, ‘this is a banal, common, popular dish, and to think that it is being served at a coronation’.” She went on to note that the first mention of a quiche - on record - dates all the way back to the reign of another Charles III: the 16th century’s Duke of Lorraine. And even then, they were a simpler dish enjoyed by those who weren’t rolling around in wealth, and consisted of whatever ingredients they happened to have around. Quite unlike the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/coronation-quiche-anyone-you-ll-need-to-fork-out-a-38-here-are-cheaper-and-healthier-options">$38 grocery price tag</a> behind Charles’, it seems. Images: Getty

Food & Wine

Coronation Quiche anyone? You’ll need to fork out A$38. Here are cheaper and healthier options

If you are a monarchist, or just enjoy the tradition of the royal family, you may have heard about the Coronation Quiche – made with spinach, broad beans and tarragon. The idea is for us to make it and share it with friends and family during the coronation celebrations in May. King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have just shared a <a href="https://www.royal.uk/coronation-quiche-0">recipe</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Introducing… Coronation Quiche! Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> taking place up and down the country. <a href="https://t.co/aVcw9tNarP">pic.twitter.com/aVcw9tNarP</a> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1647917367798939648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> As dietitians, we’re interested in the quiche’s nutritional value. So we analysed its contents and found that although it’s quite a healthy dish, we could make a healthier version. Spoiler alert: the original recipe contains lard (pork fat). We’ve also found we could make the quiche using cheaper or more easily available ingredients. <h2>What exactly is a quiche?</h2> Today, most people consider quiche a French dish that’s essentially a savoury pie. It typically consists of a pastry crust filled with a mixture of eggs, cream and cheese, plus various other ingredients such as veggies, meat and herbs. Quiche can be served hot or cold. You can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner with salad or veggies. <h2>How much does it cost?</h2> Quiches are usually quite economical to make. Most of the basic ingredients are cheap, and you can adapt the fillings depending on what’s in the fridge or left over from recent meals. Let’s see if this applies to the Coronation Quiche. We split the costs into typical quantities you can buy at the shops (for instance, six eggs) and the costs to make the quiche (which only needs two eggs). If you make the quiche from scratch and have to buy the ingredients in quantities sold in the shops, this will cost you almost A$38. Although this may seem a lot, you’ll have some ingredients left over for another meal. So how much do the ingredients cost for one quiche? We worked it out at $12 for the entire quiche, or $2 a serve. Quite reasonable! <h2>Can you make it even cheaper?</h2> Busy lives and the rising cost of living are front of mind right now. So here are a few things you can do to save time and money when making a Coronation Quiche: <ul> <li> buy pre-made pastry. Keep any sheets you don’t use for the quiche in the freezer </li> <li> use <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-home-brand-foods-healthy-if-you-read-the-label-you-may-be-pleasantly-surprised-189445">home-brand products</a> where possible </li> <li> consider vegetable shortening as it is a little cheaper than lard </li> <li> buy vegetables in season and from a farmers’ market </li> <li> can’t find tarragon? Try seasonal and cheap herbs such as parsley, basil or rosemary </li> <li> can’t find broad beans? Try cheaper pulses such as edamame or cannellini beans. </li> </ul> <h2>How nutritious is the Coronation Quiche?</h2> We also looked at the Coronation Quiche’s nutritional profile. We expressed quantities for the whole quiche, and per serve. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/04/quiche-nutrient.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> <h2>The healthy … and the not so healthy</h2> This quiche has high amounts of healthy protein and fibre that come from the broad beans and eggs. One serving of this quiche gives you about 18-25% of your daily protein and about 10% of your daily fibre requirements, which is great. But the quiche has high levels of saturated fat, mostly from its high amounts of lard, butter and cream. Saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3/full">cardiovascular events</a>, such as heart attacks and stroke, because it raises levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad kind of cholesterol). This LDL cholesterol can build up in the walls of arteries and form plaques, leading to arteries hardening over time and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. So, high amounts of saturated fats is something we want to avoid eating too much of, especially if we have cardiovascular disease. It’s also something we want to avoid if we’re trying to lose weight. For an average Aussie consuming roughly 9,000 kilojoules per day, the recommended maximum intake of saturated fat is about 24 grams. Just one serve of this quiche has about 17g of saturated fat, which means there’s not much wriggle room for other foods after you have a slice. You may be better off trying <a href="https://nomoneynotime.com.au/healthy-easy-recipes/clares-rolled-oats-quiche">this quiche</a> instead, as it has half the amount of saturated fat as the Coronation Quiche. You could even try a <a href="https://www.wellplated.com/crustless-quiche/">crustless quiche</a>. <h2>4 ways to make a healthier quiche</h2> Here are a few swaps to help make this recipe healthier: 1. Use low-fat options. If you’re watching your weight and looking to reduce the kilojoules of the quiche, swap the full-fat cheddar cheese, milk and double cream to low-fat products. This will reduce the total fat content per serve from 29.6g to 15g and save 112.2 kilojoules per serve 2. Ditch the lard. Swap the lard for butter to save 15g of total fat per serve. This may change the texture of the quiche slightly but it will reduce the kilojoules 3. Use feta. Swap the cheddar cheese for feta cheese, which has fewer kilojoules per gram 4. Add extra veggies. This increases the fibre content of the quiche and adds loads of extra nutrients. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronation-quiche-anyone-youll-need-to-fork-out-a-38-here-are-cheaper-and-healthier-options-204100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Food & Wine

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked

With the coronation comes one of the most famed traditions in the Monarchy, the creation of a signature dish, made to be shared and enjoyed across the Commonwealth in honour of the new Monarch. The Queen’s coronation made history in 1953, with the ‘Coronation Chicken’, a recipe that has since embedded itself into British culture. Charles’ crowning marks 70 years since the last coronation, and with the event coming up on May 6, the reveal of the signature dish has been highly anticipated. A culinary delight, like Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’, that will make its way down from generation to generation. The Royal Family verified Twitter account shared the long-awaited dish. “Introducing… Coronation Quiche!”, the tweet read. “Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming #CoronationBigLunch taking place up and down the country.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Introducing… Coronation Quiche! Chosen personally by Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort have shared a recipe in celebration of the upcoming <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> taking place up and down the country. <a href="https://t.co/aVcw9tNarP">pic.twitter.com/aVcw9tNarP</a> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1647917367798939648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> King Charles III has officially unveiled his signature coronation offering, which will be served at the palace’s ‘Big Lunch’ event on May 7, also to be served at several community events and street parties across coronation weekend. The coronation quiche recipe consists of spinach, broad beans, cheese and tarragon, although Buckingham Palace’s chef Mark Flanagan says those who want to bake their own can easily make adjustments to suit their preferences. Charles, Camilla and Flanagan chose the dish because it’s a convenient “sharing” dish that can be served either hot or cold. The coronation quiche has left a bad taste in many individuals’ mouths, going viral online and becoming quite the laughingstock for a few reasons. The most profound stems from the well-known egg shortage in the UK, with production at its lowest in over a decade, according to The Guardian. In 2022, almost a billion fewer eggs were packed compared to 2019 due to producers hit by price hikes and a disastrous outbreak of bird flu. Shoppers calling for supermarkets to stock up on the ingredients for the coronation quiche have posted online to point out the obvious issue. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> And what are we supposed to make this Coronation Quiche with? <a href="https://t.co/nEmwQGmV0e">pic.twitter.com/nEmwQGmV0e</a> — Tavern Hoyden (@TavernHoyden) <a href="https://twitter.com/TavernHoyden/status/1648034778032009219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The UK: - There's a shortage of eggs in the supermarkets. Royal Family: - The "Coronation Quiche". <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CoronationBigLunch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CoronationBigLunch</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronationquiche?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronationquiche</a> <a href="https://t.co/xjEtjiUCuS">pic.twitter.com/xjEtjiUCuS</a> — Pauline (@tlnlndn) <a href="https://twitter.com/tlnlndn/status/1648016686937776128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Aside from supply shortages, many people decided the egg pie wasn’t very fitting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> whats the matter babe? you've hardly touched your coronation quiche <a href="https://t.co/3FZZwzMEZz">pic.twitter.com/3FZZwzMEZz</a> — Jake Johnstone (@hijakejohnstone) <a href="https://twitter.com/hijakejohnstone/status/1648083477693120512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Quiche?? For a coronation?? <a href="https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ">https://t.co/rsmwcicgZQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8aKgf1ZKL">pic.twitter.com/V8aKgf1ZKL</a> — local swamp gay 🦝🦨🦉 (@localswampgay) <a href="https://twitter.com/localswampgay/status/1648094906957660161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This is the lamest thing I’ve ever heard. Imagine having 70+ years to think about it and choosing QUICHE. I despair. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronation</a> <a href="https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss">https://t.co/jEeXmxP1Ss</a> — Julie Lovell (@ficklishjlo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ficklishjlo/status/1648094645669224452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Elizabeth’s coronation saw famed culinary school Le Cordon Bleu London’s creation of the ‘Coronation Chicken’, which consisted of cooked chicken meat in a creamy curry sauce with dried apricots. It was served with a simple salad. When it was first produced the dish came as a surprise due to many of the ingredients not being pantry staples and the country was still under post-war ration restrictions. The chicken dish has evolved over the years, with it now commonly served on a brioche bun and garnished with various trimmings from crisp coconut chips to mangetout and sultanas. Quiche the ‘Coronation Chicken’ goodbye and stay occu-pied with the recipe below. Pastry: <ul> <li>125g plain flour</li> <li>Pinch of salt</li> <li>25g cold butter, diced</li> <li>25g lard</li> <li>2 tablespoons milk</li> <li>Or 1 x 250g block of ready-made shortcrust pastry</li> </ul> Filling: <ul> <li>125ml milk</li> <li>175ml double cream</li> <li>2 medium eggs</li> <li>1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon</li> <li>Salt and pepper</li> <li>100g grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>180g cooked spinach, lightly chopped</li> <li>60g cooked broad beans or soya beans</li> </ul> Method: 1. To make the pastry: sieve the flour and salt into a bowl; add the fats and rub the mixture together using your finger tips until you get a sandy, breadcrumb-like texture. Add the milk a little at a time and bring the ingredients together into a dough. Cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. 2. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the pastry to a circle a little larger than the top of the tin and approximately 5mm thick. 3. Line the tin with the pastry, taking care not to have any holes or the mixture could leak. Cover and rest for a further 30 minutes in the fridge. 4. Preheat the oven to 190C. 5. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, add baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes, before removing the greaseproof paper and baking beans. 6. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C. 7. Beat together the milk, cream, eggs, herbs and seasoning. 8. Scatter half of the grated cheese in the blind-baked base, top with the chopped spinach and beans and herbs, then pour over the liquid mixture. 9. If required gently give the mixture a delicate stir to ensure the filling is evenly dispersed but be careful not to damage the pastry case. 10. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until set and lightly golden. Image credits: Getty/Twitter

Food & Wine

Master the mini-pancake with this classic pikelet recipe

The pikelet is a classic hit and a breakfast staple! Enjoy with peanut butter, Nutella or any of your other favourite spreads. <h2 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h2> 1 cup self-raising flour Pinch bicarbonate of soda ¼ cup caster sugar 1 egg, lightly beaten ¾ cup milk 30g butter, melted Jam, whipped cream, to serve <h2 dir="ltr">Method</h2> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Sift flour and soda together in to a medium bowl. Mix in sugar. Make a well in the centre and gradually stir in egg and enough milk to give a smooth, creamy pouring consistency. Rest 15 mins. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Heat a frying pan on medium. Brush with butter. Drop tablespoons of batter from tip of spoon into pan, allowing room for spreading. Cook 1-2 minutes until bubbles begin to appear and break. Turn pikelets and cook 1 minute until golden. </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Transfer to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with butter or cream and jam. </li> </ol> Image: Shutterstock

Food & Wine

Mum builds mini-bathroom for her toddler

Image: TikTok Getting your kids ready in the morning can often feel like an impossible task. Especially when they get to an age where they want to do everything themselves. Including getting dressed, brush their own teeth, put their own shoes on and so on. This genius mum has come up with a clever way to speed up the process - her toddler's own mini bathroom station. Jacqui has wowed parents online with a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jacquinixon/video/7050874716751678766?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1">video on her TikTok </a>showcasing the custom station she put together for her toddler that allows him to get ready independently. In the video the mum shows just how she transformed one corner of her bathroom into a small station for her son using some wallpaper, a mini mirror and containers. She then applied the fun pattern wallpaper to a section of the wall next to the bathroom door to section off the area for her child. Next, she hung a small black mirror on the wall and underneath a few containers filled with her son's essentials including his toothbrush, toothpaste, comb and a small towel. "Made a little get ready station for my toddler today", the mum wrote in the video. Jacqui said she bought everything she needed from Amazon and Target and put it together while her little one was sleeping. "This is absolutely precious. Such a good idea", one person commented on the video. Another said, "My get ready station isn't even this nice!".

Caring

One death and multiple injuries after freak Sydney mini tornado

A woman has died and many others have been left injured after a brief freak storm ripped through Sydney's Northern Beaches on Sunday afternoon. Police have confirmed that a woman in her 70s lost her life due to a fallen tree, while another woman in her late 70s and a woman in her teens have been critically injured from debris. “Officers from Northern Beaches Police Area Command along with NSW Ambulance paramedics, Fire & Rescue NSW, and the Westpac helicopter responded to a carpark on Ocean Street, Narrabeen, after reports a tree and powerlines had come down,” police said in a statement. “One person was declared deceased, while two others were critically injured and transported to Royal North Shore Hospital." “The area is still considered hazardous, and members of the public are advised to avoid the area." Fire and Rescue NSW said fallen trees have taken out powerlines across suburbs from Forestville to Mona Vale, leaving more than 25,000 people without electricity. In Dee Why, an air-conditioning unit was ripped out of a building and sent flying through the streets below. Meanwhile, metal sheeting was pulled off an apartment building roof and smashed into parked cars. Mackellar MP Jason Falinski described the damage from the storm as a “mini tornado”, as he shared pictures of the chaos on Twitter. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> There appears to have been a mini tornado, centred on the Northern Beaches. We are waiting to find out more but there seems to be some very serious injuries and damage. ⛈ <a href="https://t.co/MHkdlYUEyT">pic.twitter.com/MHkdlYUEyT</a> — Jason Falinski MP - For The Beaches (@JasonFalinskiMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JasonFalinskiMP/status/1472446572315045889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote> He said, “Emergency services and Ausgrid are rapidly responding across the LGA, with widespread power outages from Curl Curl to Palm Beach." “Our hearts go out to those negatively impacted, and we will do everything we can to ensure the recovery is swift and full.” Throughout the storm, over 400 calls were made to the SES for help, with that number expected to rise as the massive clean-up effort begins. Image credits: Twitter @JasonFalinksiMP

News

Woolworths opens mini supermarket for children with disabilities

Woolworths has launched a new miniature supermarket to help children with disabilities. The initiative at Black Mountain School in Canberra, ACT, is aimed at supporting the education of students with disabilities while providing hands-on learning experiences. The mini store looks exactly like an actual Woolworths store with baskets for fresh food, shelving for groceries, ticketing, signage and Woolworths-branded uniforms the students can wear to create a fully immersive experience. The checkout features a fully operational Fujitsu register, and allows children to learn money handling skills. BMS Fresh Food, as the students have named their new mini Woolworths store, was brought to life in just a couple of months with the support of Inten Constructions and Fujitsu. “We’re really proud of our new mini supermarket at Black Mountain School and the opportunities it will create for students,” said Patrick Misciagna, Woolworths Group’s General Manager of IT, Service, Operations and Infrastructure. “The students can experience how to shop, what to buy, how to handle money and how to work with weights and measures in a controlled environment. “Even the registers are identical to those in our stores today with the same hardware and software.” Clare Burden, VP of Portfolio & Alliances at Fujitsu Australia Limited, said the company was excited to join the project. “As an organisation that promotes diversity and inclusion, it’s inspiring to be able to empower these students to maximise their potential,” she said. “We’re looking forward to seeing Mini Woolworths Black Mountain flourish as it plays a vital role in the Black Mountain School community.” Black Mountain School focuses on special education for students in Years 7 to 12. The new Woolworths at Black Mountain School is the third mini-supermarket of its kind, with similar Woolworths shopping experiences created for St Edmund’s College in Wahroonga NSW and St Gabriel’s in Castle Hill NSW.

Caring

A simple delight: Mini fruit tartlets

Serves 8 These mini fruit tartlets can be "dressed up" or "dressed down" depending on the situation. Serve with beautiful fresh berries for a dinner party or half a peach or slices of pear or kiwi for a casual cup of afternoon tea. The tarts will travel well in a sealed plastic container and easy are to prepare ahead of time for your next picnic. Here are more ideas on <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/lifestyle/food-and-wine/how-to-pack-the-perfect-picnic.aspx">how to pack the perfect picnic.</a> Recipe as seen on: <a href="http://www.dailygourmet.co.uk/">dailygourmet.co.uk</a> Ingredients Shortcrust pastry <ul> <li>200 g plain flour</li> <li>100 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes</li> <li>3-4 tbsp cold water</li> </ul> Creme patissiere <ul> <li>300 ml semi-skimmed milk</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li> <li>3 egg yolks (free range)</li> <li>2 tbsp plain flour</li> <li>100g caster sugar</li> <li>Tartlets</li> <li>Mixed fruits of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, grapes, etc.)</li> </ul> Directions Pastry 1. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the butter. 2. Rub the butter into the flour with your hand, until it starts looking like breadcrumbs, work quickly to prevent the dough becoming warm. 3. Add the water slowly to the pastry and mix with a cold knife until it starts forming a dough, you can add more water if the pastry is too dry. 4. Wrap the dough in cling film and put into a fridge for 30 minutes. 5. Roll it out with a rolling pin. Creme patisserie 1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan (don't bring to boil). 2. In a large bowl whisk the yolks and sugar, when smooth sift in the flour, combine together. 3. Add the warm milk (slowly) to the mixture. Whisk continuously. 4. Put the mixture back into the saucepan, gently bring to boil whisking continuously until thick and creamy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Tartlets 1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan assisted). 2. Line the pastry in your mini tart tins, prick the base with a fork, put it into the oven and blind-bake it for 12 minutes (to blind-bake it, cover the pastry with baking paper and fill it with baking beans). 3. Remove the beans and the paper, bake for another 12 minutes, until the pastry is golden. 4. When baked, remove from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool completely. 5. Fill the bases with creme patisserie, smooth the surface out with a spoon or spatula. 6. Arrange your selection of fresh, sliced fruits on top and serve. Republished with permission from <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/mini-fruit-tartlets.aspx">com.au.</a>

Food & Wine

How to grow petunias in a mini greenhouse

Petunias are popular for adding a splash of winter colour but if you sow them in the garden, frost can kill seedlings as they emerge. You can nurture the seedlings by growing them indoors until they’re ready to be planted out. To provide the required warmth, shelter and moisture the easiest option is to use a mini greenhouse. This features a tray with a lid that has vents so you can control airflow. For successful germination the soil temperature needs to be 16°C which is easily checked with a thermometer. Sow the seeds in the tray and use a spray bottle to mist the potting mix with water, creating humidity. Replace the lid and position the mini greenhouse in a spot with lots of light but no direct sun. TIP: Some greenhouses are called propagation units and have a built-in heater to regulate the soil temperature. Plant the seedlings Once your seeds are ready to germinate it's time to plant them. Taking petunias from germination to garden bed takes about six weeks. When the seedlings emerge you can remove the mini greenhouse cover and let the growing medium dry out slightly between waterings. After about 14 to 21 days the seedlings can be transplanted to pots or a windowbox. Lift them carefully out of the growing medium with a stick, being careful not to disturb the roots or let them dry out. The seedlings can be put outside on warm days to acclimatise but make sure they’re protected from direct sun and wind, bringing them back inside at night. To plant them out in the garden, choose a spot with good drainage that gets plenty of light but not harsh afternoon sun and has good airflow. Position petunias about 300mm apart and keep the area weed-free. How to grow petunias in a mini greenhouse Petunias like a moist, well-drained growing medium and the seeds don’t like to be covered in too much soil, so we took the seed cell tray out of the greenhouse and used the base for sowing. TIP: The seedlings should emerge within a week. Step 1: Add mix Add seed-raising mix to the growing tray then make four 10mm deep rows with a ruler, scattering the seeds then covering with a light dressing of mix. Step 2: Water seeds Water in seeds by misting the mix with water using a spray bottle to settle the seeds in position, covering the growing tray with the lid of the mini greenhouse to keep the humidity high. Step 3: Maintain the seeds Position the greenhouse next to a window that gets morning sun, rotating it every few days so the seedlings grow straight up. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.handyman.net.au/grow-petunias-mini-greenhouse">Handyman Australia</a>.

Home & Garden

The Queen's mini-me! Palace celebrates as Princess Charlotte turns 4

Princess Charlotte and her family are celebrating her fourth birthday today, May 2, by sharing three new adorable portraits of the little royal. In the happy snaps, the princess looks strikingly similar to her great-grandmother, The Queen. The stunning portraits, taken by none other than Charlotte's mum, the Duchess of Cambridge, at the family’s country estate Anmer Hall, shows the playful royal happily running around the grounds of her home. In two images, the young royal member is wearing a plaid dress with a simple grey cardigan – an outfit once worn by Queen Elizabeth when she herself was a young princess. The portrait taken in 1936 shows a happy Princess Elizabeth with her sister, Princess Margaret, in matching plaid skirts with sweaters as the play gleefully with a family corgi dog. The Queen has a special place in her heart for plaid it seems as it has remained a constant pattern she has worn again and again over the years on numerous occasions. The similarities do not end in plaid though as it seems the two royal members over two generations apart have a love for floral as well. In the third image of Princess Charlotte, she is pictured sitting in the grounds of her royal home while she poses for the camera in a blue floral print dress with a white collar. The Queen adorned a similar outfit when she was a little tyke herself and was pictured wearing a strikingly similar dress to her great-granddaughter in 1936. The little royal, who is fourth in line to the throne, has proven alongside her great-grandmother that style does not need to come with age. Scroll through the gallery above to see just how alike Princess Charlotte and the Queen look.

Art

Australia’s next tennis star! Lleyton Hewitt’s mini-me son hits first career milestone

There’s a new Hewitt in town – and he may be giving the previous one a run for his money. Lleyton and Bec Hewitt’s son, Cruz, is already proving to be a force to be reckoned with on the tennis court after his latest achievement. The son of the Aussie tennis legend has reached his very first milestone in his blossoming tennis career at the tender age of 10. Taking to Instagram on Thursday, Cruz’s doting mum, Bec Hewitt made the exciting announcement. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWrW5-Jpig/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWrW5-Jpig/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Way to go Cruza!! So proud of your hard work! 💪🏼👏🏼 @cruzhewitt #firsttitle</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/bechewitt23/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Bec Hewitt</a> (@bechewitt23) on Apr 17, 2019 at 4:05am PDT </div> </blockquote> “Way to go Cruza!! So proud of your hard work! @cruzhewitt #firsttitle,” she wrote. The photo shows the young tennis champ kissing his well-deserved trophy – an act that has been done by many greats before him, including his father. Cruz also took to his own Instagram to share the news. “So pumped to get my 1st title. Thanks everyone for the help and support,” he wrote. Also taking part in the celebration was Cruz’s famous dad, who posted a photo of his own to his Instagram page. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWrYkOguHj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BwWrYkOguHj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">So proud of my lil’ mate @cruzhewitt #Vamos 💪</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/lleytonhewitt89/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Lleyton Hewitt</a> (@lleytonhewitt89) on Apr 17, 2019 at 4:05am PDT </div> </blockquote> “So proud of my lil’ mate,” wrote Lleyton. The father-of-three has previously opened up about his faith in his son’s tennis abilities, saying that by the age of 14, Cruz should be ready for the Australian Open. “Hopefully he gets a chance to play in this great event if he wants to. Hopefully he beats me,” he said.

News

The grandkids are going to love these: Coles' new mini collectibles range

After the success of the Little Shop campaign last year, Coles is launching a new series of mini collectables called Stikeez. The supermarket has partnered with the Healthy Kids Association to launch Stikeez and the associated Coles Fresh Rainbow Challenge, which are designed to influence Aussie children to eat more fresh produce. There are 24 types of mini fruits and vegetables to collect. Some of them are named after Coles produce growers, such as Marie the Mango which takes after Marie Piccone from Manbulloo in the Northern Territory, Carlo the Cucumber from Carlo Pippo in Ballina, NSW and Sunny the Strawberry from Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm in Main Ridge, Victoria. Just like the previous the Little Shop campaign, shoppers will be able to receive a Stikeez collectable for every $30 they spend at Coles supermarkets, Coles Express and Coles Online. <img style="width: 500px; height: 315px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823435/stikeez.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bdd409fcf743443cb4c6b8b6c1a15dac" /> Coles Fresh ambassador and chef Curtis Stone helped develop the challenge, which encourages kids to keep track of their fresh produce consumption by ticking off the colours on a provided poster. "As a parent I know how hard it can be to get kids excited about eating their veggies so I'm really excited about helping to make them fun and tasty with my colourful recipes like 'broc tots', eggplant chips and rainbow pizzas," said Stone. <img style="width: 500px; height: 315px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823434/stikeez2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2dace701d44148408f6f16df9f56f5d6" /> "I can't wait to see how Aussie families bring the Rainbow Challenge to life and have fun eating delicious healthy food." Coles first achieved success with its collectables range through the Little Shop campaign in July, with customers trying to get their hands on 30 mini toy versions of grocery items such as Weet-Bix and Milo. The supermarket giant also offered a Christmas version of the collectables at the end of last year, featuring miniatures of seasonal favourites including mince-pies, pavlovas and gingerbread biscuits. Both campaigns sent shoppers into a frenzy, prompting the emergence of swap and sell groups on social media. Complete cases were also being sold online for more than $300. There was also some backlash, as the plastic toy offerings were seen to be in conflict with the supermarket’s plastic bag ban. "Coles has pledged to reduce their plastic packaging on fresh produce and has introduced a bag ban to 'do the right thing for the environment'," said Mara Wundenberg, a Greenpeace campaigner. "Clearly not being serious about plastic pollution, they are giving out little, plastic-wrapped plastic toys to children... Not being conventionally recyclable, they will then end up in landfill or litter our environment, affecting nature and wildlife," Wundenberg added. What do you think of the new Stikeez collectable range? Will you be collecting them for your grandchildren? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Money & Banking

Magda Szubanski’s goddaughter looks like a mini-Sharon

Magda Szubanski has shared a photo of her goddaughter dressed up as her beloved character Sharon Strzelecki from Kath & Kim – and there’s no doubt she looks just like a mini-me Sharon. Magda’s goddaughter Betty is none other than the daughter of Today Extra host David Campbell and his theatre-producing wife Lisa. Betty was transformed into a mini-Sharon for an event at the Melbourne Writers Festival on Saturday night called Second Last Rites: Magda’s Funeral. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm7vY4gHCj2/?utm_source=ig_embed" data-instgrm-version="9"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm7vY4gHCj2/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank">I give you the future #Sharon Strzelecki... Ms Betty Campbell!!! my goddaughter and, I’ll think you’ll agree, a total Mini Me. Her mum and Dad - @davidcampbell73 @lisaluckiest - transformed her for a video presentation at my mock funeral for @melbwritersfest #MWF18 last night. Should any misfortune befall me (god forbid) I’m sure young Ms Campbell will step into my runners most capably ❤️❤️❤️ ps someone on twitter suggested we do Kath and Kim and Sharon as kids. Love it!!</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/magda_szubanski/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank"> Magda Szubanski</a> (@magda_szubanski) on Aug 26, 2018 at 12:18am PDT </div> </blockquote> The adorable video showed Betty dressed up in Sharon’s signature bob style hair as well as netballer’s attire. It also featured the famous Kath & Kim line: “It’s noiceee, It’s unusual.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Ok this is my theory...coz I don’t have kids of my own part of my soul split off early and reincarnated into Betty Campbell so our family’s could be united. Kind of like a soul graft. I truly believe that’s the only plausible explanation ❤️😘🙏🏻😂 <a href="https://t.co/EOhgnRJwbL">https://t.co/EOhgnRJwbL</a> — Magda Szubanski (@MagdaSzubanski) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagdaSzubanski/status/1033908285823377408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2018</a></blockquote> Magda was thrilled with Betty’s impression of Sharon, tweeting that was “my favourite thing in the whole world E.V.A.H!!!”

Art

Broccoli quiche

Hearty and healthy, this broccoli quiche is packed full of wholesome goodness and has plenty of flavour to boot. Serves: 6 Ingredients: <ul> <li>20g butter</li> <li>2 leeks, white part only, washed and thinly sliced</li> <li>300ml cream</li> <li>3 eggs</li> <li>2 egg yolks</li> <li>1/2 cup grated cheddar</li> <li>250g broccoli, cut into florets</li> <li>1 ¼ cups plain flour</li> <li>¼ cup polenta</li> <li>125g chilled butter, chopped</li> <li>1 egg</li> <li>2 teaspoons cold water</li> </ul> Method: 1. To make the pastry, process flour, polenta and butter in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg and water and process until dough forms. Shape into a circle and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, in a frying pan on medium heat, melt butter. Cook leek for five to eight minutes, stirring, until softened but not brown. Set aside to cool. 3. Grease a loose-based tart tin. Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface until three-mm thick. Ease into prepared tin. Trim edges and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 10 minutes. 4. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line pastry with baking paper and fill with rice (or pastry weights). Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and rice (or weights) and bake for another five minutes, until pastry is dry. 5. To make filling, whisk together cream, eggs and egg yolks. Season. Spread leek over pastry shell. Scatter over half of the cheddar and then the broccoli. Carefully pour over the egg mixture and top with remaining cheddar. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C (or 160°C fan) and bake for another 30 minutes or until set. Serve warm. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2014/12/quiche-lorraine/">Quiche Lorraine</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/01/mini-smoked-salmon-quiches/">Mini smoked salmon and parsley quiches</a> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/01/mushroom-feta-and-spinach-quiche/">Mushroom, feta and spinach quiche</a>

Food & Wine

Bec Hewitt’s mini-me daughter looks just like her

Bec and Lleyton Hewitt’s kids, Mia, Cruz and Ava, are growing up and they’ve inherited so many of their parent’s features. Recently, Bec shared a photo of her six-year-old daughter Ava to Instagram and the mother-daughter resemblance is uncanny. <img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/44123/image__498x245.jpg" alt="Image_ (9)"/> Fans were quick to point out just how much Ava’s facial features and big eyes mirror her mother’s. "Such a beautiful resemblance between you both," wrote one user, while another said, "She is the spitting image of you @bechewitt23." Last year, Bec also pointed out the similarity she shares with her youngest when she shared a photo of her holding Ava in New York. “Me and my mini-me!” she captioned the photo. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BFTwp3TlXDR/" target="_blank">Me and my mini-me! #tbt #newyork</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by Bec Hewitt (@bechewitt23) on May 12, 2016 at 6:23am PDT </div> </blockquote> Eldest daughter Mia and son Cruz are also following in their parents’ footsteps. Just like Lleyton, eight-year-old Cruz enjoys playing tennis and has even had the opportunity to play with the likes of Roger Federer. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Mia is proving to be as photogenic as her mother and has started modelling. Recently, Lleyton hit out at reports that his marriage to Bec was in trouble, and <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/09/lleyton-hewitt-slams-out-of-control-rumours-that-his-marriage-is-in-trouble/" target="_blank">slammed the "out of control" rumours</a>. <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/09/lleyton-hewitt-slams-out-of-control-rumours-that-his-marriage-is-in-trouble/" target="_blank"> </a> Do you think Ava looks just like her mother? Let us know in the comments below.

Julie Goodwin’s salmon quiche

This salmon quiche is the perfect mid-week meal. Packed with protein and easy to make, the leftovers (if you can manage to save any) make the perfect next-day lunch. Serves: 10–12 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 quantity savoury shortcrust pastry or two sheets plain frozen shortcrust (if you have it in the freezer)</li> <li>1 cup grated mozzarella cheese</li> <li>50 g baby spinach leaves</li> <li>400 g skinless, boneless salmon fillet, cut into 2 cm cubes</li> <li>1 bunch shallots (spring onions), finely sliced</li> <li>1 bunch dill, leaves chopped</li> <li>10 eggs</li> <li>½ cup cream</li> <li>½ teaspoon salt</li> <li>¼ teaspoon pepper</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 170°C. Grease a 26 cm loose-based flan tin with butter or spray oil. Lay the pastry into the flan tin and trim the edges. Prick the pastry with a fork. Place a sheet of baking paper over the pastry and fill with pastry weights or rice. Bake for 15 minutes or until starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and take out the weights and paper.</li> <li>Arrange half the mozzarella cheese evenly over the base of the pastry case. Arrange the spinach over the top, followed by the salmon cubes, then scatter with the shallots and half of the dill leaves.</li> <li>In a bowl, beat the eggs then add the cream and beat well. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully pour the egg mixture into the pastry case and top with the remaining mozzarella.</li> <li>Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown on top and just firm in the middle. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little before serving.</li> </ol> <img width="155" height="213" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37783/julie-goodwin-cover_155x213.jpg" alt="Julie Goodwin Cover" style="float: right;"/> Recipe courtesy of Julie Goodwin’s Essential Cookbook ($39.99), published by Hachette Australia.

Food & Wine

How to create your own mini garden

Earlier this year I was asked to decorate a doll’s house for a charity auction. I loved it so much and spent way too much time re-covering tiny sofas, making tiny cushions and a tiny balsa-wood bookshelf with tiny versions of my books sitting on the shelves. Things got a tiny bit out of control! If I didn’t have a deadline to get it finished, I would have spent all my time on it. I could have happily made it my new career. Once the doll’s house went off to its new home, I realised a few things: 1. The seven-year-old child inside of me is still alive and well. 2. I’ve never gotten over my love for all things miniature. 3. There was a giant hole left in my life where the doll’s house project had been … So, I moved on to the next miniature thing I could get my hands on – a miniature garden. I made this at home, and Ari loved it so much he made one as well. It’s a really great project to do with kids. You will need: <ul> <li>pencil and paper</li> <li>a large vessel (I used a large enamel baking dish that I bought from an op shop and drilled holes in the bottom for drainage)</li> <li>a variety of small plants with varying heights, colours and widths (work out if your garden will be inside/outside/in the shade/full sun, and buy plants accordingly – bonsai plants can work well)</li> <li>potting mix</li> <li>small trowel</li> <li>a variety of mosses (I gathered moss from the alleyways behind my house and kept it very moist and in a dark spot until I needed it)</li> <li>rocks for stepping-stone path</li> <li>pebbles (I used 2 different sizes: very small and tiny)</li> <li>12–15 toothpicks for fence</li> <li>scraps of fabric and small twigs for tepee</li> </ul> Method: 1. Draw out a loose plan for your mini garden. Decide where the different plants will sit, how the path will work, where the small pebbles will go and where the teepee will sit. 2. Pot the larger plants in the vessel first, adding extra potting mix under and around the plants as needed. <img width="498" height="360" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37084/step-2_498x360.jpg" alt="Step 2 (1)"/> 3. If you are using moss, gently press it into the dirt around the plants, remembering to leave space for the path. 4. Using the rocks, make a stepping-stone path. 5. Add the small and tiny pebbles around the path and any areas around the plants and moss where the dirt is showing. 6. To make the fence, stick the toothpicks into the dirt. Trim the length of the toothpicks if required. Place the toothpicks in a line, spacing them fairly close together so they resemble a fence. 7. To make the teepee, break or cut three twigs so they are even in length. Wind a thin strip of fabric around the top of the twigs to hold them in place. <img width="498" height="360" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37087/step-7_498x360.jpg" alt="Step 7 (2)"/> 8. Cut a piece of fabric and wrap it around the twigs to create a cover. Secure the fabric in place by tying a strip of fabric around the top. Trim the fabric as required. Place the teepee in the garden by gently pressing the twigs into the moss and dirt. <img width="146" height="170" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/37089/sunshine-spaces-cvr_146x170.jpg" alt="Sunshine Spaces CVR (3)" style="float: right;"/> Image credit: Chris Middleton This is an edited extract from Sunshine Spaces by Beci Orpin published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 and is available in stores nationally.

Home & Garden

“Little Women” to be turned into a TV mini-series

There have been many recent remakes of classic stories such as Dirty Dancing and Beauty and the Beast, and the next classic to make the list is Little Women. PBS and BBC have announced that they are collaborating on a three-hour, three-part mini-series of Little Women. The timeless story was written by Louisa May Alcott and follows the story of four sisters growing up in Massachusetts during the Civil War. The story encompasses all the struggles and joys of life during that time including family, class, education and love interests. The mini-series is planned to begin filming in July so casting decision could be announced within the next few weeks. Heidi Thomas who worked on Call the Midwife, will be adapting the screenplay. "Little Women's humanity, humour and tenderness never date, and as a study of love, grief and growing up it has no equal," said Heid in a statement. "There could be no better time to revisit the story of a family striving for happiness in an uncertain world, and I am thrilled to be bringing the March girls to a new generation of viewers."

Gluten-free mini caramel tarts

These mini caramel tarts are not only delicious but will also help you out if you need to serve up a yummy dessert for different diets. Dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan this treat will be a crowd pleaser for everyone. Makes: 12 mini tarts Ingredients: Base <ul> <li>40 g raw sunflower kernels</li> <li>60 g raw almonds</li> <li>200 g gluten-free plain flour</li> <li>½ teaspoon psyllium husk powder</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li> <li>125 g coconut oil, solid</li> <li>55 g coconut sugar</li> <li>½ teaspoon vanilla extract</li> <li>85 g coconut yoghurt</li> </ul> Caramel <ul> <li>240 g coconut sugar</li> <li>520 g tinned coconut cream</li> <li>60 g coconut oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon cornflour</li> <li>30 ml plant-based milk</li> <li>1 teaspoon ground sea salt</li> <li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li> </ul> Topping <ul> <li>80 g vegan milk chocolate melted</li> </ul> Notes: <ul> <li>You can replace the cornflour with arrowroot starch if you’re avoiding corn.</li> <li>You can also replace the coconut yoghurt in this recipe with Greek yoghurt if dairy isn’t your enemy.</li> </ul> Method: 1. Pulse the sunflower kernels and almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the flour, psyllium husk powder, cinnamon, cold coconut oil and coconut sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 2. Add the vanilla and coconut yoghurt. Process until the mixture starts to come together to form a smooth dough. Turn the mixture out onto a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour to rest. 3. For the caramel, mix the coconut sugar, coconut cream, coconut oil, cornflour, milk and salt in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. 4. Remove from the heat, then add the vanilla, mixing well. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes. 5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced/350°F). Lightly brush a 12-hole standard muffin tin with coconut oil. 6. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, then evenly press into the muffin holes, covering the base and sides. 7. Fill each tart base with two teaspoons of the caramel and smooth the surface. Bake for 20–30 minutes or until the tart cases are golden and set. 8. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Drizzle each tart with melted chocolate and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove from the muffin tin and serve. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. <img width="125" height="174" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36015/the-healthy-convert-cvr_125x174.jpg" alt="The Healthy Convert CVR" style="float: right;"/> This is an edited extract from The Healthy Convert by Nicole Maree published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $24.99 and is available in stores nationally. Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now.</a>

Food & Wine

Severe thunderstorm and mini tornado damage Sydney properties

A severe thunderstorm and mini tornado that struck Sydney on Wednesday afternoon has caused damage to many Sydney properties. The State Emergency Service received more than 300 calls for assistance due to ripped off roofs and fallen trees. Some Sydneysiders even called in because their trampolines had blown onto their roofs. The thunderstorm also left more than 35,000 homes without power and some traffic lights were out in peak hour traffic. The streets of Paramatta and Picton were hit by flash flooding as people tried to navigate the roads and make their way home. Public transport was also impacted all over Sydney as Paramatta Weir overflowed and buses were forced to replace ferries in some areas of Sydney. Sydney residents can expect little relief from the rain with the weather expected to continue throughout winter. Weatherzone meteorologist Rob Sharpe said, “Autumn is one of the wettest times of the year but what has been unusual is how many days of rain there have been already in March – almost every day has seen showers,' he said. “It has been quite a bit wetter than usual along the New South Wales coast.” “The reason why it's been so wet is because there has been a very high pressure system sitting in the Tasman Sea for the vast majority of the past three weeks. We've had lots of low pressure systems which haven't been moving as easily and frequently. But for the next few months, we are more likely to have these fronts move along the south of the country more freely.” Image credit; NSW Ambulance via Twitter

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Coronation quiche? Not if the French have anything to say about it

Coronation Quiche anyone? You’ll need to fork out A$38. Here are cheaper and healthier options

King Charles' signature coronation dish mercilessly mocked