My wife says she doesn't want a birthday present. Of course it's a trap
'What could you possibly get me?' sounds like a rhetorical question, asked because the answer is obviously 'nothing'. A statement made by someone who suddenly realised they are replete, satisfied, happy. But only a fool would hear it that way. It's a real question, all right. And it has an answer. And the answer is not 'nothing'. And the answer is not to roast a chook or the offer of your continuing love – one is mere poultry and the other merely paltry.
A gift signifies what she means to you, it represents your relationship, it is an icon of your love, and its giving is a ritual romantic affirmation that must be honoured. It's true, the present itself is nothing. But the nothingness of no present is really something. The lack of thought in no present is brazen and deliberate. The fact that the whole procedure of nutting out what to buy and where to get it and what colour it should be didn't delight you and stimulate you enough, knowing how her recognition of what you'd done would delight her … well, you've made an error, buster.
People who print 'no presents' on an invitation are disingenuous. They are laying a trap – filtering the givers from the non-givers and compiling a list.
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So go out and get a present. And if you get the right present, a thing she has secretly coveted but told herself she didn't deserve, then you have not only confirmed you still know her, you've also affirmed she is worthy of this covetable thing, and that your hearts are still in sync, and love lives.
So … now all you've got to do is choose the present that does all these things.
My old man once got my mother pots for Christmas. Heavy, black, enamelled cooking pots. I can still see their various parabolas as they sailed across the sitting room and hear them ringing like a carillon as they ricocheted off our walls and father. Pots were not what she wanted. Neither the pot-giver, as the pots finally made clear. I was six. Many six-year-olds would have concluded she was a difficult – perhaps violent – woman. But I said to myself: 'Make a note, Anson. Being an attractive lad, one day you may have a wife of your own. And you must avoid giving presents to her that suggest you regard her primarily as domestic help.' A maxim I've lived by.
Especially galling is that Sarah always gives me presents that hit the mark. She somehow knows what I want. It's almost as if she pays attention to me when I talk. Strange behaviour from a marital partner, if so. The pair of boots I have worn while swaggering through gangs of bikies, kicking Harleys over in my half-sleep before drifting off each night, arrive for my birthday. The coat I've rocked while accepting my gong from the governor-general in recent daydreams is folded and wrapped and waiting for me at breakfast as proof that at least one of us remembered our anniversary.
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ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Parents warned about hiring nannies and babysitters as families turn away from childcare centres
Child safety experts are warning parents to be vigilant when hiring babysitters and nannies, as families reject formal daycare settings amid ongoing revelations of abuse and neglect. Parents are increasingly looking at alternative forms of childcare as governments grapple with how to improve child safety in daycare centres. "I sent my older two to daycare at eight months," said Sydney mother, Sarah, who didn't want to use her real name. "But by the time I had my third child, there's been all the allegations and stuff, so I was really reluctant to send her somewhere that I didn't have a personal recommendation for. "So we have been paying for a nanny. But the cost of using a nanny is not ideal." The ABC has spoken with dozens of parents reporting the same thing, and even Facebook parenting groups show a flurry of activity as people hunt for babysitters and nannies. Professional nannying services are also seeing an increase in business. "Lots of families do seem like they are losing faith in the childcare system and they're just not willing to roll the dice of these terrible things that are happening," said Lauren Brown, the owner and founder of Nanager and a volunteer board member of the Australian Nanny Association. "So across the board, we are noticing that inquiries are growing." A group called For Parents is taking it one step further and has called on the federal government with a petition to expand the child care subsidy scheme to cover the use of babysitters, nannies and grandparents for care at home. "I think parents around the country we've heard from are losing trust in the system, but they don't have another choice," said Jen Flemming, the co-founder of For Parents. "We would really like fundamentally for parents to have more choice over who is looking after their children." There is a subsidised in-home care scheme available to 3,200 families only, who have unique circumstances such as geographic isolation, unusual working hours or complex family situations that make regular childcare unavailable or not suitable. Mrs Flemming wants that extended. "What we're asking for is the scheme that all kids are eligible for within those parameters that currently exist to give those families more choice. "We believe that there are a lot of low and middle-income families who would significantly stand to benefit from this change," she said, arguing against the subsidies going to a lot of "for-profit childcare centres". Outside of professional nanny agencies, nannies, babysitters, and au pairs who are hired casually are not at all regulated by government agencies. While the Australian Nanny Organisation says it is a requirement for nannies to have a Working with Children Check, it is not policed or enforced in casual settings. Babysitters and nannies don't have to have a police check, first aid certificate or even a tax file number, since many transactions are often cash-based. National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds said any care inside someone's home, whether it was family daycare or with a nanny, had "risks that need to be attended to". "We need to have the same high standards for child safety and wellbeing, whatever the type of care it is," she said. As Ms Brown points out, this type of care, if not managed properly, can pose an even bigger risk because families are basically "welcoming a stranger into their home". "There are those carers that might not be in it for the right reasons. They're in it to go and meet their friend for a play date or, you know, maybe more sinister reasons," she said. In June, a Perth man was charged with sexual offences against children he babysat and in November last year, South Australian police charged a young female babysitter with criminal neglect of a toddler after he was found with suspicious injuries. Professor Michael Salter, director of Child Light at UNSW, which is part of the Global Child Safety Institute, pointed out that there were long-standing issues around the provision of care at home because there was less oversight. In his line of work, Dr Salter said he had come across decades of examples of abuse and neglect at the hands of babysitters or nannies. "It is quite common when we're interviewing or speaking with survivors of child abuse and neglect that some of them will talk about abuse that's being perpetrated, whether it's by a babysitter, whether it's by somebody who's provided in-home care." Babysitters, nannies and au pairs are often essential for families, given the lack of intergenerational living and 'the village'. So, is it possible to make it safer? The group For Parents wants the federal government to include nannies and babysitters in a national register if the subsidy were to be extended to this cohort. Mrs Flemming said it would be similar to OFSTED in the UK, where carers receive a registration number once they have submitted the necessary checks. "It gives parents that sense of reassurance that the person they are talking to has been through a government registration programme," she added. Ms Hollonds agreed. "If we're expanding in any way the use of nannies or other home-based care, then I think those people who are providing the care should be registered and should be checked for their suitability as we have for early childhood educators in other settings," she said. But it would require a lot more resourcing for regulators. Ms Hollonds also warned parents when using nannies or babysitters, particularly if they were found informally, to be "extremely cautious in who they choose to care for their children". That would include ensuring they have a valid and current working-with-children check and police check. Professional nanny Lauren Brown said parents should also check for first aid and CPR certificates, and even run a social media scan. "But I stress this to everyone: call references, speak to someone who knows this person who's worked with this person."
The Advertiser
12-08-2025
- The Advertiser
Fuss-free family meals on the table fast
Fast, fresh, family-friendly food - that's what every home needs. And when it comes to fast, fresh, family-friendly food, millions of home cooks look to Sarah Pound for inspiration. As the brains behind online hub Wholesome by Sarah and the bestselling cookbook of the same name, Sarah understands the importance of getting delicious, healthy meals on the table with minimum fuss. Her new cookbook, Family Food, focuses on easy weeknight dinners that tick all the boxes, whether you're short on time, a beginner cook or feeding fussy eaters (of any age!). 1. Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board. Cover with baking paper and pound with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Season well with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. 2. Time to fry. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook for three to four minutes on each side until lightly golden. Turn the heat down if the chicken is colouring too quickly. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. 3. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for two minutes until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for five minutes until they release their juices. 4. Add the zucchini and stir for one to two minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the cream and stock and stir again. Add the green beans and push down with the wooden spoon to submerge them in the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, add the gnocchi and stir them into the sauce. Cover with the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for five to six minutes. 5. Add the spinach or silverbeet and toss with the gnocchi, then stir through the parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan. Half-submerge it in the sauce, then serve while hot. Tip: If your cooked chicken is still a little pink inside, simply add it to the sauce with the gnocchi, cover with the lid and let it finish cooking for five minutes or so. Serves 4. 1. First things first. Season the beef with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to your slow cooker. 2. Build some flavour. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, stock and dried herbs to the beef in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours until the beef is meltingly tender. 3. Remove the beef from the slow cooker, pull apart with two forks, then return to the sauce and stir through. 4. Now, cook your pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well, add the pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season and serve with the parmesan and parsley sprinkled on top. Serves 4 Add any of the following when everything is added to the slow cooker: Add two large roughly chopped zucchini to the slow cooker for the final two hours of cooking. Stir 50 to 100g (1 to 2 cups) chopped English spinach, silverbeet or kale into the finished beef brisket sauce. Avocado and four-bean salsa Yoghurt and lime dressing 1. Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. 2. On to the yoghurt and lime dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. 3. Toss the fish cubes with the olive oil and spice blend until evenly coated. 4. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the fish and cook for three to four minutes until the white flesh is lightly golden on all sides. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, drizzle the honey over the fish, then toss briefly to coat (this prevents burning). 5. Dish up! Serve the fish in bowls with the avocado and four-bean salsa and a drizzle of the yoghurt and lime dressing. Serves 4 Makes about 1/2 cup. Makes about 1/3 cup. 1. First up, a simple marinade. Combine the garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Add the whole mushrooms, turn to coat well and marinate for at least 10 minutes. 2. Essential prep! Preheat the oven to 200° (fan-forced). 3. Time to roast. Tip the mushrooms and marinade onto a baking tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and golden. Set aside. 4. Meanwhile, on to the greens. Blanch the bean shoots and snow peas in a large saucepan of boiling water for one minute, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. 5. Next steps. Combine the bean shoots and snow peas with the cucumber, spring onion, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add a portion of your preferred rice or noodle base to each serving bowl. Slice the mushrooms and scatter them on top along with the bean shoot salad. 6. Finishing touches. Mix together the remaining soy sauce with the sweet chilli sauce and sriracha and drizzle over each mushroom bowl. Finish with the extra sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4 Fast, fresh, family-friendly food - that's what every home needs. And when it comes to fast, fresh, family-friendly food, millions of home cooks look to Sarah Pound for inspiration. As the brains behind online hub Wholesome by Sarah and the bestselling cookbook of the same name, Sarah understands the importance of getting delicious, healthy meals on the table with minimum fuss. Her new cookbook, Family Food, focuses on easy weeknight dinners that tick all the boxes, whether you're short on time, a beginner cook or feeding fussy eaters (of any age!). 1. Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board. Cover with baking paper and pound with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Season well with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. 2. Time to fry. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook for three to four minutes on each side until lightly golden. Turn the heat down if the chicken is colouring too quickly. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. 3. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for two minutes until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for five minutes until they release their juices. 4. Add the zucchini and stir for one to two minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the cream and stock and stir again. Add the green beans and push down with the wooden spoon to submerge them in the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, add the gnocchi and stir them into the sauce. Cover with the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for five to six minutes. 5. Add the spinach or silverbeet and toss with the gnocchi, then stir through the parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan. Half-submerge it in the sauce, then serve while hot. Tip: If your cooked chicken is still a little pink inside, simply add it to the sauce with the gnocchi, cover with the lid and let it finish cooking for five minutes or so. Serves 4. 1. First things first. Season the beef with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to your slow cooker. 2. Build some flavour. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, stock and dried herbs to the beef in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours until the beef is meltingly tender. 3. Remove the beef from the slow cooker, pull apart with two forks, then return to the sauce and stir through. 4. Now, cook your pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well, add the pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season and serve with the parmesan and parsley sprinkled on top. Serves 4 Add any of the following when everything is added to the slow cooker: Add two large roughly chopped zucchini to the slow cooker for the final two hours of cooking. Stir 50 to 100g (1 to 2 cups) chopped English spinach, silverbeet or kale into the finished beef brisket sauce. Avocado and four-bean salsa Yoghurt and lime dressing 1. Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. 2. On to the yoghurt and lime dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. 3. Toss the fish cubes with the olive oil and spice blend until evenly coated. 4. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the fish and cook for three to four minutes until the white flesh is lightly golden on all sides. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, drizzle the honey over the fish, then toss briefly to coat (this prevents burning). 5. Dish up! Serve the fish in bowls with the avocado and four-bean salsa and a drizzle of the yoghurt and lime dressing. Serves 4 Makes about 1/2 cup. Makes about 1/3 cup. 1. First up, a simple marinade. Combine the garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Add the whole mushrooms, turn to coat well and marinate for at least 10 minutes. 2. Essential prep! Preheat the oven to 200° (fan-forced). 3. Time to roast. Tip the mushrooms and marinade onto a baking tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and golden. Set aside. 4. Meanwhile, on to the greens. Blanch the bean shoots and snow peas in a large saucepan of boiling water for one minute, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. 5. Next steps. Combine the bean shoots and snow peas with the cucumber, spring onion, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add a portion of your preferred rice or noodle base to each serving bowl. Slice the mushrooms and scatter them on top along with the bean shoot salad. 6. Finishing touches. Mix together the remaining soy sauce with the sweet chilli sauce and sriracha and drizzle over each mushroom bowl. Finish with the extra sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4 Fast, fresh, family-friendly food - that's what every home needs. And when it comes to fast, fresh, family-friendly food, millions of home cooks look to Sarah Pound for inspiration. As the brains behind online hub Wholesome by Sarah and the bestselling cookbook of the same name, Sarah understands the importance of getting delicious, healthy meals on the table with minimum fuss. Her new cookbook, Family Food, focuses on easy weeknight dinners that tick all the boxes, whether you're short on time, a beginner cook or feeding fussy eaters (of any age!). 1. Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board. Cover with baking paper and pound with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Season well with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. 2. Time to fry. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook for three to four minutes on each side until lightly golden. Turn the heat down if the chicken is colouring too quickly. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. 3. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for two minutes until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for five minutes until they release their juices. 4. Add the zucchini and stir for one to two minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the cream and stock and stir again. Add the green beans and push down with the wooden spoon to submerge them in the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, add the gnocchi and stir them into the sauce. Cover with the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for five to six minutes. 5. Add the spinach or silverbeet and toss with the gnocchi, then stir through the parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan. Half-submerge it in the sauce, then serve while hot. Tip: If your cooked chicken is still a little pink inside, simply add it to the sauce with the gnocchi, cover with the lid and let it finish cooking for five minutes or so. Serves 4. 1. First things first. Season the beef with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to your slow cooker. 2. Build some flavour. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, stock and dried herbs to the beef in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours until the beef is meltingly tender. 3. Remove the beef from the slow cooker, pull apart with two forks, then return to the sauce and stir through. 4. Now, cook your pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well, add the pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season and serve with the parmesan and parsley sprinkled on top. Serves 4 Add any of the following when everything is added to the slow cooker: Add two large roughly chopped zucchini to the slow cooker for the final two hours of cooking. Stir 50 to 100g (1 to 2 cups) chopped English spinach, silverbeet or kale into the finished beef brisket sauce. Avocado and four-bean salsa Yoghurt and lime dressing 1. Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. 2. On to the yoghurt and lime dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. 3. Toss the fish cubes with the olive oil and spice blend until evenly coated. 4. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the fish and cook for three to four minutes until the white flesh is lightly golden on all sides. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, drizzle the honey over the fish, then toss briefly to coat (this prevents burning). 5. Dish up! Serve the fish in bowls with the avocado and four-bean salsa and a drizzle of the yoghurt and lime dressing. Serves 4 Makes about 1/2 cup. Makes about 1/3 cup. 1. First up, a simple marinade. Combine the garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Add the whole mushrooms, turn to coat well and marinate for at least 10 minutes. 2. Essential prep! Preheat the oven to 200° (fan-forced). 3. Time to roast. Tip the mushrooms and marinade onto a baking tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and golden. Set aside. 4. Meanwhile, on to the greens. Blanch the bean shoots and snow peas in a large saucepan of boiling water for one minute, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. 5. Next steps. Combine the bean shoots and snow peas with the cucumber, spring onion, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add a portion of your preferred rice or noodle base to each serving bowl. Slice the mushrooms and scatter them on top along with the bean shoot salad. 6. Finishing touches. Mix together the remaining soy sauce with the sweet chilli sauce and sriracha and drizzle over each mushroom bowl. Finish with the extra sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4 Fast, fresh, family-friendly food - that's what every home needs. And when it comes to fast, fresh, family-friendly food, millions of home cooks look to Sarah Pound for inspiration. As the brains behind online hub Wholesome by Sarah and the bestselling cookbook of the same name, Sarah understands the importance of getting delicious, healthy meals on the table with minimum fuss. Her new cookbook, Family Food, focuses on easy weeknight dinners that tick all the boxes, whether you're short on time, a beginner cook or feeding fussy eaters (of any age!). 1. Place the chicken breasts on a chopping board. Cover with baking paper and pound with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Season well with 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. 2. Time to fry. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook for three to four minutes on each side until lightly golden. Turn the heat down if the chicken is colouring too quickly. Remove the chicken and transfer to a plate. 3. Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for two minutes until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for five minutes until they release their juices. 4. Add the zucchini and stir for one to two minutes until starting to soften. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the cream and stock and stir again. Add the green beans and push down with the wooden spoon to submerge them in the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, add the gnocchi and stir them into the sauce. Cover with the lid, turn the heat down to low and simmer for five to six minutes. 5. Add the spinach or silverbeet and toss with the gnocchi, then stir through the parmesan. Return the chicken to the pan. Half-submerge it in the sauce, then serve while hot. Tip: If your cooked chicken is still a little pink inside, simply add it to the sauce with the gnocchi, cover with the lid and let it finish cooking for five minutes or so. Serves 4. 1. First things first. Season the beef with a pinch of salt and 1 tsp pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to your slow cooker. 2. Build some flavour. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, stock and dried herbs to the beef in your slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours until the beef is meltingly tender. 3. Remove the beef from the slow cooker, pull apart with two forks, then return to the sauce and stir through. 4. Now, cook your pasta. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain well, add the pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season and serve with the parmesan and parsley sprinkled on top. Serves 4 Add any of the following when everything is added to the slow cooker: Add two large roughly chopped zucchini to the slow cooker for the final two hours of cooking. Stir 50 to 100g (1 to 2 cups) chopped English spinach, silverbeet or kale into the finished beef brisket sauce. Avocado and four-bean salsa Yoghurt and lime dressing 1. Start with the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. 2. On to the yoghurt and lime dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. 3. Toss the fish cubes with the olive oil and spice blend until evenly coated. 4. Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the fish and cook for three to four minutes until the white flesh is lightly golden on all sides. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, drizzle the honey over the fish, then toss briefly to coat (this prevents burning). 5. Dish up! Serve the fish in bowls with the avocado and four-bean salsa and a drizzle of the yoghurt and lime dressing. Serves 4 Makes about 1/2 cup. Makes about 1/3 cup. 1. First up, a simple marinade. Combine the garlic, 2 tbsp soy sauce, the balsamic vinegar and a good pinch of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Add the whole mushrooms, turn to coat well and marinate for at least 10 minutes. 2. Essential prep! Preheat the oven to 200° (fan-forced). 3. Time to roast. Tip the mushrooms and marinade onto a baking tray and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and golden. Set aside. 4. Meanwhile, on to the greens. Blanch the bean shoots and snow peas in a large saucepan of boiling water for one minute, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. 5. Next steps. Combine the bean shoots and snow peas with the cucumber, spring onion, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add a portion of your preferred rice or noodle base to each serving bowl. Slice the mushrooms and scatter them on top along with the bean shoot salad. 6. Finishing touches. Mix together the remaining soy sauce with the sweet chilli sauce and sriracha and drizzle over each mushroom bowl. Finish with the extra sesame seeds and serve. Serves 4
7NEWS
04-08-2025
- 7NEWS
An easy and delicious one-pan chicken dinner that the whole family will love
Sarah Pound is a nutritionist, recipe creator and cookbook author. Today, Sarah is making her easy one-pan lemon and honey chicken. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today PREP TIME 15 minutes COOK TIME 25 minutes SERVES 4 Yum, yum and yum! I could eat a whole pan of this on my own. Garlic, lemon, honey and chicken – basically all my favourite ingredients in one dish. And it's a ripper for kids too. My girls lick their plates clean, and I encourage that; it's not a lack of manners, it's always a compliment to the cook. 3 tablespoons plain flour 1 tablespoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning pinch of salt flakes 4 small chicken breasts or boneless and skinless chicken thighs 1–2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 large zucchini, sliced into rounds 120 g (2 cups) broccoli florets 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped 1 lemon, finely sliced cooked rice, grains or couscous, to serve HONEY, GARLIC & LEMON SAUCE 115 g (1/3 cup) honey zest and juice of 1 large lemon 1–2 teaspoons soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped Method Start with the sauce. Place all the honey, garlic and lemon sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well. Set aside. Combine the flour, lemon pepper seasoning and salt in a shallow bowl. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Now for the chicken. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan or shallow, flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6–8 minutes on each side until golden brown and almost cooked through. Scatter the zucchini and broccoli around the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. If the vegetables are catching, add a few tablespoons of water and stir to scrape up any caught bits. Pour in the sauce. Stir to coat the chicken and vegetables and simmer gently for 3 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter the parsley and lemon slices on top and serve with your choice of rice, grains or couscous. VEGGIE BOOSTER Add any of the following with the zucchini and broccoli: • 1 finely diced capsicum (colour of choice). • 100 g (1 cup) trimmed sugar snap peas. • 1 carrot, sliced into thin rounds. • 125 g (1 cup) trimmed green beans. • 125 g (1 cup) cauliflower florets. • 1 bunch of trimmed asparagus, cut into 5 cm lengths LEMON PEPPER SEASONING MAKES approximately 1/3 cup 2 tablespoons dried lemon zest or finely grated lemon zest, dried in a 90°C (fan-forced) oven for 1 hour 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon salt flakes
