Tofu---hate it or love it, but don't ignore it!---- A recipe that is very healthy and tasty.

But Tofu is tasteless you say and it is so hard to make it look good! Well, yes, I have to agree with you, but since I had my BS (that’s not what you think it is! –it’s Bariatric Surgery) I need to make sure that I eat a lot of protein, but within the amounts I can manage. So fish, lean meats, chicken and some dairy are right up there for me. Luckily, I can manage all of those food groups.

There are other ‘super-foods’ out there that meet my needs too, including Quinoa and tofu. Today I shall give you a really tasty and healthy tofu recipe. It is an omelette.

Prepare the eggs. We used three eggs, whipped up with salt, pepper and some chilli flakes and a little milk. (If you wish, you could use Soy) Chop up about two spring onions (Green onions with the green stalks, for those who call them by another name) and about 200gms of either soft or firm tofu. If you don’t want the tofu to break up, use the harder variety.

Heat up a pan with a little oil and when hot, fry the tofu and then add the eggs and spring onions. Cook it as you would an omelette. Slide it onto a place and share with your best friend. Feel free to add other variations, like red and green peppers, garlic---the worlds your oyster with this dish. Healthy and tasty and an end to—‘I don’t like tofu!’

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Trust me, it's really tatsy!

Being an 'older coffee drinker,' is just dandy!

According to a recent study, there is a link between an increased likelihood of dying if you are under 55 and drink more than 28 cups of coffee a week. The links are tenuous and the reasons are a bit ‘hidden’ but as with all ‘research,’ one can read into the figures anything they wish.

I therefore choose to carry on drinking my favourite beverage and may also increase the rate given that I am immune from any possibility of dying from the beautiful liquid. I wonder if I can get coffee free when I receive my Gold Card in a couple of years. Oh well, maybe I can travel to Waiheke island free and purchase the ‘under 55 year threat to life.’ Damn, I feel good! Anyone taking my blog too seriously should consider upping their coffee intake. (But not if you are under 55)

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Bloody useless courier delivery firms! Why can't they THINK?

As an increasing number of people consider shopping online and some coming to the conclusion that it is not for them, others, like me are turning to letting the 'fingers do the shopping.' OK, perhaps that is kicking local businesses in the guts; I concede that point. Not all the jobs are lost of course, because where some jobs disappear, others (but not always in NZ) are created. I shall leave that debate alone for the moment.
Lets assume  that you (and me) have decided to purchase items on the Net. Whether it is for our weekly shop at the supermarket or overseas sites for clothing, the goods are going to be delivered. This is where the trouble can start. Over the last month I have brought clothing, books and yes, a solar oven online. I have no complaints about anything I have brought, quality wise. My compliant is about the 'delivery' and the wider issue of when these deliveries occur.
On several occasion in the past month, I have not received the goods within what I consider a 'reasonable time.' By that I mean, if a delivery from the UK (the ASOS site) can arrive in just on a week, yet a NZ site takes ten days, 'something is rotten in the state of NZ!'
Not only can NZ sites be tardy re their deliveries (Hey--the ASOS delivery was even free--over a certain amount) but they delivered the goods to the wrong address.
Come on NZ 'sites.' Get your act together. OK, my address is 1/XXX but they delivered 'it' to A/XXXX. There is a difference and given that courier companies are the 'experts' re delivery, one should be able to assume that they know the difference or at least use their bloody eyes. It is only because my neighbours are honest that I received the said goods, late as they were.
My last point is in the nature of a helpful; suggestion; one that if followed through by an enterprising person as a new career or business opportunity, would be gratefully received by long suffering supporters of online purchases. WHY DONT THESE COMPANIES operate at night---yes----WHEN WE ARE HOME! Wouldn't  that suit some people, to work after hours, either as an extra job or as their primary employment, because that suits them too.
Am I missing something here?
I shall still continue to use the Net for my shopping but, please delivery people---get it right!
www.authorneilcoleman.com

'On a clear day,' I could actually use my solar oven---but this is Akcland in spring!

When I purchased my new solar oven it didn’t come with directions, probably because it is so simple, even someone with my lack of techno-ability should be able to manage it. As it turned out, that is what happened. I set it up and tested it, the only thing lacking being the damned sun!

I looked at a few online reports and chuckled quietly at the You-tube postings that had the odd snake or two shimmering along like some sort of serpent drag queen. Those shots were from the desert where temperatures climb to over 40C and the sun shines forever. Maybe that should have served as a warning!

Another clue came my way too. Some of the sites pushing the use of solar ovens were from ‘survivalists groups or ‘preppies.’ Alongside those ‘postings’ were other claiming that ‘in 5 years’ time, 95% of Americans will be dead.’ Jeeze, I thought. What the hell have I interfered into on this new journey with my little solar oven? Am I going to be joining some sort of fringe group that uses the word Armageddon as a focal word? I am unsure if I should laugh or head for the hills!

OK, I am still trying to make my oven work, but I am coming to the conclusion that springtime in Auckland is never going to deliver the consistent sun and temperatures needed to cook a meaty wholesome meal. Then, in the summer, maybe I won’t feel like a stew or roasted chicken. Of course I will! Watch this space. Too bad for the ‘preppies’ in the winter though. They will have to go chop down a tree and cook on an open fire.

www.authorneilcoleman.com

Australia's future---why, back to the past of course! (This one really is for Aussies and Kiwis!) And to a male dominated Cabinet!

It comes as no surprise that The New PM of Australia, Dear Leader, Tony has appointed only one woman to his cabinet. Let it also not be a shock when he reverses the gains that Australian workers have fought so hard for over the years. It will not even take him another term in which to achieve his goals; that of a compliant lower wage pool of workers, available at the whim of unscrupulous employers who must be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of increased profits on the back of the changes.

Perhaps Tony has underestimated the ‘grit’ of Aussie workers. One only needs to glance back to the past to see that they will not submit to this new regime. The voters will of course rue the day where they either voted for the new leader or failed to vote at all. Maybe they gave their votes to that rather strange ‘new boy on the block, the one who did especially well in Queensland, who we will all quickly forget once he serves his single term, hence my purposeful un-naming of him.

The Greens may have to help Labor along, although they too took a king hit in the latest election. So it will be up to the Labor Party to win back support after their pathetic showing; one driven by their never-ending leadership wrangles and sector divisions. One ‘reaps what one sows’ and that pearl of wisdom will be apparent rather quickly in Australia over the next few years.

‘The Lucky Country’ is on for some torrid times as people start to drop off from the formerly strong labour market. As wages are either held or lowered, a sense of anger will grow. As school receive less funding (Except the private sector schools) and Aussie kids get a raw deal and the refugee problem does not suddenly disappear, Australians will wake up one day and wonder what the hell they have done!  Add the diminishing Federal and State funded health programs to the pot of discontent and people will start to look beyond Tony and his team for a solution, but will they see a reinvigorated Labor Party, ready to take office; one that is not torn by selfish personality issues and splits in ideology?

Who knows? Perhaps Australians are well used to such machinations in their political paradigm and can readily adapt to new challenges. They are after all, our cousins over the ‘ditch’ and together we have often faced external threats. It is the internal ones that wreak havoc and New Zealand should take heed of what happened in Australia. Our own Labour Party may have learnt from ‘observation’ and today in Parliament we shall see the battle to change our future begin. Learn well from our cousins, New Zealand!

www.authorneilcoleman.com

David comes out of his corner with fighting words---this time directed at the National Party Leader.

We are in for a real treat as David Cunliffe takes on John Key, this time backed up by a united Labour Caucus. David needed to signal that past battles are just that---consigned to a time that no longer counts. It is under his leadership that rifts will be healed and a unification will take place to bring about a new era for the Labour Party,
This is so overdue. We are all sick on the selfish struggle for a viable leader and finally the Party; caucus and members have seen the light.
My words sound like they emanate from a party political broadcast. I make no apologies for that. It is just a complete relief to have this part of Labour Party history left in the cupboard from whence it came.
If the caucus can not see the bigger picture then they need to look at changing their career pathways, before the electorate does it for them!. Somehow, this time, I think they have finally 'got it.' The proof will be in the 'pudding! Now, just watch Key get nasty as he parades tired old 'parable' of nonsense, scare tactics and dirty tricks. It is up to the newly united party to 'turn' these attacks and focus on fighting for a better New Zealand, a fairer country; one that values all sectors of society. And yes, it is OK for the Greens to line up with the Labour Party to share in that 'construction.'
www.authorneilcoleman.com

Emerates, Team New Zealand---you are making this very hard for my heart, damn it!

We began the day as per the usual lately, at the school I work in. The big TV was on I the staffroom, turned up loud, before our morning briefing. By the time senior management got up to do their thing, with the TV muted, Team NZ was in the crap as it were. They had lost the start and Oracle had swept ahead. NZ was left in their wake and by the time our management signalled they had finished (we had just heard how our incredible choir had yet again done themselves and our school proud at the 'Pops' concert in the Auckland Town Hall---I will stick up the site where you can buy the CD on at a later date) the first race was all but over.
Was this the start of an incredible comeback by Oracle? That's what it felt like and that feeling was one that gives you a horrible sinking feeling. That most of the world couldn't care less about the America's Cup regatta is a moot point. For New Zealand as a nation it is vitally important; for our morale and yes, for our economy. NZ has gained a great deal in the 'boat building world,' from design right through to building, support services and sailing the huge boats. (Many syndicates have NZers involved in their campaigns) So you can imagine the gremlin thoughts that were starting to impinge on our thinking.
Oh well, there is always race two we all thought and we were still ahead 6-1. Remember, Oracle had started from minus 2 because they had been caught out 'cheating' in a previous but related regatta. Maybe that is just a continuation of the manner in which they won the Cup in the first place; not on the water but in the court rooms. Sound familiar?
Race two and once again we lost the 'start. It looked like a repeat of race one, with Oracle clawing ahead and then NZ gaining a brief lead, to see it dissipate again. By now I had a colleague streaming the race onto a large screen from his computer (Don't be surprised. Even in our state schools we have good technical services in NZ!). Leg four and NZ made its move. I had huge trouble hiding my feelings from my tutor group; normally my language would have been quite 'creative' if I had been at home, but no, I held my tongue; literally it should be said, if my later in the day sore tongue is anything to go by!
Team NZ crept ahead, a few metres at a time and then rounded the last mark just a few seconds ahead. I wanted to scream. Jeeze, I hope I didn't! My students were watching my reactions as much as they were watching the big screen. Our   beautiful big catamaran slowly but surely moved away from Oracle and suddenly the finish line loomed with the city of San Francisco framing what turned out to be another win for Team NZ. 7-1 now and just two victories to go. Will I be able to watch without something terribly medically unpredictable happening? Time will tell, in two days time. Go Dean and  the boys! Right--- I will wear my red socks on Wednesday, NZ time.
www.authorneilcoleman.com