CookDiningEvents

Men’s Health Facts

By 24th June 2017 October 7th, 2019 No Comments

I thought it would be good timing for us men to remind ourselves of the importance of keeping an eye on our health.

  •  3000 men die every year from preventable illnesses like heart disease and diabetes
  • Pakeha men live seven^ years longer than Maori men
  • 65%** of men are overweight or obese
  • Suicide rate for men is three^^ times that of women
  • Across every age bracket more men than women drink to hazardous levels and smoke daily**
  • 48.2%* of men deem their wellbeing as either awesome or nearly awesome compared to 45.3%* females
  • 69.4%* of males have visited their general practitioner in the last six months compared to 75.9% of women
  • 13.2%* deem to have no one to talk to about intimate matters contrasting 9.3% of females

For myself, I try and exercise as much as I can, have regular health checks and make sure I sometimes just take time out, as life doesn’t seem to slow down.
And of course, I try and eat a balanced diet.

I for one love meat pies but it’s a well-known fact they are not good for us. Too much saturated fat, processed margarine and generally high in salt. Along with other things us blokes like, Bangers on the BBQ, beers, burgers, curries, sausage rolls whilst driving our big trucks.

So what can we do?

It really depends on own circumstances, but a good place to start is to get into that kitchen boys! Things like meat pies and sausage rolls are easy to make and best of all if you make them yourself you can control what you put in them. I have included healthier recipes for both.

Think about wraps for lunch, you can pretty much put anything into them and they can be eaten on the run or whilst driving. Have some leftover curry and rice from the night before?

Put it in a wrap!

Smoothies, Banana, honey, milk and oats that have been soaked the night before in apple juice. Make heaps in the morning and take the rest with you!

Handy equipment to have at your workplace.

Sandwich press turns every wrap into a hot sensation

Microwave, yes it not the best way to reheat but they are fast and cheap. Take any leftovers from dinner and reheat.

Blender, make you own energy drinks with fruit and honey. Don’t buy them!

Last but not least……. Change it up, don’t always have the same old boring sandwich or lunchbox option. If your lunch is something different, you will look forward to it and won’t go back to those crumbed lasagnas

Steak and cheese pies

serves 4

Steak filling

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 10cm rounds
  • ½ onion, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 250 gm rump steak cut into strips
  • 2 Portobello mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 12 cherry tomatoes

Topping

  • 1 cup cooked potatoes
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tbsp low-fat milk
  • 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan
  • Pinch white pepper and salt
  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash

Preheat oven to 180 degree
Heat a heavy-based fry pan, add oil and sauté onions, garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add beef strips, mushrooms, and mustard.
Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes, season and combine.

Mash potatoes with olive oil, milk and ½ of the grated Parmesan.

Pile steak mixture into the centre of pastry disk, and pipe potato mixture on top with the other ½ of Parmesan. Egg wash the outside of the pastry disk.

Bake on 180 for 10 minutes or until golden.

Chicken sausage rolls

Makes 3 long rolls, cooking time 30 minutes

Filling

  • 500 gm chicken mince
  • 1 large courgette, grated and squeezed
  • 1 small onion, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 tsp crushed garlic crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs

1 pkt store bought puff pastry
In a large bowl, combine all the filling ingredients.
Cut puff pastry into long strips approx. 15cm wide, lay-portioned chicken onto the pastry and roll pastry over to form a round. Sealing with egg wash.

Topping

  • 1 tsp poppy seeds
  • 1 egg lightly beaten

Paint egg over the top of the roll, sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Place in oven on 170 for 30 minutes.