Table of contents for TAK2429 in Take 5

I’m willing to bet my life on the fact that wherever you’re reading Take 5 right now, your mobile phone is probably close by. So, whereas normally we’d love you to forget all about it and enjoy the mag with no distractions, this week, I implore you to reach for it and turn to page 20 where you’ll find a website link, or QR code to scan. It will take you straight to our Cost of Caring campaign, where we’re petitioning to the government to guarantee superannuation for carers to safeguard their futures. Over 10,000 people have already signed, and we’re hoping you can support us in doubling that number this week. We spoke to two inspiring carers, but there are millions across the country who need help. As always,…

My whole community helped me retrieve a special ring Andrew James, 36, Dunedin, NZ. After ordering my bagel, I walked outside to wait for it to be made. Standing there, I pulled a gold ring out of my pocket and started fiddling with it. Suddenly, I dropped it. Then I heard a loud clink and a splash. Turning around, I saw that the ring had fallen straight into a drain! It belonged to my friend Mark. He’d lost it on the dance floor at my wedding a week earlier and had already flown back to Perth. Thankfully, I’d found it during the clean up. I’d been planning on posting it back to him during my lunch break from my real estate job. And now I’d lost it! I tried to…

Nachos parmigiana over page Nachos parmigiana SERVES 4 PREP 30 MINS + CHILLING COOK 20 MINS 500g turkey breasts steaks ½ cup seasoned flour 2 eggs, beaten 1½ cups quinoa flakes ½ cup grated parmesan Vegetable oil, for shallow frying 400g can Mexe Beans ½ cup chunky tomato salsa 1 tomato, seeded, chopped ½ cup finely chopped chargrilled capsicum 2⁄3 cup grated cheddar cheese Corn chips, hot sauce, to serve AVOCADO SALSA 1 avocado, peeled, chopped 1 small red onion, finely diced 1 tbsp lime juice 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease an oven tray. 2 Dust turkey breast steaks in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg. Coat in combined quinoa flakes and parmesan. Chill 15 mins. 3 In a large frying pan, heat oil on high.…

I helped a hen who flew the coop Michelle Willis, 49, Capalaba, Qld. The light turned red at the busy intersection, and I pressed my foot down on the brake. It was April 2024, and as a disability support worker, I was on my way to meet a client’s mum, who worked at KFC. Using the hands-free phone, I chatted to my daughter, Jas, 33. As we talked, I noticed a chicken truck turning right into the road I was on. Suddenly, a white chook flapped its wings and hurtled out of the top of the truck, landing on the road next to the refuge island. “A chicken has just jumped out of a truck!" I cried to Jas. “It’s going to get squished!” I wanted to rescue it, but…

CANCER June 22–July 23 The chance to see something from a new angle will give you something to ponder. Your mind is so busy that you may need to meditate in order to stay cool, calm and collected. Avoid emotional outbursts. ★ A flurry of information doesn’t have to equate to anxiety or stress. LIBRA Sept 24–Oct 23 You can have the best of everything right now, but you have to decide what you want first. Let other people rise up to meet you. Take the lead and others will follow. Don’t hesitate. ★ Opportunities multiply when they are seized. CAPRICORN Dec 23– Jan 20 A little bit of self care may be required this week. This doesn’t have to mean face masks and bubble baths. For you, it’s about…

A trim nearly cost my hubby a leg… Debbie Holmes, 50, Rotorua, NZ. Giving my husband the once-over, I grinned. Lee, 50, had just come back from having a trim at the barber. “It’s a bit shorter than normal,” I said. “But it looks great.” It was June 2021, and with strict COVID lockdowns about to hit, I was pleased Lee had made time to get a haircut. “The barber nicked me with the clippers,” he told me. “But I’ll let him off since you like it.” He turned around and showed me the scratch. “It’s tiny,” I said. “You can barely see it.” A couple of days later, Lee began complaining of a cold. I told him to rest up, but he had his own trucking business and rarely…

TOP TIP For an inexpensive swap, replace saffron threads with ¼ tsp ground turmeric. Spiced baked rice pudding SERVES 8 PREP 20 MINS COOK 50 MINS ½ cup medium-grain brown rice Pinch of saffron threads (see tip) 1 litre milk ¼ cup caster sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground cardamom 3 eggs, lightly whisked ½ cup raisins, coarsely chopped 1⁄3 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1⁄3 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots  250g strawberries, quartered  1 tsp rosewater essence 1 Cook rice in a saucepan of boiling water for 20 mins or until tender. Combine 1 tbsp of the cooking liquid and the saffron in a small heatproof bowl. Set aside. Drain rice.  2 Preheat oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan-forced. Grease a 2L (8-cup) ovenproof dish. Combine…

My sister’s kindness was repaid with savagery Kaitlyn Wheeler, 37. Hopping up from the pull-out sofa, I noticed a set of keys on the floor. “You’re an idiot,” I teased my sister Lauren, 27. “How didn’t you see these?” It was May 2011, and I’d travelled interstate with my sister Sarah, 18, and our parents, Karen, 51, and Bill, 56, for Lauren’s law school graduation. We were staying at her apartment across from her uni. Lauren had complained about losing her car keys but now here they were, right near the front door. “Maybe they were caught up in the sofa,” she said, bewildered. “I swear stuff gets moved around in this apartment.” Lauren lived alone with her dog, Butterbean, so I shrugged off the comment. That night, she took…

Winter skin Heading into the colder months means you may need a little extra care for sensitive and irritated skin. MoliCare Skin is a complete skin care solution designed to clean, protect, and care for fragile and compromised skin which means you can feel more comfortable this winter. MoliCare Skin Wash Lotion 500ml: $11.70 MoliCare Skin Barrier Cream 200ml: $15.65 MoliCare Skin Body Lotion 500ml: $13 Available at selected pharmacies and via molicare.au Crisp and cool mornings, cosying up on the couch, and tucking into hearty meals – there’s a lot to love about winter. One thing you might not be looking forward to is the onslaught of cold and flu season. With a surge of respiratory viruses such as the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the community,…

MINIATURE MASK One woman was left far from relaxed when the face mask she ordered online finally arrived. Keen for a little at-home rest and relaxation, she opened the packet only to find the mask was so small it barely fit across her forehead. After that problematic purchase, you’d need a trip to the spa to de-stress! TRICKED-O-SAURUS Every child loves dinosaurs, but one poor kid was sure to be left disappointed when the dinoshaped pillow his mum bought already had another kid using it! While some online purchases turn out to be nothing like their promo picture, the problem in this case was that it was EXACTLY like it. Instead of the expected blue and green dino pillow, what arrived in the mail was a white pillowcase with a…

Salmon & teriyaki noodle salad SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 5 MINS 200g pkt flat rice noodles 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked 4 green onions, chopped 2 small red chilli, sliced ½ cup teriyaki sauce 210g can salmon, drained, skin, bones removed Lime cheeks, to serve 1 Prepare rice noodles. Drain and place in a large bowl. 2 Add coriander, green onion, chilli and teriyaki to noodles. Carefully toss with salmon to combine before serving with limes. TOP TIP This is a great make-ahead lunch to pack. You could also use shredded barbecue chicken, leftover roast pork or beef in place of salmon. Pumpkin bubble & squeak with steak SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 30 MINS 750g butternut pumpkin, peeled, roughly chopped 1 tbsp olive oil…