Table of contents for TAK2501 in Take 5

What could possibly be better than a mag full of real life, puzzles, prizes, health, fashion, handy tips, and delicious recipes? More puzzles and more prizes, of course! For our first issue of the year, we’ve stuffed in a whopping four pages and 16 extra brainteasers – all with $100 cash prizes. We’ve had a ball coming up with even more ways to win over the next few months. Don’t miss next week where we re-launch one of your favourite comps, back by popular demand – Win your rent or mortgage paid for a year! Based on the average annual rent, this incredible cash prize is worth over $45,000. And we’ve made it easier than ever to enter. Now that would take a weight off wouldn’t it? Paid off…

No-bake mango cheesecake SERVES 12 PREP 20 MINS COOK 20 MIN (+ OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION) 100g unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces, plus extra to grease 140g digestive biscuits, broken in pieces 40g raw macadamias 20g desiccated coconut 20g powdered gelatine 650g ripe, fresh mango flesh (approx. 3–4), cut into pieces 100g caster sugar 500g cream cheese, softened 300g sour cream 1 pinch sea salt 1 lime, zest and juice KITCHEN EXTRAS 23 cm Rose Gold springform cake tin 1 Grease and line base and side of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper. 2 Place butter, biscuits, macadamias and coconut into mixing bowl and mix 10 sec/speed 8. Evenly press mixture into base of tin, then refrigerate until needed. Clean and dry mixing bowl. 3 Pour 120g…

CAPRICORN Dec 23 – Jan 20 As 2025 begins, take a moment to go inwards. There is a lot of energy in your chart now which is about reflecting on the past to inform your present. A little bit of meditation or yoga will give you headspace to do the thinking you need to. ★ Just say “Ommm…” ARIES Mar 21 – Apr 20 It’s time to take another look at your life. The current New Moon is in your Broad Horizons Zone as Mercury retrogrades in the same part of your horoscope. Look back and see how far you’ve come. ★ Retrace your steps if you feel the need. CANCER June 22 – July 23 Once a year, around this time, you get a chance to set your…

I stared at my iPad and couldn’t believe my eyes Aileen Turnbull, 77, Mount Warren Park, Qld. Stepping out of the church in my beautiful wedding dress, I smiled at the crowd. “Congratulations,” cheered my friends, as they threw confetti over me and my handsome new husband, Bill. “Stand over there,” instructed the wedding photographer. Bill and I, both 20, stood on the stairs of the Mastrick Parish Church in Aberdeen, Scotland as the photographer snapped away at us It was August 5, 1967. I wore a beautiful white satin dress that I’d seen in a shop window on my bus commute to my job at a department store. My colleague Margaret’s husband, Gilbert, had a cinecamera, which creates a series of photos to produce moving pictures, and he…

I wanted to do more Summer Petrosius, 34, Adelaide, SA. I watched as a mother dropped her son off to his classroom, then returned to her car and burst into tears. My heart sank. That poor woman, I thought, sure she was at her wits’ end. It was 2016 and I worked as a speech therapist at a school for children with autism. Next time I saw the mum, she explained the reason behind her tears. “My son had a meltdown that morning and lashed out aggressively at my baby,” she said. “I was just stressed.” Sadly, I’d encountered many distressed parents who felt isolated. “No-one I know understands what I’m going through,” many told me. Some said they had little time to socialise, others explained family and…

Rural blokes love my shows! Bonnie Tonic, 41, Mackay, Qld. The scent of beer flooded my nostrils as I approached the front bar of the Savoy Hotel. It was the main topless bar in Rockhampton, Qld, and for years I’d walked past, intrigued by the cheers coming from within. Now at 18, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about! As the staff disrobed, they were met with ecstatic cries of approval. I admired the confidence of these women. That looks like fun, I thought. My family had always been sex positive and nudity wasn’t taboo. With the courage of a few beers, I spontaneously lifted my top and flashed the room. Everyone cheered. For years, bullies called me tall, ugly, and flat-chested, so this was…

My dream holiday turned my life into a nightmare Tatiana Timon, 35. I stepped off the plane and smiled as the sun warmed my skin. “I can’t believe we’re finally here!” I said to a member of our group. It was May 2023, and I’d just arrived in Angola, Africa, for a 10-day kizomba dance holiday. I’d taken it up back home, where I was working as an assistant restaurant manager, and couldn’t wait to improve my skills in the land it had originated from. I’d come on my own, but I’d found myself among a good group of people. I had a blast dancing, sightseeing, sunbathing and eating out with them. “Thank you for making this the best trip ever,” I said, hugging them all, as the trip came…

Lentil & asparagus salad SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS 1 small red onion, thinly sliced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 400g can brown lentils, rinsed ¾ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves ¾ cup mint leaves 2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed, blanched 50g fetta, crumbled 1 tbsp natural almonds, coarsely chopped 4 soft-boiled eggs, halved Pinch of paprika or sumac 1 Combine onion, garlic and juice in a bowl. Set aside for 5 mins or until onion softens. Add oil, vinegar, lentils, parsley and mint; toss to combine. 2 Divide lentil mixture among serving plates. Top with asparagus, fetta, almonds and eggs. Serve sprinkled with paprika. Hot dogs with pickled cabbage SERVES 4 PREP 15…

My beautiful cousin’s life ended when she met a beast Mollie Lune, 25. My phone bleeped and I burst out laughing before I’d even finished reading the message. It was Boxing Day, 2021, and my cousin, Elinor, had sent me a photo of her looking extremely hungover. Her hair was scraped up into a ponytail and she was pulling a funny frown. You look as rough as I feel, I replied, giggling. She was the sister I never had With her wicked sense of humour, Elinor was always making me laugh. We’d always shared a special bond, with only four weeks between us in age. My mum and her dad were siblings so we were often round at each others’ houses or at family get-togethers. I had only one brother,…

Mexican breakfast bowls SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 10 MINS 8 rashers rindless bacon 8 eggs 4 jumbo tortillas 1 avocado, peeled, sliced ½ red onion, thinly sliced Coriander, to serve 250g heirloom tomatoes, halved 250g jar tomato salsa 1 In a large frying pan (or on barbecue plate), heat oil on high. Cook bacon 2-3 mins each side until golden and crispy. Remove and cover with foil. 2 In a medium bowl, whisk eggs together and season to taste (add a splash of milk or cream, if liked). 3 Using the same pan, cook eggs, stirring gently 3-4 mins, until softly scrambled. 4 Line each serving bowl with a tortilla. Fill with eggs and bacon. Top with avocado, onion, coriander, tomatoes and salsa. Red wine-marinated beef with…

My bikini business inspired by Mum is making a splash Ebony Torrisi, 23, Sunshine Coast, Qld. I showed my mum, Janet, my crocheted headband. “That’s great, Ebony,” she cried. “Do you like mine, too?” my sister Majella, 13, asked. “I do,” Mum enthused. I was only 10, but Mum loved to encourage our entrepreneurial spirit. She took photos of the things we’d crocheted and sold them to her friends. As she handed over the proceeds from our hard work, I was hooked. I’m the second youngest of eight and we all caught a passion for business. When I was 16, my older sister Lily started an Instagram page selling festival clothing. I learnt a lot from assisting her and wanted to do something similar. Because we all surf and love…

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