Selwyn Times: September 01, 2021

2
Muesli bars
Makes 8
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats, place in
large bowl with:
1 cup coconut
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sunflower Seeds
½ cup slivered almonds
1 cup raisins
¾ cup date syrup, place in
casserole dish with
6 tablespoons rice bran oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Directions
Gently heat date syrup/rice
bran oil by microwaving for
a minute at a time, stirring
in-between to combine.
Pour into dry ingredients
with the vanilla essence
and mix well. Press into
muffin pans that has been
well greased and lined with
baking paper.
Bake at 150 deg C fan
bake for 35-40min or
until slice is an even golden
brown.
Remove from oven. Leave
in pans to go completely
cold, then extract.
Hummingbird cake
Makes 16 wedges
Ingredients
[Edition datE]
4 eggs, place in mixing
bowl with:
1½ cups rice bran oil
1¾ cups brown sugar,
firmly packed
2 cups self-raising flour,
sifted with
1 cup plain flour
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
440gm can crushed pineapple
in juice, well drained
2 bananas, mashed
½ cup peacans, coarsely
broken up
1/3rd cup coconot
Directions
Beat eggs/oil/brown
sugar until thick and
slightly pale.
Stir in dry ingredients
with pineapple, banana,
pecans and coconut.
Divide evenly into three
20cm round springform
pans that have been well
greased and lined with baking
paper.
Smooth over the tops.
Bake at 160 deg C for about
55min or until skewer
comes out clean. Remove
from oven and let go completely
cold.
Frosting
250gm cream cheese, place
in mixing bowl with
75gm butter
1 teaspoon finely grated
lemon rind
1½ cups icing sugar
Beat cream cheese/butter/lemon
rind until fluffy.
Gradually add icing
sugar, beating until well
combined. Reserve half of
the frosting.
Use the rest of the frosting
to sandwich the cakes
together, then place reserved
amount on top and
spread over the top.
FOOD 23
HUNGER-BUSTER: Home-made muesli bars are a healthy
snack for your children to tuck into during lockdown.
Get baking and
fill your cake tins
Join the throngs of people who are baking during
lockdown. Your family will enjoy the sweet treats.
Leave to set overnight.
When completely set, cut
into wedges.
Fruit crumble
Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
Base
2 large apples (peeled,
cored and sliced), or
1 can apricot halves in
syrup, or
2 punnets blueberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
Line oven-proof dish
with two layers of non-stick
tin foil.
Line with the fruit.
Sprinkle with the sugar and
cinnamon, then prepare
topping, as follows
Topping ingredients
½ cup flour (sifted), place
in bowl with
55gm butter (grated), rub
butter into flour, then add
¼ cup coconut
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup rolled oats (can use
wholemeal)
Directions
Mix well, and sprinkle over
top of base. Bake at 190
deg C for 30min or until
apples are soft and topping
is nicely golden.
Serve hot or cold with
cream, custard, brandy
sauce or ice cream.
ARA INSTITUTE OF CANTERBURY
Nina
Ara student
to support your
community
Check it out today
at ara.ac.nz
Wednesday September 1 2021 Selwyn Times
Many opportunities for lab technicians
Over the past two years,
more than two million
COVID-19 tests have been
performed in New Zealand
alone. However, the
important work done by
laboratory technicians goes
far beyond helping fight
global pandemics.
“COVID-19 has shown
the world the importance
of high-quality lab testing,
but lab technicians do
important work across
many other sectors,” says
Dr Grant Bennett, Ara
Institute of Canterbury’s
programme leader for laboratory science.
Food manufacturing, environmental
monitoring, quality assurance, human
health, veterinary diagnostics and product
development are just some of areas lab
technicians work in. “This profession can
take you in so many directions and you
can make a real difference by helping
our community, our environment and
supporting local industries,” Grant says.
Ara Institute of Canterbury offers three
qualifications for aspiring lab technicians:
two diplomas and a graduate diploma. Each
is industry driven and heavily hands-on with
a focus on employment. Work placements
are included with the Level 6 diploma and
the graduate diploma.
“Our class sizes are small, our programmes
are highly practical, and our labs are
equipped with the same gear that’s used in
industry,” Grant says. “Students gain a broad
range of lab skills, but also many transferable
‘soft’ skills essential to employment, such
as workflow management, teamwork and
communication.”
Michelle Knowler studied Ara’s Level 5
Diploma in Applied Science. “It’s a good
option if you’re straight from high school,”
she says. “It’s much more practical than
theoretical, which I really liked.” Michelle’s
goal is to take her skills back to Vanuatu and
to encourage more women there into science
careers.
After completing a Bachelor of Science
at Otago University, Sam Suzuki studied
Ara’s Graduate Diploma in Laboratory
Technology. He knew that the advanced
laboratory experience he’d gain, along
with the experience he’d get from the work
placement, would equip him with hands-on,
industry relevant skills that would make him
work-ready.
Sam was right. His work placement was
at Plant & Food Research and now he’s
employed there as a lab technician/research
associate within its annual crops group.
All three laboratory technology
programmes start at Ara in February. For
more details, see ara.ac.nz.
If you have a passion for supporting individuals
and families during challenging times and a desire
to create positive change in your community,
Ara’s Bachelor of Social Work will equip you with the
skills and knowledge needed to make a difference.
This highly practical degree has a strong bi-cultural
focus and includes extensive work placements to
ensure you graduate work-ready.
The Bachelor of Social Work
starts in February.