Better Homes and Gardens Australia February 2015

Now, the celebrations are past, and with a little time left before the year gets into full swing thank heavens, we can shed the excesses of all those wonderful plum puddings and every custard known to man; delightful sparkling wines with divine little additives; cheese platters aplenty and, well of course, those damned second helpings! Ah but it’s delicious weight-loss time and the Mediterranean has come to the rescue with one of the tastiest and indeed healthiest diets you can take. Lots of vegetables, lean meats, yummy fish, and the splendid must-eats – nuts, avocados, olives and that golden liquid so good for your overall wellbeing, olive oil will do you wonders! In fact, if you eat Mediterranean-style most of the time, not only will you be trim, taut, terrific…

Preparation time: 20 mins plus 6 hours chilling Cooking time: nil Serves 10 2½ cups skim milk ¹⁄³ cup CSR Smart White Sugar Blend 2 tsp vanilla extract 1½ Tbsp gelatine powder ¼ cup cold water 1kg low-fat Greek-style yoghurt 250g strawberries, hulled, roughly chopped 1 nectarine, stoned, cut into wedges 1 apricot, stoned, cut into wedges 2 Tbsp pomegranate seeds 6 whole cherries Extra ½ tsp vanilla extract Extra 100g strawberries, sliced Extra 1 Tbsp CSR Smart White Sugar Blend Strawberry leaves, to garnish 1 Stir milk, sugar and vanilla in a large saucepan over a medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture just comes to a simmer. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside for 20 minutes or until cooled. 2 Meanwhile, put gelatine in a heatproof…

Envisage your own tropical paradise. A crystal-clear pool with a shady spot to relax, a forest of diverse and colourful plants shielding you from the sun with their towering forms… and flowers whose fleshy petals emit heady aromas, their scents relaxing your body and soul. Come for a wander through this gorgeous landscape in Far North Queensland and be inspired by the possibilities of tropical design. 1. Cancel that trip to Bali and consider a ‘staycation’ in a glorious garden like this. Grading plants from low to high creates a lush environment with plenty of privacy, while a pair of exotic plinths beckons you to enter. 2. Personalise your garden with art! Here, a glass panel placed over a favourite sculpture has been painted with a colourful headpiece. A great…

Garden walls and fences do much more than just mark the boundaries of your garden. Used within a space as screens or barriers, they can introduce a whole new decorative layer and redefine the way you use your garden. Screens divide and enclose, create ‘garden rooms’, and separate off areas or views you might want to hide (think garbage bins or vegie patches!). And by not revealing the whole garden at once, screens add an element of discovery as you wander through. Think outside the box and add a dash of panache to your garden 1. Add touches of colour with painted accents on timber panels, then echo in soft furnishings as you would inside. 2. Laser-cut screens are both decorative and practical, allowing just a glimpse of what lies…

Art with heart 1. Begin by painting a 46 x 61cm art board with grey acrylic paint. Enlarge the diagram on page 33 to fit. Using a pencil, transfer design to board, then trace the design with rope, securing to board with tacky craft glue and small pieces of masking tape to hold rope in position as glue dries. Diagram on page 33 Vase makeover 2. Take a plain Jane glass cylinder vase and give it a seaworthy new look with rope! Simply glue one rope end in place with tacky craft glue and leave to dry. Then wrap and glue as much rope as you’d like and leave to dry. Trim ends on the diagonal with strong scissors and your vase is ready to fill. For shopping details, see…

Work your way through the alphabet for these scene-stealing, savvy display and storage solutions – it’s time to organise your home in style! An alcove, shallow or deep, is perfect for a feature shelving unit that stretches dramatically from floor to ceiling. You can wow the style pundits with clever lighting – think LED shelf lights, tape or recessed strip lights. This contemporary design sure beats the more traditional buffet and hutch combo in the dining room! Opt for easy-going style and build a wall of rectangular cubby hole-style shelving, to attractively house your possessions. Painting it the same shade as the wall renders it almost invisible, and the room less jarring to walk into. Try Dulux Lagoon Blue or Wave Jumper for a similar look. Like the nautical theme?…