< Previous40 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HEALTH & FITNESS Though gyms and leisure centres remain closed, this does not mean it’s time to bid adieu to exercise. There are plenty of ways to stay fit and active during the pandemic, with a huge variety of options free to try. One of the main changes to Coronavirus fitness plans in the last month came when the Government relaxed its rules on exercising outside; you can now get outdoors more than once a day if desired, to kick your routine up a notch, and drive somewhere to exercise - say hello to more walking, jogging, hiking and cycling. What if you don’t want to exercise outside? Thankfully there has been an intensified boom in online fitness content, whether you want to do yoga, dance or boxing. Numerous fitness studios are offering videos, class livestreams and on demand content, while exercise apps have extended free trials. The pertinence of exercise in the pandemic is well established. Of course, it has always been important, but as research highlights how moderate intensity exercise holds immune boosting benefits, it has only become more essential. Additionally, exercise is needed to prevent the you poor at and how will you improve this? Usually, people will focus on strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance, or on a specific part/section of the body. Ideally all four of these exercise types will be represented in a routine across the week. If you know endurance to be an aspect in need of particular work, take part in activities that increase your breathing and heart rate (walking, jogging, skipping rope, biking, walking up and down stairs, garden shuttles). These activities will keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your fitness generally. However, if you are transitioning from a completely sedentary lifestyle, don’t rush into something too intense. Work your way up over time, increasing the length of your exercise and its difficulty. Mixing cardio with strength exercises will also provide an additional challenge. Starting out with 10 minutes and building up to half an hour of exercise for five days of the week is a solid initial goal. Another good place to begin now we can get outside more is with the couch to 5k programme - a 9-week set of free podcasts involving 3 runs a week. Designed to help beginners build up their running ability, the three ‘runs’ in your first week will feature a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 1 minute of running and 1- and-a-half minutes of walking, for a total of 20 minutes. Looking to build strength? Body weight workouts are a great free and Don’t bid adieu to weight gain that is likely to be accelerated as we become more sedentary, sitting for longer periods, and is key in avoiding the risks associated with this lifestyle - chronic disease, high blood pressure and loss of movement. Further, exercise beneficially reduces anxiety and stress, releasing serotonin and endorphins in the brain to improve mood and reduce chance of depression, whilst also bettering sleep quality and making falling asleep easier. For some, lockdown has opened up time to add fitness activities into the schedule, replacing commuting hours for example, yet others are finding it more difficult to exercise, with kids and vulnerable family members to take care of. In the latter instance, consider integrating your children into your exercise time, or joining them in theirs. Or, if you have limited time, split up your workout into several short sessions. Taking on calorie burning chores is another way to add a little exercise into your day, from mowing the lawn to washing the car, and offers a chance to build muscles. It’s all good and well discussing the benefits of exercise, but how should you get started with a new fitness routine in quarantine? First, work out your goals and make them realistic and specific, for instance 20 minutes of jogging a day, then schedule time for your workout. This may be an hour before work or a during a short break every hour in which you will complete reps of any given exercise. Consider your weaknesses and aims - what are fitness The COVID-19 pandemic has seen many of us take an exercise break and introduce a few more comfort foods into our day-to-day lives. Now is the time to get back on track. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 41 HEALTH & FITNESS accessible way to build strength, such as squats, planks, press ups, burpees, and lunges. Perhaps you want to take on multiple exercise types at once. To improve balance, strength and flexibility, try yoga! There are an abundance of exercise videos and blogs online to delve into, offering tailored or more general workouts that meet your goals, and lockdown has only made these more available, with instructors now live streaming and uploading content to sites like YouTube and Instagram constantly. While exercise is crucial for keeping healthy during lockdown, it is also vital to consider your diet. The two go hand in hand for boosting health, fitness, mood and supporting the immune system. With more time at home, many of us are reaching for processed snacks more often, tempted by the call of the kitchen cupboards, and allowing more comfort foods into our diets as we cope with the stress of the pandemic. Meanwhile, as we limit our trips to the shops and show preference for non- perishable foods - often calorie dense - we are buying fewer fresh fruits and vegetables. The quick biscuit fix however, frequently used to placate boredom or to relax will have the opposite effect, with processed foods and items like baked goods containing simple carbohydrates that effect blood sugar and can worsen anxiety. Meanwhile there are science-backed foods, herbs and spices that reduce anxiety, for example salmon, dark chocolate, Brazil nuts, almonds, asparagus, yoghurt, chamomile, turmeric, and green tea. To maintain a healthy and balanced diet it is important to eat a variety of foods from each food group. WHO has usefully outlined its best food buys for quarantine, including long lasting fruits - oranges, grapefruits, and apples - which can also be cut into smaller piece and frozen for eating later or to be utilised in smoothies, and vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and root vegetables © Shutterstock /Elizaveta Galitckaia which are relatively non- perishable. Where one may be hesitant to buy lots of fresh produce in fear of waste between shops, frozen fruits and vegetables like berries and mango are on the menu, as they retain high fibre levels and vitamins. Canned fruits and vegetables are another alternative to fresh options, though it is worth noting that in the processing of these products preservatives, sugar and salt may be added, thus one should read labels and choose ‘low in’ options. Dried and canned beans, chickpeas and other pulses are also recommended buys as great sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and are versatile - usable in soups, stews, curries, salads and more. Further considering canned goods, canned tuna and other fish are WHO recommended as sources of protein and healthy fats. Wholegrain options should also be added to the trolley, such as wholegrain rice, pasta and oats, as they hold long shelf lives and contribute to fibre intake, while potatoes and sweet potatoes are long lasting recommended sources of carbohydrates - leave skins on for extra fibre. 40-41.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:24 Page 242 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Quick prep, big impact It’s summer – you want quick and easy recipes that don’t scrimp on flavour or panache. Here’s a few of our favourites that will delight your taste buds. Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 minutes (5 mins if using pre-prepared shallot mix) Cooking time: 10 minutes You’ll Need: 800g fresh clams, discard any opened ones 75g butter 12 whole shallots, finely chopped 100g double cream 2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped 2 glasses of white wine 400g cooked spaghetti or linguine 50g flat leaf parsley What to do: Thoroughly wash the clams. Chop the shallots into a fine dice and cook in the butter until soft, when soft add the chopped garlic and 1 glass of the white wine and reduce slightly. This can be done up to 2 /3 days in advance, cooled and kept in a sealed jar. Place a large pan on the gas and allow this to get hot, adding the clams and the remaining white wine. When they all start to open add the cooked spaghetti / linguine to the same pan. Then add the double cream and the cooked shallot mixture. After 2 /3 minutes when it is all warmed through, check the seasoning and adjust if necessary and add some of the chopped parsley. Serve in hot bowls. Then finish with the rest of the chopped parsley. Recipe by: www.ukshallot.com Pasta Vongole 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:26 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 43 FOOD & DINING Serves: 4 Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes You’ll need: 4 chicken breasts cut into bite sized chunks 8 small shallots, peeled and halved (or quartered if they are large) 2tbsp olive oil 4tsp honey 1tsp cumin 2 garlic cloves crushed 1 butterhead lettuce, shredded 1 avocado 1⁄4 cucumber 12 cherry tomatoes 1⁄2 lemon 4 flatbreads or large wraps Chicken Shashlik Salad Whether you’re barbecuing or grilling, this Greek inspired dish is a real crowd pleaser. Tasty succulent chicken pieces with fresh butterhead lettuce, ripe tomatoes and avocado, this dish will transport you to the Mediterranean. What to do: Put the chicken chunks and shallots into a bowl and drizzle with half the oil, honey, cumin and garlic. Toss well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, if you’re using wooden kebab sticks soak them in water and light the BBQ. Shred the lettuce, slice the avocado and cucumber and halve the tomatoes. Make the dressing by combining the lemon juice with the remaining oil and season. Thread the meat and shallots onto 8 kebab sticks and when the BBQ is ready to use, cook them for 10-15 minutes turning frequently. When the chicken is almost cooked, heat the flatbreads on both sides on the BBQ. To serve toss the salad in the dressing then pile on top of the flatbreads and top with 2 kebabs. Give the kebabs and extra squeeze of lemon juice and serve. Note: If it’s not barbeque weather the kebabs can be cooked on a griddle or in a frying pan or grilled. 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:26 Page 2Serves: 6 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes You’ll need: 1 tbsp flour for dusting 250g ready roll puff pastry 1 whisked whole large egg, for glazing 75g asparagus tips 150g strawberries, washed and halved 4 tbsp creme fraiche 2 large eggs, plus 1 extra yolk 10 crushed pink peppercorns 50g Parmigiano cheese, grated Salt & pepper 44 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Strawberry and This recipe is quick and easy - using bought puff pastry it’s a twist on a classic quiche. Crème fraiche, eggs and pink peppercorns work together beautifully and the final result looks & tastes divine. Sometimes I like to make tiny individual tarts for picnics! What to do: Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry and cut into 6 equal portions, pressing each into a shallow tart tray. Prick the pastry all over inside the border, brush with whisked egg mixture and bake for 12-15 minutes then remove and push down the bases inside the borders and set aside. In a bowl, mix the creme fraiche, eggs and yolk and the parmesan together, lightly season, then empty the filling onto the chilled pastry cases. Arrange the asparagus tips and the strawberries over the mixture and using a pastry brush, cover the exposed pastry borders with the whisked egg mix and gently brush the asparagus and strawberries too. Sprinkle with the crushed peppercorns. Bake for about 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is cooked. by www.berryworld.com Venues serving takeaways you can trust To promote your services call Angie Cooper on 01472 310302 or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk The China Royal Restaurant 6 Bridge Streets, Brigg, DN20 8LN Tel: 01652 650688 (reservations)/654762 (takeaway) Web: www.chinaroyal.co.uk Serving the best in Chinese cuisine, China Royal restaurant in Brigg is open for takeaway orders whilst adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines at all times. Stay safe whilst enjoying some of the best Chinese around. British Asparagus Mini Quiches 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:26 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 45 FOOD & DINING Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour Serves: 4 You’ll need: Zest and juice of 1 lime 1⁄2 tsp chilli flakes 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp olive oil 28g pack coriander, chopped 750g pork spare ribs 400g can black eyed beans (240g drained and rinsed) 195g can sweetcorn (160g drained and rinsed) 4 handfuls Crispy Salad Bag (150g) What to do: Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Whisk together the lime zest and juice, chilli flakes, honey, oil and half the coriander. Place the ribs in a large roasting tin and toss in half the dressing. Roast for 1 hour. Just before serving, mix the beans and sweetcorn into the salad with the remaining dressing and serve with the ribs sprinkled with remaining coriander. Note: Try using kidney beans instead of black eyed beans Salad Used: Crispy Salad Bag Recipe: Salad Days Brazilian Rib and Black Eyed Bean Salad What to do: Heat the oil in a frying pan add the shallot and sauté over a gentle heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, potato, wine and chilli, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender. Add the watercress and cook, stirring for 4 minutes until the leaves have wilted. Cool. Add the créme fraiche, then transfer to a food processor and blitz until just smooth. Season to taste. Spoon the dip into a bowl ready to serve with the prawns. Cook the prawns on a barbeque or griddle for 3-4 minutes on each side until they turn pink. Place on to the plate while still sizzling hot. The dip can be served with barbecued fish and meat or for a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables and warm pitta bread. Courtesy of www.watercress.co.uk Watercress and Garlic Dip with King Prawns Serves: 4 Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes You’ll need: 1 tbsp olive oil1 shallot, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed1 potato, peeled and chopped 100ml dry white wine1 pinch of chilli flakes 170g watercressSqueeze of lemon juice 4 tbsp half fat créme fraicheKing prawns, barbecued Wedges of lemon to serve 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 29/05/2020 16:26 Page 446 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Freephone: 0800 328 5492 Email: sales@allertonuk.com Website: www.allertonuk.com The Dependable Choice in Drainage In rural areas without a mains drainage system, and where septic tanks will no longer reach environmental standards, Allerton can provide the ideal solution. Trading since 1974, Allerton are leading specialists in efficient treatment systems. They pride themselves on their individual, problem solving approach to dealing with alternative means of treating and disposing of raw sewage. The Allerton ConSept converts your existing Septic Tank or Cesspit into a fully functioning Sewage Treatment Plant. Servicing & Maintenance on a wide range of Sewage Treatment Plant and Pump Stations by BRITISH WATER ACCREDITED ENGINEERS. The Diamond Sewage Treatment range is suitable for either individual homes or small population applications When Gravity Drainage is not possible choose Allerton Pumping Stations for Sewage or Dirty Water DIRECT GASKETS LIMITED We are now celebrating 30 years in business and have been called the leading manufacturer in our area. Here at Direct Gaskets we aim to be versatile in our company. We supply gaskets – bespoke and standard – to all types of businesses. Contact us today on 01482 219655 or visit our website www.direct‐gaskets.co.uk Units 26 ‐ 36 | Dansom Lane South Hull | HU8 7LA Email: info@direct‐gaskets.co.uk GLC REPAIRS LTD GLC REPAIRS LTD Commercials GLC REPAIRS LTD RELIABLE TRAILER HIRE • Flat Bed Trailers • Skeletal Trailers • Taut Liners TRAILER REPAIRS & SERVICING EXPERTS • 30+ Years of Experience • Trailer Servicing Bay • Breakdown Call-out Service • MOT Preparations EUROPA WAY, STALLINGBOROUGH, N. E. LINCS DN41 8DS Tel: 01469 574239 Mobile: 07711 496138 Email: glcommercials@btinternet.com www.glcommercials.co.uk 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 08/06/2020 09:03 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 47 BACK IN BUSINESS The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought with it many hardships, ushering in a watershed moment in human history. In the months and years to come, each of us will have been affected by the coronavirus, whether that’s having personally contracted and recovered or losing a loved one. The insidious nature of this virus means that it isn’t only lives that it’s claimed, but livelihoods. Almost every aspect of the economy has been affected and in the protracted lockdown many businesses have had to make the difficult decision to shutter their operations for good. For bigger businesses, this can mean letting staff go and closing specific divisions, but for smaller, family-fun firms, this can mean an end to a legacy. Throughout the lockdown, Lincolnshire’s businesses have demonstrated their resilience, their fortitude and their commitment to their communities. That’s why we wanted to celebrate those that have adapted and traded throughout lockdown and those that have been able to open once more as the lockdown eases. In either case, businesses have had to adapt the way they operate in order to remain compliant with social distancing and other safety laws, safeguarding themselves and their customers and clients. Here we showcase some of those businesses and the steps they have taken. Allerton UK, a sewage treatment and septic tank specialist headquartered in Sleaford, have been able to service treatment plants and pump stations as normal as it’s generally a one-person job. The company has also been installing ConSept units which fit into a septic tank and, with the Environment Agency’s approval, can outfall into a ditch or, alternatively, into the existing soakaway using the syphon principle. “Digging a trench for the cable to the ConSept is not always easy,” says 49 Á © Shutterstock /KaliAntye © Shutterstock /Alexandru Nika © Shutterstock /zefart © Shutterstock /Fotokostic In this special feature, Lincolnshire Today highlights local businesses that have recently reopened and those that have worked tirelessly throughout the lockdown. 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 08/06/2020 09:04 Page 2Your Ifor Williams Trailer Distributor Trailers from Camping to 3500kg gross Sales • Repairs • Servicing • Spares Sole Distributors in Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire Pickup canopies also available You are welcome to view our stock of Trailers Tel: 01526 860317 website: www.scott-trailers.co.uk e-mail: office@scott-trailers.co.uk Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8am-5pm Sat 9am-12 noon • Other times by appointment HorseboxCommercial LivestockUnbraked 48 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY “For those times when you need a helping hand on farm or on land” KEVIN JOHNSON AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS 4 Church Road | Wittering | Peterborough | PE8 6AG Tel: 01780 782924 | Mobile: 07860 608825 enquiries@kevinjohnsoncontracting.co.uk www.kevinjohnsoncontracting.co.uk Kevin Johnson Agricultural Contractors provide a wide range of contract services to farmers and landowners in Cambridgeshire. Creating partnerships with landowners and farmers is an important part of our business. Whether you require a single service such as baling / straw stacking, or a more complete crop or farm management service, Kevin Johnson Contracting can help! If you are interested in a more comprehensive agricultural management program, we will be happy to advise on the most efficient way forward for your farming requirements. We are a family run business and have been servicing the area for over 20 years. Our prices are competitive and we pride ourselves on delivering an excellent standard of customer service. We offer discounts to the NHS and the North East Lincolnshire Council, so give John Smith Auto Repair Ltd a call today for engine diagnostics in Cleethorpes. • Servicing • Repairs • MOTs • Diesels • Catalysts • Specialist Engine Tuning JOHN SMITH ––– Auto Repair Ltd ––– “For All Your Motoring Needs” Rear of: 120 Daubney Street, Cleethorpes DN35 7NU Tel: 01472 240 800 www.jsmithautorepairs.co.uk For further details please call 07742 638423 or email gardenaid2010@yahoo.co.uk Garden Aid Caring for two communities Garden Aid has been going now for over 25 yrs starting off as a landscaper, landscaping gardens large and small. Soft and hard landscaping, turfing, designing boarders, patio's fencing, gravel drives, moving into tree work large and small. So we could cover all aspects of the horticultural and arboricultural services we decided to add garden maintenance and now cover small and large gardens and commercial sites. •We have over 50 clients of all sizes •We have a spraying license to be able to spray herbicides •We can supply logs of all amount •We can supply wood chip for the boarders to act as a mulch and weed suppressant We support a Ugandan charity called Age Care Development, caring for the elderly and disabled. We are building a care centre for them near the village of Mukunyu and just need to get the doors and windows in to finish it off, then we can start to teach tailoring and care for the elderly and disabled. Help or support would be appreciated, if you can help please contact Garden Aid. 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 08/06/2020 09:04 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 49 BACK IN BUSINESS © Shutterstock /Serhii Krot Director Jon Allerton, “but a machine is not normally needed and so both operations are carried out by engineers working on their own. Hopefully, we will be installing Diamond Sewage Treatment Plants soon.” Boston Heating continues to work within social distancing laws, prioritising the safety of their staff and their customers. Its extensive showroom – including gas, electric and solid fuel fires as well as wood burning and multi-fuel stoves – can all be viewed online from the comfort of your own home. As well as indoor fireplace solutions, the company also boast a range of great ideas for the summer including outdoor heaters and chimneys – perfect for those long hot evenings. One of the companies that has recently reopened is Direct Gaskets, a Hull-based manufacturer and supplier of gaskets. The family-based business opened again in late May and, once again, is serving all sorts of production industries. With most of us spending a lot more time around the home during the lockdown, doubtless readers will have been seeing to their garden. While it’s great to get outside and do it yourself, there’s just no replacing the professionals. That’s where Grimsby’s Garden Aid comes in. The company can provide landscaping, garden maintenance, fencing & gates, all type of tree work, weed control and all within COVID-19 laws. Best of all, the company will donate 10% of all profits to charitable work in Uganda. Vehicle owners have been granted a temporary MOT exemption to minimise disruption during the COVID-19 outbreak and for frontline workers to get to work and to ensure people get essential food and medicine. However, for those workers that have been furloughed or are now based at home, now is an ideal time to get their motor seen to. The reason being that, in less than six months’ time, there’ll likely be a massive surge in demand for MOTs, potentially making it harder to get your own vehicle seen to. John Smith Auto Repair, a car servicing specialist based in Cleethorpes, is not only open every day to take calls from old customers and new, but is continuing to pick up and drop off cars for repairs, servicing and MOT. It is still carrying out 51 Á 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 08/06/2020 09:04 Page 4Next >