News
Vegan style pumpkin a perfect palate pleaser
WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A RECIPE THAT’S HEARTY AND SUITABLE FOR ALL OCCASIONS, YOU CAN’T GO PAST STUFFED ROASTED PUMPKIN.
“Stuffed roasted pumpkin is a beautiful and hearty meal; perfect as a dish for a special occasion or as a Christmas side dish to complement a big spread,” said Chef Matt Conquest.
“It makes for an impressive centrepiece and is packed with savoury flavours and textures. This vegan dish is a delicious and wholesome meal. It is also hearty, festive, and can be easily switched up to suit your taste by using different grains, nuts, or vegetables!”
Vegan-style Whole Roasted Pumpkin
Serves 5-6
Ingredients
1 medium-sized pumpkin (or use 2 small sugar pie pumpkins for different fillings)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Filling:
1 cup quinoa or white and wild rice, cooked
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds or pistachios, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp...
Competition over! The road to recovery after a major event
TAKING PART IN A MAJOR FUN RUN OR PHYSICALLY CHALLENGING EVENT INSPIRES MANY ACTIVE AND SPORTS-MINDED RESIDENTS TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE BUT WHAT HAPPENS ONCE THE EVENT IS OVER?
How do you think you would fare after the event wrapped up and what should you do to recover from all that extra training and competing
Health and Lifestyle Coordinator Josh Kristenson has some great tips to put you back on the road to recovery after the competition is over.
“The fun of competition lies in the thrill of the chase, but the days that follow may leave your body needing a little TLC,” said Josh.
He said that recovery is not only essential to get you back to feeling like yourself, but also prepares you for the next exciting activity.
The good news is Living Gems has some of the world's best recovery facilities to help you regenerate after a competition.
One of the best recovery methods is to spend some time in the...
A dish to make pasta lovers rejoice
ENLIGHTENED COOKS FROM THE 1770S WHO BEGAN COMBINING PASTA AND EGGS TOGETHER, ARE CREDITED FOR LEADING THE WAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE CARBONARA WE ENJOY TODAY.
“Most Italian pasta dishes are light and full of flavour. They make very tasty and satisfying meals and one of the most popular is pasta carbonara,” said GemLife Chef Matt Conquest.
“It is often mistaken as a cream-based dish, but it is thickened with an egg and cheese mixture,” said Matt. “Adding a little pasta water gives it that creamy look and it’s delicious!”
Chef Matt said modern carbonara was created in Italy in the 1960s, when bacon was replaced with guanciale (or pancetta or prosciutto), and cream was eliminated in favour of pecorino cheese and beaten eggs.
Pasta Carbonara
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
500g spaghetti or fettuccine
250g pancetta or prosciutto
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt, for pasta water
Method
Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil....
Top travel close to home
There’s more to explore in South East Queensland
From ancient rain forests, stunning beaches to breathtaking mountains and incredible countryside, the south-east corner of Queensland (and northern New South Wales) has so much to offer.
We’ve created a list of favourite destinations, each of which makes a comfortable day trip from Brisbane. However, why not pack up and make a real holiday of it? Make it a multi-day roadtrip north to Harvey Bay, west to Kingaroy, south to Stanthorpe and east to Byron Bay. Spend one day in each location or spend several to really soak up the atmosphere!
Noosa
This trendy destination is popular for good reason. Noosa is surrounded by stunning beaches, lakes, and the lush hinterland of Noosa National Park. And forget Florida in the USA, you can explore the only other everglades in the world. The Noosa everglades is home to an abundance of birdlife (and no alligators or crocodiles!). The region also boasts unique shopping and world-class dining experiences...
Personal touch transforms a house into a home
Having recently downsized from a very large house at Mount Warren, former bankers John and Rose-Marie Sullivan are loving the lifestyle at Amber by Living Gems and have enjoyed personally styling their brand-new home.
“We’ve been busy putting our stamp on our wonderful new house to make it our home,” Rose-Maree said.
“A great feature of the Amber design is the practical entrance which we’ve styled to encourage you to drop your bag, hang your coat and stow your umbrella. We’ve enhanced this space by adding a windswept mural wallpaper.”
The avid world travellers, who share a special love of Italy, have many mementos collected over the years which they’ve incorporated into their styling.
“Our dining and lounge suites were designed in Italy, while the wallpaper mural in our dining room allows us to feel like we are dining in Tuscany every day and it is certainly a conversation starter.
“The design of our home, along with the relaxed Amber lifestyle, lends itself perfectly to...
Your guide on how to plan for retirement
What type of retirement lifestyle would you like to have? What type of retirement lifestyle can you afford?
Those are the two big questions to answer when you’re looking forward to your retirement years.
But where on earth do you begin?
We’ve taken this big topic and broken it down so you can get a better understanding of subjects like:
Superannuation preservation age
Transition to retirement
The aged pension, and
Government incentives to encourage downsizing
It’s important to note that retirement is a big step, so it is wise to seek professional and legal advice before committing to any decision.
A little background on the Australian Superannuation Guarantee
Since 1 July 1992, Australia has had the Superannuation Guarantee, in which employers were obliged to make superannuation contributions on behalf of their employees' compulsory superannuation.
Since 1992 the Super Guarantee has risen from 3 percent to 11.5 percent as of 2024 – and as the percentage increased over the years, so too has the preservation age.
Let’s take a...
How does your garden grow?
What to plant in spring?
It’s warming up, which means it’s the ideal time for your gardens to flourish.
What you plant in spring though, will depend on the climate and soil conditions of where you live.
If you live at Amber by Living Gems in beautiful Logan Village, flowers, fruit trees, vegetables and herbs can all be planted in early spring.
You don't need much space to cultivate smaller-sized vegetables if you have a relatively sunny spot.
Hanging baskets, pots and small planters, raised vegie gardens, or self-watering courtyard planters are good. Just watch your water upkeep as soil can dry out very fast in the heat, and that will spell the end for your plant quickly. Some homeowners also opt for vertical gardens such as solar-powered, self-watering hydroponic set-ups.
September plants ideal for smaller gardens in humid sub-tropical climates of Queensland include:
Flowers that bring a spring to your step
Spring gardens are a treat for the senses, bursting with colours and sweet aromas. Popular flower...
Calling all ‘green thumbs’
Community garden launches
‘MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK’ AS THE ADAGE GOES, AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF HANDS GOING UP TO BECOME MEMBERS OF THE AMBER BY LIVING GEMS GARDENING GROUP.
As the popular over-50s resort is nearing completion, Living Gems is donating six high-rise garden beds to Amber residents to turn into a community garden.
Homeowner Craig Moffitt said he put out a call to interested residents asking if they’d like to become members of the community gardening team and about 14 people turned up to the first meeting, which was a great result.
Craig was approved by the Amber by Living Gems Home Owners’ Committee to be team leader of the community garden.
“We expect the gardening group will continue to grow,” said Craig. “At the first meeting we talked about a gardening plan which will include processes for things like quality control, keeping residents informed, what to plant, and so on.
“We’ve organised plots for climbing plants like tomatoes, leaf plants like lettuce,...
Tender, juicy picanha ideal for camping out
WHIPPING UP A GOOD MEAL WHILE TRAVELLING AND CAMPING OUT CAN BE MOST REWARDING.
GemLife Chef Matt Conquest said one of his favourite roadtrip recipes is picanha or beef rump cap.
“Cooking a picanha in a camp oven (or Dutch oven) is a great way to get a tender, flavourful meal. One of the best things about it is that picanha is an impressive, yet relatively cheap cut that can impress your fellow travellers as well,” he said.
Picanha Rump
Serves 2 | Cooking time: 2 hours
Ingredients
1.5 to 2 kg rump cap
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine (optional)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary (or a mix of both)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp flour (optional, for thickening the sauce)
Method
Preheat your camp oven. If using charcoal, prepare a base of hot coals. You’ll need to place some coals underneath and on top of the...
Raise the sail for World Rivers Day
World Rivers Day, which is held to highlight the importance of rivers, the benefits they provide and the threats they face, will be celebrated on 29 September. What better time is there to explore the Logan River so close to Amber by Living Gems!
The Logan River is steeped in history and is a rich resource and place of spiritual significance for traditional custodians including peoples of the Yuggera and Yugambeh language groups. In early European settlement days, the river was also important to the area’s establishment and growth.
Today, the Logan River draws people of all ages who enjoy walks, water activities, and learning more about its history.
There are many great ways to enjoy a day out on or near the Logan River. The Logan City Council hosts the following walking, canoe and kayak trail experiences:
Logan River Parkland
The Red Bridge stands strong as a defining landmark of Logan. When it opened in 1931, the Red Bridge provided nearby communities with a...
Residents reveal their top travel destinations
The lust for travel and adventure is alive and well at Amber by Living Gems where many homeowners are making up for lost time when it comes to seeing some of Australia’s, and the world’s, most captivating places.
Experienced travellers Lisa and Rob Newton and Mark and Jeanne Montagnani shared some of their favourite destinations, what makes them so special and why they recommend others pay them a visit on their travels.
For Lisa and Rob, retirement has given them more freedom to do what they love most and that is to travel Australia.
“We’ve got the time now and are making the most of it,” said Lisa with a smile.
She says one of the best trips they have had was last Easter when they were driving down to Adelaide for the big AFL Gather Round which brings together all AFL teams for the ultimate festival of footy. On the way down they visited many country towns including Lightning Ridge and Burke, which...
