WISH YOU WERE HERE… WIN A 5K DREAM HOLIDAY WITH CENTRA

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Local convenience retailer, Centra has joined forces with Club Orange to offer one lucky winner the chance to jet off on the summer holiday of their dreams. To be in with a chance of winning a £5,000 holiday voucher, shoppers just have to visit their local Centra store and fill out a travel postcard detailing the holiday of their dreams. From swimming the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean to taking a bite out of the Big Apple, this postcard could be the ticket to a great summertime adventure.

 

The exclusive competition celebrates summer arriving at Centra stores across NI with an array of seasonal favourites now in-store. Come Rain or shine, inside or out, Centra has got summer covered with bright refreshing salads to juicy, chargrilled barbecue ingredients. The competition closes on 20th July and the winner will be notified on 29th July. For further information, competition terms and conditions and privacy policy, visit www.centra.co.uk or the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI.

Pictures by Stephen Hamilton, Press Eye.

Pictured (L-R) Katharine Walker and Remi Shore launch the Centra 5K summer holiday competition in association with Club Orange.

CENTRA RUN TOGETHER GOES DOUBLE THE DISTANCE FOR ACTION CANCER

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CENTRA RUN TOGETHER GOES DOUBLE THE DISTANCE FOR ACTION CANCER

 

Centra is challenging runners to go the extra mile with the launch of its Centra Run Together 10K event at Ormeau Park, Belfast, in a bid to raise over £20,000 for Action Cancer.

New for this year, this more challenging 10K race will bring this year’s Run Together series to a close. The Ormeau Park event on Sunday 20th October will offer both 5K and 10K routes to create an exciting grand finale event, with all proceeds being donated to Action Cancer.

Centra Run Together is part of Centra’s Live Well initiative, which helps people to make healthier food and lifestyle choices. Now in its fourth year, the initiative encourages people to get active by running, jogging or walking with a friend, kids, or even the family dog. To date, the 2019 Run Together series has received a fantastic response, with a total of 1,550 participants getting active in locations including Enniskillen, Bangor and Derry~Londonderry and one further regional event still to take place in Armagh later this year.

Whilst the new 10K race is aimed at those seeking to take their running journey to the next level, Centra is encouraging participants of all ages and abilities to put their best foot forward and get involved.

For the finale event at Ormeau Park, a small entry fee will apply to both the 5K and 10K races, with 100% of the fee donated to Action Cancer. It is hoped that the event will make a large contribution to Centra’s major £3million fundraising target for the charity.

Funds raised as part of Centra’s Action Cancer charity partnership help to support projects including the Big Bus mobile breast screening unit and a Health Action Programme for children in schools. In the first half of 2019, the money raised has enabled the Big Bus to travel to over 113 locations and provide over 1,200 MOT Health Checks and over 2,400 breast screenings with an average of six women diagnosed with Breast Cancer per 1000 women screened.

These funds have also allowed the Health Action Programme to visit 124 schools across Northern Ireland during the academic year, educating over 12,000 pupils on their knowledge of health and encouraging them to make better lifestyle choices.

Championing the Run Together series are Cool FM Breakfast Show presenters Pete Snodden, Paulo Ross and Rebecca McKinney, who will support Centra and Action Cancer by encouraging the people of Belfast and beyond to join them in ‘running together’.

Speaking ahead of the event, Pete Snodden said: “I am really looking forward to being part of Centra’s Run Together and am proud to support a fantastic cause like Action Cancer.

 “Paulo, Rebecca and I all try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and think that this is a great opportunity to inspire others to do the same. 

 I am an occasional runner and really enjoy it, but I admit that I don’t get out as much as I would like. We each have varying levels of running ability, and there’s no doubt that a 10K will be a challenge for us all. However, we are looking forward to taking on the challenge as a group and would encourage others to rally their friends and family to do the same.

 Jennifer Morton, Centra brand manager said: “We are really excited about the addition of a 10K race in this year’s Run Together series. We have had a fantastic response to our regional 5K events and are excited to make an even bigger impact with this finale event.

“At Centra, we’re really focused on making it easier for people to live healthier lives – whether it’s through our tasty, wholesome and fresh food in-store, providing online tips on healthy lifestyle choices or getting out into the community and hosting events like these to encourage people to get active. Helping people to make the transition from 5K to 10K seemed like a natural progression for our Run Together Series. We are edging closer to our fundraising target for Action Cancer with every Centra Run Together event and have high hopes that our Ormeau Park event will make a huge contribution to our fundraising efforts.”

 Mark Jones, Corporate Fundraiser at Action Cancer added: “We are very excited for the new Centra Run Together 10k event in Ormeau park this October. The 5k events at Enniskillen, Bangor and Derry~Londonderry have been brilliant so far and the general public have shown fantastic support towards Action Cancer, through the Centra Run Together initiative. We are really looking forward to ending the series on a high and hopefully hitting the £20,000 fundraising target, enabling us to provide more of our prevention and detection services throughout Northern Ireland.”

For further information and details of how to register visit www.centra.co.uk/runtogether or the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI

 

Rosé – from Provence with Love or White Zin for your Sins!

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Rosé wine brings out so many relaxing memories within people…… that classy friend’s BBQ last summer serving pale pink Provence Rosé, the glass of Rioja Rosado back in Spain which cost less than a Coca-Cola or those Friday nights in front of the TV with a bottle of White Zin!

Rosé splits opinions when it probably shouldn’t. Sure, I’m yet to sit down and enjoy a bottle of Rosé with my brothers (Brosé?) but why should we think of it as being anything other than a lighter, more refreshing version of red wine? That’s right, for those who don’t spend their weekends reading wine books, Rosé is made from red wine grapes. The clues are in the names, with White Zinfandel being the perfect example. Zinfandel being a poplar red wine in California, White Zinfindel is simply a version with less colour, less dryness and greater popularity!

 Pale or Bright Pink

Pale Rosé is a style, not an indication of quality. Yes, the very best dry rosé wines do come from Provence and yes they are pale pink but some grapes simply have more colour than others plus the time grape skins are in contact with the wine greatly affects the colour of the wine.

 

 

Irish News, 20/05/19

 

Dry or Less Dry

Notice I avoid saying sweet because even White Zinfandel isn’t as sweet as Coca Cola. The sweetness levels in rosé results from residual sugars. A rosé from Provence or New Zealand may have very little residual sugars while a White Zinfandel may have lots. So, on the sweetness level of rosé wine, it’s “horses for courses”!  If you haven’t tried the Portuguese Rosé idol that is Mateus, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its refreshing yet less dry fruitiness.  On a hot summer’s day in Lisbon, the thirsty locals can be seen enjoying a bottle of Mateus in their street cafes.

Spicy or Simply Served

Rosé can match beautifully with Food. White Zinfandel can challenge beers crown for matching well with a spicy Indian curry, it’s a “once you’ve tried it, you’ll believe it” flavour combination. However, if a pale pink Provence rosé is more your thing and you have the BBQ lit, try a glass with your grilled prawns or fish. Its crisp delicate citrusy flavours pairs beautifully with BBQ prawns.

Fingers crossed for a long hot summer so that you can rethink your pink, and maybe even enjoy a rosé with your bros!

Raspberry Ice Lollies

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Raspberry Ice Lollies
Raspberry Ice Lollies
Servings:6
Preparation Time:10
Cooking Time:4
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Ingredients

  • 100 grams Raspberries
  • 150 grams Vanilla Drinking Yogurt
  • 1 Fresh Lime
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup

Method

  1. Put the raspberries, vanilla yogurt and maple syrup in a bowl, then pour over 350ml boiling water. Leave to infuse for 10 mins.
  2. Juice the lime, then stir in the lime juice and leave to cool. Pour into six ice lolly moulds and freeze for at least 4 hrs, or overnight.

Sweet Potato Fries

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Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato Fries
These healthy loaded sweet potato fries are delicious way to indulge responsibly on game day, or next time you’re entertaining!
Servings:4-6
Preparation Time:15
Cooking Time:45
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Ingredients

  • 6 Large Organic Sweet Potatoes Throughly washed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups Vegan Mozzarella Shreds
  • 8oz Tempeh Bacon
  • 6 Baby Sweet Peppers Sliced
  • 6 scallions Sliced
  • 2 tomatoes Chopped

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper
  2. Cut the potatoes into fry size pieces. Transfer them to a large bowl, add the oil and salt and toss well, so the potatoes are coated. Arrange them on a single layer on the lined baking sheet and bake them for 30 minutes, until tender
  3. Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer them all to one baking sheet, forming a big pile. Sprinkle the Shreds on top and return to the oven for 15 more minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt
  4. Top with tempeh bacon, sliced peppers, scallions and tomatoes and garnish with cilantro (optional)

The ultimate Mother’s Day treat – a fine Wine smelling of roses!

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Most of us dare not appear home on Mother’s Day without the customary chocolates or flowers, while the braver or slightly more talented might cook for their lucky mums.  Whichever you opt for, boost your gift with a great bottle of wine from our tips below:

Wine with Chocolates & Forgotten Roses

 

Wine and chocolate are two of life’s great pleasures, with something different to suit every mother.

If your mum loves dark chocolate, gift a bottle of our Wine of the Month San Telmo Malbec @ £6 along with your box of chocolates. A rich dark chocolate will highlight the concentration of fruits in this Argentinean Red wine treat.

For mothers who prefer white chocolate, you’re in definitely in luck. White Chocolate matches really well with most wines, whether they’re dry, medium or sweet wines. An excellent pairing for a few chunks of white chocolate would be a lighted bodied red, like our Beaujolais Villages from Andre Goichot  @ £8.

 

 

While the milk chocolate loving mums are best advised to enjoy their wine and chocolate separately. Rarely does milk chocolate improve the wine, or vice versa.  In this case, forget the chocolate and splash out on a treat wine like Ricossa Barolo @ £16 – this Italian classic is famed for intense aromas of red fruit and floral notes. So with a Barolo, your Mum is getting the enjoyment of a fine wine plus the bouquet of roses you may have forgotten to buy!

 

CENTRA RUN TOGETHER RETURNS BIGGER AND BETTER FOR 2019

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Run Together series returns for 2019, with addition of a new 10K event,  aiming to raise £20,000 for Action Cancer 

 

Local convenience retailer Centra is encouraging people across Northern Ireland to get up and running with the launch of its annual Run Together series, which returns bigger and better than ever for 2019.

 

Centra Run Together encourages people to get active by running, jogging or walking with a friend, kids, or even the family dog, through a series of free 5K runs in towns and cities across Northern Ireland, whilst raising vital funds for Action Cancer. Building on the success of the initiative over the last three years, this year’s Run Together series hopes to make an even bigger impact, with five events taking place in Enniskillen, Bangor, Derry~Londonderry, Armagh and Belfast between May and October 2019.

 

For the first time, a more challenging 10K race at Ormeau Park, Belfast will be added to the series, aimed at those seeking to take their running journey to the next level. The exciting 10K event will act as a big finale, ending the series on a high during Centra’s annual fundraising week in October. It is hoped the grand finale, which will include a 5K and a 10K route, will raise over £20,000 for Action Cancer, as Centra edges closer to its major £3million fundraising target for the charity.

 

As in previous years, the regional 5K events are completely free to enter, with participants encouraged to make a donation to Action Cancer in lieu of an entry fee. For the finale at Ormeau Park, a small entry fee will apply to both the 5K and 10K races, with 100% of the fee donated to Action Cancer.

 

The Centra Run Together series is designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to adopt an active lifestyle and get up and run together. Runners are encouraged to enter the race in pairs, motivating families to participate together.

Everyone that takes part will receive a free T-shirt, bespoke Centra Run Together medal, a free lunch and tasty samples courtesy of Deep RiverRock, Müller, Alpro, Fridge Raiders and Fulfil. On the day, there will also be face painting and entertainment for all the family.

 

Centra Run Together events will take place in five locations throughout 2019:

  • Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen 5K – Sunday 12 May, 10am
  • Ward Park, Bangor 5K – Sunday 9 June, 10am
  • Queen’s Quay, Derry~Londonderry 5K – Wednesday 12 June 2019, 7pm
  • Palace Demesne, Armagh 5K – Sunday 15 September, 10am
  • Ormeau Park, Belfast 5K & 10K – Sunday 20 October

 

Commenting on the launch, Jennifer Morton, Centra brand manager, said: “The Centra Run Together series has established itself as a popular part of our Live Well initiative, and we are excited to introduce a brand-new Run Together 10K event in 2019. As social running continues to grow in popularity, people are increasingly progressing from 5K runs to the more challenging 10K routes and we wanted to reflect this in our series, whilst still offering an opportunity for new runners to participate, run together and have fun.

 

“As always, our aim is to encourage as many people to get up, get active and embrace the community spirit of the series, whether they are a frequent runner or a first-timer. Once again, we are delighted to have Deep RiverRock back on board as our title sponsor. With their help, we look forward to building on the success of previous years and raising even more money for Action Cancer in 2019.”

 

Orla McKenna from Deep RiverRock said: “On behalf of Deep RiverRock, a much loved locally sourced water from Northern Ireland, we’re are delighted to be involved in the Run Together series once again this year.

 

“Deep RiverRock’s ‘Thirst For Better’ platform is about connecting people in their collective pursuits, and fostering great community spirit; a message that resonates perfectly with Centra’s Live Well campaign.

 

“We look forward to supporting those new and seasoned runners to come together and have some fun, while getting active.”

 

For further information and details of how to register visit www.centra.co.uk/runtogether or the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI

 

 

Your St. Patrick’s Weekend Drinks Guide

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Your St. Patrick’s Weekend Drinks Guide

 

 

I doubt anyone requires guidance on choosing a suitable beer for St. Patrick’s Weekend! So I’ll focus my attention on a suitable wine or great cocktail.

 

Irish Stew & Italian Rosso – a spiritual experience!

With our Italian Wine Sale coinciding with St. Patrick’s weekend, and Italy producing so many food friendly reds, I’d highly recommend pairing our Tuscan red – Castellani Arbos Sangiovese @ £7 with your homemade Irish Stew. Alternatively, if you’re choosing to make your stew with beef, look further south in Italy and try our Tombacco Aglianico @ £8. If you’ve never tried Aglianico, this star of Southern Italy is considered to be one Italy’s top 3 wine grapes. Its full-body and rich tannins make it a perfect match for a rich hearty stew.

 

 

Try Boxty & Chablis – Saintly Syns!

For many of us Boxty was something we only saw on the food menus of Irish bars in America. Surprisingly, Slimming World have now managed to revive the world of potato pancakes and introduced it to a whole new generation in Northern Ireland. The Boxty pancake may be very low in syns, but for a more sinful treat I’d highly recommend topping your Boxty with crème fraiche and Irish Smoked Salmon with a side of Chablis wine! The fresh, crisp, citrusy minerality of our Andre Goichet Chablis @ £12 will pair beautifully with this luxury Boxty treat.

 

 

And to finish….. the greatest Irish Cocktail ever…

The Irish Coffee! No debate required, just a simple recipe….

 

Perfect Irish Coffee Recipe

 

35ml Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 cup of Freshly Brewed Coffee

1 teaspoon of Brown Sugar

Topping of Lightly Whipped Double Cream

Optional grating of nutmeg on top

Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti and Meatballs
A simple tomato sauce with lots of flavour is perfect for spaghetti and meatballs. A weeknight classic. This is designed to be a low cost recipe.
Servings:4
Preparation Time:25
Cooking Time:30 minutes - 1 hour
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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Brown Onion Diced
  • 1 garlic clove Finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 400 grams Tin Tomatoes
  • 500ml/18fl oz Vegetable or Beef Stock From a cube
  • 400g/14oz Dried Spaghetti
  • salt and pepper
  • 400g/14/oz Beef Mince
  • 1 garlic clove Finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

  1. Heat a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and cook gently without browning for 4–5 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic, continue to cook for 2 minutes until aromatic, then add the dried herbs, tomatoes and stock. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat and simmer gently while you make the meatballs.
  2. For the meatballs, mix together the beef, garlic and herbs along with a decent pinch of salt and pepper. Using wet hands roll into 20 balls.
  3. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, fry the meatballs on all sides until nicely coloured, being careful not to burn them. You may need to do this in batches. Transfer to the saucepan containing the sauce.
  4. Continue to simmer the sauce for 10 minutes while you cook the spaghetti.
  5. Bring a large saucepan water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and tip into the saucepan with the meatball sauce. Mix well and serve hot.

Salted Caramel Brownies

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Salted Caramel Brownies
Salted Caramel Brownies
Take indulgent, fudgy chocolate brownies to the next level with a layer of salted caramel running through the centre of each bite.
Servings:16
Preparation Time:20
Cooking Time:30
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Ingredients

  • 200 grams unsalted butter Plus a little extra for greasing
  • 100 grams Chocolate 70% cocoa solids
  • 100 grams Chocolate 50% cocoa solids
  • 397 grams Can Carnation Caramel
  • 1 tsp Flaky Sea Salt Plus a little extra for the top
  • 200 grams golden caster sugar
  • 4 Medium Eggs At room temperature
  • 130 grams plain flour
  • 50 grams Cocoa Powder

Method

  1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
  2. Grease then line a 23cm square traybake tin with baking parchment.
  3. Melt 200g unsalted butter in a medium pan, break in 100g chocolate (70% cocoa solids) and 100g chocolate (50% cocoa solids), then remove the pan from the heat and wait for the cubes to melt.
  4. In a small bowl, mix 175g Carnation caramel from a 397g can with 1 tsp sea salt – it will loosen up.
  5. Put the rest of the caramel in a large bowl with 200g golden caster sugar and 4 medium eggs, and beat with an electric hand mixer or balloon whisk until even. Whisk in the chocolate and butter.
  6. In another bowl, combine 130g plain flour, 50g cocoa powder and a good pinch of table salt, then sift this on top of the chocolate mix. Beat briefly until smooth.
  7. Pour half the brownie batter into the tin and level it with a spatula.
  8. Using a teaspoon, spoon half of the salted caramel on top of the batter layer in 5 thick, evenly spaced stripes.
  9. Spoon the rest of the brownie batter on top and smooth it out, trying not to disturb the caramel beneath. Top with the rest of the caramel in the same stripy fashion. Drag a skewer or tip of a knife through the caramel to make a feathered pattern on the top.
  10. Scatter with a little more sea salt, then bake for 25-30 mins or until risen all the way to the middle with a firm crust on top. When ready, the brownie will jiggle just a little when you shake the tin.
  11. Let it cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares.