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MKR winners Tasia and Gracia!

MKR winners

The My Kitchen Rules finale was last night and as the whole nation watched to see who would be this year’s cooking champions – villains Carmine and Lauren or sisters Tasia and Gracia – no-one was feeling the suspense more than the sibling winners.

OK! sat down with the aptly dubbed ‘spice sisters’ from Victoria to quiz this season’s winners on how they feel post-celebration, and whether they’re the same at home as they are in front of the cameras.

So, how do you feel?

Gracia: It still hasn’t sunk in.

Tasia: We were in shock.

Gracia: Tasia almost fainted.

And Carmine and Lauren, how did they take it?

Gracia: I think they are fine; they are really supportive of us and the same for us with them.

Tasia: We texted and called them all through the show. It was nice to talk to someone who went through it.

What do you plan to do with the $250,000?

Tasia: Gracia and I are working on our sauces at the moment and we want to launch them as soon as we can. In the upcoming weeks we’ll hopefully have them out there. We also want to invest a lot of money in a restaurant that we want to run one day, but there’s a lot of research that we have to do. It’ll be in Melbourne.

Colin had recommended that you start your own sauce line on the show. Is he helping out with that?

Gracia: No, not yet, but we are happy if he wants to become the ambassador.

And did you hear from the judges last night?

No, not yet.

Were you done with cooking when you got home?

Tasia: Our parents made us cook all the dishes that we cooked on the show, or they tried to. We cooked a couple.

Gracia: We took a couple of days’ break and then we were back into it. On a lazy day we would get takeaway. Pad Thai. I know a really good Pad Thai place.

And who does most of the cooking at home?

Gracia: Mum does most of the cooking at home, she cooks amazing breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Sometimes you just wake up and she has meals for like 20 people and you are like, ‘What? There are only three of us.’ She loves spoiling us.

So do you think your mum will go on the show next time?

Gracia: We suggested that she go on the show with our younger sister, but I don’t think that she’ll be able to deal with the pressure. I think that we’ll just keep her to ourselves.

You both have uni degrees. Are you still going to pursue those careers?

Gracia: I did my Masters in biomedical health, but for now I’m going to put it on hold and see where I can go with food.

Tasia: And I have a psychology degree, but we want to give this a go. We have this opportunity and so why not?

Did you find the finale stressful?

Tasia: One of the hardest challenges we’ve ever faced.

How long did it go for?

Gracia: Those days are always long. It felt like forever.

Was it hard to stay focused?

Tasia: You have to stay focused. The adrenaline rush keeps you going.

Who was holding up who?

Gracia: I probably had a little bit of a panic after the prawn dish with the quail eggs, but Tasia kept me going.

On the show, your relationship went through some ups and downs. Are you still staying true to that and having the sisterly arguments at home?

Tasia: Yes, definitely. If nothing has changed it would be that. We fight about everything.

Gracia: From the way that Tasia drives, to the way she talks… everything! She gets angry when I want to use the phone charger – it’s so weird.

And you’re still happy to work together despite arguments?

Gracia: I think that we fight along the way, and they are only little fights, but we get those out of the way and we are fine.

Tasia: We’ve always been like that, close. I don’t think that we could be closer.

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How to cook quinoa

We know it's great for us, but what do we do with it? Here's how to cook quinoa.
how to cook quinoa

Quinoa is often thought to be a grain, but it is actually a brilliant seed that would benefit most diets. That said, how to cook quinoa is still somewhat of a mystery for many.

With its low glycemic index, high protein and low carbohydrate, it’s little wonder that quinoa has been slapped the with the SUPERFOOD moniker. It is also gluten-free so it is a great dietary option for people with gluten-intolerance.

Quinoa comes in three colours – red, white and black, which makes it pretty funky but there is no significant difference between them. They taste the same, they cook the same and they are all equally splendid for your body.

So, we know that this teeny Aztec seed is a dietary powerhouse, but how do you cook quinoa?

1:3 ratio is the magic number

It can be served in a variety of ways either hot or cold, sweet or savoury, so once you have mastered the simple solids to liquid ratio the world is your oyster…or seed as the case may be.

The main thing to remember about quinoa is you cook it using the absorption method and the ratio is one part quinoa to three parts liquid.

You add the desired amount to a heavy-based saucepan with a lid, and add liquid. Put the lid on. Once it has come to the boil reduce it to a simmer for 25 minutes, put it on a simmer pad on the stove if your stove runs hot – much like rice. You can tell when it’s ready because the swollen seeds poke out a little off-white tail.

Cooked quinoa swells to approximately three times its raw state, so one cup of raw seeds will swell to three cups of cooked quinoa. Quinoa can be used instead of rice or cous-cous, or it can be added to salads or baking.

While people usually cook quinoa using only water, you can substitute half of the water with stock to add flavour, or add half coconut milk to create a delicious, creamy breakfast.

If you want a more porridge-like consistency change the ratio from 1:3 to 1:4 using milk or coconut milk for a healthy and filling breakfast. Topped with yoghurt, nuts and berries you have a breakfast of champions that will keep you going until lunch-time.

Otherwise, serve it with your favourite meal and know you’re doing yourself system, and taste buds, a favour.

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What Kate has planned for Charlotte’s first birthday

Princess Charlotte's first birthday is almost here and her mum is planning to make it a royal affair to remember!
What Kate has planned for Charlotte's first birthday

Duchess Catherine with Princess Charlotte.

Get your finest china out, the Princess is about to turn one!

While the little tot has been busy with her great-grandmother’s 90th, attention will no doubt soon turn to her when May 2 rolls around next week.

The royal parents have certainly begun planning their youngest’s first birthday party.

Speaking to People magazine, Sarah Dixon, a maternity nurse who has worked for friends of the royal couple, explained the protocol behind a royal party.

“Normally for a high-profile kids birthday, the invite goes out six months prior to the event,” she said. “These people have busy diaries!”

So, what’s involved with a party that’s fit for a princess?

According to Sarah, “they will definitely have some sort of theme, maybe something gender-neutral like animals or pretty gingham cotton bunting with elegant lunch settings and canapes for the adults”.

And of course to make sure the day run smoothly, Catherine will enlist the help of her mum and founder of the online kids’ party supplier firm Party Pieces, Carole Middleton.

“Whether you decide to keep it small and intimate or opt for a much bigger gathering, your little ones first birthday is certainly something to celebrate,” she wrote last May in Baby London magazine.

Charlotte’s grandma is a fan of the classic themes.

“Beatrix Potter’s characters are timeless and perfect for both boys and girls,” she advised, adding that “a theme can be an effective way to personalise a party.”

No matter how the family chooses to celebrate the day, we imagine it will be spectacular!

Fingers crossed shutterbug Catherine decides to share some delightful photos of the exciting day.

This story originally appeared on womansday.com.au.

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11 things in this photo could kill your child

Can you spot the risks to your baby in this photo?

Ways to baby-proof your home

Just when you think you’ve baby-proofed your home, there’s always something else that could cause harm to your child.

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The picture below looks innocent enough with a gorgeous, smiling baby boy playing with his toys, but if you look close enough, there are dangers.

In total, there are 11 hazards in this photograph that need to managed as soon as possible.

Can you spot all of them?

Can you find all the risks to your baby?

1.Uncovered outlet

2.Window blind cord

3.Unsecured TV

4.Fireplace

5.Handbag contents

6.Sharp edges

7.Coins

8.Balloon

9.Unattended iron

10.Leaning mirror

11.Laundry pacs

A new laundry detergent ad from Tide showcased all these common hazards around the house, which pose the biggest risk to under five-year-olds. See below for the video.

To baby-proof your home and minimise the risks, there are a few things you can do.

You can go to your local Bunnings and get some baby locks to put on cupboards, and also a baby gate.

Get down low to the floor – your child’s level – and look for unattended power sockets and bits and bobs on the ground. Check heaters, animal food, pets, over-spilling handbags, potentially toppling TVs or coffee tables, medicine or cleaning products in easy-to-reach spots, and even water from a dogs bowl.

Blind cords are also important to manage as they are a huge risk to health. In Australia, one or two children in Australia die from strangulation of blind or curtain cords.

So, long story short – check EVERYTHING.

VIDEO: Identify the risks to your baby in this video, plus ways you can manage them.

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Legal battle over Kate’s wedding dress

Five years after her big day, the Duchess of Cambridge has become embroiled in a fashion scandal.
Legal battle over Kate's wedding dress

Kate Middleton, the future Duchess of Cambridge, on her wedding day.

Christine Kendall is a bridal designer who is based in Hertfordshire, UK and she is suing design house, Alexander McQueen, for allegedly stealing her ideas and sketches to create the wedding dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge when she married Prince William back in 2011.

She argues that the dress that Sarah Burton created for the Duchess featured some of her own design ideas, which she submitted to the palace five months before the wedding. She also claims that she even received a letter of thanks from the Duchess at the time; however a spokesman for the Duchess told The Sunday Times that she had never seen the sketches.

The legal proceedings have started against Alexander McQueen at the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, with Kendall’s lawyer stating: “Proceedings have been issued because our client is certain that her company’s design was unfairly taken and copied. The claim is not against the Duchess and there is no allegation of wrongdoing against the palace.”

A spokesperson for Alexander McQueen has denied the allegations and also revealed that this isn’t the first time Christine Kendall has come after them, saying: “We are utterly baffled by this legal claim. Christine Kendall first approached us almost four years ago, when we were clear with her that any suggestion Sarah Burton’s design of the royal wedding dress was copied from her designs was nonsense.”

They also claim they had never even heard of Christine Kendall, adding: “Sarah Burton never saw any of Ms Kendall’s designs or sketches and did not know of Ms Kendall before Ms Kendall got in touch with us – some 13 months after the wedding.”

“We do not know why Ms Kendall has raised this again, but there are no ifs, buts or maybes here: this claim is ridiculous.”

This story originally appeared on cosmopolitan.com.au.

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‘We slept with each other last night’: Shock Seven Year Switch confession

Things are heating up on the reality show!
Seven year switch tim sleeps with taleena

It seems Seven Year Switch’s Tim might be in a bit of trouble!

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The reality contestant revealed last night that he slept with Tallena despite his long-term partner Jackie saying he wasn’t allowed to share a bed with his experimental partner.

The larrikin was seen stripping off his clothes as he jumped into bed with Tallena, confessing to their therapist that “we slept with each other last night.”

“She went to bed early and a few hours later I decided to jump in with her,” Tim explained to the camera.

Watch his confession here:

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Closing the door behind him, it was clear the pair slept together in the same room.

“You snored so f^^^^^^ loud!” Tallena was heard complaining.

However, when Tim revealed they slept together, Tallena shot down the claims.

“No we didn’t – you got into my bed and I got out half-an-hour later,” she said.

“He’s pretty stern on the fact that he wants that bed! He doesn’t care whether I am in it or not!”

She was clearly not impressed he joined her in bed saying, “It kind of p^^^^^ me off that he still got into bed next to me,” she told the camera.

“I ended up getting out of bed and going back to sleeping on the floor.”

As for Tim? He doesn’t seem to regret it.

“Do I feel guilty that she had to experience me getting in the bed? Not really.”

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Man drags pregnant woman off bike and tries to rape her

A heavily pregnant woman was cycling through Melbourne when a man dragged her from her bike and attempted to rape her.
Man drags pregnant woman off bike and tries to rape her

Man drags pregnant woman off bike and tries to rape her

The woman was cycling along Melbourne’s Upfield bike path in Brunswick, just metres from where Jill Meagher was raped and killed, at around 10.30pm on Sunday night when Casey Tennant, 20, allegedly pulled her off her bike and dragged her into some bushes.

She screamed that she was pregnant but police claim he pushed down hard on her stomach and said: “Just take your pants off.”

Tennant was allegedly trying to pull the woman’s pants down when a passer-by intervened and Tennant fled.

The passer-by and two other men pursued Tennant on their bikes and were able to catch and restrain him, despite him becoming violent and allegedly punching one of them in the face.

After being arrested by police, Tennant allegedly told officers he had “imagined doing it and dreamed about it and decided to do it tonight”.

The woman was taken to hospital and it is not yet clear whether her unborn baby has been harmed.

Tennant was remanded in custody after appearing in Melbourne’s Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

He is charged with unlawful assault, attempted rape, intentionally causing injury and four other charges.

He is due back in court in July.

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Girl, 12, goes to court to fight for right to abortion

A 12-year-old from Queensland has been granted permission by the Supreme Court to cease her pregnancy.

A pregnant 12-year-old girl from Queensland has gone to court to fight for permission to have an abortion – and she won.

The court has permitted this for the girl, only identified as Q, for her “mental and physical health”, according to the Brisbane Times.

Abortion is illegal in the state of Queensland but may be permitted if the pregnancy puts the mother’s health is at risk.

The court was making the decision as to whether the girl was mature enough to end her nine-week pregnancy, with her parents and medical professionals agreeing it was the correct decision for in this circumstance.

The pregnancy had taken its toll on the girl, with the court hearing that she had self-harmed, ran away from home and made an attempt on her life.

According to documents, the girl fell pregnant to a child of a similar age and the boy was unaware of the pregnancy.

Justice Duncan McMeekin agreed that an abortion by either the Mifepristone or Misoprostol drug was “necessary to do so in order to avoid danger to her mental and physical health.”

“I was principally concerned that it was her own view that she expressed, not a view that she felt she ought to hold because of any perception of pressure from others,” Justice McMeekin wrote.

“I am satisfied that Q has reached her own independent view of what she thinks is the best decision to take.”

Trending video: Prince George and Duchess Catherine go to their first even together

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This Harry Potter star is now a cage fighter

Back in the Slythe-ring!
This Harry Potter star is now a cage fighter

Wizard one day, MMA cage fighter the next.

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That’s the case for Josh Herdman who played Draco Malfoy’s wingman, Gregory Goyle, in the Harry Potter franchise.

The 28-year-old -trained in mixed martial arts and recently won his first cage-fighting match against polish opponent Janusz Walachowski in Romford, East London.

Josh, who played Gregory Goyle, is now a MMA cage fighter

“I’ve been training traditional Japanese jujitsu for nearly five years and hold a shodan black belt,” he told addictodtr.com.

“It’s raw, exciting and unpredictable. I find it more interesting than boxing although I appreciate the beauty and art in boxing.”

Josh as he appeared in Harry Potter

“It also made sense to move onto MMA because of my jujitsu training.”

However, he admits he still wants to be an actor even though he compares it to “playing the lottery.”

“I haven’t fallen out of love with it, I still have an agent and still go for auditions. It’s just a little bit like playing the lottery for a living,” he said.

“I don’t see it so much as a career change, I am passionate about both acting and fighting.”

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Spice sisters Tasia and Gracia take out MKR finale

The sisters wowed the judges with a near-perfect five course extravaganza.
Tasia and Gracia

Congratulations are in order for the Spice Sisters, who last night claimed the winning spot on the 7th season of My Kitchen Rules!

Tasia and Gracia Seger – nicknamed the Spice Sisters – have stormed to victory in the grand finale of MKR, beating Adelaide couple Carmine and Lauren by six points.

The Melbourne sisters cooked a near-perfect five course meal, earning an incredible score of 57 out of 60 and the judges’ glowing praise.

Their delectable five course menu made us hungry to say the least, with seared scallop and betel leaves, grilled king prawns with balado and quail egg, crispy skin duck with green chilli sambal and chicken ribs with chilli and sweet soy on the menu.

“It was perfect!” said Pete Evans, before giving the girls 10 out of 10.

See the crowning moment in the video player below! Post continues after video…

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Colin Fassnidge was similarly enthusiastic, saying: “Guys you don’t need $250,000, you open a sauce factory and you’ll be loaded because I tell you, I’d buy it.”

The pair, who were early favourites to take out the popular cooking competition, will take home $250,000 in prize money – a sum which they are considering investing in a sauce business.

The two teams went head-to-head in last nights exciting finale!

“I think it’s the greatest achievement that we’ve ever accomplished and we did it together. Which makes it more special than anything else. Like, it’s huge,” Gracia quipped proudly.

“We definitely want to do street Indonesian food in Australia. Maybe a sauce business.”

Congratulations, Tasia and Gracia!

This article originally appeared on The Australian Women’s Weekly.

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