Spier Wellness Programme

This programme includes training and testing, peer education, and counselling, and with the use of regular anonymous surveys we’re able to access the general wellness and knowledge of our employees.

We asked staff questions around their eating habits and how this influences their health. 100% of staff feel that being healthy can improve their productivity at work, and to most being healthy means the following:

• To be happy and content with your body
• Be mentally and physically strong
• No stress
• Living a long life
• Smiling more
• Positive attitude
• Eating correctly

Posters are placed in the Staff Canteen to encourage healthy eating habits, and Chef Lolli has also created a new menu for the Canteen that includes seasonal fruits and vegetables like:

Apples, grapes, avocados, prickly pears, green beans, spinach, gooseberries, grapefruit, lemons, oranges, pears, butternut, pumpkin, squashes, sweet corn, sweet potatoes,garlic, ginger, beetroot, sweet peppers, chilies, leeks, mushrooms, radishes and horseradish.

Here’s a easy recipe from Lolli’s kitchen to try at home - the perfect a side dish to an autumn afternoon braai.

(Serves 4-6)

Potato Mushroom Bake

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes
• 1 large onion, cut into fine circles
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 200ml pouring cream
• 1 packet brown onion soup powder (or any complimentary soup; don’t skip this ingredient)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Dried thyme
• Butter
• 200gm button mushrooms, sliced fine
• 1 cup grated cheese (mature cheddar or similar)
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (remove edges of bread, and run in processor until you have fine breadcrumbs)

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Butter a large, shallow oven-proof dish lightly.
• Scrub the potatoes well and slice into thin slices (5mm or less). In a jug, mix the cream with the onion soup powder.
• Lay a single layer of potato slices on the base of the buttered dish. Scatter a little crushed garlic, some onion rings and some sliced mushrooms over the top.
• Pour about about a quarter of the cream mix evenly over the vegetables, then sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, a little thyme, and salt (but go easy on the salt as the soup is already salty).
• Repeat until the ingredients are used up - you will probably make at least 4 layers.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in the pre-heated oven for an hour to 90 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
• Turn on the grill, remove the aluminum foil from the dish and spread the grated cheese on top of the final potato later.