The beauty of poached eggs is their versatility. Depending on what you pair them with, they can be breakfast, lunch or even dinner. So for this quick and easy weekday meal, I serve them with a bed of arugula, a scoop of ricotta cheese -- one of the most overlooked cheeses in the dairy case (it's good for more than just lasagna and stuffed shells!) -- and a bit of buttered multigrain toast. It's simple. It's filling.

And it could be breakfast, lunch or dinner. Want it to be a bit more robust? Just about any cooked and cooled vegetables could be added to the arugula. Leftover roasted winter vegetables, such as butternut squash or carrots, would be great. Poached Eggs Over Ricotta Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 4 4 cups arugula 2 cups ricotta cheese Zest of 1 lemon Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar 4 large eggs Truffle oil Minced fresh chives 4 thick slices multigrain bread, toasted and buttered Divide the arugula between 4 serving bowls.

In a medium bowl, mix together the ricotta and lemon zest. Season with salt and black pepper. Divide between the serving bowls, spooning it over the arugula. Set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to a low simmer. Add the vinegar. Crack each egg into a small glass. One at a time, gently and slowly pour each egg into the simmering water, bringing the lip of the glass right down to the water so that the egg slides in. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook them in 2 batches.

Cook for 4 minutes, then use a slotted spoon to lift each egg out (letting excess water drip away). Nestle one egg into the ricotta in each serving bowl. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then drizzle with truffle oil and sprinkle with chives. Serve immediately with the toast. Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories; 290 calories from fat (53 percent of total calories); 32 g fat (15 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 260 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 6 g sugar; 29 g protein; 730 mg sodium

More than a year after a report highlighted major environmental concerns in New Providence shanty towns, Minister for the Environment and Housing Kenred Dorsett yesterday announced steps his ministry is taking to bring shanty towns throughout the country up to standard, warning that some people may be prosecuted as a result of the initiative.

 In a statement, Dorsett said a Special Project Unit (SPU) was created within his ministry to address infractions and environmental concerns surrounding shanty towns. The SPU will be headed by Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) Assistant Director Lennard Miller.

"Existing reports on identified shanty towns in Nassau, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera are being updated and new reports are being prepared in respect of [any] shanty town for which the DEHS has not conducted an investigation," Dorsett said. He added that the department will take action where necessary. "The SPU will complete its comprehensive report by the end of January, 2013 and the DEHS is also establishing an enforcement unit which will focus on prosecution of infractions under the Environmental Health Services Act," he said.

The creation of the special unit comes a year-and-a-half after a report completed by the department documented the problems in a scientific study of several shanty towns on New Providence. The report found that all of the wells and runoff water in these villages had high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, which is commonly found in the feces of humans and animals, and can survive in water and damp or moist conditions. According to the report, "The Cholera bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal discomfort resulting in diarrhea, loss of fluids (dehydration), fever, nausea and loss of electrolytes, with possible kidney failure or complications, (which) if left untreated, will result in death.

"The samples collected demonstrate that there is an urgent need to address the possibility that the surrounding neighborhoods' wells should be tested for the presence of this, and other harmful microbes, and if present, in what concentrations," the report states. The Department of Environmental Health Services said it has received numerous complaints from Bahamians and residents over the years about the presence of Haitian villages, which are commonly referred to as shanty towns.

Last month, Prime Minister Perry Christie underscored the need to tackle the shanty town problem. "We all live in an environment where we must ensure that we do everything to protect the health of all people living in this country," Christie said. "So the government cannot allow such situations to exist. So we're [going to] have to address the issue. We have the will to do so. We have to begin," he said.

For the third year in a row, Bahamian swimming sensation Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace was a unanimous selection as The Nassau Guardian's Senior Female Athlete of the Year. The 22-year-old multi Bahamian national record holder made history this year as the first Bahamian to advance to an Olympic final in swimming. She was also the first Bahamian female to advance to an Olympic semi-final in swimming, and the youngest Bahamian to ever do so.

Vanderpool-Wallace accomplished the spectacular feats in her specialty events, the 50 and 100-meter (m) freestyle events at the 2012 London Olympics, breaking her own national records in the process. She failed to get to the final of the 100m free, finishing in 54.12 seconds in the semis. She swam a new national record of 53.73 seconds in the morning heats. In her specialty, the 50m free, she took it a step further by making it to the final and finishing eighth in 24.69 seconds.

In the semi-finals, she swam a new national record of 24.64 seconds. In the history of Bahamian swimming, Vanderpool-Wallace is more than two seconds faster than any other Bahamian female in the 50m free, and more than four seconds faster than any other Bahamian female in the 100m free. Also this year, she repeated as National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion in the 100 free in a time of 46.88 seconds and finished third in her title defense in the 50 free, in 21.65 seconds.

In addition, she ended the NCAA Championships with a split in the 400 free relay for Auburn University that was even faster than her U.S. Open record in the event. That Auburn Tigers team finished second in that event, in 3:11.49. Vanderpool-Wallace's U.S. Open record time of 46.61 seconds is the fastest time ever swam by a female in that event in the United States. She ended her Auburn career this year with numerous conference titles and 25 All-American titles - the second most in school history.

Also this year, Vanderpool-Wallace had the Bahamian women's 4x100m free relay squad on the verge of becoming the first Bahamian relay squad to qualify for the Olympics in swimming. That team of Vanderpool-Wallace, Alana Dillette, Ariel Weech and Alicia Lightbourne, finished a little over five seconds short of qualifying for the London Olympic Games. They finished in 21st place in FINA's ranking chart during the Olympic qualifying period.

The top 12 finishers from last year's FINA (International Swimming Federation) World Championships automatically qualified for the Olympics, leaving four spots up for grabs. Those four spots went to Italy, New Zealand, Hungary and Greece. At the Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal in March, the team swam a new national record setting time of 3:47.42. The final Olympic qualifying time, turned in by Greece, was 3:42.09.

Vanderpool-Wallace was the only Bahamian swimmer on this year's Olympic team. Ivanique Kemp, who finished second in voting for The Nassau Guardian's Senior Female Athlete of the Year, was the only Bahamian female hurdler on this year's Olympic team. As a matter of fact, she became the first Bahamian female to qualify for the Olympics in any hurdles event, with her spectacular national record setting run of 13.13 seconds in the women's 100m hurdles this year.

She took it a step further by advancing to the semi-finals at the London Olympics. Chandra Sturrup, who finished fourth in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships, was third in voting for The Nassau Guardian's Senior Female Athlete of the Year, Sheniqua Ferguson who set a stunning personal best time in the 100m this year, was fourth in the voting process, and Bianca Stuart finished fifth. All five ladies were a part of The Bahamas' 26-member team at the London Olympics.

 

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Castrol Quote of The Day: December 29th 

"Bay Street Garage Ltd. is happy to meet all your vehicle's needs, with the finest replacement parts and Castrol top quality lubricants!"

 

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