On the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast for Sunday 7 December 2025, for years it was believed Suzanne Vega's 'Luka' was about a young boy, this week she tells Francesca why, after 35 years, she finally admitted she is Luka.

Kiwi band Castaway are a band on the rise, this week they perform their latest single 'Pretty Little Liar' in studio and talk about their breakout year.

Andrew Coster has finally spoken out, ZB political reporter Ethan Griffiths on Coster's version of events including his claims Ministers knew more than they have let on.

And is garlic the next thing in mouth wash? Dr Michelle Dickinson explains.

Get the Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin Full Show Podcast every Sunday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Mindful eating is when we become fully connected with all the sensations experienced when eating and drinking including sight, sound, touch, smell and taste.

Why is eating more mindful is helpful? By being more mindful and conscious it helps us to reflect on what we are eating, how and why.

Naturopath Erin O'Hara shared her insights with Francesca Rudkin as well as a few mindful eating tips to help improve digestion.

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Pop rock band Castaway released their sophomore EP Nondual in October - the popular tracks resulting in regular airplay on many mainstream radio stations.

Three of the five band members Joe, Rhys and Austen joined Francesca Rudkin and told her about the pressure of recording this album in such a short space of time.

They also shared how they met at Canterbury University and making the decision that music could be a career for them.

Plus they preformed Pretty Little Liars live in studio.

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This week, we continue with part two of our four-part lead-up to Christmas, focusing on sides and salads.

Mike van de Elzen has chosen two of his favourite classic salads ahead of the festive season, and runs Francesca Rudkin through the recipe as well as a few tips on the key to a great salad.

Ember charred cauliflower with grated ginger, parsley and parmesan

Cook time: 10 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6

• 1 head of cauliflower oil for cooking
• Flaky seasalt and cracked pepper
• 1 large knob ginger, peeled and mircoplaned
• 1/2 flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 cup parmesan, finely grated
• 4 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (this would have to be a first!)

Cut the cauliflower into long florets. You should look at getting around 15-20 florets.

Bring a large pot ofof salted water to the boil and plunge in the cauliflower. Cook until just under. This will take about 3 minutes. Remove and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking.

Drain once cold and place the cauliflower into a large bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt. Char-grill over embers or on a hot BBQ until coloured.

Place back into a clean bowl, toss through the fresh ginger, parsley, parmesan and the remaining olive oil. Check seasoning, you may need more salt.

Toss and serve

Roasted carrots w mint emulsion & spiced chickpeas

Cook time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves: 12

• 20 carrots cut in half
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• flaky seasalt
• Miso emulsion
• 2 soft boiled eggs
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 2 lemon
• 1 cup coriander leaves and stalks
• 10 mint leaves
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger, peeled
• 300ml sunflower oil
• Spiced chickpeas
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, roasted
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, roasted
• 1 can drained chickpeas
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp crushed farm chilli
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil

Pre heat the oven to 180*c.

Cut the carrots in half and drizzle with oil and sprinkle with some salt. Place into the oven and roast until tender.

Combine all the ingredients for the spiced chickpeas in a bowl and toss, lay out onto a roasting tray and place in the oven along with the carrots. Cooked for 30 minutes stiring every 10 until crispy. Allow to cool

Make up the mint emo

Bring a pot of water to the boil and carefully drop in your eggs. Time them for 5 minutes before removing and placing into iced water till cold. Carefully roll the eggs breaking the shell before peeling. (good luck!)

Place all the ingredients apart from the oil into the blender and turning on slowly before turning up and slowy drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and pepper if required.

Spoon a couple tbsp of mint emo onto a platter and stack the roasted carrots on top and finish with the spiced chickpeas.

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Garlic is famous for many things, boosting flavour, warding off vampires, and making your kitchen smell incredible (or incredibly strong). But new research suggests it might have one more surprising talent: acting as a natural alternative to traditional mouthwash.

The research published in the Journal of Herbal Medicine found that an extract made from garlic could offer antimicrobial powers comparable to chlorhexidine, a common chemical used in many medical-grade mouthwashes.

But could garlic replace chemical mouthwashes altogether?

Dr Michelle Dickinson discusses the findings and her take on it with Francesca Rudkin.

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Netflix is acquiring Warner Bros Discovery in a blockbuster US$83bn deal – plus debt.

As part of the deal, Netflix takes the TV and movie studio and other assets, including the HBO Max streaming service.

Flicks.co.nz's Steve Newall analysis the deal with Francesca Rudkin, as well as Quentin Tarantino’s 20 favourite films of the 20th century.

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Sometimes I wonder what the world thinks of us.

Not in an insecure way – as in, we need the world’s admiration to validate how wonderful we are. But when I see the local stories which break through into international media I do wonder if the world thinks we’re a bit odd.

Many international news outlets this week followed the story of a Kiwi jewellery thief who allegedly thought the best way to steal a $33,500 Fabergé locket was to swallow it in the shop. I’m not sure if this was the plan all along, or whether it was a spontaneous plan B after plan A went wrong. But he was arrested minutes after the alleged theft – so regardless of which plan it was, it wasn’t a smart one.

You may wonder why someone would intentionally swallow a foreign or non-digestible object, and the obvious answer in this case would be to avoid arrest.

But, it’s been done before – so maybe we’re not so odd!

Earlier this year, a thief posing as a buyer for a professional US athlete stole two pairs of diamond earrings valued at just under US$1.4m from a Florida jeweller. In an effort to avoid arrest he swallowed the earrings, and then asked if he would be charged for what was in his stomach.

The alleged Kiwi thief may have watched the TV show 'Joan' about notorious UK jewel thief Joan Hannington, who liked to swallow her loot.

It’s a risky way to acquire jewellery. It’s a perilous journey travelling through the oesophagus and the uniquely shaped stomach – which is apparently where mobile phones get stuck. Yes, apparently this is something prisoners do, including one who swallowed four mobile phones.

Then the object has to get through 12 feet of small intestine before entering the large intestine, and avoid perforating the bowel. The one reassuring thing for a jewellery swallowing thief is that metals such as gold, silver and many of the precious stones aren’t affected by stomach acid.

After our Kiwi thief was picked up, he was given a medical assessment and a police officer was assigned to constantly monitor him. For a week.

The good news is that on Friday the limited edition item was recovered without requiring medical intervention, and a photo of a gloved hand holding a gold chain with price tag attached was released. Good on the police, the goods recovery operation was a success.

What we are yet to establish is whether this now famous pendant is worth more or less after its globally publicised journey.

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American folk rock artist Suzanne Vega launched onto the global music scene back in 1987.

Almost 40 years on, Suzanne is still making music. Her latest album ‘Flying with Angels’ receiving rave reviews - Rolling Stone referring to it as the best album of 2025 so far.

With the album out, she's hitting the road and heading back to New Zealand in September next year – touring Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

Suzanne Vega joined Francesca Rudkin ahead of her return to our shores.

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