Fresh Reads

After all the seasonal excess of Christmas cheer, it's that time of the year when many of us do our best to make promises to lead a healthier lifestyle. Eating healthy and nutritious food is a great way to get started. But how can you ensure you follow through on your resolutions and make healthier food choices this year? Here are a few tips to help you stay on track. Make a plan. It doesn't have to be complex—figure out what types of meals you like and want to make and, ther

I had some kumara to get inventive with, so, as you do, I jumped online to look for a suitable recipe Now, don't get me wrong, I love my cookbooks because the recipes have been tested heaps of times for consistency, but sometimes you just strike gold on the internet. This was one of those times. I found this super-quick and easy curried kumara soup recipe and have made it three times this week already! The original recipe is here , but I've written it out below in metric f

As the cooler weather begins to take hold, all the soup-lovers out there can rejoice. So many vegetables, so many soup recipes, but this Carrot & Ginger soup is a real winner. A good soup starts with good stock, so if you've never made your own stock before, now's the perfect time to give it a go. Start by saving all your vege offcuts - broccoli stalks, cauliflower leaves, celery and carrot ends, onion ends etc. - and put them in a bag in the freezer. Keep adding to it whe

This was to be a post about making yummy courgette fritters. I was even going to get all "celebrity chef" and photograph the steps! Unfortunately, the oven caught fire whilst I was pre-heating it - some parchment paper and the fan fought - so that was the end of that! After a lengthy clean-up process (who  knew  how much mess fire extinguisher powder makes?), dinner was a takeaway pizza. Sadly, that's not as photogenic as homemade fritters, so here's a pic of the dead oven

With red kumara on special this week, I thought I'd share this recipe I kept from The Press a couple of years ago. I have a ring-binder filled with all sorts of cuttings which I love poring over. This salad can be easily adapted to vegetarian or vegan by substituting the honey for maple syrup and omitting the bacon. Salad (Serves 6) 4 red kumara, peeled or skin on - up to you 2 peeled red onions, cut into wedges Half a cup olive oil Sea salt 2 oranges 4-6 rashers of bacon,

Need to change up your broccoli offerings? Here's a fantastic recipe for a Tahini Lemon dressing that would pair well as a side dish with almost anything! Make double the amount of dressing and drizzle it over roasted kumara too! Sesame Broccoli with Tahini Lemon Dressing Prep time 15-20 mins Cooking time 10-15 mins Serves 6 1 large or 2 small heads broccoli (approx 800g) 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp light soy sauce (or tamari if gluten free) 1 tsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp sesame seeds,

Here is a great salad to make the most of beetroot. A really simple dish with a big wow factor. The colours, the textures, and the flavour - just fabulous. I've made this several times and it never fails to please. Preparation time 15-20 minutes Cooking time 45-60 minutes (mostly hands-off) Serves 6 as a side Ingredients 750g beetroot Half tsp salt 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar 3 Tbsp olive oil or hazelnut oil 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp honey Handful of mint leaves, roughly