Piccalilli is a relish made from chopped vegetables, mustard, vinegar and hot spices, also known as a yellow mustard pickle. It is an English interpretation of an Indian pickle, and is a vital addition dolloped onto a cold meat and vintage cheddar cheese sandwich, or on a Ploughman’s plate.

Pretty in pink indeed are pickled radishes. Grab a couple of bunches of rosy pink radishes in season and preserve their goodness, crunch and colour for another day. Pickled radishes are the perfect addition to sandwiches, salads, vegetable dishes and curries, and are a delicious match for grilled seafood. Pickling is quite a simple thing to do and the resulting display of colourful jars in your pantry makes it a most rewarding task.

It was Mr G’s love of both gherkins (baby cucumbers) and pickled onions, served as an afternoon snack on crackers with vintage cheddar that introduced me to enjoying these pickled delicacies. The pickle had been the very thing I would extract and discard from my burger, but now I enjoy them and delight in pickling and bottling my own.

This is a lovely high fibre breakfast treat, made tasty by the addition of sweet, nutritious, fresh and dried fruit. On the weekend I often soak the oats in the juice as soon as I get up, then we take our dog for a long walk and enjoy this breakfast when we return.

Seasonal eating at its best, this is a fabulous way to enjoy your glut of tomatoes! Tomato and basil were created for one another, and when you combine them with a lovely Australian organic extra virgin olive oil it is a ‘naked food’ sensation.

These fritters are a wholesome, high fibre, ‘all day breakfast’ dish, matched with a creamy, cleansing avocado and lime salsa, salty feta cheese and crunchy roasted almonds. Great as they are or, to add a hit of protein, dress them up with a soft poached egg and some crispy bacon.
 

A long weekend at our place usually means a sleep in and late breakfast together on the holiday Monday, and today was no different. Pancakes are always a favourite to cook when it is a slow morning without schedule. 

You’ll be licking your fingers for sure after enjoying these sweet and spiced chicken wings.
They are the perfect low budget, high protein snack for hungry boys and girls anytime of the day. Served hot, cold or somewhere in between, they are always delicious.

I’m not sure who was the first to think of this wonderful combination of pork and fennel, it’s food genius and works as well as the pairing of pork and apple sauce. These simple to make and delicious to devour sausage rolls won’t last long on anyone’s kitchen table.

The flavour combination of lemongrass, ginger, garlic and spices in this satay are a winner. Cooking on the chargrill or barbeque just adds that extra edge of golden deliciousness. These sticks are perfect as a party nibble or for dinner served with rice. 

If you are not familiar with cooking with lentils, this is a great recipe to start with.
You will enjoy the flavour and nutrition of these served as a patty with a salad or steamed vegetables,  or on a bun as a family-friendly burger. If you don’t want to bbq, you could cook them in a large frying pan on the stove.

Frittatas are such an easy meal to throw together when time is short and the fridge is looking bare. Although I’ve used potato, leek and Gruyère, you can substitute any vegetable, herb or cheese. Perfect served hot or cold, either on its own or with a green salad.

A delicious array of flavours and textures in this vegetable lovers’ delight! This recipe can easily be prepared and assembled the day before and refrigerated, then baked an hour before meal time. Any leftovers are tasty served cold for the next day or two, with a simply dressed garden salad.

My green fish curry served with Jasmine rice, coriander leaves and fried shallot is a solid favourite for me as the weather begins to cool. It is very simple dish to cook that delivers a wallop of flavour. I make my own curry pastes and keep an ample supply stored in my freezer, but if thats too hard you could just as easily use your pick of store bought pastes.

A family favourite, these skewers were always a popular menu item on new year’s day. When our children were small we found it too hard to party all night to see in the new year, so instead we celebrated with a bbq with good friends on new years day!

My husband Paul grew up eating fresh caught and cooked school prawns. Although they are laborious to peel, he has now convinced me that they are the sweetest and tastiest prawns you can eat. This salad was inspired by a kilo of ‘as fresh as you’ll find’ school prawns, that we were fortunate enough to purchase from a local fisherman just cooking his morning’s catch on the shores of Lake Macquarie last summer. This makes a perfect Christmas Day dish!

Discovering, gathering, shucking, preparing and devouring our own oysters from Tasmania’s pristine waters off the coast of Bruny Island will always remain a happy memory. In my experience you are either an oyster fan or you are not, and for those who enjoy oysters you’ll love these combinations.

This is a basic healing food – a chicken bone broth, with vegetables and the pickings of meat from the carcasses. It is a meal in a bowl I often cook for those who need healing, particularly when they don’t feel like eating. Bringing warmth, comfort and nutrition, it is an immune boosting meal that is easy on the digestive system.

A sweet, fragrant soup, vibrant in colour and taste. Plain old pumpkin never tasted this good!

This fragrant and spicy soup is simple to prepare and quick to cook. It will warm you inside and out.

Congee (in Asian cooking) is a broth or porridge made from rice. In China, it is traditionally a breakfast dish, a plain white rice congee, most often served with side dishes, sometimes a fried egg. My version, which was inspired by the delicious congee served daily at Bread and Circus Wholefood Canteen in Alexandria, NSW, incorporates, home-made organic chicken stock, slow cooked organic chicken and organic brown rice. Creating a deliciously wholesome, easy to digest, comfort food - best eaten anytime of the day or night!

A healthier take on your traditional nachos, it’s great for a casual nibble or as an easy, nutritious family favourite - everybody loves this nachos!

Who doesn’t love a burger? This is a very tasty combination that can be easily pan-fried or done on the BBQ. Searing first then finishing in the oven ensures a juicy result. Serve these on toasted Turkish bread instead of rolls, if you like.

Fresh, light and fragrant, this is a leaner and less oily version of the traditional Asian dish.

Lasagne is the ultimate in comfort food. It must be moist, with soft pasta, a rich meaty sauce, silken, creamy white sauce and stringy golden melted cheese.

This is the simplest way to make potato gnocchi, without the need for the tedious process of passing the cooked potato through a sieve or mouli. Bake, peel and mash, then utilise the lightness of spelt flour to create fluffy dough which results in tender gnocchi pieces.

Nothing is more enticing to me than a nourishing savoury pie. A good pie should be a delicious food surprise, containing mouthfuls of flavour, texture, warmth and comfort.
I serve mine with home-made sweet potato wedges and/or a green salad.

There is something so comforting about eating a hot savoury pie. This is the perfect winter dish, suitable for a cosy Sunday lunch or as a casual dinner with friends on a chilly evening. I like to serve mine with mashed green peas and a nice glass of organic red wine.

Spring is the perfect time for making, baking and eating scones. It is also a perfect time for taking an abundance of seasonal fruit and making your own jam, to put on your scone.

A wonderful ‘all in one bowl’ recipe makes this light and moist banana loaf so simple. Add the dates for an extra hit of nutrient-rich sweetness if you like. Unbeatable served warm, or sliced and toasted the next day. It also freezes very well, in slices, making it perfect for the lunchbox or as an ‘on the go’ snack!


 

Apple pie evokes fond childhood memories for many, often equated with grandmothers and
stories of steaming hot, sweet apple fillings, surrounded by crisp, buttery short-crust pastry.
This simple recipe, marrying the apple with vanilla and cinnamon encased in a light spelt crust, will have the fond memories flooding back.