The perfect balance between sweet and tart, this divine lemon coconut slice is beautiful served with a hot cuppa for an indulgent morning or afternoon treat.

This method for boiling eggs will centre the yolk and is used for recipes which require presentation such as salads.

An Italian filled and baked bread - perfect for children's snacks, lunches or any time!

You can dip just about any fruit that takes your fancy into chocolate fondue, bananas would be a good addition, as would marshmallows.

Perfect served on salad leaves as a light lunch, if there are any left over you can pop these lentil patties in a wrap, drizzle with the yoghurt mint sauce and pack in a lunchbox.

Sweeter than green but more robust in flavour that yellow or orange, red capsicum makes a wonderful soup. The simplicity of this red capsicum soup recipe lets the main ingredient shine.

Simple, quick and savoury, this zucchini cream soup makes a great lunch or starter. The smoothest consistency for this soup can be achieved by using a blender, stab mixer or mouli.

This surprisingly simple, inexpensive recipe has subtle seductive flavours which are far more memorable than the list of ingredients might suggest. You can use fresh lasagne sheets cut into wide ribbons if you don't have any pappardelle.

You can use feta or any soft, crumbly cheese instead of the goat cheese, and toasted pecan halves make a nice change from walnuts. This roasted capsicum pasta salad makes a great lunch-box meal too.

A cross between mandarins and grapefruit, tangelos make a jam that's sweeter than marmalade yet still tart, thanks to the fruit's natural acidity. This jam is particularly good spooned generously over rice pudding or served with tangelo cake.

Packed with even more flavour than a lemon tart, this baked passionfruit tart is perfect for a mid-afternoon pick me up.

There's something about warm cake that can turn even the most anti-sweet toothed reaching for the fork. These warm ginger and date muffins with caramel sauce are worth writing home about.

A traditional, German rye bread, pumpernickel has a strong flavour and unique texture. Most often served here in tiny squares as a canape base, freshly made pumpernickel is softer and can be used for open sandwiches or served with soup.

Start your day on a zingy note with this marmalade that uses ginger to liven up your breakfast table.

This breakfast spread removes the pith and peel of the oranges for a sweeter and smoother version of the iconic marmalade.

Labne is a soft cheese originating from the Middle-East. It’s made from strained yogurt, and is available from major supermarkets and Middle-Eastern food shops. Note

Try canned salmon with a little lemon juice in place of mushrooms. For a healthier version, replace cream with low-fat evaporated milk. To thicken, blend 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and stir slowly into remaining milk. Note

Many varieties of already cooked white beans are available canned, among them cannellini, butter and haricot beans, any of these are suitable for this recipe. Note

Corn or vegetable oil can be used instead of the peanut oil. Note

Turn the traditional vegetable stew into a tasty soup and elevate it with a fresh basil pistou.

Panzanella is a refreshing Tuscan summer bread salad. We’ve put our own spin on it by using little cubes of radish sandwich instead of the traditional bread pieces. Note

Serve risotto quickly after stirring the radicchio through the rice, as the radicchio will discolour from the heat. This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

The gherkins will lose their colour gradually during storage. This does not affect their taste or texture in any way. Note

Soft fresh goat cheese can be substituted for fetta, if desired. Note

Recipe can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Casseroles and bakes enhance the flavour of your favourite vegetables in these nutritious, hearty meals including potato and cauliflower gratin and garlic, vegetable and rice casserole. Note

The peanut sauce can be made in a food processor or blender instead of a mortar and pestle. You need about a quarter of a small cauliflower for this recipe. Note

For best results when deep-frying, check the oil is hot enough before adding the parsnip strips. Dip the handle end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil, if bubbles immediately form around the wood, the oil is the correct temperature. Note

Be careful when working with silken tofu as it is very soft and breaks easily. Use a mix of basil and mint leaves if you cannot find japanese mint. Note

Ready-made seasoned bean-curd skins and seasoned gourd (kampyo) strips are available from Asian specialist grocery stores. For rice vinegared water, add 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to medium bowl of cold water. Note

Salad can be prepared several hours ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

Marinated bocconcini makes a great addition to antipasto platters or fresh green salads, use baby bocconcini, if available. Recipe can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Note

Gorgeously sweet orange and maple glazed baby carrots. The perfect accompaniment for your next dinner party.

Pink and yellow oyster mushrooms are available at selected farmers’ markets, grocery stores and online. Choose mushrooms as described by variety. Avoid slimy looking caps and those that look shrivelled. Store mushrooms as described by variety, otherwise, store in a paper or calico bag in the refrigerator. They generally last for up to 3 days […]

You can substitute any fruit for the strawberries and mangoes in this recipe. Mixed berries are another great option, remember frozen berries are full of flavour and are just as delicious as fresh ones, so this is a good year round alternative. Note

Use metal skewers to pierce through the hard core of the corn slices. Note

Packaged fried tofu is available from most supermarkets. Note

Roasted zucchini, eggplant and capsicum can be bought loose from delis, making the job even easier. Slice the stick as close to serving time as possible. Note

To remove excess liquid, drain the cheese mixture in a fine sieve lined with muslin for 40 minutes before adding to the kofta mixture. After deep-frying the kofta in batches, drain them well on layers of absorbent paper before adding them to the tomato tamarind sauce. Note

Regular pappadums can be substituted for ready-to-eat mini pappadums, if preferred. Break into quarters; shallow-fry. Note

Traditionally served as an accompaniment to spicy dishes, this recipe would also make a great light vegetarian starter. Note

We used green, black and vine-ripened tomatoes. For an extra indulgence, use the larger buffalo-milk mozzarella instead of bocconcini. Note

To blind bake, line pastry case with a sheet of baking paper, two-thirds fill with raw rice, bake at 200°C (180°C fan forced) for 10 minutes, then remove paper and rice and return pastry case to oven for a further 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Note

When cooking risotto, it is vital to use Arborio or Carnaroli rice as these grains release the starch that gives risotto its creaminess. Swap the vegetables in this recipe for whatever is in season. Note

You can use a mixture of grilled eggplant, capsicum and sun-dried tomatoes for the antipasto vegetables. Grilled artichokes and mushrooms could also be used. Note

This tasty vegetarian twist on the classic Aussie seafood dish switches squid for tofu. It works perfectly here with a crispy, spiced batter and a zesty Asian inspired salad.

Add a little sugar to the ratatouille to reduce any acid taste, if you like. If you want to reduce or eliminate the oil, the ratatouille can be cooked in the oven. Combine all the ingredients in an ovenproof dish and bake at 180°C (160°C fan-forced) for about 30 minutes. Note

Warm risoni pasta creates a perfect base to let the vegetables shine in this dish fresh and easy dish that only takes 30 minutes to make.

Bread cups can be made a day ahead, store in an airtight container. You need 3 x 12-hole (2-tablespoon/40ml) deep flat-based patty pans, it’s fine if you only have one pan, just make the cups in batches. You also need an 8cm round cutter. Buy fresh, thin-style pitta bread. If the bread is too thick […]

You will need to buy one bunch of spinach (300g) to make this recipe. Note

You need one medium pomegranate for this recipe. Note

Kalonji seeds are also known as nigella or black onion seeds. Tiny, angular seeds, black on the outside and creamy within, with a sharp nutty flavour that can be enhanced by frying briefly in a dry hot pan before use. Kalonji can be found in most Asian and Middle-Eastern food shops. Note

Don’t drain the spinach until it’s completely dry, the excess water steams and wilts the spinach during cooking, without having to add extra oil or butter. Note