Recipe

I have read that Cypriot farmers made haloumi with techniques and ingredients unique to their family or village, often relying on it as a staple source of protein. These sensational haloumi chips are such a delicious starter or even a light lunch, served with a salad. They are really quick and easy to make and hard to stop eating once you start.

I love these little green parcels that I first made using a Stephanie Alexander recipe. These have a different filling that bursts with the flavours of Cyprus.

A scrumptious, zesty and nourishing take on a traditional Cypriot semolina cake. I’ve swapped semolina and sugar for almond meal and maple syrup in this recipe which tastes just as good (if not better) as the original while packing it chock-a-block full with skin- and heart-loving healthy fats.

If you’ve followed my work for a while you’ll know I love the challenge of a meat for vego swap and this take on the Cypriot sausage which usually incorporates pork is an absolute winner. I’ve focused on the traditional flavours of red onion and parsley and made the meat-for-vegie swap with quinoa, lentils and eggs. Wholesome and delicious.

This salad is the perfect main or side dish. It’s loaded with beautiful iron-boosting ingredients like lentils, almonds and greens, and dressed up with a divine lemon vinaigrette.

Who doesn’t love a good lasagne? Even better, who doesn’t love a gluten-free vegie-loaded lasagne? The addition of frozen spinach is a great way to get a little extra iron boost to your dish. For a quick midweek meal, prepare the eggplant tomato sauce in advance and keep in the fridge, pop on pasta, grilled chicken, veg, or even on its own for a healthy dip!

(No) meat, no worries! Iron, in the form of non-haem iron, can be found in plant-based foods too so don’t fret if you’re trying to reduce your meat intake in favour of a few more vegetables on your plate. You can absolutely tick all nutrient boxes in macro- and micronutrients on a vegetarian or plant-based diet — it just takes a little education and discovering delicious recipes like this one.

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High on our home menu repertoire is Mexican. We try mixing and matching different ingredients with Mexican spice and flavours and they’re always a cracking success! This combination in particular is a great way to up the iron in your diet from simple plant-based ingredients. Both the tofu and the lentils deliver iron to the dish. The vitamin C rich citrus fruits squeezed over before serving help the body absorb the iron in food — all in a very delicious, wholesome meal. The whole family will love this delicious, nourishing and iron-rich bean salad with a special Mexican twist.

This broccoli rice is a midweek vegie wonder! It’s incredibly rich in minerals such as iron and magnesium, vitamins and fibre from green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, spinach and coriander, which balance beautifully with the protein, choline, vitamin B12, vitamin D and scrumptious flavour in free-range eggs. If kids are at the table and you’re not yet convinced they’ll go the whole broccoli rice meal then simply swap out half the broccoli for some cooked brown or jasmine rice.

My 9-year-old boy requests this slow-cooked tofu sweet potato and vegie dish regularly. It’s the perfect introduction of more vegetarian-based dishes for youngsters because there are so many great flavours in each bite, and parents can rest assured that everyone is receiving a great balance of nutrition. Jump in the kitchen as a family, chop and cook this one together.