Recipe

Run! Run as fast as you can! These wickedly good gingerbread men won’t last long on the table. No weekend platter would be complete without these classic biscuits. The best part is while they are being baked your house will fill with an inviting biscuit aroma, ready for arriving guests.

You don’t even need to make a fish stock for this wonderful dish — the aromatics and anchovies add a great depth of flavour. Even if you don’t like anchovies, use them. The dish doesn’t taste like anchovies at all!

To me, the flavours of Portugal are zingy citrus, olives, olive oil and fresh herbs. I have combined these flavours to create a dense cake, almost a torte, in the hope it takes you to Portugal.

Including protein-rich foods like chicken in meals will provide amino acids to build and restore the body, along with helping keep blood sugar levels balanced and to give you a feeling of satiety after eating. Chicken provides plenty of zinc, which is an important nutrient needed for wound healing and to support healthy immune function, […]

Eggs make a valuable addition to your diet; they’re rich in protein and vitamin B12 for making red blood cells and maintaining a healthy nervous system, and vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and immune health. Eggs also contain choline, needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is vital for healthy brain function and memory. Always buy organic eggs when you can.

Okra has been used traditionally as a food and medicine for hundreds of years in South America, Africa and the Middle East. Okra provides a good dose of vitamin K, calcium and magnesium for strong, healthy bones and blood clotting, and B vitamins, including folic acid, which is important for pregnant women.

The combination of pan-fried okra, haloumi, pomegranate and fresh herbs makes this salad a simple weekday dish. Okra often has a bad reputation for being slimy but, rest assured, when it’s cooked properly it’s delicious. Simply pan-fry quickly over medium–high heat to make it crispy rather than let it steam and go soft.

I absolutely love the combination of the okra with this incredible rice! This is a very simple method of cooking the okra, which could be used with many different flavours. It’s worth tracking down the kefir lime leaves as they really lift the entire dish.

I love adding olives and roasted capsicum to this traditional Tuscan-inspired recipe. The addition of pan-fried okra and lemon gives the dish an interesting textural twist. The salad is a great way to use up leftover tomatoes and bread. If you only have fresh bread, just leave the bread uncovered on a plate to dry for an hour or dry it out on low heat in the oven.

Okra makes a surprising addition to these lovely spiced puffs, which are perfect for lunch or lunch boxes, or as a side for dinner.

This recipe is one of my all-time favourites for using up leftover vegetables. It can be made in a tagine or a pot. My tip is to add dried apricots for a touch of sweetness and some chilli flakes for extra heat. It can be eaten as a main or side dish for Sunday roast.

This super-fragrant pilau (also known as pilaf) is the perfect dish for a cosy night in. The combination of tender lamb studded with spices, and rice is just delicious. I love adding dried apricots to this dish but it’s equally lovely with raisins. Add pine nuts for an extra bit of crunch and texture to the dish.