gluten-free

This curry is fabulously frugal and the tastiest way I know to make the most of less-than-desirable looking vegie odds and ends in the fridge. Don’t be bound by my ingredients list; make this curry your own by using any limp veg hiding in the fridge. For a yummy soup, add another cup of stock, remove the cinnamon stick at the end and blend on high for a few seconds.

Marmalade always makes me think of my dear Nanna who was from Lancashire in England and would always smother it on toast. I’m sure she would have loved this cake, particularly for its secret ingredient: cannellini beans! This cake offers a wonderfully light but flavoursome taste, sweetened only with honey and that gorgeous sticky marmalade drizzle. And, no, you can’t taste the beans at all.

This is a fantastic quick dish to have during the week. It provides you with loads of vegetables, complex carbohydrates and a good amount of protein and leftovers are great to have for breakfast the following day.

Here’s a super-simple recipe that also makes for a super-quick, nutritious, flavoursome breakfast or snack when you need it.

The combination of peas, mint, ginger and lemon is so delicious. When I make this dish, I always have a second helping.

Chicken provides amino acids needed to build and restore the body. Eating protein helps stabilise blood sugar levels and gives you a sense of satiety after eating. Chicken also supplies plenty of zinc, an important nutrient needed for wound healing, healthy immune function and male and female fertility. Including dark green leafy vegetables like spinach in your daily diet is one of the best things you can do for your health. These nutritional powerhouses are rich in B vitamins, including folate, B6 and B12, which are all needed for good heart health.

I love this meal for a midweek quickie when I have no protein to work with. I try to always have tinned tomatoes and beans in the cupboard so this dish can be thrown together at a moment’s notice.

Dinner doesn’t get any more budget friendly, easier or tastier than this Indian Spiced Mince with Peas. It’s one of my family’s favourite midweek meals.

In this recipe, I use pumpkin and zucchini for lasagna and a cashew béchamel sauce. Double the recipe and make another tray at the same time, then freeze in portions for later. It will make those days when you get home late super-easy.

These hash browns can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner. The wholesome savoury flavours of sweet potato team like a dream with almond meal, eggs and shallots. Just add your favourite accompaniments and you’ll have a meal you’ll go to bed dreaming about!

As a beginner baker I truly believe simple recipes like loaves are a great introduction to the kitchen. You can keep the ingredients simple and then charge up the flavour with delicious spices. In this recipe I’ve done just that with a twist on a traditional carrot cake using wholesome ingredients and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Here’s a sweeter style of risotto that combines antioxidant-rich black rice with coconut milk and spices for a comforting treat.