Vegetable dish

Traditionally made in China with local sausage and sweet potatoes, we found kumara and spicy pork sausage from the supermarket worked a treat.

Serve with bacon or sausages. Replace chives with basil, parsley or green onions. Egg-white omelets are best made just before serving. For perfectly round omelets, cook them in oiled egg rings or a 7cm round cookie cutter. Note

Health tip: For better heart health, use reduced-fat dairy spread instead of butter. Note

Use firm tofu, but one that has d smooth creamy texture (sometimes called Chinese tofu). Note

Using a V-slicer or mandolin makes slicing onions quick and easy. If slicing by hand, halve lengthwise first to make slicing easier. Note

Serve with whole roast fish or chicken. Note

Light, crispy and wonderfully moorish, enjoy these tasty homemade kumara chips as a healthier version of the once-naughty snack.

Use yellow capsicum instead of red; chopped regular roma tomato instead of mini. Note

Use baby spinach leaves or fresh herbs instead of rocket. Use any type of canned beans in this recipe. Note

You’ll need to process 4 slices of day-old white bread to make 1 3/4 cups breadcrumbs. Buy fresh ricotta at the deli counter. Don’t use smooth ricotta (sold in tubs); it has a higher moisture content. Note

Save time: Use the shredding attachment on your food processor to shred cabbage thinly. Note

Use a packet of mixed Asian vegetables from the fridge in the vegies section to save time. Try dried egg noodles instead. Note

Try zucchini or green beans instead of capsicum. Canned cherry tomatoes in juice are in the canned vegetables aisle; use canned diced tomatoes if unavailable. Canned beans are packed in salty brine. Always drain and rinse the beans before you use them. You can use any variety of canned beans in place of another in […]

Replace kumara with pumpkin. Add a thinly sliced fresh long red chilli. Note

This is comfort food with a twist.

Prepare all vegetables a day ahead. Coat with sugar and herbs before baking. To reduce staining other vegetables with beetroot, leave a little of the stem on when trimming. Use rosemary, thyme or sage instead of lemon thyme. You can also use green capsicum, parsnip or potato. Note

You could use chopped unsalted peanuts instead of hazelnuts. Try goat cheese instead of feta, mixed salad instead of rocket. Price will vary. To slice onion very thinly, use a mandolin or V-shaped cutter. Note

Use 3/4 cup grated tasty cheese instead of parmesan. Low fat: Omit cream. Use light dairy spread instead of butter. Use reduced-fat parmesan and milk. Note

Serve salsa with char-grilled or pan-fried pork steak, cutlet or chop, beef steak or fish fillet. Note

This recipe uses Jap pumpkin, but, you could use butternut, Kent or blue, if preferred. Note

Tomato ‘passsata’ is a cooked tomato concentrate. Tomato paste can be substituted. Lebanese bread, pita bread or naan make good alternative pizza bases. Note

Use a finely chopped onion if you don’t have a leek. Make croutons by toasting crestless bread and cutting into cubes. Alternatively, fry cubes of bread in a little oil or butter until golden. Note

The batter can made in a food processor or blender if preferred. Note

Add some chopped bacon or pancetta and crushed garlic to the pan with the onion if desired. Note

You can use other cheeses, like gruyere and swiss cheese. Note

Onion, swede or sweet potato may be added to this mixture. Note

Mixed bean salad is one of those quintessential summer picnic foods. This simple and delicious mixed bean salad is so easy to make, full of flavour and perfect as a side dish.

Use all lentils and add more chilli for extra bite, if preferred. Note

Before adding spinach, place in a sieve and press out excess liquid with a spoon. Cup mushrooms are larger than button mushrooms, deeper in colour and flavour, and great for stuffing. Note

We used a mixture of button, shiitake, oyster and enoki, but you can use any varieties of mushroom you prefer. Note

Looking for a delicious brunch recipe? Using simple ingredients like sweet tomatoes, chilli-stuffed olives, fresh parsley and tuna, these stuffed tomatoes are ideal for a light brunch.

Delicious soft and tender tofu patties with a light crispy outside served with Thai salsa makes the ideal healthy summer lunch or snack as they�re jam-packed with flavour.

Brought to you by Woman's Day, this stir-fry noodle dish is laced with veges and topped with roasted peanuts for extra flavour.

Always remove bay leaves before serving. Note

Use any bread you prefer to make croutons. If liked, add some shredded barbecue chicken. Note

You’ll need about 2 zucchinis and 1 carrot for this recipe. Pepitas are edible pumpkin seeds with hulls removed, commonly used in Mexican cooking. They are available salted, roasted or raw. Note

Then making the stacks, use the larger slices at the base and the smaller ones at the tap. Note

Refried beans have many uses in Mexican cookery – think of them as potatoes or rice with the wonderful health benefit of protein.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

If liked, flake a 185g can tuna through bean mixture, or simply use some leftover bolognese sauce topped with mashed avocado and tasty cheese. Note

If you prefer a cheesy bechamel sauce, add 1/4 cup grated parmesan or tasty cheese to sauce while still hot, and stir until melted. Note

Packed full of crunchy nuts and nutrient-rich cauliflower, this flavoursome curry is delicious served on its own as a light meal or on the side of your favourite meat dish.

The dressing can be added before chilling the salad. Toss noodles through just before serving. Note

For roti, combine 1 1/3 cups plain flour, 3/4 cup ghee and 1/3 cup warm water in a large bowl. Mix well and roll into 4 balls. Wrap in plastic and rest for 1 hour. Roll balls out to a circle about 0.5cm thick. Shallow fry in oil for 3-4 minutes each side, until golden. […]

Indulgent and delicious deep-fried eggplant fingers with creamy homemade aioli are a tasty alternative to potato fries and are sure to go down a treat with the whole family.

Secure rolls with a toothpick if needed. Pancetta or prosciutto can be used in place of ham. Note

You need about 1/2 cup ciabatta bread chunks. Note

You can also use smaller cup mushrooms in this recipe to make finger food. Note

To make these in the oven, spread in a single layer on an oven tray and bake at 200°C 25-30 minutes. Turn after 20 minutes and baste with marinade. Note

This recipe traditionally uses marrows. These are light green, smooth-skinned. slender squash very similar to zucchini and will take about 15 minutes longer to cook. Note

This deliciously simple mixed bean salad recipe is so easy to make yet full of incredible flavours. Perfect as a side, mixed bean salad is a quintessentail summer picnic food.

This is one of the most delicious and popular potato dishes for a gathering. Bake more than is needed and bundle in tinfoil packs for guests to take home.

Ready in 20 minutes, serves 4. 800g agria potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes; 1 tsp salt; 50g butter; 1 cup milk...

Make your own pesto using a hand processor to blend together a handful of basil leaves, parmesan and pine nuts with a drizzle of olive oil. Note

Try half potato and half sweet potato. Note

Place baking dish on a tray in oven as it may bubble over. Note

Cover tortellini with a damp cloth to prevent them drying out. This recipe will make about 30 tortellini. Note