Vegetable dish

Delicious! Cut the vegetables into even pieces so they cook at the same rate.

Be sure to add the milk in smaller increments to slowly thin out the sauce, and whisk constantly.

Couscous is generally served with a savoury stew on top, but it’s also delicious eaten for dessert. Note

To make this with fish, use 500g white fish fillets. Note

These popular pickled vegetables are great served as part of an antipasto selection or with boiled meats or ham. Try giardiniera on beef or sausage sandwiches, and with cheese, dips, in pasta sauces, or even as a homemade pizza topping. Note

Add a little bite to this soup by serving it with grated vintage chedder instead of parmesan. Note

Canned tomatoes are convenient, plus because they have been cooked and processed, their level of lycopene is higher than that of fresh tomatoes. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and is responsible for making tomatoes red. It has been found to reduce the risk of some cancers, particularly prostate cancer. Note

Warm, and zesty, these flavoursome potatoes are crispy on the outside, fluffy on the middle, and are the ultimate comfort food or warming side dish for your next roast dinner.

Creamy mushroom ragu with spinach is mouth-watering delicious. Perfect for a quick mid-week meal for the family.

A simple but sophisticated starter or side dish, this classic combination of fresh pumpkin, creamy mozzarella and tangy crispy prosciutto is stylish but easy and quick to make.

Classic and delicious combination of fresh pumpkin, creamy mozzarella and tangy crispy prosciutto topped with crisp sage leaves creates a simple but sophisticated starter or side dish.

Packed full of flavour, this Swedish potato gratin is the ultimate comfort food for the whole family. Serve on it's own straight from the oven, or enjoy as a side dish with your favorite roast meat.

In these enlightened times we feast in all manner of ways on the 25th. But the traditional New Zealand Christmas dinner of a perfectly glazed ham, carrots, spuds and peas followed by a berry-packed and boozily indulgent trifle is still incredibly hard to beat. Sophie Gray aces a classic

Add a dash of pizazz to your table with this colourful, fresh and healthy layered vegie dish.

Eleanor Ozich adds a gluten-free twist to traditional Christmas fare

The perfect side dish to any roast dinner, these gorgeous brown sugar and orange glazed carrots are wonderfully sweet and packed full of flavour. You'll have the whole family reaching for more!

Julie Biuso adds a dash of pizazz to vegetable sides, ensuring your summer dining table is alive with colourful, fresh and healthy flavours. Imaginative vegetable sides can turn a meal into a fabulous feast. We’re not talking plain boiled carrots – we’re talking flavour, colour and attitude. Bring in ginger, spices and chilli for a little zing; nuts for the crunch factor; edible flower petals for colour; then yellow and red capsicum to contrast with the green vegetables.

Trim about 5cm from the ends of the spinach stalks and throw them away. Check before adding any salt, as smoked chicken can be quite salty already. Note

Use button mushrooms only for the kids, as they might find the taste of some types, such as shiitake, too strong or dislike their appearance. Note

Roasting the vegetables for the ratatouille helps them caramelise and melt in the mouth. Note

If you don’t have any garam masala, use 2/3 teaspoon ground cardamom and 1/3 teaspoon ground cumin instead. If kaffir lime leaf is unavailable, substitute the grated rind of 1 lemon. Note

Salad onions have a softer flavour than regular onions. Alternatively, finely slice 1 leek and cook in the same way. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. When cooking cauliflower, a light-handed treatment is best. It contains sulphur compounds similar to that of cabbage, which break down as they cook, releasing an odour that strengthens the longer they are cooked. Note

Frying cauliflower with an aromatic mix of chillli, garlic and anchovies makes it a tasty dish in its own right. Top with parsley and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Not suitable to freeze. Suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Kumara suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Harissa is available at selected supermarkets and delicatessens. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

Served either hot or cold, this dish of cauliflower and chilli with salty anchovies, lemon and garlic is a fantastic way to pack a huge amount of flavour into this humble vegetable.

These are perfect for an entrée or starter.

Not suitable to freeze. Brussels sprouts suitable to microwave. Note

Wraps are the ultimate DIY dinner. Sarah Bowman sets out the blueprint so there’ll be no disasters

Chilli and herb swede crush

Not suitable to freeze. Pumpkin suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Note

Rice or risoni can be used instead of barley. Note

Toast your own pine nuts by quickly dry-frying them in a pan on high. Note

Vegetarian eating has never been easier or more enticing than with this fragrant, Thai inspired, red curry soup.

This vegetarian and gluten-free vegetable dish is quick, easy, and oh so tasty. Whip up as a snack, side or starter accompanied by the creamy lemon, coriander and avocado dip.

This side salad is made spectacular by adding a little twist to the vegetables. Try pickling for a new depth of flavour.

A little bit fancy, but still simple to throw together, this intensely flavoursome dish is an absolute treat for any occasion.

Salads fit the bill during summer months because they’re healthy, light to eat and most are quickly put together. Use really fresh ingredients – the contents of the fridge at the end of a week just will not do.