SALAD ASSEMBLY CAN HAPPEN AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT THE PREP CAN HAPPEN THE DAY BEFORE IF ALL STORED CORRECTLY. PRAWNS IN A SEALED TUPPERWARE CONTAINER, NO ICE. GREEN MANGO, WOMBOK CABBAGE, CUCUMBER AND HERBS STORED IN SEPARATE CONTAINERS WITH DAMP PAPER TOWEL AND A TIGHT FITTING LID ON TOP.

USING A SMALL FOOD PROCESSOR/BLENDER, COMBINE ALL DRESSING INGREDIENTS AND PUREE TIL CHUNKY BUT CONSISTENT. YOU CAN OMIT THE CHILLI FOR A FAMILY FRIENDLY VERSION, AND REPLACE THE FISH SAUCE WITH 1TBSP OF LIGHT SOY FOR A VEGETARIAN OPTION.

The COVID lockdowns upended our lives during these past two years. We were forced to adjust, making dramatic changes to our daily routine. A lot of it was annoying and restrictive. But not all. It allowed many of us to slow down and finally adopt the healthy lifestyle habits that we simply didn’t have time for previously. Here are five lockdown habits that you should keep when life gets back to normal.

THIS IS A FAVOURITE SUMMER TIME SPAGHETTI DISH. IT USES ALREADY COOKED SEAFOOD THAT IS GENTLY WARMED IN A SPICY TANGY HERBY WHITE WINE & TOMATO SAUCE. YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE CRUSTACEAN OR EVEN SWITCH IT OUT FOR CLAMS, LETTING IT SIMMER TILL THEY POP. IT’S QUITE A SIMPLE DISH BUT VERY IMPRESSIVE. THE CRUSTY BREAD HELPS WITH THE POST PASTA SAUCE MOP UP. 

After another crazy year, the silly season is on our doorstep once again. That means that your health and fitness routine is about to be challenged. But it doesn’t mean that it has to be upended. Here are four tips to help you to, not just survive, but thrive through the silly season.

Most people tell me they find tofu quite boring and bland, and in truth, it is. It’s very far from a flavour explosion on it’s own. Tofu is very much a carrier for flavours. Use it alongside a gravy or salad dressing or within a curry, and it really shines.

Pan frying firm tofu is a must for me. It gives it that added crunchy texture, but it’s something you don’t have to do if you’d prefer not too. For this tofu chickpea curry, you do need to use firm or hard tofu. Soft or silken varieties simply will not work. If you’re the type of person that is skeptical of this soy-based protein source, I would recommend firm tofu as your place to start. Particularly with this recipe as the saucy curry gravy gives something for the tofu to absorb.

Snack foods will either make or break your healthy eating ambitions. Snacking is a natural part of life, but unhealthy snacking doesn’t have to be. By giving your snack times a little forethought and preparation, you can actually make them an opportunity to add nutrient dense calories to your system that improve your health. Here are 6 healthy snack recipes that will add a sumptuous healthy delight to your day and that you can prepare in just a few minutes. 

Fish burgers are so simple and easy to make, but incredibly moreish. I love burgers and these are more on the lighter side, served with fresh lettuce in a brioche bun.

Here’s a 45 minute bodyweight only workout that will work both your aerobic and your anaerobic system. It’s called 9BX and is a modification of a military training workout. You perform each of 9 exercises for 5 sets using 30/30 intervals. That means that you work for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds to a total of 5 minutes per exercise. Move from one exercise to the next without any rest. Perform as many reps as you can during each interval and record the number of reps so you can work to beat your scores when you repeat this workout.

Like many southeast Asian dishes, the combination of sweet, tangy, spicy and salty works well as a dressing to liven up your vegetables. This recipe can also be made in advance, just reserve the dressing and toss it through before you plan on serving.

Working from home may sound like a great alternative to the daily office commute but it does present several wellbeing challenges. These include feelings of isolation. motivation problems, unexpected disruptions, and maintaining a work / life balance. Here are five tips to help you maintain your mental and physical wellbeing while working from home.

Beef short ribs are a great, affordable cut of meat. The trick is, they require a longer, slower cook. So if you have time on your hands then you’ll find ribs the perfect ingredient. Alternatively, you could make chuck steak work for your too, but if you can find ribs, make them your first choice.

If you’re looking for a rapid fire cardio workout to burn mega calories while also boosting your heart and lung efficiency, you can’t do much better than kettlebells. Kettlebells will elevate the heart rate, activate your major muscle groups and keep your heart rate at more than 50 percent of its maximum. They will also challenge your body’s stability in a way that you can’t get with dumbbells or machines. In this article, I’ll lay out a killer kettlebell cardio workout that you can complete inside of 15 minutes.

The spinach and ricotta combination is an age old favourite; combine it with any type of crunchy pastry and you’ve got a winner. The addition of artichoke adds another texture to the pie, as well as the crunch of the pine nuts. This pie is encased in a thin, crackly filo pastry – a very forgiving ingredient that brings about that rustic feel to any dish it graces.

To make pickled onions, whisk together first four ingredients in a bowl. Pour over sliced red onions and leave for minimum one hour. You can place onions and liquid in a sterilised jar and into the fridge if you are pickling for more than an hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Scoop out the seeds of your pumpkin. Leave skin on. Cut into one centimetre slices and place on prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and toss to coat. Roast for 40 minutes until soft. Once cooked, remove and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, place pistachios into a dry fry pan over a medium to high heat. Toast for five minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool before roughly chopping.

To make the dressing: whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Add water slowly, whisking in between each addition until dressing reaches a pourable consistency.

To assemble salad: in a large bowl (or four individual plates), layer baby spinach with roasted and cooled pumpkin, chickpeas, chopped pistachios, crumbled feta and pickled onions. Drizzle with tahini dressing and serve immediately.

Working from home has become a reality for many of us over the last few years. The transition from working in an office to having an office at home brings with it many benefits. However, there are also challenges. One of them relates to exercise. Previously, you may have hit the gym on your way to or from work. But now you don’t have to leave the house at all. If you’re not careful your well cultivated workout routine can soon go out the window. Here are four things you can do to make time to workout out when you’re working from home. 

Sandwiches are great, they hold all the delicious things in between two slices of bread, and for something a little wild, a crunchy bread roll or chewy bagel. Make the filling to this bagel a day in advance and load up your bagel the morning of. Happy lunching.

You may not realise it, but there’s a war going on inside your gut. There are about 20 billion combatants and they’re in diametrically opposed camps; good bacteria and bad bacteria.

The sad news is that, for most of us, the good bacteria are hugely outnumbered. This is largely due to the Standard Western Diet, with its emphasis on high-glycemic carbohydrates, something which bad bacteria absolutely love.

The good news is that we’re able to come to the aid of our good bacteria with the smart use of enzymes and probiotics.

Everyone loves a Parmi and this roast eggplant version is so simple, a little lighter & doesn’t doesn’t disappoint.

Delicious, versatile & a nutritional powerhouse. If you’re not already cooking with fennel, you absolutely should be. The whole thing is edible - bulb, stalks & fonds - shaved raw, sautéed, roasted, pickled, braised, soups, pasta, with fish, seafood, or any meat. When slow cooked and served in this Fennel, Potato & Leek Gratin, It’s flavour is transformed and it becomes meaty, caramelised & sweet.

Coffee, like most things, is good in moderation. When it comes to a Cuppa Joe, however, a lot of people find it difficult to moderate their coffee consumption. Excess coffee consumption can lead to such problems as anxiety, insomnia, digestive problems and energy crashes. As a result, some people decide to go cold turkey on coffee. So, what happens when you give up on coffee?