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Any kind of poached or honey-glazed fruit goes well with creamy rice.

Family Fave! A pie is the perfect way to feed the masses.

A roasted root vegetable salad will still taste great as leftovers the next day.

Virgin Mary is a fun beverage to brighten up your day at work. Keep some Tabasco sauce in one of your desk drawers and add a few drops right before you drink it.

The salty feta balances out the sweetness of the dates, basil and cherry tomatoes.

These almond power bars make a terrific schoolbox snack for the kids!

To make lunchtime morsels, add a few rocket leaves to the mix with the salmon, then bake in regular-sized muffin tins.

Toppings could include pickled peppers, gherkins, Swiss cheese or herby butter.

You can also add fresh blueberries or diced apple to this recipe.

Muffins can take you from breakfast to dessert and every snack in between, so line up the tins and get a batch (or two) going.

If you’re after a quick fix, ditch the syrup and serve these heated with ice cream or natural yoghurt.

Mike’s Top Tips: The yoghurt sorbet isn’t an instant dessert as it takes a while to freeze, so best to make it the day before you want to eat it. Try freezing this delicious sorbet in a metal container as the metal will act as a temperature conductor, freezing the sorbet twice as fast as […]

Light and full of bold tropical flavours, this soft mousse cake has a melt-in-the-mouth texture with a healthy, crunchy base.

Mandarins are a burst of sweet freshness on a crisp winter’s day. During winter, they’re abundant and inexpensive to buy, and if you’re lucky enough you might have a mandarin tree at home dripping with deep orange orbs. Make the most of them

Succulent chicken schnitzel drizzled with mayonnaise and enjoyed in a doughy bread roll. What more could you want? It's the 20 minute wonder you'll be making again and again.

These light and fluffy cupcakes have a twist: the addition of pieces of rhubarb. They take just half an hour to make but are such a tasty treat you'll wish you made more.

The flavours of this fresh salad brighten the whole meal.

So cheesy! Googly-eyed puffs and chewy, tasty scrolls go down a treat with adult guests too.

This colourful, cheeky caterpillar will be the star of the show – and he’s great fun to make.

The trick is to get the icing colours just right (try gel colours from cake shops). Finish with marshmallows and chocolate coins.

These toasted scrolls will go down a treat with little and big partygoers. Thin slices of salami instead of ham work well too. The melted butter gives them a golden, toasted colour but use spray oil if you prefer. Note

A crisp base and sweet citrus syrup make this almond cheesecake a divine dessert for all.

Beef things up at home with this sizzling, delicious dinner.

Mums spend so much time looking after everyone, why not return the favour? Celebrate Mother’s Day in style with a special afternoon tea shared with close friends and family.

Easy to freeze and defrost when you please!

Wrap this slice with kitchen paper and string to add to the sense of occasion.

Cut down the calories in your cooked breakfast.

Warm savoury treats always go down well at a party, so make plenty or prepare ahead and freeze. These tartlets have a simple base, but the creamy feta and sweet-and-sour onions make them flashy and flavourful. Note

This healthy pudding uses beetroot to keep it moist and sweet.

To make chocolate banana boats, chop 100g dark eating chocolate. Cut banana, not all the way through, in half lengthwise. Fill slit with chocolate pieces; wrap banana in foil to enclose. Cook as recipe directs. Note

Use pink salmon instead of red salmon. If making ahead, add a little lemon juice to avocado to prevent discolouring Serve as an entree in hollowed avocado halves. Note

Aigroissade is a French term for cooked mixed vegetables served with aioli (garlic mayonnaise). It can be served warm or temperature. Note

In Step 3, cover top of mixture with cling wrap while cooling to help stop skin forming. No time to make ice-cream? Slightly soften a ready-made tub, add our flavourings and re-freeze. Note

Wines with great purity are best paired with this delicate dish. Note

WINE MATCH: Try the new 2010 Jacob’s Creek Moscato ($15) – the low alcohol content and perfumed nose make it a winner with this summery dessert. If you’re looking for something a little more exotic, try the 2009 Dopff au Moulin Gewurztraminer ($18), which is floral and gently spiced. Note

Makes 20 squares. Note

Dates make this cake super moist and full of flavour without being heavy.

The super bowl! Curl up on cold nights with a heart-warming meal in hand

This recipe works just as well as part of a hearty breakfast or lunch.

Easter is a perfect time of year to gather friends and family for a festive lunch or satisfying supper – after a day of egg hunting, of course! These simple, elegant recipes are sure to please.

A great meal to make when entertaining, this is all cooked in the oven, leaving you more time to mingle.

This indulgent seasonal dessert, layered with fresh fruit, is ripe for the picking.

Easter feast! Save room for this tempting celebratory spread. Stain eggs with a delicate pattern by soaking them in tea.

This may look complicated, but it’s really easy to make. It looks stunning, and best of all, it can be made in advance and frozen until it’s ready to serve. Try different combinations of fillings, such as fresh berries and whipped cream, or replace the coffee with cocoa and use orange zest or almonds too. […]

Chutney and a green salad give this tasty meal a refreshing edge.

Salad ingredients can easily be added and substituted – use your imagination!

Become acquainted with these tasty and versatile staples

The kids will love creating their very own marshmallows for dessert.

Pulses, legumes, grains and seeds are great off-the-shelf staples that add bulk, fibre and valuable nutrients to your diet. Try these light and hearty recipes to kickstart a new way of cooking.

Catch of the day! Reel in your guests with dinner and dessert made on the barbie

You could also use apples or add spices and flaked almonds to the mix.

This salad makes a simple lunch or supper that’s sure to satisfy.

A surplus of kale in the garden inspired this innovative take on an old favourite.

Jazz up your next big breakfast with the eye-opening flavours of lemon and chilli.

The combination of beetroot, creamy feta and crunchy walnuts work perfectly together in these delicious pastry tarts - perfect for a tasty snack, a quick lunch or a light dinner.

Serve this slice with coffee after your main, or save for morning tea.

Tangy mayo adds a refreshing zing to these quick and easy fish burgers.

Super easy, with toasted sesame flavours, this recipe works well as a lunch dish for the ladies or a flash family meal.

Substitute tuna for salmon, if preferred. Note

You don't need to miss out on a nutritious and delicious dinner when you're lost for time after work. With juicy chicken that's packed with flavour this recipe is a crowd-pleaser.

For flavour, add a strip of orange peel or use dried fruit and let it infuse and swell in the syrup.

Chunky-cut vegetables in this relish make a hearty, satisfying addition to many meals.

Ginger and mint are a classic combo. Pair them with honey and soda water for a sensational drink.

I know it’s not the old-fashioned way of making jam, but it is fool proof and sometimes you just need to know it’s going to work and set perfectly. You can use either fresh berries (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries) but also thawed frozen berries. I used half and half. The little knob of butter […]

Share some love with this totally dishy salmon meal.

For lunchboxes or dessert, this biscuit recipe is wonderfully versatile.

When time is limited, make your baking work for you. These recipes will take you from afternoon tea to dessert!

Can-do dinner. There’s a reason this BBQ cooking method is still a hit – because it’s great!

This two-tone brownie is a delectable twist on the classic recipe and can be easily dressed up as a decadent dessert.

This two-tone brownie is a delectable twist on the classic recipe and can be easily dressed up as a decadent dessert.

A pot of coffee or tea and a plate of home baking can give an otherwise drab afternoon a bit of a rise.

Fill up on this hearty vegetarian delight bursting with bright flavours and colours.

This jelly should have distinct layers. The clear lemon jelly contrasts with the spongy honeycomb base. Don’t worry if the mixture curdles – it’s meant to. Note

You could use most stone fruit for these wonderful turnovers, but nothing quite gives the intensity of colour like the humble plum. Serve piping hot, with ice-cream.

Thai basil can be replaced with regular basil if you prefer. Add beansprouts for crunch. Note

Packed full of nutrition, these afternoon bliss balls are the perfect guilt-free 3pm pick-me-up!

This technique for cooking the salmon is simple, packed with flavour and it’s also a healthy option. The recipe will also work well with other whole fish, such as snapper, hapuku or cod, or with fillets.

Substitute dates for apricots, and vanilla essence for lemon rind, if desired. Note

These festive goodies are so delicious and healthy there's no need to hold back. And they're gluten-free and dairy-free too.

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

This gluten-free stuffing has endless variations. Add nuts or dried fruit, and other herbs and spices. To tie up a chicken, place it on its back. Pull skin over neck and secure by folding wing tips back over skin. Run string around wings and underneath to cross over back. Turn chicken over and bring string […]

Tuna mornay recipes are always a handy go-to when you need something quick and simple that has broad appeal.

Not suitable to freeze .Not suitable to microwave Note

Beef brisket is an inexpensive cut of meat. Ask your butcher to remove most of the excess fat from the beef. This recipe can be prepared two days ahead, up to the final frying stage. This recipe is based on one from Tai Woo Restaurant in Hong Kong, winter of the beef category in the […]

You can whip up these mini fruit mince cupcakes in a flash with just 15 minutes baking time. They're a great addition to a festive spread at Christmas, and a welcome treat all year round!