Nadia’s

COMFORT
KITCHEN
Hi Guys!
They say every cloud has a silver lining. Well, I’ve been blown away with how many people
(even those who never cooked much before) have found a new love and joy for cooking as a
result of lockdown. Suddenly everyone has been making their own bread, baking with their
kids, cooking dinner every night… Without takeaways and shops at our fingertips, we have all
started spending a lot more time in the kitchen, becoming a lot more resourceful with what we
have, and less wasteful. And enjoying lots of great food in our bubbles!
It was on about day three of lockdown I started getting the itch to help in some way – I
figured to help keep people at home (and eating well) we all needed a good batch of easy,
delicious, FLEXIBLE recipes that used what we had in our pantry, fridge and freezer. I put up a
little video on social media of making a Chickpea, Potato & Pea Curry and it went crazy.
The next day, I got a call from the production company Warner Brothers NZ asking if I would
be keen on making a TV cooking show during lockdown! Without thinking about the hurdles
of making a TV show with no film crew and no production experience, I thought, ‘If this is
going to help, why not?!’ And 48 hours later our bubble was straight into filming the first
episode. Carlos was cameraman (using my phone), and 3-year-old Bodhi and 1-year-old River
were my kitchen ‘helpers’. Most of the time, at least one of them was in the kitchen cooking
with me simply because if we didn’t separate them, they would fight and make such a racket
that we couldn’t film! (Fact: to help keep them quiet while they were on ‘set’, we went through
about 5 kg of frozen peas and at least a kilogram of chocolate throughout the series.) After
filming we would upload the footage from my phone (via very slow internet) to an editing
team.
Anyway, we got through the 10 episodes and 30 recipes, and you guys were such a big part
of it all throughout – I’ve been blown away with your feedback, your love, your support, and
how freakin’ awesome you’ve been in the kitchen whipping up all that delicious food. It felt
to me like we were all in one gigantic ‘cooking bubble’ together! So…this little cookbook is
for you, to say THANK YOU for being part of the Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen bubble. I hope it
brought some light and fun to your lockdown life, like it did to ours. And I want to encourage
you to keep cooking, keep sharing delicious food around the table with your friends and
wha�nau, keep being resourceful with what you’ve got and less wasteful... Let’s keep this going
way past lockdown ending.
So promise me you’ll keep it up!

Big hugs and love to you, my lockdown kitchen buddies,

NADIA X
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Contents
ITALIAN AT HOME
Who doesn’t love Italian food?...and I know there’s
plenty of quintessential Italian ingredients in every Kiwi
kitchen. This gnocchi, taught to me by my old Italian
boss Ciro, became famous during lockdown. Nice work
everyone on nailing gnocchi – you’ll never have to buy
the packet stuff again!
GNOCCHI page 6
QUICK ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE page 10
PANNA COTTA WITH BERRIES page 12
KIDS DRIVING YOU BANANAS?!
Looking after the kids 24/7 during lockdown made
me go bananas at times! I find one of the best ways to
keep my little boys busy and happy is to get ’em in the
kitchen and make banana muffins. Here are a few kiddie
favourites that will keep little hands busy helping in the
kitchen but will also appeal to taste buds of all ages.
BANANA & CHOCOLATE MUFFINS page 16
CREAMY TUNA PASTA BAKE page 20
CHEESE & CHUTNEY SCROLLS page 22
RAINY DAY COMFORT
When winter starts setting in and it’s cold and rainy
outside, these recipes are guaranteed to comfort you
and your loved ones. This chicken soup is one of the
most flexible recipes you’ll ever make, and the rice
pudding is a great way to use up leftover rice.
SIMPLE CHICKEN SOUP page 26
HOME-MADE BREAD ROLLS page 28
COCONUT RICE PUDDING
WITH SPICED PINEAPPLE page 32
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DATE NIGHT IN
When you can’t go out on a date...have a date night at
home! Here’s a great menu – make the Moroccan Apricot
Chicken ahead and serve with mash for a kids’ early dinner,
then later you can relax and enjoy yours with a glass of
wine, and a simple but stunning dessert afterwards.
MOROCCAN APRICOT CHICKEN page 34
MOROCCAN ROAST VEG TOSS page 36
AFFOGATO page 38
BACKYARD PICNIC
Eating in our amazing outdoors is one of life’s simple
pleasures, I reckon. Food tastes even better when you
take it on a picnic. And there’s no reason why that picnic
can’t be in your own backyard! These recipes make
perfect picnic tucker and will be enjoyed by all ages.
APPLE & CRANBERRY SAUSAGE ROLLS page 40
FRIDGE SLAW page 46
OATY CARAMEL & CHOCOLATE SLICE page 48
INDIAN TAKEAWAY NIGHT
Towards the end of lockdown we really started to miss
being able to call up and order some local takeaway
(Indian is always a fav), but you can make GREAT Indian
takeaways at home, even your own garlic butter naan
bread. These recipes are easy-peasy and the curries
freeze well so you can always whip it out of the freezer for
an even-quicker-than-getting-takeaways meal!
CHICKEN SAAGWALA page 52
CHICKPEA, POTATO & PEA CURRY page 54
GARLIC BUTTER FLATBREADS page 58
MANGO LASSI page 60
LOCKDOWN BIRTHDAY PARTY
I bet most bubbles passed at least one milestone during
lockdown. For us that was my little big boy Bodhi’s fourth
birthday. To celebrate we held our own mini pirate party
with a special menu requested by Bodhi – chocolate
cake, pizza and strawberry milkshakes! This chocolate
cake is a great allergy-friendly cake (being dairy and egg
free), so it’s a fantastic one for kids’ birthday parties.
EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE page 64
MINI PIZZAS page 68
ULTIMATE STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKES page 74
BRUNCH IN YOUR BUBBLE
Enjoy a delicious brunch in the comfort of your own
home with a menu that’s tasty and a little special, but
is simple and easy enough to make with kitchen staples
so you don’t have to dash out to the shops to get any
ingredients. (And you can hang out in your pyjamas
and slippers instead!)
BOMBAY POTATO BREKKY page 98
MEXICAN STREET CORN FRITTERS page 102
BREAKFAST FRUIT CRUMBLE page 106

MOVIE NIGHT IN
Whilst we were stuck at home in lockdown we found
planning little ‘events’ to look forward to a good way
to have a bit of fun. One of them was ‘movie night’.
We watched The Snowman since it had snowed that
morning, and made a yummy dinner and dessert to have
before making popcorn to snack on during the movie.

HOMEMADE HUMMUS page 76

MEATBALLS, KASUNDI &
CARROT SALAD page 78
AQUAFABA CHOCOLATE MOUSSE page 82
MAPLE PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN page 84

TROPICAL STAYCATION
In lieu of not being able to escape on holiday to
somewhere warm, these easy, simple recipes will take
your taste buds to a more tropical climate!

QUICK SATAY SKEWERS page 88

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE page 92
TROPICAL POPS page 96
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GNOCCHI
Gnocchi, best described as little morsels of potato pasta, is much easier and quicker to make than you
might think. It only uses a handful of ingredients, most of which you’re likely to have at home. Usually
I use Italian ‘00’ flour (which is a very finely milled flour) as it makes the best pasta, but standard plain
flour works too.

SERVES 3-4 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place whole potatoes on an oven tray and bake
Prep time: 30 minutes for about 1 hour (depending on the size of potatoes) until very tender
Cook time: 15 minutes (+ 1 hour to — test with a skewer or tip of a sharp knife; it should poke right through
roast potatoes) with no resistance.

GNOCCHI
700–800g Agria (or other floury)
potatoes, scrubbed (leave skin
on)
1 egg
¾ teaspoon salt
150g ‘00’ Italian flour or plain
flour
TO GRILL & SERVE
Quick Italian tomato sauce (see
page 10)
a good handful of grated cheese
(e.g. mozzarella, Edam, Colby,
Tasty etc)
a small handful of grated
parmesan (if you have it)
2. Cut potatoes in half and peel off the skins or scoop out the flesh while
still warm. Push warm potato flesh through a potato ricer or a sieve
(with the help of the back of a large spoon) into a large bowl. This
ensures light gnocchi; whatever you do, do not mash the potato as it’ll
make your gnocchi dense and lumpy.
3. Add egg and salt and mix in well with a fork. Sift in flour and use
your hands to bring together as a soft dough. Add a little more flour
if needed — it should feel dry to the touch, but not crumbly, and feel
lovely and soft. Knead just a few times, then cut into six pieces.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece out into a log about 30cm
long, then cut into bite-sized 2cm pieces. The gnocchi are ready to cook
just like this or, if you wish, gently push the tip of your thumb into the
centre of each piece whilst gently rolling it, to make a little indent (this
makes the perfect little hollow for sauce to pool in). Place in a large
dish or on a tray (with a lip) dusted with flour, and shake pieces around
gently to coat. Set aside until ready to cook.

5. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rapid boil and preheat oven
to grill. While the water is coming to the boil, make Quick Italian
Tomato Sauce.

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 6. Drop about half of the gnocchi (one by one) into the boiling salted
water and cook until they bob to the surface. As soon as they float to the
surface, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer straight into
the pan of tomato sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

7. Once all the gnocchi are in the sauce, gently toss to coat in sauce and
top with cheese(es). Place under the oven grill for about 5 minutes or
until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• You can use the same amount of orange kumara or pumpkin in place of
the potatoes. If the dough feels a little sticky, just add a bit more flour.
• The exact amount of flour you need will depend on the brand of flour
and the potatoes you’re using, so you may need to add a bit more flour.
Add extra flour sparingly – you want enough to hold the dough together,
but not so much that the gnocchi become dense and heavy.
• Make the dough with still-warm potatoes. This encourages the egg to
bind the dough.
• Handle your gnocchi gently. Overworking the dough develops the
gluten (which can make gnocchi more tough). Mix your dough and shape
it with a light touch.
• If this is your first time, it can be a good idea to cook a couple of gnocchi
before you shape and cook all of them. That way you can add more flour
to the dough if your testers fall apart.
• Do not over-cook the gnocchi – as soon as they bob/float to the surface,
remove them with a slotted spoon.
• You can freeze your gnocchi – freeze solid in a single layer on a tray lined
with baking paper, before placing in a sealed bag. When ready to cook,
simply pop them straight into rapidly boiling water to cook.
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QUICK ITALIAN TOMATO SAUCE
This Quick Italian Tomato Sauce is a great one to have up your sleeve as it can be used in so many dishes
from pasta to parmigiana. Simmering the tomatoes in the olive oil and garlic melds all the flavours
together and creates a real richness to the tomato sauce.

MAKES 2 CUPS (enough for 4 1. Heat olive oil in a large heatproof fry pan on medium heat. Sizzle
servings of pasta) garlic for 1 minute (do not let it brown), then stir in crushed tomatoes.
Prep time: 2 minutes Simmer gently for 15 minutes or so until thickened, and season to taste
Cook time: 15 minutes with salt and pepper. Stir through basil if using.

¼ cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 – 1 ½ 400g cans sieved, crushed or
chopped tomatoes
a good handful of basil leaves (if
you have it)

TIPS & SWAPS:

• If you don’t have fresh basil, you could use a pinch of dried herbs (e.g.
Oregano or mixed dried herbs) in the sauce.
• The sauce freezes well, so feel free to make up a big batch, portion and
freeze!
• If you have a glut of fresh tomatoes, roughly chop them and blitz in
a blender or food processor and use in place of the canned tomatoes.
You may need to cook it for longer to reduce the sauce and intensify its
flavour.
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PANNA COTTA WITH BERRIES
Panna cotta is a gorgeous, simple Italian dessert. ‘Panna cotta’ means ‘cooked cream’ in Italian.
However, you can break the rules and put a twist on this dessert by using what you have available (see
below for substitutions). For a tropical version you could use coconut milk or cream. I like to serve my
panna cotta with berries, but any fruit – fresh, frozen or canned – will do.

MAKES 6 PANNA COTTA
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 2 minutes
4 leaves gelatin (broken up) or 4
level teaspoons powdered gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1 ½ cups cream 
1 ½ cups milk (ideally full cream
milk, but any milk will do)
½ cup white or caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste,
extract or essence
1 ½ - 2 cups frozen berries, or 1 x
400g can boysenberries (reserve
juice)
1. In a small bowl, combine gelatin with cold water and leave for 5 minutes
or so to swell.
2. Meanwhile, combine cream, milk, sugar and vanilla in a medium-size
pot or saucepan and heat gently over low to medium heat, until it is just
about starting to simmer (it’s important not to let it get too hot and boil
or else you risk the fat separating).
3. Add swollen gelatin to the hot milk mixture and whisk gently until
well combined and all the gelatine has dissolved. Pour mixture into a
pouring jug (for easier pouring and less mess!).
4. Carefully pour mixture into serving glasses, teacups or greased
moulds, dividing equally. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or until
set with a slight wobble in the middle.
5. Tip berries into a small pot with a splash of water and 1-2 teaspoons
sugar or honey. Simmer for 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until
syrupy.
To serve, spoon some berries and syrup over each panna cotta. Your
beautifully simple dessert awaits!

Continued over the page

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 TIPS & SWAPS:
• Make sure your gelatin is completely dissolved – you don’t want any
lumps of gelatin, and you want to make sure your panna cotta sets!
• Make sure your milk/cream mixture does not boil – heat it gently until it
just starts to simmer. Always go slow and low when you heat cream for a
dairy-based dessert to avoid separation.
• While cream is preferred, panna cotta can also be made with milk, half-
and-half, and even low-fat options like yoghurt or buttermilk.
• You can also use dairy-free alternatives such as coconut milk (or cream),
soy milk, or nut milk (e.g. almond or hazelnut).
• You can use 4-6 tablespoons honey in place of sugar. Just add it
according to taste.
• If you’re using moulds, dip moulds into hot water briefly for 5-10
seconds, and run the blunt edge of a knife around the edge to separate
from the mould. Place a small serving plate on top of each panna cotta
and invert plate – the panna cotta should drop out.
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BANANA & CHOCOLATE MUFFINS
Treat yourself (and your little monkeys!) to these super-quick and easy, kid-friendly muffins. They’re so
easy the kids can make them themselves! Thanks to the Foodlovers.co.nz website which I adapted the
recipe from.
MAKES 12 MUFFINS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
2 cups self-raising flour (or use 2
cups plain or gluten-free flour
mixed with 2 ½ teaspoons baking
powder)
¾ cup brown, white or raw sugar
(or coconut sugar)
½ cup chopped chocolate (any
kind), chocolate buttons or
chocolate chips
2 ripe bananas, well mashed
1 egg
½ cup neutral oil (e.g. grapeseed,
canola, rice bran) or melted
butter
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk (of any kind)
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1. Preheat oven to 200degC and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases
(or if you don’t have any, just grease the holes with a little oil or butter).
2. Sieve flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar and chocolate.
3. In another bowl, mash bananas well, then mix in all remaining
ingredients.
4. Pour banana mixture into the flour mixture and mix gently until just
combined – do not over-mix (or you risk tough muffins). Spoon into
paper cases, dividing mixture equally, and bake for 12-15 minutes until
golden and the muffins spring back when lightly pressed in the centre
(which is a sign they’re cooked!). Leave in the pan for a few minutes
before removing to a wire rack to cool. Treat yourself and your little
monkeys!
TIPS & SWAPS:
• 1 ½ cups of sweetened apple puree or stewed apple can be used in place
of the mashed bananas.
• You can use ½ cup honey in place of the ¾ cup sugar.
• For light, fluffy muffins, the most important rule is to make sure you
don’t over-stir the mixture. What you really want is to just moisten the
ingredients. Resist the temptation to keep mixing the batter until it’s
smooth; in fact, some lumps in your batter mean you’re in for a lighter
muffin!
• Muffins freeze well. Just place in an airtight container or in a zip-lock bag.
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CREAMY TUNA PASTA BAKE
This meal is a kid favourite and a storecupboard star! It’s one you can quickly whip up for dinner in no
time and feed the kids early. It makes one large bake, or two medium ones (so you can always save one
for lunch or dinner the next day).

SERVES 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
400g pasta e.g. penne, bows,
rigatoni, macaroni
50g butter
1 large onion or leek (white part),
finely chopped
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 cups milk (of any kind)
1 cup grated cheese (e.g. Tasty,
Edam, Colby)
2 x 185g cans tuna (in water or oil),
drained, flaked
1 cup fresh, frozen or canned corn
kernels (drained)
1 cup frozen peas
1 head broccoli, cut into small
florets (optional, for more veg)
1 cup breadcrumbs (fresh or dried)
½ - 1 cup grated cheese (e.g. Tasty,
Edam, Colby)
¼ cup chopped parsley (optional,
but lovely)
1. Preheat oven to grill. Bring a large pot of boiling salted water to the
boil for the pasta. Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes or until al dente (just
cooked). In the last 2 minutes of cooking time, drop in broccoli florets
to cook with the pasta (if using).
2. Heat butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Cook onion/leek
for 5 minutes or so, until soft.
3. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon, for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in ½ cup
milk, and then gradually whisk in the rest of the milk. Simmer sauce,
whisking often, for about 3-5 minutes until thickened.
4. Turn off the heat and stir grated cheese into white sauce. Fold in tuna,
corn and peas and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Drain pasta (and broccoli if using) and toss with tuna sauce. Spoon
pasta into a large (or two medium) baking dish(es). Mix breadcrumbs,
grated cheese and parsley together and sprinkle on top of pasta. Pop
in the oven to grill for 5-10 minutes, until the top is golden. Yum, yum,
dinner’s up kids!

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CHEESE & CHUTNEY SCROLLS
Bake a batch for morning tea, a backyard picnic or for a baking project with the kids. You can go for
whatever filling you like. Try pesto and sundried tomato, or ham and pineapple, or go for a classic
marmite and cheese.

MAKES 16-20 SCROLLS
Prep time: 15 minutes (+ 1 hour to
make and rise dough)
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
1 quantity basic pizza dough (see
recipe on page 70)
½ - ¾ cup chutney or relish (e.g.
tomato relish, or a fruit chutney)
100 - 150g, chopped ham or 1 cup
cherry tomatoes (cut in half, with
the seeds squeezed out)
1 ½ cups grated cheese (e.g. Tasty,
Colby, Edam, grated mozzarella)
1 egg, whisked, or 2 tablespoons
milk, for brushing
1. Preheat the oven to 200degC and line a large oven tray with baking
paper.
2. Cut pizza dough in half and use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a
large rectangle (about 30cm x 25cm) on a lightly floured surface.
3. Spread each piece of dough with chutney, then top with ham/tomatoes
and sprinkle over cheese.
4. Carefully roll up each piece of dough lengthways (like a Swiss roll) to
form two long logs. Cut each log into 8-10 pieces and arrange, cut-side
up, in a spiral on baking tray. Brush the tops and sides with egg or milk
and bake for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• You can use 1/3 cup sweet chilli sauce or pesto instead of chutney/relish.
• Other fillings you could do include fresh, canned or frozen (and
defrosted) corn kernels or chopped cooked bacon, canned pineapple
(well drained), caramelised onions, or classic marmite and cheese.
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SIMPLE CHICKEN SOUP
How comforting is a steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup?... Whenever I make chicken soup I use
a whole chicken which makes a beautiful fresh stock, far nicer in flavour than any stock you could ever
buy. It is also so simple to make, and flexible with the vegetables and grains you add; so it’s great for
using up what’s in your fridge and pantry.

SERVES 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
1 whole chicken (size 14 or 16)
About 2 litres water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large leek (white part), or onion,
diced
5-6 cups diced vegetables (I like
to use a mix of carrot, pumpkin/
butternut, celery, courgette and
even frozen peas or corn!)
2-3 handfuls grains (e.g. Bulghur
wheat, barley, rice) pasta (e.g.
macaroni or risoni), or lentils or
beans
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs e.g.
parsley, coriander, marjoram,
oregano (not essential, but
lovely)
1. Place whole chicken in a large pot and cover with water and salt.
You might have to top the pot up with a bit more water to just about
cover the chicken. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil, then reduce heat
and simmer for 45-50 minutes until chicken is just cooked through.
Skim off any foamy scum that rises to the surface while the chicken is
cooking.
2. Remove whole chicken with tongs and set aside in a dish or on a
chopping board. Pour stock through a sieve into a large bowl (that will
hold all the stock) to remove any other impurities. You’ll be left with a
delicious, clear stock!
3. In the same pot the chicken was cooked in, heat a drizzle of olive oil
and cook leek/onion and vegetables for 4-5 minutes or until soft.
4. Add all the chicken stock back to the pot, along with the grains/pasta/
lentils. Simmer until the grains/pasta/lentils are cooked. Meanwhile,
shred the chicken meat (with two forks) off the carcass. Stir the chicken
and herbs (if using) into the soup, and season with salt and pepper.
Soup’s on the table!

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Use a mix of any vegetables you like. For example, carrot, pumpkin/
butternut, celery, courgette and even frozen peas or corn.
• You can use any grain (e.g. Bulghur wheat, barley, rice), pasta (e.g.
macaroni or risoni), or lentils, or a mix.
• The soup will keep in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days (or can be
frozen). When it comes to reheating the soup in a pot or the microwave,
you may need to add a little stock or water to ‘loosen’ the soup.
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HOME-MADE BREAD ROLLS
Making your own bread is easy-peasy, and very satisfying. This recipe can easily be doubled to make 12
rolls, so you can always freeze some for later.
MAKES 6 BREAD ROLLS
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 2 – 2 ½
hours to make and prove dough)
Cook time: 30-35 minutes
2 teaspoons active dried yeast
1 cup warm water
200g high-grade flour (or plain
flour)
200g wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg, lightly whisked or 2
tablespoons milk (optional – it
just helps the bread colour on
top)
A small handful of pumpkin seeds,
sunflower seeds or linseeds
(optional)
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1. Pour water in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir
gently. Stand in a warm place for about 5 minutes until the yeast has
dissolved and the mixture is frothy. Mix well.
2. Add flour, salt and olive oil to the yeast mixture and mix well to form
a dough (note: there may be some left over four in the bowl once
you’ve formed the dough, this is fine). Turn the dough out onto a
lightly floured bench. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth
and elastic, then place in an oiled bowl. Cover with a damp tea towel, a
large clean plastic bag or clingfilm and place in a warm place to rise for
about an hour until doubled in size.
3. Once it has risen, knock back the dough by gently punching it. Cut
dough into six pieces and shape each piece into a round. Place on lined
oven tray, cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place to rise again,
for about 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 200degC. Brush top of bread with egg or milk (if
using). If using seeds, sprinkle and gently press seeds on (so that they
stick). Bake rolls for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown and cooked
through.
TIPS & SWAPS:
• Use all plain flour (and no wholemeal) if you like. You can also use all
wholemeal flour, however the rolls will be slightly more dense.
• This recipe can easily be doubled to make 12 rolls, so you can always
freeze some for later.
• Don’t throw away any leftover stale bread – turn it into breadcrumbs by
blitzing it in the food processor or grating it. Store in an airtight container
in the freezer.
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COCONUT RICE PUDDING
WITH SPICED PINEAPPLE
Rice pudding is such a comforting dessert, and I love that it’s cheap to make and such a great way to use
up leftover cooked rice — and leftover canned coconut cream or milk. As this is cooked on the stovetop
it’s much quicker than the baked version. It’s yummy with canned fruit, like peaches, but if you wanted
to make it a little extra special, serve it with this spiced pineapple.

SERVES 4
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 10 minutes
COCONUT RICE PUDDING
3 cups cooked rice e.g. Jasmine,
short grain or medium grain rice
(but not Basmati or brown rice)
1½ cups coconut milk or cream
1 ½ cups milk (of any kind)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste,
essence or extract
a good pinch of salt
2–3 tablespoons sugar (or honey
or maple syrup)
1. To make the rice pudding, stir everything, except sugar/honey, together
in a pot and simmer on medium heat, stirring often (to avoid it burning
on the bottom), for about 8 minutes or until thick and creamy. Stir
through sweetener to taste.
2. To make the Spiced Pineapple, heat butter or coconut oil in a large
fry pan on medium heat. Add pineapple and spices. Cook for about 5
minutes or until pineapple is soft. Toss with brown sugar and continue
cooking for a further 2 minutes or so.
3. To serve, spoon rice pudding into bowls and top with spiced pineapple.

SPICED PINEAPPLE
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
1 x 425g can pineapple, drained
(reserve the juice to make ice
TIPS & SWAPS:
blocks), or flesh of ½ fresh
• 1 cup uncooked rice will yield 3 cups cooked rice.
pineapple, cut into 2cm pieces
• Jasmine, short grain (e.g. Arborio or Carnaroli) or medium grain rice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
works best as it will give a creamier result.
whole spices e.g. 2 star anise, 1
• If you’re not a fan of coconut, or don’t have any coconut milk/cream, you
cinnamon stick or 3-4 cardamom
can use standard cream instead, or even just more milk (ideally full fat
pods (optional, but lovely)
milk).
1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Add a few slices of fresh ginger to the rice pudding while it is cooking for
a subtle ginger flavour.
• If you like, you can add a splash of rum to the pan of pineapple when you
add the brown sugar.
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MOROCCAN APRICOT CHICKEN
My tried and true apricot chicken is a storecupboard star! You can use a whole chicken (cut in pieces)
chicken drumsticks, or chicken thighs (on the bone works best). However, you can also do a version with
boneless breast or thighs too, or lamb. We even make it with rabbit (as they are plentiful on our farm!).
It makes a tasty, easy meal that both kids and adults love, and is also a great one to freeze.

SERVES 4-5
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 25-30 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
About 10 chicken drumsticks or
thighs (bone in), or a whole
chicken cut into pieces
2 onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon each cumin seeds and
coriander seeds, crushed (or
ground cumin and coriander)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon mixed dried herbs
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 x 400g can crushed or chopped
tomatoes
1 x 400g can apricots in juice or
syrup
1 cup chicken stock
1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Heat oil in a large heavy-based flameproof,
ovenproof casserole dish or large fry pan (that will fit the chicken,
apricots and tomatoes) on medium heat. Pat chicken dry with paper
towels. Season with salt and brown on both sides in the pan. Set aside.
2. Add onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes or until
soft. Add cumin and coriander and cook for 1 minute. If it any time it
looks like the onion or spices are sticking to the bottom of the pan and
burning, just add a few tablespoons of water or stock and stir with a
wooden spoon.
3. Add browned chicken, tomato paste, smoked paprika, dried herbs,
sweet chilli sauce, crushed tomatoes, apricots (including the juice/
syrup) and chicken stock. Stir, cover with a tight-fitting lid and pop
in the oven to cook for 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours, or until the chicken (or lamb)
is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed
potatoes and steamed veg for the kids, and my Moroccan Roast Veg
Toss for grown-ups.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• You can do a lamb version using pieces of boneless lamb, or even lamb
chops with the bone in – it will take about 2 ½ hours or more to become
tender.
• For a vegetarian version, use 2 cans of chickpeas (or 3 cups cooked
chickpeas) and chunks of pumpkin and carrot. The casserole will only
need about an hour to cook.
• If you have fresh herbs, like thyme and rosemary, use some (about 1
tablespoon chopped thyme/rosemary) instead of the dried herbs
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35
MOROCCAN ROAST VEG TOSS
The whole idea of this is to roast whatever vegetables you have in your fridge (what I’ve used below is
just an example) with some Moroccan spices, and then toss with whatever cooked grain (e.g. Bulghur
wheat, barley, rice) pasta (e.g. macaroni or risoni), couscous, lentils or chickpeas you like. Some fresh
herbs like coriander, parsley or mint, and a dollop of natural yoghurt would be the ‘icing on the cake’ for
this dish, however don’t worry if you don’t have any.

SERVES 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
400-500g pumpkin, butternut or
kumara, cut into 2cm chunks
1 red (or brown) onion, cut into
2cm-thick wedges
2 carrots, sliced 1cm thick
1 parsnip, sliced 1cm thick
1 beetroot, cut into 2cm cubes
1 red, yellow or orange capsicum,
cored, chopped
1 eggplant, cut into 2-3cm cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 – 1 ½ teaspoons each crushed
cumin and coriander seeds (or
ground cumin and coriander)
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
(optional)
A drizzle of maple syrup or honey
1 cup Israeli/pearl couscous (or
risoni pasta, couscous, bulghur
wheat, freekah, barley, Puy or
brown lentils, chickpeas or wild
rice)
Zest of 1 lemon (optional, but
lovely)
1 cup fresh herbs (e.g. coriander,
mint, parsley), chopped
(optional, but lovely)
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TO SERVE
½ cup natural yoghurt (optional,
but lovely)
1. Preheat oven to 200degC. Line a large oven tray (or two smaller
oven trays) with baking paper. Place vegetables on tray(s) and drizzle
with olive oil and honey/maple syrup, and sprinkle over garlic (if
using) and spices. Give everything a good toss to coat the vegetables
well. Roast for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and
starting to caramelise.
2. Meanwhile, cook couscous (or your choice of grain) according to
packet instructions. Drain well.
3. Toss roast vegetables with couscous, and season to taste with salt
and pepper. Toss through lemon zest and fresh herbs (if using) just
before serving. Serve with a dollop of natural yoghurt (if using).
TIPS & SWAPS:
• Use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Some other
vegetables that would be great in this recipe are cauliflower florets,
courgettes (sliced 1-2cm thick) or whole cherry tomatoes.
• Use whatever grain (e.g. Bulghur wheat, barley, rice) pasta (e.g.
macaroni or risoni), couscous, lentils or chickpeas you like.
• You can cook your couscous in stock (instead of water) for extra
flavour.
• Leave the skin on pumpkin/butternut and kumara – when roasted it is
tender enough to eat.
37
AFFOGATO
I’ve gotta hand it to the Italians – they know how to do simple-but-sensational so well. This is what
Affogato is all about – a match made in heaven of cold creamy vanilla ice cream with hot espresso
coffee. Perfetto! Obviously, you can easily scale this recipe up to serve 4, 6 or 8 (or halve it just to serve
you!). And you can also customise it with a sprinkle of roasted hazelnuts or grated chocolate on top.
Mmmmm!

SERVES 2 1. Make your coffee and allow to cool slightly so that it is still hot, but not
Prep time: 5 minutes boiling hot. Pour coffee into a couple of shot glasses.

4 scoops vanilla ice cream (go for 2. Scoop ice cream into serving glasses and top with chocolate and/or
the best quality you can afford) hazelnuts.
½ cup freshly made, relatively
strong coffee 3. Pour shot glass of hot coffee over ice cream and enjoy immediately.
Grated dark chocolate and/or 2 Perfetto!!!
tablespoons chopped roasted
hazelnuts

TIPS & SWAPS:

• The key to an amazing affogato is simply using the best quality ice
cream, coffee and chocolate you can afford. There’s not much else to it!
• Use Espresso, plunger, filter, percolator, even instant coffee. You can
also use decaf coffee if you like.
• Chocolate, coffee or salted caramel ice cream would also be good!
• Make your coffee relatively strong (so you get the flavour when it’s
38 poured over) and it should be served hot, but not boiling.
39
APPLE & CRANBERRY SAUSAGE ROLLS
These tasty sausage rolls are always a huge hit with kids and adults alike. They’re perfect picnic tucker
and can be eaten hot straight out of the oven, at room temperature, and even cold. I find it way too easy
to scoff more than my fair share of them!
SERVES 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
1 apple, grated
1 onion, finely diced or grated
2 carrots, grated
600g good quality raw pork
sausages or sausage meat (I like
to use pork and fennel, but any
flavour will do)
¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped
¾ cup breadcrumbs (e.g. fresh,
dried, panko)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage,
thyme or rosemary, or a pinch of
dried herbs (optional)
400-450g flaky puff pastry, cut
into four pieces (or 4 ready rolled
sheets)
1 egg, whisked, or ¼ cup milk (to
brush pastry)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
(optional)
40
1. Preheat oven to 200degC. Directly grate apple (skin and all) onto
a clean tea towel, then wring the tea towel to squeeze out excess
moisture from the apple (because you don’t want soggy sausage rolls!).
2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large fry pan. Cook onion, carrot and
apple, with a good pinch of salt, for 6-10 minutes or until soft. Allow to
cool slightly.
3. Squeeze out sausage meat from casings into a large bowl. Add
cranberries, breadcrumbs, herbs (if using), and cooked carrot, apple
and onion mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Use clean hands to
mix and squish everything together until well combined. Roughly divide
mixture into four.
4. Roll out each piece of pastry into a square and about 3-4mm thick.
Shape a portion of sausage mixture into a large log and lay along the
middle of the pastry, leaving a 1.5cm edge on each (right and left) edge.
Brush the top half of the pastry with egg or milk (this helps the pastry
stick together when you roll it). Roll up pastry to enclose the sausage
meat in a tight parcel; you should end up with about a 2cm overlap of
pastry. Make sure it is firmly rolled and sealed so it doesn’t burst open
when it cooks. Place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining pastry and
sausage mixture.
5. Brush the tops of each sausage roll with egg or milk and sprinkle with
sesame seeds (if using). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is
golden and cooked through. Allow to cool for at least a few minutes
(if you can resist!) before cutting each roll into 4-5 pieces. Serve with
tomato sauce or chutney, and a fresh salad or slaw. Super scrumptious!
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41
 TIPS & SWAPS:
• Use as good a quality sausages as you can afford
• You can replace 1 carrot with a courgette, or ½ cup grated butternut or
pumpkin.
• To make your sausage meat go further you can use just 400-450g and
add 1 ½ cups cooked rice or lentils to the mixture.
• If you prefer, you could use lamb sausages or any other type of sausage
(as long as they’re the raw (uncooked) type that you can squeeze the
sausage meat out of.
• You can use flaky pastry, shortcrust pastry, or even filo pastry (3-4
sheets thick)
• If you don’t have cranberries, you can use raisins or currants
• You can use fresh, dried or Panko breadcrumbs
• Instead of sesame seeds, you could use poppy seeds, flax seeds, hemp
seeds, or sunflower seeds. Or even just a tiny pinch of curry powder or
smoked paprika sprinkled over the top for a pop of colour.
42
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45
FRIDGE SLAW
It’s called a fridge slaw because, yep, you just use whatever crunchy veggies you’ve got in the fridge.
What I’ve used below is just an example. Take your pick from the likes of cabbage, carrot, broccoli,
fennel, cucumber, capsicum, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, beansprouts, a bit of spring onion...Raw bok
choy is fantastic! Even raw broccoli and cauliflower, finely chopped up, is great. Toss it with this simple
honey mustard dressing and you’re good to go!

SERVES 4-6 1. Toss all your veggies together in a big bowl.

Prep time: 15 minutes
2. Place all dressing ingredients and a pinch of salt and pepper in a jar,
¼ cabbage (e.g. red, green, savoy), screw on the lid and shake it up well.
finely sliced or shredded
2 carrots, coarsely grated 3. Pour dressing over and toss with vegetables just before serving.
1 beetroot, coarsely grated
1 capsicum, cored, finely sliced
½ head broccoli, finely chopped
¼ cauliflower, roughly grated or
finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
A handful of chopped parsley
(optional, if you have it)

HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons vinegar (e.g. red
wine or apple cider)
1 good tablespoon runny honey
1 good teaspoon wholegrain
mustard

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Take your dressing in the jar and dress the salad just before tossing and
eating.
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OATY CARAMEL & CHOCOLATE SLICE
Turn this into a coffee caramel slice, a nutty caramel slice, or an oat crumble caramel slice – you have
lots of tempting options... One thing’s for sure, you won’t be able to resist slicing off a bit more every
time you pass this slice on the kitchen bench!

MAKES 25 PIECES 1. Preheat oven to 180degC and line the base and sides of a 20cm square
Prep time: 15 minutes baking tin (or tin/dish of a similar size) with baking paper. Place dates
Cook time: 40 minutes (+2-3 hours and water in a small pot and boil for a few minutes, whilst stirring, until
to set in the fridge) dates are soft and mushy.

BASE 2. In a bowl, mix oats, coconut, salt, butter and mushed-up dates until
10 dried dates well combined and mixture sticks together when you pinch it between
1/3 cup water your thumb and finger – if it doesn’t yet stick, add a little more butter.
1 cup fine rolled oats You can also blitz everything together in a food processor if you have
1 cup desiccated coconut one.
Pinch of salt
100g butter, melted 3. Press mixture firmly (with the help of the back of a wet spoon or
spatula) into lined baking tin/dish. Bake for 10 minutes while you make
CARAMEL FILLING the caramel.
¼ cup golden syrup (or maple
syrup) 4. Place golden syrup and butter in a pot and stir over low heat until the
60g butter, cubed butter has melted and everything is smooth. Take off the heat and stir in
1 x 395g can sweetened condensed condensed milk until nice and smooth.
milk
5. Pour caramel over the base and return to the oven to bake for a further
CHOCOLATE TOPPING 30 minutes until golden and a little bubbly.
150-250g dark chocolate (50-
72%), broken into pieces 6. Gently melt chocolate in a double boiler or a glass/pyrex bowl set over
2-3 teaspoons neutral oil (e.g. a pot of simmering water. Stir in oil until smooth. Pour chocolate over
canola, grapeseed, rice bran etc) the caramel filling and spread out evenly. Place in the fridge for about 3
hours or until the slice has set. Once cold, remove from tin and cut into
20-25 squares.

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48
49
 TIPS & SWAPS:
• It helps to use a hot, wet, sharp knife to cut the slice.
• If you don’t have dates, you can use 10 pitted prunes or ¼ cup brown
sugar (and no water) instead.
• If you don’t have fine rolled oats, but you have jumbo wholegrain oats,
you can blitz them up briefly in a food processor to make finer oats.
• Oats can be replaced with 1 cup ground almonds (which makes it gluten-
free), or ¾ cup plain flour or gluten-free flour.
• Coconut can be replaced with ground almonds.
• To turn it into a nutty caramel slice, top the caramel with a handful of
nuts (e.g. walnuts or macadamias) before baking.
• To turn it into a Coffee caramel slice, dissolve 3-4 teaspoons instant
coffee granules in 2 tablespoons boiling water and add in at the
condensed milk stage.
• To turn it into an Oat crumble caramel slice, make more of the base
mixture and sprinkle on top before baking.
• If you don’t have any chocolate, you can make a chocolate icing with 2
tablespoons cocoa, ¾ cup icing sugar, 25g butter and 1 tablespoon hot
water – just mix all together until you get a spreadable consistency.
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51
CHICKEN SAAGWALA
Saagwala is a spinach-rich curry, and one of my favourites to order at an Indian restaurant. It is also
excellent with lamb, or paneer (an Indian cheese, not too dissimilar to halloumi which you could also
use), or mushrooms. You could even do a chickpea saagwala. Once you know how to make the saagwala
sauce, you can really turn it into whatever kind of saagwala you want!

SERVES 4 1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt. Heat a
Prep time: 15 minutes drizzle of oil in a large fry pan on medium heat and brown chicken all
Cook time: 40 minutes over. Set chicken aside and keep pan on the heat.

600-700g boneless, skinless
chicken (thighs are ideal, but
breast is fine too), cut into 2-3cm
pieces
¼ cup oil (e.g. grapeseed,
sunflower, canola) or ghee
2 large onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2-3cm piece ginger, peeled, finely
grated
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and
coriander
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
(optional, if you have it)
½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional,
if you like a little heat)
1 x 400g can crushed, chopped or
whole tomatoes
300-350g defrosted frozen spinach
or 300g chopped fresh spinach
¼ cup cream or coconut cream/milk
(optional)
52
2. Heat ¼ cup oil in the fry pan the chicken was cooked in. Cook onions,
with a good pinch of salt, for 8-10 minutes, until starting to brown. Add
¼ cup water during cooking and use a wooden spoon to stir and rub
the bottom of the pan to release any pan brownings from the chicken
(which have lots of flavour) into the onions.
3. Add a little drizzle more of oil to the pan of onions and add garlic,
ginger and spices. Continue to cook for 1 more minute.
4. Place spinach in a heatproof bowl. Pour over boiling water to cover,
leave for 1-2 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess moisture.
Add spinach, tomatoes, and onions to a blender or food processor and
blend until smooth.
5. Pour sauce back into the pan, add chicken and continue cooking for
about 10 minutes until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked
through. If you think it is too thick, stir in a little water. Season to taste
with salt and pepper and stir through or drizzle with cream or coconut
cream/milk (if using).
TIPS & SWAPS:
• If the onions look like they are sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning,
just add a few tablespoons of water and use a wooden spoon to stir and rub
the bottom of the pan and they will lift.
• This curry keeps well in the fridge for a few days (its flavour actually
improves after a day or two) or it can be frozen.
• Instead of (or in addition to) the cream/coconut cream, you can add a
dollop of natural yoghurt or coconut yoghurt to the curry just before serving.
53
CHICKPEA, POTATO AND PEA CURRY
This quick and easy curry is a flexible, storecupboard star – make it with lentils, chickpeas or beans, and
potato, pumpkin, or kumara, peas or green beans.

SERVES 4
Prep time: 10 minutes 1. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large fry pan on medium heat and cook
Cook time: 15 minutes potatoes and onion for 4-5 minutes. 

1 onion (or a leek or shallots), diced 2. Add a little more oil and curry powder, continue cooking for 30-60
2-3 potatoes (leave skin on), diced seconds. 
1-2cm (or a large Kumara, or 2
cups diced pumpkin)  3. Add drained chickpeas, tomatoes, chilli (if using), and ½ can of water.
1 Tbsp curry powder Simmer away, partially covered, for about 10 minutes or until potatoes
1 x 400g can chickpeas (or lentils are tender. If you’ve got some coconut cream/milk, cream or cashew
or beans), drained cream, stir a drizzle in now. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with
1 x 400g can crushed or chopped coriander if you have some.
tomatoes 
A good pinch of chilli flakes
(optional, if you want a bit of
heat)
1-2 cups frozen peas (or green
beans, or whatever other frozen
veg, or canned or fresh veg you
have
½ cup coconut cream or milk,
cream or cashew cream
(optional)
Chopped coriander, to serve
(optional)

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Try other variations like Pumpkin & Lentil (mmmmm!)
• This curry keeps well in the fridge for up to 3-4 days (its flavour even
improves after a day), or it can be frozen.
• When you come to reheating the curry, it may need a little water added
to loosen it.
• A dollop of natural or coconut yoghurt on top of this curry (just before
serving) is lovely!
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57
GARLIC BUTTER FLATBREADS
These flatbreads (using no yeast) are quick and easy to make. Turn them into a version of garlic butter
naan, a middle eastern wrap, or even a (non-traditional) pizza base. Any leftovers can be cut up into
triangles and toasted to make pita chips too.
MAKES 4-6 FLATBREADS
Prep time: 10 minutes (+ at least 15
minutes to rest dough)
Cook time: 20 minutes
FLATBREADS
2 cups self-raising flour (or
plain/highgrade flour with 2 ½
teaspoons baking powder added)
¾ cup milk (of any kind), or plain
yoghurt or water
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil (or any oil)
¼ teaspoon salt
GARLIC & HERB BUTTER
(optional)
2 tablespoons softened butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
58
1. Place flour, milk, oil and salt in a bowl and mix to combine. 
2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until dough is
smooth and elastic. Divide into four or six portions, and leave on the
bench to rest for at least 15-30 minutes (this helps to relax the gluten).
3. If using garlic & herb butter, mix all ingredients together.
4. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or fry pan on medium heat. Roll
each piece of dough out into a roughly 25cm circle and lightly brush
with a little oil. Place in hot pan and cook for about 2 minutes each side
or until puffed and golden. Spread with garlic herb butter whilst still
hot. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve hot.
TIPS & SWAPS:
• The dough needs at least 15-30 minutes to rest (to relax the gluten),
however you can leave it for up to several hours on the bench, or even
overnight (if leaving overnight, just make sure you wrap it up tightly in
clingfilm to avoid a skin forming on the outside).
• Gluten-free flour can be used to make gluten-free flatbreads, however
use milk or yoghurt (not water) to add protein to help with keeping the
bread together.
• Whilst the flatbreads are best eaten freshly cooked, you can reheat them
in the oven, wrapped up in tinfoil to stop them drying out.
• If you don’t have a pastry brush (for brushing flatbreads with oil), just
drizzle each flatbread with a little oil before placing in hot pan.
59
MANGO LASSI
Cool, sweet and refreshing, this drink is always a beautiful sidekick to an Indian meal. Make it with
yoghurt, coconut yoghurt or cultured buttermilk. And if you don’t have tinned mangoes, you could do a
version with canned peaches or apricots.

SERVES 2 1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth then pour into glasses
Prep time: 5 minutes and serve!

1 x 400g can mangoes (mangoes

and juice from the tin)
¾ cup natural yoghurt or cultured
buttermilk, or ½ cup coconut
yoghurt mixed with ¼ cup water
A big handful of ice cubes
1-2 teaspoons honey (or sugar),
to taste
A squeeze of lemon or lemon (nice,
but not essential)

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Fresh mango is lovely if you have it!
• If you don’t have canned mangoes, try using canned peaches or apricots.
• You can add a pinch of ground cinnamon, cardamom or 1 teaspoon of
finely grated fresh ginger if you like.
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63
EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Chances are you’ll have all the ingredients in your pantry to make this quick and easy cake. Amazingly,
it doesn’t require any eggs but is still very light and moist – the magic is thanks to the combination of
baking soda and vinegar which creates incredible rising action (but don’t worry, you don’t taste any
vinegar). Make either a chocolate ganache or a chocolate icing (I’ve given recipes for both) to spread
over the cake, or just have it as is. It makes one large cake and it keeps well in a sealed container in the
fridge for up to a week. Being egg and dairy free, it is also caters well for allergies.

SERVES 10-12 (OR CHOCOLATE ICING)

Prep time: 10 minutes 1 ½ cups icing sugar
Cook time: 30-35 minutes ¼ cup cocoa (preferably dark
cocoa)
CAKE 50g butter
2 ½ cups self-raising flour (or plain 2-3 tablespoons hot water
flour with 3 ½ teaspoons baking
powder)
¾ cup cocoa (preferably dark cocoa) 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large round (about 23cm) cake tin
1 ½ cups brown or white sugar (or with baking paper.
coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon baking soda  2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and a pinch
2 cups (500ml) water, coffee or of salt together until well combined, making sure there are no lumps of
milk (of any kind) sugar.
2 teaspoons vanilla essence or
extract  3. In a separate bowl whisk together the water/coffee/milk, vanilla,
1 tablespoon vinegar  (e.g. white vinegar and oil, then pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and whisk
wine, red wine, apple cider, until smooth.
white, malt)
¾ cup neutral oil (e.g. canola, 4. Pour mixture into lined cake tin and bake for about 30-35 minutes or
grapeseed, rice bran) until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool
before icing (using either chocolate ganache or chocolate icing – see
CHOCOLATE GANACHE over page).
200-250g dark eating chocolate
(ideally 50-70% cocoa) or dark
chocolate buttons
1 cup (250ml) cream, coconut
cream/milk

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 5. To make chocolate ganache, break chocolate up into a bowl. Heat
cream/coconut cream/milk in a small pot on the stove top, then pour
over chocolate. Stir until chocolate has all melted and ganache is dark
and smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature before spreading over
cake.

6. To make chocolate icing, combine icing sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Add
butter and 2 tablespoons of the hot water. Mix until smooth, adding
a bit more water, one teaspoon at a time, until a smooth, spreadable
consistency.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• You can use gluten-free flour with 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder in place
of regular self-raising flour
• For a dairy-free cake, make sure you use a dairy-free dark chocolate
(some over 60% cocoa are dairy-free) and coconut cream/milk in the
ganache
• If the cake is not for kids, it’s nice to use coffee as the liquid as it adds to
the flavour
• Ideally, use dark cocoa powder (or cacao powder) as it has a better
flavour and colour for this cake
• You can even use yoghurt (e.g. vanilla or fruit flavoured) instead of
cream/coconut cream in the ganache. Simply melt the chocolate (by
itself) in the microwave in short bursts, in a double boiler, or in a glass/
Pyrex bowl set above a small pot of simmering water. Allow it to cool to
room temperature, then whisk in yoghurt
• Iced, this cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a
week and stay nice and moist. A slice with a cup of coffee makes a lovely
treat breakfast!
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MINI PIZZAS
You can’t beat homemade pizza fresh out of the oven! And it makes an easy, fun meal that everyone
can be involved in. Simply make some pizza dough and then let everyone create their own (so that
there are no arguments as to what toppings to use!). Pretty much anything can go on a pizza, as long as
it will cook in about 8 minutes. The ingredients below are just suggestions. Stick to no more than 3-4
different toppings on each pizza (plus cheese) to avoid overcomplicating flavours and weighing the
pizza down too much.

MAKES 12 MINI PIZZAS
Prep time: 15 minutes (+ at least 45
minutes for dough to rise)
Cook time: 8-15 minutes
12 mini pizza bases (see next page)
Tomato pizza sauce (see next page)
TOPPINGS
Take your pick, for example canned
diced pineapple (well drained),
diced ham or bacon, sliced
mushrooms, crumbled (raw)
sausage meat, sliced courgette,
thinly sliced red onion, diced
capsicum, very thinly sliced
pumpkin, very thinly sliced
potato, fresh herbs e.g. basil
3-4 cups grated cheese (e.g.
mozzarella, Edam, Colby, Tasty
etc)
3. Roll out each piece of dough out on a floured surface to about 3-4mm
thick. Make sure they are well dusted with flour if you are stacking them
(so that they don’t stick).
5. Preheat oven to 230degC. Preheat your oven tray or pizza stone (this
helps the bases crisp up on the bottom).
7. Place each pizza base on a piece of baking paper (so that you can lift the
pizzas easily once the toppings are on). Spread a thin layer of tomato
sauce on each pizza base, add 3-4 topping ingredients and sprinkle with
cheese.
8. Carefully transfer pizzas (by lifting it up on baking paper) to hot pizza
stone or oven tray. Cook for 8-15 minutes or until pizza bases are crisp
and cheese has melted. You’ll be able to do one large or 3-4 small
pizzas at a time. Scatter with fresh basil if you have any. Cut up and eat
whilst still hot, and repeat with remaining pizza dough and toppings!

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Some of my favourites pizza topping flavours are...Potato, sausage &
rosemary, Ham/bacon & pineapple, Tomato & basil, and Mushroom,
courgette & red onion.

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BASIC PIZZA DOUGH

MAKES ENOUGH DOUGH FOR 1. To make pizza dough, put the water in a large mixing bowl and add
4 LARGE OR 12 MINI PIZZAS (or the yeast and sugar. Stir gently. Stand in a warm place for about 5-10
2 lots of scrolls on page 22) minutes until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture is frothy. Mix in
Prep time: 15 minutes (+ 45 minutes olive oil.
to rise)
2. Add flour and salt to the yeast mixture and mix well to form a dough
1 cup (250ml) warm water  – there may be some flour left over in the bowl once you’ve formed the
1 tablespoon active dried yeast  dough, this is fine. If your dough is too sticky, just add a little more flour
1 teaspoon sugar to it. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes or
1 tablespoon olive oil until it is smooth and elastic. Drizzle the bowl with oil (to stop sticking)
400g plain or high grade flour and place dough inside. Cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm
1 teaspoon salt  place to rise until doubled in bulk (about 45 minutes).

3. Once it has risen, knock back the dough by gently punching it. It’s now
ready to use. If you’re using it for the scrolls on page 22, cut into two
portions. Or for pizzas, cut into four (large) or 12 (mini) portions.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• The amount of flour needed may vary (depending on the brand you
use), so go by feel – if the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour as
needed.
• Oiling the bowl for the pizza dough to rise in prevents the dough from
sticking.

TOMATO PIZZA SAUCE

MAKES 1 ½ CUPS 1. To make the pizza sauce, place all ingredients in a fry pan, stir and
Prep time: 2 minutes simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Season to taste with salt.
Cook time: 10 minutes Allow to cool on the bench before using.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 x 400g can sieved, crushed or
chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon dried herbs or oregano
(optional)

70
71
72
73
ULTIMATE STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKES
SERVES 2-4 1. Put everything in a blender and blend until super smooth.
Prep time: 10 minutes
2. If you like, mix a bit of extra jam with hot water to loosen and drizzle
250g frozen strawberries down the sides of serving glasses before pouring in milkshake. If you
(or raspberries), half thawed wanted to get real fancy, you could top your milkshakes with whipped
2 tablespoons strawberry jam cream, extra ice cream and jelly crystals. Ready, steady, drink!
(or just white sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence or
extract
1 cup milk (of any kind)
1-2 heaped tablespoons milk
powder (optional, for a creamier
milkshake)
2 tablespoons strawberry or
raspberry jelly crystals (optional)
2 scoops strawberry or vanilla ice
cream, or yoghurt

74
75
HOMEMADE HUMMUS
In Turkey I learnt that the trick to perfectly smooth and creamy hummus is iced water!
Before then I’d always thought you added more oil. Drizzling in iced water with the motor still running
makes for a fluffy, creamy, whipped hummus. Homemade hummus is much nicer than store-bought,
and without any preservatives.

SERVES 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
1 x 400g can chickpeas
1 small clove garlic, chopped
2-3 teaspoons tahini (optional, if
you have it)
Juice of ½ lemon
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
About ¼ cup ice cold water
A pinch of sumac, smoked paprika
or ground cumin, to serve
(optional)
1. Drain chickpeas, reserving the liquid (aquafaba) from the can in a bowl
if you plan to use this to make the aquafaba chocolate mousse (on page
82) later on.
2. Rinse chickpeas and tip into a food processor. Add garlic and tahini
(if using) and blitz until well combined, scraping down the sides of the
bowl of the food processor as necessary.
3. Add lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt and continue blitzing.
With the motor still running, drizzle in the iced water and continue
blitzing until super creamy and smooth. Taste and season with more
lemon juice and salt if needed.
4. Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle over sumac/paprika/cumin if using.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• If you don’t have chickpeas, you can use a can of cannellini or butter
beans.
• Fresh lemon juice is ideal for hummus, however if you can’t get any you
can substitute it with 1 teaspoon vinegar for the acidity kick.
• If you’re wanting to reserve the aquafaba (liquid from the can of
chickpeas) to make chocolate mousse or mayonnaise, check that your
chickpeas are not canned in a salty brine (as some brands add salt).
76
77
MEATBALLS, KASUNDI & CARROT SALAD
I love this style of meal where you have tasty bits and pieces that you just plonk on the table and
everyone helps themselves. Make the hummus (page 76) and flatbreads (page 58) to serve with the
meal.

SERVES 4
Prep time: 30 minutes 1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix and squish everything together
Cook time: 20 minutes until well combined.

MEATBALLS 2. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into firm balls and set aside on a plate
1 onion, finely diced, or grated until ready to cook.
250g beef or lamb mince
250g raw pork (or other flavour) 3. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large non-stick frying pan on medium
sausages (sausage meat squeezed heat. Brown meatballs all over (it helps to shake the pan a few times
out) during cooking) and continue cooking for a few minutes until cooked
3 tablespoons finely chopped through. You may need to cook them in a couple of batches. Keep
parsley or a pinch of dried herbs warm.
(optional)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice (if you
have it)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup breadcrumbs (e.g. fresh,
dried, panko)
½ teaspoon salt

KASUNDI

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
1 teaspoon crushed coriander seeds
½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional, if
you want a bit of heat)
1 x 400g can crushed or chopped
tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
78
1. Heat olive oil in a fry pan on medium heat. Add cumin, coriander and
fennel seeds and sizzle for 30 seconds.
2. Add tomatoes and sugar and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring every
now and again, until thickened, similar to a chutney consistency.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Continued over the page
79
CARROT SALAD 1. Toss carrot, currants and parsley (if using) together in a bowl. Season with
a little salt, dress with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, and toss just
4 large carrots, peeled, roughly before serving.
grated
A small handful of dried currants
(or raisins, sultanas, or chopped
dates)
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped
parsley (optional)
juice of ½ lemon
1-2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

TIPS & SWAPS (MEATBALLS):

• You can use all mince (add another ½ teaspoon salt) or all sausage meat
(no need to add any salt), or half mince/sausage, and half canned lentils.
• You can use fresh, dried or Panko breadcrumbs.
• If you have stale bread, blitz in a food processor, or grate on the large-
hole side of your grater, to make your own breadcrumbs. They will keep
in an airtight container in the freezer for months.
• If you don’t have any of the spices, don’t worry, just leave them out.

TIPS & SWAPS (KASUNDI) :

• You can use ground cumin, coriander and fennel instead of the seeds.
• If you don’t have any of the spices, you can use 1 teaspoon curry powder
instead.

TIPS & SWAPS (CARROT SALAD):

• Grated parsnip or beetroot are nice too.
• Raisins, sultanas, or chopped dates can be used instead of currants.
80
81
AQUAFABA CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
‘Aquafaba’, which translates as ‘bean water’, is the thick, cloudy liquid that results from cooking
legumes such as chickpeas. Amazingly, it mimics the properties of egg white so it can magically be
whipped up and turned into meringue, mayonnaise, and...this chocolate mousse! It makes an egg-free,
dairy-free (and therefore vegan/plant-based) chocolate mousse that’s also very economical!

SERVES 4
Prep time: 12 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Liquid from 1 x 400g can chickpeas
(about ½ cup)
2 tablespoons white sugar
125g (more or less) dark eating
chocolate (ideally 60-70%
cocoa)
Fresh, canned, or frozen fruit,
to serve (I like tart berries like
raspberries)
1. Break chocolate up into a bowl and either melt in short bursts in the
microwave, or in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set above a small
pot of simmering water. Once chocolate has melted allow it to cool for
a few minutes.
2. Pour aquafaba into a bowl (use the chickpeas themselves to make the
hummus on page 76 or in another recipe) and use an electric beater
to whip it to soft peaks, just like meringue. This will take about 4-5
minutes. Add sugar and keep beating for another minute or two until
stiff peaks form.
3. Drizzle cooled melted chocolate into meringue, then fold together with
a large metal spoon or spatula until chocolate is uniformly distributed
throughout. Spoon into serving glasses and leave in the fridge for about
30 minutes to firm up a little. Serve with fruit on top.

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Check that your can of chickpeas doesn’t have salt added to the brine
(as some brands do)...and you don’t want salty mousse!
• Use a good quality eating (not baking) chocolate – it will taste much
nicer!
• Melt your chocolate gently to avoid it ‘seizing’ and going grainy. The
bottom of the bowl should never touch the simmering water or else it
risks getting too hot.
• Keep your mousse as light and fluffy as possible by using a large metal
spoon or spatula to gently fold the chocolate and meringue together,
keeping as much air in the mixture as possible.
82
83
MAPLE & PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN
SERVES 2-3 (BUT RECIPE CAN
BE EASILY DOUBLED)
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
1 tablespoon coconut oil or neutral
oil (e.g. canola, grapeseed,
sunflower, rice bran)
4 tablespoons popping corn kernels
2 tablespoons peanut butter
(smooth or crunchy), or any other
nut butter e.g. hazelnut, almond,
cashew etc
2 tablespoons maple syrup
A good pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
(optional)
84
1. Heat coconut oil/oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot (that has a
fitting lid) on medium heat.
2. Add popping corn kernels and cover with a lid. Very soon you’ll start
to hear popping! Give the pot a shake (whilst holding down the lid) a
couple of times during cooking. When the popping noises slow down,
that’s a sign that most of the kernels have popped. Turn off the heat and
wait a minute before taking off the lid.
3. Mix peanut butter, maple syrup and salt together, then drizzle over
popcorn in the pot and stir together with a spoon until the popcorn
is evenly coated. Dust with cinnamon (if using) and serve and eat
immediately!
TIPS & SWAPS:
• You can use any nut butter you like (e.g. almond, hazelnut, peanut,
cashew).
• If you’re down to the end of the jar and your nut butter is looking a bit
dry, simply stir in a little neutral oil.
• You can use honey instead of maple syrup.
• Ideally, use a good, heavy-bottomed pot as it will distribute the heat
evenly and you won’t end up with hot spots that burn the popcorn.
• Don’t crank the heat up too high as you don’t want to burn and smoke
the oil (and end up with burnt tasting popcorn).
• This recipe can be easily doubled.
85
86
87
QUICK SATAY SKEWERS
I used chicken, but you can also do tofu, vegetable (e.g. mushroom, capsicum, courgette), lamb, pork
or beef skewers...or even roast pumpkin skewers – this quick and easy peanut satay sauce goes with just
about anything! You could even serve the satay sauce a big platter of fresh crunchy vegetables to dip
into for a great starter.

SERVES 4 1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place in a bowl with
Prep time: 10 minutes spices, brown sugar and oil. Season well with salt and toss to coat
Cook time: 15 minutes chicken well. Thread chicken onto bamboo skewers.

500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron fry pan on
or breasts, cut into 1-2cm pieces medium high heat. Cook skewers, for about 3 minutes each side or
½ teaspoon ground turmeric until golden and slightly charred, and cooked all the way through.
½ teaspoon ground cumin You will need to cook the skewers in two batches to avoid over-
½ teaspoon ground coriander crowding the pan.
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons oil 3. Place all satay sauce ingredients in a small pot, stir and simmer for
10 bamboo skewers (if you have them) a few minutes until hot and slightly thickened. If it looks too thick,
just stir in 1-2 tablespoons water or extra coconut milk.
SATAY SAUCE
¼ cup peanut butter (crunchy or 4. To serve, place skewers on a serving plate with a bowl of the satay
smooth) sauce and fresh cucumber. Garnish with coriander (if you have
1/3 can coconut milk (or coconut cream some). Grab and skewer and start dipping!
thinned out with a bit of water)
1-2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
½ clove garlic, finely minced
1-2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice (or 1
teaspoon vinegar e.g. rice or white
vinegar)
2-3 tablespoons water

TO SERVE
1 telegraph cucumber, lightly peeled,
cut into chunks (or some other type
of fresh crunchy vegetable e.g. sliced
carrot, capsicum etc)
Fresh coriander (optional)
Continued over the page
88
89
 TIPS & SWAPS:
• Use the BBQ if you can!
• You can also do tofu, vegetable, lamb, pork or beef skewers.
• Have your meat out at room temp for at least 30-45 minutes before
cooking (don’t cooked meat cold straight from the fridge) – this helps
the meat cook much better as it won’t cool the pan down when you
put it in, so you get nice caramelisation and charring on the meat.
• You can leave the chicken (or other meat) to marinate in the spices
for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
• If you don’t have turmeric, cumin or coriander you can just use 1 ½
teaspoons curry powder.
• Add some chilli flakes (or finely diced red chilli) to the satay sauce if
you like a little heat.
• Serve a big platter of fresh crunchy vegetables with the satay sauce
to dip into for a great, easy starter.
• Make a Gado-gado salad with fresh, crunchy Cos lettuce, cucumber,
capsicum, tomatoes, beansprouts (whatever fresh vegetables you
have really), with some chopped hardboiled eggs, and the satay sauce
drizzled over, and a sprinkling of roasted peanuts.
• To turn into a full meal, you may like to increase the quantities in the
recipe slightly, and serve with rice on the side.
90
PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE
The best fluffy fried rice is made with rice that is a day old (and has been kept in the fridge, giving it time
to cool and dry out). However you can speed up the process with freshly cooked rice by spreading it out
in a large dish or on a tray and popping it in the freezer for 30 minutes or so to cool it right down and dry
out a little. Coconut rice (see ‘Tips & swaps’ over the page ) makes this extra delicious, but plain rice is
just fine too. Use whatever you like - egg, prawns, chicken, tofu (or a mix of any of them).

SERVES 4 FRIED RICE SAUCE

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
200g shelled prawns (frozen and
defrosted), or thinly sliced strips
of chicken, or cubes of tofu
(optional), or 3-4 eggs
2-3 tablespoons oil (e.g. canola,
peanut, sunflower, rice bran)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups finely sliced cabbage
1 cup defrosted frozen peas or corn
(or sliced green beans)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 Kaffir lime leaves or 1 small lime
or lemon tree leaf (optional, if
you have it), very finely sliced
1 stalk lemongrass (optional, if you
have it), finely chopped
4-5 cups leftover cooked rice
1 x 400g can pineapple chunks or
diced pineapple, well drained
(reserve juice for ice blocks)
½ cup roasted chopped cashew
nuts or peanuts
92
1 ½ - 2 tablespoons sweet chilli
sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy
sauce (or 1 tablespoon of each)
1 teaspoon sesame oil (if you have it)
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
Optional extras if you have them:
crispy fried shallots, finely
sliced spring onion (green part),
chopped fresh chilli
1. If you’re using prawns, chicken or tofu, pat dry with paper towels and
season with salt. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a wok or your largest fry
pan on medium high heat. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden and
cooked through. If you’re using eggs, whisk with a pinch of salt and
cook in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil until set as an omelette,
then roughly break it up into pieces with a wooden spoon. Set prawns/
chicken/tofu/egg omelette aside in a large bowl.
2. Heat another 2 tablespoons oil in the wok/large fry pan and stir-fry
onion, carrot, garlic, cabbage and peas/corn/green beans for about 5
minutes until you start to see some caramelisation going on. Then set
aside in the bowl with the prawns/chicken/tofu/egg.
Continued over the page
93
 3. Mix all fried rice sauce ingredients together.

4. Add another drizzle of oil to the pan and add spices, lime/lemon leaf
and lemongrass (if using), and sizzle for 30 seconds, then add cooked
rice, pineapple, cashew nuts/peanuts, and fried rice sauce. Stir-fry and
toss everything together for about 5 minutes until well combined and
heated through. It’s nice if you can let the rice stick to the bottom of
the pan to brown and form a bit of a crust (then break it up and stir it
through) – those golden crusty bits are extra yummy!

5. Toss through the cooked vegetables and prawn/chicken/tofu/egg.

Season to taste with a little more soy sauce/fish sauce, or salt if needed.

6. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with crispy shallots, spring onion or
chilli if you have it. Enjoy!

TIPS & SWAPS:

• If you can, use coconut rice to make this dish extra delicious. Simply
cook your rice with a 50/50 mix of coconut milk and water.
• It is ideal to use rice that is a day old (and has been kept in the fridge,
giving it time to cool and dry out). However, you can use freshly cooked
rice – just spread it out in a large dish or on a tray and pop it in the freezer
for 30 minutes or so to cool it right down and dry out a little.
• If you don’t have ground turmeric and coriander, just use one extra
teaspoon of curry powder.
• You can substitute 2 kaffir lime leaves for 1 lime or lemon tree leaf for a
similar fragrant, citrus flavour. Strip the leaf from the stem and very finely
slice.
• Cooked rice will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge. Make sure it is well
covered.

94
TROPICAL POPS
The juice from canned pineapple is far too delicious to pour down the sink – it makes fantastic ice blocks!

MAKES 8 ICE BLOCKS 1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Prep time: 5 minutes
2. Pour into ice block moulds and freeze for at least 8 hours or until solid.
Reserved juice from 1 x 445g can When half-frozen push sticks in halfway.
pineapple
1 banana 3. To remove ice blocks, run moulds under warm water for 30 seconds or
½ can coconut milk so and they should easily slide out of the moulds.
1-2 handfuls well-washed spinach
(optional – you don’t taste it)
Juice of ½ lime (optional, if you
have it)

TIPS & SWAPS:

• Add in some of the pineapple flesh from the can if you like (if you can
spare some!)
• If you have lots of bananas, freeze some whole. They’re great for using in
these ice blocks. Or muffins, cake or loaf.
• You could add ½ cup peeled, chopped cucumber instead of the spinach
if you like.
• To be a bit extra fancy you can dip and coat your ice blocks in coconut –
make a sugar syrup by boiling ¼ cup sugar with ¼ cup water until syrupy
and let it cool completely. Then simply dip an ice block into the syrup and
coat in desiccated coconut.
96
97
BOMBAY POTATO BREKKY
Potatoes fried with onion and Indian spices, served with either golden pan-fried halloumi or fried/
poached eggs (or both if you wanted!) - this is a scrumptious dish we frequently cook up with leftover
potatoes for brunch, lunch and dinner.
SERVES 2
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
BOMBAY POTATOES
400g Agria (or other floury type)
potatoes, scrubbed (leave skin on),
cut into 2-3cm pieces
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, diced
1 teaspoon mustard seeds (if you have
them)
1 teaspoon curry powder
2-3 handfuls baby spinach or chopped
spinach (fresh or frozen) or silverbeet
(or any other leafy green veg e.g. Bok
choy, or even shredded cabbage), or
even defrosted peas
Pinch of chilli flakes or finely sliced
fresh chilli (optional)
MINTY PEA YOGHURT
½ cup natural unsweetened yoghurt or
coconut yoghurt
Small handful of defrosted peas
handful of chopped mint or coriander
(if you have it)
TO SERVE
2 eggs, or 100g halloumi
Optional extras if you have them: crispy
fried shallots, sliced red or green chilli
98
1. Boil potatoes in a pot of well salted water for about 12 minutes,
or until just tender. Drain well, return to the pot and sit over a low
heat for a few minutes to steam and ‘dry off’ the potatoes a little.
Stir the potatoes with a wooden spoon and shake them up in the
pot to ‘rough up’ the edges of the potatoes a bit.
2. In a wok or your largest fry pan, heat oil and cook onion for 3-4
minutes until soft and starting to turn golden. Add another little
drizzle of oil, mustard seeds and curry powder, and cook for 1
minute more.
3. Add cooked potatoes and a good pinch of salt to the pan and toss
to coat in the spiced oil and onions. Keep cooking for 5-10 minutes
until potatoes are golden, tossing every now and again (try to get a
little golden, crunchy crust on some of the potatoes). Toss through
leafy greens until wilted. Keep potatoes warm.
4. Blitz yoghurt with peas and mint/coriander (if using) until smooth.
Alternatively, just finely chop herbs and mix with yoghurt. Season
with salt.
5. Fry or poach your eggs how you like them. Or slice halloumi
1cm-thick and pan fry in a non-stick pan with a drizzle of oil, on
both sides, until golden.
6. Spoon potatoes onto plates, top with an egg or slices of halloumi,
and drizzle over minty pea yoghurt. Sprinkle over extras like crispy
shallots or fresh chilli if using.
Continued over the page
99
 TIPS & SWAPS:
• If you don’t have leafy greens, you could use frozen peas instead
• If you don’t have any yoghurt, you could just mix some mayonnaise with
a little curry powder and a squeeze of lemon or lime and drizzle that over
the top.
• This is a great way to use up leftover cooked potatoes. And you can also
use kumara, pumpkin, and even vegetables like swede, or a mixture!
100
101
MEXICAN STREET CORN FRITTERS
Yes, fresh avocado, tomato, bacon or smoked salmon is yum with corn fritters. However, you’ll see that
it’s entirely possible to make a scrumptious and special corn fritter brunch, with all the trimmings, from
store cupboard and fridge staples. These fritters are super ‘corn-ey’ with just enough batter to bind
them together, and they’re also eggless. I’ve made a half recipe, however it’s easy to double to serve 4.

SERVES 2 tomatoes, diced

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
CORN FRITTERS
1/3 cup self-raising flour (or plain/
gluten free/chickpea flour with
½ teaspoon baking powder
added)
¼ teaspoon salt
Pinch each ground cumin and
coriander
1/3 cup milk (of any kind)
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen or 1 x 400g
can corn kernels (well drained)
TINNED TOMATO SALSA
½ x 400g can chopped or crushed
tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped pickled
jalapeños (from a jar)
Pinch of chilli flakes (optional, if
you like a bit of heat)
¼ cup chopped fresh coriander,
parsley or mint (if you have it)
Squeeze of lemon or lime
SMOKY CHILLI CREAM
1/3 cup sour cream, unsweetened
Greek yoghurt, coconut yoghurt
or mayonnaise (or a mix of any of
these!)
1-2 teaspoons sweet chilli sauce
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Squeeze of lemon or lime (if you
have it)
Optional extras if you have them –
e.g. feta, fresh basil, coriander,
parsley, chives, spring onion,
avocado, fresh tomato, bacon/
smoked salmon
1. If using fresh or frozen corn, put in a bowl and cover with boiling water,
leave for a few minutes, then drain well.

BLACK BEAN TOSS 2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt, spices and milk together until smooth.
1-2 teaspoons finely diced red Season with pepper. Fold through corn and set aside for 10 minutes to
onion (or finely sliced spring allow batter to rest. While the batter is resting, make the salsa, bean
onion) toss and smoky chilli cream.
½ x 400g can black beans (or
kidney or cannellini beans),
rinsed and drained
½ cucumber, ½ capsicum, or 1-2
Continued over the page
102
103
 3. Tip canned tomatoes into a sieve over a bowl, stir and allow the juice/
liquid to drain into the bowl (save that for adding to your next tomato
pasta sauce), then mix in jalapeños, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and
season with salt and chilli flakes (if using).

4. Toss all bean toss ingredients together with a drizzle of extra-virgin

olive oil and season with salt. Mix all smoky chilli cream ingredients
together.

5. Heat a good drizzle of oil in a large non-stick fry pan on medium heat.
Place spoonfuls of mixture into pan and cook, in batches, for about
2-3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through (check
the batter is cooked on the inside by breaking one open). Add more oil
between batches as needed.

6. Divide corn fritters between plates and top with bean toss, salsa and
smoky chilli cream. Dig in!

104
105
BREAKFAST FRUIT CRUMBLE
In my books, crumble doubles as dessert...and breakfast! And why not when it’s full of fruit, nuts,
seeds and oats? This crumble is light, crisp and crumbly – thanks to pre-baking the crumble topping
separately before sprinkling it over the fruit so there’s no chance of any soggy crumble. You can use any
fruit – fresh, canned, frozen (e.g. apple, quince, plums, apricots, pears, feijoas, berries) – you like. It
makes a delightful breakfast cold the next day!

SERVES 6 1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Place rolled oats, coconut, ground almonds/
Prep time: 10 minutes flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix together, making sure there
Cook time: 15-20 minutes are no lumps of sugar.

CRUMBLE TOPPING
¾ cup rolled oats
½ cup desiccated coconut
½ cup ground almonds (or ½ cup
plain, wholemeal or gluten-free
flour)
¼ cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
Pinch of salt
100g butter (at room temp), cubed,
or coconut oil
¼ cup finely chopped nuts e.g.
macadamias, walnuts, pecans,
almonds, or seeds (optional)
2. Rub in butter/coconut oil with your fingertips until it reassembles the
texture of breadcrumbs. Stir in chopped nuts/seeds (if using) and mix
well to combine.
3. Spread crumble over an oven tray and bake for 8-15 minutes or until
golden and crunchy. Toss on the tray halfway through cooking and just
watch that it isn’t burning.
4. Place fruit in a pot with about ¼ cup water. Cover partially with a lid
and cook on medium heat, stirring now and again, until fruit is starting
to soften and collapse (note that some apples will hold their shape,
whilst others collapse and stew). Sweeten to taste with sugar/golden
syrup/honey.

FRUIT FILLING
5-6 apples, peeled, cored and
chopped
1 x 400g can apricots or peaches
(fruit and juice from the can)
2-3 tablespoons sugar (or golden
syrup or honey), to taste
5. Spoon hot fruit into a large baking dish or individual ramekins. Sprinkle
crumble on top and return to the oven for a couple of minutes if it
needs to warm through a bit more. Serve warm or cold with ice cream,
yoghurt or cream (my favourite, is a mix of yoghurt and whipped cream,
sweetened with a little maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon) for
dessert...or breakfast

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 TIPS & SWAPS:
• The fruit filling can be whatever you want it to be. You can use any fruit
or mix of fruit – fresh, canned, frozen (e.g. apple, quince, plums, apricots,
pears, feijoas, berries) – you like. You’ll need about 3-4 cups of cooked
fruit.
• For a gluten-free version, quinoa flakes can be used in place of oats
• Some of my favourite fruit crumble combinations are apple &
blackberry, pear & feijoa, apple & feijoa, quince & apple, apple & apricot,
plum & apricot etc.
• Depending on the variety you use (particularly with apples), the fruit
may hold its shape or collapse completely and stew – either way is fine!
• Keep an eye on the crumble to make sure it is not burning – the cooking
time will depend on how hot your oven is, and whether you’ve used
ground almonds (which toast much faster) or flour.
• Turn the crumble topping halfway through cooking.
• To make maple cinnamon yoghurt cream (which I like to eat my crumble
with), fold ½ cup whipped cream with ½ cup yoghurt, a good pinch of
ground cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup.
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Thank you!
A big thank you to all of YOU, my lockdown kitchen buddies. Your love and
support, and amazing kitchen creations (which I saw all over Instagram and
Facebook) made this show fun to make! I’ll never forget our gigantic cooking
bubble
Thank you to the team at Warner Brothers NZ – Tim, Carl and Joanne
especially – for turning some phone footage of our bubble’s escapades into
a proper TV show! And thank you to TVNZ for bringing the show to all of
New Zealand.
Thank you to Tanya Wong for stepping in to help with designing this little
cookbook.
A big hug and thank you to my wonderful ‘cameraman’ husband Carlos
and our two little ‘helpers’ Bodhi and River. Lockdown certainly had its
challenges, but I couldn’t have asked for a more loving, awesome bubble to
be in!

Sending big hugs, love and gratitude to you all,

NADIA ❤

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HAPPY EATING!