Roast Apple, Prosciutto and Caramelised Onion Salad

This salad ticks all of the boxes: sweet apples, salty prosciutto and onions and that lovely crunch from the grilled prosciutto. I came up with this salad at the end of last summer, when my usual go-to fruit (figs!) were no longer available, or at least without mortgaging the house.

Gluten-free Broccoli Tabbouleh

More and more people seem to be choosing to follow vegetarian or vegan diets these days. I have several close friends who are always on the lookout for plant-based meals to satisfy their family vegetarian converts while complementing the rest of the family’s more protein-based meals. This gluten-free Broccoli-Tabbouleh is simply delicious. Something different as a mid-week side and because the broccoli is pulsed raw, it’s ‘tough’ enough to withstand the acidity of the dressing, so it can easily survive a day in the fridge once it’s dressed.

Paleo Seed and Nut Bread

Bread is such a staple of life and partner in life’s celebrations. Its differing forms are wonderful expressions of the characters and lifestyles of the people that it feeds, all telling a different story. I hope this recipe helps fill a gap in your family’s diet, if like us, for health reasons, you’ve had to abstain from gluten bread.

Vegan Lentil Moussaka/Shepherd’s Pie

I was disheartened by the speed that vegan dishes seemed to be inhaled by our family members.. Surely I could create a filling and tasty lentil bolognaise sauce and use it as easily as I would the real meaty version… I’m so pleased to say it was a total success; the baked eggplant moussaka version refined and particularly popular, but the creamy shepherd’s pie of mashed cauliflower and pumpkin also delicious and very filling.

Gluten-free Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlic & Sage Burnt Butter Sauce

I have always loved pasta. For me it’s the culinary equivalent of a warm, cashmere jumper, woolly pair of socks and a cuddle. Especially when teamed with a glass of red on a chilly evening… the ultimate in comfort food.This gluten-free, paleo version of gnocchi is absolutely amazing and if you keep your hand very light when mixing all of the ingredients, you will find yourself with the most delectable, soft and cushiony gnocchi.

Spicy Mango Fish

I came up with this recipe during those few magical weeks of summer holidays in Australia, where time stands still and the lazy metronome of cicadas and mosquitos plays its languid soundtrack to days spent at the beach, the sting of sea salt, sand and sun, catching up with family and friends over long, leisurely meals and the comforting reburgeoning of life in suburban backyards and gardens. I decided that coming up with something quick and new for dinner with a glass of cold kombucha or rose in hand was easier than rushing off to buy a whole set of fresh ingredients. My spicy mango fish captures the sweetness and easiness of summer. I hope you love this recipe as much as my family does.

Slow-cooked lamb shoulder in cassis and red wine

I love anything slow-cooked and I love everything about it; the inner calm that comes from knowing that your dinner is taking care of itself while you plough through your day at work and/or home and ferry kids to their appointments and activities. That sweet, aromatic wave that wraps around you when you finally stumble through your front door.Most magically though, the dish is always beautifully caramelized and the slow-cooked meat just falls off the bone, which has its practical side too; so useful if you are exhausted to your core and don’t have much energy to chew.

Vegan Vegetable Patties

My family loves their meat and my teenage boys especially, would probably, given the choice, eat it at every single meal. This means that it is sometimes a bit of a battle to break it up a bit with all of the wonderful greens they could be eating, especially since we’ve been following the GAPS/Paleo…

Gluten-free macadamia, coconut and lemon tea cake

I think cake is in my DNA. I grew up with a mother who was (and still is ) cake queen and who was taught this craft by my grandmother, who baked love and song into every cake, pirog and pirozhok. (Russian pies and mini-pies). Their baking repertoire was rich and extensive and there always seemed to be a fitting occasion to warrant a performance.

My food journey

The best food is often simple; hearty, nourishing and honest. At the same time its role in our lives is complex; it nurtures, heals and accompanies us in our life journeys, always there to celebrate the joys of life and console us in our trials.