I made this divine salad at our Easy Asian Dinner Party cooking class last week and it was a winner. My students wondered how such a quick and easy salad could taste so good? The answer is the combination of the classic Thai flavours of the dressing, sweet prawns and fresh Asian herbs. [Read more →]

Primavera in Italian means “spring style” and this salad showcases the best of spring produce. This is lovely as an accompaniment to fish or chicken, and makes a delicious entree served with smoked salmon. [Read more →]

Mushrooms are a great meat substitute, and as I’m still on my detox (no meat allowed) this dish really satisfies. You can use any cheese – cheddar, Parmesan, feta, Swiss and goat’s cheese work really well. My preference is goat’s cheese (and it conforms with my detox eating plan). The chilli in the dressing gives it a nice bite, although you could leave it out if you’re not a fan. [Read more →]

One of my My New Year’s resolutions was to give my body a spring clean, get fit and lose a couple of kilos. Hence I am currently on a two-week detox, which entails a fairly strict eating regime – no meat, dairy, refined flour products, sugar, alcohol, caffeine….you get the picture. It’s essentially a vegan diet. [Read more →]

Many people are put off by the idea of serving three courses at a dinner party, possibly because of lack of confidence and culinary expertise, and usually because of time constrictions with the food preparation. Serving a first course lengthens the time spent around the dinner table, hence adding to the enjoyment of the occasion.

Here are a number of ideas for easy entrees that can be put together in less than 10 minutes. So no more excuses for not serving a starter! 
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Summer is almost here, and there’s nothing like a fresh salad to accompany your meal. Rather than dressing your salads with bought salad dressings, why not make your own? Vinaigrette (pronounced vin-eh-GRETTE) is dead simple to make and tastes a million times better than bottled French Dressings found on supermarket shelves. The basic formula is three parts oil to one part vinegar / citrus juice. Add to this any combination of herbs, spices, seasonings or flavours. 

Experiment with different oils, vinegars and flavours. Here are some suggestions to get you started:  [Read more →]

New season mangoes have arrived in abundance, so I thought it only fitting to provide my recipe for Mango Salsa. This simple but delicious accompaniment goes wonderfully with chicken, pork, duck, prawns and all seafood. [Read more →]