No cooking required

To make lebanese bread crisp, place in a preheated oven at 190°C/170°C fan-forced 10 minutes. Note

Make this in advance and store it in the fridge for up to a week. Remove it 30 minutes before serving to allow it to soften, as the butter will become hard when chilled. Note

Remember to boil a few extra potatoes the night before with dinner to make this delicious Indian-inspired sandwich. Note

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C. they also contain antioxidants known to reduce the activity of carcinogens. Note

If you plan to make the coleslaw ahead of time, keep it fresh in a snap-lock bag in the fridge. Note

You can use low-fat ice-cream instead of yogurt in these smoothies. Note

Savory Shortcrust Pastry

Raid the strawberry patch, take the ripest, freshest, reddest berries, mix them with sugar and cream, perhaps a little alcohol, a little citrus zest, and create desserts that will send everyone into raptures

Wraps are the ultimate DIY dinner and with this blueprint there won't be any disasters.

A blanket and a patch of lawn is all you need to turn lunch at home into a romantic spring picnic

A blanket and a patch of lawn is all you need to turn lunch at home into a romantic spring picnic

Don’t oversoften the ice-cream or it will lose its volume. Note

Pina colada

Cover any leftover mayonnaise and basil mixture are store in fridge for later use. Note

Use milk or dark chocolate instead of white chocolate in the rocky road, if you like. Add 1/2 cup glace fruit of your choice in step 2. MAKES ABOUT 36 SLICES Note

You’ll be the star of the school fair with these candied creations by Sophie Gray

Megan May shows you just how good raw food can taste with this modern twist on a classic cake combination

You’ll be the star of the school fair with these candied creations by Sophie Gray

Low fat, low saturated fat, kid friendly Note

Want a hunger-busting snack that’s healthy, will travel, and tastes delicious to both kids and adults? These beautiful strawberry and honey chia puddings make a brilliant on-the-go lunch or breakfast.

Want a hunger-busting snack that’s healthy, will travel, and tastes delicious to kids and adults alike? These chia, coconut and apricot bars are loved by all and are a great on-the-go energy boost.

A sun-kissed salad by Sarah Bowman

White chocolate cheesecake and mixed berries

On a hot summer’s evening, this dessert is a fruity, refreshing treat. Pineapple delivers a burst of vitamin C along with the mineral manganese (for bone building). Lime aids digestion, while pomegranate is high in antioxidants and may help lower LDL cholestrol. Note

Berries are one of the richest sources of vitamin C and also have excellent antioxidant qualities. Note

Keeping times: Use the leftover Asian gremolata within 1 day of making, and the leftover beef within 2 days of cooking. Note

You get what you pay for with prosciutto, although the cheaper versions found in supermarkets are usually pretty good. The more expensive prosciutto usually imported from Italy, is finer quality meat and air-dried for longer therefore having a more intense flavor. I don’t be alarmed by the fat on the edge of the prosciutto, and […]

Sip on a glass of non-alcoholic goodness thanks to this refreshing mocktail recipe, which is a tasty combination of grenadine, grapefruit juice, lime juice and soda water.

Fuel up your body and power through the winter with this delicious, health-boosting smoothie by Megan May

To speed up freezing, place metal container in freezer to chill while processing lychees. Note

Strawberry ice cream slice brought to you by Recipes Plus

Snipping noodles makes them easier to mix through the other ingredients. Note

You can use ice-block moulds. Wooden ice-cream sticks are sold in craft stores. Note

Use sugar bananas, if possible, as they don’t discolour. Replace rockmelon with watermelon, honeydew or pineapple. Note

The syrup is also good with banana and seedless grapes. Note

For a thicker smoothie, use a frozen banana. Try vanilla ice-cream instead of yogurt. Note

You can bulk up this salad with shredded lettuce. Instead of cherry tomatoes, you can use 1 large tomato. White balsamic has a slightly milder taste than dark balsamic. Use any leftovers as a condiment or drizzle over grilled chicken. Note

Budget tip: Use neapolitan ice-cream or limit ice-cream and gelato to 2 colours. Scoop gelato and ice-cream and freeze on a tray lined with foil. Rollettes are small sponge rolls available from the bread and cake aisle at the supermarket. Note

Stand ice-cream at room temperature for 15-25 minutes to soften. Don’t let ice-cream soften too much or the cake will have an ice-like texture. Note

No piping bag? Spoon icing into a small resealable food storage bag; seal, then snip off a small corner. Note

Big flavour comes in small sizes

Megan May unravels a classic dolma recipe and ‘uncooks’ a delicious raw alternative

To make chocolate shavings, run a vegie peeler along the length of a block of chocolate. Note

Chocolate rollettes are mini chocolate sponge rolls; if unavailable, you can use regular mini sponge rolls. Note

Coconut macaroons are in the cakes aisle. Note

Try using aioli instead of mayonnaise. You can add Asian salad mix for extra vegetables. Note

Replace crushed chocolate bar with 1/3 cup dark or milk chocolate chips. For best results, be sure to use good-quality vanilla ice-cream. Note

Budget tip: To turn into a main course, serve as a side with fish, meat or chicken. Make dip in a 4-cup serving bowl. Note