vegetarian

As a mum and nutritionist, I’m always trying to find more nourishing ways to create the family favourites — especially when it comes to cookies! For this delicious recipe, I’ve swapped traditional ingredients such as butter and flour for tahini and almond meal. The combination not only delivers high-quality essential fatty acids and fibre but keeps tummies satisfied for much longer, too. An absolute winner for all the family.

For as long as I can remember there has been a healthy version of icy poles in my life. My mum used to make them with fresh juice for us as kids and when I started my own family I decided they’d be a tradition I’d continue. Kids and adults love an icy pole treat and it’s lovely to know that they can be enjoyed with good-quality nutrition. I’ve supercharged these delicious icy poles with essential fats and calcium from tahini, fibre and sweetness from bananas and a kick of cinnamon to balance blood sugar levels, too.

The whole family will love this pumpkin soup! Adding tahini gives the soup a nutty flavour and creamy texture, plus it’s loaded with plant-based calcium.

I’ve been making versions of these biscuits since the kids were little. The original recipe is inspired by Jude Blereau. They are a great everyday biscuit sweetened with maple syrup and lend themselves to any sort of flavouring — ginger, chocolate, cardamom. I have used star anise here as I love the little aniseed hit.

These Peanut Butter & Coconut Cookies are insanely addictive! If you have kids, the entire tray can disappear before you even get one into your mouth.

These super-healthy biscuits are quick and easy to make and look like ANZAC biscuits. Best stored in the fridge for a week, they’re great for school lunch boxes and healthy after-school snacks.

To me, the flavours of Portugal are zingy citrus, olives, olive oil and fresh herbs. I have combined these flavours to create a dense cake, almost a torte, in the hope it takes you to Portugal.

Eggs make a valuable addition to your diet; they’re rich in protein and vitamin B12 for making red blood cells and maintaining a healthy nervous system, and vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and immune health. Eggs also contain choline, needed to make the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is vital for healthy brain function and memory. Always buy organic eggs when you can.

Okra has been used traditionally as a food and medicine for hundreds of years in South America, Africa and the Middle East. Okra provides a good dose of vitamin K, calcium and magnesium for strong, healthy bones and blood clotting, and B vitamins, including folic acid, which is important for pregnant women.

The combination of pan-fried okra, haloumi, pomegranate and fresh herbs makes this salad a simple weekday dish. Okra often has a bad reputation for being slimy but, rest assured, when it’s cooked properly it’s delicious. Simply pan-fry quickly over medium–high heat to make it crispy rather than let it steam and go soft.

I absolutely love the combination of the okra with this incredible rice! This is a very simple method of cooking the okra, which could be used with many different flavours. It’s worth tracking down the kefir lime leaves as they really lift the entire dish.

I love adding olives and roasted capsicum to this traditional Tuscan-inspired recipe. The addition of pan-fried okra and lemon gives the dish an interesting textural twist. The salad is a great way to use up leftover tomatoes and bread. If you only have fresh bread, just leave the bread uncovered on a plate to dry for an hour or dry it out on low heat in the oven.