Eat Well

Food is sustenance but it is also an interaction, and any interaction can cut two ways. On one level, food is an interaction between you and the planet; your choices around food reflect how you think about your role in the society and environment that you inhabit. We have canvassed that quite extensively here, but it is not the point I wanted to make right now. The other level of interaction around food is interpersonal. Unless you are subsisting on a high peak somewhere, then someone either grew your food, made your food, prepared your food or served you your food. Any or all of those interactions present an opportunity for you to interact and those interactions can be positive or negative. As a coffee-phile, I have a few regular cafes that I…

Ames Starr Ames Starr is a kitchen creative, food educator, recipe developer and founder of the popular Brisbane plant-based brand Raw & Peace. With a colourful background working in organics and wholefoods since the early 2000s, she is a firm believer that healthy eating can be easy, fun and delicious. Being a true gypsy at heart, Ames’ palate is heavily influenced by her travels. With simple beginnings at Brisbane’s Northey Street Organic Farmers Market in 2010, Ames initially became known for Raw & Peace’s incredible raw vegan treat range. Despite having no formal training, her extensive cooking career has seen her facilitate cooking classes for over a decade, both locally and internationally. She also runs retreats, has trained some of the top chefs in the Asia Pacific region, and in 2020 she…

Cucumbers belong to the Curcubitaceae, or gourd, family. They are believed to be native to India and have been cultivated in western Asia for about 4000 years. Eventually the succulent vegetable spread to the Mediterranean and was especially beloved by the Romans, who introduced it to the rest of Europe. The Spanish then took cucumbers to the “New World and today cucumbers are a global crop. In some parts of the world cucumbers are known as gherkins. It is thought that this derives from the Persian word for cucumber, “angahara”, but in many instances a “gherkin” is synonymous with a pickled cucumber. The two main varieties available in Australia are the Lebanese or continental (telegraph) cucumber. Lebanese cucumbers have a dark, thin skin with white flesh and a crisp texture. Continental cucumbers…

A well-stocked and smart pantry is key to getting creative and organised in the kitchen. There are so many dishes you can cook with a few basic ingredients. Spice Rack Move over salt and pepper — a carefully provisioned spice rack is an absolute must-have pantry staple. Spices are a great way to add flavour, warmth and depth to really elevate a dish. They are also a great way to limit your daily sodium intake since there are plenty of more exciting and flavourful ways to season dishes rather than table salt. Spices can be used in pretty much anything, from curry pastes and sauces to meat rubs and marinades, or simply sprinkled on vegetables or your morning cereal. So where do you start when browsing the spice aisle? The first step is…

Parmesan, Prosciutto & Rocket Pizza Recipe / Naomi Sherman My first experience of this pizza was a variation that I tried with my best friend while on a girls' trip. It was everything you want in a mouthful — salty, tangy, bitter and sweet — and it made such an impression on me that I promised myself I would recreate it when I got home. Using my favourite pizza base, I did just that. Serves: 8 Pizza bases (recipe on page 26) Toppings ½-1 cup marinara pizza sauce, to taste 1 cup grated mozzarella 2 cups fresh baby rocket 85g prosciutto Shaved parmesan 1. See recipe above for pizza bases. 2. Rest dough for 20 mins and then start adding toppings. 3. Preheat the oven to 230°C. 4. Spread the marinara sauce right to the edges of the pizza base…

Berry & Honeydew Avocado Salad with Tiger Nuts & Vinaigrette Dressing GF V Recipe / Lisa Guy Tiger nuts, also known as earth almonds, aren't actually nuts. They're tubers that have a chewy almond-like taste. Tiger nuts are a good source of protein and beneficial fats along with resistant starch fibre that acts as a prebiotic. Including tiger nuts with meals can help improve satiety and reduce blood-sugar level spikes. Serves: 3-4 4 cups rocket Handful mint, leaves roughly chopped ½ honeydew melon, scooped into balls ½ cup blueberries 1 cup blackberries 1 large avocado, sliced 1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced 80g feta, Crumbled ¼ cup toasted tiger nuts or almonds Vinaigrette Dressing ¼ cup cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped mint 2 tsp pure maple syrup or honey Pinch sea salt 1.…