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BIGGEST TIP – ignore the packet directions, DO NOT use the absorption method. And make this Brown Rice Salad! How to cook brown rice (perfectly) This is a recipe for how to cook brown rice so it’s fluffy and tumbles out of the pot like THIS ↓↓ White rice | Jasmine | Basmati | Sushi rice | Risotto (easy way!) | Paella | Quinoa | Cauliflower rice The challenge with cooking brown rice is that it has a harder hull than white rice, being the nutritious bran layer than is left on during milling....

A comforting Italian tomato stew made with simple kitchen staple ingredients and it is fully packed with flavour from garlic, mixed herbs, tomato and chilli. This easy instant pot chicken stew recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners and great for meal prepping. What Is Chicken Cacciatore Chicken cacciatore is a classic Italian hunter’s stew made with onions, tomatoes and herbs with occasional use of bell peppers, mushroom and wine....

Cooking legumes in your instant pot can’t get easier than this and it tastes better than canned every time. Right let’s get to it, you are only a few minutes away from making the best homemade hummus, stew, curries or whatever your heart wants with these chickpeas. Why you would love this instant pot chickpeas recipe It is cheap to make your own at home as you would get more for your money....

Bonus: This classic homemade Italian Dressing recipe keeps for 2 weeks so make a big batch! Fabulous with leafy greens, steamed, chopped and roasted vegetables. I am addicted to Italian Dressing. I never thought Italian Dressing was anything special in my younger days. That was before I discovered an Italian Dressing recipe with parmesan in it (can’t remember where, think it was one of those recipe websites). Tried it once and I was converted....

Ready in about 30 minutes, this tasty recipe is perfect as an appetizer, a party snack, or a side dish. Cauliflower is amazing! You can roast it, turn it into cauliflower tots, cauliflower fritters, rice, mash, even cauliflower pizza crust! And let’s not forget cauliflower mac and cheese. The possibilities are endless. But even with all these wonderful options, this particular recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy this tasty and versatile vegetable....

Your afternoon tea is complete with this British classic recipe. See how to make it with my easy step by step guide. Easy lemon scones recipe perfect for beginners Ever wondered if you can bake the British classic scones at home from scratch, well, you can and it is pretty easy too, in fact, it is foolproof and a child can make it. Adding fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to plain scones takes it to 100%, it can be eaten as it is with simple lemon glaze on top or with clotted cream and jam....

Lo Mein Noodles The actual noodles pictured above were my dinner last night, albeit I was a little heavy handed with a big dollop of chilli sauce that had me gasping and sweating (and swearing) through every bite. Don’t fear, it was self inflicted torture. Those red strips you see are capsicum / bell peppers, not chilli. There is no sign of chilli in this recipe – Lo Mein is not spicy!...

I know we’re in November now, so I should’t really include this in my October Hot Smoothie Saturday series, but I couldn’t resist including one more Malted Coconut Hot Smoothie bonus smoothie. This Malted Coconut Hot Smoothie has got a couple of unusual ingredients in it, but if you make a lot a of smoothies, you may already have them in your cupboard. I was looking for a malty drink, but nothing too reminiscent of Horlicks or Ovaltine....

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Vegetarian Pasta Salad Who would’ve thought those random veggies you’ve got left in the bottom of your fridge could be transformed into something as incredible as this Vegetarian Pasta Salad?? Forget limp, bland veggies sitting sadly amongst tasteless, soggy pasta. THIS cold pasta salad is the polar opposite of that. It’s vibrant, it’s flavour loaded, it’s JUICY, and will make even green-haters scoff down a weeks’ worth of veggies in one sitting!...

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”! Meatloaf recipe A loaf made entirely of meat. What’s not to love? (Vegetarians are excused 😉) It’s economical. It’s quick to prepare. It’s a classic family favourite. And leftovers make terrific sandwiches. If you think that Meatloaf is really just a giant beef burger shaped like a loaf, it’s time to abandon that misconception! Meatloaf shouldn’t taste like a hamburger!...

The marinade for this recipe is adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe. I’m a huge fan of Bobby Flay. I still stand by a comment I made previously that he should seriously consider wearing sunnies when he cooks outdoors because I swear, he is permanently squinting in his Barbecue Addiction TV series! Bobby Flay’s food is totally up my alley. He’s into strong flavours, herbs and spices, cooking food from all over the world, and while he does do Western takes on ethnic recipes, he always stays on the right side of “the line”....

These mini burritos went down a treat at our Boxing day buffet. I’ve got to admit, we don’t really do much for New Years eve. We get all our partying out of the way within a few days after Christmas. For us, New Years eve consists of a nice meal and then snacks in front of the TV (so errr the same as most nights then). We just about manage to flick over to the New Years countdown in time to see the clock strike midnight....

Also see Baked Mushroom Rice! A Mushroom recipe for mushroom lovers! This one is for mushrooms lovers! Though….in all honesty, I know not of any mushroom haters. I’m a Banana Hater (slimy horrible, stinky thing!). I know a hater of all things “bouncy” (fish cakes, tofu etc), a capsicum hater, and a hater of all things that smell like…..errr…. wind. Egg, popcorn and corn apparently fall into this category. But I’ve never heard of a Mushroom Hater....

This is a fully loaded mushroom recipe – there’s 750g / 1.5 lb mushrooms in this! Mushroom Risotto It’s such a let down when you’re faced with a giant bowl of Mushroom Risotto, only to find you have to fish around desperately through piles of gluey rice to find a a few piddly bits of mushrooms. Let me assure you, no fishing expedition will be required for this Mushroom Risotto!...

Aside from my wonderful husband, Mr Kipling might be my ideal man. Yes, I like to bake cakes at home, but I find it hard to walk past the cake aisle at the supermarket without drooling over the Viennese whirls, mini battenburgs and of course the bakewell tarts. I saw those family-sized bakewell tarts on offer at the shop a couple of weeks ago and despite only being in there to pick up a bottle of water, I came out with TWO of those icing-covered, jammy pastries-from-heaven....

It’s a simple recipe that highlights the unique flavor and texture of the spears. Your only concern as a cook? Avoid overcooking them! Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables. I love its unique, delicate flavor. In fact, I like it so much that I sometimes eat it as a snack - simply sprinkled with salt or dipped in melted butter. I make the occasional grilled or roasted asparagus. But my favorite way to eat this wonderful vegetable is the simplest....

The result is comparable to the real thing, and it’s also very easy to make - this tasty appetizer is ready in less than 30 minutes. Many of us sorely miss our old favorites when we transition to a keto diet. But happily, many of those favorites have excellent keto versions that are just as (or almost as) good as the original. So yes, you can still enjoy nachos on the keto diet!...

Red velvet is hugely popular in the US. I remember watching one of those reality shows about a popular cupcake shop in the US (I think it was in Georgetown in Washington) and the owners said that the most popular cupcake by a long shot was Red Velvet. Australia hasn’t quite caught on (yet!). Red Velvet is always a staple at cupcake shops, but they aren’t the most popular. When I offer to make cupcakes for birthday parties, no one ever asks for Red Velvet!...

Ricotta Pancakes Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE traditional pancakes. But sometimes it’s nice to make a wee bit of an effort to make ricotta pancakes which are extra special. Super moist inside with a flavour that is almost a bit cheesecakey, even when you don’t know it’s a ricotta pancake you’re eating, you know it’s different to the usual. These are the pancakes that posh bistros have on their menus....