Simply Great Food                           ...by design 

We all know that it's far too easily to throw a slice of pizza or a doughnut down your throat at the desk when you're working late and suddenly realise that you are really hungry. One way to combat that nutritional disaster is to spend half hour the night before prepping a healthy, protein-rich lunch that will sustain you throughout the day. I love using jars for food on the go - it's a healthy way to store food (no worry of migration from plastic to food), it tastes better

So, last week I posted a photo of my version of a Protein rich pancake. but after reading up on it last week, I realised that I could make some amazing, tasty adjustments and hey viola - utterly delicious! Recipe for Protein Pancakes Mk 2 Serves 2 3 organic or free-range eggs 1/4 cup full-fat Greek Yogurt 1/4 cup water 1 tsp vanilla essence (not flavour!) 1 tbsp chia seeds 1/4 cup almond flour 2 tsp melted butter Mixed Berries & Pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Here is another carb-light, yet pretty special, week-end dinner. I used some pork fillet for this dish - it's a real crowd pleaser when cooked with mushrooms, a bit of mustard, capers and cream. I fried some savoy cabbage with garlic, chilli, smokey bacon & red onion in some yummy Kalamata Olive Oil - the combination is dynamite! Recipe for Creamy Pork & Cabbage Serves 3 1/2 Savoy Cabbage - thinly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 2 crushed garlic 1/2 a finely chopped chilli 2 stri

I'm trying to cut back on carbs just now - I have been reading so much recently about how diet can affect my miserable hypothyroid condition, so I'm thinking "Hey - it's worth a try". I aim to find a substitute for all the grains I cook for the family. How better to embrace the challenges than to share the "side by sides" here. Remember that epic soup that was made earlier on in the week? Well, traditionally, we follow a whole chicken with delicious broth and make risotto

I love pancakes. Growing up in Canada sort of made that de rigueur. Back in the '60's my Mom was quite ahead of her time as our pancakes were made from scratch (and not Aunt Jemima's mix - though, in truth, there's not a lot wrong with Aunt Jemima's!!) with buckwheat (instead of regular wheat), oil (instead of butter - of course, we now know that butter is best), the milk was skimmed, and of course, nothing substituted real Grade A Maple Syrup (and nothing ever should!). I

We are all bound by common, beloved comfort foods and in this case, it's polpetta, or Italian meatballs - succulent with garlic, Parmesan & parsley, there is nothing more tempting. My personal favourite is a Ciabatta Meatball sandwich, smothered in Sugo & topped with mozzarella, but they are equally wonderful served with pasta, or the low-carb option of a bed of crispy salad greens or simply, rice. Recipe for Italian Meatballs 250g minced beef 250g minced pork 1/2 cup of fr

We are at the time of year when nature's larder is bulging with colourful fruits, squashes, seeds & berries. Here is a flavour of what we can do with roasted root vegetables & squash, Goats' cheese & walnuts - I'm serving this with a roast duck, but it would make a great veggie dish or open sandwich with rocket leaves and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Recipe for Roasted Root Veg Serves 6 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 celariac, peeled and cubed 1/2 butternut squash, peeled & cho

A great dish begins and ends with the best quality ingredients you can find - if you can't afford the whole 500g of prime rib, buy 200g and bulk your dish up with loads of greens - try a mix of spinach, rocket & watercress for a spicy, tasty alternative, add delicious ripe Hass avocado, and a selection of heirloom tomatoes to bulk up your dish. Finish with finely shaved Parmesan and a fruity olive oil & balsalmic vinegar dressing - the best quality you can manage. Enjoy! Rec