That extra little something to complement your main, or to keep the hungry wolves from the door, sides and starters are the quiet heroes of the table.
These are the dishes that round out a meal, add colour and contrast, and make the most of what’s in season. Here you’ll find a collection of recipes that are perfect for using up garden veggies, herbs and pantry staples. From fresh garden slaws and roasted roots to dips, spreads, fritters and nibbles, these are recipes that are quick to prepare but full of flavour. Many are ideal for batch cooking or making ahead, and most are easily adaptable depending on what you have on hand.
Try mixing and matching a few to create a sharing platter, especially when you’re feeding a crowd or catering to picky eaters. Small plates are a great way to add variety and turn humble ingredients into something special. These recipes are listed in A to Z order. If you’re after something in particular, you can use the TAG menu on the right to filter by ingredient.
Whether you’re starting a meal or filling out the table, I hope you find a few go-to favourites in this collection.
If you’ve already enjoyed it mashed and roasted – check out ten of my favourite other ways to enjoy pumpkin ... Read More
A Winter Twist: Beetroot Caprese Salad
When it’s time to beet the cold, this cozy Caprese Salad is fit for all seasons. It’s always time to ... Read More
Baked Camembert Parcel: A French-Inspired Entertainer’s Delight My first experience of baked Camembert was in the South of France, where ... Read More
What a delicious veggie to have growing in the garden, and baking in the oven – Spaghetti Squash. My love ... Read More
I have really grown to love beetroot. No longer is it limited to a pickle in my homemade burger or ... Read More
I had a double-take at some of my camera settings as the beetroot hummus was so crimson it almost looked ... Read More
We’ve gone vegetarian for a week at our house and Broccoli Balls is on the menu. [Artist Peter Fraser]Thinking back, ... Read More
Cauliflower-lovers, vegetarians and vegans, rejoice. This Buffalo Cauliflower Bites recipe ZINGS and is oh-so-tasty, you’ll want to serve it up ... Read More
I have had such an adorably successful harvest of cucumbers, it’s a battle to use them all. I’ve given away ... Read More
Really? Did I just say cauliflower rice? Yes. As I rediscovered, another great way to eat this humble garden vege ... Read More
If you’ve only ever steamed your broccoli, prepare to see this humble veg in a whole new light. Chargrilled! Chargrilling ... Read More
I absolutely love the texture and flavour of pastry, but for the longest time I struggled to find a vegetarian ... Read More
Cooking with Kamo Kamo aka Kumi Kumi
The Kamo Kamo aka Kumi Kumi, is green, ribbed and delicious. Whilst it may appear to ‘take over’ the veggie ... Read More
Inspired by the absolute abundance of purple dwarf beans in my garden this season, I decided to take a classic ... Read More
I’ve been coveting stale bread like no tomorrow. NO ONE is to discard a single stale slice of anything in ... Read More
Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas are so very delicious and full of goodness too! Instead of reaching for packet of chips or ... Read More
Looking for a bread-maker Focaccia recipe? You’ve come to the right place. On weekends when my Englishman and I go ... Read More
With excess broccoli florets and loads of spinach leaves, it seemed the perfect start to a Flaky Feta and Broccoli ... Read More
Ginger Biscuits: A Sweet-Spicy Staple from My Trusty Scrapbook On my tried-and-true recipe list, Ginger Biscuits reign supreme. They’re ridiculously ... Read More
If you are looking for a summer vegetarian/vegan main or side dish to feed plenty, be sure to add this ... Read More
Nothing beats a freshly prepared Green Garden Slaw straight from the garden. Literally minutes from garden to plate the crunch ... Read More
Healthy winter vege & easy ways to cook them
Indulge in the delights of in-season vegetables straight from your vegetable patch and be rewarded with an immunity boost to ... Read More
How to cook polenta the easy way
Polenta, like so many interesting grains lately, has made a kitchen comeback. It’s affordable, versatile, and when cooked well, absolutely ... Read More
Not to miss out on something big I grew half a bed of curly kale in my garden, with great ... Read More
You don’t need a bread maker for this, nor yeast. This loaf is easy to make and oh-so moist. Kalette ... Read More
Are you a leek freak, or willing to experiment? Leek & Risoni Balls are tasty bite-sized mouthfuls of goodness – ... Read More
Looking for a new spin on serving up leeks, Asian veggies and preserved lemons? Check out this tasty side that ... Read More
Rediscovering Liptauer: A Luxury from the Fridge Scraps When I was a kid, one of the real treats from our ... Read More
You know the drill. It’s marrow season and we need to find creative ways of eating marrow to do justice ... Read More
If you are looking for something extra-yum to add to your next cheese or nibbles platter, I can highly recommend ... Read More
Because I am up for a little kitchen mayhem and a great excuse to be bold and learn something new, ... Read More
Once you make your own dumplings, you’ll never visit the freezer aisle again. Homemade dumplings are so easy and a ... Read More
Pescatarian & Vegetarian Festive Fare
I can see it now: the morning will be celebrated with a toast of bubbles, sporadic bouts of slow-dancing to ... Read More
Well, I did warn you! Persimmon is still flavour of the month for me, as long as the short season ... Read More
It is pumpkin season, which I always welcome. Eating with the seasons is just perfect, especially when it’s locally grown ... Read More
A wonderful way to use preserved lemon and the wins from your veggie patch! If you’ve never cooked with preserved ... Read More
The 5+ A Day team know their stuff and have inspired me with their colourful salad centrepieces designed with festive ... Read More
Fancy by name and delicious by nature, I rediscover a way to serve up eggs and a smidgen of smoked ... Read More
Smashed Potato & Tuna Croquettes
Potato & Tuna Croquettes were never really in the plan, but they turned out to be the perfect answer to ... Read More
It’s wonderful that the South Island has such an iconic dish to claim as their own: Southland Cheese Rolls. Now, ... Read More
Whether you are stepping ‘nibbles’ up a notch, or wanting to serve it as part of your main – a ... Read More
Here’s a hearty flavoursome meal or side to celebrate leftovers and homemade relish: Stuffed Baked Potatoes I literally lived off ... Read More
Summer Soft Shell Tacos are a ‘pretty relaxed’ dinner choice, perfect for social occasions and a DIY dining approach. I ... Read More
Tattie Scones are famous in Scotland. Mashed potato whipped to perfection then baked until risen, yum! I must say, it ... Read More
Layered Goodness: Make the Most of Your Homegrown Veg One of the joys of having a vegetable garden is being ... Read More
Vegetarian Mushroom ‘Meatballs’
This Mushroom ‘Meatball’ recipe is indeed meat-free, super-tasty and filling. You can’t go wrong with a pasta dish for a ... Read More
Inspired by a tasty salad from Tank, this dish combines all the yummy ingredients of a vegetarian nacho dish but with ... Read More
Waste-Not Chicken & Potato Croquettes
I’m always on the lookout for recipe ideas that help reduce waste, use up leftovers, and still feel like something ... Read More
Yorkshire Puddings & Toad in the Hole
Staring at a pack of sausages and looking for another way to cook ’em? Cue ‘Toad in the Hole’, an ... Read More
You say potatoes, I say potatoes
Regardless how to you say it, we can agree that potatoes are one of the most user-friendly vegetables around. So ... Read More
Is this a savoury cake, loaf or a bread? Not really sure to be honest, but it is something a ... Read More