Green Carbonara

Searching for a way to up your vegetable intake - zucchini noodles or "zoodles" are a fun option.  These may not be for everyone but we love them and felt like being a bit creative with our cooking this week.  You can use zoodles in place of any pasta, they are easy to prepare and much lighter on the stomach.  There are various tools out there to make zoodles.  Most people recommend using a 'spiralizer' which creates lovely curly noodles.  I can't quite afford one of those, and don't much like appliances so have a julienne peeler similar to this one which I picked up for $11 (which comes in very handy for making salads).  I've even seen someone use a grater to achieve them!

Smoked paprika mexican-inspired salad

As wonderful as warm soups, slow cooked meals and fruit crumbles are, by the time September rolls around I'm well and truly over winter and usually stop eating anything that reminds me of it . Around about this time I start looking out for ideas for slightly more substantial salads that will carry me through the gap between winter and summer. When I was in Wellington recently I went to the Maranui Café in Lyall Bay, a vibrant joint with fantastic views and a delicious menu. I tried a couple of their cabinet salads which ended up mixing together a bit and the resulting flavour was pretty fantastic. Here is a little creation inspired by my lunch at Maranui, which makes a perfect packed lunch. It's very filling, has lovely warm flavours and you can create it from fresh or canned corn if corn isn't yet in season.

Herby pistachio falafel

I have recently moved out west and have finally found time to visit the Avondale farmers market. It was quite fabulous - I don't think I have ever seen so many vegetables in one place in Auckland before, or so many people buying vegetables for that matter - it does pay to get there early! After walking up and down the rows of stalls, trying to figure out who was doing the best deal, I eventually decided to stop worrying about prices and just buy the most beautiful produce instead. I think it worked out alright... especially because we managed to make a tasty dish out of the expedition.