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Fish with coriander pesto and cous-cous

Use this flavoursome variation of the usual basil-based pesto to enliven any fish.

Italian sardine pasta with caper and lemon dressing

Sardines are an oily fish which is high in omega-3s. Easy and convenient in cans, most people just put them on toast. This is a tangy recipe that uses them in a different way.

Prawn, baby spinach and walnut salad

This recipe shows how to get the omegas in balance. It gives you the omega-3s from the prawns topped up with more from canola oil, walnuts, rocket and spinach. There's little competing fats. And it's light and low in kilojoules so it keeps you at the right weight - carrying excess weight strains and loads the lower joints in your ankles and knees.

Stir-fried prawns and asparagus

Love prawns! Love asparagus! So here they are combined into one great dish with a hint of Asian flavours thanks for a light soy sauce and peanut oil.

Fish parcels wrapped in lemon, dill and onion

A great idea for a summer barbecue. So simple to prepare - and no washing up afterwards! The fish takes on the fragrance of the lemon, herbs and onion yet retains its simplicity and freshness.

Tuna and cannellini bean salad

Easy and full-flavoured, this salad gets better the day after as the flavours develop. The beans makes it low GI and high in fibre while the tuna adds protein and those all-important omega-3s.

Mango and chicken salad

Although fresh is best, mango is not always available. Out of season, you can substitute canned or thawed frozen mango for fresh in this recipe. You can also use 1/2 sliced pawpaw instead of the mango - or use some of each.

Easy chicken and pasta salad

Whip up this quick summer salad for a lunch or light dinner - easy if you've got leftover cooked pasta. And it works with all sorts of ingredients. See some of the variations you can try below.

Quick apple cinnamon yoghurt dessert

Like something smooth and sweet after a meal? All you need is three ingredients! Easy!

Muesli slice

This is an easy slice to bake and uses a basic muesli as its key ingredient. Yes it's sweet but you only have a small square which I guarantee you'll find really hits the spot. If you like something sweet between meals, this is a lot healthier than sweet biscuits or chocolate.

Grilled chicken breast with julienne salad

This julienne salad of tomato, onion and coriander is very versatile and will dress up a simple grill or BBQ.

Grilled lamb cutlets with currant & pine nut pilaf

This is a simple and tasty pilaf that goes well with just about any kind of red meat.

Rhubarb muffins

Try this quick low-fat muffin recipe from the Zest Cookbook. No need to cook the rhubarb first - you just chop it up and add it to the muffin batter before baking. The heat during baking cooks it!

Spinach and cheese filo pie

This spinach and cheese pie made using thin layers of filo pastry is one of my all-time favourites. The saltiness of the fetta is mellowed by substituting half ricotta cheese (or you can use a soft farm cheese). Make it with either spinach or silverbeet (kale) - they both work well.

Dead-simple Mediterranean veal

Here's my favourite quick-and-easy dinner recipe. It's made in minutes and will have family and friends asking for it time and again. You can vary this dish by adding thin slices of eggplant or replacing the grated mozzarella with slices of baby bocconcini.

Tagliatelle with chilli meatballs

We used tagliatelle - long strips of egg pasta - for this dish, but you could use any egg pasta such as fettuccine or the wider pappardelle - or even spaghetti if that's the family favourite. Or for added health benefits, toss in half a cup of cooked lentils or chick peas into the tomato sauce.

Pork and Asian greens stir-fry

The secret to stir-frying is the heat. You need a really high heat to cook the ingredients quickly and prevent them stewing in their own juices. That way your stir-fries will always be fresh and crisp, not limp and soggy.

One-Pot Indian chicken and rice

This makes a big pot of lovely rice with chicken pieces and vegetables, enough to feed an army (or hungry teens!). Just make sure you start with a large enough dish or pot.

Brown rice salad with apricots and pine nuts

Try this lovely slightly-sweet salad as a side dish to simple grilled chicken pieces or even pork. The pine nuts give a nice contrast to the softness of the rice, while the onions counter-balance the sweetness of the apricots. Yum!

Oat and fruit lunch box bars

This is a quick and easy snack to make for school lunch boxes or an afternoon snack.

Lentil-bol

Mel Kettle, one of my Twitter pals and a serious foodie, has given me this great recipe: "I love lentils. And I really don't cook with them often enough. And I don't know why. They are easy to cook, cheap, full of fibre and other stuff nutritionists love, low in calories, and really, really yummy!"

Thai Beef Salad

Recipe by Mel Kettle.

Cold chilly days in winter are not really the time for salad, but I'm trying to be healthy and lose weight. So salads it is! This one is a favourite - it's sooo easy and so full of flavour. And if you add extra chilli it's actually quite warming! Also gorgeous as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Chicken chilli con carne

This makes a good change from the usual beef chilli. It is lower in fat and has a lighter flavour. Or try turkey mince if you can get it. Thanks to the kidney beans, this recipe is high in fibre with a low GI.