Finally as promised here is the recipe for meatloaf as described in the ‘Men in the Kitchen’ post. It’s adapted from an Alison Holst recipe – with more vegetables in it!

• 600g lean beef mince
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots or 1 large carrot, grated
• Handful of baby spinach leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• Herbs to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Shape into two loaves. Place on baking paper on a baking tray. Smear top with tomato sauce. Bake at 180 for 40-45 minutes until firm.

Serve with salad. It tastes just as good the next day.

Here’s my recipe for Hot Cross Buns. Today we had them for morning tea with freshly brewed coffee sitting on the balcony in perfect weather – not too hot, not too cold. We always invite family or friends to share them. Delicious!

1 teaspoon dried yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

325 ml warm water

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

500g (3-3.5 cups) flour  (I used a 7-grain flour from the health food shop)

1 tablespoon mixed spice

1/2 cup raisins or currants

That half-used pack of quinoa in my pantry was crying out to be used. I finally got around to it the other night but cooked way too much. Next time I’ll remember – a little goes a long way! Mixed with chicken, dried fruit, nuts and seeds with a citrus dressing, it tasted good – and it’s healthy too! As with all salads, adjust the amounts to suit your taste and what you can find in your pantry.

1/2 cup quinoa

400g skinless chicken breast

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup whole almonds

1/2 cup mixed dried fruit (I used the berry mix from ‘Alison’s Pantry’ help yourself bins at Pak n’Save)

Baby spinach leaves

Do you go through cooking phases? I do. My latest one has been Khao Pad Krapao, pronounced ‘cow pat’ which is rather unfortunate for us English speaking people. It’s fried rice with basil – that’s the ‘krapao’ part – and it’s delicious. What makes it so special is the Thai basil. I have a plant sitting on my kitchen bench begging to be used every few days, and I’ve been happy to oblige. Making this meal brings back wonderful memories of our numerous visits to Thailand although it loses some of its authenticity when eaten without car fumes.

Thai basil tastes quite different to the basil that goes so well with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and olive oil. But it comes from the same herb family. That’s right: herbs come in families just like vegetables. Basil belongs to the mint family (real name – lamiaceae). Its brothers and sisters include lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme. No, I haven’t forgotten that other essential Thai herb, coriander.