Hmmm cookies! Dried apricots give these a healthy boost while the choc-chips bring a touch of indulgence.

This dough can be made ahead of time and frozen in a plastic-wrapped log in the freezer. Then take out, slice off a couple of cookies and pop in the oven for a quick treat. Brilliant for when guests come around or to prepare ahead for a party.

 

Our Rating
 4 stars

Author: Australian Women's Weekly

Featured Recipes: Picnic cottage loaf and Berry frangipane tart

There is a popular school of thought that a family eating together brings them closer together in a festival of conversation and family bonding. My dad was pretty big on this when I was growing up and not just dinners - he was especially big on weekend breakfasts. I have to say that his French toast was really good, but when I'd had a big night out on the town  (yes, I was one of those kids who took forever to leave home) and was awakened to have breakfast at 7am accompanied by the dulcet tones of Macca you could safely say I wasn't feeling the love. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe they were just trying to get me to move out...

Food can be fast but still healthy and delicious. Nachos is a crowd favourite both for family nights and when you've got a crowd, but it doesn't need to be loaded up with fats to be tasty and pleasing.

This healthy chicken nachos has lentils and tinned tomatoes along with lean chicken breast, atop a pile of crunchy corn chips and topped with a creamy homemade guacamole.

Our Rating
 4.5 stars

Author: Kathleen Gandy

Featured Recipes: Pregnancy power salad and Lemon polenta sand cake

There used to be the school of thought that when you were pregnant you could up your food intake because you were 'eating for two'. Women put so much pressure on themselves and each other when it comes to body image that it was nice to have a period where you could relax a little. That seems to have changed now for important reasons (such as the health of mother and baby) but also because there is now a pressure to maintain your figure, even when you are pregnant.

I remember when I was pregnant and visited my parents in an affluent north shore Sydney suburb, I felt like a giantess surrounded by stick figures with little bumps out front. And I wasn't just imagining it, because in the space of one weekend I got comments (because that's the lovely thing about being pregnant - that people feel they need to say something) such as, 'Oh! You must be due any day now!' (I was 6 months pregnant) or 'Goodness! You're a big girl!

Chicken, pasta, vegetables. All good things, easy to prepare and all regular stars in family meals. Use this recipe to combine them in a lovely salad packed with flavour which can be served hot or cold.

This is great for school lunches. Just pop some leftovers into a little container and place in a cold lunchbox with a frozen drink. The kids will love it!

Our Rating
 3 stars

Authors: Lana and Delia Raizon

Featured recipes: Oven-baked tuna balls and carrot cupakes

I've been thinking lately about the notion of nature vs nurture. I don't think you really do this unless you are either an academic or a parent. Does Jack do things because he is mimicking something I do (and can't that be alarming?) or is it some little quirk buried somewhere in his genetic makeup?

For example my husband will quite happily have the same sandwich day after day after day, usually vegemite and honey ( I know, it puzzles me too) and we've had a stretch of several months of ham and cheese. I'm not a morning person, so sometimes these unimaginative offerings are all that I can manage (although the vegemite and honey was his idea). Jack, following in his dad's footsteps, will quite happily eat a peanut butter sandwich every single day for lunch. He doesn't, but he would quite happily if he had to....