This recipe is for all of my Aussie readers enjoying the warm sunny February weather. My thoughts and prayers are also with all of the Australians dealing with the horrific storms and flooding downunder. If you or anyone you know has been affected by these tragedies, all my love to you. I was feeling rather homesick last week as I was swamped with emails from Aussies singing the praises of my vegan potato salad. The gusto, rip-snorting enthusiasm, and good Aussie humour with which these comments came, was so snout-warming and infectious that it has inspired me to post one of my other favourite vegan salad recipes, that can be enjoyed by discerning pigs in the warm weather. Those of you who have been following me for a while would be aware... Keep Reading

I have often thought I was Japanese in a former life. Yes, I know I have also claimed a past-life connection with many a culture whilst in the midst of a culinary-inspired orgasm. What can I say? The way to my heart is through my stomach. The mouth-watering taste sensations of Thai, Vietnamese, Italian and Spanish cuisines (just to name a few) have bewitched me on more than a few occasions, transporting me into a pleasure-induced coma with delusions almost powerful enough to make me surrender my beloved Australian passport and move across the world just for the food! However, as wonderful as the cuisines of so many nations are, if I had to name one as my all-time favourite or "desert island delight" it would have to be Japanese food. And... Keep Reading

Fellow piggies -- Another letter of apology for my absence and lack of posts. I have been flat-out with my work commitments as an actress, presenter and voice-over artist and have neglected my duties as a food blogger. A big thankyou to Olivia, my assistant, who has been working overtime, picking up the slack, as I have been unable to manifest the 48 hour work day! I jest, but certainly am not complaining about the flood of work. We all know what a pig I like to be! Unfortunately, though, this has left the piggy trough empty this month, as I have been left with even less time to trial new vegetarian recipes and write. I bet the top food bloggers don't come up with such lame excuses! I would like to echo the sentiments expressed in some of... Keep Reading

At the risk of sounding corny – “there is no place like home”! Paul Young says “wherever I lay my hat that’s my home”. But as much as I love that song, I cannot agree. For me “home is where the heart is”, and my heart will always be with my family. I almost found myself on a plane back to Australia at the beginning of the week. I woke from a nightmare in a cold sweat, and in a moment of panicked home-sick nostalgia, AKA “I miss my mummy and daddy”, my fingers found themselves furiously pounding the keys in desperate anticipation of the cheap-skate deal of the century that was going to answer my prayers and whisk me back to Australia for a week with my loved ones. As I sat there wading through a sea of non-compliant discount internet sites... Keep Reading

This is my last Winter recipe for those of you in Australia, before I head back to enjoy the American Summer and all things raw! But it is really cold here in Melbourne and my body is crying out for something warm. Whenever I need a nourishing, strengthening gluten free Winter recipe I look no further than the whole foods recipe collection of Tony Chiodo. I got this fantastic creamy vegan cauliflower mash recipe about ten years ago when I took a series of macrobiotic cooking classes with Tony in Australia, and I have been chowing down on this cauliflower millet mash with gratitude ever since. Tony’s gentle, laid back approach to vegetarian cooking, and his philosophy of love and sharing quick easy recipes really appealed to me. I quickly... Keep Reading

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t enjoy a good vegetarian lasagne layered with complex bursts of flavour. Oh, the rich tomato sauce carefully woven in amongst sharp cheesy vegetable bites. But if you are on a vegan, macrobiotic, or any other kind of “special” dairy free diet, you need to dip your snout in a trough of a different kind. I am always searching for a show-stopping vegan, gluten free alternative to the beloved cheese dream, and offer this tasty little macrobiotic-inspired polenta bake as a satisfying alternative. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing cheesy about this polenta “lasagne”. For that, you will need to head over to vegan cheese land and wait for a different recipe post. I have decided not to tackle that beast today; as... Keep Reading

Today was Mothers Day! To all of you wonderful mothers out there – “Thank you” and Happy Mothers Day. On a personal note, it was my sister Kara’s first mother’s day as a new mum; and so we decided to celebrate in style with a lovely allergy free whole foods banquet. Not that celebrating our own fabulous mum wasn’t reason enough to put in a little effort in the kitchen. But this year we had a double whammy. Well, I am going to call it a triple whammy. As I started my day having breakfast with my dear friend Lyn, who has been like my second mum. I love her like my own blood. So I celebrated with three wonderful mums in my life. So, I decided to come home and honour Lyn at our family lunch, by serving up one of her fabulous raw salad recipes.... Keep Reading

We healthy blender pigs have a saying – “it is hard to make a spud a dud”. Potatoes are inexpensive, quick and easy to prepare, and there is no denying their delicious flavour. However, all too often, these yummy gluten free potato recipes are smothered with dairy and fat, making them not so desirable for our overall health. This gluten free potato bake is living proof that potatoes don’t need cream, cheese or meat to taste absolutely blendsensational. And best of all, you don’t need to “coat check” you liver and colon to enjoy them. This quick gluten free potato bake is a fantastic healthy alternative to those traditional dairy inspired potato kugels, gratins and scalloped dishes. If you are looking for fantastic gluten free potato... Keep Reading

If I share an affinity with any cartoon character, it would have to be Popeye. No, I am not a crook-eyed sailor with a scary voice and monster muscles. But boy, do I love raw spinach! And like Popeye, enjoy the magical benefits of this green leafy wonder. It is one of the best plant based sources of iron; loaded with antioxidants; and got slapped with the super “nutrient-rich” stick. Being a female non-meat eater, I eat spinach almost every day. We all know that spinach loses some of its nutritional density when overcooked and canned (sorry Popeye), so I try to eat it raw wherever possible. Baby spinach is my favorite variety, cause it is so easy to wash and prepare, and is perfect for raw salads. It also contains less oxalic acid than... Keep Reading

Piggies, if you are after amazing red cabbage recipes this is your lucky day. This raw red cabbage salad is one of my favourite vegan recipes. I would make this salad almost every week. I had never been a fan of cabbage (perhaps I overdosed on it as a Russian or German in a previous life), and had struggled to lovingly include it in my diet until I tasted this raw red cabbage salad. I am now a fan of any red cabbage recipes! I love simple, raw, shredded salads, and this would be amongst my favourites. The first time I ate a version of this raw red cabbage salad, it was made, and served to me, by a very proud 8 year old. That is how quick and easy it is. I was volunteering in my mum’s school kitchen. To read more about my adventures... Keep Reading