What to cook this week

Sunny weather + friends coming round = barbecue! But what to serve alongside burgers and sausages? Banish the eternal mixed salad and make a bowl of spring cabbage salad instead.

Contrary to recent research, I stick to my guns: no breakfast doesn’t mean weight loss. And morning is actually the best time to eat sweet carbs as the French know well.

Most people don't buy whole fish because they wouldn’t know how to prepare it or are squeamish about fins, guts and eyes. While actually fish is easier to cook whole and works out much cheaper.

The cost of 3 large pizzas made at home, with proper mozzarella, olives and Parmesan is £3.50 in total. Compare that to the cheapest Domino’s deal of ONE pizza for £9.99.

Not much beats a good burger! Homemade bun, layers of lettuce, tomato, onions, gherkin arranged in perfect order, a dab of sauce... And the patty doesn't have to be beef.

Simple, unpretentious food that can be handled with fingers and as good cold as hot; crowd pleasers. Like sausage rolls for instance.

A special and exciting edition of the weekly ‘What To Cook’: what to bake for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Cream tea with homemade scones will be traditional and fitting.

Even those of us who enjoy cooking, sometimes get bored. One solution is to swap the main recipe ingredient. Fideua for instance is paella, but with noodles.

To be honest, at this time of year I could happily sustain on asparagus, new potatoes and strawberries. And even if you are not as keen as me, there are so many dishes you can use them in!

Who doesn't like rice? It's a versatile food canvas: creamy in risottos, fluffy with stir-fries, fragrant in paellas. Basmati, brown, wild or red, rice can be baked, fried, steamed and boiled.

Spring is an easy season to produce perfect weeknight dinners, satisfying the demands of taste and health. And spring salads are up there, in the lead of the parade.

if you've had a meat overload the past few days, light vegetarian meals will be on order. Maybe a giant couscous salad (it’s the couscous that’s giant not salad), or yu xiang aubergine served with plain rice.

Let's hope for a sunny Easter Sunday, a chocolate egg hunt and a leisurely lunch. And what's the best thing for Easter breakfast? Hot cross buns, of course!

With spring on the horizon, time to quit the world of rich pies and go towards a different pastry-for-dinner menu. I suggest exploring Mediterranean style pies and tarts.

Spring is officially on its way. There will be strawberries soon, new season carrots and lamb. Time to make salads instead of pies and grilled fish instead of casseroles.

Daily news is bleak, heart-breaking and very frightening. How to cope with anxiety? Go into the kitchen and find the most elaborate recipe to cook.

It is, incidentally, a very good idea to have a generous breakfast so pancakes definitely should not be just for Shrove Tuesday.

Food nostalgia is about comfort food: what dishes take you back in time? My favourite was and still is an old-fashioned pork loin schnitzel in breadcrumbs.

There is an age-long way to eat less animal products and stay healthy. If you eat eggs and dairy, you’re more likely to have a healthy diet without going for uber-processed soy products.

The thing to do on Valentine’s Day is to stay in for a dinner à deux. If you cook together and enjoy it, that's brilliant. Or go for a surprise dinner!

French cuisine might not be trendy these days but the French know how to eat well. What can be more comforting in winter months than a generous portion of tartiflette?

Wasting food because you don't know any recipes is inexcusable: it's never been easier to find ideas! Any vegetables are good to turn into soup, and stir fries are just as versatile.

Baked, boiled, roasted or mashed, the latter two with not a lot of fat, potatoes are absolutely healthy, filling and can be conducive to weight loss.

How to mitigate Christmas overindulgence? Don't detox or go vegan. Instead of trying to switch to unattainable and dubious eating habits, just eat less.