Fiona Smith’s energy-boosting dinner
Every Tuesday night before I go to boot camp early the next morning, I cook pasta with green vegetables to give me energy. It can be made from any veges you have – I am a broccoli addict so it is often as simple as that, or even just peas if the fridge is bare. Leafy greens such as kale and beetroot tops work well, though they are nicer quickly sauteed after you have cooked the pasta. If I want more protein, I fold cooked salmon or white fish through and forgo the cheese. This recipe is really just a guideline so add whatever flavours you like – chilli, garlic and anchovies all work well.

Pasta with Greens

Ray McVinnie’s Shared Table
On my first trip to Vietnam, I fell in love with its herbaceous, refreshing food. The following is my Kiwi version of the combination of grilled meat or seafood, fresh vegetables, herbs, rice or rice papers and dipping sauce that is the basis of many Vietnamese meals. It became a hit in our household, served once a week to a hungry family. By the time she was about 10, my daughter could make the dipping sauce – showing that this refreshing combination of flavours is also child’s play to make.

Vietnamese Barbecue

Ginny Grant’s Family Favourite
Crumbed food is always a winner with my children, although I suspect that its appeal lies largely in it being a vehicle for tomato sauce. Schnitzel is fast to prepare (unless the boys are helping with the crumbing, in which case it’s slow and messy) and while the schnitzel is cooking you can prepare the salsa and a green salad
to serve alongside. Panko crumbs give a great crunch to the coating and they also seem to soak up less oil during cooking. They are available in most supermarkets – either in the international section or next to the dried breadcrumbs.

Pork Schnitzel with Sharp Tomato Salsa

Celia Harvey’s Midweek Saviour
This is my favourite quick but delicious midweek meal fix. You can prepare and cook the frittata in less than half an hour, and the mushrooms and Kikorangi give it plenty of gutsy flavour.

Frittata with Grilled Field Mushrooms & Kikorangi

Kathy Snowball’s Comfort Food
After a busy day of writing recipes or at work outside in the garden, I crave comfort food. Roast or poached chicken are both at the top of my list of favourites, but a meal of lamb chops with peas and mashed potatoes comes a close second, with the added benefit of taking less time to cook. In this version, I have given lamb cutlets a bit of a dressing up with a coating of ricotta and prosciutto, a polenta crumb and a topping of gremolata.

Polenta Crusted Lamb Cutlets with Crushed Peas & Germolata