If you haven't ever made your own sauerkraut - a fermented food that's great for your gut, then you're definitely missing out. This is a really simple recipe to make traditional crunchy, tangy, probiotic-rich sauerkraut using only cabbage, salt and time.

900 g Cabbage (I used heart-shaped white cabbage) 1 tbsp Himalayan pink salt or other sea salt 1 (liter) Wide-mouth jar with a lid 1 Small jam jar as the weight

1. Half or quarter the cabbage and thinly slice with a sharp knife or a mandolin if you wish. Place the sliced cabbage in a large bowl. You can add in one or two minced garlic if desired.
2. Sprinkle the cabbage with 1 tablespoon of salt and mix well. Massage and squeeze the cabbage until moist, creating the brine, about 10 minutes.
3. Pack cabbages into the wide-mouth jar, pressing the mixture down tightly with a spoon or your hand, so that the brine rises above the cabbage. Pour the brine left in the bowl into the jar.
4. In order to hold the cabbage below the brine, top the mixture with a cabbage leaf and weigh down with a small jar. Close the jar with the lid. You might want to leave the lid a bit loose so that the build-up gas can escape.
5. Place the sauerkraut jar on a shallow dish to catch the brine that may leak out during the fermentation at room-temperature (18C-23C), out of direct sunlight and let the fermentation begin!
6. Be patient and wait for 7 days or up to 4 weeks if you want that typical tangy flavour from sauerkraut. After 7-days, you can open the jar and taste the sauerkraut and decide to enjoy it or let if ferment longer. I let mine ferment 15 days. Store the sauerkraut in the fridge for up to a year.
7. Sauerkraut juice, due to the fermentation process, is rich in natural lactic acid, vitamins and minerals--best probiotic drink!

These chewy yet soft golden dinner rolls are filled with a homemade onion walnut jam. They smell incredibly delicious and make the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of steaming hot soup or a hearty stew on a cold winter day.

7 g Dried yeast 2 tsp Coconut sugar 160 ml Buttermilk (or water), lukewarm 200 g Spelt bread flour 100 g Whole spelt flour 1/3 tsp Sea salt 2 tbsp Olive oil 180 g Onion jam, homemade or storebought 1 Egg, lightly beaten

1. Place yeast, sugar and warm buttermilk or water in a jug. Set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Add bread and whole spelt flour into a large mixing bowl. Stir in salt, yeast mixture and olive oil. Mix to form a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
3. Place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Using your fist, punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough into 6 even portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Place on lightly floured oven tray. Set aside for 10 minutes to rise.
5. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Grease one maxi muffin tray well with olive oil. Roll each portion of dough into an oval. Slice the dough 6 times all the way to the center of the dough. So you have 6 strips at the bottom. Place 30 grams of onion jam on upper side of the dough, then roll up to seal the filling. Coil the length of dough roll into a snail shape and place in the prepared muffin tray. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.
6. Cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place for 30 to 40 minutes or until dough has almost doubled in size. Brush the top with egg. Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn rolls onto a wire rack to cool. Serve at room temperature.

This apricot sauce recipe, mildly sweet with enough heat, is made with fresh apricots and pickled jalapenos. It is very simple to make and the sauce gets its complexity and unique depth of flavour from the use of cloves, allspice, juniper berries and mace. Great with grilled and barbecued meats, on sandwiches and in vinaigrette.

350 g Apricots, pitted and coarsely chopped 100 g Pickled Jalapeno 100 ml Apple cider vinegar 200 ml Apple juice 50 g Coconut sugar 5 pc Cloves 1 tsp Allspice berries 1 tsp Juniper berries 15 g Sea salt 1 tbsp Mace powder

1. Wash, pit and coarsely chop the apricots. Place chopped apricots, pickled jalapeno, apple cider vinegar, apple juice and coconut sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat for about 25 minutes.
2. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the cloves, allspice, juniper berries and salt. Mix in mace powder. Add the spice mixture to the apricots and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Use a stick blender to puree the mixture. Bring the sauce again to a boil. Transfer the sauce to bottles or small jars. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

This is a quick and easy slow cooker recipe. Sriracha and honey come together perfectly as the hot and sweet sauce. If you like the meatballs more sweet than spicy, then simply add more honey. The meatballs stay really moist and tender and the sauce soaks up a lot of the meaty flavour with that long and slow cooking process.

Sauce	Meatball
100 g Sriracha sauce 150 g Honey 1 clove Garlic, minced 1 tbsp Fresh lime juice 1 Red onion, sliced	500 g Ground beef 4 tbsp Bread crumbs 1 Egg 1 tsp Sriracha 1 clove Garlic, minced Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine sriracha, honey, minced garlic and lime juice in a slow cooker on high heat.
2. In a large bowl add all the meatball ingredients and mix until well combined. Shape the mixture into meatballs about the size of pingpong balls.
3. Stir sriracha sauce in the slow cooker until combined. Taste and add additional honey or sriracha as necessary to suit your heat preference. Add in sliced onions, then the meatballs. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for 4-5 hours.

This raspberry vinegar recipe is fuss free and takes minutes to make, you only need to let the vinegar rest for 6 days before you strain and bottle it. Not only is this homemade raspberry vinegar beautiful, it is also inexpensive to make. And it makes a fantastic gift.
Raspberry vinegar can be used in a variety of salad dressings or sauces to add complexity, depth and fruity, delicious flavour. Tangy and sweet, this vinaigrette dressing can be made with fresh or frozen raspberries and enjoyed any time of the year.

Raspberry Vinegar	Raspberry Vinaigrette
150 g Fresh raspberries 240 ml Surig vinegar essence 240 ml Water 720 ml Rose wine (or grape juice)	2 tbsp Raspberry vinegar 1 Shallot, chopped 1 tsp Truffle mustard 1 tsp Honey 1/2 tsp Salt 80 ml Olive oil 10 Fresh raspberries

1. Combine all the ingredients of raspberry vinegar and divide in a large glass bottle. Close the bottles and leave them in a dark cool place for 6 days. Strain and store in the bottles with air-tight top.
2. Place raspberry vinegar, chopped shallot, truffle mustard, honey and salt in the blender. Process until combined. Gradually blend in olive oil, and add in raspberries. Pulse to combine. Cover and chill. Whisk just before using.

This hummus recipe is a little different from the classic one. It's coloured with nutritious beetroot and tastes heavenly. This is a versatile recipe that simple to prepare and bursting with flavour. Perfect as a dip with your favourite veggies or as a spread on some homemade gluten-free bread.

500 g Vacuum packed beetroots, chopped 500 g Cooked chickpeas, drained 2 Garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp Sesame paste 1 tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice 2-3 tbsp Olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Fresh asparagus, to serve

1. Place the beetroot, chickpeas, garlic, tahini and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and whiz to a coarse paste.
2. With the motor running, slowly add the oil through the feed tube until mixture is thick and smooth. If it is too thick, gently drizzle a little water into the mixture until just right. Season to taste. Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top and serve with fresh asparagus.

A distinctive homemade pearsauce with chai, an Indian black tea combined with natural spices (cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper). It's delicious over pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal. And you can apply it in the baking to replace some or all of the oil, just the way you would with the applesauce.

10 Ripe pears, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped 5 g Chai 100 ml Water Juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Fill a tea filter with chai leaves. Combine pears, chai, water, and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until pears are cooked down to your desired consistency.
2. Discard chai. Use an immersion blender to process the softened pears until smooth. If you prefer a chunky pear sauce, mash with back of fork or a potato masher. Return the chai to the pureed pear sauce.
3. Spoon the pearsauce into sterilized jars. Wipe rims clean and seal jars. Cool pear sauce on wire rack to room temperature. Store in refrigerator. Use within 3 weeks.

The light, tangy flavour of German fresh cheese is complemented by chives, shallot fritters and minced garlic for this healthy and tasty dip. It is perfect with crunchy vegetable sticks, crisp baked potatoes, and grilled meat. It is even nice as a spread on a hearty rye bread.

250 g Low fat Quark (German fresh cheese) 70 ml Milk 1 clove Garlic, minced 1/2 tbsp White wine vinegar Salt and pepper 2 tbsp Shallot fritters A handful of chives, chopped

1. Stir Quark, milk, minced garlic and white wine vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add in shallot fritters and chopped chives. Stir until combined. Garnish with more fritters and chives if desired.

This is an comforting and delicious homemade pasta with browned ground beef filling. It's simply sauced with a roasted tomato sauce. If you're a fan of homemade pasta, take some time and make your dinner special.

Homemade Beef Ravioli with Roasted Tomato Sauce

adapted from Klassische italienische Küche von Julia della Croce

Roasted Tomato Sauce	Beef Ravioli
500 g Roma tomatoes 1 Yellow onion, chopped 6 Garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Sugar Salt and pepper 1 tbsp Fresh thyme 200 ml White wine 2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar	300 g Pasta flour (or bread flour) 1/8 tsp Salt 4 Large eggs 1 tbsp Olive oil 200 g Ground beef 1 Shallot, minced 1 clove Garlic, minced 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped 1/4 tsp Salt 1 Egg white, beaten Parmesan, grated (optional) Chives, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat an oven to 200C/400F. Slice each tomato in half lengthwise and place on a sheet pan, cut side up. Roughly chop the onion and scatter the pieces around the tomatoes. Scatter the garlic cloves on top of the onion. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with the sugar, salt, pepper, and thyme.
2. Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Remove from the oven and transfer the roasted tomatoes into a large saucepan. With an immersion blender process the tomatoes to the desired consistency. Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Add in white wine and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for a further 20 minutes.
3. Combine pasta flour and salt on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Place 3 eggs and olive oil in the well, and incorporate the flour into the liquid ingredients until combined. Knead the dough vigorously until it becomes smooth and elastic.
4. Allow the dough to rest, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour before rolling it out. Flatten a manageable amount of dough (about the size of an orange) on a clean work surface dusted with flour. Cover the rest of the dough. Using a rolling pin, work from the center of the dough to the edges with a back-and-forth motion, rolling and stretching the dough. Continue rolling, turning the dough occasionally and dusting it with flour to prevent sticking and tearing, until the sheet is the desired thickness. Leave the dough sheets to dry for 10-15 minutes before cutting.
5. Cook ground meat, minced shallot and garlic in a skillet until meat is browned. Remove and strain off the fat. Stir in one egg, parsley and salt.
6. Cut the dough sheet into 8-cm wide strips and place spoonfuls of filling about 4cm apart on one strip. Brush the area between fillings with egg white and top with a second strip of dough. Form ravioli by pressing around each filling to form a seal. Dust with flour and cut into squares with a pastry wheel. Crimp the edges of the ravioli with a fork to ensure that they are sealed properly. Alternatively you can cut out the wraps using a 2-inch cookie cutter.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the ravioli for 5 minutes in a rapidly boiling salted water. Drain and gently toss with the sauce. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan and chopped chives on top if desired. Serve immediately.

Swedish version of baked potatoes. These baked potato fans, also known as “accordion potatoes”, were named after the Hasselbacken Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden that first introduced them in the 1700s. They are crisp on the outside, tender on the inside and make an excellent accompaniment to baked cod, and roasted wagyu beef, or simply as an appetizer served with herb sour cream or blue cheese dressing. Potatoes may be fanned in advanced and placed in cold water to prevent discoloring until ready to use. Dry potatoes well before baking.

Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing	Hasselback Potatoes
1 cup Mayonnaise 1/2 cup Plain yogurt 1/4 cup Buttermilk 1 clove Garlic, crushed 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp White wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Sugar 1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper Dash of hot pepper sauce, or to taste 80 g Crumbled Gorgonzola	6-8 Oval-shaped potatoes, medium sized 4 tbsp Olive oil 3 Garlic cloves 4 Rosemary sprigs Salt

1. In medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients except cheese. Gently fold in the crumbled Gorgonzola. Dressing may be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Rinse and dry the potatoes. Grease a baking pan with a tablespoon of olive oil. Put each potato, in turn, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, and cut across at about 3mm intervals.
3. Brush the rest of olive oil all over each potato, then arrange in the baking pan together with garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Sprinkle with salt. Bake the potatoes in the middle of the oven until tops are crispy and potatoes are cooked through, 45 minutes. Serve warm with creamy blue cheese cheese dressing.

Like arugula, this bright purplish red radicchio has a slightly peppery and bitter taste. It is loaded with nutrients and has no fat or cholesterol. The salad, a perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty and bitter, tastes so crispy, really flavourful, and easy to throw together.

Orange Vinaigrette	Salad
60 ml Orange juice 2 tbsp White balsamic vinegar 80 ml Olive oil 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp Honey 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, roasted Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste	1/2 Radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces 100 g Gorgonzola, cubed 1 handful Arugula leaves 100 g White grapes, seedless 1/4 Mango, diced 1 tbsp Sundried tomatoes, diced

1. In a small jar with a tight-fitting cover, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Cover and shake well until blended. To store, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.
2. Combine all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.Toss with orange vinaigrette. Serve with a glass of Chardonnay for a pleasant and light lunch.

This pasta is REALLY simple, fast, and delicious, too, just like most of Italian recipes. It perfectly combines the delicious flavours with balanced nutrition and since the sauce can be prepared ahead of time, this is ideal for those who haven't much time to cook, but are unwilling to compromise on a bottled sauce.
Adapted from Taste

• 120 g Pitted green olives
• 2 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch Mint, leaves picked
• 1/2 bunch Flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
• 1/3 cup Grated Parmesan, plus extra shavings to serve
• 100 ml Olive oil
• Freshly mulled black pepper
• 400 g Spaghetti
• Some radicchio, shredded

1. Rinse and drain olives, then pulse in a food processor with garlic, herbs, cheese and oil until roughly chopped, not smooth. Season with pepper.
2. Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, then return pasta to pan.
3. Add the pesto and shredded radicchio. Toss gently to combine. Serve with extra cheese shavings.