Lettuce

BLT makes for a delicious sandwich but if you’re looking to swith it up, take all those best bits (that would be the bacon, lettuce and tomato) and turn it into this pasta salad. We love this as a side dish but this is also great for lunches. Looking for other pasta salad ideas? Take […]

Summer meals don't get much easier (or more delicious) than this! Baguettes are filled with barbecued pepper steak, crunchy cos and sharp dijonaise, making a sandwich that is perfect for a light dinner or picnic lunch.

Fresh, zingy and oh-so-colourful, this raspberry and honey-baked haloumi salad is packed with goodness. Serve this flavoursome dish as a side salad or a vegetarian main course this Christmas!

This cheat's Caesar salad recipe is your quickfire way to creating a side dish that's perfect for summer barbecues. With the crunchy croutons, creamy dressing and flavourful grilled lettuce, this dish is sure to become a favourite!

Twist up your midweek dinner ideas with these deliciously healthy crumbed courgette and slaw wraps. Completely meat free, and full of mouthwatering flavour - you simply can't go wrong!

Add some persimmon to your salad for a perfect pop of sunshine. In this recipe they make a magic match with the tartness of the goat cheese and the crunch of the pomegranate seeds.

These bean and beef burgers are like a breath of fresh air! The lettuce cups make a lighter alternative to burger buns, and the avocado smash is a deliciously fresh topping.

These light and healthy cos and parmesan salad cups are great enjoyed for a tasty lunch

This salad is bright and bold with a haphazard array of edible flowers that even famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo would be proud of. Photography by Jani Shepherd / Gatherum Collectif.

For a delicious taste of China, these pork mince lettuce cups are perfect starters for a family and friends gathering.

We’re blessed in New Zealand with relatively easy access to wonderful seafood. Any fish works well with this recipe but one with the skin on will really crisp up on the barbecue & add crunch. Easily grilled outdoors, teamed with super fresh leaves it makes a lovely lunch or a fresh summer evening meal.

Not too heavy thanks to Puhoi Valley Half & Half but still sublimely creamy with a hint of garlic and herby goodness; this dressing is a must for your spring entertaining. Seriously, she’ll make your dreary iceberg lettuce sing soprano. Simply serve over lettuce wedges as a side dish or add walnuts, croutons and apple slices for a light meal.

Indulge in the delicious combination of cherry, walnut and feta in this fresh wholesome salad - a perfect addition to Christmas lunch this year!

Take this delicious lettuce wrapped burger to the next step and veg it up! Replace turkey patties with pan-fried haloumi or fried flat mushrooms.

Spicy, fresh and delicious! These beef slices make a great low carb lunch or dinner. This recipe is suitable for diabetics.

This warm char-grilled lettuce with creamy chicken salad is perfect for lunch, and as a side for dinner or a BBQ. It's a healthier alternative to a Caesar salad. And suitable for diabetics, too.

A flavoursome salad with fried walnuts and lardons, fast croutons and a zingy vinaigrette.

Crunch through the cooling lettuce before enjoying the spicy prawns that are wrapped inside.

There’s a gorgeous sweetness imparted from the spring onions in this dish. Good prawns give a good meaty in texture, not mushy, and sweet to taste.

Pretend your strolling through the Place de la Concorde with fresh baguettes and creamy brie, complete with leg ham and delicious mustard mayo.

Add a hint of fancy to a social gathering or picnic by unveiling these sourdough sandwiches filled with fresh yabbies, wholesome vegetables and a sharp mustard vinegar mayonnaise.

Move over mince tacos – it’s never a problem to get the kids to the table with this delicious dinner option. Add more or less seasoning depending on your tastes. I find it’s fun to let everyone make their own taco, which makes this meal ideal for large gatherings. The sour cream, spices and lemon […]

This deliciously flavoured chicken mince is eaten wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves.

Tangy mayo adds a refreshing zing to these quick and easy fish burgers.

There’s much more to this late-summer raw salad by Megan May

This colourful and enticing pairing works because the balance of smoke, heat, richness and salt is tempered with fresh bursts of lemon, the acidity of green tomatoes, and an occasional bitter kick from radicchio.

Lime Dressing may be prepared in advance and chilled until required. Note

If sweet potato is large, cut rounds into halves or quarters. Note

Chinese hoisin sauce gives this pork mince great flavour balanced with the crisp crunch of iceberg lettuce.

Add some spice to your classic burger with these lamb mince patties, filled with chilli-paste, garlic, and topped off with some Greek-style yoghurt.

Choose button mushrooms for this salad as their clean taste offsets the slightly bitter flavour of radicchio and the salty romano. Note

If the meatballs are browning too quickly, finish cooking them in a hot, 200°C, oven (180°C fan-forced). Note

You may like to add 6 rashers of rindless bacon, grilled and broken into pieces. Caesar salad dressing is often flavoured with garlic and a few dashes of worcestershire sauce. Make the dressing without anchovies for the kids. Note

Light, flavoursome and packed full of goodness, this grilled coconut chicken is beautiful as a light lunch or dinner for those looking for a healthy protein packed meal.

Have something a bit different tonight with this Thai salad on lettuce cups.

Pack your family this hearty picnic lunch by Sophie Gray, slip, slop, slap and head for the great outdoors

Patties suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

You will need a large barbecued chicken for this recipe. Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

This dish is nothing short of spectacular. Plump roast chicken with crispy skin, redolent of garlic and herbs, and juicy, fall-off-the-bone flesh, with a crisp, colourful salad of just-picked leaves tossed with a tangy dressing.

Pomegranate gives this dressing a flavour is more sour than sweet, and a little tart. It is used like tamarind or balsamic vinegar to give a complex sweet-sour flavour to the dish.

Make this salad up to a day ahead by preparing and cooking lamb and vegies to the end of step 5 and storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. When you are nearly ready to serve the salad, toss together with salad greens and dressing. If you prefer not to use a yoghurt […]

When serving soft polenta as an accompaniment to dishes with sauces, or braised or grilled poultry or meats, the consistency should be slightly thicker but not stiff. The polenta is ready when it holds its shape in a spoon. When it reaches this point, serve immediately or keep warm in a heatproof bowl over gently […]

The noodles stick together: The key to perfectly cooked rice vermicelli is to rinse the cooked noodles in a colander just until they are cool. At the same time, use your hands to separate the noodles, then drain well. Note

You can also make this salad with sashimi-grade salmon instead of tuna. Note

Traditionally made with pork mince, this beef version is a great alternative. Or make it with chicken mince. To make separating the iceburg lettuce leaves easier cut , the bottom off the lettuce and soak in , cold water for 10 mins. Note

You get what you pay for with prosciutto, although the cheaper versions found in supermarkets are usually pretty good. The more expensive prosciutto usually imported from Italy, is finer quality meat and air-dried for longer therefore having a more intense flavor. I don’t be alarmed by the fat on the edge of the prosciutto, and […]

The veggies can be tossed through your salad either warm or cold, but do not combine until you are ready to serve. Note

Use hoisin sauce instead of black been sauce. Use pork strips instead of beef. Note

You can bake frittata in a 19cm-square pan or cook on stove tap in a medium (20cm base measurement) frying pan until just set, then cook under a preheated grill until golden. Replace tuna with thinly sliced, pan-fried chorizo sausage. Note

To make your own Caesar dressing, whisk together 1/2 cup egg mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan, 2 drained anchovies, finely chopped, and 2 tablespoons warm water. Note

These sandwiches use delicious homemade guacamole instead of butter to spread the bread, so they're perfect for anyone with a dairy allergy!

Snipping noodles makes them easier to mix through the other ingredients. Note

Prawn caesar salad

Big flavour comes in small sizes

Buy the tabouli to save time. Note

Add fried noodles instead of pappadums. Note

Instead of turkey, you can use 2 x 250g chicken breast fillets. Cut in half horizontally to make 4 pieces. Omit chilli and serve drizzled with plum sauce. Note

Use a vegetable peeler to peel cucumber into long thin ribbons. Note

Try chicken mince instead of beef. You can also serve mince mixture in lettuce cups. Note

Have everything chopped and prepared before you start cooking. Tempt kids by serving ingredients in separate bowls for self-service. Note

Use frozen potato wedges; cook as packet directs. Cooking time and price will vary. Note

Tasty and filling crispy chicken schnitzel burgers with bacon and iceberg lettuce drizzled with sweet chilli mayonnaise and served with golden kumara chips - ready in just minutes.

Serve with lemon wedges instead of lime. You can use 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste instead of stalks. Replace chicken with pork or beef. Note

This delicious recipe brings that classic Peking flavour to tender chicken breast and tosses it in a fresh, tasty salad