When it comes to eating for health, there are some trusty food soldiers to have on our side.

Cooking with whole, fresh foods is the cornerstone of a good diet, but some of these are better for you than others. Advice can change (remember when coconut and eggs were bad for you?), so I like to stick to the simple principle that well-balanced meals, incorporating quality ingredients, plenty of vegetables and the right amounts of protein, fats and carbohydrates, are essential to everyday well-being. In these recipes I put the healthful and easy-to-source ingredients of ginger, turmeric, garlic, seaweed, olive oil and honey in the spotlight, with other great flavours playing supporting roles.