As the lazy, hazy days of summer holidays begin, thinking about what to eat can be a challenge, especially if unexpected guests arrive. We asked chefs from around the region what their go-to recipe is, plus what 10 staples you should always keep in your kitchen.

Anna Valentine has a love for food that is rooted far beyond creating a simple dish. It is encapsulated through growing her own produce, and foraging for the best ingredients she can find.

Based in Kaeo, Valentine runs a cookery school in her historic villa, and attends the local markets where she sells produce and homemade pantry items.

She told the Advocate she was always making ‘concoctions’ growing up.

“I’d make a whole cake and take it to school as my lunch,” she laughed.

She didn’t realise that passion would become her life, but in sixth form she realised her best subjects were design and food technology, and she left school to pursue a career in food.

Fifteen years ago Valentine relocated to the north, moving just outside of Kerikeri.

Her career really took off after creating kumara chips and selling them at the markets. She said six bags sold out within half an hour, and when she bought 12 the next week and they sold out too, she knew she was on to something good.

Valentine ended up sending her kumara chips across the country, in what became the first commercially available supply.

Around six years ago, Valentine wanted to create something closer to home. Her cooking school ‘The Veggie Tree’ was created in order to have something that worked with her having children.

She has two cookbooks, caters for yoga retreats, offers food classes from gluten-free baking to vegan meals, and in the last few years she has introduced foraging classes, teaching people about plant medicine from her organic wild garden.

“I love the plant kingdom,” she said, “I love the nutritional benefits of them. I don’t have set things that I make, I’m always doing different things and I get inspired by what is right and ready right now, what I can walk out my back door and find.”

For her, creating meals is a family affair.

“I think getting other people to help is really nice as well if you’ve got people around you can delegate.”

She said kids love to feel like they’re participating, and it encourages them to consume the food they’ve prepared.

Anna’s curried kumara and roasted cauliflower salad (Gluten Free and Vegan)

This creamy, hearty salad has many layers of flavours and textures making it perfect to take for a potluck dinner, a barbecue or even as a meal in itself.

I’ve roasted the kumara and cauliflower but you could also steam them, if preferred.

The crispy lentils are totally delicious and you may like to make a little more as they are very moreish!

Ingredients

1/2 cup brown or green lentils

2 cups water

2–3 red kumara, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons coconut or rice bran oil

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cauliflower, cut into floret

2 tablespoons coconut or rice bran oil

4 sticks celery, sliced

6 spring onions, sliced

2 cups chopped greens (ruruhau, mustard greens, mizuna, young turnip or radish leaves)

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 cup cashew nuts (optional)

3 gherkins, sliced (optional)

350ml Mayonnaise

2 tsp curry powder, mild or hot

1 clove garlic, crushed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180C. Measure the lentils and water into a pot, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Once cooked, strain and leave to drain.

Prepare the kumara and place in a roasting tray. Add the first measure of oil, cumin seeds, salt and pepper. Toss together and roast for 15 minutes, turning once during cooking.

Increase the heat to 200C and add the cauliflower, toss through and bake for a further 14 minutes. Leave to cool.

Heat the second measure of oil in a roasting pan along with the lentils and a pinch of salt. Bake for 15 minutes.

Place the celery, spring onions and greens in a salad bowl, then add the raisins, cashew nuts and gherkins (if using), and the roasted vegetables. Mix the mayonnaise, curry powder and garlic together.

Serve the salad with the dressing and topped with the roasted, crispy lentils.

Ten pantry staples for summer

Extra virgin olive oil – I love the flavour and versatility of this healthy oil, it is my most used oil in the kitchen.

Balsamic reduction – Paired with extra virgin olive oil this makes the tastiest and easiest salad dressing for drizzling over fresh tomatoes or leafy greens. Recipe in my Autumn Winter Cookbook

Hemp Parmesan – A highly nutritious and delicious alternative to parmesan, you will want to sprinkle on everything, recipe is on theveggietree.com

Super salt – This nutrient dense super salt so delicious and nutritious you’ll want to put it on everything! Including my favourite edible weed onion weed, kelp and kawakawa.

Dried seaweed – Marine algae that grow along seashores, generally anchored to the sea bottom or rocks. The most common for culinary use are kombu, kelp, nori (karengo), wakame and sea lettuce.

Nutritional yeast – An inactive form of yeast which has a cheesy umami flavour and is naturally high in B vitamins, proteins and essential amino acids.

Herbs and spices – Essential for taking flavour to the next level, they are also medicinal and have many health benefits.

Nuts and seeds – They taste great and are excellent sources of healthy fats. protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Dried legumes and pulses – Highly nutritious, they have a long shelf life, are super versatile and great for adding texture to your meals. I love to sprout them or crisp them up like in the recipe included.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables – Eating fruits and vegetables when they are in season ensures you are getting optimum nutrients and flavour.