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I live in New Zealand now, but I’m still a very proud Australian — and I think about home often (sob, sob). But thanks to the Internet, I never feel too far from home. Not only can I easily communicate with my family through email, the Web also enables me to read my favorite Australian newspaper, The Sydney Morning Herald, every day.

Like many newspapers published online, SMH includes a selection of blogs based on all sorts of topics ranging from politics to sports.

One blog I really enjoy reading is called Chew On This by award winning health writer Paula Goodyer, who writes very insightful posts about food and nutrition.

Recently she wrote a post called “Ten healthy habits from the Mediterranean” where she spoke with Dr Antigone Kouris, a Melbourne based dietitian and nutrition research fellow with Monash University, who is from a Greek family.

Dr Kouris gave some very helpful tips on how to follow a traditional Mediterranean way of eating, which I’ll quickly summarize:

• Eat legumes (beans, peas, and lentils)
• Eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, rocket, endive and chicory
• Eat a range of colored vegetables including tomatoes and capsicum
• Use extra virgin olive oil
• Include some foods like yogurt and feta cheese
• Eat fish and seafood
• Be generous with herbs like oregano, rosemary, dill and mint
• Snack on nuts and seeds

Then Paula finished the post by asking her readers: “Do you find it easy to include healthy Mediterranean style dishes in a busy week? Tell us how.”

For someone like me who’s super passionate about Mediterranean food and cooking, it was too irresistible a question not to answer. So even though it was quite late at night, I wrote down a list off the top of my head of all the sorts of Mediterranean meals I eat regularly. Many of these recipes Ric and I have posted on our site, MediterrAsian.com over the last four years, so I included a link. Then I went to bed.

The next day I checked the Chew On This blog, and saw that Paula had been kind enough to leave a note on my comment saying “Thanks — it’s a good site.” I don’t know whether it was this endorsement, or the list of Mediterranean meal ideas I described in my comment, but over the next few days more than a thousand people visited our site from Paula’s blog according to our server logs.

Anyway, if you’re looking for ways to include more Mediterranean foods in your own daily diet, I thought this list of meal ideas would also be of interest to you. So here it is (and I’ve linked to the recipe if we have it on our site):

Pasta served with tomato-based sauces like puttanesca (made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, anchovies and olives) or pomodoro (made with tomatoes and fresh basil), or with herb-based sauces like pesto and salsa verde.

Risotto made with salmon, tuna, prawns, scallops, chicken or beans.

Tagine (Moroccan stew) served over couscous.

Paella made with any combination of seafood, chicken, beans, and vegetables.

Ratatouille (a vegetable stew made with tomatoes, capsicum, eggplant and zucchini that goes wonderfully served on the side of grilled or baked fish, chicken or shellfish).

Tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette made with eggs, potatoes and onions).

Chicken or falafel kebab stuffed with tabbouleh salad.

Spanakopita (Greek spinach and feta pie).

Baked fish flavored with chermoula (a Moroccan herb sauce) and served with vegetables and rice or couscous.

Lavash wraps stuffed with hummus, diced tomato and cucumber, grated carrot, shredded cos lettuce, and sliced red onion.

Hearty salads like salade Niçoise and horiatiki (better known as Greek salad) served with some crusty bread on the side.

Bruschetta topped with grilled or roasted vegetables (like tomatoes and peppers) and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Toasted baguette slices spread with tapenade (Provençal olive, garlic and caper spread).

Toasted pita bread, cut into wedges and served with hummus for dipping.

Although tofu has become more widely appreciated in the West as a nutritious food, it still has a reputation for being bland. Agreed, tofu may be insipid by itself, but with a little creative cooking it can be lifted to new heights. The trick with tofu is to add flavor — the thing that it intrinsically lacks. Being porous, firm tofu is a perfect candidate for marination, and its spongy consistency readily absorbs the flavors of whatever it’s mixed with.

In this simple recipe, tofu is cut into thick slices then marinated in a savory Japanese-style sauce before being grilled like a steak — which adds to the overall texture and flavor. These tofu “steaks” are than served on a bed of delicate, slippery soba noodles tossed with stir-fried Asian vegetables.

Grilled Marinated Tofu Steaks with Japanese-style Stir-fried Vegetables and Soba Noodles

Serves 2

• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dashi stock powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon miso
• 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 10 oz (300g) block firm tofu
• 3 1/2 oz (100g) soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 bunch bok choy (or other Asian greens) - roughly chopped
• 1 carrot - peeled and julienned
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon water
• 1 scallion (spring onion) - thinly sliced on diagonal

HEAT the water in a small saucepan until boiling and stir in the dashi powder and sugar until dissolved. REDUCE the heat to a low simmer and add the miso, stirring to dissolve. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and ginger. CUT the block of tofu in half widthwise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. MARINATE the tofu steaks in the mixture, covered in the fridge, for at least 1 hour, turning halfway through. BRING a pot of water to the boil and cook the soba noodles for 4 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain. HEAT a cast iron ridged grill pan over a high heat. ADD the tofu steaks (reserving the marinade) and cook for around 3 minutes each side. WHILE the tofu cooks, heat a wok or large skillet over a high heat, add the canola oil and stir fry the bok choy and carrot for 3 minutes. REDUCE the heat to medium-low, add the reserved marinade liquid, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes. STIR in the cornstarch paste and cook until thickened. ADD the scallions and soba noodles and stir to mix well and heat through. SERVE on a bed of the noodle-vegetable mixture with the tofu steaks on top (glazed with a little of the sauce).

I like to spend a couple of hours on the weekend preparing a few food basics that, once made, take the hard work out of cooking meals for the week ahead — a strategy I refer to as ‘weekend cooking for weekday eating’. In addition to curries and soups I invariably make some kind of tomato-based Mediterranean sauce for its sheer versatility.

Apart from a classic bolognese sauce or a piquant puttanesca sauce, one of our favorites is this rich sauce made with a medley of vibrant red ingredients including tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onions, red wine, and red chili. I really enjoy the process of making up batches of this sauce, it brings out the Italian mama in me, especially when I put on Italian opera while I’m cooking.

Producing my own homemade sauce rather than buying the store-bought stuff in jars gives me a feeling of self-sufficiency, and it’s healthier and cheaper as well. Just knowing that I’ve got a supply of this delicious and nutritious sauce on hand fills me with a real sense of satisfaction. Over the past week we’ve had this sauce drizzled over grilled fish on a simple couscous salad, and then a couple of nights later tossed with rigatoni, broccoli and canned tuna as a quick pasta meal.

The sauce can be stored in the fridge, covered for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Robust red sauce

Serves 4 (or enough to make the following 2 meals, each serving 2 people)

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 red onions — diced
• 4 cloves garlic — finely chopped
• 28 oz (840g) canned tomatoes — chopped
• ½ cup red wine
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 4 red bell peppers — deseeded and quartered

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onions for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly. ADD the tomatoes, wine, rosemary, chili flakes, salt, pepper and sugar and bring to the boil. COVER, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes. WHILE the sauce simmers, place the peppers (skin side up) under a hot broiler (griller) until the skin blackens all over, about 10 minutes. REMOVE and cover the charred peppers with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap for 5 minutes to allow the steam to loosen the skins from the pepper flesh. PEEL off the blackened skin from the peppers and roughly cut the flesh into pieces then add to the sauce. PLACE the sauce into a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Grilled fish with robust red sauce and couscous salad

Serves 2

• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 2 x 6 oz (180g) firm white fish fillets
• 1 cup couscous
• 2 small zucchini — quartered lengthways and very thinly sliced into quarters
• 1¼ cups boiling chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 scallion (green part only) — thinly sliced on diagonal
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 oz (60g) crumbled feta
• ½ portion of the Robust Red Sauce recipe — heated

MIX together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl. POUR half the lemon/oil mixture over the fish fillets and marinate, covered, in the fridge for 1 hour. COMBINE the couscous and zucchini in a bowl, pour over the boiling stock, cover and allow to steam for 5 minutes. FLUFF the couscous with a fork and toss with the scallion, parsley and mint. DRIZZLE over the remaining lemon/oil mixture and the crumbled feta and toss well to combine. SET the couscous salad aside while the fish continues to marinate. HEAT a cast iron grill pan over a high heat until very hot. COOK the fish fillets in the pan for around 3 minutes each side until just cooked. SERVE each fillet on a bed of the couscous salad and spoon the heated robust red sauce over the top.

Variations: Grill chicken breast fillets instead of fish. Serve any leftover couscous salad tossed with strips of smoked salmon and cubed avocado (drizzled with lemon juice to prevent browning).

Rigatoni with robust red sauce, tuna and broccoli

Serves 2

• 8 oz (240g) dried rigatoni pasta
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• ½ portion of the Robust Red Sauce recipe — heated
• 6 oz (180g) canned tuna in olive oil — drained and broken into chunks
• Shaved or grated Parmesan cheese to serve

COOK the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, adding the broccoli to the pot for the final 5 minutes of cooking. DRAIN the cooked pasta and broccoli, put the sauce in the bottom of the pot and top with the hot pasta, broccoli and tuna chunks. TOSS together gently to combine well and heat through. SERVE the pasta with a little shaved or grated Parmesan on top.

There’s something very satisfying about being able to whip up a restaurant-quality Thai curry at home. The key is getting the right balance of saltiness, sweetness, sourness, and heat. To achieve this balance we typically use a combination of ingredients including sugar (palm sugar is traditional, but we usually use brown sugar for convenience), lemon or lime juice, fish sauce, and Thai curry paste (which is made from fresh chili and various spices) .

You can make your own curry paste from scratch, but years ago my sister-in-law Vivian, who’s Chinese-Malaysian, introduced me to a range of authentic pre-made curry pastes that I’ve used in my cooking ever since. In fact it was her chicken curry — which was made using red curry paste — that got me hooked on Asian food in the first place.

So if you’ve got the time and inclination to make your own curry paste, go for it. But the results you’ll get from a good quality pre-made curry paste can be almost as good — with a lot less effort. But here’s a tip; when you’re buying pre-made Thai curry paste, check to make sure it’s made in Thailand. If it is, there’s a very good chance it will be made with authentic ingredients. Our absolute favorite brand is Mae Ploy.

For this curry, we used green curry paste (which is green simply because the main ingredient is green chili), and three of our favorite green vegetables: peas, zucchini and green beans. Fresh garlic, onion and cilantro add extra depth of flavor, and the succulent shrimp not only complement the taste of this curry, they also add a wonderful color contrast.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp & Vegetables

Serves 2

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 onion - finely chopped
3 teaspoons Thai green curry paste
2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 zucchini - sliced into ½ inch rounds
16 green beans - halved
1 cup jasmine rice
1/3 cup frozen green peas - thawed
20 uncooked shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander), and extra for garnish

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. ADD the curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. ADD the coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar, and salt, and bring to a boil. ADD the zucchini and green beans, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered for 12 minutes. WHILE the curry simmers, bring 1 ½ cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. STIR in the rice, and keep stirring until the water returns to a boil. COVER the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. ADD the peas and shrimp to the curry and simmer, uncovered, for another 4 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. GARNISH with the reserved cilantro and serve with the jasmine rice.

This recipe shows that you don’t have to have every spice under the sun to cook a good Indian curry. Nor do you need to be a connoisseur of Indian cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, making an authentic curry is actually pretty easy, especially if you keep the ingredients simple and use a few shortcuts.

For instance, I adore using freshly ground spices but don’t always have them on hand, so I keep a basic stock of ground spices at the ready. For this curry, apart from essentials like cumin, coriander and chili, I used the classic Indian spice mix garam masala, a flavorful blend of aromatic spices which added a warmness and slight sweetness to the dish.

In addition to the spices, I simply added canned tomatoes and coconut milk, as well as spinach, onion and garlic bought at a nearby farmer’s produce stall, plus a couple of fresh fish fillets procured from our local fishmonger, and a lemon from our own tree. Regional and seasonal food at its best!

Fish, Spinach and Tomato Curry

Serves 2

• 2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil
• 1 onion - finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups washed, drained and roughly chopped fresh spinach
• 2 x 6 oz (180g) firm white fish fillets (such as snapper, cod or haddock)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

HEAT the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. ADD the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the cumin, coriander and chili and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. ADD the tomatoes, coconut milk, garam masala and salt and bring to a boil. REDUCE the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. WHILE the curry simmers, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. STIR in the rice and keep stirring until the water returns to a boil. COVER the pot with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer the rice gently for 15 minutes. ADD the spinach to the curry and cook, covered, for 4 minutes, then add the fish and spoon the sauce over the fillets. COVER with a lid, and simmer for another 7 minutes. STIR in the lemon juice and serve on a bed of the rice.

When it comes to the classic Provençal vegetable dish ratatouille, I prefer it roasted not stirred. What I mean is I’d rather eat ratatouille that’s been cooked in the oven where the vegetables are left alone to slowly roast in their own juices, than ratatouille that’s been made on the stove-top where the vegetables are often overcooked and stirred to a mush.

Until quite recently I’d only ever made ratatouille on the stove-top. The results had always been very palatable, but not what I would describe as overwhelmingly good. I’d always put this down to the fact that I wasn’t cooking each vegetable separately, a method that some recipes recommend to preserve the integrity of each vegetable. But I’d never had the time or inclination to test that theory.

Being a big fan of oven-roasted dishes, and armed with a glut of eggplants, tomatoes, zucchinis, peppers and onions, I was inspired to create this roasted ratatouille. Unhampered by excessive stirring, the vegetables develop a deliciously sweet roasted flavor and wonderful texture that rise above any stove-top ratatouille I’ve ever tasted.

Since this roasted ratatouille revelation, it’s become one of my favorite ’set and forget’ oven-baked dishes and has revolutionized my culinary repertoire with its sheer versatility. Just as good hot, warm or cold, the ratatouille can be prepared ahead and kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to roast. And once cooked, any leftovers (unlikely) taste even better over the next day or two.

To date I’ve served roasted ratatouille: tossed with pasta and white beans; nestled in a baguette with brie (heaven!); served on the side of grilled tuna; mixed with couscous and chickpeas; used as a pizza topping with anchovies and olives; and stirred through a shrimp risotto.

I’m sure there are dozens of other ways you could use this ratatouille, and if you can think of any I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

Bon appétit!

Roasted Ratatouille

Serves 4 as a side dish

• 14 oz (420g) canned tomatoes — chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
• 2 cloves garlic — minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red onion — thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 2 red peppers — cut into strips
• 1 green pepper — cut into strips
• 2 zucchini (courgette) — cut into half-inch rounds
• 1/2 eggplant (aubergine) — cut into 1-inch cubes

PREHEAT oven to 350F/180C. MIX together the canned tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, parsley and thyme until combined. OIL a baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. START by layering a quarter of the sliced onion in the bottom of the baking dish then top with a quarter each of red and green peppers, zucchini and eggplant. SPOON a quarter of the tomato mixture and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over each layer. REPEAT the process to make 4 layers. COVER and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake for a further 15 minutes.