Large beefsteak tomatoes were made to be stuffed. Their size and firm exterior makes them the perfect receptacle for piling in tasty fillings and turning them into a meal in themselves. Not only that, tomatoes, especially when cooked, provide us with a rich source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which may be instrumental in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.

Here are a couple of stuffed tomato recipes, one of which can be served cold as a snack with the other ideally eaten as a light starter or meal.

Beef and broccoli stir fry is a popular Asian dish most often associated with Chinese cuisine. The delicate blend of exotic spices, soy sauce and sesame oil combines perfectly to deliver an authentic taste sensation that’s hard for anyone to resist.

Beef and broccoli stir fry is low in fat and calories, highly nutritious and simple to prepare. In fact, the entire dish can be put together and on the table within half an hour.

Fritters are a firm favorite in cuisines around the world. Eaten sweet or savory, these delicious fried cakes can be enjoyed as a dessert, starter or main meal. And fritters provide the perfect excuse for turning left over vegetables into a meal which the whole family can enjoy.

While zucchinis may not be the obvious contender as a fritter ingredient, they make a surprisingly appetizing addition to the basic fritter recipe.

An overflowing fruit bowl brightens up a room in much the same way as a vase of flowers. While the roses and carnations just look pretty, fresh fruit is sweet and healthy and makes the ideal snack.

While fresh fruit is delicious when eaten on its own, it can become a little mundane. Fortunately, fresh fruit is extremely versatile and can be cooked and prepared in a multitude of ways. The following recipes using fresh fruit are perfect for the warmer summer months.

Those overripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl are the perfect excuse for indulging in a bit of baking. And what better use for them could there be than making delicious banana bread? There are plenty of variations to the regular banana bread recipes and this one is a classic banana bread loaf that’s exceptionally moist and very tasty.

There’s nothing quite like biting into a juicy burger, loaded with melted cheese, oozing mayonnaise and ketchup, probably accompanied by a side of fries. They’re delicious and not surprisingly, burgers are one of the most popular foods around the world.

Unfortunately, they’re also one of the unhealthiest. But they don’t have to be.  If you’re taking steps towards a healthier way of eating, there’s no need to give up on the burger.

With a few minor tweaks here and there, it’s perfectly possible to turn that cholesterol laden feast into a healthy, nutritionally balanced meal. It all boils down to the ingredients you’re using in your burger and the way you prepare and cook it.

Smoothies are the guilt-free, healthy alternative to milkshakes. They're versatile, filling, easy to make and perfect for a hot summer day.

Whether they’re for a nutritious breakfast, an after school refreshment for the kids, or a delicious cooling down treat on a balmy summer’s afternoon, there’s no need to invent an excuse to make your own home made smoothies.

Satay, possibly Indonesia's most famous food export, is a dish which is enjoyed around the world by those with even the most conservative of tastes. The simple combination of exotic ingredients together with that household favorite, peanut butter, appeals to both young and old alike.

It couldn't be easier to bring the taste of Indonesian street food into your home with this delicious, easy to prepare chicken satay with peanut sauce.

Anyone who loves the taste of vanilla, probably also likes vanilla milkshakes. And even better than a vanilla milkshake is a thick vanilla milkshake. Ideally, it should be thick enough that your straw can stand up on its own.

Buying a vanilla milkshake can be an expensive treat and you can't always be sure exactly what's gone into it. So why not make your own at home where you make it as healthy or decadent as you please.

Somehow, the more vibrant the color of a cocktail, the more exciting and tempting it looks. The Trocadero cocktail doesn't disappoint. Its gorgeous crimson glow is born from one of its ingredients - grenadine, which also gives it a sweet and light flavor.

The main contributors to this delightful cocktail are a combination of both dry and sweet vermouth plus a few other special ingredients which together create this very drinkable cocktail. Read on to find out how...

Cocktails are so popular now that more people are experimenting with making their own exotic blends at home. They're especially refreshing to drink at the end of a hot day, but also during the long party season over Christmas and New Year.

Making your own cocktails at home can be addictive and a lot of fun. Here's one recipe that's already popular and if you like gin, then you might enjoy a French Pearl.

Smoothies are a delicious way of topping up your fruit intake. They're so simple to make, healthy and full of goodness, plus they're really filling. And if you have kids who refuse to eat some types of fruit, pop them into a smoothie and they'll never know.

A smoothie can also be drunk as a meal in itself. But rather than spending money on a shop bought version, making your own smoothie at home takes only a matter of minutes.

The sidecar cocktail is a classic dating back to the 1920s and is enjoying something of a revival on today’s cocktail menus. How the sidecar got its name and its origins are a little hazy. However, it’s generally considered to have been invented for a US army captain in Paris around the time of the First World War.

One day, the captain who was feeling unwell, requested an aperitif before his evening meal. Since brandy was commonly used as a cold remedy, this was used as a base with lemon juice added for its vitamin C content.
 

Pacific Sunrise

Mixing your own cocktails at home can be a lot of fun. Once you've built up a collection of various ingredients, you can start experimenting and create your own.

Indeed, many cocktails are just slight variations of those already invented. The Pacific sunrise for instance, is very similar to the blue margarita with its exotic deep blue color and ingredients but has the addition of bitters which, while barely detectable, somehow injects a more subtle and interesting flavor.

The Pacific sunrise will always impress your guests and it makes a refreshing cocktail to enjoy on a warm summers day. (to be updated)

If you prefer your coffee cappuccino style, no doubt you appreciate the rich, creamy foam that sits on top. But trying to recreate the coffee shop experience at home can be a hit and miss affair when it comes to making frothy milk.

Home espresso coffee machines with a milk frothing attachment, often produce rather lacklustre results. But with the right tools and a little know how, you can easily produce a cafe-style cappuccino to be proud of. (The pump action style frothers seem to produce a much denser quality of foam than other styles.)

Canned salmon is often purchased as a handy cupboard filler but then bypassed when looking for a quick meal idea. How many times have you opened the cupboard and overlooked the can of salmon because, quite simply, you don't know what to do with it?

The American Heart Association recommends eating two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily such as salmon. Nutritionally, canned salmon contains all the benefits of fresh fish, including significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients known to improve circulation and boost brain functioning.