En papillote

Follow the French lead and cook your fish en papillote (in paper) by wrapping the fillets in baking paper parcels. Don't forget to add your choice of herbs, spices and a little liquid and bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Some of our favourite flavours to include in your paper parcel include soft herbs, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, thinly sliced potato, green beans, lemon, capers, carrots, a little butter or a dash of cream. 

Stir-fry

Switch on the rice cooker, and by the time the rice is all done you can have one of these favourite stir-fries on the table. As stir-frying happens very quickly, it's good to get your ingredients chopped and ready for cooking in advance. Keep the food constantly moving, using a tossing motion. Don't allow anything to stick to the pan or sit in one place too long. When the ingredients are cooked and combined, add seasonings such as soy, sweet chilli or oyster sauce to bring the flavours of the stir-fry together.

Steaming

Steaming is one of the most nutritious ways to cook, retaining much more of the nutrients than other forms. And don't think it's just about cooking veggies, you can steam fish, meat, seafood or tofu, making a flavourful meal in a single dish. If you don't have a steamer already, try picking up inexpensive bamboo steamers from your local Asian supermarket. Easy to fit above a saucepan or wok, they are the ideal way to make a speedy and healthy meal.

Poaching

Perfect for chicken or fish, poaching is a handy way of adding plenty of flavour to your dish. Here you can choose from a range of poaching liquids, including water, fish broth, stock, coconut milk or milk and then add your choice of flavourings. These can include lemon peel, peppercorns, chillies, herbs, citrus, garlic or spices. Once the liquid is brought to a very gentle simmer, switch off the heat, and then gently add your chicken or fish and cook, uncovered, until just done.

Baked

Switch on your oven to make a range of healthy, low fat treats that are both filling and satisfying. Opt for oven baked sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, oven roasted fish rather than fried, or a tasty, low fat zucchini slice that's perfect for a picnic. One of our favourite low fat meals is baked fish – simply drizzle fillets in olive oil, season generously and bake at 180°C for eight minutes, or until done.