Here are fake-away recipes that hit the cravings, no matter your dietary preferences. 

For the flexitarian: Rice and red kidney bean burgers with cucumber-garlic yoghurt 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 15 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the rice and red kidney bean burgers 

1 tin red kidney beans, drained
¾ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper 

For the cucumber-garlic yoghurt 

1 cup yoghurt
½ cucumber, grated and drained
1 garlic clove, crushed 

To serve 

6 seeded brown rolls, halved and toasted
Handful baby spinach
2 carrots, ribboned
½ red cabbage, thinly sliced 

Method 

For the rice and red kidney bean burgers 

1. Pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor until well combined.
2. Shape the mixture into 2cm-thick patties. Rest on a baking tray

For the cucumber-garlic yoghurt 

1. Combine all the ingredients and set aside.
2. Preheat a pan with olive or coconut oil. Once hot, add your patties and gently fry for 10–12 minutes until heated through.

To serve

1. Toast your bread rolls. Spread on the yoghurt, then top with a burger patty, baby spinach, carrot ribbons and red cabbage. 

Recipe & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Cheat’s pizza: No-knead pizza tray bake 

Serves 2 

Ingredients 

For the dough   

2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1 tsp (5ml) fine salt 
⅔ cup (160ml) boiling water 
⅓ cup (80ml) canola oil    

For the topping 

50g tomato paste 
3 Tbsp tomato sauce
⅔ cup canned chopped tomatoes and onion
6 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked 
100g mozzarella, grated
10 slices salami or Pepperoni Basil, for serving (optional) 

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Spray a 3cm deep oven tray, of about 25x40cm, with non-stick spray. 
2. For the dough, combine ingredients in a plastic food container and seal with a tight-fitting lid. Shake until dough comes together. 
3. Turn out dough into prepared tray and spread out using your fingers, covering the entire base of your pan.
4. Spread tomato paste and tomato sauce over base. 
5. Blitz chopped tomatoes and onion until smooth using a stick blender. Spread onto the base and sprinkle with herbs. Season. 
6. Top with cheese and salami or pepperoni. 
7. Bake at 200°C for 25-30 minutes, until cheese is bubbling and base is golden.
8. Slice into squares. Use a spatula to dish up and serve. 

Cook’s tip
Use a container that won’t open while shaking the hot contents. We always use a container with flap locks. 

Recipe by: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine 

The classic: Traditional fish and chips 

Serves 4–6 // Cooking time 25 minutes 

Ingredients 

For the tartare sauce 

1½ cups mayonnaise
2 gherkins, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

For the chilli salt 

⅓ cup sea salt flakes
1 tbsp chilli flakes
1 tsp paprika 

For the chips 

6 potatoes, cut into wedges 

For the fish 

1½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp garlic powder
½ tbsp paprika
1 cup beer
1 egg
4 hake fillets, cut into strips 

Method 

For the tartare sauce 

1. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate.

For the chilli salt 

1. Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.

For the chips 

1. Heat enough oil to deep-fry in a pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the wedges to the pot and deep-fry until golden brown and cooked through.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
4. Season with the chilli salt.

For the fish 

1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together.
2. Whisk the beer and egg together and then add it to the dry ingredients.
3. Dip the hake fillets into the batter, allowing any excess to drip off.
4. Working in batches, deep-fry the fish for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za