HomeBeautiful
  • Open Homes
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Outdoor
  • Decorate
  • Hamptons
  • Podcasts
  • Beach House
  • hacks
HomeBeautiful
  • Open Homes
  • Bathroom
  • Kitchen
  • Outdoor
  • Decorate
  • Hamptons
  • Podcasts
  • Beach House
  • hacks
Subscribe
Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right
Watch 2:03

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right

{headline}

{headline}

5 decadent chocolate desserts to celebrate Easter

5 decadent chocolate desserts to celebrate Easter

Smoked Trout and Pea Quiche

Smoked Trout and Pea Quiche

Haloumi-stuffed tomatoes

Haloumi-stuffed tomatoes

Seasoned baked french fries

Seasoned baked french fries

{headline}

{headline}

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

Mushroom lasagne

Mushroom lasagne

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi and zucchini with tahini dressing

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi and zucchini with tahini dressing

{headline}

{headline}

Roasted sweet potatoes with tumeric spiced chickpeas

Roasted sweet potatoes with tumeric spiced chickpeas

Coriander-seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Coriander-seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Baked tofu with chilli jam and brown rice, sesame and almond salad

Baked tofu with chilli jam and brown rice, sesame and almond salad

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls

Red Plum & Blackberry Pie

Red Plum & Blackberry Pie

Today is National Pizza Day and we're celebrating!

Today is National Pizza Day and we're celebrating!

  1. Home
  2. Entertain

18 recipes for self-isolation

Avoid the supermarket crush and support small food businesses - by Kerrie Worner
  • 27 Mar 2020

In these trying times, it's important to see positives and look forward to returning to our normal lives in the future.

WATCH: PM adds food courts to shopping centres in coronavirus restrictions

Even though we produce enough food on home soil to feed everyone, the supermarket shelves are bare with panic buying. The search for ingredients these last few weeks to develop recipes has been a difficult one.

I found myself coming up with ideas on how I can make the most of what we have still in supply and how to decrease anxiety levels after watching people scramble for the last of the pantry staples in crowded supermarkets.

Here are my top tips to separate yourself from the masses and shop sensibly.

1. Shop small and local 

Venturing out to a supermarket right now can be stressful to say the least.

Cafes that produce and stock their own goods and even corner stores (the few that still exist) and are a great way to keep your essentials in stock; milk, eggs, bread, butter, even the odd can of tomatoes or jar of cooking sauce can become invaluable in these times. Not to mention how good it feels to support small business.

Pantry shelves
Chris Warnes

2. Avoid supermarkets

Shop at fruit and vegetable stores away from the supermarket and shopping precinct madness. Not only will they not run out of fresh vegetables, they can’t be stockpiled and will keep being replenished.

You will also find a treasure trove of multicultural delights on the shelves and in the freezers of the larger stores.

There are endless meals that can be made from fresh vegetables, pulses, grains, condiments and continental products found here.

Frozen ready-made lasagnas, frozen meat products and pastries are also in supply.

Pantry
Armelle Habib

3. Eat more seafood

This is still in good supply. Local fish shops can order and supply fresh seafood or find a fish monger for a larger variety of options.

4. Vegetarian options

Health food stores and small independent grocers are also a good source for vegetarian options, such as dried beans, pulses, grains, seeds and nuts. Tofu and soy products are also good substitutes.

Pantry
Gorta Yuuki

Making the most from your pantry

With meat and poultry being at a premium right now, take the time to research and gather some vegetarian recipes that your family will find to be a good compromise and enjoy. There are a lot of recipes online that can be made ahead and frozen. Where you once used meat you can substitute with a vegetable. For example, use chopped eggplant and canned brown lentils instead of mince – or you can skip the vegetables all together and use frozen quorn (frozen meat substitute).

Pantry
Sue Stubbs

Supplies of pasta and rice are now seriously depleted. Think outside the box and use other ingredients that can replace these belly-filling staples. Use potatoes, mashed pumpkin and sweet potato, cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, lentils, quinoa, polenta, cannellini beans, chick peas, barley, buckwheat, freekah, dried noodles, flour wraps and tortillas and bread.

Preparing your usual meals may change during this time but you don’t have to compromise on flavour. The availability of fresh herbs and dried spices hasn’t changed. Some fresh herbs can be purchased in pots so they can be kept for longer periods.

Here, I've rounded up 18 recipes to make the most of the ingredients you can source now

Seafood

Steamed fish with ginger, chilli and sesame

Steamed fish
Nicky Ryan

A fresh and satisfying midweek meal. Click here for the recipe. 

Coriander seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Roasted salmon
Cath Muscat

This main has got the wow factor. You can use the same topping on salmon or fish fillets. Click here for the recipe.

Soups

Quinoa & vegetable broth

Quinoa and vegetable broth
Cath Muscat

A soul-warming broth filled with hearty veg and satisfying grains. Click here for the recipe. 

Yellow split pea, pumpkin & cavolo nero soup

Yellow split pea soup
Nicky Ryan

An easy main for a family dinner. Click here for the recipe.

Salads and vegie sides

Whole roasted spiced cauliflower

Roasted spiced cauliflower
Cath Muscat

Good looking and good for you, this is our new favourite way to eat a cauli. Click here for the recipe. 

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

Sriracha Roasted Pepita & Cashews with Buckwheat Pumpkin Salad
Cath Muscat

A hearty salad for the perfect main meal with extra crunch and bursts of colour. Click here for the recipe.

Seasoned baked French fries

Seasoned baked French fries
Cath Muscat

A tasty snack or delicious side dish. Click here for the recipe. 

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi and zucchini with tahini dressing

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi & zucchini with tahini dressing-
Cath Muscat

It's the tahini dressing that takes this delicious side dish to the next level. Click here for the recipe. 

Light meals

Quinoa warm brunch salad

Quinoa warm brunch salad
Cath Muscat

Healthy and hearty – perfect for breakfast in bed. Click here for the recipe.

Zucchini and four cheese tart

Zucchini and four cheese tart
Nicky Ryan

A wonderful light main great for lunch or dinner. Click here for the recipe. 

Baked polenta tart with asparagus, mushrooms and feta

Baked polenta tart
Cath Muscat

The colours of Italy on a sunshine base of delicious baked polenta. Click here for the recipe. 

Haloumi-stuffed tomatoes

Haloumi stuffed tomatoes
Cath Muscat

A bright and flavourful meal to get you through self-isolation. Click here for the recipe.

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Chicken soba noodle salad
Cath Muscat

You can replace chicken with any cooked protein or plant-based substitute. This dressing can also be used over other Asian noodles, Buddha bowls or rice dishes. Click here for the recipe. 

Baked chilli jam tofu with brown rice, sesame and almond salad

Baked chilli jam tofu
Cath Muscat

A vibrant vegetarian light that packs in flavour and colour. Click here for the recipe.

Roasted sweet potatoes with tumeric spiced chickpeas

Roasted sweet potatoes
Cath Muscat

Display on a platter for the wow factor. Click here for the recipe.

Family dinner

Turmeric, potato and chickpea curry

Turmeric potato and chickpea curry
Cath Muscat

Christine Manfield shares her secrets for soul-warming vegetable curry. Click here for the recipe.

Mushroom lasagne

Mushroom lasagne
Nicky Ryan

You can use 1kg of button mushrooms as a substitute for Portobello and Swiss brown mushrooms. Click here for the recipe.

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls
Cath Muscat

A vegetarian spin on an old favourite - and perfect for the kids! Click here for the recipe. 

You might also like:

How to create a healthy home office space

Self-isolating? 10 creative things you can do at home

Coronavirus update: How to clean your home

Kerrie Worner
Kerrie Worner
With over 20 years in magazines, Kerrie’s work has adorned HB’s pages as contributing food editor, along with BHG, Elle Cuisine, Australian Women’s Weekly and Family Circle. “It is so important to encourage people to learn simple food skills so they can learn how easy it is to fall in love with their creative side,” she says.

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

by Royal Albert, when you subscribe

Subscribe Now
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

by Royal Albert, when you subscribe

Subscribe Now
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug

Recommended to you

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right
Watch 2:03

Getting your coastal kitchen floor plan right

{headline}

{headline}

5 decadent chocolate desserts to celebrate Easter

5 decadent chocolate desserts to celebrate Easter

Smoked Trout and Pea Quiche

Smoked Trout and Pea Quiche

Haloumi-stuffed tomatoes

Haloumi-stuffed tomatoes

Seasoned baked french fries

Seasoned baked french fries

{headline}

{headline}

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

Sriracha roasted pepita and cashews with buckwheat pumpkin salad

Mushroom lasagne

Mushroom lasagne

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi and zucchini with tahini dressing

Roasted cauliflower, haloumi and zucchini with tahini dressing

{headline}

{headline}

Roasted sweet potatoes with tumeric spiced chickpeas

Roasted sweet potatoes with tumeric spiced chickpeas

Coriander-seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Coriander-seed, honey and lime roasted salmon

Baked tofu with chilli jam and brown rice, sesame and almond salad

Baked tofu with chilli jam and brown rice, sesame and almond salad

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Chicken soba noodle salad with sesame peanut dressing

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls

Sweet potato, lentil and cheddar sausage rolls

Red Plum & Blackberry Pie

Red Plum & Blackberry Pie

Today is National Pizza Day and we're celebrating!

Today is National Pizza Day and we're celebrating!

HomeBeautiful
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
HomeBeautiful Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Instyle
  • marie claire
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting
  • 7plus
  • 7News
  • Health Engine
  • The West Australian
  • Perth Now
  • Airtasker
  • Society One
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from

Magazine Subscription Offer

FREE Miranda Kerr Mug-SAVE 31%

Shop This Offer
FREE Miranda Kerr Mug