Take a Culinary Journey with Celebrity Chefs' Online Recipes

An increasing number of people are aspiring to have a healthy diet as focus turns to taking care of the human body in order to ward off ailments and increase chances of living longer. Many vegetarian recipes and other healthy methods of food preparation are progressively being used by people in their homes and restaurants are not being left behind.

However, because of modern, busy lifestyles many people find themselves pressed for time, meaning some may opt to go for the easier option; junk food. This is not only bad for the body, but may also be unfriendly to the wallet as fast foods sometimes tend not to keep people filled for long. But with food experimentation becoming a growing phenomenon thanks to cookery programmes and the celebrity culture, there is a wide variety of online recipes that consumers may turn to for a quick healthy fix that will leave them satisfied for longer.

There are many places to get such recipes including forums such as BBC Food, which has a wide range of guides including many from its celebrity chefs and cookery programmes. Those using this website to search for new Greek recipes and other options can find instructions from the likes of Delia Smith, Rick Stein, Nigella Lawson, The Hairy Bikers, Nigel Slater, James Martin, Rachel Allen, John Torode and Heston Blumenthal, to name a few. The chefs offer everything from traditional recipes to new and exciting formulas that are sure to make many people fall in love with their own cooking.

Since her first book entitled How to Eat hit the shelves in 1998, Nigella has been sharing her love of cooking with the nation, publishing several subsequent bestsellers and making a television series along the way. The Medieval and Modern Languages Oxford graduate has a number of online recipes on the BBC website, including those for main courses, brunch, starters and nibbles, side dishes, desserts and light meals and snacks.

Busy workers wishing to enjoy their own cooking at home may want to attempt one of Nigella's light meals and snacks recipes, which include halloumi with beetroot and lime. "Any salad you have in the house will be good with this halloumi and beetroot combination, though I would be particularly grateful had I any of the darker, more peppery leaves to sit the halloumi on, such as rocket or spinach," explains the food lover. This relatively easy and fast meal is meant to be served with some warm pitta or any bread on the side, takes less than half an hour to prepare, cooks in 10 minutes and serves two.

Parents looking for an easy, yet filling meal can opt for Nigella's pasta alla genovese with potatoes, green beans and pesto, which is one of the main course recipes she has on offer. "If I've been working late, am feeling lazy, have forgotten to go shopping or suddenly find out that my children's friends are staying over and I don't know what they will or won't eat, I reach gratefully for a packet of pasta," says the former journalist, whose online recipe takes less than half an hour to prepare. With cooking time anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes and the meal big enough to serve six to eight people, this meal could also come in handy for those who have to suddenly host people.

For people who want to impress their friends with their futuristic and audacious cooking, a trip down to Heston Blumenthal's lab may be worth considering. Blumenthal is the chef-patron of The Fat Duck in Bray, which is a three-Michelin-starred restaurant known for its "whimsical, scientific and creative style of cookery", according to BBC Food. While some may find this chef's recipes a bit too ambitious, it is worth remembering that his restaurant has the enviable honour of being named the world's best restaurant on more than one occasion. His recipes include everything from snail porridge and chicken in a salt crust with hay for main courses to Mrs Blumenthal's cheesecake and chocolate Chantilly for desserts.

Many of those who watch morning television during weekends may already be familiar with James Martin, whose work can be seen on Saturday Kitchen on BBC One. The presenter has more than 1,200 online recipes that provide an endless array of cooking options for those keen on taking different culinary journeys.

This is just a tiny fraction of what is available on the Web and those keen on discovering new tastes need not struggle to find exactly what they are looking for.

17th February 2011