I had been thinking about how chick peas and black beans tend to be the beans of choice for making dips and spreads, but I happened to have an abundance of red kidney beans. I thought, “Why not try making a dip with that instead? How different could it be?” I decided to lean into its red colour...

Lentils are always a healthy choice for carb-ups, but combine them with black kale, toasted cashews and cumin seeds, along with briny olives and feta and you get a flavourful salad with an array of textures that make your mouth sing. Who says carb-up meals have to be boring?