There are many ways to enjoy eggs, whether it's scrambled, fried or boiled. If you're looking for a healthier way to cook your eggs, poaching is a great method.

If you've previously shone away from poaching because you're worried the egg won't stay together or, you don't have the right tools, then here's a great guide about how to poach an egg in water. Best of all, all you'll need is a pan, some vinegar to keep the egg whites together, and your egg (of course) - no fancy poaching devices! Check out the directions and video below.

I've always been used to buying pre packed ham. After all, it's convenient and if you get the taste the difference ranges, it can be pretty tasty. However, for my past few food shops I've been buying gammon joints to make and slice my own ham, and boy can you REALLY taste the difference (at no extra cost). So I thought I'd share some of my learning's thus far!

Always feel you have no food in the house and that you should be entitled to shares in the corner shop? Well, meal planning may sound dull but planning a weeks worth of meals in advance can really help, as it means you know exactly what to buy at the supermarket and you don't end up dwindling down each aisle when you're there. You can finally enjoy the feeling of having fully stocked cupboards!

Apart from the practicalities of getting your food, making a meal planning template can also help if you enjoy cooking from scratch, or even if you're trying to lose weight.

What is fibre

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods. It's generally not broken down as it passes through the digestive system.

What is fibre for?

By providing substance and bulk to waste products (by absorbing water), fibre helps waste move through the digestive system and bowel, and in-turn, keeps them healthy. By eating high fibre foods, you prevent unwanted toxins staying in the body, it is therefore good for helping the body excrete waste products as easily, quickly, and pain-free as possible!

When you become a regular cook in the kitchen, it's great to see when you're progressing with your knife skills, so check out some basics on how how to use a knife safely and confidently for when you're preparing home-cooked recipes. Watch my quick video, or have a read of the below.

If you like cooking from scratch and in bulk, minced meat is great. What's more, since lean and extra lean alternatives have become more popular in the shops, it's actually a pretty healthy food as well.

There's a lot of talk about how to cook rice, and how wrong it can go if you don't follow exactly the right procedures and timings. Well, dare I say it, we really don't believe it's that difficult to cook rice, you just need to know what to do and how long to do it for!

Yes, you can just bung it in some boiling water, but if you want to know how to cook rice and make it taste even better, follow the instructions here.

You can cook asparagus in a number of ways, the key though, is timing, and knowing how long it takes so you don't overdo them. If you're trying to find the best way, or simply a new method to cook asparagus, you're in luck, as there are many methods included here on how to cook asparagus.

How ever you choose to cook your asparagus, be sure to prepare it as follows:

Remove the brittle ends of the asparagus (and dispose of) then rinse the other ends under cold water. How you remove the ends is up to you, you can either snap or slice them off.

So, you're a student and having to fend for yourself! Check out my Student Cooking Guide and you'll be cooking Quick, Easy Recipes in no time.

Equipment

Don't go and buy a 12-piece crockery set, all you're soon-to-be student housemates will be doing the same. Then you'll have one mighty large washing up problem!

It is never too early or too late to start cooking. Some people love cooking and find it relaxing. Others dread it and would rather eat TV dinners every night. Wherever you stand, cooking is something everyone should try and at least have a basic knowledge of. I guarantee that if it wasn't for lack of time, knowledge and the proper cookware more people would try their luck at cooking. To help out any beginners, I have put together a few tips for the novice chef to hopefully make the experience as pleasant as possible.