NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Eat Well / Food News

4 Bites: Lemons

Warren Elwin
By
Warren Elwin

Food writer

VIEW PROFILE

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Lemons come into season at just the right time to help with our winter wellness.

There are numerous health benefits of including lemons in your diet - they're rich vitamin C, antioxidants and detoxifying enzymes and they aid in digestion. Read more from nutritionist Mikki Williden as she explores the topic of lemons for health.

And here, Warren Elwin shares three recipes using lemon.

Savoury lemon rice

Serves 6-8
1 Tbsp olive oil
1½ cups brown rice
2 lemons, zest of 1-2 and juice of both
1 tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 star anise
3 bay leaves
2½ cups hot chicken stock
Drizzle olive oil
2 cups roast vegetables, chopped (we used eggplant, capsicum, cauliflower and garlic cloves
1 spring onion, chopped
1 handful chopped coriander or parsley
1 handful roasted pumpkin seeds
1 handful dried cranberries or a few dates, chopped (optional)
1 dollop pesto, to serve

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
  1. In a saucepan heat olive oil and add rice, stirring to coat grains well. Add the zest of 1-2 lemons, sea salt, ground turmeric, star anise and bay leaves. Stir until rice is hot, about 3 minutes.
  2. Carefully hot chicken stock and the juice of 2 lemons. Simmer, stirring often, until the liquid has all but evaporated. Cover very tightly (using a sheet of foil, and tying a tea towel around the lid if necessary), turn off the heat and leave for 15 minutes.
  3. To serve, remove spices and fluff up rice with a fork. Season with pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a big glug of olive oil. Add chopped roasted veges, spring onion, chopped parsley or coriander and some roasted pumpkin seeds. You can also add dried fruit, such as cranberries or chopped dates.
  4. Serve with a dollop of pesto.
To favourite, print or share this recipe, go to the recipe page.

Lemon-aid

This winter, shock your immunity into action with this lemon-aid. Its therapeutic value will help you sleep better, flush out toxins, and improve your general wellbeing.

Serves 1
1 lemon, washed and cut into eighths (skin, pips and all)
1 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit or orange juice
1 Tbsp cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In a blender, blitz lemon with grapefruit or orange juice and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil until smooth. Pass through a sieve and chill. Drink a large shot daily, and feel good!

To favourite, print or share this recipe, go to the recipe page.

Lemon rice pudding

Serves 6
4 cups full-cream milk
⅓ cup caster sugar
½ vanilla bean, split
3 lemons, zested
1¼ cups arborio rice
Freshly grated nutmeg or mace to season
1 cup whipped cream

  1. Heat 4 cups full cream milk with caster sugar, the half split vanilla bean pod and the lemon zest. When hot, add rice.
  2. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring often, until the milk is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender (it should resemble a loose porridge). Remove from heat, season with freshly grated mace or nutmeg, cover and rest 5 minutes.
  3. To serve, fold 1 cup whipped cream into the hot rice, spoon into bowls and season with grated lemon zest. You can also top with a syrup such as quince or rhubarb.

Related recipes

Peanut satay sauce

Peanut satay sauce

Lemon curd sandwich

Lemon curd sandwich

Lemon tart

Lemon tart

To favourite, print or share this recipe, go to the recipe page.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest Recipes

Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease
Food News

Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease

Soba to spaghetti: Why chilled noodles are the perfect summer meal
Food News

Soba to spaghetti: Why chilled noodles are the perfect summer meal

Cold brew, hot summer: How to make the perfect iced coffee at home
Food News

Cold brew, hot summer: How to make the perfect iced coffee at home

Camping meals for a Kiwi summer
Food News

Camping meals for a Kiwi summer

The best produce to eat in January and February
Food News

The best produce to eat in January and February

Take it outside: How to eat alfresco without any fuss
Food News

Take it outside: How to eat alfresco without any fuss

Latest Food News

Why your shopping habits reveal more than you think
Food News

Why your shopping habits reveal more than you think

Premium
Why your child is a picky eater - and what parents can do about it
Food News

Why your child is a picky eater - and what parents can do about it

Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease
Food News

Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease

Is kimchi ice cream the cool new food trend?
Food News

Is kimchi ice cream the cool new food trend?

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Food News

Why your shopping habits reveal more than you think
Food News

Why your shopping habits reveal more than you think

Global tastes, gut health and grab-and-go – how Kiwi pantries got their 2020s glow-up.

29 May 11:25 PM
Premium
Premium
Why your child is a picky eater - and what parents can do about it
Food News

Why your child is a picky eater - and what parents can do about it

22 May 09:35 PM
Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease
Food News

Slow-cooking secrets: How to master flavourful meals with ease

16 May 12:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP