9 health foods chefs actually love to cook with

Chefs have traditionally never been super healthy, but with all the new ingredients around, we've found a lot of buzzy food bits on their menus. Here, the health foods chefs actually do love to cook with (read: that means meals that are not only healthy but packed with flavour).

Carrots: Nicky Reimer, Chef at Union Dining, Richmond

"I know everyone thinks of carrot juice but I love to utilise carrots in salads, raw or lightly roasted in a touch of extra virgin olive oil. One of my favourite ways to serve carrots is my harissa dressed carrot and almond salad. It's always popular in the restaurant! Not only is it good for you with natural almonds, but the kick of harissa packs a tasty punch.

"I lightly roast baby carrots for about 10 minutes in a hot oven with a little olive oil, then toss them in a bowl with a splash of cider vinegar, a tablespoon of harissa paste, a big pinch of chopped natural almonds, loads of fresh mint and coriander roughly torn up. Then I add enough olive oil to just bind everything together. Eat this yummy carrot salad as it is or with grilled fish or chicken."

Farro: Ben Sitton, Head Chef, Uccello, Sydney

"At home I always look for the farro in the cupboard as it is so versatile to use in soups, risotto and salads. It has so many health benefits including being high in fibre and protein and it's packed with vitamins and nutrients.

"Simply boil with a little salt and then serve with whole slow poached chicken, olives, zucchini and parsley. My wife also loves to use it instead of rice, potato, pasta and any of the starches and carbohydrates - the health benefits far outweigh any of these and it's so tasty."

Buckwheat: Ben Greeno, Executive Chef at The Paddington, Paddington

"I like that you can mix up the textures with buckwheat - crispy or soft like rice. It's good for blood pressure and is gluten-free. I use it in salads and rice dishes with silver beet, braised fennel and leeks, and finish with goats curd and crispy buckwheat."

Quinoa: Mike McEnearney, Chef and Owner of No.1 Bent St, Sydney

"There are so many wonderful things to cook with these days which are good for you and have medicinal benefits, but an old stalwart is quinoa. Known as a super food to the Incas, it is high in protein, fibre, iron and magnesium and it's very versatile. It's great made into porridge on a cold winter's morning, and fantastic boiled and served as an accompaniment with other ingredients such as herbs and olive oil. It's also fantastic served cold as a salad item or one of my favourite things to do is to use it as a gluten-free stuffing for chicken and duck."

"I always soak it in cold water first overnight and give it a good rinse. Then I cook it absorption style, as though I was cooking rice with a lid on it. I use the same proportions usually, or if you don't use a measure, up to the first knuckle on your index finger to measure the water."

Turmeric: Patrick Friesen, Executive Chef, Papi Chulo, Manly, and Queen Victoria Hotel, Enmore

"I'm really into turmeric and more specifically turmeric juice. It's an anti-inflamatory, helps with indigestion and fights off the common cold.

"We juice it and serve it as a dressing for raw kangaroo island scallops with dill crème fraiche and quinoa. It's like taking a turmeric shot with the most delicious sashimi to go with."

Kombucha and Coconut oil: Justin Schott, Head Chef at Paddington Inn

"We are constantly using healthy, seasonal ingredients on our new menu. We make kombucha (fermented tea), which has many health benefits such as; detoxification, probiotic, improved digestion and it can also act as an antioxidant for boosting your immune system.

"The kombucha takes about three to four weeks to make in total, and we use it for cocktails and in one of our desserts- a kombucha, honey gin jelly and a strawberry, hibiscus, kombucha granita. This is served with a combination of strawberries and it's delicious!"

"In the kitchen we also cook with coconut oil. The oil contains fatty acids which are good for brain and liver function. It is also beneficial to cholesterol levels, boosts your metabolism, can improve moisture in the skin and can prevent drying and ageing of the hair.

"We roast chantenay carrots in coconut oil, which gives them a beautiful colour, aroma and most importantly flavour. We then make a dressing with the excess oil and toss that back through the carrots and some kale. It's a lovely side dish."

Papaya: Milan Strbac, Chef at Sugarcane Restaurant, Coogee

"I love cooking with papaya because it's so versatile and offers different flavours and textures when green or ripe. Papayas are a rich source of antioxidants such as Vitamin B, C and folate. It also provides protection against colon cancer.

"I like to you use the green papaya in a salad alongside a piece of grilled fish. I shred the papaya with a special peeler, which gives me long strands of papaya, then I then dress with a fermented crab dressing. I also like to use ripe papaya (pawpaw) for ice creams and sorbets or even plain ice cold."

Brown basmati rice: Christopher Hogarth, Executive Chef, Papi Chulo, Manly, and Queen Victoria Hotel, Enmore

"Two years ago I changed to using brown basmati rice at home. At Chez Hogarth, this is the only type of rice in the pantry. Being an active person, I usually enjoy whatever I like - however at home my diet leans away from restaurant type dishes and is very simple and healthy."

"Brown basmati is the main carbohydrate I consume and the health benefits from this type of rice are excellent. Not as processed as white rice, brown basmati rice is a good whole food that provides fibre, magnesium, vitamin b and no cholesterol. Grown in the foothills of the Himalayas, brown basmati rice also tastes excellent and it's easy to prepare. I simply wash one cup of rice three times then put in my rice cooker with 1 1/4 cups of water. I'll eat it with savoury mince and avocado or some roast chicken and Chinese greens."

"My wife makes healthy chicken and almond enchiladas that I'll smash after work with some brown basmati and lots of Tabasco."