At 35, chef and restaurateur Michael Moore was diagnosed as diabetic. He was fit, a non-smoker and didn't drink much. He was put on medication but over time became insulin-dependent. Ten years after the diagnosis, he suffered a stroke. In the weeks before, he had felt superfit, riding a bike, running and going to the gym. In recovery, Moore began to consider the food he ate and, as a result, has produced two cookbooks, the latest designed for families. Each recipe in the book shows a carbohydrate exchange — essential information for diabetics.

Lemon chicken and power food salad

2 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
juice and zest of 1 lemon
4 large chicken drumsticks
Lemon wedges

Salad
80g brown rice, cooked
80g cannellini beans
2 green onions, finely sliced
60g fried tofu, diced
2 tbsp broad beans
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
1 large, ripe avocado
1 bunch baby coriander leaves

In a small bowl, mix together agave nectar with hoisin sauce and lemon juice and zest. Place drumsticks in large dish and brush with mixture. Leave to marinate for two hours or overnight.

Preheat a grill pan or barbecue and grill the drumsticks until cooked through and caramelised on the skin. Keep brushing mixture on as they cook for a nice barbecue flavour. I even let the skin burn.

In a small bowl, combine the rice, salad vegetables and gently mix. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Mix the dressing ingredients into a small jar and shake well.

Serve salad on the side with hot sticky chicken and lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Citrus and poppy-seedcake

Cake mixture
2 lemons
3 large oranges
3 cups water
3 tbsp agave nectar
2 cardamom pods
30g butter
3 eggs, lightly beaten
240g ground almonds
2 tbsp whey protein powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp self-raising flour
Syrup
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
juice of a 1/4 lemon
1 tbsp agave nectar

Peel lemons and oranges, discard rind and slice fruit about five millimetres thick. Place fruit in a medium-size saucepan with water, agave nectar and cardamom pods. Cover with lid and place on medium heat to simmer for about 2 hours, until fruit is totally cooked and broken down, and has a marmalade-like consistency. Take care not to burn, as it will become very sticky as it nears the end of cooking.

Heat oven to 180C. Remove cardamom pods and discard. Stir in butter to melt and allow mixture to cool.

Place fruit in a mixing bowl and mix in the lightly beaten eggs.

Stir in ground almonds, protein powder, bicarbonate of soda, poppy seeds and flour. Mix well. It will be quite loose at this point.

Line a 20-centimetre cake tin with greaseproof paper and a spray of oil. Pour in cake mixture and bake for 25 minutes until golden and firm to touch.

Meanwhile, to make syrup, warm the lemon and orange juice with agave.

Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and cool on a cooling wire. Turn it over and place on your serving plate, brush with warm syrup and allow it to soak in.

Serves 12

Chilled apple, pear and quinoa porridge with raw almonds

355ml skim milk
120ml water
120g white quinoa
120g plain yoghurt
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 red apple
1 green pear
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cinnamon
60g raw almonds, skin on, finely sliced

Put milk, water and quinoa in a  saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer and cook. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15minutes until soft, then allow to cool.

Place cooked quinoa in a mixing bowl and stir in the yoghurt and agave nectar. Using a coarse cheese grater, grate the apple and pear into the bowl, including any juice.

Mix together well. Add spices to taste and adjust consistency with a splash of milk.

Place into small serving bowls and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Tip: Quinoa is a highly nutritious South American seed that can be substituted for most grains. It's sold in health food stores and supermarkets.

Serves 4