Food

On warm nights, try this low-kilojoule dessert with whatever fruit is in season, such as peaches, nectarines, strawberries, apricots and cherries.

This flavourful condiment contains a piquant trio of herbs: mint, parsley and basil. Serve it with grilled meats or fish, or use to dress grilled vegetables.

Chocolate and rosemary make an interesting combo for a dessert. The rosemary is reminiscent of mint, but with a darker and earthier flavour.

Dried oregano and sage pack more punch than fresh; yet there’s no replacement for the bright tangy notes of fresh dill.

Try savoury pancakes for breakfast or as an interesting side dish.

I make this in big batches and keep it in the refrigerator. It’s excellent for breakfast but also at midday when a little healthy pick-me-up is needed.

This soup contains helpful anti-inflammatory vegetables and nutrients. The spicy component of chili paste jumpstarts the taste buds and is an excellent appetite stimulant.

Smooth and easy on the taste buds, hummus is an excellent means to get your protein intake pumped when meat is otherwise difficult to enjoy. Wonderful as a dipping sauce for veggies and full of healthy antioxidants, hummus kicks in a volume of good nutrients.

Not enough can be said about the importance of turmeric in a cancer recovery diet. It is not only recognized for its cancer-fighting properties but also contributes an amazing colour to this dish. Serve spooned over brown basmati rice or with rotis made from gluten-free millet flour.

Fresh kale holds its physical properties for a long time but grows bitter with age. Be sure kale is crisp and fresh, as it can be deceiving. However, once made into a salad kale holds for a couple of days, and the flavours and texture are actually enhanced.

This smooth, creamy dessert is not only decadent but good for you too. The dark chocolate contains four times the antioxidants found in tea. Coupled with organic tofu, it will easily be a family favourite.

The quinoa filling can be made up to two days in advance. Consider serving with a warming bowl of miso soup.

Pea shoots work particularly well as a garnish for these deconstructed sushi rolls. To add a fanciful touch, consider using Bhutanese red rice or Chinese black rice. For extra protein, incorporate cooked tofu strips, smoked salmon, or cooked shrimp.

Omega-3-rich rainbow trout is gussied up with this fresh tasting green sauce. The best micro greens to use include brown mustard, arugula, cress, radish, or fenugreek. Wild salmon or Arctic char are good fish choices as well. Use extra sauce as a salad dressing.

This dish works for either dinner or brunch on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Look for rye bread with rye flour or rye meal as the first ingredients instead of wheat flour, a euphemism for white refined flour.

Garnish with fresh intention. Consider topping each bowl with a fine dice of red and yellow pepper, red onion, cucumber, and halved heirloom cherry tomatoes.

This might be the first time you work with agar-agar, but it won’t be the last. The ponzu jelly is both citrus fresh and a deliciously fun presentation concept that comes together easily with the agar-agar’s natural bonding properties.

Served at any temperature, this dish delivers and offers plenty of room for experimenting with various teas and vinaigrettes. Add another flavour edge by opting for the grill versus the pan for the salmon.

You may wish to start this recipe a day ahead. To make this simple dessert sing, take a trip to your local farmers’ market and bring home enough fresh seasonal fruit to spoon over top.

This is one of my favourite summertime recipes, filling and well balanced with veggies, protein, and good fats. Use lots of fresh lemon juice for a refreshing zip.

This kind of cooking is so versatile. These vegetables are tasty and delicious fresh off the grill, but they can also be served chilled as an antipasto dish or even used as sandwich filler for gourmet Mediterranean subs.

This is a delicious way to enjoy the best of our summer fruits and to keep entertaining easy. This recipe turns out perfect every time, offers a big “wow” factor, and takes little time to prepare.

Consider leaving the peel on your potatoes as this significantly adds to the fibre you’ll receive. Adding garlic helps build the immune system at this critical time of year, and why not squeeze in some greens? When chopped finely and swirled into the potatoes, they are a real crowd pleaser. Saturated fat is removed entirely by using soy milk and olive oil instead of cream and butter.

Extra vegetables and fruit can add loads of colour, fibre, and vitamins to any meal. Add pineapple as a natural way to sweeten yams and to add exotic flair to the festive table. Of course, it also squeezes in a fruit serving, fibre, and vitamin C. Another benefit is that there’s no need to use butter or oil in this recipe, making it a sensational fat-free option. Both yams and sweet potatoes are nutrient rich and can be used interchangeably. Yams have a deeper, richer colour, but sweet potatoes are higher in beta carotenes. Use either based on availability and personal taste.