Food

This dessert is a work of art and as such requires some simple art supplies and assembly. In this case, a half-dozen metal rings, roughly 3 in (7.6 cm) wide and 2.5 in (6.3 cm) high, are required to bring this to the table.

This is a seafood salad without comparison and could easily serve as a main lunch dish. If this is your introduction to cooking octopus, make sure you use sufficient force to tenderize (a rolling pin is crude, but effective) before adding it to the bouillon. This is the secret to tender tubes.

4 cups (1 L) water
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 mL) quinoa
1 cup (250 mL) cherry tomatoes, chopped small red onion, sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) almonds, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (160 mL) Mild Moroccan Spiced Dressing
8 cups (2 L) baby spinach leaves

(pictured with Snacking Salad with Apricots and Roasted Almonds)

This cooked cereal stores well covered in the refrigerator and reheats easily on the stovetop in 3 or 4 minutes. Enhance this basic recipe with applesauce, seasonal fruit compotes, and cinnamon. The walnuts provide minerals such as calcium, as well as essential omega-3 fats that are vital for immunity, cardiovascular health, and brain function.

3/4 cup (175 mL) pearl barley
3 cups (750 mL) water
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
1 cup (250 mL) walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup (60 mL) brown sugar or maple syrup
1/4 cup (60 mL) currants

Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add salt and barley, turn heat to low, cover, and cook 45 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a mixing bowl stir together honey and walnuts. Spread on a baking tray and toast 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

When barley is cooked, stir in sugar and currants. Divide among four serving bowls and top each with 1/4 cup (60 mL) of walnuts. Serves 4.

Note: If you only use one or two servings you can reserve leftovers for other breakfasts. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for two or three days.

To reheat cereal, place a 1/4 cup (60 mL) of soymilk in a saucepan. Heat on medium heat and add barley mixture. Warm through and top with reserved walnuts.

Ideal for breakfast or as a post-workout snack, this drink provides complex carbohydrates, electrolytes, antioxidants, and easily digested protein. It is high in fibre and provides a small amount of essential fatty acids to help in cellular repair and function. Look for green rooibos tea at your health food store.

1 cup (250 mL) kiwi fruit juice or green rooibos tea, chilled
2 pears, peeled and diced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled
2 Tbsp (30 mL) hemp nut seeds
1 banana
1/2 cup (125 mL) ice cubes
Natural sweetener to taste

In a blender, add juice, fruit, and hemp nut seeds. Pulse several times to chop fruit. Add ice and sweetener if desired and blend until smooth.Serves 1.

This is a delicious way to add more fruit servings to your day. Frozen fruit, such as peaches can bring a taste of summer. Alternatively, use seasonal fruits and experiment with adding dried fruits, too.

Buckwheat groats are available from health food stores and have a distinct flavour. For a milder taste, substitute oat groats or steel-cut oats. Whole grains provide essential amino acids and B vitamins to help with stress. The dates provide plenty of sweetness along with fibre and minerals.

The ginger in this juice helps put a little pep in your step! Ginger is high in antioxidants and has been shown to be more potent than vitamin E. It helps fight cancer and is also a remedy for nausea. The garlic is also a potent ingredient, but you may want to reduce the amount used. Even half a clove will help boost immunity.

This soup is really a meal in one: vegetables, grains, beans, and heart-healthy, monounsaturated olive oil. The traditional grain used would be faro, an Italian staple that can be found in most gourmet and natural food stores.

Try this dish as a topping for whole grain pasta. This pesto contains valuable essential omega-3 fatty acids because we use walnuts instead of pine nuts. Ensure walnuts are fresh before use; many packaged walnuts go rancid when stored for a long period of time.

This dinner is simple and deceptively filling. Sweeter than baked potatoes, yams are a favourite with both children and adults, who will love this variation. Adding a spicy Mexican topping provides a pleasant contrast and the natural fats in the avocado help make you feel full.

A fantastic brunch or quick dinner option, these pancakes are easy to throw together and provide a powerhouse of nutrition. They combine grains and vegetables for fibre with goat cheese for fantastic flavour.

Rooibos tea is high in an array of different antioxidants that may slow aging and help prevent disease. It also contains nine essential minerals, which can help optimize body function during detoxification. Try red rooibos or the unfermented “green” rooibos, which is even more healthful.

This recipe is so incredibly versatile. Try substituting applesauce or pumpkin pur?for the mashed banana and carrots for the zucchini. Raisins and walnuts can be used instead of dates and pecans - it’s all up to you!

Apples or pears are a delicious seasonal fruit and an easy way to eat more heart healthy soluble fibre. Rather than bake a pie with a fatty crust, make a whole grain crumble. You can use a homemade topping or a natural muesli, as in this recipe.

This versatile combination can be made with a variety of grains and greens. Try millet or quinoa for a creamy mixture or brown and wild rice for a nuttier flavour. Use any fresh herbs to season and serve with dandelion greens for their liver cleansing benefits. Serve with uncooked vegetables or sprouts to aid digestion.

Red cabbage adds gorgeous colour and beneficial plant pigments that help fight disease. For cleansing, the less fat the better, so I like to make a fruit juice dressing rather than the traditional mayonnaise. The fermented yogourt kefir is another healthy option for the dressing.

Lentils are the fastest cooking dried legume and for that reason can be briefly precooked and then added to rice as an interesting pilaf. The value for cancer patients is getting some protein in the rice, so it can stand alone as a quick meal or work as a side dish.

Fresh vegetables are so important and this recipe allows us to get lots of them. It’s also easy to eat and digest and very healthy because of the variety of colours and cruciferous ingredients. Tofu adds protein and further cancer-fighting potential.

This recipe is quick and easy and can be used as a meal replacement or as an additional drink to help gain weight. The molasses, soymilk, and sesame seeds all add valuable calcium, which is vital for those consuming fewer dairy products.

Rooibos tea, along with green tea, is very high in cancer-fighting antioxidants and is highly beneficial for promoting health. The flavonoids in rooibos have been shown to make cancer cells die, decrease tumour growth, and also inhibit cancer cell proliferation.

This recipe is versatile and can replace butter on dinner rolls, sandwiches, or toast. The roasted garlic provides creaminess with a mild flavour (and far less odour than raw garlic) and the parsley adds chlorophyll and vitamin C. Experiment with other fresh Italian herbs such as oregano and basil.

Anise-Poached Oranges