Food

4 oz (125 g) dark Belgian chocolate
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 egg whites
3/4 cup (180 mL) raw cane sugar
3/4 cup (180 mL) oat flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
1/2 tsp (2 mL) finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup (125 mL) hazelnuts, chopped, toasted (optional)

3/4 cup (180 mL) tapioca flour
3/4 cup (180 mL) buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) guar gum
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 mL) fine sea salt
1 egg
3/4 cup (180 mL) raw cane sugar 1/2 cup (125 mL) natural creamy peanut butter*
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
1 cup (250 mL) brown rice crisp cereal
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted peanuts, chopped, toasted

Potatoes 2 lb (1 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 Tbsp (30 mL) butter 2 Tbsp (30 mL) pure maple syrup 1 tsp (5 mL) cumin 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger Salt and pepper, to taste Mushrooms 1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter 4 cups (1 L) white button mushrooms, sliced 1/3 cup (80 mL) dry red wine Salmon Patties 2 - 5.6 oz (160 g) cans sockeye salmon 1/2 cup (125 mL) rolled oats 1 large egg 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced 1 shallot, finely diced 2 tsp (10 mL) curry powder Juice of 1/2 lemon Ground black pepper, to taste 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Potatoes: On stovetop, steam sweet potatoes until very tender. In large bowl, mash potatoes with fork or potato masher along with butter, maple syrup, cumin, ginger, salt, and pepper. Mushrooms: Melt butter in skillet over medium heat; add sliced mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Stir in red wine and cook for another 10 minutes or until most of the wine has evaporated. Season with salt, if desired. Salmon Patties: In large bowl, flake canned salmon with a fork. Mix in oats, egg, red pepper, shallot, curry powder, lemon juice, and black pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties. Heat olive oil over medium heat in skillet and cook salmon patties for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Flip carefully to avoid breaking patties apart, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Serve patties with mashed sweet potatoes and top with mushrooms. Serves 4. Each serving contains: 555 calories; 28 g protein; 20 g total fat (7 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 64 g carbohydrates; 9 g fibre; 437 mg sodium Source: "8 Sniffle-Busting Foods", alive #338, December 2010

1 medium apple, chopped 1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) matcha powder 1/2 cup (125 mL) plain yogurt 1/4 cup (60 mL) almonds, about 20 1 medium banana, preferably frozen 1/4 cup (60 mL) wheat germ Combine apple and 1 cup (250 mL) water in blender and puree until smooth. Add matcha powder, yogurt, almonds, banana, and wheat germ to blender and process until smooth. Serves 2. Each serving contains: 248 calories; 10 g protein; 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 40 g carbohydrates; 7 g fibre; 46 mg sodium Source: "8 Sniffle-Busting Foods", alive #338, December 2010

Serve as an appetizer or a stand-alone lunch. You can also use cashews and acorn squash.

3/4 cup (180 mL) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (180 mL) whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 mL) allspice
1/2 cup (125 mL) sucanat
1/3 cup (80 mL) butter
1 1/4 cups (325 mL) mandarin segments
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup (80 mL) milk
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts

1 1/4 cups (310 mL) fresh mandarin segments, roughly chopped

1/2 cup (250 mL) blanched slivered almonds

This pretty dessert is easy to prepare (it’s ready in less than 5 minutes!) and nutritious enough to be served at breakfast—a great choice for brunch and other get-togethers, too.

This wholesome dessert is very simple to prepare and even easier to eat. Plain granola and pecans add crunch, and bananas and almond butter add flavour.

These protein-packed dessert bars offer a creamy texture and flavourful taste thanks to the silken tofu and nutritious fruit they contain.

This crustless bake is brimming with flavour thanks to orange juice, almond butter, and bananas that combine to deliver a delicious and healthy sweet treat.

Using prepared granola on top of this tasty crisp reduces an already-short preparation time. Choose your favourite berries, or any fresh or frozen fruit, to give this recipe a personal touch.

Tilapia and catfish can also be used as the main protein source. Serve with some crusty bread.

Lentils, nuts, and potatoes all contribute to the wealth of dietary fibre in this recipe. Other nuts such as pecans and walnuts can also be used in the sauce.

For those who can handle a little heat, this piquant mole is from the Oaxaca region of Mexico. Add a dollop of yogourt or sour cream to reduce the fiery kick. Canned tomatillos and dried ancho chili peppers are available in the ethnic foods section of many stores. If available, goat meat would be an excellent meat for this intensely flavoured dish.

This riff on paella is studded with tofu instead of seafood and sausage but is just as flavourful despite containing less fat.

3/4 cup (180 mL) golden raisins
3/4 cup (180 mL) slivered almonds
1 3/4 cups (430 mL) boiling water
5 to 6 Tbsp (75 to 90 mL) fresh-squeezed mandarin juice, divided
1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) orange peel, finely grated
2 cups (500 mL) whole wheat couscous

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes, about 2 cups (500 mL)
1 Tbsp (15 mL) grapeseed oil
1/2 small onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tsp (10 mL) grated ginger root
1 Tbsp (15 mL) curry paste
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each of ground cumin and salt
10 oz (300 g) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup (125 mL) frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp (30 mL) cilantro, finely chopped
12 - 10 inch (25 cm) pesto or jalapeno flavoured flour tortillas
Paprika
Mango chutney (optional)
Plain yogourt (optional)

2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/2 to 2 lb (750 g to 1 kg)
1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini paste*
2 tsp (10 mL) toasted sesame seed oil
1 tsp (5 mL) light soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh parsley, finely minced, + 1 Tbsp (15 mL) for garnish
3 whole green onions, finely minced, about 1/4 cup (60 mL)
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 red bell peppers, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1/3 cup (80 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (450 g) unpeeled eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) chunks
2 - 10 in (25 cm) zucchinis, coarsely chopped 
1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable stock or tomato juice (optional) 1 - 28 oz (796 mL) can diced tomatoes, including juice
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp (2 mL) crushed red peppers
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fennel seed, crushed
1 cup (250 mL) feta, crumbled
Arugula leaves

Cooking homemade beans is easy, especially if you own a slow cooker. Not only do these tasty beans improve with the long slow cook, but using a slow cooker (Crock-Pot) will save you money on electrical bills. At first glance there appears to be a lot of carbohydrates per serving, but bear in mind that beans are a source of complex carbohydrates. There are only 2 tsp (10 mL) added sugar per serving; the rest of the carbohydrates are coming from the beans and the naturally occurring sugars found in the onions, apricots, and tomatoes. The addition of dried apricots adds some natural sweetness plus a small dose of beta carotene.  

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Beautiful in its simplicity, this antioxidant-plush soup is packed with hunger-quelling fibre.

Shepherd’s pie has two names: traditionally called cottage pie, it was made with beef while shepherd’s pie was made with lamb. These English/Irish dishes were made with leftover roasted meat chopped finely and whatever mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables were left over from the Sunday night dinner. To put a healthier spin on this dish, I substituted extra-lean ground turkey for the lamb or beef and sweet potatoes for regular white potatoes. Whichever way you make it, this dinner is economical and easy to make, especially if you are using leftover cooked vegetables. Serve with a tossed green salad.

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