Food

Flourless chocolate cake became my obsession in the bustling kitchen of a gourmet restaurant where I worked in the early 90s. I was fascinated by the dense but creamy texture as well as the deep, dark fudgy flavour of this masterpiece. I experimented with different chocolates, sweeteners, number of eggs, and flavourings until I found the perfect combination. This should be the cake you serve when impressing and spoiling your guests is the goal. You might never use flour again.

Flavour boost

If you like to sleep in on the weekends and eat brunch instead of breakfast, this recipe is for you. You can whip up these scrumptious avocados the night before as long as you brush the cut edges with a little lemon juice and add a squeeze of citrus to the filling to prevent the avocados from oxidizing and turning brown. Cover them tightly in plastic wrap on a plate and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve them.

Flavour boost

Is there such a thing as a crispy heart-healthy cake wedge? We think so. In this chew-worthy snack, we’ve combined oats with coconut, a little flaxseed, and some nutty hemp hearts. Together they make a perfect treat that your heart will love.

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From dark leafy greens to brightly coloured squash drizzled with a creamy avocado dressing, this dish is the quintessential heart-healthy meal.

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For an easy weeknight dinner, sheet pan meals are perfect—this dinner can be assembled and eaten within 25 minutes! Salmon is an excellent heart-healthy star option. Coupled with little nugget potatoes, fresh beans, and diced yellow turnip, it becomes eye candy on a plate. The dazzling flavour of za’atar livens everything up! Although there are plenty of premade variations of this spice available, we’ve provided a tasty version you can DIY in a jiffy.

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A warming winter taco meal is everyone’s favourite. Our delicious hummus made from heart-healthy lima beans and spinach is an excellent way to fill up on healthy plant proteins. Lima beans help lower cholesterol and provide heathy fibre. Coupled with a medley of diced veggies, it becomes an über-healthy crowd pleaser!

This beautiful dish is delicious as a standalone meal, but it also doubles as an impressive side. The deep red beet sauce is supremely good for heart health. And making matters easier is the fact that, if scrubbed well, you don’t need to peel the beetroots. Roasting softens the skin, which is then whirled into creamy perfection. There are loads of options for toppings, ranging from any variety of cheese (or none at all) to a wide assortment of toasted nuts.

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Simply rustle up the ingredients and place on your counter—this comforting stew will disappear in no time. Taking under 30 minutes to prepare, it’s perfect for a simple evening meal, but it’s also beautiful enough to be served as an elegant dinner party dish.

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The “Gina Mullin Challenge” at the International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium is an event where two teams of neuroscientists and chefs compete, Iron Chef-style, to make dishes that appeal to people with taste challenges, such as chemotherapy patients. The event’s namesake, Gina Mullin, remarked at our first competition that sometimes when she got a craving for something, in the time it took to prepare it, the craving would be gone. Montreal’s Chef Fred Morin won the first competition by preparing a simple but very rich potato soup as a base and offering numerous add-ins. He thought, and the chemo patients agreed, that having this flavorful base and accoutrements in the refrigerator to speed up the preparation was a winning idea. This Super Umami Risotto follows Morin’s logic. Preparing the risotto through the third addition of liquid and then refrigerating it would also allow for quick preparation with endless flavor possibilities. What makes something taste umami—that so-called “fifth taste” that’s super meaty and savory? The answer largely lies in an amino acid called glutamate, which binds to specific receptors on our tongues. That’s why this recipe calls for dried shiitake mushrooms. They’re significantly higher in glutamate than fresh! And while personalization options are limitless with this risotto (most vegetables can be diced and included in the sauté), additions that significantly increase the umami are asparagus and spinach.  

This drink gives you the same sensory satisfaction as your usual tall soy latte from Starbucks, but without the jolt: It’s caffeine free. Dandelion “coffee” anchors this healthy cup of comfort.

These are so delicious! They’re ideal hot or cold as a mezze dish, starter, snack, or spicy picnic addition. Kaffir lime leaves are commonly used in Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian, Malaysian, and Vietnamese cooking and can be sourced in frozen form quite easily from Asian grocers. They impart a very distinct citrus note unlike any other ingredient I know—just their aroma makes me hungry. Inevitably, lemongrass goes very well with them, but the sweetness of roasted carrot and the slightly bready caraway seeds just make this dish irresistible. Lime leaves are double-shaped, making them perfect to wrap around things for cooking. Otherwise, wrap a large single leaf around each carrot piece. You don’t eat the leaves, by the way … but you knew that, right?

Snack Pack and Kozy Shack chocolate pudding flavor profile, texture, and mouthfeel were our inspiration and what we were after with this recipe. Our challenge was to seamlessly integrate the essential nutrients for growing brains and remove the nasties lurking in conventional puddings (that make them so darn creamy and delicious). We think we’ve done it: This recipe has been kid-approved in our test kitchen! We love this pudding so much that we recommend it to the young at heart too for a decadent, brain-healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert.

I love this dish for its great flavor, but also for its visual impact on the table. It is a perfect example of the senses working in union. You can’t hide the wonderful visual effect of the dish and then the joy of eating the textural contrast between the pieces of beetroot and the smooth yogurt. The chili provides a background lift, while the toasted caraway provides a second tier of bready flavor over the beetroot’s earthy sweetness. This recipe was extracted from Cooking for the Senses: Vegan Neurogastronomy by Jennifer Peace Rhind and Gregor Law, published by Singing Dragon. Order your copy at singingdragon.com.

This soothing winter dish will satisfy all ages with its smooth comforting flavours. We added frozen peas for colourful fibre, but you can also use other favourites such as broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, or spinach.

Looking for an easy meal? Waffles lend themselves as a base for every meal of the day. Breakfast? Dessert? Lunch? Even dinner. In our version, we’ve covered breakfast, lunch, and dessert, serving this recipe with dried fruit compote. But there are also savoury toppings and more ideas to dress up a waffle. Make a big batch and freeze; they’re easy to heat up for any meal.

Grains and cabbage are in this season. We’ve paired spelt berries with cabbage and toasted quinoa for a surprisingly upscale result. For this recipe, bypass the packaged shredded cabbage—it just won’t have the same results, or the price value. The trick? Buy a half or quarter head of cabbage and shave it ultra thin on a mandoline.  

The beauty of this sweet little treat is that it’s a recipe you can make from a well-stocked pantry. And even better: you can easily substitute with other pantry ingredients. For example, no dates in your pantry? How about dried figs? Or use your own homemade jam or compote. Just make sure your fruit filling is very, very thick and pastelike before assembling.

This salad is amazingly versatile—and delicious. It’s all about the dressing, and knowing what to pull together to complement the dressing is simple. Start with a benign base such as couscous, rice, or orzo pasta; add some greens such as spinach, kale, chard, or collards; and sprinkle with a combination of toppings from your pantry. Drizzle with delicious creamy tahini dressing, and it all comes together—tastefully and beautifully.

This is arguably one of the most comforting winter soups to savour. It’s simple to make and full of flavour, and it’s practically a meal in a bowl. Throw in some toasted pepitas  for a little added crunch and protein.

This deeply spiced take on chili con carne awakens taste buds with its punchy flavors. It’s made with highly digestible cooked vegetables and vegan proteins, along with a unique spice blend for warmth and nourishment.

Harissa is a North African spice paste that’s now readily available in stores, but it’s so easy and much more affordable to make at home. It’s commonly stirred into stews, soups, and the like, but it shines when turned into a sauce for pasta.

Cut and Paste

Bold flavors, adaptable add-ins, and irresistible comfort food appeal make this a winter weeknight winner. Warming curry powder, chili, turmeric, and ginger add depth to seasonal vegetables and legumes for a stew that’s delicious over rice or served in a bowl with naan for dipping (or both!). Leftovers can be packed up and enjoyed for tomorrow’s lunch.  

Ayurveda focuses on balance, and there’s no better way to eat in equilibrium than with this warming blend of textures and flavors. Here, roasting brings out the naturally sweet qualities in carrots and asparagus, both served up with warm grains and tamarind-infused chickpeas.

You Do You

Saag paneer is a heady stewed spinach dish flecked with cubes of squeaky fresh cheese. This interpretation skips the cream, butter, and cheese while amping up the spices for an Ayurvedic and vegan-friendly comfort food dinner.