Food

I love creamy pastas like fettuccine Alfredo, but I also love the spices and flavors of Asian cuisine. I decided to meld my two loves into one creamy and comforting yet bold and spicy dish that revolves around my greatest love of all—matcha!

Im-press-ive tofu

The pretty pink color of this pasta is mesmerizing. It’s almost too pretty to eat . . . almost. Pro tip: Don’t throw out the beet greens! They are softer than kale but sturdier than spinach. I like to sauté them to add to my pasta for a more nutritious and complete meal.

Make-ahead tip

A daring combination of parsnip and vanilla that I came up with during my time at Le Gallois restaurant. The vanilla works so well with the earthy creaminess of the parsnip.

This one is a no-brainer! Add it to everything and live a happy life. I especially love adding this to quinoa Greek salad or anything with kale or loads of greens like cucumber and parsley! This dressing is on the thicker side, so if you add it to salads and know you usually fancy a lighter dressing, just add more water until you reach your preferred consistency! I suggest doubling the recipe if you want to have more for later. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days!

An essential condiment to spruce up your Christmas meal. [callout]

Nothing quite compares to the warm and spicy aroma of freshly baked gingerbread. This smoothie delivers all of gingerbread’s comfort in mere minutes. The kefir gives a good dose of probiotics to keep your tummy happy, and the pumpkin puree and rolled oats provide fiber to keep you feeling satisfied.

Squash those doubts

Just days after my boyfriend, Ben, announced that he hated tempeh (cue my heart breaking), I made this pasta for myself and happened to leave the leftovers out on the counter. Ben wandered into the kitchen, and when I looked over, he was eating it straight from the pot, not knowing it had tempeh, and saying it was one of my best pastas yet. Come one, come all, tempeh-lovers, tempeh-haters . . . you are going to love this recipe.

Vegan tzatziki. Yep, I did it—and before I dive into this recipe, I feel like I owe an apology to my family. I must admit making this dip didn’t feel right. It was like I was cheating on my Greek family . . . but then I tried it. Oh my gosh: it’s pretty damn close to the real deal and so flavorful. Suddenly my guilt evaporated, and I was surprisingly happy that I made it! This dish is traditionally vegetarian and often accompanies me at the table with all my vegetable recipes. I decided why not make it vegan and add it to my list of plant-based recipes that everyone must have, and I certainly do not regret it. It doesn’t lack flavor, creaminess or strength. It’s completely balanced with the amounts of fat, acidity and salt—I know you will love it!

Guess what? Eggnog with no eggs can still leave you in a festive mood. This recipe proves it! Blended cashews and toasted coconut give the drink its oh-so-good creaminess, while dates infuse it with the sweetness that good eggnog commands. Serve with a dusting of nutmeg.

How the grit stole Christmas

This recipe is to be used with Beet Fettuccine Alfredo with Basil Ricotta (pictured above).

Here you have Greek green beans in a gorgeous, lush tomato sauce. You’re in for a treat. This recipe was and still is my favorite recipe. There is just something to be said about this combination—how warming it is and the memories that flow through my mind while making it!

This protein-packed smoothie will fuel you up for all the merriment of the season. The recipe will make more coconut sprinkles than needed, but they’re great for adding a festive touch to plenty of seasonal dishes.

Go (coco)nuts

This recipe is to be used with Beet Fettuccine Alfredo with Basil Ricotta (pictured above).

A chocolate-free holiday is, for many of us, a recipe for Grinchy behavior. Good news: you can keep the peace with a batch of homemade better-for-you cups filled with creamy peanut butter goodness. Plus, you get the chance to elevate them with exciting add-ins like spices, crunchy cacao nibs and a whisper of salt. If you don’t want to use peanut butter, almond butter works great too. Or, if you want these to be nut free, employ sunflower butter.

Dark magic

We kid you not: the microwave is your answer to perfectly cooked fish in a flash. When you’re facing a dinnertime crunch at the end of a long day, this 15-minute meal ventures into the lifesaver category. The same recipe can be made with other fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, haddock, or catfish.

Hidden hacks

Once veggies are broiled and everything is blended, you’ll likely find yourself declaring about this recipe, “Wow, that was easy!” Tahini lends this soup a nutty flavour and a creamier mouth feel.

Hidden hacks

A hearty pasta dinner need not require multiple pots. For less effort and post-meal cleanup, why not cook everything together?

Hidden hacks

Most overnight oat recipes use rolled oats, but the same time-saving method can also be used with the heartier steel-cut variety. The ricotta berry topping will make each spoonful seem oh-so indulgent. This recipe can easily be scaled up to give you several mornings’ worth of easy-breezy meals.

Hidden hacks

Gathering up all the necessary blender ingredients when a smoothie craving strikes can eat into any free time you may have. Not so when you cleverly put nearly everything on ice beforehand. This one provides a perfect balance of energizing carbs, satiating protein, and healthy fats.

Hidden hacks

If you’re up to speed on the latest food trends, you might have heard of this gorgeous indigo matcha. It’s actually not related to green matcha at all; it hails from the butterfly pea flower—a completely different plant (see Tip below). It doesn’t have quite the same benefits as green matcha. Nor does it contain caffeine. Take a nibble of one of these chocolates, though, and you’ll pop open a beautiful blue filling. Pure calm.

Tips

• To melt chocolate, it’s important to have it all chopped into equally sized small pieces so it melts evenly. Melting slowly is the key to ending up with shiny chocolate when it hardens.
• Blue matcha powder can be ordered online, but feel free to substitute with green matcha powder, if you wish.
• Making chocolate is easy with small square silicone forms. Just add a little melted chocolate into the base of each cup and place a square of filling on top. Drizzle with a little more chocolate to fully coat. Garnish and refrigerate until firm. Easy to pop out, and the chocolates turn out perfectly square every time.
• Butterfly pea flower is a beautiful blue flower that’s dried and ground and added to various recipes, providing a unique brilliant blue colour. It’s available in some specialty gourmet food shops and online.

These two-bite treats are just the right size to pop into your mouth for a delicious dessert or a sweet afternoon pick-me-up. And it will surely dazzle the dessert table with its unique blue colour.

Tips

• These tasty little bites are just as delicious made with green matcha powder in a pinch.
• Butterfly pea flower is a beautiful blue flower that’s dried and ground and added to various recipes, providing a unique brilliant blue colour. It’s available in some specialty gourmet food shops and online.

Don’t be daunted with the length of this recipe. It’s easily prepared in stages and assembled in a minute. Salsa and sauce can be prepared a day ahead. Even tortillas can be made ahead and wrapped tightly in foil overnight or frozen and reheated. These tacos are as lovely to look at as they are delicious to eat.

Tip

There’s a lot of umami going on in this salad. From the fresh taste of blueberries coupled with nutrient-rich greens to crispy toasted nuts paired with creamy tahini dressing—it’s flavourful and fresh. Plus the added pungency of crumbled blue cheese on top gives it that extra wow. Give your health an antioxidant blue boost this season.

Tip

Sipping soup is supreme comfort on a wet and damp fall evening. This lovely vegan bisque is creamy and nurturing for any occasion. We jazzed it up with homemade chips but a dairy-free grated cheese is also a tasty option.

Tip