Food

This comforting baked oatmeal recipe—stuffed with nutritional bell-ringers such as apples, carrots, and walnuts—is a perfect meal solution for harried mornings when you don’t have the time or energy to hover over a pot of simmering oats. It’s also a perfect option for weekend brunches when you’re in the mood for entertaining. Bake ahead of time and reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Try serving with a couple dollops of thick yogurt and blueberries.

Tip

This is not your mama’s lemonade! Because a whole lemon blended with water is the base, this tart-sweet drink retains all of the nutrients available in the lemon peel. Serve this spirulina- and matcha-infused beverage over ice, or blend with extra ice to make frozen lemonade. And make sure you use an organic lemon, as conventional lemons are often sprayed heavily with pesticides.

Nutty tahini and creamy cashew butter form the base of this cozy, luxurious blender latte. Dates give it a caramel-like flavor and richness, pairing perfectly with the robust flavors in herbal coffee (which is usually made with ingredients like chicory, roasted dandelion root and/or roasted barley). Not a herbal coffee fan? Use regular hot brewed coffee instead.

Nouveau reishi

This frozen coffee latte is naturally sweetened with only banana, spiced with cinnamon and amped up with both maca and reishi powder. It has the consistency of a coffee shop frappe, but you could use a frozen banana for an even thicker, ice cream-like texture. You can make it more of a mocha by adding cocoa powder to taste. Make sure you use a cold brew coffee concentrate or the coffee flavor will be weak. To sub out coffee, use a very strong brew of herbal coffee.

Kiss your $5 coffee shop matchas goodbye … because after you make this matcha latte at home, you’ll never go back! All you need are five ingredients, hot water and a blender. The genius of this drink lies in blending coconut cream and cashew butter with hot water. When blended, they emulsify and trap micro air bubbles in suspension to create a latte-like foam … without the dairy!

Meet your matcha

These homemade power snacks that require neither a laundry list of ingredients nor an oven can be whipped up in a flash. This flavor combo of coconut, coffee, chocolate and banana makes the everyday snack feel a bit more grown up.

SCIENCE experiment: Discover new fruit combos

Nurturing, ultra-cozy warm grains are the base of this creamy, mellow vegan breakfast that can be made in advance for single servings throughout the work week. (Pssst … you can add a classic chocolate-hazelnut flavor to this porridge by stirring in 2 Tbsp cocoa powder while the oats are cooking!)

Extracurricular activity: Blanching hazelnuts

Take inspiration from your local salad bar to turn your take-along (or at-home) lunches into a cafeteria-style feast—hold the hefty price tag.

Field trip: Salad bar recon

Bright, inviting citrus punctuates creamy dairy-free coconut yogurt imbued with vanilla. It’s a sophisticated treat that can be dialed up in presentation or kept rustic, retaining its homespun vibe.

Chemistry class: Know your acids

This meal is an incredible investment piece. Both the burgers and tomato jam freeze well, so you can heat and eat at a moment’s notice.

Extra credit project: Lunch remix

Who says you need a bowl and spoon to eat chili? These adorable chili muffins are sure to please all taste buds in a family. Beyond hectic weeknight dinners, they’re also perfect for lunchboxes, potlucks, and to energize any after-school event. Each can be served with a dollop of sour cream.  

Mac and cheese will always be a kid favourite, but it’s often a nutritional dud. These individual-sized portions of creamy, cheesy pasta goodness are the perfect solution to satiate the cravings of all generations of a household. Tuna adds some hunger-quelling protein while the vegetables up the nutritional ante. And the crispy topping makes them a guaranteed hit. These can be enjoyed warm with a fork and knife or at room temperature as hand-to-mouth, on-the-go nourishment.

The best thing about scooping your pancake batter into a muffin tin instead of a skillet is that these little gems will be ready to go for harried mornings—and you don’t have to man the stove to flip your flapjacks. Plus, they’re completely portable. The duo of sweet potato and blueberries provides plenty of natural sweetness. Eat them on the go or reheat and serve topped with a drizzle of maple syrup or a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Tip

When cooking with kids, simple is best. And nothing is simpler than letting a food processor do the work. Buzz up pizza dough in seconds and set aside to rise. Then roll and pre-bake. Let the little ones choose and apply their toppings, and then pop their little pizzas back into the oven to heat. Easy-peasy.

What kid doesn’t love Mexican food—especially tacos? They’re fun; they’re colourful; and kids can choose from an assortment of tasty ingredients to make them unique to themselves. While some kids might just stick with sauce and cheese, others may be more adventurous and opt for all the colours.

Tip

Breaking up a whole frittata into individual parts slashes cooking time, allows the egg cakes to be easily movable from the kitchen, and makes for an undeniably cute presentation. These can be served warm or at room temperature.

Hot stuff

Meatloaf is a perennial favourite among younger generations at the table. And the best thing about baking up a batch of individual meatloaves is that they cook in half the time they would take if prepared in a larger loaf pan. These are deliciously moist and easily frozen for quick dinners later on. Look for a barbecue sauce without sugar as a primary ingredient. If desired, ground turkey or chicken can replace the beef.

Tip

Barbecued pizzas have a flavourful authenticity. They’re a perfect base for any toppings, especially when made even more flavourful with this delicious, freshly made pizza sauce and a cashew parmesan.

Tips

• If barbecuing a gluten-free crust, it’s best grilled in a pizza pan on the grill rather than directly on the burner. Its lack of gluten makes for a crispier base when baked or barbecued.
• Barbecued pizza crust is equally delicious rolled into a large rectangle and spread with pesto and a smattering of cashew cheese. Bake and cut into fingers.

These individual muffin cup pizzas fill all the holes, pardon the pun. All that’s needed are 12 little baked cups that kids can fill with healthy ingredients. From creamy hummus to guacamole and simple marinara, the real fun is in squeezing the ingredients from a collection of squeeze tubes. No fuss, no muss … though no guarantees.

Tip

Here’s a quick party idea that won’t have you busy entertaining all day—breakfast pizza. Basically, it’s a healthy pancake with a nutrient-rich array of colour. Invite kids for a morning breakfast or brunch event, and they can personalize their own socca with fruit arranged in funny faces or rainbows.

Tip

Not just vegetables, but berries can also be pickled, which gives this salsa a sweet, vinegary tang. When paired with easy-to-grill pork tenderloin and avocado crema you’ve got a taco night that is worthy of gathering a foodie crowd. If using larger strawberries as part of your berry mix, slice them in half before adding them to the pickling brine.

No pork? No problem

Blueberries add an unexpected jolt of fresh berry flavour to cornbread, making each bite that much more satisfying. By breaking out the muffin pan, you’ve got a bounty of preportioned cornbreads to make mealtime that much more of a breeze. Don’t forget to keep the soft butter handy. The cornbreads are best served warm—reheat them in the oven or microwave. If following a gluten-free diet, you can replace the whole wheat flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

Nutrition boost

A quick trip through the blender serves to mingle a riot of fresh flavours, which is why the cold soup known as gazpacho is always a delicious way to beat the heat. This riff on the Spanish soup includes raspberries for a touch of sweetness, while the chunky topping adds contrasting texture.

Tip

The unique mix of sweet-fiery berry sauce, meaty chicken, oozy brie, and peppery arugula makes this a grilled cheese worthy of grown-up tastes. Make it the star of lunch, or pair with a salad for a quick summer dinner.

Nutrition boost