Food

Quark is a very low fat, high protein cheese, and the process for making it is very simple. You can whip it up at home using just one ingredient: non-homogenized buttermilk.

What in the world is quark?

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: making your own chicken stock is far from a high-flying kitchen feat. All that is needed is to toss some chicken pieces and vegetables in a pot and let the stove do the rest. As a bonus, you finish with tender chicken meat that can be used for sandwiches, salads, soups, and pasta dishes. Chicken wings, in particular, are great for stock. They’re an inexpensive flavour-making powerhouse of skin, meat, and bones. Beyond soup, use this stock for curries, polenta, sauces, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and cooking grains.

With a batch of homemade vegetable broth in the fridge, this delicious and nutritious soup is so quick to prepare that it is a definite candidate for a weekday dinner. You can swap other greens, like spinach or kale, for the chard. This soup tastes even better after being chilled for a day or two.

Food is my life. I love sweet potatoes. Jamie Oliver is my secret boyfriend. Okay, so the first two are true. But I do rely on Jamie occasionally for some culinary inspiration. This fish pie was inspired by Jamie and lightened up by yours truly. It’s super easy to make and oh so tasty. A great potluck item, this shareable main dish pairs well with a salad or some green beans. This fish pie freezes well, so feel free to make a few smaller versions and store.  

This is one of those amazing side dishes that disappears incredibly fast! It’s a fancy, restaurant-worthy recipe that is sure to impress special guests. (If you are serving a large crowd, I recommend doubling the recipe, since it only serves four as a side.) If you’ve been skeptical about arugula in the past, I encourage you to give this recipe a try; the spicy, peppery-tasting green pairs beautifully with a bold and bright pesto. If you can’t find baby arugula, be sure to chop regular arugula into bite-sized pieces so it’s easier to eat. Hemp hearts add a kick of protein and omega-3 fatty acids for a nutritional boost. This dish is amazing served warm, but the chilled leftovers taste great as well. Excerpted from Oh She Glows Every Day by Angela Liddon. ^© Glo Bakery Corporation, 2016. Photography, Food and Prop Styling by Ashley McLaughlin. Lifestyle Photography ^© Sandy Nicholson. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada Books Inc., a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. All rights reserved.

The farmers’ market gives kids a chance not only to see where their produce comes from, but also to connect with those who are humanely raising meat and poultry. It’s a teachable moment for any age, showing that our chicken dinner doesn’t need to come from a plastic package. Kid-friendly kitchen jobs: Peeling carrots, whisking the gravy, and building their own bowls. Kid-friendly food swaps: Slice the carrots for little hands to enjoy as finger food “fries” and skip the chili flakes. Make these sushi bowls plant-based by using extra-firm tofu or tempeh cubes instead of chicken.

Always a crowd pleaser, this delicious and creamy hummus will certainly be the star at your next family gathering. When you’re cooking for crowds, making an easy appetizer makes your life so much easier. This festive dip is made from just a few ingredients, and it’s great alongside fresh vegetables for dipping. Far from traditional, this irresistibly creamy hummus is made with cannellini beans and roasted red peppers, two pantry items you may very well already have on hand. Spread any leftovers on sandwiches and wraps. This hummus will keep covered in your refrigerator for up to seven days.

The most prominent colour of the farmers’ market throughout the year is undoubtedly green. Baby kale is a softer-tasting option than “adult” kale and can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike. This unique green is the kind of golden treasure vegetable you can find when visiting the farmers’ market. Kid-friendly kitchen jobs: Making the pesto, mixing the dressing, and tossing the salad. Kid-friendly food swaps:  Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of salmon, and romaine lettuce instead of peppery arugula. Toss steamed or roasted new potatoes into this salad for a creamy contrast, or mix in cubes of toasted sourdough bread for homemade croutons.

Turn cauliflower into a gluten-free, kid- and adult-approved pizza base to hold onto homemade crushed tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh rosemary. Kid-friendly kitchen jobs: Shaping the cauliflower into pizza rounds and building the cauliflower crust pizzas. Kid-friendly food swaps: If rosemary and Parmesan are too powerful for your kids’ palates, replace them with thyme and mozzarella. In September, farmers’ market tomatoes are abundant. Try a fresh sauce made with yellow, orange, or heirloom tomatoes instead of the classic beefsteaks used here.

Peaches and radishes introduce kids to the adage, “What grows together, goes together.” They can also learn about the different varieties of these foods. Kid-friendly kitchen jobs: Peeling peaches (if choosing to do so), stirring yogurt, mixing salsa, and building their own tacos. Kid-friendly food swaps: Substitute trout for black beans. It’s available at farmers’ markets across Canada and provides a sustainable choice for getting more omega-3s throughout the year. If your kids don’t like trout, use shrimp or chicken instead. Change your salsa with what’s in season at the farmers’ market. Grapes and cucumbers in fall or tomatoes and plums in late summer are just a couple of new ideas to try.

Nothing beats an egg (no pun intended) fresh from the farmers’ market. Employ any tender, seasonal green and herb as the weather changes in this quick, wholesome meal. Kid-friendly kitchen jobs: Snapping the tough ends off asparagus or cracking eggs into a bowl and whisking. Kid-friendly food swaps: Use mild cheddar cheese in place of goat cheese on half of the frittata if the latter is too strong for their palates. Try broccoli and rosemary in winter, spinach and basil in summer, and kale and sage in fall. Or, head to the market and see what’s fresh.

This is a fun way to add some colour and sneak a few veggies into a brunch favourite. It’s great with roasted, steamed, or even pickled beets. Feel free to serve these waffles with yogurt and honey instead of the usual maple syrup. Make waffles ahead and freeze until ready to use. You can pop them in the toaster or reheat under the broiler.

A savoury breakfast makes a welcome change from the overload of sweet stuff often served at brunches. While it’s not necessary, a poached or fried egg on top makes this dish even more divine. For crispier, almost hash brown-esque cauliflower, be sure to finely chop the florets. Try blending hummus with a handful of chopped basil to pump up the flavour.

Baked avocado boats turn über custardy and even more decadent with a soft yolky egg tucked inside. The trick to preventing tough, chewy kale is to massage the leaves into tender deliciousness. A bit of added salt helps break down tough fibres in the kale, making it tenderer.

Basil or mint?

Migas has many different variations, yet the common requirement is scrambled eggs with crunchy crushed tortillas. Basically, this is like eating mixed-up tacos for breakfast. It’s great for crowds or picky eaters since all the fixings are dished up separately—“help yourself” style. Serve with a black bean salad for a robust brunch.

Freeze chipotles for later

A mishmash of Anglo-Indian dishes, kedgeree traditionally uses smoked haddock and boiled rice. This version has a West Coast twist with both smoked and grilled salmon. There are a lot of elements to the dish, so many hands make light work.

Is there anything better than sitting down to a delicious homemade dessert that’s made with wholesome ingredients? Only sitting down to that same delicious dessert and sharing it with family and friends. While apple pie may be the quintessential fall dessert, the process of making it is often time consuming and a little complicated. These soft and chewy bars allow you to enjoy the comforting taste of apple pie without all the work! Plus, they’re vegan and perfect for sharing. These bars taste even better on the second day! That is, if you can make them last that long.

This chickpea salad is a home-run people pleaser at potlucks because it’s vegetarian and gluten free, and it can easily be made dairy free. And although it’s super healthy, it’s definitely not boring diet food. You get the sweet pop of the pomegranate, the toasty crunch of the chickpeas, the refreshing bite of the veg, the creaminess of the tzatziki, and a salty kick from the feta and olives. With so many satisfying textures, flavours, and colours in one bite, no one will miss the meat or bread.

Pulse power

This cloudlike dessert comes together in under an hour and gives ice cream a run for its money. A tangy, light yogurt mousse is topped with a floral lavender- and thyme-infused strawberry jam, and garnished with (surprise!) black pepper. If you’d like a bit of crunch, top with chopped pistachios or almonds. TIP: Use any soft summer fruit to make this quick jam. Consider using plums, apricots, raspberries, or blueberries.

Tarragon has a gentle licorice-like taste, marrying well with succulent summer berries in this berry slump. Underscoring the licorice notes is a crumble topping boosted with anise seeds. It’s as delicious for dessert as it is the next morning for breakfast. Tarragon can be replaced with basil or half the amount of thyme.

The Indian flatbread known as naan makes a great crust option when you want a hassle-free pizza night. A lively arugula pesto, sweet peaches, and a finishing touch of intense balsamic syrup guarantee this peach naan pizza will knock the socks off anything the delivery guy can supply. If you would like a meal with more protein, try adding shredded roasted chicken to the toppings. You’ll end up with about double the amount of pesto needed for this recipe, so use extras to improve nearly any sandwich, pasta dish, grain bowl, or roasted vegetable.

When in the throes of the dog days of summer, this refreshing kefir soup not only helps you keep your cool but is also a total taste bud party. Tangy kefir, a probiotic-rich dairy drink, is a perfect complement to juicy, sweet peaches.

Chill out

Peaches bring a tempered sweetness to this homemade barbecue sauce, while ancho chili peppers, which are the dried version of poblano peppers, supply just the right amount of fiery kick. It’s the perfect way to take chicken up a gastronomic notch. Serve with roasted potatoes and a summer salad for a delicious complete meal. It’s very likely you’ll have extra sauce on hand—consider that a blessing when you learn how amazing it is on everything from coleslaw to pizza.

A-peeling news

Infused with a vinegary snap, pickled peaches should be your go-to for waking up summery salsas. Use peaches that are still a little firm; they will soften in the pickling liquid. Remove the peach pit by slicing all the way around the fruit, starting at the stem end. Rotate each half simultaneously in opposite directions to separate and then pull out the pit.