Food

Moroccan cuisine is known for its heavy-handed application of spices, making the dishes of North Africa ideal inspirations for healthy home cooking. This carrot salad is influenced by the Moroccan spice route and is a textural winner.

Sweeter still

This spicy-sweet shake works as well for breakfast as it does for a snack or dessert. Cardamom lends a chai tea-like flavour to the mix, while turmeric gives myriad health benefits and a sunshiny hue. Black pepper is added to increase the bioavailability of turmeric and the anticancer effect of cardamom—and to spice things up a touch more.

More protein

Transform your morning oatmeal into something more special with these gluten-free pancakes. Warmed up with cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, they’re a sweet and stackable way to promote good health.

Oat flour

Fingerling potatoes really do look like fingers, and they make brilliant finger food. Serve this tray of fried chip-free nachos for dinner, or as an appetizer at your next gathering.

Walking the line between savoury and sweet, the classic Waldorf salad gets a boost of nutrition from quinoa and beta carotene-rich sweet potato.

Our childhood tuna melts were the ultimate quick dinner for parents. Here, they’re all grown up (yet still equally enjoyed by kids) with sharp Asiago cheese, juicy tomatoes, and dark greens. This complete meal can be served with whole grain or gluten-free toast to soak up the juices or enjoyed as is for a grain-free option.

Switch up the stir-fry by leaving rice behind and replacing it with caramelized roasted sweet potatoes. Once sliced, they’re ready to take on a sticky broccoli-tofu topper for a meal that will satisfy your takeout cravings.

Spring has truly sprung on this vibrant sheet pan supper. Roasting radishes is a new way to enjoy the springtime treat, mellowing their sharpness. In-season asparagus and juicy, mustard-crusted salmon (packed with protein and omega-3s) make this meal feel worthy of a special occasion—even though it’s a cinch to prepare. Whenever possible, choose organic ingredients.

Accordion potatoes, sometimes called hasselback potatoes, are an elegant (and fun!) way to mix up your stuffed potato game. By making gentle slits in the potato flesh, you create the perfect holder for any number of flavour enhancers.

As a good source of plant-based protein and calcium, tofu deserves to be given the royal treatment with a slick, salty-sweet miso butter. Broccoli and cucumber noodles round out the meal for a vibrant, healthy, and fast alternative to takeout.

This vegetarian tray uses a handful of fresh ingredients and an economical pantry staple: white beans. Full of fibre and protein, this tray gets a touch of Moroccan zing when served with a garlicky, spiced yogurt perked up with orange.

Traditional salade niçoise is not a weeknight-friendly endeavour, dirtying every pot and pan in the house. But if you put it on a sheet pan, this classic, wholesome French salad can be made on any night of the week. Serving the salad warm means it can be enjoyed year-round.

No one will know that these decadent-tasting chocolate cakes are infused with lentils. In fact, the moisture they provide lets you cut back on the amount of fat needed. If needed, you can make the cakes using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of whole wheat pastry flour.

When it comes to tofu, people fall into two camps: “more please” or “meh.” Maple syrup is a surprising way to transform a tofu basher into a tofu lover. Tofu is a good source of low-fat protein, while spinach adds a splash of colour and plenty of vitamin K.

Teaming up peanut butter with creamy brie cheese is a surefire way to reinvent the humble grilled sandwich. Add an easy DIY fig jam, and you have a handheld meal that will appeal to all generations of a household. Extra fig jam can be spread over toast or even grilled meats.

Despite seemingly not having a lot in common, after one taste you’ll agree that matcha green tea powder and scallops are worthy of being in each other’s lives forever. Here, matcha’s vegetal sweetness is a delicious complement to buttery scallops, rounded out nicely by a butternut mash.

Skip the bread and boost the comfort food factor with a baked potato boat to cradle kale, mushrooms, and poached eggs. Along with potassium, fibre, and protein, this complete meal will leave your taste buds satisfied until dinner.

Bored with basic chicken? It may seem counterintuitive, but simmering chicken alongside berries produces tender meat that is further enhanced by a complex sweet sauce that’s sure to become a family favourite.

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Celeriac, also known as celery root, is not to be mistaken for the more familiar traditional celery. Celeriac is grown for its root and not the stalk. Paired with potatoes and leeks as shown here, or added to stuffing, stir-fries, roasted vegetables, salads, and mashed potatoes, it packs a lovely flavour into any recipe.

Not only are these lovely root vegetables roasted to perfection, but the sweetness from the roots coupled with a little honey and smoky ancho chili powder gives this dish that extra kick. Tip: Instead of carrots, substitute three large jewel yams, peeled and cut into matchsticks.

This slaw adds an interesting twist. Kohlrabi and turnip provide a flavourful bounty of healthy roots and brassica nutrients. The sweet and tart blend of vinegar and apple, coupled with raisins and pumpkin seeds, adds lovely texture.    

This classic retro appetizer skips the shellfish, getting a vegan makeover with chickpeas instead. And the healthy, monounsaturated fats in the avocado not only taste rich and luxurious, but also work to promote cardiovascular health. Tip: Transform leftover chickpea salad into a grain-free taco by adding it to the centre of a romaine lettuce leaf. Or scoop on top of cucumber rounds for a quick snack or appetizer.

Impress your meat-free guests with this snazzy vegan stack. Whether served as a side dish or main course, you’ll fall in love at first bite. Tip: Switch up the vegetables in this terrine with the seasons. Try a variation with slices of roasted beets and squash.