Food

Kale? In my kids’ lunch? Sure! When you give it a good massage with dressing it becomes tender and much less bitter tasting. It also won’t go soggy like more tender greens, so it can be prepared a few days in advance. The trio of apple, sweet potato, and dried cherries adds just the right amount of sweetness along with some more nutritional firepower.

A quick assembly the night before—or the morning of, if having breakfast for dinner—and you’ve got an entertaining-worthy main course. Served with a side of fruit or small salad, it’s a complete, protein-packed meal that will keep your inner weekend warrior energized.

Frittatas are ideal for leftovers, but slipping a slice between two pieces of whole grain bread makes it portable and a great way to break out of the turkey and cheese sandwich rut. Frittatas are highly customizable based on preferred tastes or what you have in your crisper that needs to be used up. For example, you could use cooked shredded sweet potato or red bell pepper instead of broccoli.

When the classic cherished flavours of pizza meet pasta you have a recipe for a lunch that will garner you praise from your school-bound tykes. To up the nutritional ante, consider serving the pasta mixture on a bed of spinach.

Labneh is a Lebanese style of cheese made by straining excess liquid (whey) from yogurt. The yogurt thickens to resemble a soft cheese with bright tangy flavour. For best results, use full-fat Greek yogurt. Experiment with different flavours using either cow or goat yogurt, then stir in anything from citrus to herbs and spices to dried fruit.

This raw frozen treat is reminiscent of a much loved chocolate hazelnut spread in taste but without all the refined sugar and artificial flavours. Try folding in some cacao nibs and chopped cherries for an added burst of flavour and crunch.

This surprisingly delicious combination utilizes the natural sweetness of carrots and apricots to make a frozen indulgence that is chock full of vitamin A.

The bright flavour of lemon, sweet sun-kissed blueberries, and the unexpected crunch of poppy seeds will make this sweet treat a summer staple in your freezer. The hardest part is waiting for it to freeze!

Just one bite of this dreamy dairy-free dessert will have you singing words of praise for the avocado. Botanically classified as a fruit, avocados are a good source of fibre, protein, and heart-healthy fats. So go ahead and indulge in this frozen treat.    

Need a quick sweet treat to combat the balmy summer heat? Then look no further! With a little preparation this dessert comes together in two minutes.

Surprise, you can turn to kebabs for a fun dessert that plays by the nutritional rules. Grilled bananas are a taste revelation, but you can apply the same concept to other fruits such as mangoes, nectarines, peaches, and plums.

With a sidekick of jazzed-up gluten-free tabbouleh, these chicken kebabs are sure to become a go-to dinner favourite. Traditionally made with bulgur, millet is a healthy gluten-free alternative. The smoky, citrusy yogurt sauce puts these kebabs over the top, so to speak.

When grilled to smoky perfection, chunks of tofu will even appease passionate carnivores. The silky nut sauce adds delicious richness to each bit. Consider serving over whole grain rice.    

Halloumi is a marvellous cheese hailing from Cyprus that does not melt on the grill, making it the perfect meat alternative. The outside gets crispy while the inside turns velvety. Cut the block of cheese into fairly thick chunks so they don’t break apart when skewering them. Dollops of sun-dried pesto give the dish even more pizzazz.

While most people think of shrimp when it comes to kebabs, buttery scallops shine on skewers. Just be sure to use the largest sea scallops you can find. If desired, you can replace mango with wedges of seasonal peaches.

This recipe is gluten free and vegan. It is wonderfully hearty yet light. Traditionally, tart recipes use large amounts of butter and white flour as the base while the fillings usually include loads of cream, cheese, and eggs. Here is an equally delicious—and much healthier—alternative.

Both refreshing and light, this mouth-watering recipe makes a great summer salad. It is essentially vegan minus the honey and is also very filling because of the nuts. Tasty with the almond cheese, this recipe also works very well with a nice goat feta. Best tomato choice A colourful mixture is best for this refreshing salad because yellow and orange tomatoes are lower in acid than red tomatoes. An heirloom variety called Oaxacan Jewel is a great choice since it combines all of those colours. Notes

This 100 percent gluten-free dish is great for entertaining friends this summer. It is relatively easy to prepare and takes on a rich, almost smoky flavour because all of the contents of the sauce are roasted.

This salad packs a protein punch with loads of flavour to boot. Orzo is a type of pasta that is light and chewy—not as heavy as other types of pasta. Orzo comes in whole wheat and gluten-free varieties.    

Easier than the meat version, the protein, fibre and healthy fat combination of lentils, cauliflower and walnuts creates a low-GI “meaty” meal for even the most steadfast carnivore.

This savoury, vegetable-filled, cobbler-style dish will satisfy the bread-lover in us all.

Though traditionally made with heavy cream, milk, flour and butter, this lightened-up chowder packs in the produce.

For many, nothing is more comforting than the smell of garlicky baked pasta. Cheese is replaced with high-protein tofu and fibre-rich white beans, working to keep those energy levels stable, without skimping on that trademark “cheesy” taste.

Crumbled tempeh provides incredible texture to this crowd-pleasing (and serving!) chilli. It freezes well for a healthy heat-and-serve weeknight meal.