Food

Bracing horseradish, beets, lemon, and yogurt are my preferred pairing with gravlax, all working to cut its richness for an immensely satisfying picnic meal. When you shake your salad jar or toss it all up in a bowl to serve family style, the flavours weave together, creating something brand new.

Tip

If you’re looking for a midweek supper that requires little time to prepare, this asparagus and chicken is a perfect solution. The sauce merely needs a quick blitz in your blender and can easily be made ahead. Coupled with roasted asparagus and chicken tenders that take little time to bake, this meal is a quick solution filled with goodness.

Tip

This makes a big batch of mouth-warming good hummus. Use half for the wraps and the remainder for dip with crunchy veggies as a picnic extra.

Parmesan, mushrooms, and a sun-dried tomato topping turn this version of socca bread, a gluten-free flatbread hailing from the south of France, into an umami bomb.

These sweet and lightly spiced pears make a delicious after-dinner treat with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

How can something so simple to make taste so good? The beauty is that there’s no need to peel the yams, so they only take a little time to prepare. This dish is practically a meal in a bowl with the addition of beans and a smattering of nuts. Plus, the eye-catching colour will appeal to all ages. Cozy up and serve in a mug for sipping, or ladle into bowls for a more formal meal.

Tip

Sweet potato fries are one of my favorite things to eat, and for a long time I wondered how I could transform them from a side dish into a full meal. The answer is to load them up with lots of fixings, including black beans, avocado and fresh vegetables, and then smother them with a creamy cashew-based queso sauce. The recipe for the sauce is worth doubling and keeping on hand: it’s delicious on baked potatoes, nachos, tostadas or Mexican rice. You can top the fries with any of your favorite nacho fixings, including hot sauce, salsa and pickled jalapeño chiles.

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.

This delicious meatless entrée is perfect as a side dish for the vegetarians in your Christmas crowd. But it also serves as a lovely stand-alone brunch dish. It’s delicious served with a creamy butternut squash soup and accompanied by a crisp salad. Substitute carrots and beans with roasted asparagus, and add a little lemon zest to pack a punch.

Make-ahead tips

• Prepare vegetable filling the day before. Cool and refrigerate in tightly covered container. Bring to room temperature before baking in puff.
• Roll out puff pastry and refrigerate, covered, on prepared baking sheet overnight, if you wish.

This New Orleans gumbo-inspired vegetarian slow cooker dish is extremely easy to make and freezes well. Cook beans by soaking them overnight and then cooking them on high in a slow cooker until tender.

You can serve this salad as a main dinner course for a crowd, or toss it together on a lazy Sunday afternoon and you’ll be set for a week’s worth of healthy lunches.

This easy-to-make main meal is all about assembly. You don’t have to cook anything beforehand; just open one package, one can and two jars; grate some cheese; and voila, dinner is ready. Serve with a tossed green salad.

People usually envision Pad Thai as rice noodles glazed with a creamy peanut sauce and topped with a smattering of vegetables. Our version is made with zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) and oodles of colour thanks to red pepper and green onions.

Serves 4

This colourful side dish is sure to shake up your holiday table. At first, vanilla might be a surprising addition to this savoury preparation; however, in combination with the curry powder, the whole is transformed into something greater than its parts.

This stew—reminiscent of the sun-kissed Mediterranean coast—is so good that the first spoonful will convince you to include it in your regular dinner rotation. Spooning the herb sauce over top adds a restaurant-worthy presentation. Be sure to place a plate of sliced crusty bread on the table for soaking up the heavenly broth.

The ingredient list looks long, but don’t be scared. This is more assembly than hard work—and the food processor does all the work for you.

Serves 8

This tart is a light and refreshing way to crown a meal. You can prepare all the parts ahead of time so that all you do is assemble before serving. Goats’ milk yogurt adds an extra depth of flavour to the tart, but it can easily be replaced with plain yogurt.

For millions of Thailand denizens, the day doesn’t start until they have slurped up their noodle soup from open-air stalls to take a bite out of the chill in the early morning air. Here in Canada you may find this delightful soup more to your liking for lunch or dinner. To turn up the heat, the Thai will often stir in some guise of fiery paste or sauce such as the recipes that follow. And always make sure to stuff each bowl with a generous amount of lively herbs.

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

Sure, it breaks from tradition, but sunflower greens infuse guacamole with fresh, nutty flavour. Beyond using as a dip for tortilla chips or sliced vegetables, try using this guac as a spread for toasted bread and top with roasted chicken, fried eggs, black beans, or smoked salmon. Tip: When the first true sunflower leaves appear, make sure to harvest the shoots within a couple of days. If left too long they will become fuzzy and bitter tasting.

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