Food

Eggs and asparagus are so quintessentially spring and nothing could be easier to prepare than this simple yet elegant dish that works as well for breakfast as for a light lunch. The earthy flavours of asparagus are complemented by a light dressing of licorice-scented tarragon and a little dash of heat. To make this dish more filling, choose a hearty whole grain bread as the base of your sandwich. One with a blend of ancient grains including spelt or khorasan wheat (Kamut) is particularly nice. Springtime presents a wonderful opportunity to experiment with a host of different microgreens. Spicy radish microgreens or bright, young pea shoots work equally well in this dish.

Artichokes can be somewhat intimidating. But once you’ve made your way past its spiky exterior and removed the thistlelike choke, there lies a tender heart with a sweet flavour. The meaty bases of artichoke leaves are also edible and make perfect dipping vehicles to scoop up sauce or, in this case, a stuffing with just a touch of Spanish serrano ham and Marcona almonds. Artichokes take a bit of care to prepare—and to eat—but they present a wonderful opportunity to slow down and savour flavourful ingredients. Don’t be afraid to use your hands!

In April, we’re coming to the end of the season for Belgian endives, but if you haven’t already indulged, it’s a great time to take advantage of this bounty. Braising is a delicious way to cook this slightly bitter leaf, also called witloof or chicory. In this dish, its slight bitterness is perfectly complemented by the sweet braising liquid of orange, honey, and mustard before being given a dash of licorice flavour with a sprinkling of tarragon.  

Leek and potato soup is a spring classic and really shines with new-season leeks. This soup takes the classic recipe a step further in a celebration of spring alliums by adding charred spring onions and garlic scapes, the immature flowering part of the garlic plant. Unlike the garlic bulb, scapes impart a gentler, fresher garlic flavour.

A simple stir-fry is a quick and easy meal that makes the most of fresh vegetables. This spring-inspired stir-fry leans on spring onions, the first fresh snow peas, baby spinach, and fiddleheads. Szechuan (a.k.a. Sichuan) peppercorns add a layer of complexity to this dish with a pleasing citrus flavour and a slight numbing heat. They can be found in specialty spice stores, but if you can’t find them you can still enjoy the gingery-garlicky, spicy heat of the other ingredients.

In spring, a different kind of turnip is available: a small, round, golf ball-shaped Hakurei turnip, often referred to as a salad turnip. These are lovely and crisp when eaten raw but can also be lightly sautéed and infused with flavour. In this dish, the turnips are first stir-fried and then coated in a dressing of miso, ginger, garlic, and honey before tossing with some spring salad leaves. Choose leaves that will stand up to the warmth of the salad, like a young mustard green mix including leaves such as tatsoi and mizuna.

Spring dawns and with it an awakening of our mood and senses. Shoots and leaves are emerging, and we’re greeted by a host of fresh vegetables rearing their heads after a long winter. It’s always a joy to see the first rhubarb, delicate peas, spring leeks, and asparagus.

A creamy cold soup, perfect for a sunny May lunch, most vichyssoise recipes are made with chicken stock and plenty of cream. This one is totally vegan, with tofu giving it exceptional creaminess. Jazzed up with a Jalapeno Verde Swirl, it’s delicious served either chilled or hot.

One of my favorite Carbivor sides to contribute to meals is a wild rice salad. Unlike hulled rice, wild varieties hold their shape and texture. To add even more fiber and hardiness, I combine the rice with shredded Brussels sprouts and a bright lemon poppy dressing. If you want to save time, buy shredded Brussels sprouts or use a food processor to get them into little ribbons. The sprouts also let us get away with playing a little more with sweet additions to this savory salad. If you can’t find pomegranate seeds, a scant amount (2 tablespoons) of dried cranberries or cherries will work. Like all good dishes, every element can be made up to four days in advance and tossed together when ready to serve! ]

This delicious salad of fresh in-season strawberries, farro, almonds, feta, and crisped prosciutto bathed in a honey and Dijon dressing is much more than just eye candy. It’s a perfect entrée for impressing a lunch gathering among friends.

I thought there was nothing more delicious than a spicy tuna roll until the day I tasted that delicious filling perched atop a piece of crispy rice. Usually, I try to keep things simple, but this is one of those moments that is worth the extra effort—and it’s nothing to be intimidated by. As a twist on the traditional tuna, I use roasted beets. You can, of course, substitute 8 ounces fresh tuna or salmon in the spicy mayo mixture. To cut prep time, roast the beets in advance. It’s a fun special-occasion meal for the family served alongside a green salad.

This fresh dish embraces all of the freshness of the season, especially when not accompanied by a cloying cream sauce. Presentation is as simple—and beautiful—as artfully arranging the salad on a large shallow platter. But it can be equally visually charming arranged on single serving dishes.

Boiled green lentils tossed with crunchy carrots and a biting Dijon dressing is an iconic French side dish to eat alongside a piece of poached salmon or chicken. But it often looks like a stodgy brown mess. This recipe dresses up those drab legumes with all the colors of the spring rainbow: pink radishes, green sugar snaps, and garnet (or golden) roasted beets. The latter can be roasted a few days in advance to save time, and you can do the rest of the chopping and whisking while the lentils cook. The salad is finished with a little Italian flair—balsamic vinaigrette and torn basil. Garlicky walnuts add crunch, and if you’re angling for another carb companion, add shaved parmesan or ricotta salata.

This strawberry-rhubarb cake is proof that gluten-free baking is much more forgiving than people give it credit for. Between my recipe testers and me, we’ve tried this cake a dozen different ways, including using (accidentally) a precooked roll of polenta instead of the dried sack. Somehow that cake still turned out delicious (though presumably involved a LOT of whisking . . .). To clarify, you are looking for medium-ground cornmeal, which is most frequently called polenta (avoid the “instant” kind). I love the combination of the gritty cornmeal with rich, nutty almond flour, but you can use a finer cornmeal, or substitute buckwheat, white rice, or oat flour for the almond flour. The cake is not too sweet, and the combination of strawberry and rhubarb adds a tart finish. Though I discourage eating cake on an empty stomach, my friend aptly called it an “everyday snacking cake.”

There are many variations of the roulade, which is basically a filled and rolled omelette. Our roulade encases whipped tofu and spinach, with the option of smoked salmon, and coupled with a delicious pico de gallo, it’s a lunchtime winner. 

Guess what’s coming back into vogue: jelly salads! They’ve taken a brisk uptick on upscale menus this past year but without the sweet and pickled flavours from days of yore. We’ve taken a bit of creative licence here and turned single-serve aspics into a Mexican Michelada Aspic. Tangy and refreshing, with just the right amount of kick, our aspic contains a whopping 17 g of protein!

Finger sandwiches are a classic component of afternoon tea, and these ones bring plenty of herby flavour to the party. Chickpeas are lightly smashed and dressed in fresh, bright flavours of cilantro, mint, tangy yogurt, earthy turmeric, and spicy paprika, before being sandwiched with pumpkin seeds and sunflower sprouts. Don’t be fooled by their small size—these sandwiches pack a hearty boost of fibre and protein and a whopping amount of iron too.

This dessert is a showstopper! Mini pavlovas with assorted fresh fruit, yogurt, and sauce make a wonderful finale to a lovely lunch. This is a healthier version that doesn’t compromise on quality. We nixed the high-fat whipping cream in favour of a thick and creamy yogurt.

Orange and tarragon make wonderful friends as they flavour this take on a chicken salad sandwich. Slightly bitter endives offer a great complement to the licorice flavour of tarragon and are robust enough to hold the mixture while adding a satisfying crunch. Each filled leaf contains about 20 g of protein and 40 percent of the recommended daily value of iron.

Strawberry cordials are a springtime favourite; they’re refreshing and oh so pretty. Topped up with a little bubbly, you’ll want to have plenty on hand when this is being poured. 

If you’re looking for a bit of nostalgia, you’re in luck: the Cosmo (a.k.a. the Cosmopolitan cocktail) is making a comeback. Although the origin story is a little fuzzy, with a number of versions claiming its invention back in the ’70s or ’80s, the Cosmo is worth reviving in this new version of fruity splendour.

In springtime, there are plenty of reasons to host a lunch party. Spring garden vegetables are beginning to peak. The days are getting longer. And having good friends to lunch is as good a reason as any other—especially after a few years of lockdown.

These bites are a vegetarian spin on two items often included in an afternoon tea—cucumber sandwiches and smoked salmon. Thin ribbons of carrot are marinated in a smoky tamari-based dressing before being formed into curls and placed on cucumber rounds topped with a thick dill-flavoured yogurt. Straining the yogurt removes excess liquid and makes it thick and creamy. Cucumbers have numerous health benefits, including for hydration and digestion; eating them unpeeled maximizes their fibre contribution.

Scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam are a typical afternoon tea treat. Here, we’ve given the idea a savoury-sweet twist and some added protein with this riff on a Brazilian-style cheese bun. The airy centres, like those of a cream puff, are perfect for filling with fresh strawberries macerated in balsamic and maple syrup and finished with a touch of vanilla yogurt. The light, textured buns are made with tapioca starch, so they’re suitable for those looking for gluten- or grain-free options, but everyone will enjoy the thyme and Parmesan flavour that makes a savoury complement to the sweet filling.