Food

Add a pop of fresh flavour to the cold winter days with these refreshing and light lettuce cups. Filled with a mildly spiced shrimp, veggie, and brown rice glass noodle salad, this fresh take on the steadfast shrimp ring will add a little something extra to your holiday party. Transform these lettuce cups into spring rolls by adding all ingredients to rice paper wrappers for a seemingly brand-new appetizer.

A hot bath of spiced red wine gently cooks seasonal pears into a tender, glimmering fruit dessert fit for any crowd. Baking tip: Testing for doneness

• In desserts using firm fruit, such as pears and apples, insert tip of paring knife into centre of fruit; it should easily yield with little force.
• In cakes and quick breads, a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
• In brownies and squares, a few damp crumbs clinging to the inserted toothpick is what you’re after.

Transform banana bread into a next-level holiday dessert. This tropical take on bread pudding brings warm Caribbean breezes to chilly winter kitchens. Raisins and dark chocolate chips all feel perfectly at home here, too.

Baking tip: Measuring accurately

Enjoy this red and white holiday galette, including whole wheat crust, as an elegant plated dessert or teatime treat. Grass-fed butter is used as an omega-3-rich alternative to conventional (grain-fed) butter in the pastry.

Baking tip: Working with pastry

Chia seeds, cocoa, and coconut milk combine to make a dessert-worthy and omega-3-packed instant pudding. There’s no heat required, and the recipe can be adjusted to suit your mood with more or less sweetener, a pure vanilla version, or crushed raspberries folded in for a fruity switch-up.

Tip

Superfood bowls are popular because they’re versatile, healthy, and satisfying. Here, a quadruple hit of seeds (if you count the quinoa) with baked poppy seed crusted tofu, creamy dairy-free sunflower seed dressing, and sunflower seed sprouts combine for a super-tasty dinner bowl.

Packed with protein, a range of minerals, and a little chocolate, these nut-free granola bars deserve a place in your lunch bag tomorrow. With four different varieties of seeds and a base of puffed quinoa (technically a seed itself), this snack gives new meaning to “bird food.”

Tip

You won’t find white rice in this risotto—and you won’t miss it. Amaranth, a tiny seed filled with fibre and antioxidants, combines with toothsome pumpkin seeds for a similar risotto texture without the refined grains. Garnishing with evergreen-hued pumpkin seed oil elevates this dish to dinner party-worthy in a flash.

Tip

Splake is a hybrid species of brook trout crossed with lake trout; it has a mild, slightly buttery flavour. As a cold-water fish in the trout family, it also contains some of the same heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Pair it with this highly flavourful beet sauce and tender-crisp carrots and you have a dish with a fetching presentation worthy of even the fanciest restaurants.

Other fish to try

Tofu is crumbled before being quickly roasted with fragrant five-spice powder, giving it the texture and satisfying meatiness of ground pork. As with all spicy noodle leftovers, I’m just as eager to eat these cold for lunch the following day as I am to eat them piping hot.

Roasting technique

There are many variations for making a biga loaf. This one is similar to a traditional Italian filone breadstick. The outer crust is crunchy while the inner dough is soft, chewy, and full of holes. There are many methods for making sourdough starters. Some might not contain traditional yeast, and some may contain potato water and yeast. Each variation is relative to world customs. Google any number of online sites and you’ll find someone who has found a sourdough that specifically works for them.

Basic Biga Sourdough Starter

• 1/4 tsp (1 mL) traditional active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) lukewarm water
• 3/4 cup (180 mL) unbleached all-purpose or bread flour

The beauty of this blend is it not only creates an authentic boule (the traditional name for French bread shaped in a ball), but it also needs no electric mixer. Simply stir together, cover, and set aside to rise. Mixture can be punched down several times and left covered in a warm place for a couple of days or more. Or cover and refrigerate until ready to rise in a warm place. It’s foolproof! Mix it up a little. With the increased grain varietals out there, substitute with a little einkhorn or farro flour. Start with 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 180 mL). It’s all about adjusting your expectations from what you are most familiar with.

Storage

Made with a very thin fermented batter, dosas are served in many Indian dishes. Fill and roll, or roll and dip into warm lentil dishes. Dosas are the quintessential street food, typical in all South Indian cultures.

Storage

Making tortillas from scratch is well worth the effort. There’s a freshness that can’t be beat. Double the batch and freeze for a few meals. Jazz them up with alternative flavourings such as turmeric, chopped cilantro, and a dash of cayenne. Gluten-free tortillas are a bit of an art, but given a few tries, are well worth the effort.

Storage

This wonderful hearty bread packs a wallop of flavour and sustenance to a one-dish dinner such as stew or soup.

Storage

In Argentina, grass-fed beef and chimichurri, a lively herb mixture, are nearly inseparable. Put them together in a sandwich with a few twists, and you’ve got a meal that satisfies a taste for adventure.

Read the fine print

Using chunks of sweet mango, mashed chickpeas, and garam masala, a spice mixture containing cinnamon, cumin, and black pepper, makes this sandwich decidedly Indian in essence. The pickled tomatoes add a vinegary appeal to each bite. And because of the sky-high fibre levels, the meal will stick with you for much longer.

Moo-free

Who says sushi should only be served with chopsticks? This Japanese-inspired sandwich delivers plenty of great texture along with a little sinus-clearing kick courtesy of a wasabi-infused cream cheese spread. If you have some on hand, go ahead and add a bit of pickled ginger to the sandwich. Rainbow trout or arctic char can be used in lieu of salmon.

Zest of life

It’s always a good idea to work the nutritional heroes known as lentils into a diet more often. And this pâté-like spread spiked with Mediterranean flair (not to mention an umami wallop) is a taste bud-rousing way to do so. The mild licorice-like flavour of fennel adds another surprising flavour element to the hand-held meal. You can also add a handful of arugula to the sandwich topping.

Red riot

When you look to Mexico for ingredient inspiration, what you bite into is a sandwich that is shockingly flavourful. Nutritionally speaking, chicken thighs only contain a tad more fat than breast meat, but their extra juiciness is most welcomed come the lunch bell. Look for brands of refried beans that are made without added fats.

If you’re looking to impress your guests with last-minute fresh bread, then these are bound to be your simplest go-to recipe. Make them with unbleached flour and they’re airy and light like clouds—ready in a couple of hours. Make them with whole wheat flour and you’ll have equally delicious buns with a touch more density. Make them with gluten-free flour blends and you’ll have a dense bun with more added texture. Each is a matter of preference and with its own great flavour. Jazz up any mixture with finely chopped fresh or dried herbs, garlic, and a dusting of Parmesan.

Storage

This bread is heavy and compact, and full of delicious ingredients. Look for gluten-free flour containing sweet rice flour, as it creates a bit of stickiness when dissolved, which adds to its firmness once baked. If sweet rice flour is not a component in gluten-free flour mix, then reduce flour amount by 1/2 cup (125 mL) and top up with 1/2 cup (125 mL) sweet rice flour.  

Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of squash in this vegetarian main course. Switch up the beans and herbs to transform this dish into something new. For instance, black beans with cilantro add Mexican flair, while white beans and basil make for an Italian-inspired roasted dinner.

Roasting technique

Try something new with roasted lemons and garlic. With whole lemons (you can eat the peel and the fruit in its entirety) and garlic, a high-temperature roast mellows out any harshness, so don’t fear the amount. You’ll be making this sophisticated, winterized take on Caesar salad every week thanks to its ease of preparation and clean-up.

Roasting technique