Food

For those who cannot or choose not to eat dairy or gluten, and even for those who can, this vegan chocolate pumpkin pie is the answer to the chocolate-covered good life. The pumpkin flavour is barely detected, instead acting as a structural backbone for the pudding. And, pumpkin provides antiaging skin support thanks to its high vitamin A content.

Is there anything better than sitting down to a delicious homemade dessert that’s made with wholesome ingredients? Only sitting down to that same delicious dessert and sharing it with family and friends. While apple pie may be the quintessential fall dessert, the process of making it is often time consuming and a little complicated. These soft and chewy bars allow you to enjoy the comforting taste of apple pie without all the work! Plus, they’re vegan and perfect for sharing. These bars taste even better on the second day! That is, if you can make them last that long.

What’s Valentine’s Day without a little chocolate? While most chocolate cream pies require mountains of whipped heavy cream and sugar, this vegan version uses luxurious coconut milk for a dairy- and soy-free take on the French classic. And the press-in crust means you don’t have to turn on the oven. Tip: Make this pie into single servings by using removable-bottom mini tart shells.

Heart-healthy ingredients such as whole grain flour, oats, and olive oil easily replace the typical white flour, refined sugar, and butter often found in this classic cookie. Try making your own chia jam by mixing 2 cups (500 mL) cooked berries with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chia seeds and some lemon and maple syrup, to taste.

Berries are rich in a particular type of antioxidant known as polyphenols. Studies have shown that eating these polyphenols (also found in red wine and dark chocolate) may lower one’s risk of heart disease. In the spring and summer, feel free to use any antioxidant-rich fresh berry in this recipe, from black currants to strawberries.

Avocado adds a rich and creamy base to this pudding, which is rich in monounsaturated fat. Eaten in moderation, monounsaturated fats can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and may help decrease one’s risk of heart disease. Feel free to taste and add a touch of maple syrup if desired, or for natural sweetness, try adding a banana to the mixture before blending.  

Adding beans to your baking is a great way to increase the fibre as well as adding a cholesterol-lowering ingredient to more of your meals. If you don’t have almond butter, try substituting any other type of nut butter.

While a cake is still a cake, simple substitutes such as whole grain flour, maple syrup, and olive oil help turn this traditional Wacky Cake recipe into a more heart-healthy treat. To make these extra special, chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight. The next day, open the can and scoop out all of the hard, solidified coconut cream (save the coconut water for a smoothie). Beat coconut cream with a little vanilla and maple syrup, as you would whipping cream. Top each cupcake with a dollop of coconut cream and sprinkles.

This stunning cheesecake is super easy to make and assemble. The pretty blue pea swirl is utterly unique. Just remember to soak raw cashews before using in the filling to create this sublimely creamy dessert.

To say this tart is decadent and delicious seems a little cliché. How could it not be when you unite rich chocolate ganache with in-season fresh fruits? The addition of ginger gives it that extra zing.

Consider this swoon-worthy dessert hybrid of cookie and tart your secret weapon for entertaining, since it easily feeds a crowd. A tender crust is bejewelled with a fruity, creamy fool (a traditional English dessert) that will send your guests home on a high note. Both the crust and fool can be made in advance, but it’s best to assemble everything shortly before serving to prevent the cookie base from turning too soft.

Here’s a gluten-free cake that’s light and fluffy. Cut into wedges with fresh fruit salsa, it’s delicious served at any event. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or a scoop of ice cream.

Most café muffins are really just sugary cupcakes, so I figured I might as well create a luscious chocolate cupcake that is really a healthy muffin in disguise! Cocoa is an anti-inflammatory, after all. With flavonoid-rich cocoa and high-protein almond flour forming the base of this cupcake, it’s safe to say that this might be the first cupcake this dietitian has ever advocated eating on a daily basis. Tahini is the perfect substitute for buttercream; it is rich, thick, and luscious—you will want to eat this fudge-like frosting with a spoon! That is okay because tahini is rich in minerals such as anti-inflammatory magnesium, calcium, and iron.

This no-churn ice cream slice is inspired by halva, a sweet Middle Eastern confection that sings with bittersweet sesame flavour. Top slices with summer fruit to contrast this dessert’s richness and add a pop of colour.

Lightly sweetened velvety Greek yogurt is studded with a crunchy topping reminiscent of trail mix and then frozen so you can break it into chunks just like chocolate bark (but healthier!). Crisp, creamy, and barely sweet, this colourful and whimsical snack (or healthy dessert) is perfect for kids and adults alike and sure to become a summer staple. For the creamiest bark possible, with fewer ice crystals, avoid using fat-free yogurt. Acting as a blank canvas, this yogurt bark can take on any flavour profiles you fancy. Choose to use whatever nuts and dried fruit you please. Sun-splashed fresh berries also work as a topping, and you can swap out the honey for maple syrup.

Call it part cooling effect, part nostalgia, who doesn’t love an ice-cold popsicle when temperatures are soaring? (Hint: nobody.) In this fanciful version, seasonal peaches add just the right amount of natural sweetness, while ricotta makes each lick seem extra indulgent. Delicious, fruity, and creamy—it’s like summer on a stick. And these pops come together super-fast so you can spend less time sweating in the kitchen.

If you like the store-bought version, you’ll go bananas for these peanut butter “nice” cream sandwiches that are big on nostalgia but with a modern nutritional appeal. No ice cream maker required. If desired, you can replace peanuts and peanut butter with almonds and almond butter. For a dairy-free centre, whipping cream can be swapped out for coconut cream. And for a lower calorie treat, you can simply scoop some ice cream on a single cookie base for a cool twist on an open-faced sandwich.

Meaning “half cold” in Italian, think of semifreddo as sliceable ice cream. This lime-forward riff on the elegant cold treat teams up with coconut cream and trendy avocado to keep it dairy free but still oh-so-rich tasting. And since you don’t need an ice cream maker or any other fancy equipment to make it, it’s easy to whip up when the heat is on.

The Sicilian icy delight known as granita is the ultimate summer refresher. This one uses sun-kissed blueberries that are now at their flavour peak and trendy kombucha for a little fizzy tang. If using a flavoured kombucha, choose one that will complement the berry mint flavour, so maybe not turmeric. It’s important not to skip stirring the granita every hour or so while it’s freezing or you’ll end up with a huge blueberry popsicle.

A cross between cookie dough and a chewy oatmeal cookie, these bites also pack a good protein boost from the almond butter.

Where should you get CBD?

I love these cookies because I always have the ingredients on hand to make them. Plus, since they’re so easy to make, they’re a great way to get my daughter involved in the kitchen.

These cookies are the heartiest, most complete, yet delicious cookies you will ever eat, no matter the name. It’s a cookie you can feel good about feeding your family (or snacking on yourself). I love cookies with lots of nuts and seeds, as they feel so satisfying. These cookies also freeze very well, so you might want to consider doubling your batch.

This large-format dreamboat of a cookie (crispy on the edges, chewy in the middle) stars plenty of gooey dark chocolate, which can legitimately bring on feelings of calmness and perk up your mood. Cut this Zen-like pie into wedges and feel good about serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If needed, an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend can replace the spelt flour.

After a full meal, just a little decadence is required. This creamy, egg-free, dairy-free mousse is the perfect ending. We used fortified oat milk with its healthy nutrients that include 50 percent of your daily vitamin B12 recommended dietary allowance. To make this mousse completely vegan, be sure to use vegan dark chocolate.