Food

Roasted carrots and a touch of honey lend this incarnation of hummus a kid-friendly tempered sweetness that makes it a delicious and healthy spread for these lunch wraps. The wraps can be assembled up to two days in advance if kept chilled.

Why settle for the same old tuna salad sandwich when serving this iconic midday repast in whimsical bean cups is a surefire way to add the fun back into lunch. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak more nutrient-dense legumes into the diets of all generations of a household. Serve alongside cherry tomatoes. Both the bean cups and tuna salad can be made up to four days in advance, but should be assembled the same day they are being served.

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.

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.

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.

This vibrant Spanish-inspired casserole is sure to get a rousing olé from around the dinner table. To round out the meal, serve with a leafy green salad dressed in a simple lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette.  

This breakfast casserole is sure to brighten up your morning meal. Not only does the sunny colour of sweet potatoes add to the appeal of this dish, but they’re also packed with vitamin A, an antioxidant powerhouse.

A quick homemade mole style sauce adds an extra punch of flavour to this south-of-the-border savoury cobbler. Feel free to replace the shredded turkey with roasted chicken or cubes of sautéed tofu or tempeh.  

This is one-pot comfort cooking at its finest! A new twist on the classic shepherd’s pie, this casserole is sure to become a favourite midweek meal.

If looks could kill, this dish would be doing hard time. Buttery salmon, an umami-sweet carrot sauce, and fetching black rice team up in this swoon-worthy dish.

The tag team of black lentils and sweet potatoes creates a satisfying dish that is jam-packed with heart-friendly and hunger-squashing fibre. Any leftovers of the lentil mixture are a great dish on their own served as a healthy lunch.

Consider these a cross between biscuits and muffins. The great thing about baking them in muffin cups is you don’t have to worry about rolling out the dough and then cutting it into circles. The chia-thickened blackberry jam offers a healthier spread option than typical sugar-laden jams.

If you are somewhat meh about veggie burgers, these are sure to perk up your palate. Highly flavoured dark patties and a smoky pepper sauce offer a feast for the eyes, plus body benefits courtesy of sky-high fibre levels.

Buttery roasted squash, sweet figs, salty olives, and a creamy dressing team up for a salad that explodes with exciting flavour and texture. All components can be made and chilled separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For added protein, include some roasted chicken.

Your guests won’t be able to get enough of this delicious dip; good thing it’s a cinch to prepare! It’s also a refreshing sandwich spread and pairs beautifully with goat cheese.    

This is a colourful and unique appetizer that will get your guests talking! By baking the pumpkin and prepping the sauce in advance, it comes together quickly; make this the first dish on and off the barbecue for grill night or before Thanksgiving dinner.

This curry is the colour of sunset with the taste of the tropics; it’s a bowl of comfort packed with only plant-based goodness. Serve over brown basmati rice with sautéed greens or a side salad.

Homemade salad dressing should be an integral part of everyone’s cooking repertoire—the basic formula is easily adjusted based on what you have in the cupboard. The nutty flavour of pumpkin seed oil combines beautifully with peppery arugula.

The intense sweetness of kabocha (aka Japanese pumpkin) squash marries perfectly with the slight bitterness of kale in this antioxidant-rich soup. What’s more, the smidgen of cream lends a smoothness to its flavour that simply oozes comfort.

This “feel-good” soup is aromatic and chock full of protein and fragrant Asian flavours. It’s the perfect antidote for a miserable cold—or just miserably cold weather!

When you have to get dinner on the table fast, this hearty, easy-to-prepare soup is the perfect solution. Simply add a tasty side salad and loaf of fresh whole grain bread and you’ve got a nutritious meal the whole family will love.

Pesto lends both colour and flavour to this meal-in-a-bowl. You can easily customize this recipe to match your own personal tastes by replacing the broccoli and spinach with your favourite veggies.

The addition of sour cream lends a lovely creaminess to this “super-green” vitamin- and mineral-rich soup. In addition, roasting zucchini brings out the vegetable’s natural sweetness and enhances the soup’s flavour.        

Crispy red cabbage leaves serve as an ultra-healthy stand-in for tortillas for these seasonally inspired tacos. If desired, chicken can be the protein of choice instead of turkey, while the salsa can also be made with a not-too-ripe pear.