Food

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.

The beauty of this sweet little treat is that it’s a recipe you can make from a well-stocked pantry. And even better: you can easily substitute with other pantry ingredients. For example, no dates in your pantry? How about dried figs? Or use your own homemade jam or compote. Just make sure your fruit filling is very, very thick and pastelike before assembling.

Looking for an easy meal? Waffles lend themselves as a base for every meal of the day. Breakfast? Dessert? Lunch? Even dinner. In our version, we’ve covered breakfast, lunch, and dessert, serving this recipe with dried fruit compote. But there are also savoury toppings and more ideas to dress up a waffle. Make a big batch and freeze; they’re easy to heat up for any meal.

Is there such a thing as a crispy heart-healthy cake wedge? We think so. In this chew-worthy snack, we’ve combined oats with coconut, a little flaxseed, and some nutty hemp hearts. Together they make a perfect treat that your heart will love.

Tip

Flourless chocolate cake became my obsession in the bustling kitchen of a gourmet restaurant where I worked in the early 90s. I was fascinated by the dense but creamy texture as well as the deep, dark fudgy flavour of this masterpiece. I experimented with different chocolates, sweeteners, number of eggs, and flavourings until I found the perfect combination. This should be the cake you serve when impressing and spoiling your guests is the goal. You might never use flour again.

Flavour boost

It’s not the most calorie-conscious dessert, but these silky cakes are the epitome of #epicchocolate. It’s a decadent way to spread the love at the end of the day. If needed, an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend can be used.

Tip

Adding grain to a salad immediately raises salad to a whole new level. It not only adds substance, such as fibre, but also makes a satisfying lunch dish when combined with heart-healthy, delicious greens and fruit. We’ve paired it with a chive dressing. Try drizzling the dressing over grapefruit segments, and you’ll be eating this combo of grapefruit and chives at every opportunity.

Eating a rainbow of colourful foods, including dark blue and purple, is essential to good health. Considered the king of antioxidant-rich foods, the rich blueberries in this delectable tart are especially amazing health givers.

If there was ever an excuse to eat dessert for your health, this tasty little frozen pudding morsel ticks the box. Some studies show matcha has a very high concentration of antioxidants and may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, aid in weight loss, and strengthen the immune system. It’s also being studied for its anticancer properties. What better reason is there? 

Filled with layers of crunchy chocolatey granola, creamy yogurt, and sweet-tart berries, this parfait will leave Mom feeling like she’s spooning up a special dessert for brunch. Once the granola is made, the meal practically makes itself. The granola can be prepared up to three days in advance, but the parfait is best assembled shortly before eating so the granola remains crunchy. Up-and-coming date syrup lends the granola a caramel-like sweetness, but you can swap in maple syrup if needed.

Forget flipping individual flapjacks; this pancake-banana bread hybrid lets you get everything on the table at once. Perfect for languid weekends, both wedges of the pie and the blueberry sauce reheat well for busy weekday breakfasts. For the most banana flavour, you’ll want to use fruit with plenty of brown spots on the skin. Almond flour infuses the pancake pie with a nutty taste, but if it’s not available you can replace it with more oat flour. 

With this premade breakfast loaf, you need not hover over a pot of simmering grains in the morning to serve up oatmeal. Grated carrot adds moisture, while the tender apple topping shows you’re willing to go to the extra effort to satisfy Mom’s palate. Both the loaf and apple topping can be made at least three days in advance. If following a gluten-free diet, use oats and oat flour that are certified gluten free.loa

Sweet and savoury at once, this whimsical play on a breakfast classic proves salad also deserves a spot on a morning menu. The toasted bread, sausage, and dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance, so Mom need not wait around to luxuriate in this delicious brunch on her special day. These days, there are good vegan sausage options if any family members are following a meat-free diet. Look for bread and sausage options with lower sodium numbers.

This healthy ice cream comes together in minutes and satisfies when you’re craving a cooling post-workout treat. Tip: This easy ice cream can also be turned into popsicles. Simply use a little more liquid to create a softer consistency that can easily be poured into popsicle molds. Freeze until solid and enjoy as a grab-and-go treat.

Star anise adds an exotic sweetness to the dish, which also works as a healthy dessert. You can use any kind of apple for this recipe and adjust the amount of cranberries to balance the apples’ sweetness, since there’s no other sugar added. We tried Lobo, Cortland, and McIntosh, and they all worked well.

"You’ll be dreaming of this molten caramel skillet cake with sweet cinnamon, dates, vanilla, and pecans long after your camping trip is over."

These naturally sweet Mexican-style popsicles have no sugar added, but you’d never know it! When you use overripe mangoes, the fruit will already be sweet enough. Don’t be scared off by black spots on the outer skins or if they feel a bit soft. These are the ones you want, since they’ll be the sweetest and juiciest inside.

This delightful tart is filled to the brim with “bumbleberries.” Not to mislead, though: there is no such thing as a bumbleberry. It’s actually a mixture of fruits and berries that some suggest originated in the Maritimes. In our version, we’ve combined blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. But any mixture will do. Enjoy this summertime treat!

Fruit buckles are a quintessential old-fashioned favourite. We’ve produced a more rustic version of the old classic using oats and oat flour but with all the familiar flavours. Cut the buckle into squares and top with a generous scoop of your favourite vanilla ice cream or alternative.

Breakfast meet dessert. Dessert meet breakfast. This decadent tasting, yet still nutritious, way to kick off your day is a celebration of all things chocolate and a perfect excuse to dust off that waffle maker. Consider topping with dollops of thick yogurt and fresh berries. Batter using egg whites is best made shortly before making the waffles, but extras can be chilled for up to one day. Not all cacao powder is created equal. Your best buy for health benefits is “natural” or “raw” cacao powder over “Dutch processed” (often spelled “cocoa”), which uses alkalization to mellow out the flavour but also damages precious antioxidants. No buttermilk in the fridge?  A quick fix is to stir 1 Tbsp (15 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice or distilled white vinegar into each cup of regular milk and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. When it’s ready, milk will be slightly thickened, and you’ll see small curdled bits. You can also mix 3/4 cup (180 mL) plain yogurt or sour cream with 1/4 cup (60 mL) water to thin, then use as you would buttermilk. No oat flour in the larder?  If you have rolled oats on hand but no oat flour, you’re in luck. You can whiz up oat flour by blending rolled oats in a food processor or high-powered blender until a fine powder forms. A single cup (scooped and levelled) of old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats yields just over 1 cup (250 mL) oat flour.  

This cake is not too sweet, not too rich, but still offers all the comfort (hello, maple syrup and warming spices) you want when finishing off a festive meal. Plus, there is no refined sugar in sight. If serving those with food sensitivities, you can try making the cake with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend and melted coconut oil. Flour power  Compared to regular whole wheat flour, spelt flour often produces cakes, scones, and muffins that are more tender and with greater nutritional virtues than all-purpose white flour.  

In this dessert, tangy raspberries are blended with avocado into a luxuriously refreshing mousse. The result is a treat that’s packed with heart-healthy fats and blood sugar-stabilizing nutrients. Whenever possible, make it with organic ingredients