Food

With a mellow, family-friendly flavour, this is a soup you’ll make over and over again. Plus it freezes well, so why not double the batch? If you’re looking for more heat, finish with hot sauce or add more jalapeno. Increase the protein content by sprinkling on crumbled feta.

Forget “brinner” (breakfast for dinner) and get your egg on at lunchtime. Get double the protein power with eggs and tofu. While sweet potatoes rank higher on the glycemic index, pairing them with protein helps keep insulin levels from shooting through the roof.    

This classic salad easily transforms into a lunch wrap. Swap tuna for cooked salmon or chicken if you have leftovers. Savoury Greek yogurt spread and eggs provide an extra boost of protein.

The velvet texture of avocado is pure heaven when blended with complementary ingredients. Avocado is a good source of the antioxidant vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, and fibre. Make a batch of this mayo on the weekend to enjoy throughout the week.

Mexican chocolate is known for combining warming spices with dense cocoa, transitioning perfectly into the season of cinnamon-spiced everything. Normally, flan contains a far greater amount of sugar, making this a lighter yet still indulgent-feeling dessert or snack option.

These aren’t your average mushroom caps! Packed with umami flavour and loads of phytonutrients, they can also be turned into a vegetarian main course by using large portobellos instead of an assortment of smaller mushrooms.

This finger food can make a meal, it’s so satisfying! In fact, we usually have it for Christmas Eve with sparkling wine whether we’re having guests or not. The simplicity of garlic and tomatoes lets the seafood really shine.

Cabbage is the new kale. As part of the same cruciferous family of veggies, cabbage provides the cancer-protective benefits kale does. By filling with tempeh rather than red meat, you get the nutritional benefits of fermented soy. These may take a little extra work, but they’re worth it.

This colourful appetizer highlights the season and can be included on a cheese platter as a lighter choice. It’s also a great way to use up milk that’s close to its best-before date.

These hearty and delicious cakes are a cinch to make but will wow your guests with their depth of flavour. This is a simple dish to prepare, especially if you roast the squash in advance.

A perennial party favourite gets a makeover with this white food trifecta. Instead of mayonnaise, probiotic-packed yogurt and protein-rich white beans create a creamy base. Topped with sticky caramelized onions containing a variety of compounds to scavenge free radicals, this dip will please both the epicure and the healthy chef in you. Tip: White beans can be replaced with chickpeas for a new spin on the classic hummus.

Tasting like Greek spanakopita, these are a healthier appetizer option, salad topper, or side to add to your holiday entertaining menu. In lieu of refined bread crumbs in traditional savoury cakes, white quinoa is used, lending plenty of iron and protein, as well as a pleasing chewy texture. A bonus? They’re baked, not fried. Tip: To add even more oomph and snowy white appeal to the cakes, add a clove of minced garlic (another unassuming white superfood), or serve with a garlicky yogurt dip.

Cauliflower’s pale exterior is certainly not an indicator of its nutritional prowess: it contains vitamins C, E, and K; carotenoids; fibre; and a variety of minerals. Presented as a “roast,” this fun vegetarian centrepiece will be a showstopper at your next gathering.     Tip: Cauliflower is a blank canvas to experiment with. Try different spices, herbs, and rubs for the “roast” to create an entirely new recipe.

Snowy white coconut gets a suntan, lending a floral, nutty aroma and textural contrast to the grains, along with potassium, fibre, and medium-chain triglycerides. This tropical, dairy-free twist on traditional rice pudding is sure to warm you up this winter. Tip: If you don’t like coconut, replace coconut milk with almond milk, and swap the shredded coconut for slivered blanched almonds (skip the toasting).

Stave off winter’s chill with this hearty, nourishing, thyme-scented soup. Protein rich and filling, the soup, accompanied by a side salad, is a complete meal in a bowl.

Thyme marries with other health-enhancing herbs in this “land and sea” one-skillet dish. Low in calories and sodium, yet decidedly delicious, it’s a terrific meal option for weight watchers who don’t want to feel deprived!

The inherently sweet flavour of roasted vegetables pairs beautifully with roasted hazelnuts and tangy balsamic vinegar in this warm wintertime salad. Antioxidant rich and colourful, it delivers a nutritious punch combined with aesthetic appeal.

Barley, a highly nutritious and versatile grain, often gets overlooked in favour of more trendy grains such as quinoa. You can enjoy its delicious nutty flavour and the host of nutritional benefits it confers in this healthy take on traditional rice risotto.

Loaded with seasonal vegetables, frittatas are one of those great comfort foods that can be enjoyed all day long as either breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Once cooked, this frittata may be portioned and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days, ready to make a quick grab-and-go meal or after-school snack.

Coconut, chicken, and cashews combine with curry spice and sweet mangoes to make an aromatic stew that is sure to become a family favourite. Consider serving this stew for dinner with whole grain naan bread and a green salad to round out the meal.      

This filling meal is a healthy alternative to the traditional pasta dish and a snap to throw together in the slow cooker. Cup for cup, spaghetti squash provides about the same amount of fibre as spaghetti pasta, thus ensuring that you’ll still feel full without as many calories or carbohydrates.

A slow cooker is ideal for making this Moroccan-influenced dish. The long cooking time results in a meal that has a complex blend of flavours and smells heavenly. Consider serving this meal over brown rice or couscous with a dollop of yogurt stirred in for added richness and a spot of protein.

This comforting and colourful soup will certainly help you meet your daily requirement for vegetables. Rich in antioxidants, it makes a satisfying, probiotic-rich meal when accompanied by slices of cheese and chunks of fresh artisan sourdough bread.

Fresh lemon juice and white miso marry beautifully in this refreshing side dish. The delicious salad will keep in the fridge for several days. Its flavour is intensified by time—so you may want to double the recipe.