Food

Despite its traditional game-day look, this glorious spread is not your average stack of nachos. In a huge win for vegetarian sports fans, we swapped ground beef for meaty tempeh stewed with tomatoes and a winning mix of seasonings. Black beans, punchy radish, creamy avocado, and melty cheese round out a dish that could not be more fun to eat. If you want these nachos to be fully plant-based you can use shredded dairy-free cheese. To go a little more traditional, regular tortilla chips can be used instead of the sweet potato variety.

This chickpea salad is a home-run people pleaser at potlucks because it’s vegetarian and gluten free, and it can easily be made dairy free. And although it’s super healthy, it’s definitely not boring diet food. You get the sweet pop of the pomegranate, the toasty crunch of the chickpeas, the refreshing bite of the veg, the creaminess of the tzatziki, and a salty kick from the feta and olives. With so many satisfying textures, flavours, and colours in one bite, no one will miss the meat or bread.

Pulse power

A big pot of chili is the perfect batch-cooking project, as everything is prepared in one pan and leftovers become even more flavourful. Here, butternut squash forms the base of a sumptuous sauce, while plenty of beans and veggies pack each bowlful with big-time texture. You can make it vegan by swapping out the turkey for a couple blocks of crumbled tempeh.

Deep freeze

I ate so many instant noodle meals as a university student—back then I had no idea I could make my own wholesome version in minutes! Thin, dry rice vermicelli rehydrates quickly in hot water, so just place the noodles dry in a heatproof container and add a delicious miso paste and ginger soup base, plus raw veggies (you can use any veggie as long as it’s thinly sliced or grated). When you’re ready to eat, it’s just like the original—pour boiling hot water over, wait a few minutes, and then slurp down your warm instant noodle soup.

STAY READY

Small black beluga lentils, so called because of their resemblance to caviar, hold their shape well, making them perfect for salads. If you can’t find beluga lentils, use French Puy lentils, which have similar properties. With lentils, young spinach, spring peas, and herby dressing, this salad welcomes spring.

Combine pizza and taco night by firing up the grill. Sweet flame-licked onions, melty cheese, fiery salsa, hearty beans, and crispy flatbread crust all marry well in a no-fuss pizza that comes together fast enough to work within the confines of the weekday time crunch. Set up a work area near the grill so you have all your toppings within easy reach and ready to go. You can also use large Middle Eastern-style pitas for your base. 

When you crave a taste of chocolate, nothing else will do. This homemade chocolate is delicious on its own, but stir in a few healthy extras and you have a decadent snack that will leave you and your body feeling nourished and satisfied. 1 cup (250 mL) chopped cocoa butter 3 Tbsp (45 mL) maple syrup or coconut nectar 1/4 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out (optional) 2/3 cup + 2 Tbsp (190 mL) raw cocoa powder 2 Tbsp (30 mL) raw pumpkin seeds 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cacao nibs 2 Tbsp (30 mL) unsweetened coconut flakes 1/2 tsp (2 mL) Himalayan sea salt (optional) Line baking tray or individual loaf moulds with parchment paper, or have ready a selection of chocolate moulds. Place cocoa butter in medium heatproof bowl and set over saucepan filled about a quarter full with water. Position saucepan over medium-low heat and allow cocoa butter to melt slowly. Meanwhile, whisk together maple syrup or coconut nectar and vanilla seeds (if using). Once cocoa butter has melted, remove bowl from saucepan and sift cocoa powder over cocoa butter. Pour in syrup mixture and stir with spatula until well incorporated. Gently stir in pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, and salt (if using). Pour chocolate onto prepared baking tray and let it spread into a thin layer, or divide evenly among moulds. Place chocolate in freezer to firm up, about 10 minutes, before unmoulding and storing in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Makes about 22 servings. Each serving contains: 109 calories; 1 g protein; 11 g total fat (9 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 4 g total carbohydrates (2 g sugars, 1 g fibre); 54 mg sodium Raising the bar Use this recipe as a stepping stone to creating your own chocolate concoctions. Try adding chopped nuts, dried fruits, different seeds, and even some spices such as cinnamon or a pinch of ground chili to create a personalized chocolatey indulgence. source: "Smart Snacking", alive #387, January 2015

This drink is like a hug in a mug. While typically served chilled over ice, horchata may also be served warm, which makes it perfect to enjoy during cooler months.

This dish feels fancy but is a cinch to put together. A sweet sauce of frozen cherries with a splash of heart-healthy red wine brings a touch of luxury to a simply cooked lean pork tenderloin. Cherries, packed with vitamin C and polyphenols, have been shown to have effects on heart health, including reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and blood pressure levels.

Look for whole grain farro, which leaves the germ and bran intact, for this satisfying porridge that’s sure to kickstart your day. While the cooking time is longer than for pearled or semi-pearled varieties, you’ll get more nutrition. Take the time to enjoy the delicate scent of cardamom and ginger wafting through your kitchen as you prepare this.

Tender tofu and fresh-tasting mango sauce combine to make a nutritious, Japanese-style dessert with little effort. But don’t worry: your dessert will not taste beany. Silken soft tofu has a rather neutral flavour. The key here is to use blocks of very soft tofu as opposed to firm or extra-firm versions.

The Okinawan diet is comprised of 67 percent Okinawan sweet potatoes. These purple-fleshed sweet potatoes are rich in anthocyanins, powerful blue and purple pigments with antioxidant properties. The rich purple colour has inspired this fusion dish. It follows a classic gnocchi technique, but the purple colour and touch of miso give it an interesting twist paired with leafy spinach and shitakes.

Vitamin C-rich piquillo peppers do double duty in this dish. Their triangular shape makes them perfect for stuffing with a tasty tuna filling, and they also make for a scrumptious sauce when paired with hazelnuts and garlic. A small amount of honey helps to balance out the smoky flavour. When paired with a salad, this dish easily serves two as a main meal, but it will stretch to a few more as part of a tapas-style meal.

Quark is a very low fat, high protein cheese, and the process for making it is very simple. You can whip it up at home using just one ingredient: non-homogenized buttermilk.

What in the world is quark?

This recipe is one of our family favourites. The seared scallops satisfy our seafood cravings and add a touch of elegance to any dinner or gathering. Carrot purée is often made with browned butter, but the cashew butter in this recipe adds a toasted, nutty flavour, along with the benefits of healthy fats, fibre, and plant-based protein.

Macaccino is a delicious, energizing drink made from maca and raw cocoa powder. Maca root is an adaptogen plant from Peru, and has been shown to help improve energy, fertility, memory, and learning. Raw cocoa powder offers beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has recently been studied for its protective effect on heart health.

Did you know?

My sister-in-law introduced us to this authentic wild rice recipe years ago, and it quickly became one of our favourites. It combines the earthy, nutty flavours of wild rice with a fresh mix of vegetables and a savoury hit of back bacon. Higher in fibre and lower in calories than traditional rice grains, wild rice is also gluten free and antioxidant rich. This pilaf is delicious whether you serve it as a hot side dish or a cold side salad.

A cold tea featuring a weed may sound about as enticing as a grass clipping spritzer, but don’t fear. Honeydew melon, boiled to extract its sweetness, makes this tea as easy on the tongue as it is on the tummy. Plus, any leftover nettles can be boiled and eaten in place of spinach in just about any dish. Soothing herbs Members of the mint family fight bloating and indigestion, and once you use boiling water to take the bite out of stinging nettle, you’ll find this weed has a lot to offer. It’s been used to treat joint and muscle pain and is full of vitamin A and calcium. Watch out Be sure any plants you grow or harvest from the wild have been identified correctly and haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or exposed to pollutants such as car exhaust.

This Asian-inspired stir-fry takes full advantage of the crunch Brussels sprouts achieve when they’re heated quickly. The sweet-and-sour sauce delivers a tangy edge, and tempeh offers plant-based protein and a blast of umami. If you want meat in the dish, you can replace tempeh with ground pork.

This warming beverage is made with real apple juice heated with powdered ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Consumption of real apple juice has been linked with a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Ginger helps promote digestive and cardiovascular health, and is useful in the treatment of degenerative disorders, diabetes, and cancer. Cinnamon has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, while cardamom improves digestion. Tip: If you have whole spices on hand, you can swap powdered spices for a slice of fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 crushed cardamom pods.

I almost accidentally discovered how good cabbage is roasted. I’d been looking at broiled cabbage recipes online, but they were all for big wedges of cabbage (which seemed too time-consuming for an everyday recipe). Instead, I sliced my cabbage really thin, like a slaw, and roasted it spread thinly over a large baking sheet. Since that moment, it’s been on repeat in our house! The heat changes the cabbage into something much sweeter and full of umami, and the small pieces of lemon add a surprising, aromatic burst to every few bites. I started adding in cooked chickpeas or tofu to make it into a simple weekday meal (a combo that’s amazing wedged with avocado in a tortilla!). Since it’s so easy to make and tastes good cold, it’s great for bento too.

Green tea and citrus each offer several health benefits, and, when consumed together, they enhance each other’s positive effects. Start your day with a burst of antioxidants, protein, and vitamins in this refreshing smoothie bowl. It’s a delicious way to support your immune system first thing in the morning.