Food

This dish is based on Japanese ochazuke—cooked rice served in green tea, water, or broth. A few extra additions make it a satisfying and filling meal

Cooking with autumn’s bounty of apples—whether you make a big batch of applesauce or a bumper crop of apple pies—can result in a lot of peels and cores destined for the compost. Knowing how to make apple cider vinegar at home is an easy way to repurpose the scraps! Because the amount of acidity in homemade vinegar is inconsistent, it should not be used for other canning projects, but it’s delicious anywhere else you’d use apple cider vinegar. (Try it in the Broiled Scallops with Apple Gastrique recipe.) *If you don’t have a 1/2 gallon (1.9 L) jar, use a food-safe bucket and a plate to weigh down the apple scraps.

• Preserving technique: Ferment
• Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 qt (1.4 to 1.9 L)
• Time to make: 10 minutes
• Time to wait before eating: 4 to 6 weeks
• When to eat: Within 1 to 2 years

You might want to make a couple extra of these. As sweet potatoes cook, their sugars caramelize and ooze through the skins, combining with the smokiness of the fire for a completely addictive side dish.

This easy-to-prepare meal is a valuable addition to any busy cook’s culinary repertoire. The added bonus—it’s chock full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant-rich veggies!

This colourful recipe makes a great lunch or cozy light dinner. Try to choose two sweet potatoes that are roughly the same size. This will ensure they cook at the same rate and will be ready to eat at the same time.

This deeply spiced take on chili con carne awakens taste buds with its punchy flavors. It’s made with highly digestible cooked vegetables and vegan proteins, along with a unique spice blend for warmth and nourishment.

Asparagus is high in folate and prebiotics (food for probiotics), replacing grains in this verdant take on risotto. Tip: To make this a more substantial meal, serve over cooked grains such as quinoa or millet, or pair with a protein.

North America has been cooking turkey for centuries. Here’s another recipe that produces tender, juicy results. Take care to ensure paper bag doesn’t touch any of the oven elements.

Blessed with sweet, buttery flavour, butternut squash is a stellar addition to your winter lineup of smoothie ingredients, although this drink would also work with cooked sweet potato or pumpkin purée. Kefir adds tang along with a healthy population of probiotic bacteria for better digestive and immune health. You want to use the kefir that has a milk-like consistency as opposed to the thicker yogurt-like versions.

This beautiful “new” Niçoise salad has it all—instant attraction with colour, flavour, and buttery smoked salmon. Serve it with “jammy” cooked organic eggs, pickled red onion, and a lively dressing. You’ll wow even the most finicky of eaters.

Panzanella is an Italian bread salad that’s typically made with summer tomatoes. Mom’s version is simplified with a spring green update.

This is a bit of a take on a popular dish in a local restaurant. A crispy coating on flattened chicken takes mere minutes to cook and is delicious grilled or pan-fried. Served on a bed of roasted garlicky tomato salad with arugula and a smattering of fried capers, it’s perfect for any gathering.

This fresh and satisfying salad has many variations, making it amazingly versatile. No couscous? Substitute with cooked orzo pasta or rice and ground cumin. No walnuts? Scatter sliced toasted almonds or pine nuts over top. Shy on mint? Or cilantro? Add basil and dill.  

Roasting brings out the natural flavours of veggies in this vegan entertaining platter. Switch up beans and herbs to transform this dish into something new. Turn this platter into pizza: spread cooked flatbreads with hummus, chop vegetables to add on top, slice, and serve.

Simple techniques elevate broccoli and cauliflower in this delicious side dish. Smooth white cauliflower purée and chickpea flour make gluten-and dairy-free yet memorably crisp fritters. Briefly cooked broccoli is smoothly puréed into a bright green sauce with lots of mellowed garlic.

This recipe captures all the bright and fresh appeal of a salad in a pretty, portable bite. If you’d like to keep this appetizer vegetarian, simply forgo the salmon and stir in 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cooked chickpeas or white beans. Pair with Pear and Thyme Fizz!

Collard greens pack a powerhouse of nutrition into a recipe with few calories. As a member of the valuable cruciferous family (which includes kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and rutabagas), 1 cup (250 mL) cooked collards provides a whopping 308 percent of your daily vitamin A needs.

The key to this simple recipe is using incredibly fresh fish so that wine, salt, and lemon enhance its flavour. While you could just cook the fish directly in the skillet or pot, sealing it in parchment paper steams the fish more gently and evenly, making it harder to overcook.

The net effect of stuffing a quesadilla with rich-tasting salmon, fiery kimchi, sweet pineapple, and a creamy avocado spread? Wow. Here, the half-moon quesadilla method better keeps all the contents from spilling out in the absence of cheese. 1 ripe avocado Juice of 1 lime 1/2 lb (227 g) cooked wild salmon, thinly sliced 1 cup (250 mL) chopped pineapple 1 cup (250 mL) chopped kimchi 2 green onions, thinly sliced 4 - 8 in (20 cm) organic whole wheat or gluten-free tortillas In small bowl, mash together avocado and lime juice. Heat skillet over medium heat. Spread one-quarter of avocado on tortilla, leaving a 1/2 in (1.25 cm) border. Place one-quarter of salmon, pineapple, kimchi, and green onions on bottom third of tortilla and then fold tortilla over from top to enclose toppings. Heat quesadilla for 1 1/2 minutes, or until bottom of tortilla is darkened and crispy. Carefully flip and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings. Serves 4. Each serving contains: 393 calories; 19 g protein; 17 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 39 g total carbohydrates (7 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 381 mg sodium Choose salmon wisely Check that the salmon you are about to purchase is sustainably caught or farmed (in land-based closed-containment). If in doubt, check Ocean Wise’s Seafood Items Listing under Salmon for confirmation. oceanwise.ca/seafood source: "Dinner Worthy Quesadillas", alive #391, May 2015

This make-ahead version of chicken soup is just what the doctor ordered. The dried spices and noodles make for the perfect Mason jar care package for a sick friend in need. Feel free to swap in or out any dried spices you’d like. Add a gift tag with instructions for the giftee to simmer the contents of the jar in 3 cups (750 mL) boiling water until noodles are soft, and you’ll be all set. To make the soup more substantial and satisfying, you can suggest adding diced chicken or vegetables to the broth and a dash of lemon juice. Otherwise, they can just enjoy the slurpable noodles in their stomach-soothing broth.   Pass da pasta   This recipe calls for egg noodles because they cook quickly without leaching too much starch into the broth, which would end up muting the broth’s flavour. You can also use quick-cooking ramen or buckwheat soba, or any spiral-shaped pasta, which look best in the gifted Mason jar.   Lemon aid   Dried lemon peel adds flavour without adding sodium. If you know your giftee will make the soup right away, add a few strips of freshly peeled lemon zest instead. Or give them a lemon along with the Mason jar, so they can add some zest and fresh juice themselves (and save the rest of the lemon for tea with ginger and honey).   Look for bouillon powder without MSG or other preservatives. Better yet, look for powdered bone broth, which will give the purest chicken flavour along with collagen, amino acids, healthy fat, and an array of minerals, just like a homemade chicken broth.  

Though traditionally made with heavy cream, milk, flour, and butter, this lightened-up chowder packs in the produce.

All of the goodness of an antipasti platter in one elegant, hand-held appetizer. Precooked polenta logs are widely available in health food stores, providing a simple, satisfying, and naturally gluten-free crostini base that’s sure to impress.

Halibut is a sumptuous oily fish. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, powerful anti-inflammatory fats that benefit our health in so many ways. Any other white fish, preferably of a wild Canadian variety, can be substituted.