Food

Forget boiling a pot of water. Strips of thinly shaved cucumber are a refreshing, no-cook base for a lean, green pasta salad alternative. Salty halloumi (or you could use feta), creamy avocado, and a vibrant miso-lemon dressing add heft and assertive flavour to this summery side dish.

This refreshing vegan ceviche will appeal to all eaters. Light, clean, and fresh—a tropical delight.

Tip

Most people drown their quinoa in too much water or stock when cooking. Check out the best way to retain the nuttiness of the grain following the method below. Add a few grilled ingredients, nuts and fresh herbs, and it’s a powerhouse dish that covers all the bases for a healthy cancer-fighting meal.

Forget the heavy, stick-to-your-ribs stews of winter: This zesty and bright spring stew will leave you feeling light and revitalized.

No grain, no gain

Make this hearty, healthy vegetable soup for an extra dose of greens. It comes together quickly—so as to not let any of the ingredients get too mushy or lose their vibrant green color. Add a little more texture and substance to it by stirring in cooked rice, quinoa, or chickpeas or serve with some crusty bread on the side.

Any of these quick dips would be great on their own. But if you put them together, you have something that’s way more than the sum of its parts. Lentils are a fabulous source of vegan protein. Just 1 cup of cooked lentils has a whopping 18 g of protein. Get ready, set, dip!

For lovers of sushi, this is a great way to enjoy your favourite Japanese flavours at home. Sushi-grade seafood can be found frozen in Asian grocery stores.

Tip

When cooking with kids, simple is best. And nothing is simpler than letting a food processor do the work. Buzz up pizza dough in seconds and set aside to rise. Then roll and pre-bake. Let the little ones choose and apply their toppings, and then pop their little pizzas back into the oven to heat. Easy-peasy.

This gloriously comforting dish gets its creamy lusciousness from a can of white beans. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand instead of broccoli.

A vegan take on “meat” and potatoes, this meal transforms the familiar into something fresh and spring-like. As it’s not quite barbecue season, the tempeh is cooked in the oven, developing a lovely, sticky crust.

Go for gold … or don’t

This stuffed eggplant is built upon layers of Middle Eastern flavours: smoky freekeh, tender chickpeas, and a herbal tahini sauce. The quick-pickled raisins add a sweet vinegary pop. 

This dish provides an endless supply of nutrients. For eyes, nose and taste buds, it’s mild enough with just a hint of smoky flavour, yet soothing to the stomach because it’s minus the spicy and typically fatty chorizo and crushed red capsicums. Add some cooked and julienned organic chicken or a few prawns if you have a craving for an extra boost of protein.

Moroccan cuisine is known for its heavy-handed application of spices, making the dishes of North Africa ideal inspirations for healthy home cooking. This carrot salad is influenced by the Moroccan spice route and is a textural winner.

Sweeter still

Grab a spoon (yes, a spoon!) and dig into this vibrant and refreshing smoothie bowl. It’s your answer to the 10-minute breakfast and getting in a veggie serving before noon. You can blend in either a raw or cooked beet, with the latter being a better option if you’re using a blender without much horsepower. Granola or muesli is another topping option.   

Naturally “cuppy” lettuce such as Bibb, Boston, and butter varieties are natural holders for a rich, spiced filling. Here, ground tofu stands in for traditional chicken or beef, creating a lighter, brighter plant-based dish.

Tip

Make dinner a DIY taco bar so all your time goes into prepping, not serving! Omega-3 rich salmon cooks up quickly. And since the oven is already on, make use of the heat to roast tomatoes for salsa (no chopping!). Use rocket or baby spinach instead of shredded iceberg lettuce to fill tacos—more nutrients and less prep!

With its heart-healthy benefits, the Mediterranean diet has long been touted as a smart and enjoyable way to eat. A typical meal is primarily made from vegetables, pulses (such as beans), whole grains and either lean meat or fish with a liberal dose of olive oil. The cooking moves quickly in this dish so it’s best to prep all ingredients before starting.

Skip the fluorescent stir-fry sauces of takeout joints. Instead, create your own with orange juice, sesame oil, and just a touch of gluten-free arrowroot starch to make it sticky, just like the restaurants—without the additives or preservatives. Serve this stir-fry on top of raw zucchini noodles or quick-cooking brown rice vermicelli.

Skip the drive-thru and turn to everyday pantry ingredients to make your very own plant-based, fast food-inspired burger. Vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike will find something to love at first bite, no matter how you top your patty. Swap the lab coat for an apron and cook up a batch of these crowd-pleasers tonight.

Savory, smoky BBQ sauce has a slew of uses in plant-based cooking. Spread it on sandwiches instead of ketchup or slather it on your favorite plants toward the end of grilling. Most BBQ sauces start with a base of ketchup, but we’re not crazy about the corn syrup in ketchup. We use tomato paste as a base and build up the flavors from there.

The chameleon of the kitchen, cauliflower transforms into “rice” that, once seasoned and cooked, is remarkably similar to the real thing. It’s a blood sugar-friendly base for this quick yet flavourful Asian-inspired stir-fry. Grate expectations No food processor? Use the largest holes on a box cheese grater to grate each cauliflower floret into small pebble-sized pieces.

Early summer spinach and strawberries along with tangy goat cheese work beautifully in a salad, so why not in a quesadilla? These are excellent as an alternative to a sandwich for lunch. You could even add some sliced cooked chicken to bolster protein levels.

Inspired by the exotic, warm flavours of Thai cuisine, this antioxidant-rich soup features curry paste, which is a much more complex spice mix than curry powder.

Warming spices and chocolate transform this tomato soup into a memorable meal.