Crispy Chocolate Granola Raspberry Parfaits

Guess what’s coming back into vogue: jelly salads! They’ve taken a brisk uptick on upscale menus this past year but without the sweet and pickled flavours from days of yore. We’ve taken a bit of creative licence here and turned single-serve aspics into a Mexican Michelada Aspic. Tangy and refreshing, with just the right amount of kick, our aspic contains a whopping 17 g of protein! What are coconut aminos? A commercially prepared condiment at specialty grocery stores and natural health stores, coconut aminos contain far less sodium than soy sauce. This sauce is a healthy and flavourful substitute. If you choose to use soy sauce in place of coconut amino sauce for this recipe, add a generous pinch of brown sugar.

There are many variations of the roulade, which is basically a filled and rolled omelette. Our roulade encases whipped tofu and spinach, with the option of smoked salmon, and coupled with a delicious pico de gallo, it’s a lunchtime winner. Make-ahead tips To make ahead, prepare pico de gallo, drain and chop spinach, and whip up tofu. Store each in separate lidded containers and refrigerate overnight.

This strawberry-rhubarb cake is proof that gluten-free baking is much more forgiving than people give it credit for. Between my recipe testers and me, we’ve tried this cake a dozen different ways, including using (accidentally) a precooked roll of polenta instead of the dried sack. Somehow that cake still turned out delicious (though presumably involved a LOT of whisking . . .). To clarify, you are looking for medium-ground cornmeal, which is most frequently called polenta (avoid the “instant” kind). I love the combination of the gritty cornmeal with rich, nutty almond flour, but you can use a finer cornmeal, or substitute buckwheat, white rice, or oat flour for the almond flour. The cake is not too sweet, and the combination of strawberry and rhubarb adds a tart finish. Though I discourage eating cake on an empty stomach, my friend aptly called it an “everyday snacking cake.” CHANGE OF SEASON: Sub fresh blueberries, raspberries, thinly sliced peaches (2 small), thinly sliced Meyer lemons, or blood oranges for the strawberry-rhubarb combination.

Boiled green lentils tossed with crunchy carrots and a biting Dijon dressing is an iconic French side dish to eat alongside a piece of poached salmon or chicken. But it often looks like a stodgy brown mess. This recipe dresses up those drab legumes with all the colors of the spring rainbow: pink radishes, green sugar snaps, and garnet (or golden) roasted beets. The latter can be roasted a few days in advance to save time, and you can do the rest of the chopping and whisking while the lentils cook. The salad is finished with a little Italian flair—balsamic vinaigrette and torn basil. Garlicky walnuts add crunch, and if you’re angling for another carb companion, add shaved parmesan or ricotta salata. MAKE IT A MEAL: Bulk up this salad by tossing it with marinated kale or baby arugula, or serve it alongside chicken, fish, or grilled portobellos.