Every year, it seems, health advocates come out with new lists of superfoods: foods that are the darlings of optimal health and well-being. In our feature this month, we’ve compiled a holiday superfood menu where locally and seasonally grown is the focus. One of the challenges of hosting a dinner these days includes accommodating the various dietary needs, requests, and expectations of our guests. From vegan to carnivorous to those with food sensitivities and allergies—planning a festive dinner that meets everyone’s needs is no easy feat. Add in the locally produced element to give a lower carbon footprint a respectful seat at the table, and one almost needs a PhD in nutrition and farming to plan a menu. Not to mention a minor in psychology if discussions at the table about sustainable and ethical food choices take serious sides. In this feature, we’ve designed an easy-to-follow, yet spectacular, nutritious holiday feast that respects all boundaries while supporting locally produced options. From seasonal root salad to mixed holiday grill, from prairie lentils and wild rice to berries chock full of antioxidants, we hope you’ll enjoy this super festive feast!
Wild and Basmati Rice with Cranberries and Candied Hazelnuts
Savoury Lentils with Roasted Vegetables and Goat Cheese
Three-Way Mixed Holiday Grill
Mini Oat Milk Chocolate Mousse with Sweet Beetroot Chips
Canada’s superfood bounty
Canada produces an enormous variety of superfoods. We don’t have to look abroad to satisfy our nutritional requirements over the winter months.
| Superfood | Grown and cultivated |
| Beets | Across Canada |
| Blueberries, wild and cultivated | BC, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island |
| Brussel sprouts | across Canada, but primarily BC, Ontario, and Quebec |
| cranberries | grown wild in Atlantic Canada; cultivated in BC and Quebec |
| Dark leafy greens | across Canada |
| Farro (also known as emmer) | Saskatchewan |
| flaxseed | prairie provinces |
| garlic | Across Canada |
| Goji berries | BC, Ontario |
| Hempseed | Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario |
| Lentils | primarily Saskatchewan |
| Oats | prairie provinces, Ontario, Quebec |
| Raspberries–wild and cultivated | across Canada |
| Wild rice | Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan |
Irene McGuinness is a passionate food writer, editor, and food stylist living on a small farm outside of Vancouver. When not writing, she is nurturing animals and tending to her extensive garden. Her work appears in a variety of Canadian, US, and Australian magazines.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
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