Food

This vibrant soup is a soul-soothing hug in a bowl. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that promote health and proper brain function. Apple swap Try swapping out the apples in this recipe for pears. Just like the apples, the subtle sweetness of pears helps balance out the earthiness of the cabbage.

Deep green fruits and vegetables are high on the list of health-promoting foods. Green foods have been shown to contain high amounts of antioxidants and nutrients that promote good cardiovascular health and can inhibit certain carcinogens. Serve this frittata alongside a leafy green salad for an unbeatable green culinary experience. Versatile leftovers Any leftover frittata makes a wonderful filling for a sandwich along with other thinly sliced vegetables you have on hand and a smear of hummus.

This creamy dip will be your go-to for dunking vegetables or for spooning over roast chicken or root vegetables as a sauce. Compounds found in fennel have been shown to stimulate the production of T-cells in our body, which, in turn, may help improve our immune response to infections. If white is right If you would like to stay on the white theme, try serving this dip with an array of white vegetables such as endive leaves, jicama sticks, daikon rounds, steamed nugget potatoes, and cauliflower florets.

The stars of this delicious curry dish are yellow and orange fruits and vegetables, which are high in a form of carotenoids called xanthophylls. These compounds have more of a yellow pigment as opposed to their orangier cousins, the carotenes. While a powerful antioxidant, xanthophylls are mostly associated with maintaining good eye health. Mix and match This curry is easily adaptable to whichever vegetables you have on hand. Experiment to find your favourite combination.

Here, the breakfast favourite, granola, serves as a crunchy topping for this salad featuring seasonal delights, including sweet butternut and apple. The maple-date dressing is sure to be kid-approved. You can add cooked lentils to move it from side dish to complete plant-based meal. If desired, swap out butternut for pumpkin or sweet potato and add a creamy touch with feta or soft goat cheese.  Date night Soft and oh-so sweet, Medjool dates are a great way to add natural sweetness to everything from baked goods to DIY energy bars and dressings. You’ll also benefit from their fibre and nutrients, including vitamin B6 and potassium, which aren’t found in refined sugar.

What better way to celebrate healthy eating than with cake? Thanks to a healthy dose of orange fruits and vegetables, this cake is chock full of carotenoids, a compound that converts to vitamin A in the body and is essential for proper immune health and good eye health.  Nibble-size it! Can’t wait to eat cake? Skip the frosting and roll the cake base into balls to create nibble-sized cake bites.

Red vegetables and fruits are rich in lycopene. This plant nutrient is a potent antioxidant that also happens to provide foods such as tomatoes, watermelon, red peppers, and grapefruit with their characteristic colours. Lycopene has been linked to a range of health benefits including promoting optimal heart health and potentially preventing or slowing down certain types of cancers. Time saver You can cut your prep time for this recipe by using jarred fire-roasted red peppers instead of making your own and 3 cups (750 mL) jarred marinara sauce.

We took classic cheesy nachos and gave them a breakfast vibe with scrambled eggs and then took them to the next level with satisfying add-ins including beans and creamy avocado. This is a perfect dinner to share around the table where a bit of mess is to be celebrated. You can also serve it with your favourite salsa. Low and slow The key to perfectly custardy scrambled eggs is to start them in a barely warm pan and then gently cook over lower heat. Being too aggressive with the heat and cooking speed is what results in rubbery eggs.

Bake up omelettes inside bell peppers for a healthy, tasty, and quick end-of-day meal. If you’re cooking for a smaller crowd, this recipe is easily halved. Finish everything off with a scattering of chives and/or hot sauce. If steering clear of dairy, you can stir in nondairy milk and shredded vegan cheese.  Free roaming Research from Pennsylvania State University found that eggs from hens who are free to forage in the great outdoors are richer in important nutrients including omega-3 fats, vitamin E, and vitamin A.

These stuffed bite-sized pancakes will have the little ones jumping for joy and adults feeling like a kid again. The mini pancakes can be made up to three days in advance, allowing for quick assembly when hunger calls.  Oat flour Made by grinding up rolled oats into fine powder, oat flour is a wonderful whole-grain option for pancakes, waffles, and baked goods such as muffins. If following a strict gluten-free diet, be sure to use a brand that explicitly states that it is gluten free.

As indulgent as it sounds, this dip is loaded with nutrient-rich functional foods that help support a healthy immune system. Black beans are a great source of protein and fibre, while raw cocoa powder contains compounds that have been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on our bodies.  Think beyond the bowl and use this dip as a spread on toast or stirred into yogurt and topped with bananas for a sweet-tooth-satisfying yet healthy dessert.

Dippable finger foods always go down a treat with kids, and these fish sticks are no exception. Salmon is a nutritional powerhouse that, among other benefits, is a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, both of which you must get from your diet. To complete this meal, try serving the fish sticks and zesty yogurt sauce alongside roasted sweet potato wedges or celery and carrot sticks. This coating would also be delicious used on strips of chicken instead of fish. Use recipe as directed, but take note that the baking time may be longer.

Gearing up for a family movie night at home? Don’t let cravings get the best of you. Instead, sit down with a bowl of this ultra-satisfying sweet-crunchy snack mix. Crispy chickpeas are coated with cocoa-cinnamon, making them an irresistible find at the bottom of the bowl. There is enough protein and fibre here to make this a satiating any-time-of-day snack option.  Crispy chickpeas, please The key to crispy oven-baked chickpeas is having them as dry as possible before coating them in oil and then sliding into the oven. Heating them first in the microwave is the ultimate hack to make them perfectly parched.

The sunny side of these mini-sized egg cakes? They offer up a savoury way to work more protein and vegetables into snack time. Serve at room temperature or warm in the microwave. When grated, sweet potato cooks in a flash to quickly infuse these baby frittatas with lofty amounts of immune-enhancing beta carotene.  To avoid a sticky situation … You’ll have to use a well-greased muffin pan when working with eggs. Or better yet, try a silicone pan that is naturally nonstick and pliable, allowing for easy extraction of egg cakes or a batch of muffins.

These tasty tostadas make a great meal any time of the day. Sweet potatoes contain a good amount of fibre and antioxidants that have been shown to contribute to a healthy gut. Lentils are a great source of polyphenols, which have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Feel free to jazz up your tostada with a fried egg or some scrambled tofu for an extra boost of protein.

This two-tone shake is a fun and nutritious pick-me-up any time of day. Spinach is a functional food hero thanks to its diverse nutritional composition that promotes health beyond basic nutrition. Beetroot not only provides an eye-popping colour but also lends a good source of fibre to this drink, which, in turn, contributes to a healthy digestive tract. For an eye-popping breakfast or dessert, try turning this smoothie into a fun smoothie bowl. Simply reduce the amount of coconut milk, making each mixture a thicker and creamier consistency, and swirl smoothies into bowl before garnishing with any fun toppings you have on hand.

Sweet baby peppers serve as a nutritious delivery method for this pesto-like dip. You can also spread the dip into celery crevices. Soft tofu is a dairy-free way to give the dip a creamy texture. The peppers can be stuffed up to a day in advance and kept chilled.

Here, the perennial kid-favoured mac and cheese gets a plant-based makeover. One of the key ingredients in this recipe is cauliflower. This standout superfood is all the rage at the moment, and for good reason. Cauliflower is rich in glucosinolates, sulphur-containing compounds with potent antioxidant properties. This vegan cheeze sauce would also be great served warm alongside vegetables and cubes of bread as a fondue meal.

These breakfast pops are the perfect way to start a summer day. The surprise addition of homemade granola embedded in the pop takes this from a snack-time treat to a filling breakfast to fuel the day ahead. Incorporating fermented foods, such as yogurt, into our diet helps to enhance the body’s absorption of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Customize these breakfast pops with whatever combination of fruit you have on hand.

This riff on everyone’s favourite childhood sandwich is a delicious snack on a sultry summer day. It’s like ice cream but with fewer calories and a more advantageous nutrition profile. And there’s no ice cream maker required!  Easy freeze To freeze bananas for “nice cream” or smoothies, peel and chop ripe fruit into 1 in (2.5 cm) chunks. Spread out on baking sheet and place in freezer until solid, 2 or more hours. Transfer to airtight container for storage in freezer.

Make no mistake, meaty grilled tofu, sweet flame-licked salsa, and chunks of crispy sweet potato make for a meal prepared in the great outdoors that puts the yum in plant-based eating.  A master’s touch Perfect spuds: Crispy potatoes on the grill are a revelation. But it’s best to give them a head start on the stovetop, so the potatoes heat through before the exteriors grill to a burnt crisp. Flavourful tofu: Giving tofu a 90-degree turn on the grill halfway through cooking each side will produce a nice crosshatch pattern that makes you look like a grill master. Plus, those overlapping grill marks give tofu even better flavour.

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.  Using store-bought pizza dough? If you want to go more traditional and use pizza dough, you can certainly stick with the grill. Stretch or roll pizza dough (about 1 lb/450 g) to roughly 1/2 in (1.25 cm) thick. It need not be perfectly round or square; it just has to be even thickness. Preheat grill to medium using indirect heat (for a gas grill, leave one burner off; for a charcoal grill, shovel coals onto one side of the grill) and lightly oil grill grates.  Brush one side of dough with oil, then place on grill in an area not directly over the heat, oil side down. Once dough is lightly charred and just barely set, about 1 to 2 minutes, use pizza peel or big, flat spatula to transfer it to a work surface, grilled side up. Apply toppings and return pizza to indirect heat. Close grill lid, and heat until edges of crust are crispy and cheese has melted, 5 to 7 minutes.

If a falafel and burger had a love child, this would be it. The result of this hybrid is a vibrantly coloured, complex-flavoured veggie burger you’ll flip over. You can also serve them between toasted hamburger buns with toppings such as sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, and arugula.  Holding it together Many plant-based burgers are crumbly and weak, risking a patty that ends up between the grill grates instead of intact on your plate. Keep your burgers together by forming patties no larger than 1 in (2.5 cm) thick, which ensures a nice, even crust on the outside and a thoroughly warmed-through centre, then chilling the patties before grilling. You can also consider using a burger mould, which gives you denser, equally sized patties that cook evenly. Be sure your grill grates are well greased.  Deep freeze You can freeze uncooked falafel burgers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet or plate and then transfer frozen patties to an airtight container. When ready, just thaw and cook as instructed. Falafel cooking options To bake: Arrange falafel on parchment-lined baking sheet and brush lightly with oil; bake at 375 F (190 C) for 25 minutes, or until crispy on the outside and heated through. To pan fry: Heat large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 Tbsp oil (15 mL) for each 2 burgers in the pan, swirl to coat pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until underside is browned. Then flip carefully and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Bet you’ve never considered making breakfast or Sunday brunch on the grill. Consider cooking your egg-soaked bread over flames as a way to coax even more flavour out of brag-worthy French toast. You can also use slices of brioche bread and whatever fruit happens to be in season. Of course, nobody could fault you for topping it all off with a drizzle of maple syrup. If you want it dairy free, you can use dairy alternatives such as oat milk and coconut yogurt. Not so fresh Somewhat stale bread is key to great French toast. You want it to be 2 to 3 days old. What if your bread isn’t aged enough? You can speed up the process by slicing bread and then placing it on a pan in 350 F (180 C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until it firms up. Make sure it’s sliced nice and thick to prevent the egg mixture-to-bread ratio being too heavy in favour of egg, resulting in soggy French toast.