Food

A splash of sherry and a little heat from chili peppers enliven delicate shrimp.

Small triangular-shaped piquillo peppers have a wonderfully smoky, sweet flavour. Native only to northern Spain, fresh ones are difficult to find. Yet bottled roasted ones are available at most gourmet delis or substitute with home-roasted red peppers (see below).

These are little bites to warm up your appetite. Although the recipe is small scale, buy a good-sized chunk of feta and double (or triple) the marinade. The cheese will keep well refrigerated up to two weeks. Use in salads or crumble over pizza and pasta. Save the flavourful oil to make dressings or drizzle over roasted vegetables.

Farro is a flavourful ancient grain with a mildly nutty flavour and pleasing chewy texture. This is a hearty dish and makes enough for four, but any leftovers probably won’t be around for long.

The colours of pomegranate seeds and citrus fruits match Lunar New Year traditions, and both are in season right now. This simple yet flavourful dessert is a great palate cleanser to end your New Year’s feast!

Kung Pao is a classic dish from Sichuan province in southwestern China. Tofu is another protein option, but it is usually not served at Lunar New Year feasts because of its white colour.

These cookies have a perfect mix of sweetness and crunchiness. Almond butter raises the fat numbers, but most of this comes from beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids.

The rich flavour of rainbow trout takes perfectly to the maple glaze. Try it with arctic char as well.

Originally consumed as part of New Year’s celebrations marking the arrival of the spring season, spring rolls are now one of the most popular snack foods in the world. This healthy version uses plenty of colourful and delicious vegetables and is baked rather than deep-fried.

A member of the endive family, escarole is a highly nutritious green with a slight peppery bite that is complemented beautifully by the sweet dressing.

Mixed with yogourt and berries, this homemade, maple-infused granola makes for a knockout breakfast.

Using pumpkin purée in place of much of the oil makes this deeply spiced loaf deliciously lower in fat.

Almost any dried fruit works well for this decadent treat.

Make this salad on a lazy Sunday afternoon and bring to work for weekday lunches. Dried blueberries or golden berries can replace the goji berries.

Rich in heart-healthy fats, hazelnut meal is available at health food stores—or make your own by grinding up hazelnuts in a food processor or spice grinder. Almond flour would be a good substitution. The sauce can be made the night before and thinned with more maple syrup if needed. Use any extra sauce in yogourt or over fish.

The creamy addition of coconut milk enhances the sweet flavour of the beets, while the synergistic blend of ingredients provides a nutrient-dense bowl full of fibre, vitamins, and phytochemicals.

The delightful golden colour and delicate texture of this soup soothes with its sweet yet savoury flavour—and it takes less than an hour to cook.

This blend of Asian and North American ingredients satisfies taste buds with a mosaic of curry and barbecue flavours. Wholesome and satisfying, this stew tastes great over rice.

The mixture of carrots and coconut produces a delightful texture and taste that is enhanced by the flavour and nutrition of cashews.

Boost your immune system with our healthy chicken noodle soup. The chunky vegetables, quality protein, and noodles create a fun meal that sustains energy levels while nourishing hunger.

The sunny flavours of the Mediterranean are guaranteed to brighten a dark winter’s day.

If packaged pressed tofu is unavailable, make your own. Place firm tofu on a plate, putting another plate on top of the tofu. Place a heavy, stable object (such as a can of food) on top of the upper plate. Let sit for 15 minutes so excess liquid in the tofu is “pressed” out onto the bottom plate.

Spicy jerk seasoning is a mainstay of Jamaican cooking. While there is no definitive recipe, you will usually find Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, onion, thyme, and garlic as the flavour base. Scotch bonnet peppers carry a lot of heat and should be handled with plastic gloves when slicing them, although in this recipe they go right in the blender so gloves are not necessary.

1 1/2 lbs (750 g) small Brussels sprouts, washed well and trimmed