Food

This Mexican-Mediterranean hybrid dish gleans its tempered kick from parched ancho chilies, the dried form of poblano peppers known for their smoky quality and sweet to moderate heat. It’s a fantastic saucy, and comforting, appetizer or meal on its own. Serve with crusty bread to sop up every last bit of the red sauce, or spoon over cooked grain. Chili choices Experiment with different dried Mexican chili peppers in your dishes. Instead of ancho, other options, each with different heat levels and flavour nuances, include pasilla, guajillo, or morita. Look for them in Latin markets and some supermarkets. For leftover lovers Because the flavours in this dish only deepen with resting time, it’s a definite candidate for serving as leftovers; simply reheat in the oven or microwave. Cheezy choices If possible, compare labels and look for lower-sodium feta options. A ball of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini are great alternatives, or try a block of medium-firm tofu and substitute agave syrup in place of the honey for a vegan-friendly dish.

A good option for both backyard barbecues and healthy snacking, this creamy dip benefits from a little spicy crunch, courtesy of quick-pickled peppers. If you want your dip to have a smoky edge, blend in a chipotle-flavoured salsa. Or forgo the salsa and, instead, blend in a couple tablespoons of tomato paste and a single canned chipotle chili pepper. Extras of the pickled peppers are an exciting topping for burgers, sandwiches, and tacos. TIP : When using prepared chili pepper products such as bottled salsas, examine the ingredient list for items you really don’t want or need, namely sugar and high amounts of sodium.

This brightly coloured soup for chili lovers is the perfect way to welcome back warmer weather. Looking for a little less heat? Substituting serrano pepper with jalapeno will make a slightly less spicy soup. Garnish options include pea shoots, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, sliced roasted almonds, chives, or a swirl of sour cream. Blend master If you find yourself making many batches of puréed soups, consider investing in an immersion blender. This handy tool lets you blend soups in the pot they’re made in to help streamline prep.

Treat yourself to a steak dinner, using tofu instead of meat. The tangy chili-spiked marinade does double-duty as a finishing sauce and transforms otherwise bland tofu into a dish that’ll sound your taste buds’ fire alarm. Bird’s eye pepper would be a good substitute for habanero if needed. Dousing the fire If you find yourself with a mouth on fire after taking a bite of a chili-infused dish, don’t try to douse it with water. Instead, reach for a glass of milk. The protein casein in dairy is known to help subdue the flame. Water won’t help nearly as much.

Ice cream cakes and/or cookies are everyone’s favourite. And here’s a great option for a delicious “Dad’s” cookie cake that’s gluten free! A simple-to-make cookie cake that’s made even easier when the dough is tossed together in a food processor. End a delicious Dad’s Day meal with this deliciously cool and creamy sweet dessert. Best beer? Extra yum when served with small glasses of chocolate-flavoured stout or porter. When Dad loves his cookies We made this delicious dessert into a cake, but it can easily be made into individual ice cream cookies. Roll out dough into 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness and cut into 2 inch (5 cm) rounds. Bake, cool, and chill. Once chilled, spoon ice cream in between chilled cookies. Freeze until firm. Drizzle with melted chocolate or dip into melted chocolate.

Coffee-flavoured BBQ sauce? Why not? It’s a strikingly flavourful combo—sweet, tangy, bold, and rich. It can be used not only on pork but on a variety of other meats. We marinated tenderloin in it and doubled up on the smoky flavour by grilling it on a cedar plank. Serve with a side order of grilled broccolini for extra yum. Best beer? You can’t go wrong with an IPA or a honey lager to complement this flavourful dish. Looking for an easy way to grill broccolini? Toss with a little oil and season with salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Near the end of grilling, place broccolini beside plank with tenderloin on hot grill for about 6 or 7 minutes. Using tongs, turn a few times until tender and lightly charred. Place on platter with sliced pork and drizzle with lemon juice and some shaved Parmesan.

If there’s a vegan or vegetarian in the crowd, then this dish will be sure to please. Chock full of complementary textures and flavours, it not only qualifies as eye candy, but is also a substantial stand-alone meal—a stunning meal in a dish! Best beer? Serve this salad with an IPA or pale ale. For a more adventurous sip, it’s equally delicious with a Belgian pale or dark ale. Endlessly customizable When it comes to this powerhouse salad, the sky’s the limit. Swap out apples with orange wedges, or mix up your greens by substituting spinach for endive. Bump up the protein with some canned chickpeas or black beans, if you wish. Or cut up some corn tortillas into bite-sized strips, fry in pan until crisp, then toss over salad for added crunch.

Early summer potatoes, cooked and grilled, are just the ticket for this fabulous salad. Coupled with lentils, they’re a delicious add-on to any meal plan. This recipe offers an added bonus: it can be made in stages, so you’re not cooking all afternoon. Best beer? You can’t go wrong serving this dreamy salad with a simple and uncomplicated pale ale. Variety is the spice of potato-salad life Potato salad lends itself to any number of variations, and this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Try swapping out microgreens for baby spinach leaves. Another interesting slant: crisp up (optional) prosciutto on the grill before breaking into bite-sized pieces and scattering over the salad.

Cedar-plank grilling is an exceptional way to cook fish without fear of overcooking. Hints of wood smoke penetrate the flesh to add depth while retaining moisture. Cod is commonly available already smoked in many stores, but it can often taste oversalted and dry. Our version suggests using fresh cod from Iceland; grilling on soaked cedar provides smoky overtones while keeping it moist and tasty. Delicious with a new-potato salad and grilled veggies. Best beer? With the smoky chipotle and orange glaze, this dish is delicious paired with a fresh honey lager or crisp pilsner. Shake up your cedar plank Cedar-plank grilling can provide variety by soaking planks in liquids other than water. Options such as beer, cider, wine, or sake infuse subtle and intriguing hints of flavour to whatever you’re grilling.

Typical of Vietnamese fare, bánh mi is a familiar Saigon submarine-type sandwich often sold by street vendors. It’s a soft bun loaded with pickled veggies and shaved cucumber piled high onto grilled meat. We jazzed up our version with spicy kimchi and plenty of fresh crisp cucumber to balance it out. Best beer? Put your buds on fire with this fusion sandwich and then chill them out with a cool IPA. Vegetarian option For a vegetarian burger, substitute grilled tempeh patties for the ground beef and opt for vegan mayonnaise.

Made from chickpea flour, chickpea pasta has a similar taste and al dente texture to regular pasta, but with a lot more dietary fibre and protein. That makes it a healthy base for this colourful vegetable-forward pasta salad with tasting notes of the sunny Mediterranean. Hummus serves as a surprising backbone to a creamy dressing. Stir it up When preparing chickpea pasta, stir it a couple of times during the first minute of cooking and then start taste-testing the noodles a couple of minutes before you hit the recommended boiling time on the package. They can turn mushy quickly. And expect a lot of foam, so skim it off with a spoon, as needed, during cooking.

The idea is pretty simple: start with adding a dressing to a jar and then layer on various ingredients such as crisp veggies, buttery fish, and greens. Bingo … salad in a jar that’s ready to go when you are, with not a limp green in sight. Perfect for weekday lunches and healthy quick dinners. Wild salmon or Arctic char are good stand-ins for rainbow trout. Lentil love When preparing lentils for a particular dish, consider adding extra to the pot of simmering water. Cooked lentils freeze well and can be used as an easy plant-based protein addition to future salads.

Inspired by its creamy Italian cousin, this vegetarian take on panna cotta swaps out the cream and gelatin for coconut milk and agar agar. Odourless and tasteless, agar-agar is a plant-based thickener derived from seaweed. It’s also a wonderful source of iron, fibre, and magnesium. If you plan on transporting these desserts, pour panna cotta into small jam jars. Once set, screw lids on top and place garnish in separate container. Once you reach your destination, simply garnish and serve.

This happy jumble of vegetables is not only beautiful to look at but also scrumptious. Try to use a rainbow of different colours for the most striking salad presentation. Feel free to replace the dried apricots in the dressing with another dried fruit you may have on hand. Dried cranberries, dried cherries, or golden raisins are all delicious alternatives.

In ancient China, black rice was called “forbidden rice” because only nobles were allowed to eat it. Luckily, today we mere mortals can harness its salad-perfect, slightly sweet, and nutty taste. Bright and fresh, this salad isn’t only flavourful with a winning mix of textures; it’s packed with nutrients, too. Mango tango If possible, use Ataulfo mango for this salad. Its honeylike flavour and custardy texture can’t be beaten. You’re looking for a bit of softness when pressed to indicate ripeness.

Salmon and spinach are the nutritional stars of this dish. Salmon provides an impressive array of nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and B vitamins. These help reduce inflammation and aid in bone and muscle health, as well as promote proper heart and brain function. Spinach is a great source of insoluble fibre and, thanks to a plant compound called lutein, may help boost your eye health. Salmon parcels may be prepared up to the point just before baking and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 6 hours.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s greater than the sum of its parts. It just goes to show that thoughtful and (dare I suggest) fancy fare doesn’t need to be complicated. The pea pesto garnish will make more than you need, but it’s a delicious accompaniment to almost any meal and keeps well for up to a week when refrigerated in an airtight container. Make this soup into a main meal by treating it as a blank canvas for additional garnishes. With a little fridge foraging, you can easily pull together a variety of ingredients that will take this from appetizer to main course.

Nothing against romaine, but you’ve never met a better, brighter riff on the classic Caesar than with this raw broccoli and kale twist. They can stand up to the creamy dressing, so there’s no reason you can’t make this crowd-pleaser well in advance. Dare we say the salad gets better with time—the dressing will continue to tenderize the leaves without turning them soggy. Lacinato (dinosaur) kale is better suited for this salad than tougher and more fibrous curly kale, but the latter will work in a pinch. Crispy chunks of seeds offer an upgrade to croutons. Big bird Since chicken thigh meat better resists drying out during cooking and also while sitting in your fridge, it’s better suited for use in make-ahead salads than chicken breast.

This refreshing drink is just the ticket to start off your Mother’s Day meal. Fennel has properties that may help improve digestion, and raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants. This tasty beverage can easily be turned into more of a libation by adding a shot of gin or vodka. Myriad other kinds of fruit would work for this lemonade in place of raspberries. Strawberries, peaches, or even mango would all be delicious.