Food

This creamy soup combines fresh and sun-dried tomatoes to add a depth of flavor. Be sure your nondairy milk is plain and unsweetened to use in this savory bisque. recipe | Del Sroufe  

This healthier take on a soul-food tradition can be served as a side dish or, as shown here, it can become a hearty main dish with the optional addition of cooked beans and served on a bed of cooked rice. Note: If you are adding the optional Scotch bonnet chili, be sure to use gloves when handling it. recipe | CC Péan

Gumbo is Southern comfort food that’s packed with flavor. Many vegan versions have beans, but the jackfruit in this version gives it a nice hearty texture that absorbs the strong flavors from the spices. Shiitake mushrooms give it the umami flavor. Serve with corn bread or whole-wheat crackers. recipe | Darshana Thacker

Consider this easy, breezy recipe a little bit of comfort food with Latin flair for a howling winter night. Nutritious pumpkin seeds are an ideal thickener for the bright sauce. And you can transform the dish into taco night by slicing the cooked chicken and stuffing into warmed corn tortillas and then dolloping on the sauce. No tomatillos?  Tomatillos have a papery covering or husk and look like a small green tomato. If you can’t find tomatillos in your local produce store or canned at your grocers, you can substitute with the same quantity of underripe tomatoes and add a squeeze of lime juice.

This sweet-nutty-savoury twist on grilled cheese is perfect for kids—and kids at heart. The abundance of soluble fibre in chia allows it to form a gel-like consistency in the presence of liquid, making it useful in preparing quick jams. You can swap out peanut butter for almond butter or nut-free sunflower butter. Extras of the strawberry spread can be swirled into a bowl of oatmeal or yogurt

Who says granola needs to be served in a bowl with a spoon in hand? This adorable dessert plays by the nutritional rules and requires no apology for going from hand to mouth. The seedy granola cups can also serve as a make-ahead breakfast. Sweet news Most vanilla-flavoured yogurt on store shelves is loaded with added sugars. A smart nutrition hack is to simply buy plain versions of yogurt and stir in your own vanilla extract flavouring.  

Sesame seeds add a nutritious crunch to buttery salmon and prove a weeknight meal can bring some gastro magic. Can’t find wild salmon? Rainbow trout or arctic char are good swaps. Going plant based?  The same miso spread and sesame coating can be used on tofu, which is then seared in a skillet for about 2 minutes per side.

Barely a day goes by when our blender isn’t whipping up an acai bowl. There is something addictive about acai bowls, and as far as addictions go, this is a good one! Get hooked on the antioxidant- and vitamin-rich sweetness of this fruity acai bowl with all the trimmings! Naturally sweet dishes like this acai bowl can help tame your cravings for sugar-laden processed foods, reveals Andrea Hannemann in <Plant Over Processed>—and cutting back on added sugars is a huge win for heart health. “While the American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams) of added/refined sugar per day for women, and 9 teaspoons (38 grams) for men, the average American consumes around 20 teaspoons a day! We are a nation of sugar addicts,” she writes. “The processed foods that we eat are in large part to blame.”

Tempeh is a delicious plant-based protein powerhouse that marries well with any recipe. It’s meaty, firm, and almost nutty in flavour. It is versatile and lends itself well to any marinade. We’ve given it a bit of a “bacon” overtone by adding a little smoke flavour to our recipe. No chili miso?  Chili miso can be found in most popular grocery stores or fine food shops. If your search is unsuccessful, substitute with a little miso and chili garlic oil. Make-ahead cheats  Smoky tempeh can be made ahead. Since it’s so delicious, you might want to double up the recipe and freeze. To serve, simply remove a few cubes from the freezer and reheat in oven. Serve on tacos, veggie chili, tossed on salads, or tucked in a pita.

This colourful winter salad is a delicious stand-alone dish or can compliment any menu. In the case of an entirely plant-based meal, pair it with our Smoky Tempeh over a bed of Confetti Millet. Versatile tofu mayo  Tofu mayo is delicious drizzled over any salad. It’s excellent for a Caesar salad, over roasted beets, and even asparagus and broccoli.

With current pandemic restrictions, it’s unlikely many of us will be venturing south any time soon. Instead, we’ve brought the flavours of Mexico to you with this recipe—a delicious and light stew, reminiscent of a dish served on the beaches in Zihua. The brightly coloured squash is paired with hot peppers and roasted tomatoes, then spiked with lime. It’s a perfect antidote to a cold January night. For a creamier stew, give it a few pulses with a handheld immersion blender before adding diced pepper and collards. Some like it hot; some not  The use of hot peppers is extremely individual. Some can comfortably eat the hottest of peppers while others can barely handle a little black pepper. In this recipe, we’ve included some hot pepper options. With jalapeno being the least hot, add or eliminate peppers as desired. And in the event of taste buds on fire, be sure to have plenty of plain yogurt available to provide edible soothing relief.

The sunflower seeds and citrus in this delicious bread recipe are both excellent for immune health. Couple them with oats and it’s also a satisfying breakfast loaf. Serve with apple butter and assorted fruits, or with a dairy-free cheese substitute topped with crisp greens and fresh papaya. Appetizer bites  Making dough into thumbprint appetizer bites is another way to prepare this delicious recipe. Press a tablespoon of rested dough into the cups of a silicone mini muffin pan, each 3/4 full. Press an indent in centre of each. Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm and dry. Thoroughly cool and gently pop out. Pipe centres with a dollop of savoury hummus, and garnish. Serve at once.

The brilliant orange of sweet potatoes blended with black beans and Indian spices create a perfect warming dish for January. But its tremendous eye appeal provides more than just looks. The flavour and nutritional benefits contribute a wealth of antioxidants that will protect your body from chronic disease. Any bean’ll do  We used black beans for a visual punch, but any bean, lentil, or legume will make a great substitute. And if dried beans are your preference, soak overnight, drain, and cook in a large saucepan with enough water to cover by 3 in (8 cm). Then add to cooked potato.   

Filling up on green foods is an excellent way to boost your immunity. In our soup that’s chock full of brilliant antioxidant-loaded vegetables and nutrients, a hit of fiery cayenne is just the ticket to warm you from the inside out. Super for flu season. Easy to sip if you’re feeling congested and under the weather. Plus, it’s easy to digest. Trouble finding coconut aminos or nectar?  Substitute with low-sodium tamari sauce or a hit of miso for that umami-enhanced flavour. Meal-in-a-bowl  If you’re longing to make this soup a meal in a bowl, add some diced firm tofu along with cooked rice or barley. Or stir in some cannellini beans for additional satisfaction.

Poke is a traditional native Hawaiian dish that dates back to when ancient Hawaiians feasted on freshly caught fish after massaging it with sea salt, seaweed, and crushed kukui nuts. Today’s versions tend to be influenced by Asian cuisine, with ingredients that are marinated and served over a bed of warm rice. In this bowl, we’re going to replace the fish with tofu and veggies—which is not traditional but is healthy and delicious—and flavor with teriyaki. You could also buy some nori seaweed and have fun wrapping these ingredients into hand rolls.

This colorful winter salad is a delicious stand-alone dish or can compliment any menu. Do the most with this mayo Tofu mayo is delicious drizzled over any salad, especially a Caesar salad! It’s also great over roasted beets, asparagus, and broccoli.    

The sunflower seeds and citrus in this delicious bread recipe are both excellent for immune health. Couple them with oats, and you get one satisfying breakfast loaf. Serve with apple butter and assorted fruits or with a dairy-free cheese substitute topped with crisp greens and fresh papaya Thumb(print)s up Making the dough into thumbprint appetizer bites is another way to prepare this delicious recipe. Press a tablespoon of rested dough into the cups of a silicone mini muffin pan, filling each 3/4 full. Press an indent in center of each with your thumb. Bake for 45 minutes, or until firm and dry. Thoroughly cool and gently pop out. Pipe centers with a dollop of hummus and garnish as you like. Serve at once.    

Brilliant orange sweet potatoes blended with black beans and spices create a perfect warming dish for January. But this dish provides more than just eye appeal. It’s got a wealth of antioxidants to protect your body from chronic disease. By any beans necessary We used black beans for a visual punch, but any bean, lentil, or legume will make a great substitute. And if dried beans are your preference, soak overnight, drain, and cook in a large saucepan with enough water to cover by 3 inches. Then add to cooked sweet potato.     

This hearty plant-based casserole dish is a crowd-pleaser in my house. This is comfort food of the healthy variety, with protein-packed lentils and plenty of fiber and flavor. Oh, and who doesn’t love a one-dish recipe for quick cleanup?

There is no better way to get kids to eat than by getting them involved in making their own food. This kid-friendly hors d’oeuvre will even have adults getting in on the fun and building their own masterpiece. The vegetables and proteins you serve are totally up to you, although it’s nice to have a range of colours and textures. Different-coloured peppers, carrot coins, thawed frozen peas or corn, diced cucumber, cubes of tofu, chicken, or shrimp are all great options. These fun noodle baskets can easily become a gluten-free nosh by simply substituting in gluten-free pasta.

Meatballs at a party are always a hit, and these hors d’oeuvres are sure to disappear fast. The eggplant in these vegetarian delights add the “meatiness” reminiscent of their more traditional cousins. These meatballs are too good to limit to using just as an hors d’oeuvre. Try them for dinner over egg noodles or cauliflower rice.

These savoury gluten-free cookies will be the unexpected hit of your holiday gathering. Make sure to source sweet rice flour for this recipe. This type of rice flour is ground from short-grain glutinous rice and, although it’s called “sweet,” it has a mild, almost milky flavour that’s not at all sugary. Sometimes you’ll find this flour labelled as “mochiko.” The sky is the limit for fillings in these savoury cookies. Other great options include olive tapenade, pesto, or hot red pepper jelly with blue cheese.

Just one bite is all you need to realize this unassuming hors d’oeuvre is so much more than the sum of its parts. It’s sure to become a go-to in your appetizer repertoire since it’s simple and also quick to put together. Because there are few ingredients, it’s important to source the best quality possible to ensure the tastiest results. These “tacos” can become an effortless vegan appetizer by filling the beet slices with a teaspoon or two of your favourite store-bought vegan nut paté instead of the crab filling.

The tantalizing bits of crystallized ginger in this dough-topped fruit dessert add a little excitement to a holiday classic. The lower sugar content finds the right balance between sweet and tangy. And thanks to a bag of frozen fruit, the dish comes together quickly. Frozen pointers  Look for mixed bags of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, or cherries, or use any frozen fruit or combination that you like, from peaches to cubed mangoes. The best part is that the fruit doubles as an icepack in your cooler on the way to your destination (store the cooler in the trunk if it’s not hard-sided or if it tends to leak). Don’t worry if the fruit thaws by the time you arrive. Just store it in the fridge rather than refreezing it. It will keep for about three days and will still be delicious. Chopping crystallized ginger can become a sticky situation. If your knife just isn’t “cutting it,” try using scissors.