These are fun finger foods for after-school snacks or popped in a lunchbox the next day. They’re also free of nuts, gluten, and dairy. It’s all about the sauce, though, so don’t skip this step! If serving in a lunchbox the next day, place sauce in a separate container or compartment of the lunchbox for dipping, pack the chicken balls on ice—and be sure your child’s teacher has a safe microwave for reheating.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease baking sheet with coconut oil or line with parchment paper.
In large bowl, combine ground chicken, grated carrot and sweet potato, onion, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, egg, and flaxseed. The best way to combine all the ingredients is to use your hands. Form into 1 1/2 in (3.75 cm) diameter balls, place on baking sheet, and place in preheated oven.
Bake for approximately 20 to 24 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn meatballs over so they cook evenly. Meatballs must be 165 F (75 C) when tested with a meat thermometer in the centre to be assured theyu2019re fully cooked.
To make Tangy Sauce, in medium bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and whisk together. Set aside until meatballs are ready. Remove meatballs from oven and coat with sauce just before serving.
If serving in a lunchbox the next day, let meatballs cool completely and refrigerate these and the sauce until packing lunchbox with meatballs and sauce separately.
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.