Traditionally made with bratwurst and fried, these plant-based balls are baked and made with tempeh and mushrooms for a savoury, satisfying chewy interior and a crispy exterior. You can also use your homemade plant-based bratwurst as a stuffing in place of the croutons, but it seems a shame to go to all that work shaping them just to pull them apart.
To make honey mustard, simply add up to equal parts honey or another liquid sweetener to yellow, grainy, or Dijon mustard, to taste. You can also add ground cayenne or smoked paprika for extra flavour.
Per serving:
In medium heat-proof bowl, soak sunflower seeds in 1 cup (250 mL) boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid, and transfer seeds to blender with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) reserved liquid. Blend until smooth, adding more liquid if needed to blend.
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In large skillet, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) oil over medium heat. When hot, sauté onion and garlic for 7 minutes, stirring frequently, adding water if sticking. Transfer to large bowl and add mushrooms, crumbled tempeh, drained sauerkraut, ground chia seeds, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, caraway, 1/2 cup (125 mL) panko, and blended sunflower seeds. Form mixture into about 18 balls (between the size of golf balls and tennis balls), squeezing out excess moisture. Place on plates or baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
In small bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour and beer or water. The consistency should be like thick soup rather than paste. Place remaining 1 cup (250 mL) panko in second small bowl. Check the sodium content of panko and add a pinch of salt if less than 50 mg per 1/4 cup (60 mL). Dip hands in flour mixture, then roll a ball around in your hands—rather than placing the ball directly into flour mixture. Then roll the ball directly in bowl of panko before returning it to plate. (The ball won’t fall apart if you roll directly in panko, but it will if you roll directly in the sticky flour mixture.) Repeat with remaining balls.
In large skillet, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add half the balls and cook for 1 minute. Add more oil if necessary. Turn balls several times to brown all over, cooking for 1 minute per rotation. Transfer balls to baking sheet. Wipe out skillet, add remaining oil, and brown remaining balls. When browned, bake balls on baking sheet in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve with grainy, Dijon, or honey mustard (see tip), or mushroom sauce.
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.
Steaming fish in parchment-paper packets, also known as cooking en papillote , is a classic technique that allows you to cook all your vegetables and fish at the same time in a quick, easy, and convenient way. Flavours of lemon, garlic, and spicy dried chili make this a simple, yet showstopping meal. Sustainability status Wild-caught Pacific halibut has Ocean Wise and Marine Stewardship Council certifications and is fished using longlines, which is a more selective method of fishing that results in less bycatch. Prep party Involve family or guests in the prep and have everyone make their own packet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s easy to change up the ingredients. Make sure you select vegetables that will cook at the same rate as the fish.