Close your eyes, take a bite of this salad, and get ready for your taste buds to be whisked to the sunny Mediterranean. Flame-licked mushrooms add meaty appeal, sautéed tomatoes a sweet treat, bocconcini a creamy hit, chickpeas a satiating protein and fibre addition, while herby pesto dressing rounds everything out.
A recent study in International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that grilling mushrooms is a good way to preserve their robust levels of healthy antioxidants. Frying and boiling were found to significantly diminish the nutritional firepower of ’shrooms.
These hemp bacon bits are the perfect way to add nutritious smoky flavour to any salad.
1/3 cup (80 mL) hemp hearts 2 tsp (10 mL) liquid smoke 2 tsp (10 mL) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
Stir together hemp hearts, liquid smoke, and soy or tamari sauce. Let sit for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 250 F (120 C). On baking sheet, spread seasoned hemp hearts out and bake for 12 minutes, stirring once, until darkened and slightly crispy. Be careful not to burn the seeds.
Per serving:
In bowl, place onion slices, lemon juice, sugar, and salt. With your hands, massage onions until tender and pink, about 2 minutes. Chill until ready to use.
Heat grill to medium-high. Brush both sides of mushroom caps with 2 tsp (10 mL) oil and season with paprika. Place mushrooms on grill grate and heat until tender with grill marks, about 2 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, cut mushrooms into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) strips.
In skillet over medium, heat remaining oil; add tomatoes and garlic, and heat until tomatoes have softened and begun releasing their juices, about 3 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
To make dressing, whisk together pesto, olive oil, and vinegar.
To assemble salad, divide greens among serving plates and top with chickpeas, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichokes, bocconcini, onion, and olives. Drizzle on pesto dressing.
This nut-free take on classic queso dip is everything you want and more. Paired with chips, crackers, or crudités, this creamy, zesty, smoky, and oh-so-satisfying dip is easy enough to whip up for a cozy snack or as an appetizer for company. Go nuts! If you’re okay to eat nuts, try substituting sunflower seeds with 1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews.
Custardy French toast drizzled in pure maple syrup is a cozy, cold-weather breakfast classic. We’ve given this recipe a vegan makeover by swapping out eggs in the batter with mashed banana and a bit of ground flaxseed. This clever swap makes the French toast reminiscent of banana bread. Top it off with a decadent drizzle of raspberry syrup and you’re just a quick stint in the kitchen away from breakfast bliss. Citrus swap If you don’t have any bananas around, consider swapping for an orange. In blender, add zest of one large orange along with peeled fruit and other batter ingredients. Blend until smooth and proceed with the recipe as described.
A satisfying plant-based dinner or packed lunch, quinoa and beans add filling protein, while greens, cucumbers, roasted veggies, and a probiotic-rich dressing bring texture and flavour. Try it with a creamy plant-based cheese on top, or goat cheese for non-plant-based eaters. Mix and match Use this recipe as a guideline. Add in your go-tos such as chopped walnuts or hemp hearts, pitted sliced dates, roasted cauliflower, and crumbled feta (plant-based, if desired).
Brown rice and two varieties of lentils cook in one pot with broth, coconut milk, and simple spices. Nourishing spinach and sweet green peas bring this meal to life. It’s true sunshine in a bowl for those cold winter nights. Main grains White basmati rice, short-grain brown rice, quinoa, or millet can be used in place of the brown basmati rice. Try a mixture of grains for added nutrition and taste (e.g., millet and basmati rice, quinoa and millet, and so on).