Food

Spice up movie night or lift your spirits during a mid-afternoon energy slump with these popcorn bars full of nutritional goodness. The cardamom and orange zest are the surprise flavour boosters.

Tasting like everyone’s favourite schoolyard sandwich, this hearty porridge will surely find a very special place in your daybreak food-hungry heart. It’s full of blood sugar-regulating soluble fibre, oats, raspberries, and chia seeds that work together to make sure this morning glory hits the nutritional jackpot. Made by grinding up defatted peanuts, peanut butter powder is a great way to infuse oatmeal (and baked goods!) with lower calorie nutty flavour. Reheat leftovers with a couple splashes of additional milk in a small saucepan. The new instant oats  You can settle for soggy instant oatmeal, or you can turn to more satisfying and nutritious steel-cut oats as the backbone for your most important meal of the day. Sounds great, but what about their long cooking time? Soaking your oats overnight is a time-saving hack for yielding porridge with perfect chewy texture in mere moments.  

This dish feels fancy but is a cinch to put together. A sweet sauce of frozen cherries with a splash of heart-healthy red wine brings a touch of luxury to a simply cooked lean pork tenderloin. Cherries, packed with vitamin C and polyphenols, have been shown to have effects on heart health, including reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and blood pressure levels.

Sweet and savoury at once, these bundles of fruity energy raise the bar on exercise fuel. You can also take the mixture and roll it into balls.

Frozen asset

Top these versatile, polenta-inspired bites with your child’s favourite ingredients, such as tomato sauce, hummus, sliced cucumbers, or cheese.

Tip

Look for the chocolate mint variety of fresh mint at your local garden centre, or use any variety of fresh mint you can find. Chocolate mint has a built-in chocolate flavour, making it fantastic for desserts featuring this classic, refreshing combo. TIP: Elevate this chocolate mint fudge by serving a square on a dessert plate; garnish with fresh berries and a sprig of mint.

This beautiful dish is delicious as a standalone meal, but it also doubles as an impressive side. The deep red beet sauce is supremely good for heart health. And making matters easier is the fact that, if scrubbed well, you don’t need to peel the beetroots. Roasting softens the skin, which is then whirled into creamy perfection. There are loads of options for toppings, ranging from any variety of cheese (or none at all) to a wide assortment of toasted nuts.

Tip

Easy to carry. Simple to pop and savour while on a rugged path. And quick to assemble in bulk. Make ahead and refrigerate for a week, or store in the freezer for up to a month.

Did you know?

Look for the chocolate mint variety of fresh mint at your local garden center, or use any variety of fresh mint you can find. Chocolate mint has a built-in chocolate flavor, making it fantastic for desserts featuring this classic combo.

Tip: Mint to be

Seitan is perfect for vegetarian kebabs—it’s firm enough to withstand barbecuing or grilling and absorbs the flavours of this scrumptious marinade.

Who says it’s a requirement that oatmeal is sweet? With spinach, mushrooms, and olives, this veg-heavy oatmeal is a definite flavour twist and offers visions of enjoying breakfast while overlooking an alluring Mediterranean coastline. Plus, all this fibre will help crush morning cravings.

(shown with Spicy Basmati Vegetable Pulao)

Moist, chewy, and quite irresistible, these sweet blondies can be indulged in with impunity. The surprising inclusion of white beans adds protein and heart-healthy fibre, and it makes these squares the perfect guilt-free snack. If you’re not an apricot lover, don’t fret. You can use many jam and dried fruit substitutions to make these scrumptious blondies, such as

• strawberry jam and dried strawberries
• blackcurrant jam and dried blackcurrants
• cherry jam and dried sweet cherries (not the sour variety)

Reminiscent of the stuffed cabbage of yore, the flavour profile of these stuffed chard smacks of cozy fall. It looks all fancy, but everything comes together surprisingly quickly. If desired, you can use turkey or pork sausage and brown rice. 

The filling options for these sweet crepes are endless, from sliced fruit to melted chocolate to sweetened chestnuts and beyond. Keep things kid-friendly with a simple drizzle of maple syrup. Or marinate a handful of fresh or frozen berries in 1/4 cup (60 mL) rum or sweet local liqueur for at least 30 minutes before serving. For a luxurious French variation, flambé a pan of folded, buttered crepes with a splash of cognac—the liqueur of choice for traditional Crepes Suzette. If using eggs, use just 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) milk. If using ground chia or flaxseed, use full 1 1/2 cups (350 mL). Batch cooking Double the recipe and freeze leftovers between layers of parchment paper for the next time you feel like crepes but don’t feel like making them from scratch. Skillet skill The pan needs to be hot enough and the batter thin enough to create air bubbles on impact or crepes won’t cook through properly. There’s no need to regrease the skillet after each crepe, unless crepes are sticking to the pan.  

Breaking up a whole frittata into individual parts slashes cooking time, allows the egg cakes to be easily movable from the kitchen, and makes for an undeniably cute presentation. These can be served warm or at room temperature.

Hot stuff

An elegant dessert full of flavour—and so simple to prepare.

Chipotles add smoky flavour to this soup, and are available in tins in the Mexican food section of many stores.

Is there such a thing as a crispy heart-healthy cake wedge? We think so. In this chew-worthy snack, we’ve combined oats with coconut, a little flaxseed, and some nutty hemp hearts. Together they make a perfect treat that your heart will love.

Tip

A hot bath of spiced red wine gently cooks seasonal pears into a tender, glimmering fruit dessert fit for any crowd. Baking tip: Testing for doneness

• In desserts using firm fruit, such as pears and apples, insert tip of paring knife into centre of fruit; it should easily yield with little force.
• In cakes and quick breads, a toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean.
• In brownies and squares, a few damp crumbs clinging to the inserted toothpick is what you’re after.

In Italian parlance, the word minestrone means “big soup.” This recipe certainly fits the bill with a hearty spring vegetable-and-bean soup that delivers big-time flavour and nutrition. If available, fiddleheads can be used instead of asparagus.

4 oz (125 g) dark Belgian chocolate
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter
1 large egg
2 egg whites
3/4 cup (180 mL) raw cane sugar
3/4 cup (180 mL) oat flour
1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) baking soda
1 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
1/2 tsp (2 mL) finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup (125 mL) hazelnuts, chopped, toasted (optional)

Chewy spelt holds up wonderfully in salads, and this one is sure to become your new go-to picnic or potluck option. Mackerel contains a boatload of heart-healthy, brain-nourishing omega-3 fats. Take the extra step of parboiling the potatoes to shorten their roasting time considerably. This ensures that the outsides don’t become crispy well before the interiors are cooked through. If making this salad ahead of time, it’s best to toss the greens in just before serving so they don’t become soggy. To expedite the process of preparing large, slow-cooking grains such as spelt and Kamut, try soaking them overnight. This will slash the simmering time by about 25 percent.

To get the most benefit from delicious superfruits, eat them in their freshest state. Bursting with flavour, a mild splash of rosewater (available at specialty food stores) makes them even more sumptuous—don’t overdo it or it will overpower the flavours rather than enhance them. This recipe can be altered to use your favourite superfruits—just mix and match to your taste buds’ delight!