Food

4 medium beets, washed
1 1/2 cups (350 mL) rhubarb, cut into 1 1/2 in (3 cm) diagonal slices
1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar
Dash each of salt and pepper
4 cups (1 L) mixed organic greens
1/2 cup (125 mL) walnuts
3 1/2 oz (100 g) soft goat cheese

Salmon Cakes

The recipe for this elaborate-looking dish can be easily multiplied if you are cooking for a crowd. The recipe also works for other delicate white-fleshed fish—just be sure to watch carefully for doneness during cooking, as other fish may cook faster.

Grilling fish wrapped in a banana leaf prevents the fish from sticking to the grill and imparts a smoky sweet flavour. Banana leaves are available at Asian grocery stores, but if you cannot find them, you can wrap the fish with parchment paper and bake in a 400 F (200 C) oven for about 20 to 25 minutes.

This wonderful no-cook starter relies on the acid in citrus and vinegar to “cook” the fish. This recipe is equally delicious made with skinless salmon instead of mackerel. Always choose the freshest fish available for this dish.

This cold soup makes an excellent starter or light lunch on a warm day. If you don’t like the peppery taste of watercress, try replacing some or all of it with baby spinach.

A great recipe for using leftover asparagus stems—fresh or frozen.

This nutrient-dense quiche is made with phyllo pastry and a different mix of ingredients for a burst of flavour.

This hollandaise has reduced saturated fat, but not reduced flavour. Egg whites have been added to lighten its texture, so it is reminiscent of a mousseline sauce.

This recipe can also be turned into a salad—just pour the dressing over cooked and cooled asparagus and enjoy.

Toasty walnut oil is a perfect substitute for extra-virgin olive oil when making honey-kissed dressings. For your greens, try spinach, arugula, and/or dandelion.

The honey marinade jazzes up in-season asparagus while a whisper of cardamom adds unexpected complex flavour to buttery rainbow trout. Wild salmon and Arctic char are other omega-3-packed swimmers you could use in this recipe. You can also fire up the grill to cook the fish and asparagus.

Try this easy and delicious dish served over a chopped salad to make a substantial meal.

This family-friendly weeknight meal is sweetened with maple syrup. Maple syrup is an excellent source of manganese, which is important for normal brain and nerve function.

Lemongrass is widely used in cooking for its lemony floral scent and zesty kick. It has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

This sauce is wonderfully versatile. Depending on how thin you choose to make it, this sauce is fantastic as a sandwich spread; drizzled over roasted vegetables, chicken, or salmon; as a dip; or even as a dressing over a salad of mixed baby greens.

Roasted garlic adds a creamy texture and a buttery flavour to this old family favourite. Garlic is excellent for boosting the immune system at this time of year.

While oysters are revered as aphrodisiacs, less well known are their health benefits: low in fat and high in protein, B12, and iron, there are many reasons to love this stew.

Served at any temperature, this dish delivers and offers plenty of room for experimenting with various teas and vinaigrettes. Add another flavour edge by opting for the grill versus the pan for the salmon.

This recipe is so versatile it works well for lunch, brunch, or dinner. Feel free to substitute any greens you have on hand, depending on what’s in the garden and what’s in season. You might even try zucchini or asparagus tips. Healthy versions of frozen potatoes are now available in the natural foods section of large supermarkets. They are trans fat free and come pre-seasoned with herbs, yet provide the zinc and vitamin C of fresh potatoes. To reduce chopping, use minced garlic in oil found in jars in the produce section.

Use any kind of pasta, but for a special treat try something interesting from a gourmet pasta maker.

Warm up with this creamy comfort food. Down-to-earth flavours of cauliflower blend smoothly with a hint of sweet honey. Rocky Mountain Flatbread keeps their daily soup pots full. This soup disappears from those pots as soon as their doors are opened.

You might know sunchokes under their more official moniker, Jerusalem artichokes. Since they do not come from Jerusalem and are not artichokes, sunchoke is the more popular market term. Look for them in gourmet grocery stores, and substitute button mushrooms if you can’t find them.

Poppy seeds add crunch and a healthy punch of minerals including manganese, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, and potassium.