Food

I find vegan pastry particularly hard to master without the use of vegetable shortening, vegan margarine, and the like. I stay away from these ingredients, and an oil-based crust can be tricky, messy beast. I skip the whole thing here and just slice sweet and regular potatoes into thin coins, fan them out on top of this vegetable and bean pot pie, and roast them until crispy and crust-like. The result has all of the effect of a traditional pot pie with much less effort.  

Bright, inviting winter citrus punctuates creamy dairy-free coconut yogurt imbued with vanilla. It’s a sophisticated treat that can be dialled up in presentation or kept rustic, retaining its homespun vibe.

Tip

This meal is an incredible investment piece. Both the eggplant burgers and tomato jam freeze well, so you can heat and eat at a moment’s notice.

Tip

Take inspiration from your local salad bar to turn your take-along or at-home lunches into a cafeteria-style feast—hold the hefty price tag.

Tip

Homemade power snacks that require neither a laundry list of ingredients nor an oven can be whipped up in a flash. This flavour combo of coconut, coffee, chocolate, and banana makes the everyday snack feel a bit more adult.

Tip

This feast of flavours, textures, and colours is sure to garner praise from any lucky eaters. Full of energizing carbs, it’s an especially great dish to serve on days when you’ve had a vigorous workout. The sorghum, roasted sweet potato, and tahini sauce can be made up to three days in advance and chilled.

Tip

This is a gorgeous winter salad with some textural interest from cooked lentils that are roasted until crispy and chewy. I turn to root vegetable and cabbage-based salads and slaws in the cold months because I find I’m less likely to crave a leafy, water-heavy salad. It seems that the body naturally craves foods that will help it to seasonally adapt. You can use any mix of root vegetables you like or have on hand.

The walnuts in the sauce and topping of this creamy gratin make for a satisfying dose of good fats and protein. This cozy dish is perfect with a little side salad. My gratin method here works with all kinds of thinly sliced vegetables, including potatoes and sweet potatoes, and even small florets of broccoli and cauliflower. Nutritional yeast (an inactive yeast) is what brings the slightly cheesy and savory flavor. It can be found in spice aisles of supermarkets.

On a trip to Montreal with friends, we shared a broccoli-based “Caesar” salad as a starter plate. It featured a whole broccoli stalk that had been charred on a grill, finished in the oven and then smothered in Caesar dressing. It was so good that I would have fought everyone at the table for the last bite. The smoky tempeh makes this a more filling vegetable course, too. I blanch the broccoli here, but I’ve also prepared this salad with roasted broccoli florets as a warm salad. Just place the florets on a baking sheet, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 400 F oven for about 20 minutes or so.

No time to stand in line for your soy vanilla latte? Go one better for your health with a warm cup of golden milk. Golden milk is an Ayurvedic beverage made with turmeric powder. Curcumin, an active compound in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Piperine, a component of black pepper, increases curcumin’s availability in the body (so it can do its good work). That’s why there’s a pinch of pepper in this drink.

I find vegan pastry particularly hard to master without the use of vegetable shortening, vegan margarine and the like. I stay away from these ingredients, and an oil-based crust can be a tricky, messy beast. I skip the whole thing here and just slice sweet and regular potatoes into thin coins, fan them out on top of this vegetable and bean pot pie and roast them until crispy and crust-like. The result has all of the effect of a traditional pot pie with much less effort.

With a couple of cellar vegetables, some spices and a little added freshness, you have the most restorative, feel-good stew imaginable. The coconut milk adds just the right amount of richness to tame the sharp ginger and spices. There’s so much flavor going on here, but this warming pot of nourishment couldn’t be simpler to make. I list spinach for the greens here, but chopped kale, chard, collards or mustard greens would all be excellent in its place.

Nurturing, ultra-cozy warm grains are the base of this creamy, mellow vegan breakfast that can be made in the moment for a tableful, or in advance for single servings throughout the work week.

Blanching hazelnuts

This is a vegan take on a classic French dish and is every bit as warm and inviting as the original. The gremolata is optional but highly recommended, as it helps bring a bit of brightness and freshness to the dish. Try serving this over soft polenta, mashed potatoes, brown rice, or pasta.

Tip

Start the evening off by taking a little dip with your Valentine. This versatile starter is quick to whip up and, best of all, can be made ahead of time. Pair it with chopped vegetables, your favourite crackers, or oven-roasted root vegetable fries.

Tip

Send your sweetie to bed with this nightcap and they’ll be sure to have sweet dreams. Studies have shown that compounds in red beetroot have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thus making this beautiful bevvy not only good but good for you too.

Tip

Don’t be surprised if this dessert gets you a few extra smooches. While the chocolate mousse is delicious on its own, the extra flourishes make it truly special. Feel free to substitute any type of bean aquafaba if you don’t have a can of black beans on hand.

Tip

You won’t taste the avocado in these creamy treats infused with the world’s tastiest superfood duo—chocolate and tea. Fudgelike, dense, and secretly healthy, these Valentine’s Day-worthy truffles truly deliver.

This elegant truffle showcases fragrant coconut, rich in healthy fats, and vitamin C-packed goji berries.

Hazelnuts and chocolate were meant to be together. Rolled in sharp antioxidant- and magnesium-packed cacao nibs, there’s no need to wait for a special occasion to whip these up. They taste similar to the chocolate hazelnut spread that’s found in so many kitchens, but are lightened up for an energizing treat you can feel good about.

Truffles for a pre- or post-exercise snack? Yes, indeed! Protein, potassium, magnesium, and complex carbohydrates are just a few of the standout health features in these tasty morsels.

With antioxidant-rich blueberries and fibre-filled quinoa flakes, these bites stand up to the traditional sugar-heavy fruit cream variation. Try strawberries or raspberries in place of blueberries—it’s hard to go wrong with berries and cream!    

Warm and tender mushroom “scallops,” sharp and tangy grapefruit, earthy sumac, and sweet basil all play together harmoniously in this first-course salad.

Tip

A popular breakfast or snack throughout Switzerland and Germany, muesli is a perfect make-ahead meal for busy mornings. This is a variation of Bircher muesli, developed around 1900 by a Swiss physician for his patients. This hearty mix of oats, fruit, nuts, and seeds is sure to get your morning off to the perfect start.

Tip