Food

Sometimes it’s just nice to eat something other than rice and bread with Indian food. This pilaf can be served in place of a rice pilaf with any dish and many actually prefer it, as the barley can take more spices than rice.

Here’s a healthy spin on me dear old Mom’s classic dessert. Short-grain rice gives the pudding a creamy texture.

1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter

Both the flowers and the fruit of the yucca are edible. Only eat the flower petals, however, as the flower centres are extremely bitter.

This is a versatile and fun recipe for getting the kids involved and has been a SOBO menu mainstay. The brown rice adds a nice nuttiness and is healthier, too!

The key to a great sorbet lies in the fruit; it must be ripe and prepared accordingly. For example, a melon sorbet requires peeled and seeded melon; strawberries should be washed and de-stemmed; blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are usually good to go.

“This is probably the most requested recipe from our kitchens;” says Morrison. “It signals the start of the growing season and goes great with all seasonal vegetables. For this recipe we use the yellow or red miso paste when preparing the vinaigrette.”

Raspberry Sorbet

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is an ancient cereal that was eaten by the Incas centuries ago. It was so revered that they called it the “Mother Grain.” Quinoa is so high in protein (13 percent) that the United Nations classified it as a supercrop, giving this tiny nondescript grist the nutritional clout of an Olympic athlete.

Cinderella pumpkins are a bright orange heirloom variety increasingly available at farmers’ markets. If not at hand, substitute pie pumpkins or switch it up with a squash such as butternut.

Popularized throughout the Middle East, hummus has become a familiar favourite worldwide; this recipe taps into the cold cellar to bring a sweet touch of pumpkin.

1 oz (30 mL) Cointreau

Simple syrup is a breeze to prepare. Dissolve two parts sugar in one part water for a sweetener in any cocktail.

I discovered this recipe in a food and wine magazine back in the 1980s and have been using it ever since. Rose Levy Beranbaum for the Cordon Rose Cooking School in New York developed it, and it’s a winner.

Fellow professional home economist, Barb Holland, gave me a jar of these for Christmas last year, and they were such a huge hit that I had to hide them from my family so I could at least have a couple.

The length of time will vary depending on what size of green lentils you use. I choose the larger organic green ones for a more solid texture. The recipe is usually ready in 4 1/2 hours. If you use the smaller green lentils, they cook quicker and have a softer texture.

Barley is truly the unsung hero in the soluble-fibre world. This super grain is one of the richest sources of both soluble and insoluble fibre, which can help lower cholesterol. This hearty vegetarian main course is ready in 2 to 3 hours and can be stored in the fridge (already cooked) for up to 3 days.

1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 cups (425 mL) onions, diced
1 cup (250 mL) celery, diced
2 to 2 1/2 cups (500 to 625 mL) orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1 in (2.5 cm) cubes
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp (10 mL) chili powder
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) dry red lentils
2 1/2 cups (625 mL) water
1 - 28 oz (796 mL) can crushed tomatoes
1 - 14 oz (398 mL) can black or kidney beans, rinsed
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp (45 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime wedges (for serving)

1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) onion, diced
1 cup (250 mL) celery, diced
3/4 cup (180 mL) carrots, diced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
3/4 to 1 tsp (4 to 5 mL) curry powder
1 tsp (5 mL) paprika
1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried thyme
2 cups (500 mL) dry red lentils
3 cups (750 mL) vegetable stock
4 to 4 1/2 cups (l to 1.1 L) water
2 1/2 tsp (12 mL) fresh rosemary, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp (37 mL) apple cider vinegar

The word sushi doesn’t actually refer to raw fish but to a boiled rice dish flavoured with vinegar. Hence sushi doesn’t have to contain fish.

This salad is a one bowler; throw all ingredients into one bowl, toss, and go. You do need 2 cups (500 mL) cooked leftover rice, so make some extra the night before. Store the leftovers in the fridge for the salad.

Great as a steak sidekick, baked sweet potato fries save you plenty of calories and offer up hefty amounts of the antioxidant beta carotene. (pictured with Lemon Tofu Cheesecake, Caesar Salad, Herbed Sweet Potato Fries, and Baked Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce)

Yes, tofu! You’ll be surprised how decadent this cheesecake tastes but without the 30 or more grams of fat that’s pumped into most restaurant versions. (pictured with Lemon Tofu Cheesecake, Caesar Salad, Herbed Sweet Potato Fries, and Baked Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Dipping Sauce)