Food

Indulge your loved ones this Valentine’s Day with a delightful plant-based twist on a beloved classic. This innovative recipe swaps the traditional dairy cream filling for a tofu-based one and uses rye crispbread instead of the traditional cookies. Rye crackers have been shown to help benefit heart and digestive health and are a great low-sugar alternative in this tiramisu preparation.

Vitamin C-rich piquillo peppers do double duty in this dish. Their triangular shape makes them perfect for stuffing with a tasty tuna filling, and they also make for a scrumptious sauce when paired with hazelnuts and garlic. A small amount of honey helps to balance out the smoky flavour. When paired with a salad, this dish easily serves two as a main meal, but it will stretch to a few more as part of a tapas-style meal.

Use dark chocolate that has been processed correctly for the best flavanol hit.

Quark is a very low fat, high protein cheese, and the process for making it is very simple. You can whip it up at home using just one ingredient: non-homogenized buttermilk.

What in the world is quark?

This is a dense, chocolatey, and fudgy cake. You wouldn’t even know there are beets in here. Let it cool completely before serving. Substitute coconut oil for butter as a dairy-free option. 2 medium beets 1 cup (250 mL) gluten-free flour 1/4 cup (60 mL) cocoa powder 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1/2 tsp (2 mL) sea salt 1/2 cup (125 mL) raw honey 7 oz (200 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 1/4 cups (310 mL) unsalted butter, cubed 5 large free-range eggs, separated 1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla extract 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cream of tartar Place beets in large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce heat. Simmer until very tender, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, oil bottom and sides of 8 in (20 cm) round springform pan. In bowl, stir flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Drain beets and then rinse with cold water. Using your hands, slip off peels. Chop, then whirl in a food processor until finely chopped. Add honey and whirl until well mixed. In large bowl, melt chocolate over double boiler. When almost melted, add butter and stir until evenly mixed. Remove from heat and beat in egg yolks. Stir in beet mixture, then flour mixture. Using standing mixer, beat egg whites with vanilla and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-quarter of egg whites into chocolate mixture to loosen batter, then gently fold in remainder. Scrape into prepared pan. Reduce heat to 325 F (160 C)and bake for 40 minutes. Cake tastes best slightly undercooked. Let cool completely. Slice and top with Greek yogurt and fresh berries, if you wish. Serves 16. Each serving contains: 282 calories; 5 g protein; 23 g total fat (14 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 20 g total carbohydrates (10 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 108 mg sodium Baking with beets The beets in this dessert not only add antioxidant goodness and a wealth of nutrients, including folate, manganese, potassium, and copper, but they also add moisture, which means you need less oil or butter, and a natural sweetness, eliminating the need for additional sugar.

This recipe takes oatmeal outside of the bowl and into the muffin cup. Bake up a batch of these and you’re set for a few quick breakfast meals. If you want to use rolled oats, simply swap them for steel-cut oats and skip the soaking step. 1 cup (250 mL) steel-cut oats 1/2 cup (125 mL) oat bran 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped walnuts 1 tsp (5 mL) allspice 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 2 large free-range eggs 1 cup (250 mL) pumpkin purée 3/4 cup (180 mL) low-fat milk or unsweetened nondairy alternative of choice 1/4 cup (60 mL) plus 2 Tbsp (30 mL) pure maple syrup 2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen blueberries 1/3 cup (80 mL) water 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 mL) almond extract 2 tsp (10 mL) cornstarch In bowl, cover oats with water and soak overnight or for several hours in refrigerator. The following day, preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Drain oats and add to large bowl along with oat bran, walnuts, allspice, and salt. In separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and mix with pumpkin, milk, and 2 Tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Divide oat mixture among 12 medium-sized paper-lined or greased muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until set. Let cool before unmoulding. To make compote, place blueberries, water, remaining maple syrup, cinnamon, and almond extract in medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 1 Tbsp (15 mL) water, stir into blueberry mixture, and heat for 1 minute. Serve baked oatmeal cups warm with blueberry compote. Serves 6. Each serving contains: 310 calories; 11 g protein; 10 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 50 g total carbohydrates (19 g sugars, 7 g fibre); 138 mg sodium source: "Oats", alive #361, November 2012

This classic steakhouse appetizer has been given a healthy makeover by baking instead of deep frying.

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.

In the Middle East, this soup is a staple and is served in most households.

Camelina is a great light oil for dressings. It does well with balsamic or other vinegars and will not congeal at cooler temperatures. That means that you can make plenty of extra dressing that will keep well in the fridge. And by adding yogurt and mustard, you can kick a typical vinaigrette up a notch and create that creamy texture we all love.

Purple onions and other alliums contain high levels of disease-fighting organosulphur compounds as well as the flavonoid quercetin. Together, these compounds have been shown to decrease inflammation. Amaranth is a tiny, yellow grain that is rich in magnesium, which reduces painful muscle cramps. Apple cider vinegar slows the release of sugar (from foods) into the bloodstream. When blood sugar is balanced, inflammation is reduced.

Chock full of whole grains and seeds, this hearty loaf is sure to become a staple in your household.

Makes 2 loaves, about 26 slices

A traditional Italian ragu is commonly made with red meat and treated with white wine. We break from tradition to make an amazing turkey ragu simmered with red wine. Delicious spooned over wedges of baked squash, rice, or quinoa.

Macaccino is a delicious, energizing drink made from maca and raw cocoa powder. Maca root is an adaptogen plant from Peru, and has been shown to help improve energy, fertility, memory, and learning. Raw cocoa powder offers beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has recently been studied for its protective effect on heart health.

Did you know?

A cold tea featuring a weed may sound about as enticing as a grass clipping spritzer, but don’t fear. Honeydew melon, boiled to extract its sweetness, makes this tea as easy on the tongue as it is on the tummy. Plus, any leftover nettles can be boiled and eaten in place of spinach in just about any dish. Soothing herbs Members of the mint family fight bloating and indigestion, and once you use boiling water to take the bite out of stinging nettle, you’ll find this weed has a lot to offer. It’s been used to treat joint and muscle pain and is full of vitamin A and calcium. Watch out Be sure any plants you grow or harvest from the wild have been identified correctly and haven’t been sprayed with pesticides or exposed to pollutants such as car exhaust.

The dates and toothsome oats keep this cookie soft and chewy.

This is molten and dense. It’s best to let it sit overnight to let flavours meld, plus it will be easier to slice. For a fancy dessert, thickly slice and top with a dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt. Finish with sprinkles of date sugar.

The easiest and most popular dessert to take on a picnic is the ever-portable cookie. And what makes a cookie perfect? Chocolate chips, of course.

Not only is this quick bread hearty and delicious, but also it can be in the oven in fewer than 10 minutes!

Makes 1 loaf, about 20 slices

This Asian-inspired stir-fry takes full advantage of the crunch Brussels sprouts achieve when they’re heated quickly. The sweet-and-sour sauce delivers a tangy edge, and tempeh offers plant-based protein and a blast of umami. If you want meat in the dish, you can replace tempeh with ground pork.

This warming beverage is made with real apple juice heated with powdered ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. Consumption of real apple juice has been linked with a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Ginger helps promote digestive and cardiovascular health, and is useful in the treatment of degenerative disorders, diabetes, and cancer. Cinnamon has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, while cardamom improves digestion. Tip: If you have whole spices on hand, you can swap powdered spices for a slice of fresh ginger, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 crushed cardamom pods.