Food

This savoury upside-down tart replaces the traditional apple topping with vitamin K-rich caramelized endive.

A true Southerner wouldn’t dare cook cornbread in anything but cast iron. This moist olive-spiked cornbread pairs perfectly with the blackened catfish. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice to 1 cup (250 mL) milk, stir, and let sit for 2 minutes.

Carrot Cranberry Loaf

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!

You need a large food processor for this recipe, which can be doubled if you need extra dough.

This family-friendly oven-baked chicken is easy to make and can be cooked and stored in your fridge for up to two days before the picnic.

Look no further for a new twist on a fall favourite! All the goodness of pumpkin pie has been transformed into a cool and refreshing pudding. The bottom layer is tart apple caramel topped with rich creamy pumpkin. Caramel 4 cups (1 L) unfiltered apple juice 1 Tbsp (15 mL) coconut oil or butter 1/4 tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract Panna Cotta 3 Tbsp (45 mL) cold water 2 1/2 tsp (12 mL) powdered gelatin or 3 Tbsp (45 mL) agar agar 2 cups (500 mL) coconut milk or homogenized milk 2 Tbsp (30 mL) molasses 3/4 cup (180 mL) pumpkin, sweet potato, or squash purée 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground ginger 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground nutmeg To make caramel sauce, pour apple juice into medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until juice foams and turns deep amber, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut oil and vanilla. You should have about 1/2 cup (125 mL) sauce. Divide mixture among 8 ramekins, thick glasses, or coffee cups. Refrigerate to set while preparing panna cotta. To make panna cotta, pour cold water into 4 cup (1 L) measuring cup or medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top. In saucepan, stir milk with molasses. Place over medium heat, stirring often, until hot. Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin and spices. Gradually pour into measuring cup with gelatin and whisk to blend. Remove ramekins from fridge. Divide pumpkin mixture over top. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or overnight. Serves 8. Each serving contains: 234 calories; 3 g protein; 16 g total fat (14 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 23 g total carbohydrates (17 g sugars, 2 g fibre); 20 mg sodium Substituting agar agar for gelatin In saucepan, stir agar agar with milk and molasses. Let stand for 15 minutes, then bring to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve. Remove from heat and continue with recipe. source: "Naturally Sweetened Deserts", alive #385, November 2014

Forget baking an apple pie. The nutrients are so much higher if you keep it raw. This is such a healthy gourmet recipe that you won’t miss the flour, sugar, or butter. The quercetin content in the apple skin has the ability to reduce the histamine response, a cause of painful inflammation. Cinnamon reduces inflammation and balances blood sugar, but few recipes call for a medicinal dose! When you eat one slice of this pie, you get 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon, more than the minimum dose that has been clinically shown to reduce blood sugar when taken daily. Filling 4 large apples 1/4 cup (60 mL) lemon juice 1 Tbsp (15 mL) cinnamon 2 Tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup or honey 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground ginger 1/2 tsp (2 mL) nutmeg Pie crust 1 cup (250 mL) dried coconut 1 cup (250 mL) hempseed 1/2 cup (125 mL) Medjool dates 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon Crumble topping 2/3 cup (160 mL) pie crust 1/4 cup (60 mL) quinoa flakes 1/4 cup (60 mL) dried cranberries Dash grey or pink sea salt Slice apples with mandoline or food processor with the slicing attachment on fine setting. Set aside. In mixing bowl, blend lemon juice, cinnamon, honey, ginger, and nutmeg. Transfer apples to mixing bowl and marinate for 20 minutes. Place pie crust ingredients in food processor. Pulse until texture is fine and it sticks together. Remove 2/3 cup (160 mL) of crust and set aside. Mould pie crust into bottom of pie plate. For topping, put the set-aside pie crust back into food processor with quinoa flakes, cranberries, and sea salt and pulse. Drain extra liquid from pie filling and reserve. Layer apples into pie crust and sprinkle crumble on top. Serve cold within 48 hours of making. Drizzle reserved cinnamon sauce on top of each piece, if desired. Serves 8. Each serving contains: 353 calories; 23 g protein; 17 g total fat (7 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 50 g total carbohydrates (27 g sugars, 8 g fibre); 18 mg sodium source: "Whole Foods to Repair and Renew", alive #360, October 2012

Poaching turkey breast is an easy, hands-off way to cook the lean meat without the worry of drying it out. Tangy goat cheese is an exciting replacement for butter in vegetable mashes such as this parsnip version. And the chutney further assures that the dish is big on flavour.

As with zucchini bread, shredded zucchini can add a nutritional boost to pancakes. Folding in whipped egg whites produces truly fluffy pancakes that are brightened with lemon essence. The batter can be prepared the night before, but it’s best to leave it out at room temperature for about one hour before using. Top with berries and maple syrup.

Teff flour lends waffles a malty backdrop while the red sauce brings a taste of spring to the breakfast table. No waffle iron? The same batter can be used to make pancakes. Both the batter and sauce can be made up to three days in advance if chilled, but it’s best used at room temperature. Keep cooked waffles warm in a 200 F(100 C) oven until ready to serve. Cooked waffles can be wrapped in parchment paper and frozen in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

This recipe is based on a traditional coq au vin recipe. Delicious when simmered to perfection, it’s been adapted to use a crisp dry Riesling rather than a typical Burgundy wine.

This whimsical cookie pie saves you the time needed to scoop out individual cookies, making it even sweeter to be a cookie monster. Milled from soft wheat, whole wheat pastry flour is a baker’s secret for less dense baked goods than you get when using regular whole wheat flour. You could also use gluten-free flour such as brown rice or quinoa. Dried cherries provide each bite with a tart kick, but dried blueberries, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots will work too. À la mode options include your favourite vanilla or mocha ice cream.

serves 12

Stunning black rice is soaked before cooking, helping to give it a chewy bite and making it the perfect anchor for this especially satisfying dessert. The nutty whole grain rice is encased in a deep purple husk thought to contain antioxidants similar to dark berries. In Thai markets the rice and rich custard are often wrapped in pandanus leaves for the ultimate take-away treat. If you’d rather just enjoy the rice without the custard, try topping it with sliced mango.

Sea scallops contain selenium and zinc to boost your immune function and omega-3 fats that directly decrease inflammation. A 3 oz (90 g) serving provides over 50 percent of your vitamin B12 needs to repair DNA.

These dainty cookies are a whimsical afternoon pick-me-up accompanied by a cup of your favourite tea.

Pu-erh is an earthy aged tea from China’s Yunnan Province. Its richness pairs particularly well with chocolate. You can find it at most tea shops or you can use Lapsang souchong, Earl Grey, or Darjeeling black tea instead. Making these in muffin cups helps with portion control.

Green pick

Topping
1/4 cup (60 mL) light brown sugar, turbinado, or sucanat
1 - 15 oz (425 g) can pineapple slices in unsweetened juice, drained (reserve 1/4 cup/60 mL juice)

When freshly sliced, queso fresco is mild and somewhat bland in flavour; when melted, it puffs into marshmallow-like pillows with a buttery, nutty taste that will awaken your umami taste buds. The texture can vary depending on how much weight is applied to the cheese when it’s set.

Key queso fresco ingredients

Serves 4

Cap off your next homemade sushi meal with these dessert rolls and you’re sure to elicit groans of delight. The pickled ginger adds a pleasant hint of piquant heat to this sweet sushi, but it can be left off entirely for a more family-friendly treat.

Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried red jalapenos. In cans they are packed with a tomato sauce called adobo and make a wonderful smoky addition to salsas, chilis, soups, and pasta sauces. Most supermarkets now carry chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. If you really want to bring the heat, up the amount of chipotle used in the tomato jam by 1 tsp (5 mL). A little goes a long way, so freeze extras for future use.