Food

Pity the poor salad: as the Forrest Gump of the holiday side-dish world, it’s always the underdog. But this bowl of greens bejeweled by toasty nuts, sweet figs, crispy apples, and creamy dressing is sure to become the hit of the holiday table. People won’t even miss the stuffing. No moo  Looking for a dairy-free dressing? Whisk together the zest and juice of 1 medium orange; 2 Tbsp (30 mL) balsamic vinegar; 1 Tbsp (15 mL) honey; 2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard; 2 tsp (10 mL) grated or finely minced fresh ginger; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt; 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper; 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) crushed red pepper flakes; and 1/3 cup (80 mL) extra-virgin olive oil.

Stealth add-ins such as miso and soy sauce add umami depth to this plant-based riff on shepherd’s pie that is sure to leave everyone around the table searching for the like button—even the most devout carnivores. Plus, it’s the perfect make-ahead dish; simply reheat in the oven shortly before serving. Say cheeze  If you need to turn this sweet potato pie into a vegan-friendly dish, use a dairy-free butter alternative and try this Parmesan alternative: in bowl, stir together 1/2 cup (125 mL) hemp hearts; 1/4 cup (60 mL) nutritional yeast; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder; 1/2 tsp (2 mL) onion powder; and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt.

Perfectly sweet, and a tad fiery, this offbeat soup is a great way to kick off a celebratory meal. Roasting the main ingredients instead of using the traditional simmering method deepens the flavour and makes the recipe a touch more hands-off. Zest for life When only using the juice from citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons in a recipe, consider zesting them first. The zest can keep in the fridge for several days and be used to punch up everything from salad dressings to baked goods.

Though inspired in name and origin by Japanese Shibuya honey toast, which is a dessert often made with condensed milk or ice cream, this version is much lighter, with ginseng simply added to honey before smearing it on toast, along with any of the optional toppings.

With the stealth addition of legume-based noodles you can fret less about pasta night when it comes to blood sugar control. Even more so when you beef up the dish with tender-roasted broccoli. A drizzle of nutty-tasting brown butter makes the whole dish seem extra special. From penne to shells, nearly any shaped pasta works here. Wash cycle  For traditional wheat-based pasta varieties, drain well after cooking but do not rinse with water. The rules change with legume-based noodles, including chickpea, which require a post-drain rinse to remove excess starch and reduce clumping.  

The chameleon of the kitchen, cauliflower transforms into “rice” that, once seasoned and cooked, is remarkably similar to the real thing. It’s a blood sugar-friendly base for this quick yet flavourful Asian-inspired stir-fry. Grate expectations No food processor? Use the largest holes on a box cheese grater to grate each cauliflower floret into small pebble-sized pieces.

In this recipe, West meets East. Black lentils, aptly nicknamed “beluga caviar,” given their look, are grown in the west in cool, dry climates. We’ve paired them with a hint of Middle Eastern flavours and served them on a bed of thick lemony yogurt. Warm black lentils meet cool, creamy yogurt. This is a visual sensation that’s delicious served as an appetizer or as a side dish to seafood or chicken. Beluga lentils can be substituted with green or brown lentils if you wish. For added eye appeal, sprinkle with diced red pepper or tomato before serving.  

The contrast of colour makes this an eye-appealing meal for all ages. With slightly crisped lentils, kale, and nuts, it delivers on all textures as well. Topped with a creamy, lemony mayo, it’s pucker-y delicious. Our roasted veggies are mild flavoured for young eaters. If serving to an “adults only” crowd, jazz up the squash and broccoli with some harissa paste, curry powder, or a generous dusting of chili powder before roasting.  

It’s a given that a delicious bowl of stew hits the mark on a cold November night. This warming stew has a fiery kick with the hidden cayenne in the spice mix. A little extra simmering will soften the heat if taste buds are sensitive. Ras el hanout gives this Moroccan dish a super kick of heat and warm flavours. If unable to find this aromatic spice mix at your local grocery, substitute with 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin, 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander, 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger, 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon (optional) and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cayenne.  

This creamy, smooth dip doubles as a sandwich spread. Full of flavour, colourful, and creamy, it’s the quintessential dip for any occasion. Be sure to use “toasted” sesame oil as it adds a depth of nutty flavour to the recipe. Red Lentil Dip is also excellent spread on a tortilla wrap and loaded up with veggies. Or pipe into Belgian endive leaves and serve as an appetizer.  

Nachos meet pizza. Pizza meet nachos. All your favourite nacho flavours are piled onto a warm, oversized tortilla, proof that pizza night can play by the nutritional rules. If serving leftovers, leave off ingredients lettuce through cilantro on the portion of pizza you’re not serving immediately, then reheat in oven or a heavy-duty dry skillet until crust is warm. Top with remaining toppings. Flower power  Deep, corny flavoured masa harina is a flour made from nixtamalized corn (corn soaked in limewater) and has a lower glycemic index than white flour used for most pizza crust. Use extra to try making your own taco tortillas. Look for it at Latin grocers and some larger supermarkets.

Tasting like everyone’s favourite schoolyard sandwich, this hearty porridge will surely find a very special place in your daybreak food-hungry heart. It’s full of blood sugar-regulating soluble fibre, oats, raspberries, and chia seeds that work together to make sure this morning glory hits the nutritional jackpot. Made by grinding up defatted peanuts, peanut butter powder is a great way to infuse oatmeal (and baked goods!) with lower calorie nutty flavour. Reheat leftovers with a couple splashes of additional milk in a small saucepan. The new instant oats  You can settle for soggy instant oatmeal, or you can turn to more satisfying and nutritious steel-cut oats as the backbone for your most important meal of the day. Sounds great, but what about their long cooking time? Soaking your oats overnight is a time-saving hack for yielding porridge with perfect chewy texture in mere moments.  

Pump up the plants  Use Smoked Lemon Pepper Salt on vegetables and plant-based meats.  

I pod—do you?  So often recipes only call for the vanilla seeds, while the entire pod is edible. You can use spent vanilla pods to get a fragrant salt from something that otherwise may have been destined for the compost pile. Use Vanilla Salt on cakes, cookies, fresh fruit, and my favorite: sliced tomatoes.  

Finding fennel  Fennel pollen can be found at spice shops or ordered online. Fennel Coriander Salt gets used most often in our house on anything from crackers and homemade potato chips to roasted vegetables.  

Mixed with dairy-free yogurt and berries, this homemade, maple-infused granola makes for a knockout breakfast.

Fettuccine noodles laced with Parmesan and butter have been a fixture in Italian cuisine since 1914. Over the years, this dish became popular in America and increasingly rich with the addition of cream and eggs. Today, there’s a reversal stirring as people search for plant alternatives to rich, creamy dishes without compromising flavor. Enter this dish! The silky-smooth tofu sauce coupled with garlic and cashew cheese is a delicious vegan alternative with the rich essence of traditional alfredo pasta.

Much like its fellow cruciferous relatives, such as Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale, cauliflower is a great source of antioxidants; 1 cup packs 75 percent of the recommended daily intake of immune-supportive vitamin C.

For many, nothing is more comforting than the smell of garlicky baked pasta. In this version, cheese is replaced with high-protein tofu and fiber-rich white beans, working to keep those energy levels stable without skimping out on that trademark “cheesy” taste

In this dessert, tangy raspberries are blended with avocado into a luxuriously refreshing mousse. The result is a treat that’s packed with heart-healthy fats and blood sugar-stabilizing nutrients. Whenever possible, make it with organic ingredients

Holiday nog holds a special place in our hearts. For many, it is the epitome of Christmas and brings back memories of holiday parties through the years. Well, don’t worry, dear friends. Just because you’re avoiding eggs doesn’t mean you have to forgo your favorite holiday drink. Using the magic of cashews and coconut cream, we’ve recreated a holiday nog that is every bit as luscious as the nog you grew up drinking. It’s redolent of the cozy flavors of winter recipe | Toni Okamoto & Michelle Cehn  

No holiday dinner is complete without stuffing, so we set about perfecting a recipe that we and our loved ones could enjoy year after year. This is it! When baked, it gets a decadent bread pudding texture at the bottom and becomes nice and crispy on top. We love it with mashed potatoes and Mushroom Gravy. We hope this becomes a staple on your holiday dinner table, just as it has at ours. recipe | Toni Okamoto & Michelle Cehn

Confession time: We are both die-hard mushroom haters. Yet somehow, magically, when we mince the mushrooms for this gravy, our aversion to fungi disappears! Whipping up a batch of this gravy will make your entire home smell like Thanksgiving, but you certainly don’t have to wait for the holidays to make it. Goodness, no! We make this gravy year-round to pour over mashed potatoes. recipe | Toni Okamoto & Michelle Cehn