Food

This not-too-sweet cocktail or mocktail will be the toast of your holiday gathering. If you like your cocktail a little sweeter, consider rimming half the serving glass with a mixture of coconut sugar and cinnamon. Tip: For an equally delicious take on this mocktail, replace pears with apples. Pair with Salmon Salad Boats!

This recipe captures all the bright and fresh appeal of a salad in a pretty, portable bite. If you’d like to keep this appetizer vegetarian, simply forgo the salmon and stir in 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) cooked chickpeas or white beans. Pair with Pear and Thyme Fizz!

This refreshingly rosy drink pairs well with spicy and savoury flavours of Sesame-Soy Party Mix. Tip: Not a fan of cranberry? This mocktail is also delicious using 100% pomegranate juice in place of cranberry juice. Pair with Sesame-Soy Party Mix!

The ultimate cocktail snack has got to be the snack mix. Normally, this innocent looking munchie will rack up the sodium and calories quickly. This version lets you enjoy a fistful without the fear of overindulging. Tip: If you’re not a big fan of wasabi, feel free to leave it out and simply stir raw pumpkin seeds into almond, cashew, and popcorn mix before baking. Pair with Cranberry Sage Punch!

Given that wild rice is an iconic product grown in Manitoba, pulling it into a festive menu was simply too important not to include. Plus, the nutritional benefits outweigh many alternatives—especially with the addition of turmeric. This delicious rice is nutty, a bit sweet, a bit savoury, and a bit tart; paired with high-in-antioxidant berries and a delicious lacing of fresh herbs, this is a perfect side dish for the Three-Way Mixed Holiday Grill. Tip: Locally grown turmeric? Although turmeric originated in India, it’s widely cultivated around the world in mostly tropical and subtropical regions. But industrious farm hobbyists are beginning to successfully grow turmeric in Canada. With the right climate and proper care, it’s showing some success in areas where climate is warmer.

Lentils are so versatile that they can play a starring role in a wide variety of dishes. With this recipe, they can be considered a main course, since the recipe contains a delicious combination of ingredients that fills all the requirements for a balanced dish. Tip: We chose red Russian garlic for this recipe because it has big, juicy cloves. But any fresh garlic will do. Every region has their specialty cultivars.

With so many different dietary preferences, it can be a bit of a challenge to meet the protein requirements at the dinner table. That’s why we adopted a mixed grill for the main dish in our holiday menu. We embraced organic firm tofu for the vegans, organic chicken rather than a full-sized turkey, and pasture-raised pork tenderloin rather than ham to create three mains starring one delicious marinade.

After a full meal, just a little decadence is required. This creamy, egg-free, dairy-free mousse is the perfect ending. We used fortified oat milk with its healthy nutrients that include 50 percent of your daily vitamin B12 recommended dietary allowance. To make this mousse completely vegan, be sure to use vegan dark chocolate.

Root veggies are coming on strong at this time of year. And the brighter the colours, the richer the nutrients. No matter where you live, you’ll find local root vegetables that are perfect for this colourful medley. We’ve chosen roots available in our region, but any root will do. Our selection of roots can be prepared any which way—raw, cooked, or roasted. Can’t find fresh burrata? Burrata (Italian for “butter”) is a semi-soft Italian cheese. Its outer curd—mozzarella cheese formed into a pouch—encases soft, stringy curd and fresh cream that has a milky, buttery flavour. If burrata is not available, substitute crumbled goat cheese or feta.

Roasted veggies are the quintessential warming dish for a cold night. We chose cauliflower to embellish the delicious ACV-laced sauce. But any roasted root and/or toasted grain will complement the sumptuous apple cider vinegar tahini drizzle.

Fire cider is a powerful botanical concoction that combines a host of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients marinated for several weeks in ACV. It can be used as a potent cold and flu buster or for digestive support. Make it extra special by adding a couple of tablespoons of goji berries to the marinating mix. Tip! For added heat, use in any recipe that calls for apple cider vinegar.

Probiotics are an essential element to a healthy-gut meal. We’ve tossed our healthy cabbage salad together with a dressing of probiotic apple cider vinegar. ACV keeps your digestive system running smoothly and maintains the healthy bacteria in the gut. TIP: For a delicious added heat, use Fire Cider Vinegar.

This drink gives you the same sensory satisfaction as your usual tall soy latte from Starbucks, but without the jolt: It’s caffeine free. Dandelion “coffee” anchors this healthy cup of comfort.

The “Gina Mullin Challenge” at the International Society of Neurogastronomy Symposium is an event where two teams of neuroscientists and chefs compete, Iron Chef-style, to make dishes that appeal to people with taste challenges, such as chemotherapy patients. The event’s namesake, Gina Mullin, remarked at our first competition that sometimes when she got a craving for something, in the time it took to prepare it, the craving would be gone. Montreal’s Chef Fred Morin won the first competition by preparing a simple but very rich potato soup as a base and offering numerous add-ins. He thought, and the chemo patients agreed, that having this flavorful base and accoutrements in the refrigerator to speed up the preparation was a winning idea. This Super Umami Risotto follows Morin’s logic. Preparing the risotto through the third addition of liquid and then refrigerating it would also allow for quick preparation with endless flavor possibilities. What makes something taste umami—that so-called “fifth taste” that’s super meaty and savory? The answer largely lies in an amino acid called glutamate, which binds to specific receptors on our tongues. That’s why this recipe calls for dried shiitake mushrooms. They’re significantly higher in glutamate than fresh! And while personalization options are limitless with this risotto (most vegetables can be diced and included in the sauté), additions that significantly increase the umami are asparagus and spinach.  

These are so delicious! They’re ideal hot or cold as a mezze dish, starter, snack, or spicy picnic addition. Kaffir lime leaves are commonly used in Thai, Indonesian, Cambodian, Malaysian, and Vietnamese cooking and can be sourced in frozen form quite easily from Asian grocers. They impart a very distinct citrus note unlike any other ingredient I know—just their aroma makes me hungry. Inevitably, lemongrass goes very well with them, but the sweetness of roasted carrot and the slightly bready caraway seeds just make this dish irresistible. Lime leaves are double-shaped, making them perfect to wrap around things for cooking. Otherwise, wrap a large single leaf around each carrot piece. You don’t eat the leaves, by the way … but you knew that, right?

I love this dish for its great flavor, but also for its visual impact on the table. It is a perfect example of the senses working in union. You can’t hide the wonderful visual effect of the dish and then the joy of eating the textural contrast between the pieces of beetroot and the smooth yogurt. The chili provides a background lift, while the toasted caraway provides a second tier of bready flavor over the beetroot’s earthy sweetness. This recipe was extracted from Cooking for the Senses: Vegan Neurogastronomy by Jennifer Peace Rhind and Gregor Law, published by Singing Dragon. Order your copy at singingdragon.com.

This is arguably one of the most comforting winter soups to savour. It’s simple to make and full of flavour, and it’s practically a meal in a bowl. Throw in some toasted pepitas  for a little added crunch and protein.

This soothing winter dish will satisfy all ages with its smooth comforting flavours. We added frozen peas for colourful fibre, but you can also use other favourites such as broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, or spinach.

This salad is amazingly versatile—and delicious. It’s all about the dressing, and knowing what to pull together to complement the dressing is simple. Start with a benign base such as couscous, rice, or orzo pasta; add some greens such as spinach, kale, chard, or collards; and sprinkle with a combination of toppings from your pantry. Drizzle with delicious creamy tahini dressing, and it all comes together—tastefully and beautifully.

The beauty of this sweet little treat is that it’s a recipe you can make from a well-stocked pantry. And even better: you can easily substitute with other pantry ingredients. For example, no dates in your pantry? How about dried figs? Or use your own homemade jam or compote. Just make sure your fruit filling is very, very thick and pastelike before assembling.

Looking for an easy meal? Waffles lend themselves as a base for every meal of the day. Breakfast? Dessert? Lunch? Even dinner. In our version, we’ve covered breakfast, lunch, and dessert, serving this recipe with dried fruit compote. But there are also savoury toppings and more ideas to dress up a waffle. Make a big batch and freeze; they’re easy to heat up for any meal.

Grains and cabbage are in this season. We’ve paired spelt berries with cabbage and toasted quinoa for a surprisingly upscale result. For this recipe, bypass the packaged shredded cabbage—it just won’t have the same results, or the price value. The trick? Buy a half or quarter head of cabbage and shave it ultra thin on a mandoline.  

Bold flavors, adaptable add-ins, and irresistible comfort food appeal make this a winter weeknight winner. Warming curry powder, chili, turmeric, and ginger add depth to seasonal vegetables and legumes for a stew that’s delicious over rice or served in a bowl with naan for dipping (or both!). Leftovers can be packed up and enjoyed for tomorrow’s lunch.  

Harissa is a North African spice paste that’s now readily available in stores, but it’s so easy and much more affordable to make at home. It’s commonly stirred into stews, soups, and the like, but it shines when turned into a sauce for pasta.

Cut and Paste