Food

Try serving this punch in a martini glass at Father’s Day breakfast. Let your dad know you love him by telling him about the health benefits of this colourful juice.

This refreshing Thai-inspired salad is simple to prepare and pairs well with grilled chicken. If mangoes are unavailable, segmented oranges can be substituted to make a zesty citrus variation.

(pictured with Snacking Salad with Apricots and Roasted Almonds)

4 cups (1 L) water
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 mL) quinoa
1 cup (250 mL) cherry tomatoes, chopped small red onion, sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup (125 mL) almonds, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup (160 mL) Mild Moroccan Spiced Dressing
8 cups (2 L) baby spinach leaves

This is a seafood salad without comparison and could easily serve as a main lunch dish. If this is your introduction to cooking octopus, make sure you use sufficient force to tenderize (a rolling pin is crude, but effective) before adding it to the bouillon. This is the secret to tender tubes.

This dessert is a work of art and as such requires some simple art supplies and assembly. In this case, a half-dozen metal rings, roughly 3 in (7.6 cm) wide and 2.5 in (6.3 cm) high, are required to bring this to the table.

While there are countless flavour variations for risotto, the sweet peas are refreshing and healthful. Alternatives, depending upon the time of year, include wild mushrooms, diced gourds, or asparagus. Fruits such as blueberries and strawberries can also be used to great applause.

This salad is a consistent hit for potlucks and parties, or enjoy it all by yourself for a fully satisfying lunch. I love it because it’s perfect for using up any vegetables left in the fridge at the end of the week. The mushrooms add protein and a meaty texture.

This dip is very versatile and can be used as a high-protein sandwich spread with fresh peppers, broccoli sprouts, and lettuce.The salsa provides a good source of lycopene to help prevent prostate cancer and the lime juice and cilantro provide plenty of vitamin C.

Borscht is an incredibly powerful soup. Its rich colour signifies the presence of powerful plant pigments that have been shown to prevent the body from aging, environmental damage, and disease.

Use this broth as the base for a nourishing soup by adding a handful of grain (such as barley) and a can of your favourite beans.

This dish keeps well and is delicious hot or cold. Use it as a main dish or as an appetizer. It is quite rich, so reduce the olive oil if required, but try to keep the flax oil for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Add on top of whole grain and pasta dishes for a flavourful, nutritious boost.

If blended drinks such as margaritas are your thing, why not try this colourful, nutrient-rich, tasty alternative? It’s great for Sunday brunches or after-work drinks with friends.

This delightful drink can be pre-prepared in batches and stored in the freezer or fridge. Add a dash of sparkling water for a refreshing pre-dinner drink, or serve it hot in winter.

Don’t forget to add the magic ingredients: fun and love–your friends and family will taste the difference!

Use any kind of pasta, but for a special treat try something interesting from a gourmet pasta maker.

Warm up with this creamy comfort food. Down-to-earth flavours of cauliflower blend smoothly with a hint of sweet honey. Rocky Mountain Flatbread keeps their daily soup pots full. This soup disappears from those pots as soon as their doors are opened.

This salad dressing is the most popular on the Rocky Mountain Flatbread’s menu and looks amazing on fresh organic lettuce leaves.

While as delicious as any homespun, heritage dessert, this trinity of primary ingredients (apples, walnuts, and figs) also offers a wholly delicious nutritional punch.

You might have to hunt to find bison, but the flavour and natural health benefits provide rich reward. While both leaner and more flavourful than mainstream beef offerings, bison also carries the benefits of a free-range, non-medicated lifestyle. Take care not to overdo the bison as it serves best when cooked no further than medium rare.

With a hit of heat from the wasabi, this salad reminds us that winter too has its greens to offer, with a world of healthy benefits unrivalled by iceberg.

Rich, warm, and supremely satisfying, this soup greatly benefits from sourcing a healthy stock or making your own if time allows.

This dish is an all-time favourite for a calcium boost. Both the broccoli and sesame seeds contain substantial calcium, and this stir-fry is excellent as a side dish or a simple dinner. Using unrefined sesame oil adds genuine Asian flavour. Sesame is revered in Asia for its antiaging properties. Combining the sesame oil with natural tamari soy sauce is always an excellent base for a stir-fry. Add garlic for immune boosting properties and feel free to experiment by adding ginger and shiitake mushrooms to this basic recipe. This recipe only takes 10 to 15 minutes from beginning to end, so think twice about ordering in Chinese when you could have your own fabulous dish ready in the time it takes to be delivered!