Food

Blue Banana Smoothie

Various types of beets and honey can take this dish in plenty of delicious directions. Honey takes its flavour from the fields that surround the apiary and there are many varieties to explore, ranging from fireweed to blueberry to wildflower.

Oat flour lends the crust of this tart a laudable texture. Thick Greek yogourt is a perfect substitution for heavy cream in desserts such as this, but it’s best not to use fat-free versions. You could swap out raspberries for blueberries in the filling if desired.

Use local nuts and seeds to showcase the fruits that are available in the fall or that have been dried and saved from summer. Normally cinnamon and salt would be used to prepare this apple pie, but try substituting a pinch of dried local herbs for added flavour.

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.

The quintessential French grandmotherly dessert, clafoutis is perfect for cast iron and simple to make. Just whiz together your batter in a blender and pour over the fruit. This spruced up, gluten-free version replaces white flour with nutritious almond flour and is chockablock with antioxidant-rich berries. The tender batter swells around the berries as it bakes in the cast iron skillet.

Sea lettuce can be a bit tricky to source off the coast, but can be found in specialty stores where the edible green algae is sought after for its high protein, dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

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.