This salad is a great spring dish using fresh local and seasonal bounty. This dish not only looks amazing, but is also packed with flavour and nutrition. Swiss chard is an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fibre.
To easily peel asparagus, use a small, narrow food container to elevate the spear off the cutting board so your peeler won’t hit the board as you swipe it along the length of the spear.
Per serving:
In blender, combine vinaigrette ingredients, except for olive oil. Blend until smooth. With blender on low, slowly add olive oil to mixture until emulsified. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. Refrigerate in large jar until ready to use. It can be refrigerated for a couple of days.
In saucepan, combine all pickling liquid ingredients and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve honey or sugar and salt, about 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Wash and dry Swiss chard. Remove leaves from stems. Take stems and slice on the bias into 1/8 in (3 mm) pieces. Stir into warm pickling liquid and steep for 20 minutes. Cut remaining chard leaves into bite-sized pieces and add to large bowl.
Snap the bottoms off asparagus spears where they naturally snap when pressure is applied. This will remove the woody fibrous end. You can reserve these pieces for soups or broths. Holding each asparagus spear by the tip, use vegetable peeler to peel long strands, and then cut off tips. Into large bowl with chard leaves, place asparagus tips and their long strands. Set aside.
To prepare fava beans, bring small saucepan with water to a boil. Pop beans from pods and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen the outer layer of beans. Using slotted spoon, immediately lift beans from simmering water and plunge into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Reserve cooking liquid. Drain beans from ice water and remove any outer layers of beans that might still be attached before adding beans to asparagus and chard in bowl. Drizzle vegetables with 1/4 cup (60 mL) vinaigrette to lightly coat and marinate while poaching eggs.
Using simmering water from blanched fava beans, add a splash of vinegar and gently poach eggs to soft doneness, about 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to kitchen towel to drain.
To serve, divide salad among 4 plates. Build a round nest of asparagus ribbons and Swiss chard, reserving a few beans for the top. Using slotted spoon, scoop up some pickled Swiss chard stems from pickling liquid and gently shake to drain off excess liquid. Place chard stems on top of each salad along with remaining fava beans. Refrigerate pickling liquid and use for another recipe, if you wish.
Using vegetable peeler or microplane grater, zest flakes of Parmesan over each dish. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and finish with a poached egg in the centre of each plate. Drizzle each with one or two additional spoons of vinaigrette and serve.
This vegan take on classic shepherd’s pie is jam-packed with bold and rich flavours that will ensure no one will miss the meat. While a great source of fibre, lentils also contain the highest amount of folate out of all plant-based foods. Oven ready If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, you’ll need to transfer cooked lentil filling to a baking dish before topping with mashed sweet potatoes and baking.
Cauliflower has been having a moment lately, and this salad proves exactly why. Tender caramelized cauliflower is crowned in a glorious sweet and savoury crumble that will ensure it a place on your table all month long. Of all tree nuts, pecans have the highest concentration of flavonoids, which offer beneficial anti-inflammatory effects, and they also protect your cells from oxidative damage. Crumble perfection This crumble topping is too good not to use it on other preparations. Sprinkle over a carrot ribbon salad to add some extra pizzazz, use as a glorious garnish on a soup or stew, or consider generously spooning over your next vegetable “steak” to add some delicious textural variation.
This gloriously comforting dish gets its creamy lusciousness from a can of white beans. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand instead of broccoli. Pass the pasta Instead of regular pasta, consider serving this sauce over zucchini noodles, carrot noodles, or cooked spaghetti squash.
This nut-free take on classic queso dip is everything you want and more. Paired with chips, crackers, or crudités, this creamy, zesty, smoky, and oh-so-satisfying dip is easy enough to whip up for a cozy snack or as an appetizer for company. Go nuts! If you’re okay to eat nuts, try substituting sunflower seeds with 1 cup (250 mL) raw cashews.