This Indian-style flatbread is delicious as an accompaniment to a meal or on its own as a snack. The addition of spinach provides a good source of vitamin A and iron. If you are short on time, omit the filling and cook the bread on the stove while dinner is simmering or baking away.
2 cups (500 mL) whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) water, plus extra
2 tsp (10 mL) ghee or certified organic vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
1/2 tsp (2 mL) cumin seeds
1 cup (250 mL) grated cauliflower
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups (1 L) chopped spinach
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/4 tsp (1 mL) chili flakes (optional)
In bowl, stir together flour and salt. Add water and stir until soft dough forms, adding more water if needed. Turn out onto lightly oiled work surface and knead for about 5 minutes until a soft, smooth, and pliable dough forms. Cover dough with lightly damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat ghee in frying pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds (they should sizzle and pop) and cook for 5 seconds. Add cauliflower and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until cauliflower starts to caramelize. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated but spinach is not dry, about 4 minutes. Stir in ground coriander and chili flakes and cook another minute. Transfer filling to bowl to cool to room temperature.
Divide dough and filling into 8 equal pieces. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, roll into 3 in (8 cm) circle. Place 1 ball of filling in centre of dough and bring edges of dough up around filling, pinching to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover with damp cloth and let rest for 5 minutes.
Preheat cast iron pan over medium heat. Pan is preheated when drops of water sizzle and dance as soon as they hit the hot pan. Working one at a time, roll out parantha into 6 in (15 cm) round; use flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Lightly brush pan with ghee and place parantha in pan. Cook until light brown with some darker bubbling spots, about 2 minutes. Flip and allow the other side to cook, another 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining paranthas, oiling pan as needed, and stacking cooked paranthas on top of each other. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 8 paranthas.
Each parantha contains: 106 calories; 3 g protein; 2 g total fat (1 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 20 g carbohydrates (1 g sugars, 3 g fibre); 90 mg sodium
source: "Homemade Bread", alive #363, January 2013
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.
Steaming fish in parchment-paper packets, also known as cooking en papillote , is a classic technique that allows you to cook all your vegetables and fish at the same time in a quick, easy, and convenient way. Flavours of lemon, garlic, and spicy dried chili make this a simple, yet showstopping meal. Sustainability status Wild-caught Pacific halibut has Ocean Wise and Marine Stewardship Council certifications and is fished using longlines, which is a more selective method of fishing that results in less bycatch. Prep party Involve family or guests in the prep and have everyone make their own packet. Once you’ve mastered the technique, it’s easy to change up the ingredients. Make sure you select vegetables that will cook at the same rate as the fish.