Food

This refreshing cooler has layers of delicate flavour and just a hint of sweetness. An infusion of basil, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric is combined with gently steeped green tea. Make this well in advance to allow time to chill the drink prior to the picnic. Keep it cold in an insulated container or cooler.

This hearty salad has the soul of a stir-fry with flavours of garlic, soy, miso, ginger, and chilies. And it makes use of every part of the broccoli by including the flavourful stem. Edamame gives this fibre-rich salad a punch of protein. The best thing is that this slaw keeps well and gets richer in flavour as it’s stored in the fridge.

Mom is sure to love this sweet and sensational-looking dessert made with aquafaba meringue. The meringue’s crisp texture provides contrast with the fluffy whipped coconut cream, topped with mango purée and sweet mango chunks. Lime zest and mint bring everything together, while a dash of blue matcha makes the meringue’s interior a subtle surprise.

Sandwiches are a picnic essential, but these ones have a bit of a twist. These uncomplicated sandwiches are fresh and full of flavour made extra special with homemade flatbread studded with fragrant nigella seeds. The chickpea filling is dressed with olive oil, pomegranate molasses, honey, and chili crisp for a delicious and unexpected flavour that belies the simplicity of the preparation. You can find chili crisp in Asian or specialty grocery stores.

The inspiration here is Greek Salad―but on a stick. We’ve added some savoury lemony garlic chicken packed with flavour so it’s delicious served cold. These skewers are packed full of veggies, which makes them easy to modify for those with dietary preferences. Just leave off the feta or the chicken for those who prefer veggies only. And while they’re delicious as is, the inclusion of a tzatziki-style dip adds an extra zing. To keep things on schedule, cook the chicken the day before or early in the morning of your picnic.

Somewhere between a Mexican salsa macha and a pesto, this herby dip gets an earthy base of toasted pumpkin seeds, tempered by fresh cilantro, lots of zesty lime, and a dash of heat from jalapenos and red chilies. Served with seed crackers, bread, or fresh cut vegetables, this hearty dip will keep everyone going and is easy to pack and serve.

An iconic dish that epitomizes the essence of Italian cuisine? Eggplant parmesan. While the genuine Italian connection to eggplant parmesan, or Melanzane alla Parmigiana, remains somewhat controversial, what is not contested is the gastronomic delight of tomato-bathed tender eggplant strewn in melty cheese. This skillet version does away with the battering and frying of individual eggplant slices in favour of composing the dish in a single pan to make it a more accessible weeknight dish. A popular food in Italian kitchens, cannellini beans add some heft and protein to the meal.

This satisfying plant-based bowl of nutrition brings together many cherished victuals of Japanese cuisine―nutty soba, vibrant matcha, earthy miso, and feisty wasabi. Baking the tofu that’s been slathered with a miso sauce yields cubes with a meaty texture and some flavourful caramelization. If you’re eating gluten free, you can find soba noodles that are made entirely of buckwheat flour, which is free of gluten. If you don’t have wasabi paste, you can spice up the dressing with chili sauce or cayenne.

One type of fish, in particular, has become almost synonymous with Scandinavian cuisine: omega-3-rich herring. Specifically, pickled herring. In this Nordic-inspired lunch, the strong flavour of fatty herring is tamed when added to a tangy and sweet salad that is served on crispy crackers―Scandinavian cultures are also crazy for their rye. The salad can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can find jars of pickled herring in the seafood section of most supermarkets.

A descendant of the doner kebab, a Turkish dish made with sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, shawarma is a popular street food with Middle Eastern provenance. This shortcut version of chicken shawarma skips the long marinating and roasting time and relies, instead, on seasoned roasted poultry that is stuffed into greens, instead of pita, to keep it tasting extra fresh. Served topped with a herby yogurt sauce, it makes a satisfying meal any day of the week. Both ras el hanout and za’atar are available in many Middle Eastern markets.

Satisfying and nourishing dals and curries are synonymous with Indian and Sri Lankan cuisine. This is a heavenly spiced, dal-like soup you may get with a meal in southern India or northern Sri Lanka. Pol roti (Sri Lankan coconut flatbread) is an unleavened flatbread made of wheat flour (atta), salt, freshly grated coconut, and water that is rolled out into a circle and cooked on a hot cast iron skillet. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to this saucy lentil dish. You can find packages of frozen grated coconut and fresh curry leaves at Indian markets.

This is a refreshing kale salad highlighted by juicy red grapefruit. Thinly sliced kale and a slightly spicy dressing of garlic, grapefruit juice, paprika, and crushed red pepper flakes give this spring salad a zingy flavour. The whole thing gets topped with a crunchy buckwheat and pumpkin seed granola for an interesting texture.

This dish takes inspiration from two classic fish dishes―the mushy peas served with fish and chips and spicy fish tacos. We’ve made the peas fresh, bright, and a little spicy by using fresh or frozen peas, lots of fresh cilantro, serrano pepper, and lime juice. Combined with lightly marinated and baked halibut and topped with radishes and more cilantro, these tacos are satisfying and delicious.

Even though the weather’s warming up, there’s room in the still-cool days of spring for a delicious warming soup, especially one that includes young greens. Made with turkey and young collards, this soup has a light, fragrant broth flavoured with rosemary and thyme.

This crunchy salad features two of the stars of spring―snap peas and asparagus―in a mildly spicy peanut dressing. Mint, quinoa, cashews, and fresh mint make this salad tasty and hearty enough for a meal. The robust nature of the salad means it can be made ahead or kept for a day in the fridge in the unlikely case of leftovers.

These recipe excerpts are from Cathy Katin-Grazzini’s new book, Love the Foods That Love the Planet. Reprinted with permission from Health Communications, Inc. Photography by Giordano Katin-Grazzini.

This is a quick and easy meal full of powerful flavour that you can throw together in minutes from a handful of cupboard ingredients. The starring green is delicate baby bok choy which is lavished with ginger, chili, and crispy garlic, then braised just enough to make it tender with a bit of a bite. Serve it on green onion-studded rice, top it with an egg, and you’re done.

Get plenty of greens with this chicken salad, which gets a boost of green goodness via a peppery arugula dressing made with yogurt, lemon zest, and a hint of goat cheese. And because a classic chicken salad always needs a bit of crunch, there’s lots of green celery and some walnuts too. Serve it open-faced or in a sandwich topped with additional fresh arugula.

These recipe excerpts are from Cathy Katin-Grazzini’s new book, Love the Foods That Love the Planet. Reprinted with permission from Health Communications, Inc. Photography by Giordano Katin-Grazzini.

Rich, luscious chocolate with sea salt and hazelnuts—spoonfuls of luxury you’ll crave again and again. Indulgent chocolate and hazelnuts bring skin-supporting antioxidants and minerals to this velvety dessert that’s good for you too!

Tender, flaky salmon with an umami-rich glaze and perfectly charred broccolini make this a satisfying, wholesome dinner you won’t get enough of. Omega-3s from the salmon and nutrients from the broccolini work together in this sweet and savoury delight.

This rustic chicken sandwich is loaded with flavour and nutrients, paired with crispy homemade chips for a satisfying, age-defying meal. Juicy herb-roasted chicken, tangy mustard, and crispy ranch-seasoned chips—everything you could want in a homey, comforting sandwich!

A bowl of comfort, this creamy soup pairs nutty, slightly sweet cauliflower and meaty white beans with golden croutons and crunchy Parmesan crisps. This soup is loaded with skin-loving nutrients and is finished with a crispy Parmesan tuile for a rich, savoury crunch.