Beets are beautiful in a salad with their dark red color (or pink or gold- depending on the variety) and they add a unique earthy flavor, density and sweetness. Back in ancient times they were prized for their health properties and were thought to help with fevers and skin and digestive ailments. We now know them to be potent sources of antioxidants and very high in fiber and several vitamins and minerals. Technically they do help out with blood and liver “purification” because they have some nutrients that help the liver efficiently perform a crucial stage of detoxification (a task it is continually fulfilling). Since different cultures have been eating beets for many centuries there is lots of interesting folklore that has erupted around them pertaining to blood, love and the heart. Continue Reading →
Scallop Vermicelli Stir Fry
This stir fry utilizes ingredients that all cook really quickly- thinly cut vegetables, rice vermicelli noodles and scallops with a pre-made vinaigrette. The most time consuming step here is cutting the vegetables but that can be done the night before or morning of to save time. Continue Reading →
Tropical Granola Parfait
Layering a thick smoothie with granola and yogurt is the ultimate in healthy brunch decadence and it’s good enough to eat for dessert. You can use any smoothie and granola you like, here I kept the flavors tropical for a bit of a pick me up from the dreary winter weather. Smoothies are a really great item to incorporate into a healthy diet because they are flexible to your individual preferences and since the food is completely blended they are less work for your digestive system to break down. Continue Reading →
Chunky Minestrone Soup
Minestrone is a really easy, healthy and low cost soup. It is basically a tomatoey broth filled with an assortment of vegetables, pasta and beans. Normally the tomato flavor comes from a can of crushed tomatoes but I have a secret trick- use marinara sauce instead for a more rich texture and depth of flavor. Continue Reading →
Halibut en Papillote
Cooking food en papillote is a French method where you make a little paper pouch around some food and bake it in the oven. It steams and marinates itself and keeps all the moisture in so it is a very clean way of cooking that does not require much oil or flavoring. Continue Reading →
Ginger Yam Butternut Soup
I never ate ginger much growing up, except for in gingerbread cookies at Christmas time. Since learning about its health properties I have been experimenting with it more and more and a trip to the market grocery store is no longer complete for me without grabbing some fresh ginger from the produce section. Even just throwing a couple small pieces in a cup with hot water makes a nourishing tea that helps with digestion and is very soothing for sore tummies. This soup is very simple but it features some of the best foods for fending off and recovering from colds and flus Continue Reading →
Pesto Chickpea Gnocchi
Pre-made gnocchi is one of my favorite throw together comfort foods. Gnocchi is similar to both pasta and dumplings except the main ingredient is potatoes instead of flour and once it is thrown into some boiling water it cooks in only two minutes, maximum three minutes and the pieces come out dense and soft. Potatoes are very easy for us to digest and they are a good recovery food if you’ve been suffering from any of the winter viruses making their rounds now. Traditionally gnocchi does have some white flour as a binder but there are gluten-free options that use potato starch instead and they are really delicious. Continue Reading →
Cheesy Butternut Ham Pasta
On a cold winter’s day, a bowl of creamy pasta can warm you up down to the core. Yet, there are healthier ways to achieve this beyond using heavy cream. Butternut squash, cooked in broth then puréed and added to brown rice pasta with some cheese and ham tastes decadent and rich, with a heavy dose of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins A and C (minus the large amount of saturated fat that comes with cream). Continue Reading →
Pirate Chicken
Jerk sauce is about as flavorful as you can get, it has lots of spice and warming herbs like allspice and mace, along with coconuts and rum it is a hallmark of the Caribbean. It hails from Jamaica and compliments any type of poultry or meat very well, my favorite brand is Auntie Bev’s because it is delicious and has only good quality and real ingredients. Plus it is made by a local Vancouverite and it’s widely available. For more embarassingly Caucasian palates like myself it is best to start with a little bit so that the spicyness isn’t too overwhelming. I like to add some coconut milk in because it makes a really creamy sauce and helps to cool down the spice a little. I also add in broth to the sauce and cook it for awhile so that it boils down and thickens up to a rich gravy. Continue Reading →
Cranberry Pecan Meatballs
My pickiest brother was hovering around the kitchen watching me as I made these. He said there was no way that they could compare with Ikea meatballs and he wasn’t loving the idea of diluting beef with fruit and nuts, though I could tell he was intrigued. Once they were made he inhaled a plate of them and then had more with dinner so they were a win after all. I used ground beef but ground turkey would work well in its place for a lighter option and more traditional flavor combination. All berries are highly renowned for their high concentrations of antioxidants and of them cranberries top the charts. Continue Reading →