For both omnivores and vegetarians alike, we can all benefit from consuming more legumes, or beans and lentils. Chickpeas have a subtler, nutty flavour so they’re a good option for those who are new to these foods or who don’t find them too appealing. Legumes are wonderful because they are high in fiber as well as protein so they help us to feel full and keep the digestive system working efficiently. However, when it comes to fiber it is best to adjust slowly and a salad like this with legumes and raw vegetables needs to be chewed well and portion controlled. Continue Reading →
Strawberry Salad
Strawberries are one of the best sources of antioxidants and vitamin C, making them helpful for many important functions including cardiovascular health and building strong immunity. They are sweet and fresh enough to liven up salads for warm weather days and can even be blended to provide the base for a light but creamy dressing. Continue Reading →
Asparagus Penne with Avocado Sauce
Asparagus is a fresh, nutritious vegetable indicative of spring. It is bursting with a range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants but what really sets it apart is its inulin content. Inulin is a unique type of carbohydrate in that it doesn’t get fully broken down like other carbohydrates do. It makes it all the way to the large intestine and becomes food for the good bacteria. Continue Reading →
Roasted Tomatoes
Roasting tomatoes maximizes flavour even when the tomatoes used are more on the bland side. It may not be the most practical way to prepare them, the roasting takes a while and the volume is severely decreased, but oh they are delicious. For such a simple vegetable dish it really packs a lot of flavour and can bring something special to a whole range of meals. It is great on toasted crusty bread or english muffins, perhaps with some avocado or some freshly grated parmesan. It can also liven up pasta and eggs or create a base for sauces, soups or stews. Extras can be portioned out and frozen for easy access. Continue Reading →
Berry Chia Pudding Parfaits
There are currently a couple pretty trendy dishes to make from chia seeds- chia pudding and chia jam- and this is sort of a combination of the two. Along with some yogurt and a thick smoothie it makes for a very healthy parfait with a large range of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Continue Reading →
Strawberry Power Balls
Power balls a.k.a. energy balls are exactly what they sound like- little nutrient-dense balls of food that provide a burst of power or energy. They are jam packed with a good balance of fats, protein and carbs to provide a boost during an afternoon energy slump or to fuel or refuel before or after a workout. Continue Reading →
Fried Quinoa
One of the main keys to eating healthy is being prepared. An easy, regular way to do this is to cook a large pot of whole grains at the start of the week and use it to create fresh, fast meals. Asian style fried brown rice, or quinoa in this case, is something my brother and I have been making pretty regularly lately. He takes the extras for lunch, topped with some baked, diced chicken to make it extra filling. Brown rice, millet or any other whole grain can be used instead of quinoa, they all work pretty well and have subtle, nutty flavours that go well with eggs, tamari (or regular soy sauce) and any vegetables desired. Continue Reading →
Quinoa Greek Salad
Quinoa is, like most whole grains, a great source of several minerals and B vitamins and fiber but what makes it special and unique is the type of protein it contains. Protein is made up of building blocks called amino acids and there are 8 which we must obtain through food (our bodies can make the other ones on their own as needed). I like to think of each as a different colour of lego and most plant foods are missing one or two colours. Quinoa, an ancient grain prized since ancient times is technically a seed and it contains all 8 amino acids needed- making it a “complete protein”. Continue Reading →
Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a vegetable filled side dish- basically it is vegetables cooked in vegetable sauce. Sliced eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions get a boost of flavour from the base of tomato sauce they are placed in. All together it becomes a cozy side dish with fresh Mediterranean flavours and a big range of nutrients. Continue Reading →
Lemon Tarragon Chickpea Chicken
As much as I love cooking there are days when it is the last thing I feel like doing. In such scenarios there is one trick that revives my affection for toiling over the oven- getting weird and unusual ingredients. The moment I found these purple yams my creative juices started flowing and I was looking forward to preparing something new. Both yams and butternut are quite sweet and starchy, making them sweet and satisfying. Combined with fiber-rich chickpeas and light zucchini, they all make the chicken into an easy one-pot dish. Some fresh herbs and lemon add in lots of flavour and a bit of broth keeps the chicken moist. Continue Reading →