Homemade almond milk has a fresh, light taste and a silky smooth consistency. It is not as stable as commercial versions- it only lasts for a few days and it doesn’t heat well for warm drinks like hot chocolate. That being said, its richer flavour makes it worth trying. Plus, there is an upside to its fragility- since it does not contain any of the stabilizers and preservatives that commercial versions do, it is a viable option for those with digestive issues and sensitive systems. Continue Reading →
Vanilla Cardamom Roasted Fruit Salad
A violent storm has just made its way through, the first one after months of nearly constant sun. It is still periodically pouring rain and a persistent wind has been whirling around and rattling what remains of the rose bushes outside my kitchen window. It’s feeling like fall has come but there was still a pile of perfectly ripened summer fruit on the counter so it seemed like the perfect scenario to try a roasted fruit salad. Continue Reading →
Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad
Pasta is the epitome of both flexibility and comfort food. Whole grain pasta with a tonne of summer vegetables is my brother’s current specialty so we have been enjoying it a lot lately and I wanted to change it up a bit by incorporating legumes (lentils and beans) in a couple different ways. Continue Reading →
Salmon with Blackberry Avocado Salsa
Three simple ingredients come together to form this dish rich in protein, healthy fats, fiber and antioxidants fit for bears but made for humans. Succulent blackberries warm up and melt in your mouth once they come in contact with the baked salmon and avocado adds in richness and brings the other two ingredients together- there are very few, if any, circumstances where adding avocado will not improve something. Continue Reading →
Tomato Chipotle Soup
Soup is not the most summery dish but this is the best possible time to get tomatoes. The market shelves are full of plump, firm and incredibly flavourful tomatoes just waiting to be eaten. On a slightly cooler, ideally rainy, lazy afternoon or evening this is a nourishing meal to put together and leftovers can be frozen until the temperatures take a dive and the leaves start to turn. Tomatoes are famous for their lycopene content, a carotene that acts as an antioxidant in our bodies. Continue Reading →
Raspberry Kefir Smoothie
Kefir is a fermented milk product very rich in probiotics. It is similar in texture to regular yogurt, thick and creamy but not as thick as Greek yogurt and it has a slightly tart taste. If we have yogurt why bother with kefir? Well it is an even better option because it tends to have more strains of beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, in higher quantities. It is to yogurt what kale is to iceberg lettuce- not substitutable in every circumstance but a more nutrient dense option. Continue Reading →
Blueberry Salad with Orange Cashew Dressing
There are only so many salad dressings that can be made with oil and vinegar but using nut and seed butters opens up a whole new world of flavour possibilities without making the process any more tedious. Cashew butter is delicately creamy and slightly sweet, making it perfect for dressing a salad featuring tender summer leafy greens and berries. This version combines it with orange juice, dijon mustard, olive oil and maple syrup for a dressing that’s sweet, citrusy and has a bit of a kick. Continue Reading →
Garlic Green Beans
Fresh green beans are a little bit sweet and a little bit earthy tasting and it doesn’t take much to turn them into a side dish. In just one pan start off by sautéeing some garlic for a couple minutes, once it browns add in the beans and then shortly after add in some nuts and in just a few more minutes they are ready to go. Grate some lemon or lime zest straight on then squeeze the juice over and these simple vegetables become layered with flavours. Continue Reading →
Peach Lime Yogurt Toast
Yogurt toast is a growing trend in the world of healthy, balanced breakfasts that can work any time of day. It has endless options and basically involves spreading some really thick Greek yogurt over toast then topping it with fruits, nuts, seeds, and/or herbs and possibly a drizzle of maple syrup or honey. Continue Reading →
Rainbow Hummus Collard Wraps
Collard greens are a staple in the South where they are often cooked and eaten as a side dish. They are a leafy green related to cabbage and broccoli and when raw they taste like a cross between the two- definitely stronger flavoured than more delicate leafy greens like romaine and spinach. Just one cup of raw collard greens (around 3-4 leaves) provides half the amount of vitamin A needed for the day and well over double the amount of vitamin K needed. Continue Reading →