Another non-recipe side-dish delight. This is basically me just saying, “Hey! Roast some sweet potato and you won’t regret it!” You can cube it, coin it, cut it into little triangle shapes…it doesn’t matter because however you slice it, it’s delicious, fool-proof, and a meal-prep savior…
Read moreMaple Pecan Cookies
Oh maple-pecan, you classically scrumptious combo. What’s not so scrumptious is the refined flour and sugar that you’re often paired with. Not today! I have you mixed with some healthy fats, blood sugar balancing spices, and gluten-free flours to yield the most delectable little cookies...
Read moreWalnut Date Muffins with Orange Zest
I just love the combination of dates, walnuts and orange. I use them in salads, side dishes, and even to add a little life to my mains like chicken or halibut. Because of this apparent affinity to these ingredients, I often have all three taking up space in my rather modestly sized fridge. Another thing I often having lingering around and overflowing out of my cupboards and refrigerator drawers is a plethora of alternative fours...
Read moreApple Cranberry Chutney
I’m a big fan of flavour, and one of the best ways to infuse some pizazz into your foods is with a dip, dressing, or sauce. Chutney is one of my favourite sauces. Calming to spice, uplifting to savoury, there’s nothing this sweet and tangy taster can’t do! And there are endless directions you can go in in terms of making it your own. Many people think of mango when it comes to chutney, but as long as you have some sort of fruity base and vinegary buddy, you’re on your way to chutney-ville...
Read moreTurkey Meatballs with Apple, Cranberries, and Walnuts
I've always wondered why we reserve the killer combo of cranberry and turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Aside from the occasional turkey sandwich, most people are limited in their exposure to this nutritious and delicious bird. Famously known for its abundance of tryptophan - an amino acid that has been time and time again linked to improved cognitive function, muscle and tissue growth an repair, enhanced sleeps, and of course it's positive effects on mood balance (it's basically nature's anti-anxiety "drug") - turkey is packed with protein and is incredibly satiating. Plus it's rather easy to find in free-range form...
Read morePakora Fritters
Many people don’t realize how easy fritters are to make until they try them. They're so versatile, and provide a tasty and seemingly impressive side to bring to dinner parties and potlucks. Fritters also make great batch-cooking snacks, whereby they refrigerate and freeze easily, ready to go when you need a little somethin’-somethin’ at the flick of an oven nob...
Read moreSpiced Spatchcocked Chicken with Apricots, Prunes, and Olives
As you may recall in my post about roasting chickens, I’m a big fan of cooking up the whole bird instead constantly buying only the popular cuts. For more on why this is, read the full thing here. But if you’re thinking to yourself, “I’m hungry now” and simply can’t wait an hour and a half for your clucker to cook through, this might be a solid option for you...
Read moreMushroom, Baby Kale, and Chicken Sausage Pasta
There’s something almost sacred about certain types of mushrooms. I remember when I was at cooking school in Paris, discovering the thrills of experimenting with freshly foraged chanterelles for the first time, and feeling like I could never go back to a generic white mushroom ever again. And with all the incredible varieties of edible fungi, I luckily don’t have to (unless I so choose). Portobello, shitake, maitake, enoki, button…there really are endless directions you can go in, and endless flavours, textures, and even specific nutritional properties to play around with...
Read moreRoasted Butternut Squash Puree with Maple Candied Walnuts
This simple yet satisfying side is a real showstopper, and provides a nice alternative to regular old mashed potatoes, or candied yams at your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Better yet, butternut squash boasts a bevy of nutrients including potassium (important for bone health, and adrenal function), vitamin B6 (mood and energy enhancing, and immune boosting), and folate (great for heart health, cognitive function, and reproductive health)...
Read moreRoasted Parsnips with Turmeric & Thyme
With their hearty texture and almost floral sweetness, parsnips are one of my favourite fall-time foods. They boast a variety of health benefits including a solid serving of fibre, a generous dump of folate, ample amounts of vitamin C, and a delightful dose of potassium – all things that are good-for-you and glorious all year-round, but particularly in the fall when colds become more common and dreary days bring upon some seasonal blues...
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