Minimal effort, maximum flavour
A steamy bowl of thick, chewy noodles swirling in a rich, fiery broth is a good idea any time of the year. And especially now, as many Canadians are feeling the deep freeze and #BombCyclone is part of our daily lingo. Misonikomi udon is a popular specialty in the Nagoya region of central Japan. The … Continue reading Spicy red miso soup with udon noodles
In honour of World Pasta Day, I'm combining two of my favourite things: autumn flavours and loads of noodles. Early fall marks the season of the beautiful lemon-hued spaghetti squash. But the past weekend in Toronto it was glorious patio weather again, making my sunny kitchen feel like an oven. Instead of squash soup, I … Continue reading Creamy spaghetti squash pasta
Shake up your pizza game with this Lebanese-style version. The toppings are easy and fun to assemble: spread some garlic sauce, hummus, tahini or baba ghanoush (I picked a roasted garlic and onion hummus), and use whole chickpeas or crumble up some spicy falafels (below). The tabbouleh, with herbs, tomatoes, bulghur wheat and olive oil, … Continue reading Tabbouleh eggplant chickpea pizza
Last weekend, veg heads from Toronto and beyond hit the picturesque waterfront for a smorgasbord of vegan and vegetarian fare--the largest veggie festival in North America. From colourful kombucha to decadent donuts to Indian tacos, check out some of the highlights below. More info: http://veg.ca/
Boozy cocktails on a stick. Here's a fun way to combine two classic summertime treats: popsicles and piña coladas. I added berries here, but kiwi, peach, mango, papaya, lychee and watermelon will taste great too. prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 5 minutes freeze time: 4 hours total time: 4 hours, 15 minutes serves: 6 to … Continue reading Piña colada popsicles
When you're craving sunshine and daydreaming about lying on a beach, whip up a colourful, tropical fruit combo. Coconut ice cream and coconut milk make the perfect creamy base for these easy, vegan milkshakes. Prep and cook time: 10 minutes Raspberry lychee coconut milkshake yields: 1 serving 1/2 cup of coconut milk 1 cup of … Continue reading Tropical milkshakes
Sometimes you need a break from avocado toast. Shake up your toast game with these toppings ranging from sweet to savoury to spicy. Sweet: espresso chocolate hazelnut butter (a.k.a. coffee Nutella) Dates provide natural sweetness, which means you don't have to add extra sugar. Soaking them overnight will keep the butter moist and rich. 2 cups … Continue reading Bread spreads: easy, vegan and life changing
Sweet and luscious, delicate and pretty—fresh figs make an easy, rich pairing with a variety of dishes (hello, cheesecake!). In Ontario, they're typically available from June to November due to the short growing season, but I've been finding black mission figs at grocery stores almost all-year round. Biting into a perfectly ripe and juicy fig feels like a … Continue reading Easy ways to eat fresh figs
Feeling amorous? Beets may bring love at first bite. Lately I've been experimenting with colour, like purple rice noodles, purple cabbage and purple onion. This week I'm feeling pink, and beets hit the spot. Traditionally used in borscht (the Russian soup), beets are high in fibre, iron and antioxidants, and have detoxing benefits. But did you … Continue reading Easy beet pesto with sesame and walnuts
You'll never go back to white rice. It's the start of the lunar new year (#YearoftheRooster!), so today I'm wishing everyone good health and happy eating with this purple-powered Asian noodle bowl. Black rice noodles become a deep shade of purple when they're cooked. In Chinese cuisine it's known as "forbidden rice" because it was meant … Continue reading Spicy sesame black rice noodles with kimchi and cabbage
