Browning the butter lightly before tossing with the apples and pears brings a slightly nutty flavour to the dish. Serve over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt for a simple and delicious dessert. Royal Gala apples keep their shape when roasted; if you can't find them, choose ones that are similar, such as Northern Spy, Golden Delicious or Cortland.
Some weeks you need a big-batch soup to use up a ton of in-season veggies. This tangy-sweet soup fills the bill – it's great hot or cold, and freezes beautifully. This borscht is vegan on its own, but it's even tastier topped with a dollop of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) and a sprinkle of chopped fresh dill.
The pressures of making dinner after a busy workday and long commute leave little time in the evenings for Gail and Amber to spend together. These patties freeze well, so making them together on the weekend is a great way to share quality time and free up weeknights. To complete the meal, add a green salad and yogurt with fruit for dessert.
Massaman curry powder is a bit hotter than regular grocery store curry blends. If you can't find it, mix regular curry powder with a pinch of cayenne pepper. And don't worry if you don't have an immersion blender for the sauce: A regular blender will work just fine too. If you're not avoiding dairy, a dollop of Balkanstyle plain yogurt on top is a nice way to cool the heat.
Authentic hummus recipes include lots of tahini and olive oil and, although those are healthy ingredients, they are still high in fat and dense in calories. Here, tahini (a sesame seed paste) is replaced with a much smaller amount of sesame oil and a drizzle of olive oil. A typical 2 tbsp (25 mL) serving of hummus has about 89 calories and 5.8 grams of fat, but this one, lightened up with calcium-rich yogurt, has only 52 calories and 2 grams of fat. Pack this dip with vegetable sticks and whole grain pita wedges for a quick and wholesome lunch.
I chose this dish because it is so rich and satisfying, that even the biggest meat-eaters wouldn't miss the meat. It's hard to find a good vegetarian Chili Recipe, and I believe this is the best out there. It focuses on complex flavors and it screams "Canadian". A big bowl of chili is the ultimate comfort food. I serve this will a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream on top, and a sprig of fresh cilantro. And of course with one of my Honey Buttermilk Beer Buns (recipe follows) on the side. This is hands-down the best vegetarian chili out there!
