Going Pro

Is pizza night getting old? Ready for a new take on a family favourite? Try this delicious upgrade on typical pizza. This version, using roasted grapes and butternut squash, is bursting with flavour and satisfying pizza appeal and packed with nutritious ingredients that are less heavy than typical pizza. Invite the entire family to make personal versions for a fun family-style pizza night in. Classic combo For a classic twist on this crowd pleaser, use pears and brie in place of grapes and squash for an elevated flatbread or as an additional option.

Feeling like your favourite Indian takeout tonight? This plant-based curried bean and potato dish is an easy, delicious take on a classic Indian specialty. This version is made with a warm, mild traditional Indian curry, but can be made spicier with a green, yellow, or red Thai curry, if preferred. Veg it up! Try adding or swapping different vegetables for additional variety, colour, and nutritional content, such as sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, or cannellini beans.

You might think of protein as something you mainly get from a meal and, therefore, not a component of dessert. But, if you’re going to opt for dessert from time to time, why not consider working in ingredients that go big on this important macronutrient? It’s easier (and more delicious) than you may think! Protein is an essential part of every cell in your body and plays a starring role in bone, muscle, and skin health. So, certainly, you want to make sure you’re eating enough. And it’s best to spread protein intake throughout the day, since your body needs a continual supply. This is why it can be a great idea to try to include protein in your desserts. When protein is provided in sufficient amounts in a dessert, it may help you feel more satiated and help temper blood sugar swings. Plus, in many cases, that protein comes in a package of other nutritional benefits. For instance, if you’re eating a dessert made with protein-packed Greek yogurt, you’re not just getting protein; you’re getting all the yogurt’s bone-benefitting calcium and immune-boosting probiotics, too. Adding nuts to your dessert doesn’t just provide plant-based protein, but it also provides heart-healthy fats. Yes, desserts need not be just empty calories. Ready for a treat? These protein-filled desserts with a healthy twist are dietitian-approved—and delicious.

Tender tofu and fresh-tasting mango sauce combine to make a nutritious, Japanese-style dessert with little effort. But don’t worry: your dessert will not taste beany. Silken soft tofu has a rather neutral flavour. The key here is to use blocks of very soft tofu as opposed to firm or extra-firm versions. Silken tofu is undrained and unpressed tofu. It has the highest water content of all types of tofu and is made by coagulating soy milk without curdling it. It’s ultra-soft texture means it can be easily blended with other ingredients and used to boost protein numbers in puddings, cakes, tarts, ice cream, and even smoothies.