Food

2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/2 to 2 lb (750 g to 1 kg) 1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4 cup (60 mL) tahini paste* 2 tsp (10 mL) toasted sesame seed oil 1 tsp (5 mL) light soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh parsley, finely minced, + 1 Tbsp (15 mL) for garnish 3 whole green onions, finely minced, about 1/4 cup (60 mL) 1 tsp (5 mL) salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive oil *Tahini paste is a ground sesame seed paste found in a jar in the ethnic section of your grocery store. Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C). Slice stem ends from eggplants and prick eggplants all over with a fork. Place directly on oven rack and roast slowly in the oven until completely pooped, about 45 minutes. When sagging, wrinkled, and totally soft, you’ll know they’re ready. Remove very carefully from oven and wait until cool enough to handle. Alternatively, place eggplant on greased barbecue grill and grill, covered, over medium-high heat for 30 minutes. Turn several times with tongs until charred all over and pooped. Cut eggplants in half and scoop out the insides. Place in large bowl and mash with large fork until no longer chunky. Add remaining ingredients, except olive oil and 1 Tbsp (15 mL) minced parsley reserved for garnish. Blend together until it’s as smooth as you like. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be refrigerated overnight. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if you wish. Just before serving, drizzle with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil and sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve with lots of crisp veggies such as broccoli florets, carrot curls, cucumber, bell pepper strips, and cubes of whole wheat baguette. Makes 2 cups (500 mL). Each 1 Tbsp (15 mL) of dip contains: 40 calories; 0.85 g protein; 7.5 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 0 g carbohydrates; 0.5 g fibre; 19.5 mg sodium source: " Game Night Munchies ", alive #327, January 2010

1 large sweet onion, chopped 6 large garlic cloves, peeled 2 red bell peppers, seeded and julienned 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned 1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned 1/3 cup (80 mL) extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 lb (450 g) unpeeled eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) chunks 2 - 10 in (25 cm) zucchinis, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup (125 mL) vegetable stock or tomato juice (optional) 1 - 28 oz (796 mL) can diced tomatoes, including juice 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh basil, chopped 1/2 tsp (2 mL) crushed red peppers 1/2 tsp (2 mL) fennel seed, crushed 1 cup (250 mL) feta, crumbled Arugula leaves Preheat oven to 500 F (260 C). Position oven rack on top level. Lightly oil large baking sheet and set aside. Combine onion, garlic, and peppers in large bowl. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil and sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat evenly and spread out in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake on top rack in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally for even roasting. (Be careful when opening the oven, as escaping steam from the roasting vegetables can scald.) Meanwhile, to release some of the bitter juices from the eggplant, toss with salt and place in a sieve. Cover sieve with a plate just small enough to fit snugly inside sieve. Place a weight on top, such as a 28 oz (796 mL) can of tomatoes. Set in sink to drain for 30 minutes. Remove plate. Rinse eggplant with cold running water and pat cubes dry with paper towels. Place in large, heavy saucepan along with oven-roasted vegetables, zucchini, stock, tomatoes, and seasonings. Cover. Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are done as you like. Serve immediately, or cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight for flavours to blend. Excellent served hot or cold with crumbled feta and fresh arugula. Can be refrigerated for several days. Enjoy with crisp toasted slices of whole wheat baguette. Serves 10. Each serving contains: 174 calories; 2.8 g protein; 11.6 g total fat (3.4 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 11 g carbohydrates; 3 g fibre; 309 mg sodium source: " Game Night Munchies ", alive #327, January 2010

Cooking homemade beans is easy, especially if you own a slow cooker. Not only do these tasty beans improve with the long slow cook, but using a slow cooker (Crock-Pot) will save you money on electrical bills. At first glance there appears to be a lot of carbohydrates per serving, but bear in mind that beans are a source of complex carbohydrates. There are only 2 tsp (10 mL) added sugar per serving; the rest of the carbohydrates are coming from the beans and the naturally occurring sugars found in the onions, apricots, and tomatoes. The addition of dried apricots adds some natural sweetness plus a small dose of beta carotene. Did you know? Beans are packed full of vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, and antioxidants, plus they have a low glycemic index, which makes them one of the most perfect foods for people living with diabetes. Tips This version is family friendly; if you need more kick, double the cracked pepper and add some hot sauce when serving. If you love the flavour of molasses, use blackstrap molasses.

Beautiful in its simplicity, this antioxidant-plush soup is packed with hunger-quelling fibre.

Shepherd’s pie has two names: traditionally called cottage pie, it was made with beef while shepherd’s pie was made with lamb. These English/Irish dishes were made with leftover roasted meat chopped finely and whatever mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables were left over from the Sunday night dinner. To put a healthier spin on this dish, I substituted extra-lean ground turkey for the lamb or beef and sweet potatoes for regular white potatoes. Whichever way you make it, this dinner is economical and easy to make, especially if you are using leftover cooked vegetables. Serve with a tossed green salad. Did you know? To thaw frozen vegetables, place them in a colander and run hot water over them until they thaw. Drain well and then add them to the recipe. Tip Sweet potatoes contain beta carotene, which our bodies convert into vitamin A. This vitamin is needed for cell growth and development; for healthy skin, bones, teeth, nails, and vision; and for maintaining healthy immunity.

This recipe will give your spice rack a serious workout. The rub works equally well with tofu.

This easy-to-make main meal is all about assembly. You don’t have to cook anything beforehand; just open one package, one can, and two jars; grate some cheese; and voila, dinner is ready. Serve with a tossed green salad. Did you know? Refried beans are traditionally made with a lot of fat, usually lard. To avoid extra saturated fat look for cans that say low-fat and vegetarian on the label. Tip Salsa is flavourful and adds zip to this dish, but most bottled brands are high in sodium. Look for fresh salsa in the deli, which tends to be lower in sodium, or make your own without adding any salt.

You can make this delightful dessert gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and oats. Try serving with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

This gluten-free pumpkin roll is so delicious, no one will suspect that it does not contain wheat flour. Alternate instructions are included if you prefer to use wheat flour. This recipe can be made ahead and stored in the freezer. Cake: 3 large eggs, separated 3/4 cup (180 mL) sugar *1/2 cup (125 mL) fine ground brown rice flour *1/4 cup (60 mL) tapioca flour *1 tsp (5 mL) powdered egg replacer *1/4 tsp (1 mL) guar gum 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) nutmeg Pinch of salt 2/3 cup (160 mL) canned solid pack pumpkin 2 Tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice 1 Tbsp (15 mL) powdered sugar Filling: 1/3 cup (80 mL) cream cheese, at room temperature 1/3 cup (80 mL) powdered sugar 1 tsp (5 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice 1 tsp (5 mL) zest from organic navel orange 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract 1 cup (250 mL) whipping cream Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Grease a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Cover with parchment paper and allow a little to overhang the ends. Grease parchment paper. Beat egg whites until stiff. In a large separate bowl, mix dry ingredients well. In a third bowl, beat egg yolks until thick. With a wire whisk, gently fold pumpkin and orange juice into egg yolks. Add to dry mixture and mix just until combined. Take a quarter of the beaten egg whites and fold into pumpkin mixture. Using the whisk, add remaining egg whites, folding them in carefully. Pour batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until toothpick inserted into centre of cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. While the roll is baking, prepare a clean, thin kitchen towel by sifting icing sugar over the surface. When cake is ready, allow to cool on a rack for 5 minutes. Then quickly flip the cake over onto the towel, using the parchment paper to lift it out of the pan. Gently remove the parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel, starting with the short side of the cake. Allow to cool completely. While cake is cooling, prepare the filling: Beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar, on high, until light and fluffy. Add the orange juice, zest, and vanilla; mix until well combined. In a separate bowl, whip the cream. Fold the cream cheese into the whipped cream. When cake is completely cool, gently unroll it. Do not worry if there are cracks; they will get filled in with the cream. Spread inner layer of cake with filling and re-roll cake. Place on serving platter and spread remaining cream over the top of the cake. You may serve immediately as this cake is very moist, but it will set better if allowed to chill for several hours before cutting. To decorate, drizzle some maple syrup over the top of the cake, sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, or arrange thin orange slices on top. To make ahead: I have had success freezing the cake (after it has cooled) in the deep freezer for up to two weeks. Unroll the cake and remove the towel. Re-roll using plastic wrap between the roll layers. Put roll into a large, sealable freezer bag. To thaw, remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature for several hours; then proceed with the filling instructions. Source: alive #305, March 2008

A fresh-forward feast on its own, but feel free to work in marinated mushrooms, mixed greens, or the cheese of your choice.

Ginger gives this slaw its kick, so for maximum flavour find a young ginger with a pale skin.

Stick with free-range eggs for flavour and nutrition and work in diced red onion or capers for an added boost.

The health benefits of blueberries are well known; coupled with the aromatic lavender, these scones are heavenly.

Remember to source organic, estate-grown chocolate whenever possible to get the biggest flavour and health benefits out of this sinfully simple dessert.

This recipe is a play of soft and crunchy textures and tangy and sweet flavours that work perfectly together. It’s a great appetizer or light meal on a warm evening.

Scallops are naturally sweet, and the radicchio provides the ideal contrast. Err on the side of caution with the lemon juice–remember you have the juices from the grapefruit segments, too.

This dish from Southern France is packed with flavour but is very light. This sauce also goes perfectly with halibut, sablefish, or lobster.