Sides

When it comes to making vegetables quickly, roasting them in the oven is one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to get them on the table. Although you might think of root veggies, like sweet potatoes and squash, when roasted veggies come to mind, we’ve really fallen in love with roasted broccoli lately. It’s truly an easy and delicious way to prepare broccoli. If you enjoy Brussels sprouts as much as we do, then add them into the mix too! Broccoli and Brussels sprouts are me

Watermelon is one of those fruits we can all agree on. It's cooling, refreshing, delicious and the perfect summer fruit (even though it's September, we're going to hold onto summer a little bit longer here). Watermelon is great in a wide variety of recipes such as smoothies or popsicles, but there’s another way to eat watermelon: in a salad! This recipe includes watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, herbs, as well as pine nuts and nutritional yeast for additional health benefits an

We are holding onto summer for as long as possible with this sweet summer corn. As you probably know by now, we love using local produce from the farmer’s market to make delicious vegetable dishes and there’s nothing quite like locally grown organic corn.  Although corn is often not considered the most superb veggie (ie, it’s not like kale and broccoli), it does have some health benefits. Corn is definitely a source of carbs, so if you’re on a low-carb diet than you’ll want t

We’ve always loved summer rolls for their refreshing, crisp veggies and the sweet-salty dipping sauce. The best part about summer rolls is that they require no cooking and are an easy vegan and gluten free snack or lunch to prepare.  We decided to fill our rice wraps with cucumber, carrots, basil, red pepper, purple cabbage, and baby spinach but you can really use any fresh veggies you have in your fridge and experiment with adding in other fresh herbs that you like, such as

While we often associate beets with warming, hearty winter recipes, this root veggie is also delicious in the spring and summer.  In fact, beets prepared in a flavourful marinade served over salad greens is one of the tastiest ways to eat them.  This recipe is uplifting and refreshing with zesty lemon juice and a subtle bite from fresh garlic. Beets are rich in the phytonutrients called betalains (gives them their beautiful color), which have been studied for their antioxidan

This creamy cauliflower and celeriac soup was our farewell to winter for another year. As it warms up outside, we feel less inclined to eat soups and gradually transition to plenty of cool, hearty spring salads. Anything to avoid turning on the stove when it’s warm out! In lieu of using a traditional mirepoix that consists of onion, celery, and carrots, we added celery’s sibling celeriac to the mix (also known as celery root). While celeriac is not so pleasant on the eyes, on

Today we’re giving you tips on building an impressive health-forward snack board that is packed with flavour and will please all of the palates at your dinner table. The board we’ve created features an assortment of gluten free crackers, vegetables and fruits and four recipes: earthy beet hummus, thyme and roasted garlic cashew cheese, radish green hemp pesto, and maple citrus candied nuts. Our recipes would be at home on any snack board, or are great as a stand alone option.

Have you ever had a plate full of sushi and feel ravenously hungry a few hours later? We love sushi, but are always looking for a way to make it more nutritious. Most rolls contain deep fried tempura and starchy white rice – not the best choices to make for blood sugar balance or disease prevention. We were inspired to create these vibrant sushi rolls packed with cauliflower rice, raw veggies, and a drizzle of tangy tahini lime sauce. Cauliflower is a fibre-packed cruciferous

Spring is on the way (we hope)!  This chopped salad is bright, light and full of fresh flavours that are invigorating for this time of year.  We came up with this recipe to serve with our Eggplant Meatball recipe , served together makes a delicious Mediterranean style meal.   This recipe is free of nightshade vegetables, since many of our clients limit or avoid these in their diet to reduce inflammation.  But, if that's not an issue for you, feel free to switch up the recipe

Everyone loves to dive into a great dip but sometimes it can feel a little repetitive. An easy way to mix it up is to blend in some veggies to change the flavour and add in some extra nutrients. Back in the fall I had the opportunity to take some (amazing) classes at The Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. One of the classes was with Chef Megan Huylo who is an incredible chef and inspiration. This recipe is inspired from one of hers. After diving into Megan’s recipes

We are in love with this salad.  It's tough to eat cold, raw veggies in the winter when it's cold.  Eating with the seasons, our bodies crave warm, comforting foods that will both physically and energetically get our digestive fire going.  However, there's something about salads that is always so refreshing and uplifting and just makes use feel healthy.  That's where balance comes in.  There is a way to enjoy salad in the winter, with a little bit of extra care and creativity

If this recipe had another name it would be "All the warm and fuzzy holiday feelings sauce!"  It's our warming, spiced, boost your immune system winter sauce that's the perfect combo of sweet and tart.  Cranberries, orange, and apples simmered with fresh ginger root, cinnamon and maple syrup will make your home smell so comforting and welcoming.  We love eating this sauce with breakfast, as a snack, as a healthy dessert or you can use it in any meal where you would use standa

When you only have 5 to 10 minutes to prep a recipe, this one really does the trick!  But you would never know, because it tastes so full and rich, creamy and thick, with the perfect balance of sweet and earthy flavours.  This time of year we love warming, cozy soups.  This Carrot Ginger soup is especially good if you are sick because the ginger, onions and garlic will support your immune system.  You'll find that this soup is easy to swallow but has lots of body to it, the c

This time of year it's so chilly and grey, which often makes cooked veggies more appealing than raw ones, but we still do crave refreshing, crisp salads!  To find a balance, making the right type of salad dressing can make all the difference.  We like to use ingredients that have some heat to them, like fresh ginger root.  Blended in a salad dressing, the ginger root brings warmth and a slight kick that you can really feel in the back of your throat (perfect if you have a tic

Perfect for scratchy throats, stuffy noses, and chest congestion, this tea has a spicy kick that you'll feel.  This is our spin on the classic ginger lemon tea that we always make when anyone is sick, with the addition of fresh turmeric root.  If you can't find fresh turmeric, then you can add in some ground turmeric instead. Ginger supports your immune system, lemon provides a great dose of vitamin C, and turmeric helps reduce inflammation (ginger helps with inflammation too

There’s something so special about fresh, sweet, locally grown corn at the end of summer.  At any other point during the year, we rarely even think about eating corn or using it in recipes.  And, in fact, some of our clients have dietary sensitivities and feel better when they don’t eat corn.   Similar to soy and wheat, corn has been grown in massive quantities and is used in large scale production for many types of processed foods that use poor quality corn flour, corn starc

We have a thing for matcha lattes over here.  And it seems that a lot of other people do too, seeing that matcha lattes are appearing on menus at so many different coffee shops and cafes.  The thing is that buying matcha lattes can get quite expensive and often have added ingredients, like sugar, that we don't love.  So, making matcha lattes at home is a great way to not only save money but also ensure that you know exactly what ingredients are used. Matcha is made from high

Ah, fermented foods. Typically, most people cringe at the thought of the food we eat being full of bacteria, but fermentation is actually an age-old tradition dating as far back as 6000 BC; it was used originally to help preserve food and even change the texture and flavour of it to make it more palatable. Some of the earliest known fermented foods include cheeses, wine, yeasted breads, and vinegar. The process of fermentation involves introducing good bacteria into food and

With the cold, gloomy weather in Toronto, we’re naturally keeping cozy with delicious warm drinks. Wellness lattes are becoming a popular drink of choice lately, and many health food restaurants and cafes are now selling a wide array of warm superfood drinks. Chaga hot chocolate, turmeric golden milk, and matcha lattes are all really popular, but we at Living Kitchen love to experiment with new flavours. A while back, I was on Pinterest and came across this recipe for a rose

There's nothing quite like a refreshing leafy green salad for a meal when it's hot outside.  This recipe is filled with antioxidant rich green vegetables, plus the digestive supporting sauerkraut.  For those of you who are wary of sauerkraut, this is an easy and tasty way to incorporate the healthy fermented cabbage into your diet. Summer Green Greek Style Salad 4 cups leafy greens (mesclun, baby kale, baby spinach, any lettuce variety) 1 medium cucumber, sliced in thin half