Health Conscious

Warmer weather means it’s time to start thinking about picnics, potlucks, and pasta salads! This recipe is loaded with tender pasta, fresh kale, creamy white beans, sun dried tomatoes, briny olives, and heaps of Parmesan and feta cheese. Tossed in a bright and garlicky basil dressing, the pasta salad tastes best after it rests in the fridge for an hour before serving, and given the sturdiness of the greens, it’s perfect for make-ahead meal planning too. Not only does the pasta salad taste delicious, it’s nutrient-dense thanks to the fibre and protein rich white beans and the superfood that is kale.

Tuscan Kale and Cranberry Bean Soup is creamy and hearty and sure to hit the spot in winter!

This flavourful vegetarian recipe brings the essence of a delicious bean and mushroom burrito to a bowl. Featuring smoky portabella mushrooms, seasoned taco rice, and a hearty black bean and corn salsa, every spoonful is bursting with savoury, Mexican-inspired flavours.

Romano bean salad with canned Mackerel, potatoes and fennel, A lovely way to close off the summer season. Lovely flavors and textures of boiled potato, Romano beans, and mackerel, play joyfully with the freshness of red onion, fennel, and parsley dressed simple with Evo oil, salt and pepper. A real healthy wonderful bright lunch meal!

It’s August in Ontario, meaning tomatoes, corn, and zucchini are at their best. This salad makes the most of our late summer harvest. We are adding crispy cranberry beans for a proteinpacked crunch that is gluten-free, low fat, and delicious flavour. These addictive beans also make a great snack. I like to throw them into a bowl with roasted nuts and dried cranberries.

Loaded black bean nachos are such a crowd-pleaser! They are easy to make and great to put out for a game night or Superbowl party. You just layer all the ingredients in a sheet pan, bake and enjoy. Customize the toppings to your liking. These nachos are vegetarian and are high in fibre and low in saturated fat.

Couscous is an ingredient that cooks in just five minutes, making it a great choice for a cold, make ahead salad! This Mediterranean inspired salad features white kidney beans, tomatoes, fresh basil and an easy balsamic dressing. Whip this up in just 20 minutes for any last minute summer barbecues.

Pasta and beans with mussels, "Pasta fagioli e cozze" in Italian, is a traditional Neapolitan pasta dish that pairs beans and mussels in a "soupy" pasta dish. Absolutely comforting and fabulously delicious.

Roasted red pepper and white bean dip is an easy, flavourful and healthy appetizer. The dip is slightly sweet and smoky from the red peppers and pairs well with the crunchy pita chips. Serve it as an appetizer for guests or enjoy as a healthy snack anytime.