Side Dish

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.

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.

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.

Along with Carbonara, Gricia and Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe is one of the four classic pastas of Rome. This version is made with white kidney beans replacing the pasta.

Thanks to electric pressure cookers, like the Instant Pot, we can have delicious, wholesome black beans on a busy weeknight. From start to finish, it takes just under an hour, no soaking required.

The mild flavour of the couscous and black beans is punctuated by roasted sweet potato, kale, feta cheese, toasted almonds, and red onion. So many healthful and delicious ingredients are packed into this hearty salad. It's a super food city!

You can’t go wrong with a fresh and bright quinoa salad with kidney beans, fresh corn, tomatoes and feta cheese. This is the perfect recipe to make on the weekend and enjoy for lunches throughout the week.