My good friend Mira introduced me to this dish, and with it the Du Puy Lentil. It is a french lentil that his been grown in volcanic soil so it is rich in minerals. It is also more durable than the typical red/green/brown lentil so it stands up well in this salad. The dressing contains an amazing combination of warming and healing spices. I am always looking for ways to add things like turmeric, cayenne, and cinnamon into my patients’ diets. I have often made this with the additional arugula and goat cheese and it is delicious. This salad improves the day after when the flavours have been mingling! Enjoy…

This is a great treat for the winter blahs. Not only is it a warm soup, the addition of ginger really spices it up, as well as aiding in digestion. I just thawed a frozen batch of this soup and thought it was more flavourful than the original! Enjoy this delicious dish.

These have become a regular meal in my house. It is easy to prepare and so beautiful with so many bright colourful components. We have access to such fresh fish in BC, so here is just one more way to prepare it.

This is a perfect main meal salad on a summer day. It contains various detoxifying foods like beets, radishes, ginger, and lemon. It is also looks so beautiful when arranged on a plate with all of its bright colours. The kicker is that this recipe is incredibly simple to prepare, which is excellent for new parents who have little time, but want to continue eating healthy. I may have a little experience with that these days …

These delicious balls are fantastic for all kinds of occasions. They make great after school snacks for kids, they are full of protein for athletes after a workout, they also happen to make ideal fuel for nursing moms during those late night feeds! I have relied on these often for a pick me up!

Who's to say that there is no such thing as a healthy dessert that tastes good too? Follow this simple recipe to enjoy a delicious banana loaf that contains no dairy or eggs, no gluten, and no refined sugar. Make it for a special occasion, or ration slices as an alternative to your 3 pm raids to the coffee shop dessert section.

According the the mediterranean diet, a healthy diet should be rich in beans and legumes. Dal is a simple and nutritious way to get your lentils/beans. This recipe is rich in protein and fiber, as well as flavour. It will warm you up on a cool day, and it freezes well so make extra!

This is a delicious new twist on traditional tabouleh. It's a great cooling option for a picnic on a hot day. Parsley is an incredibly healthy food. It is considered an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K. It is full of antioxidants, flavonoids, and is considered a 'chemoprotective' food because it can help neutralize certain types of carcinogens. Parsley is also an ideal food for healthy weight control. We usually consume parsley only as a garnish, but tabouleh lets us consume it in a much higher quantity. I recommend adding at least one of the optional list at the bottom to perk this side dish up into a main meal.

This recipe was passed on to me by a good friend. It is a fantastic, filling, and colourful meal that is sure to impress friends who are skeptical about vegetarian food. It is also fun to prepare with kids because of all the different components and the creativity in assembling each portion at the end. This is a good meal for spring because it combines textures with the grounding warmth of brown rice and cooked carrots but also the fresh, raw, crisp salad to lighten it up as we prepare for the warmer, brighter weather. Enjoy!

Oats are a fabulous way to get your strength and energy going on these cold, dark winter mornings. They are full of fibre, and will satisfy you while keeping your blood sugar stable for the whole morning. Oatmeal is also nourishing to the adrenal glands, which are working overtime at this point in the year. I combine my oats with fruit and raw nuts/seeds to add flavour and protein. I recommend a chewier version called steel cut oats for optimal health.

Now that the temperatures have plunged, soups are back on the menu! Richly coloured veggies like winter squash and sweet potato are an excellent source of carotenes. Squash also boasts being a source of vitamin C, the B’s, and fiber. Together this equals many health benefits including boosting the immune system, aiding the digestive system, and helping to cope with stress. This soup is an old favourite, so be sure to make extra to freeze, or bring to a friend’s. Enjoy!

This recipe is great for a main or a side dish, at lunchtime or for dinner. I saw many of the ingredients on this list at the farmer's market last weekend, so it is safe to say we are in prime salad season. Consuming a diet with plenty of fresh vegetables has endless health benefits including being rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, as well as alkalinizing the body. This recipe also includes protein and healthy fats with the addition of avocado, organic cheese, and/or raw nuts and seeds. Enjoy, and have fun creating your own salad…

Quinoa is a protein rich seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavour when cooked. It can be used in recipes to replace other grains like rice or couscous. The recipe below is great in the spring when it has not warmed up yet and we are not ready for large quantities of raw, cold foods. It combines raw veggies with grains and seasoning to warm it up and make it easier on the digestion at this time of year.

I have made this recipe a few times and it always seems to satisfy. The abundance of brightly coloured veggies are appealing to the eye and the tummy, and I can't seem to get enough of the sauce. I often offer it in different incarnations to my toddler who will eat the veggies alone, or dip them into the sauce, or sometimes want just the noodles and sauce. This dish can be eaten warm or cold, and makes great leftovers.

This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare. I am constantly sampling different store bought gluten free breads for my own purposes or to recommend to patients. This recipe is also yeast free, and thus requires no extra time for slicing. I prepared it with regular brown rice flour which I had on hand, and it was quite tasty.