When the weather gets chilly, windy and wet, nothing beats a steaming bowl of chili! I enjoy a good soup as well, but chili reigns supreme as it’s more of a stick-to-my-ribs type of meal and it lends itself well to extra spice. And I like a little heat. Just a few days ago, I made the Beef & Chickpea Chili recipe I’m sharing here, adding extra hot sauce, and it did wonders for my cold-virus-stuffed sinuses. I also love chili because…

• you can make a big pot of it pretty quickly (especially if you use some of the shortcuts I mention below),
• you can prepare it ahead of time,
• the recipes are super-flexible, and
• you can freeze the leftovers for later – cook once but eat twice (or more)!

This month I’ve included two chili recipes, a Beef & Chickpea Chili for omnivores and a Butternut Squash Chili which is vegetarian/vegan. Of course vegetarians and vegans can adapt the omnivore recipe by replacing the meat with crumbled tempeh. A cauldron of one, or both, of these might be just the ticket to have bubbling away on your stove this Hallowe’en. No toil or trouble required and easy to nosh away on betwixt answering the door for trick-or-treaters. And while chili may be a Superbowl mainstay, it’s also great for a World Series watch party!

Click here for the recipes and then read on for those shortcuts I mentioned as well as ideas for substitutions and additions. I also touch on the immune-supportive benefits of chili so you can feel virtuous while enjoying it. And I hope you’ll sign up to my newsletter here to receive each month’s recipe straight to your inbox!

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I will spare you the specifics but let’s just say that my September has been stressful with a capital S. And after just seven days of subsequent sleep deprivation, it sunk in how salient sleep is to recovery. In just one week of sub-par sleep, I injured myself doing the same run I’d done without incident only 7 days prior.

So the capital S in September stands not only for Stress and Sub-par Sleep, but also for Seriously piSSed off and Square one. As in, I’m back at square one rehabbing the same hamstring tendon injury I had at the same time last year, which took nearly Six months of Strenuous Strength Sessions (yes, all with a capital S) to set right.

But I’ll stop venting now and segue to the meat of this month’s post. Namely that S also stands for Salisbury Steak, specifically this Venison Salisbury Steak. Because nutrition, particularly sufficient protein, is as important to recovery as sleep. Click here for the recipe and then read on for more about how venison offers some superior nutritional benefits when you are hamstrung by stress (either literally or figuratively or, as in my case, both). And it’s pretty stress-free to sign up to my newsletter here so you’ll receive each month’s recipe straight to your inbox!

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It’s been so hot this summer that when friends ask how I am, I’m tempted to reply “medium-well” (done). 😉 In the midst of a heatwave, does merely the thought of cooking make you wilt? Then try these Grilled Sweet & Smoky Shrimp Tacos! The recipe makes great use of store-bought ingredients like guacamole, coleslaw mix and corn tortillas. So they are super quick to prepare, as well as light and refreshing — ideal for when it’s too hot to linger in the kitchen.

The shrimp cook in mere minutes on the grill (or stovetop), giving you a protein-packed base without overheating your home. A packaged coleslaw mix saves time and adds cool, crunchy texture that contrasts beautifully with the warm, smoky shrimp. Guacamole provides richness without being heavy, plus it’s loaded with healthy fats and electrolytes from avocado.

Served on soft corn tortillas with a squeeze of lime, they’re a perfect balance of savory, sweet, zesty and fresh. I’m a chile-head so garnish mine with sliced jalapeno peppers for extra zip. Be sure to check the recipe notes for other suggested toppers. In under 20 minutes, you’ll be enjoying a delicious, nutritious meal without breaking a sweat or turning on the oven.

Click here for the recipe and then read on for:

• tips on my favourite prepared Mexican foods and
• some bonus recipes for aguas frescas that would be perfect with this meal!

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I realize I may be wading into uncharted waters this month by sharing a recipe for Mackerel & Baby Spinach Balsamic Salad, which features canned mackerel. But I hope this post encourages those of you who haven’t yet tried it to do so. And that you’ll be hooked thereafter, like I am.

This salad is a staple in my lunch rotation because it’s fast and easy to make and yet has a solid thirty-one grams of protein as well as anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and a significant amount of vitamin B12. It’s also incredibly tasty!

What makes it so fast and easy is that I buy Gold Seal Wild Mackerel, which is boneless and skinless and comes packed in olive oil. So, unlike canned salmon or sardines, I don’t have to spend time fiddling about to remove skin or bones. I just tip in the entire contents of the tin in and flake it up a bit.  A drizzle of balsamic vinegar completes the dressing since the olive oil is, literally, in the can. Using pre-washed baby spinach (or arugula or kale etc.) really makes it a snap to prepare. The recipe calls for three cups spinach but feel free to use more. Dark leafy greens are super healthy and the fat in the canned mackerel will help your body absorb their vitamin K.

If you want to amp up the carbs and fibre, feel free to add boiled potatoes, pasta or grains (I give suggestions in the recipe notes). I also enjoy this salad with rye crisps on the side. Thinly sliced raw beets are a delicious addition too. Their earthiness works well with the oily fish and goat cheese in the salad and they add beautiful colour and crunch.

Click here for the recipe and then read on for more about why a tin of mackerel is so fin-tastic for your health. I’ve also included a bonus recipe: a seasonal yet simple dessert. But here’s the deal…you can have dessert only if you eat all your mackerel! 😉

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The solstice on June 20th may mark the official start to summer. But here in Canada, this Victoria Day May long weekend is the unofficial start. Which means it’s time to fire up the barbecue! So today I’m sharing a recipe for Grilled Chicken with Sundried Tomato Bruschetta. It calls for both sundried and cherry tomatoes as well as basil and fresh mozzarella. And it couldn’t be simpler to make. Just toss the tomatoes and mozzarella with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers and shallots and spoon it over grilled chicken breasts. It’s equally tasty whether the chicken is served hot off the grill or at room temperature. Just be sure to use an excellent quality olive oil as it can make all the difference.

Ages ago I “adopted” an olive tree in the Marche region of Italy. I receive oil from it (and other regions of Italy) four times a year via a company called Nudo Adopt. It is so delicious, I use it daily – invariably over vegetables. And tomatoes with olive oil is a match made in Mediterranean heaven!

Click here for the recipe and then read on for more on how a drizzle a day of olive oil will boost both your taste buds and your health.

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At last! Spring seems finally to have sprung where I live in Ontario. And I’m more than excited about the warm weather to come. So tonight I’m celebrating and serving up this scrumptious Salmon with Pea Pesto & Spring Veggies.

This dish calls for store-bought basil pesto, which is one of my “secret-weapon” shortcuts to make a dish taste fabulous with little effort. You blend sweet green peas with the basil pesto until smooth to make a verdant, spring-fresh purée to top the salmon. Until local green peas arrive here in late May/early June, I simply use frozen.

This photo focuses on the pesto, so be sure to check out the recipe to see the full presentation. Serving the salmon on a platter adorned with a vibrant tangle of carrot ribbons, red radishes, chives and mint makes an impressive dish. Although you could absolutely serve the veggies on the side if you prefer.

Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipe and read on for some bonus recipes and why I’m so sweet on sweet green peas!

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When it comes to nutrition, people often focus on what they should have less of. Less alcohol, less saturated fat, less starchy carbs, less sugar, and so on. But what if I told you that one of the simplest ways to improve your nutrition (and health) is to eat more of something? Namely more vegetables and fruits (particularly vegetables). A good rule-of-thumb is to devote half of the real estate on your plate to them. While a variety is best, it’s good practice to include some dark green vegetables in the mix every day. Personally, I’m more apt to eat a lot of vegetables when I make them the star of my plate. And this Roasted Cauliflower & Lentil Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing is a delicious example.

Whenever I just steam up some veggies and toss them, unadorned, on the side, I’m pretty much guaranteed to eat less of them because they are the least interesting thing on my plate. But if I put some thought and effort into making them super tasty, I’ll be back for seconds. And when it comes to non-starchy vegetables, like the cauliflower and arugula in this salad, feel free to have seconds!

So as the season transitions from winter to spring, I encourage you to give vegetables a starring role in your meals. I hope this Roasted Cauliflower & Lentil Salad with Orange Tahini Dressing will inspire you. And feel free to serve some roasted chicken or fish on the side if you wish.

Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipe and read on for more about why this salad is superlative for spring.

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I was away in rural Ontario this past long weekend and brought several “ready made” meals along with me so that dinner prep would be easier. After four nights in a row of these “heat and serve”, commercially-prepared meals, however, I felt pretty awful. My stomach was gurgly and grumbly and both my energy and mood were rather low (though spending most of the weekend shoveling my way out of snowmageddon might have had something to do with that). Once back home, I made this easy and tasty tray-bake, which served as a good reminder that it really isn’t that much work to make a home-cooked meal. Especially when it is guaranteed to be far more nourishing than most commercially-prepared meals. This Roasted Chicken, Beets & Brussels Sprouts with Barley is one of those staple recipes.

You can scale it up or down to serve more or fewer people. To make preparing it even quicker, use frozen brussels sprouts (no prep required and they are best roasted from frozen). Wash your beets well and don’t peel them (the peel has a lot of nutrition). If you don’t have barley, feel free to either skip it or serve it with brown rice, farro or quinoa. Or roast some potatoes along with the other vegetables. You can easily change the ingredient proportions too. But I highly recommend that you eat all your Brussels sprouts and beets. They contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants critical to boosting mood. And couldn’t we all use a little mood-boost these days?

Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipe for Roasted Chicken, Beets & Brussels Sprouts with Barley. And read on for more about these mood-boosting nutrients.

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I can’t believe we are half way through January already. How are your New Year’s resolutions holding up? One of the most common resolutions is to eat more healthily. And that often entails preparing meals from scratch rather than eating out, as cooking your own meals makes it much easier to control both the quantity and quality of the food you eat. While we all start out the New Year with the best of intentions, hurdles are inevitable. But you can overcome them by being a little strategic about it. The hurdle I most often hear about is time and/or lack of interest in cooking. So the strategy here is to have a few quick, easy-to-make recipes using foods that are readily at hand in your pantry. That’s why I chose this Spicy Black Bean Burrito Bowl as the recipe to share this month.

It’s perfect because it:

• is made from pantry staples,
• takes no time (or skill) to prepare,
• can be easily scaled up,
• keeps well,
• can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner,
• is a very warming and satisfying dish on these cold winter days, and
• goes great with non-alcoholic beer, for anyone participating in Dry January (and if you are, be sure to have a look at my previous post for some extra motivation and tips).

The other great thing about this Spicy Black Bean Burrito Bowl is that it contains half (or more) of your daily fibre requirement. This is something many of us fall woefully short of. And doesn’t everyone love Mexican food?

Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipe for this Spicy Black Bean Burrito Bowl. And read on for more about the benefits of black beans as well as some recipe tips to make this bowl even more flavourful and nutritious.

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The festive season can be somewhat stressful with lots of gatherings and endeavouring to make things extra special.  Sometimes, however, less is more. These Four Festive Party Starters are just that, simple-to-prepare appetizers that are full of flavour and wrapped in holiday red, white and green. The key is selecting the best quality ingredients. With quality ingredients, you don’t need to do much other than let the flavours shine through.

Sign up to my newsletter today to receive the recipes for these Four Festive Party Starters and read on for a few tips on each of the recipes.

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