Oven-Charred Okra

Okra is a divisive veggie. It’s unfamiliar to some, and often thought of as slimy for anyone who is aware of it. This super easy oven-roasted recipe is here to help you change your tune, though! They melt-in-your-mouth, and the buttery spices are delicious.

Ingredients

1 quart okra

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

3. Wash okra and cut into 2-inch sections. If some pieces are wider than an inch, slice in half lengthwise.

4. Transfer washed and prepared okra to a medium mixing bowl and pour over melted butter.

5. Mix to coat okra, then add spices, sugar, salt, and pepper.

6. Mix to coat again.

7. Transfer seasoned pieces of okra to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven.

8. Bake for 20 minutes, until okra are softened and starting to appear charred.

9. Eat as is, or pair with a dip made with Greek yogurt, mayo, and spices of choice. Curry powder and cayenne would be tasty!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Stuffed & Air-Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Squash blossoms are found in the cuisine of many cultures, such as Italian and Mediterranean dishes. Often referred to as delicacies, they are typically only found at farmers’ markets, so try to get your hands on them while you can!

Stuffed squash/zucchini blossoms may not be familiar to everyone, but they make for a unique appetizer or addition to many dishes. Our suggestion is to be creative and make them your own! That’s exactly how we approached developing the following recipes, grabbing whatever ingredients we had in the garden and trying a number of unique combinations.

Ingredients: Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup water, room temperature

Tip: Prepare the batter with oat flour to make the recipe gluten-free/ Celiac-friendly.

Ingredients: Filling

1 block cream cheese

+ additional spices, herbs, fruits and vegetables (5 variations listed below)

Tip: To have softer cream cheese to work with, remove the block from the fridge about two hours prior.

1. Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

4 large strawberries

1 teaspoon honey

Topping:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

icing sugar

2. Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake (4 blossoms)

1 tablespoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon honey

3. Herb & Garlic (4 blossoms)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

scant ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 onion slice, chopped

salt & pepper (to taste)

4. Spicy Dill (4 blossoms)

3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

½ teaspoon red pepper chili flakes

5. Jalapeño (4 blossoms)

2 green onion tops, chopped

1 jalapeño, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare all ingredients according to the suggestions above (e.g., mince, dice, etc.) and set aside.

2. Gently rinse blossoms with water and dry with a paper towel. It’s okay to open the petals (even if they tear a bit) to ensure there aren’t any bugs. The entire flower is edible, but most people remove the bud from the inside (called the stamen) and the stem from the base of the flower.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and water to create the batter. Set aside for at least 10 minutes.

4. Preheat air fryer to 370°F.

5. For each flavour variation, combine all ingredients together in a small bowl and fill each blossom with about 1 ½ tablespoons of the mixture. To make the filling step easier, transfer your filling to a piping bag. If you don’t own one of these, don’t worry! You can make a quick & easy at-home version by filling a Ziploc bag and snipping off one corner.

6. After the blossoms are filled, carefully coat the outside with batter. Although a bit messy, we found it easiest to do this by hand. Try your best to close the flower so that the filling doesn’t run out when frying.

7. Evenly coat the air-fryer basket with olive oil and lay down 6 battered blossoms, ensuring they’re evenly spaced. You may be able to fit more depending on the size of your basket.

8. Fry for 12 min, carefully flipping halfway.

   Tip: After frying, if the blossoms are stuck to the bottom of the basket, give them 10 min to cool and they will be easier to remove.

Recipe developed by Alissa Debruyne and Emma Van der Burg, 2023 Dietetic Interns

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower

3/4 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Trim leaves off of cauliflower and cut stem down as low as possible, while still keeping the cauliflower head intact.

2. Wash the cauliflower head and shake off to remove excess water, then place on a tea towel to dry further.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

4. While the cauliflower dries, whisk together the marinade/sauce.

5. Add oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Add herbs and seasonings and whisk again.

6. Flip the head of cauliflower upside down in a cast iron pan and pour half of the oil and spice mixture into the crevices.

7. Flip the cauliflower back right-side-up and place in the cast iron pan. Use a pastry brush to spread the rest of the oil mixture all over the cauliflower.

8. Tightly cover the cauliflower and pan with a large piece of tin foil (spray it with cooking spray to prevent any sticking!) and transfer the pan to the preheated oven.

9. Bake for 1 hour, removing the tin foil when 10 minutes remain on the timer.

10. Remove from the oven and slice into large pieces, and display on a serving tray. Top with a sauce of your choice (if desired), and some crumbled cheese or sesame seeds.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove freshly minced garlic)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Thoroughly wash your grape tomatoes, then transfer them to an oven-safe dish.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat.

4. Sprinkle all herbs and seasonings and again stir to coat.

5. Transfer the baking pan to the pre-heated oven and roast for a total of 40 minutes, until juices are evaporated and tomatoes are wrinkled-looking and shrunken down.

6. Stir the tomatoes about halfway through, to help them cook evenly and to prevent them from burning/sticking.

7. Let the tomatoes cool, and then enjoy as a makeshift pasta sauce, a topper for ricotta toast, or fold into a frittata, stir-fry, or wrap. Alternatively, serve as an appetizer, like pictured below. We spread cream cheese on crackers, added 2 roasted grape tomatoes, and drizzled balsamic glaze on top. You could use a different cheese or cracker and achieve the same effect! The roasted flavour really intensifies the sweetness of these little tomatoes, and brings them to the next level!

8. These roasted tomatoes can also be transferred to a freezer-safe container or bag and frozen for later use.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Creamy Corn Dip with Oven-Baked Kettle Chips

Ingredients

2 cobs corn, boiled and kernels cut off

½ cup yogurt or sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ cup cheddar cheese

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, divided in half

Red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

3 green onions, diced

4 potatoes, very thinly sliced

Canola oil

Spices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

3. Add the husked cobs of corn to the water and boil until bright yellow, around 6 – 7 minutes.

4. Remove the corn from the boiling water and once cool enough to handle cut the kernels off the cob.

5. While the corn cools, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, cheeses (except for 1 tablespoon of Parmesan), spices, lime juice, and green onions in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Add corn kernels and mix again.

6. Transfer the dip mix to a 9-inch round pie plate or an 8x8 square baking dish that has been greased with cooking spray. Smooth into an even layer then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Parmesan.

7. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

8. During the first 10 minutes of baking, wash and very thinly slice your potatoes.

9. Add the potato slices to a bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with spices (your choice! I went with chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder) as well as salt and pepper.

10. Spread the seasoned and oiled potato slices into a single even layer on baking sheets lined with parchment. You will likely need two sheets, as it’s very important for the potatoes to be spread out, and not touching. This will help get them nice and crispy!

11. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

12. Remove the dip and the chips from the oven and enjoy them together. This dip can also be served as a sandwich spread, or a taco-topper.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Blueberry Beet Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

1 beet, peeled

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large egg

½ cup blueberries, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Place beet in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 – 15 minutes depending on the size.

2. Remove the beet and place in a blender, along with ¼ cup of reserved beet water.

3. Blend the beet and water until smooth. You should have a bright pink puree!

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

5. In a large bowl whisk together milk, beet puree, egg, and canola oil until smooth.

6. Add the flour to the milk and beet mixture and mix until just combined. Some small lumps of flour are ok!

7. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium. Add a splash of canola oil and use a paper towel to carefully spread it all over the pan.

8. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the pancake batter to the pan and use the back of the measuring spoon to spread the pancake out into a circle.

9. Let the pancake cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until bubbles start to form. Add a sprinkle of blueberries to the pancake while it cooks.

10. Once the 2 minutes are up, and lots of bubbles have formed on the top of the pancake, give it a flip. Cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes.

11. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200°F oven.

12. In total you should get 6 – 8 pancakes, depending how big you make them.

13. Unfortunately the beautiful pink colour of the pancake batter is a bit lost during the cooking process, but it’s so much fun while it lasts! I saw the Barbie movie this week and was inspired to make a pink breakfast food because of it.

14. Enjoy!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Raspberry Lemon Bars

Ingredients

¼ cup butter

½ cup white sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

Topping

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs, whisked

Juice of 1 lemon (~3 tablespoons)

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 ½ cups raspberries

Icing sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, and sugar. Stir until combined, then add butter. Using a pastry cutter or just your hands, mix in the butter until pea-sized pieces remain.

3. Press the flour and butter mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan that has been greased with cooking spray. Bake the bottom for 8 – 10 minutes, until just golden brown around the edges.

4. In the bowl you mixed the flour mixture, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and stir until smooth and well-blended.

5. Sprinkle most of the raspberries over the crust, and then top with the lemon filling. Place a few additional raspberries on top and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and set.

6. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to slice.

7. Once fully cool, cut into squares or bars. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving, and enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Waffle Iron Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients

4 zucchini, shredded

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, whisked

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.

2. Shred zucchini, then place in a dishtowel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

3. Place the shredded and drained zucchini in a mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients.

4. Mix until combined.

5. By now the waffle iron should be nice and hot. Open it up, and grease it very thoroughly with cooking spray. This is important, so that the fritters don’t stick!

6. Scoop 1/3 cup of fritter batter and place in each waffle ‘square’. Use a spatula to gently spread the batter around so that it’s in a relatively even layer, reaching towards all four corners.

7. Close the waffle iron and cook until brown and crispy. The amount of time this takes will vary by waffle maker brand. For me, it took 2 rounds of the auto shut-off, or about 8 – 10 minutes.

8. Once brown and crispy, carefully lift up the fritter and remove from the waffle maker.

9. Cook another batch of fritters, making sure to thoroughly grease the waffle maker again before starting.

10. Serve zucchini fritters with your grilled proteins, a sunny-side up egg, or alongside pulled pork.

New Potato and Spinach Curry with Halloumi

Ingredients

1 head spinach, washed and roughly chopped

1 pint new potatoes, washed and cut so that sizes are all roughly similar

¼ cup minced garlic scapes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon red chili powder (different than ‘regular’ chili powder – much more spice!)

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons water

½ cup cream

1 block halloumi, sliced

1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

1. Begin by prepping all ingredients: wash and chop your veggies, chop the halloumi, and measure out the spices, tomato paste, and cream. Having everything ready to add to the pan as needed will speed up the process!

2. Add canola oil to a large pan and turn on to medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.

3. While the halloumi cooks, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add your prepared new potatoes and cook for 15 minutes.

4. While the potatoes cook, add the garlic scapes to the pan you cooked the halloumi in. Stir often and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

5. Next, add spices and tomato paste to the pan. Cook for another minute or so, then add the water.

6. Add the spinach and stir and cook until wilted. Add the cream and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low at this time.

7. By now the new potatoes should be done cooking. Drain the water then add them to the pan with the spinach curry. Stir until potatoes are coated.

8. Finally, add the cooked halloumi slices to the pan as well.

9. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and enjoy!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

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Panna Cotta with Vanilla Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

3 cups half and half cream (10 - 18%)

3 teaspoons powdered gelatin (or vegan alternative)

¼ cup white sugar (can add more if you like things sweeter!)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Lightly grease 6 mini mason jars (125mL size) with cooking spray, then wipe out most of the oil with a paper towel, leaving a slight residue.

2. Pour half of the cream into a small saucepan and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly on top. Let soften for 5 minutes. The surface of the cream should look “wrinkled” and the gelatin grains should be wet and slightly dissolved.

3. Set the saucepan over low heat and warm the cream slowly. Stir or whisk frequently. The cream should never boil or simmer – if you see steam remove the saucepan and let cool down slightly. You should be able to dip your finger in the cream for a few seconds. If you can’t, it’s too hot! Throughout this warming, the gelatin will dissolve. This should go fairly quickly.

4. After about 3 - 4 minutes of warming, rub a bit of the cream between your fingers to make sure it’s smooth.

5. Stir the sugar into the cream and continue to warm until it dissolves too. This should take about 5 minutes. Again, don’t let the cream simmer or boil!

6. Remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk in the remaining half of the cream along with the vanilla and salt.

7. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared jars and place in the fridge to chill.

8. While the panna cotta chills, make your strawberry topping. Place strawberries, vanilla, sugar, and lemon juice in another small saucepan over low heat.

9. Whisk together water and cornstarch to form a slurry. Once strawberry mixture starts to breakdown and soften, add the slurry to the saucepan. Stir together until evenly coated, then mash berries down as well.

10. Continue cooking until strawberries are completely softened and mixture is glossy. Stir often throughout the cooking process.

11. Once berry mixture is glossy remove from heat and cool completely. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

12. To serve, you have options. You can attempt to unmold the panna cotta and serve upside down on a plate. If you want to go this route, the panna cotta will need to chill overnight.

13. Alternatively, you can serve the dessert in the mini jars. If you do this, it only needs 2 hours or so of chilling. This is my preference because it’s easier!

14. If planning to unmold, fill a large bowl with warm to hot water. Wipe a dessert plate with a damp paper towel.

15. Run a thin knife carefully around the edges of the mason jar. Don’t slide the knife all the way in, just release the top edge. Dip the jar into the warm water up to its rim and hold for ~3 seconds.

16. Flip the jar over on a small plate and shake slightly to help ease the panna cotta out. It should come out pretty easily, but if not return to the warm water for 2 seconds at a time. Reposition on the plate if needed, then top with your berry mixture.

17. If you skipped the unmolding simply top your mini panna cottas with the berry mixture right before serving.

18. Enjoy!

Recipe modified from thekitchn.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Upside-Down Asparagus Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 package puff pastry, thawed

½ bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed

2 stalks green garlic, washed and minced

Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (all to taste)

Balsamic glaze

Cooking spray

1 cup cheese, shredded (I used Gunn’s Hill 5-Brothers)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for later use.

2. Unwrap and unroll the thawed puff pastry and cut into 4 even rectangles.

3. Prep all remaining ingredients so that you can quickly assemble the puff pastries!

4. Once ingredients are ready, start to assemble:

   1. Divide the baking sheet into four quadrants. In the middle of each, spray a generous coat of cooking spray.

   2. Next, lay down 4-5 spears of asparagus and top with a sprinkle of minced green garlic.

   3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

   4. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and then top the seasoned asparagus with ¼ cup cheese.

   5. Place one puff pastry rectangle on top of the asparagus and cheese mixture, ensuring everything is covered.

   6. Use a fork (you may want to dip it in water first so it doesn’t stick!) and press down the edges of the puff pastry.

   7. Spray the puff pastry with another coat of cooking spray.

   8. Repeat this process for the remaining 3 puff pastry pieces.

5. Once all 4 pastries have been prepared, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and then flip over. You should have a deliciously flaky, cheesy, and asparagus-filled pastry to enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Aunt Geri's Quiche

A super quick & easy family recipe, perfect for serving a crowd at brunch. It's so cheesy, and so delicious! Try pairing with a fruit smoothie and a croissant for a delightful well-rounded meal.

Ingredients

1 stalk green garlic, minced

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 bunch Swiss chard, chopped (spinach or Mustard greens would work too!)

1 cup cottage cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Grease a pie dish with cooking spray and set aside.

3. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined.

4. Transfer egg, cheese, and veggie mixture to the greased pie dish and spread out until evenly distributed.

5. Transfer prepared pie dish to the oven and bake until puffy and browned, around 30 - 40 minutes.

Recipe photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Aunt Kathleen's Rhubarb Cake

This cake is incredibly easy to put together, and a real hit at a potluck!

In our family, Aunt Kathleen always comes prepared with this dish and without fail it disappears oh-so-quickly! There's no denying it's exceptionally sweet, but to us it tastes like family, a warm night on the patio, and a reminder of all the goodies & memories yet to come.

Ingredients

1 bunch rhubarb, washed and diced

1 package strawberry jello

1 bag mini marshmallows

1 white or yellow cake mix, prepared according to package directions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Add diced rhubarb to the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Sprinkle the packet of jello powder evenly over top of the rhubarb, followed by the marshmallows.

5. Finally, pour the prepared cake mix over the rhubarb mixture.

6. Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for at 1 hour, until cake is done.

7. Remove from the oven and let sit. The longer you wait the more set the cake will be.

Roasted Asparagus Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, washed, ends trimmed, and then cut into 1-inch chunks

3 stalks green garlic washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped

1 log goat’s cheese, sliced

Cooking oil

Salt & pepper

Red pepper flakes

3 cups pasta of choice

½ cup reserved pasta water

½ cup cream

½ cup grated parmesan (optional)

¼ cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Add the prepared asparagus and green garlic to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with cooking oil. Toss until veggies are coated.

3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and again stir until coated.

4. Add slices of goat’s cheese on top of veggies and spray tops with cooking oil spray.

5. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until veggies are softened and browned.

6. While the veggies roast, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Once finished cooking, drain and drizzle with oil (so the noodles don’t stick!). Be sure to reserve ½ a cup of pasta water, though!

7. Transfer roasted veggies and goat’s cheese to a bowl, then add pasta water and cream. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

8. Pour asparagus sauce on top of cooked pasta and mix until noodles are evenly coated.

9. You can enjoy this take on mac & cheese as-is, or you can transfer to an oiled baking dish and top with parmesan and breadcrumbs. I transferred to some mini baking dishes to make cute single-serve portions, but a 9x13 would work just fine!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, diced

2 stems green garlic, trimmed and diced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed, then roughly chopped

1 potato, peeled and pureed

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup cream

Cottage cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a medium sized pot over medium heat, until butter is melted. Add one piece of diced onion, and when it starts to sizzle, add the rest along with the diced green garlic.

2. Cook until onions and garlic are softened. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

3. Next, add asparagus and potato to the pot and mix until coated with spices and oil.

4. Add the broth to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 – 12 minutes, until asparagus and potato pieces are soft.

5. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and silky.

6. Finish off the soup by stirring in the lemon juice and whipping cream, stirring to combine.

7. Serve soup with a dollop of cottage cheese and enjoy! Pair with a protein and a piece of crusty bread for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Recipe modified from a newspaper clipping (from my grandma!) & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Homemade Strawberry-Raspberry Pop Tarts

For the pie crust:

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed

For the filling and glaze:

225g strawberries, washed and hulled

225g raspberries

1/2 cup  granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream or milk, for brushing the dough (optional)

1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rainbow sprinkles!

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. If using a stand mixer, fit with the paddle attachment. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the butter to the flour mixture and mix/pulse until the butter has been cut into pea-sized pieces. Add the water and mix/pulse again to combine. Add more water if needed, a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in two, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

While the dough chills, add the berries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice to a medium pot and stir to combine. Heat the mixture over medium-low, until berries start to soften and release their juices. Continue cooking until berries are broken down and mixture is glossy and thick. Remove the mixture from heat and let cool/

Next, preheat the oven to 400° F. Tear off a large piece of parchment paper and lay each on a standard-size cookie sheet. One at a time, roll out the two pieces of dough to about 10- by 14 inches. Don’t worry if it’s not a perfect rectangle, and you can cut off any excess pieces and patch up other corners or cracks if needed.

Lay one of the crusts onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure there’s enough dough on all sides to form a rim. Spread the berry filling evenly over the crust. Top with the other rolled out pie crust (you can use the parchment paper to invert the dough sheet over the filling). Carefully crimp together the edges and fold the excess dough over and under the edge, lifting up the parchment paper underneath to help with this process. Brush with cream, then use a fork to prick the top crust evenly all around.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After that, check to make sure that the holes you made are still open (sometimes they shrink and seal up); if not, prick again with a fork—this is to ensure steam can exit. Rotate and return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Add more icing sugar if the glaze is too thin or add more milk if it's too thick.

Allow the pie to cool then spread the glaze over the pie, leaving a small border. Immediately top with the rainbow sprinkles. Slice and serve!

Recipe slightly modified from food52.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Sticky Pudding

Ingredients

3 cups rhubarb, diced

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness preference)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Grease 4 small oven-safe containers with butter or cooking spray. I used some ceramic French onion soup bowls! Divide the rhubarb evenly between the containers.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, and vanilla.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until smooth. Batter will be quite thick!

6. Spread ¼ of the batter on top of the rhubarb in the ceramic baking dishes.

7. In another bowl, combine the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over top of the rhubarb and batter mixture.

8. Pour ¼ cup of water on top of each ceramic dish.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

10. Remove from oven, cool, and serve. Pairs deliciously with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

 Recipe modified from hoteatsandcoolreads.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Lasagna ft. TRM Pasta Sauce

Lasagna is a classic winter comfort food, don’t you think? It can be pretty time-consuming to make, though, so this past weekend we used a jar of our Pasta Sauce to speed up the process.

We didn’t take exact measurements, and were trying to use up some ingredients in the fridge, but we put together a rough guide for you. Head to our website to see the full recipe, and let us know if you give it a try. It may be the perfect meal to help get you through this snow storm that’s on its way to us tomorrow!

Ingredients

1 jar Thames River Melons Pasta Sauce

12 lasagna noodles

1 pound ground beef

1 bell pepper, diced

1 carrot, peeled & diced

6 mushrooms, diced

1/2 head of broccoli, minced

1/2 tub of ricotta cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 cup provolone cheese, shredded

Salt & pepper to taste

Cooking oil

Instructions

1. Add a generous glug of cooking oil to a shallow pot and heat on the stove over medium. Add one piece of bell pepper to the pan to test the temperature. Once it starts to sizzle, you’re good to go!

2. Add the remaining diced bell pepper along with carrots and mushrooms. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until veggies are softened.

3. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. You can also use a ground meat alternative!

4. Once meat is cooked, drain any extra fat. I like to drain it into a small cup lined with tinfoil. Once the fat hardens you can wrap it up and dispose of it!

5. While the meat cooks, cook your lasagna noodles according to package instructions. When done, drain and lay out on a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel.

6. Add the jar of pasta sauce to the meat and veggie mixture, and stir evenly until coated. Remove from heat and set aside.

7. Whisk together ricotta, 1/2 of the Parmesan, 1/2 the mozzarella, milk, and minced broccoli. Season with salt and pepper and stir until evenly combined.

8. Now it’s time to assemble!

9. Grab your favourite 9x13 casserole dish and coat the bottom & sides of the pan with cooking spray.

10. Next, add a generous scoop of the sauce mixture. Lay 3 noodles on top, followed by more sauce and 1/3 of the ricotta mixture.

11. Add 3 more noodles, more sauce & ricotta, and then sprinkle on the remaining mozzarella and half of the provolone.

12. Again, add 3 noodles followed by sauce and the remaining ricotta.

13. Finish with 3 final noodles and top with the rest of the sauce, followed by the remaining provolone and Parmesan. Make sure the top noodles are completely covered by sauce and/or cheese so they don’t dry out during the baking process! You may need to shred more cheese at this time.

14. Cover the lasagna with either a lid or tinfoil (spray with cooking oil so it doesn’t stick to the cheese!) and then bake at 425°F for 50 minutes.

15. After 50 minutes, remove lid or tin foil and bake for another 5 - 10, until top cheese is fully browned.

16. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Vegetable Pesto Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups leeks, sliced

1 pepper, sliced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

2 handfuls fresh spinach

700g gnocchi

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup pesto

1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Salt

Pepper

Instructions

1. Follow cooking instructions for gnocchi and set aside

2. If wanting to add a choice of protein such as chicken, shrimp, lentils, etc make now and set aside with gnocchi.

3. In a medium sauce pan add cream and pesto and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Once boiling bring heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring the mixture. During this time the vegetables can be started in the following step.

4. In a medium frying pan add olive oil, then add broccoli and peppers. Sauté on medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Then add chopped leeks and sauté for another 5 minutes.

5. Add garlic to pan and sauté for 1 minute before adding in fresh spinach. Continue stirring mixture around until spinach is cooked.

6. Going back to the sauce, after 10 minutes stir in 1 cup of parmesan and then let simmer another 5 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken. Sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon when finished.

7. Once sauce is done add to pan with vegetables. At this time also add gnocchi and choice of protein to the pan. Top with a bit of parmesan cheese and serve hot.

Recipe Developed and photographed by Dietetic intern Rae Wilcox.

Homemade Hashbrowns

*Makes ~8 hashbrowns

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes, about 1 pound

¼ - ½ an onion, diced (1/2 cup)

4 tablespoons cooking oil

Salt

Pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Instructions

1. Wash and scrub potatoes thoroughly, removing any eyes or spots. Leave the skin on otherwise though, for extra flavour and nutrients!

2. Once potatoes are prepped, shred them using a box shredder.

3. Transfer all potato shreds to a thin tea towel, and pull up the edges so they are contained within the cloth. Squeeze the tea towel, expressing as much liquid as possible from the potato shreds.

4. Place the drained potato shreds into a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

5. Next, dice the onion, then add to the bowl with the potato shreds.

6. Finally, add the spices, salt, and pepper to the bowl then mix to combine.

7. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a large frying pan, and heat over medium. Add one piece of diced onion to the pan to test the temperature of the oil. Once the onion starts to sizzle you know the pan is ready!

8. Use a large spring-loaded scoop to portion out the hashbrowns. Add one scoop at a time to the pan with preheated oil. You should be able to fit about 4 hasbrowns at a time. Use a spatula to flatten the scoop of hashbrowns. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and hashbrown holds its’ shape.

9. Carefully flip, press down, and cook for another 5 minutes, again until golden brown.

10. Transfer the cooked hashbrowns to a plate lined with papertowel and place in the oven to keep warm. I like to preheat the oven to approximately 180°F before doing this!

11. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and repeat the process of making the final four hashbrowns.

12. Serve with a protein and vegetable for a delicious meal! Pictured here is crumbled tofu and roasted bell peppers but they would also pair well with a fried sunny side up egg, sausages, or grilled chicken. A side salad would make a great accompaniment as well!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD
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