Side Dishes

I will admit that I was not a big fan of brussels sprouts as a kid but now that I’ve discovered pan-roasting I’m seriously hooked on them. This easy method is by far my favourite way to cook them. They’re so durable that you can easily caramelize them as they cook through. In this recipe they’re deliciously joined by bright orange and crunchy cashews.

You can enjoy the bright red flavours and intense nutritional density of these two harvest ingredients brought together in one distinctive dish. In this recipe they serve both as a delicious side dish and a tasty condiment. Red Cabbage has an amazing ability to absorb other flavours while retaining its texture. Cranberry and the traditional flavours of cranberry sauce make this the perfect side dish for holiday turkey or everyday chicken or pork!

Sweet potatoes are undeniably healthy being packed full of micronutrients, betacarotene and fibre. They're guaranteed nutritional powerhouses, even when you make one of my favourite holiday treats from south of the border, covered with a thick layer of marshmallows. I'm convinced this classic was created by parents whose kids weren't the least bit interested in how healthy sweet potatoes are, until they showed up at the table covered in marshmallows.

There are a lot of reasons to eat asparagus. It's green, it's healthy, it's tasty and delicious. And perhaps the best reason to eat these tender, slender stalks is because they're traditionally served with Hollandaise sauce. Here's everything you need to simply steam asparagus and extravagantly transform butter into the richest, silkiest, smoothest sauce known to man.

Steaming asparagus and other green vegetables is always a better option to boiling. Boiling takes away texture and leaches away flavour, colour, and nutrients.

This is one of my favourite variations on a classic rice pilaf. It's spiced up with vibrant curry, colourful saffron, and succulent sweet potatoes which, ounce for ounce, are one of the most nutritionally dense vegetables readily available.

For a meal befitting of the lords and ladies in your life, pack this fragrant rice into small bowls and ramekins, then inverse onto the serving plates. Top with a sprig or two cilantro before surrounding the rice with some sautéed shrimp or steamed mussels.

Sweet potatoes make incredible fries. They’re so good a lot of kids prefer them over regular potato fries.

A simple rice dish full of Southwestern Flavour.

The only thing better than a grilled NY steak, is a grilled NY steak sitting next to a twice baked potato. Especially when its’ oozing with Boursin cheese, bacon and sharp horseradish! Did I mention the bacon?

We’re all trying to eat more veggies and convince those around us to do the same. They’re good for you but they can also be fast, flexible and delicious! Here’s a speedy veggie dish that will have them coming back for more!

In India, aloo gobi means “potato cauliflower”: it’s one of their most common vegetable dishes. It’s one of my family’s favourites too, partly because it’s so easy to make, but mostly because it’s full of so much addictive bright flavour. It’s normally made with plain white potatoes and cauliflower, but, for even more colour, flavour and nutrition, this version uses sweet potatoes instead.

This dish is on my table’s top-ten list, and not just because it’s easy to make and tastes great. Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. They’re packed with a laundry list of nutrients and always taste great, especially with aromatic olive oil instead of rich butter.

Ratatouille is one of the world’s great vegetable dishes. It’s a brightly flavoured rustic dish of stewed vegetables that traces its roots to the sunny south of France. It’s simple to make and simple to vary and usually includes tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, eggplant and zucchini slowly cooked together with olive oil.