Recipes

Every chef knows how easy it is to jazz up dessert by pureeing fruits into simple sauces. With just a few simple ingredients, a bit of gentle heat and a strong blender you too can transform almost any ripe fruit into a colourful backdrop for almost any dessert. Apricot uniquely creates the smoothest sauce of them all though. Its’ juicy tender flesh and fresh aromatic flavour go well with everything. Even at dessert you can fill Half Your Plate!

This is a delicious condiment to add to your grilling or snacking repertoire. Like any great salsa it’s packed with big, bright, balanced taste that easily complements other ingredients. What a great way to fill Half Your Plate with zesty flavours!

Rhubarb chutney is a tasty condiment side-kick for whatever hits your grill this season. Meat, fish or fowl – even grilled veggie burgers – get a big bright boost from this balanced classic. Rhubarb’s sour tang is mellowed with sweetness, fragrant spices and spicy heat in this make-ahead topping. You can perk up more than Half Your Plate with this fragrant chutney!

Hummus is most often made with dried legumes like chickpeas but it’s just as delicious whipped up with fresh, green peas. Especially when it’s brightened with lots of spicy flavour balanced with cool mint. And what better dipper for dipping such dip than a crispy pita chip? What a great way to fill Half Your Plate with fruits and vegetables!

A smashed cucumber tastes very different from a sliced one. Brighter, fresher, more floral, and the crushed pieces more readily absorb the flavours around them. Most magically, though, smashing releases other new and delicious botanical flavours from the cucumber itself. It’s fun to fill Half Your Plate with bright ideas like these!

Parsnips are a root vegetable, the way a plant stores sunshine as sugar. They keep well which makes them a traditional winter vegetable. Their sweet earthy flavour and firm texture means they’re great for slow cooking, especially when they absorb the flavours of a delicious glaze along the way. Parsnips are a great way to fill Half Your Plate with root vegetable goodness.

Red Cabbage is one of the very best vegetables for storing through the winter, in a cool dark place it can last a very long time. It’s worth waiting for because it’s such a tasty and healthy way to fill Half Your Plate. Its deep purple colour means it’s packed with micronutrients and its crisp texture is always delicious. This brassica packs a punch!

Kiwi’s unique sweet and sour flavour makes it a favourite of fruit-lovers everywhere and a great choice for a simple snack. Those same flavours also make it ideal for anchoring savoury condiments like this salsa. Here it’s paired with an equally simple salmon but it’s just as tasty with any grilled meat or other fish. Whatever you top you’ll love how simple it is fill Half Your Plate with this brightly flavoured salsa!

Running out of time to cook vegetables? You can make this delicious dish in the time it takes you to boil water and cook pasta. You just need a few delicious timesavers. Tricks like a simple pesto built on the snappy flavour of arugula or the convenience of a store-bought rotisserie chicken. And it doesn’t take long to melt bell peppers. Save time and fill Half Your Plate with vegetables!

You can fill more than Half Your Plate and create your own salad with this recipe. Chefs know that the art and craft of filling a salad bowl is one of the greatest expressions of the culinary arts. Home cooks love how easy it is to cram the salad bowl with healthy flavours. Everyone enjoys emptying the bowl. You’ll love knowing you have plenty of delicious dressing leftover for the next salad and nothing beats impressing yourself in your own kitchen! This one was custom created by Honorable Lawrence MacAulay with Chef Michael Smith’s coaching!

Potatoes are not just tasty, nutritious, inexpensive and easy to find, they’re also wildly versatile, especially with eggs in the mix. Cultures and cuisines all over the world have found innovative ways to cook with this dynamic duo. Here they play a starring role in a classic frittata with a tasty Tex-Mex twist. The salsa side salad is bright and spicy, a refreshing condiment of sorts. This recipe will easily fill Half Your Plate – but not for long. It’ll be empty in no time!

Mushrooms add lots of rich, meaty flavour to these awesome vegetarian cakes. The meat-less base is built on the classic grain/legume combo of brown rice and lentils while their meat-like texture comes from the magical ability of chia seeds to absorb moisture and build strength. These cakes will help you fill more than Half Your Plate with veggie goodness!