Recipes

Cherries pack a powerful nutritional punch that always delivers big bold flavour. Mulling them with warm spices and red wine adds lots of aromatic personality too. Mulled cherries are excellent over ice cream, in shortcake or anchoring a simple parfait. Adding the protein power of true yogurt and crunchy granola to any fruit really kick-starts your day. Especially with a flourish of real creamsicle flavour: pure orange and vanilla working their old-school magic in guilt-free yogurt! #HalfYourPlate

This classic pasta dish is an easy way to show off the flavours of spring and fill Half Your Plate with lots of delicious asparagus. The super-simple sauce and streamlined method lets you cook the veggies and pasta at the same time. You’ll love the tangy bright flavours and watching bowls empty all around you!

There’s nothing quite like a steaming hot soup bowl brimming with intense vegetable goodness. But not a fan of pale promises? Vegetable soup that’s more filler than flavour? No worries. You can fill more than Half Your Plate with true broccoli flavour by following this super simple recipe.

As with any simple soup recipe a few easy options are included too:
>Bacon and cheddar for even deeper flavour that’s guaranteed to satisfy any picky veggie-averse eaters.
>Your choice of liquid so you can control how rich the results are.
>How to make a pure vegetarian version.

Are you looking for a signature party trick? Having a dinner party? Trying to impress your kids? Leaping flames! Dangerous heat! Cooking on the edge! This is how to fill Half Your Plate with delicious bananas and a showstopper dessert that no one will ever forget!

One of the best ways to fill Half Your Plate (and all of your soup bowl) is with a simple puréed soup. They’re a time-honoured and super-simple way to get a whole lot of vegetable flavour on the table in a hurry – maybe even hide vegetables from finicky eaters. This one was custom created by Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick with Chef Michael Smith’s coaching!

One of the best ways to fill Half Your Plate (and all of your soup bowl) is with a simple puréed soup. They’re a time-honoured and super-simple way to get a whole lot of vegetable flavour on the table in a hurry – maybe even hide vegetables from finicky eaters. This one was custom created by Health Minister Terry Lake with Chef Michael Smith’s coaching!

Italian cooking is a lot more than just pasta, pizza and tomatoes. In the ancient walled city of Norcia, Umbrian lentils & sausage is on every menu. Its rustic simplicity includes some of the best loved flavours of Italy. Italians are extraordinarily passionate about their local ingredients, so it's no wonder this famous dish highlights lentils and sausage. It comes from the hills of Umbria, where heritage pigs roam the land and pasta plays second fiddle to locally grown lentils.

Parsnips are my all-time favourite root vegetable, which makes them ideal for roasting. Their sweet earthy flavour and firm texture are complemented with just a hint of delicious sharpness. My kids call them ‘white carrots’ and love when Dad fills up Half Their Plate with their tasty goodness.

You can fill more than Half Your Plate with this traditional Indian dish. It’s a complete vegetarian meal and a super-simple way to fill all your plate with big flavour and a last-second blast of dark green nutrition. You’ll love the bright finishing touch baby spinach adds to the dish and how easy it is to try this healthy trick anytime you cook up your favourite soup, stew or pasta!

Pumpkins are not just for carving into pretty faces they’re vegetables, so you can eat them too! As members of the squash family they’re deliciously versatile, inexpensive and packed with nutrients. Your best choice for cooking though are not the various jack-o-lantern varieties, they tend to be too big and bland. Instead, try this simple yet stunning idea with a few mini decorative pumpkins during harvest. With all this seasonal flavour they’re a great way to fill Half Your Plate!

Hummus is perhaps the world’s greatest dip. It’s unparalleled for addictive avor, smooth texture, nutritional value and the all-important functionality factor. With a batch of hummus ready, you can really release your creative juices. Try it on your favorite crackers, flatbreads or chips. Then top with smoked salmon, various charcuterie, even just plain sprinkled with green onions or giant dill sprigs.

Tex-Mex joints all have a variety of meaty fillings like this one on their menus packed with big, bright Tex-Mex flavors ready to roll into any type of tortilla. Burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, crispy tacos, soft tacos, tostadas, rotis—what will you roll?