Google / Social Description

Roasted Tomato
and Green Olive Focaccia FROM CRUST

Introduction

It could be said that when I first started gardening for my restaurant Grazing, in Gundaroo, I was very . . . enthusiastic. I planted eight beds of tomatoes and ended up with so many that I had to transport them to the walk-in cooler in wheelbarrows, where they sat as I pondered what to do with them! Let’s just say there were a lot of roasted, sliced, sauced tomatoes on the menu that year. This is one of the recipes I came up with to use up some of the bounty. With olives and Parmesan, it is reminiscent of a delicious thick-crust pizza, full of herbs and olive oil and all those good earthly things. It goes without saying that this recipe benefits from using tomatoes that are at the peak of their season.

Google / Social Description

When I say this burger will bring all the boys to the yard, I’m not kidding.

Introduction

This burger is pretty special to me, as it includes a recipe that is close to my family’s hearts. As I’ve written about on page 105, my dad spent a lot of time in the kitchen, especially later in his life. He loved to cook, but specialized in soups and jams, of all things.

I’ve paired his pear and rum jam with this burger, along with some smoky ham and a delightful combination of mascarpone and cream cheese. When I say this burger will bring all the boys to the yard, I’m not kidding. Add a milkshake and you’ll guarantee a yard full of boys. If you don’t get the reference, ask your kids. Milkshakes and yards and boys aside, I think my dad would have really loved this burger.

Google / Social Description

The cookies are full of fiber from the flax, oats, and coconut—this means you can avoid the post­cookie crash.

Introduction

We added our fermented friend, miso, to these delicious cookies, which may seem odd given its salty, umami flavor. However, the savory, sweet, salty, and fatty components of these cookies all blend together so wonderfully, even the skeptics will fall in love with them. The cookies are full of fiber from the flax, oats, and coconut—this means you can avoid the post­cookie crash and remain satisfied and energized after eating them.

Google / Social Description

Super-nutritious and kid-friendly, these lettuce wraps are a win-win.

Introduction

My kids eat very well, but Benny, my firstborn, had the benefit of my exclusive attention when it came to his early meals—I made them as nutrient dense and clean as possible. As our family grew (and grew up), I realized my idealized meals weren’t always practical or popular across the household. Even if I had wanted to eat mostly simply prepared vegetables, sometimes my kids didn’t want that. Behold the power of a lettuce wrap! For children, there’s something exciting about being told to eat with your hands; and as a mom, I’m just thrilled that they enjoy lettuce leaves stuffed with shredded carrots and zucchini, lean chicken, and other good-for-them ingredients. Super-nutritious and kid-friendly, these are a win-win.

Google / Social Description

A mixture of coconut aminos, rice vinegar, orange juice, and sesame oil infuses everything with a balanced sweet, savory, toasty flavor.

Introduction

A mixture of coconut aminos, rice vinegar, orange juice, and sesame oil serves as both a marinade for the tempeh and a sauce for the meal, infusing everything with a balanced sweet, savory, toasty flavor. A squeeze of lime, a sprinkle of peanuts, and a drizzle of sriracha finish it off with a burst of acid, crunch, and heat.

Google / Social Description

This spoon salad is a riff on a classic Middle Eastern tomato and cucumber salad, replacing the tomatoes with melon and adding avocado.

Introduction

“Spoon salad” may not be a ubiquitous term, but it does feel like it fits when the best tool for eating a salad is, in fact, a spoon. This spoon salad is a riff on a classic Middle Eastern tomato and cucumber salad, replacing the tomatoes with melon and adding avocado because, well, California. We mix the avo in at the end to keep it from completely breaking down, but a light toss will lend a satisfying, natural creaminess to the dressing.

Google / Social Description

The juice from the roasted tomatoes join forces with the creamy burrata to create the most luxurious sauce.

Introduction

I was never the cook who replaced fettuccine and tagliatelle with zoodles and spaghetti squash—until I discovered this absurdly easy recipe, which I came to think of as a “cold-weather caprese.” The juice from the roasted tomatoes join forces with the creamy burrata to create the most luxurious sauce.

Google / Social Description

The fruit caramelizes on the bottom or top, making for a flavourful, soft, moist cake.

Introduction

Upon graduating high school at 17, I received as a gift a large orange suitcase and left home to find my way in the world. Knowing how much I loved this cake, my mom gave me her recipe for it before I ventured off into the unknown. It was the first cake I made when I was on my own and I continue to make it today. It is like a best friend to me. One of the things I love most about it is that I can make it with berries and then move on to plums and peaches as they come into season. The fruit caramelizes on the bottom or top (depending on which way you want to look at it), making for a flavourful, soft, moist cake. It never fails to be enjoyed at family gatherings—including by Oliver, our grand-dog. This doubles as a coffee cake for breakfast if there’s any left!