Just as a fresh berry pie screams of summer, so too does this savory version of itself. And it’s a perfect lunch or dinner with a simple salad and maybe a glass (or two) of rosé. Slice the pieces a little thinner and it makes for a pretty great appetizer as well.
Salad may seem like an odd thing to eat for breakfast but, truthfully, many people around the world do eat it for their morning meal. We often think of sweet things when we think of breakfast, but why not get in your rainbow of veggies and fiber early in the day? Plus, salad for breakfast can be refreshing and invigorating. Eating colorful, fresh vegetables, especially in the morning, energizes your brain and body. We have a deep love for Middle Eastern flavors, which is why this salad slightly resembles tabbouleh. The star spice here is sumac, which you can find at most grocery stores—it’s a gorgeous reddish purple and tastes lemony. This salad’s high fiber content promotes blood sugar balance, which helps keep energy levels and mood stable and steady.
Whether you braise fennel with orange or preserved lemon in the colder months, or finely shave it and team it with the zip of fresh citrus juice and zest as we do here, fennel and citrus is one combo you should have on high rotation throughout the year. Conveniently, citrus is what helps fennel keep its snow-white sheen, so remember to squeeze some lemon into the cold water the fennel’s bobbing around in, too. I must credit the supremely talented Australian chef Jo Barrett with lending me her green onion oil recipe — it takes this dish to the next level, and will make you feel way cheffy, too.
Charoset is a relish made of fruit, nuts, and red wine that represents the mortar used by Jewish slaves in the building of pyramids in Egypt. It is one of the symbolic foods on the Passover seder plate, and its ingredients vary by custom. Sephardic charoset incorporates dried fruit (like dates, raisins, apricots, or figs), nuts (often almonds or walnuts), and cinnamon. Ashkenazi charoset includes fresh fruit (my dad always used pears, but apples are also common), walnuts, and red wine. This recipe fuses both versions into delicious bars that are so good, it’s hard to imagine that they are kosher for Passover!
This has become the traditional Easter cake, but originally it was given by servant girls to their mothers when they went home on Mother's Day. The almond paste balls represent the eleven apostles (excluding Judas).
What is a Taiwanese cookbook without the most famous Taiwanese drink of all? Originating in Taiwan in the 1980s, bubble tea, or boba, has since taken the world by storm, with shops popping up everywhere. What makes this drink special is the chewy and sweet tapioca pearls. If you’re obsessed with bubble tea like I am, you know that it can get pricey. Save your money and make it at home! If you make boba pearls in bulk, you can have bubble tea at home any time you want!
This recipe is for pearls with a classic brown sugar milk tea, but you can add the pearls to any drink or smoothie you enjoy. Boba pearls are also gluten-free! (See the step-by-step photos to make the boba pearls on page 231.)
Like pure sunshine wrapped in a fluffy cloud, this cake is a true joy to make and serve. Stunning in flavour and texture, it is light as air on account of the firmly whipped egg whites and omission of butter (not something we do often!). For this recipe, every effort is made to achieve the highest rise possible. Fold the ingredients together ever so delicately so as not to collapse any aeration in the batter. Also, allow your cake to cool upside down. This will help ensure it won’t fall when it is still hot from the oven.
Delicately scented with orange blossom water and frosted with a simple milk glaze, this treat is one we like to enjoy with floral white teas to perfectly balance its lightness of flavour and texture. Lovely for breakfast or as a teatime alternative to scones with Whipped Crème Fraîche (page 241) and jam.
Roasted broccoli trumps steamed broccoli by a long shot, elevating its texture and taste. The Bvitamins and powerful phytonutrients found in broccoli help relieve feelings of stress and anxiety. The beets in the tahini drizzle add color, sweetness, and fiber to fuel your microbiome, helping create more stable moods. You can serve this recipe with Garam Masala Beef Keftas (page 144).
There was a time when I would eat tofu at least three times per week. My go-to recipe was by a well-known and incredibly talented Quebec chef, Caroline Huard (also known as Loounie). She has this simple, quick-to-make, tasty recipe called Tofu Magique, which consists of tofu coated in a mixture of lemon juice, tamari, maple syrup, and tons of nutritional yeast. This Spicy Gochujang Tofu is my twist on Caroline’s recipe. Although this recipe is quick and easy to execute, I encourage you to not rush the crisping of the tofu, as this will make the biggest difference in the texture of the dish. You can also taste your sauce as you are making it, noticing how each element brings forth another layer of flavor notes, from umami and savory to spicy, sweet, and fermented.