January 19, 2021 (Toronto, ON): The Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) and Penguin Random House Canada are pleased to announce a collaborative partnership which will dramatically increase access to reading materials for Canadians with print disabilities.
Beautiful World, Where Are You, the third novel from Sally Rooney, author of the internationally bestselling Normal People and Conversations with Friends, will be published by Knopf Canada on September 7, 2021.
Do you sit at breakfast, staring down the box of bland and boring cereal, wondering where the days of sowing your wild oats went? People, we’re here for you with a bowl that makes getting out of bed worthwhile, delivering all the excitement of your youth without a trip to the free clinic. While it may taste naughty, this bowl is anything but—full of wholesome goodness, steel-cut oats are one of the healthiest grains you can eat. Retaining their chewy texture, the fiber-rich oats get a touch of natural sweetness and loads of vitamins and minerals from banana and dates, to say nothing of the creaminess from the almond milk. Get ready, because you’re going to feel hot to trot after a steaming bowl of this incredibly satisfying breakfast-with-benefits.
Hakuna Frittata. Not sure if you’ve heard this phrase, but it loosely translates to, “No brunch worries for the rest of your days.” Our very own Lioness Lisa has created a healthy, flavor-packed one-dish delight that ain’t no passing craze. The salty goodness of smoked salmon and sun-dried tomatoes is mixed with the creaminess of goat cheese, the freshness of dill and parsley, and the tanginess of kale and Greek yogurt. Packed with protein and simple to whip together, you’re going to go whole hog on this rustic, loaded Italian omelet (think: Pumbaa).
A staple menu item at Portuguese churrasquerias, piri piri chicken (also called pili pili or peri peri) derives its name from the peppers traditionally used in the dish’s marinade. Piri piri peppers arrived in Portugal by way of southeastern Africa and thereafter became popularized by the charred rotisserie chickens that came to bear their name. Though it’s very easy to find piri piri condiments and marinades in major grocery stores, most of them are filled with sugars, fillers, and other weird ingredients. Less easily found are the piri piri peppers themselves. Instead, I use red finger chiles for their color, fruitiness, and mild heat. If they’re unavailable, you can substitute Anaheim peppers. For an added kick, I also add a pinch of cayenne, but you can omit this if you like things milder.
Spatchcocking the chicken (butterflying it by removing the backbone) will reduce the cooking time and expose more of the skin, giving it a chance to get crispy (for more on why I prefer this method, see Emergency Roast Chicken, page 64).
As far as pairings go, you can’t beat some simple roast potatoes and a garden salad with piri piri chicken.
This technique for pan-roasting broccoli “steaks” is adapted from an America’s Test Kitchen recipe for Brussels sprouts. Here, I substitute broccoli crowns, which develop a beautifully caramelized crust as they simultaneously steam and tenderize.
The Asian-inspired vinaigrette has a touch of honey in it, making it off-limits for Whole30. Normally, I would simply suggest leaving it out if you’re doing a round of Whole30, but you really need it here to balance the acidity of the vinegar and the bitterness of the broccoli. If you’d like to enjoy this during a round of Whole30, try it plain or pair it with another one of my Whole30-compliant sauces, such as Cha Cha Chimichurri (page 235), The Dracula Killer (Toum) (page 242), Uncle Ronny’s Romesco (page 243), Tahini Sauce (page 240), or Zhug (page 246). I promise, the charred vegetable is delicious even on its own.
A few years ago, it felt like we had covered most of the expected protein options for salads: chicken, salmon, tuna, bacon, lobster . . . but we hadn’t yet tackled steak. When we opened our downtown Crescent Street location in April 2015, we wanted to be sure we welcomed ALL eaters: vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, pescatarians, and yes, carnivores (who love salad too!). And so it was bienvenue to the Filet Mignon Salad. Picture a business lunch at a gourmet steak house in Montreal (Gibbys! Moishes! Rib ’N Reef!): juicy beef tenderloin without the heavy mashed potatoes or fries on the side.
Although chia puddings are as plentiful as the day is long, if you haven’t tried adding toasted buck- wheat to a chia pudding before, you are in for a real treat. Buckwheat adds a nutty, earthy flavour and skin-loving antioxidants that help you glow from the inside out. Despite its misleading name, buck- wheat is a seed, not a grain, which makes it suitable for those on gluten-free diets. The cacao powder adds a subtle chocolate flavour, but you can just as easily leave it out if you prefer.
Farinata is a chickpea flatbread that originated in Italy. I first tried the lesser-known variation, fainá, while backpacking in Argentina in my early twenties. It would be served with deep-dish pizza, but I loved it on its own and would eat it plain with some good olive oil on top. I started making it at home and experimented with different toppings—this Mediterranean-inspired version is my favourite. It makes for a light and healthy vegetarian lunch served with Chopped Avocado Caprese Salad (page 102).
BONNIE: It just happened that Lynn arrived from Toronto the day the pandemic was declared in March, and ended up staying with me for those critical few weeks while her office went entirely online. She witnessed the work I was involved in and overheard some of the crucial conversations during that time.