This tzatziki sauce is thick, creamy, refreshing and a great spread for wraps and gyros, or to go with falafel, fries, bread or vegetables. It’s the perfect match for anything that needs a creamy element! I love it with my Easy Za’atar Socca bread.

Tzatziki is popular around the Middle East and the Mediterranean, especially in Greece. It is my dream to travel to Greece one day and learn more about their cuisine, but until then, I will have this recipe on repeat, so I can pretend I’m there.

Tzatziki is simply a combination of yogurt, fresh herbs, lemon, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and salt. It’s a perfect summer dip, sauce or spread, as it’s cool and bright!

It is incredibly easy to whip up at home. Follow my recipe below, and feel free to add extras of your favourite ingredients!

Homemade Tzatziki

Serving size: Makes 1 cup

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cucumber, shredded
• 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• pinch of salt
• olive oil (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place cucumber in a clean tea towel or paper towel and squeeze the liquid out over a sink.
2. Mix the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, dill and salt in a bowl. Transfer to a small plate and use the back of a spoon to spread it out over the surface. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately.
3. Store extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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Pesto is a highly underused food, IMO. It is so versatile – from a sauce for pasta or pizza to a simple spread for toast, it is a complete flavour bomb!

Traditionally, pesto is made with five key ingredients: Basil, pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil and garlic (plus salt, but that doesn’t count). And, you want to know the greatest thing about pesto? The ingredients are easily adaptable. That is why turning it vegan is so easy to do.

The herbs – Basil is traditional in pestos, and I stick with it in this recipe as well. However, it can easily be swapped out for any leafy green such as parsley, cilantro, spinach or a combination of these. It depends on what you have, what you like and how adventurous you are!

The nuts – Pine nuts are typically what you find in pesto, but since one bag costs more than my monthly gym membership, I usually switch them for another type of nut. I love walnuts and I chose to use them in this recipe. Pecans would also be good for a sweeter turn-out. Toasting the nuts prior to using them in a pesto also adds another dimension of flavour.

The cheese – Pesto is made with a dry-aged cheese, like parmesan. You can, however, sub it for a cheese of your choice, like romano or even an old sharp cheddar. Since this recipe is vegan, I am using the cheesiest vegan ingredient I know of – Nutritional Yeast. Nutritional Yeast is an inactive yeast that is very cheesy in flavour and is packed with a number of healthy nutrients including: Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and my favourite, Vitamin B12. I am almost positive it is the only vegetarian food you can find that has B12 in it, which makes me love it even more! The one I use can be found here.

The oil – Use extra virgin olive oil. There are no exceptions for this ingredient. Make it a good olive oil, too, like this one.

Garlic – Same.

Acid – I like to put lemon juice as well as the zest into my pesto. It gives it a ‘zip’ of freshness that adds brightness and vibrancy to any dish!

The process of making pesto can be completed in many ways. Traditionally, it is made by cutting all of the ingredients together with a sharp knife and then pouring the olive over them. It could also be made in a mortar and pestle. I like to use my food processor to save on time.

Whichever ingredients you choose to use and whichever method you bring them together in, I hope you get to enjoy pesto this summer. There is nothing better!

Lemony Vegan Basil Pesto

Serving size: Makes about 1/2 cup

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups packed fresh basil, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• zest of one lemon
• 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4-1/3 cup good extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. To your food processor, add the basil, walnuts, garlic, salt, nutritional yeast and lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture has broken down into smaller pieces. Add the lemon juice and set your processor to blend. While blending, drizzle in the olive oil slowly. If you want a thicker pesto, add 1/4 cup of oil. If you are looking for a thinner sauce, continue to add more oil until you have reached your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, lemon juice) accordingly.

This is best used immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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Butter. Thyme. Garlic. Just…wow. These potatoes are soft and tender on the inside and perfectly browned and caramelized on the outside. They would be a great crowd-pleaser for any get-together. When’s the next holiday? I need it to be tomorrow.

The process is as follows – Grab your cast iron pan. This is important to get that even heat distribution and stunning colour. Load it up with some butter and olive oil and place your salted and peppered potatoes in a single layer. Let cook until the bottoms have browned. Flip and add in a few more chunks of cold butter (it’s fine), a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a couple cloves of garlic. Pop ‘er in the oven for 10 minutes and just you wait. Perfection.

These babies will make you see potatoes in a whole new way. It will be very difficult to go back to cooking your old potato side dishes after you try these. Sorry not sorry.

The Best Buttery Sweet Potato Medallions

Serving size: 2-3 (as a side)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15-17 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1-2 large sweet potatoes (depending on the size of your cast iron), cut into 3/4 of an inch medallions
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed (but not chopped)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Set a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of the butter as well as the olive oil.
3. Sprinkle one side of your potato medallions with salt and pepper and when the pan is hot, place the medallions -seasoned side down – into the pan. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they develop a nice brown colour across their surface (try not to move them around too much during this cook time). While they are cooking, season the exposed side with more salt and pepper. Flip the potatoes and rest the garlic and remaining two tablespoons of butter (cut up into smaller chunks) on top of the potatoes. Pierce the tops of each potato with a fork, add the thyme to the pan, and then transfer to the oven and cook for 9-11 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
4. For more of a garlic flavour, carefully take one of the pieces of garlic from the pan and rub it on the exterior of the potatoes.

These work so well as an accompaniment to any dish and are the perfect holiday party side!

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This dish is so simple…sauteed shallots, garlic, mushrooms and spinach deglazed with white wine, mixed into a heaping pile of delicious, brilliant Israeli couscous. Hellllloooo.

Israeli couscous is much larger than the typical Moroccan style cous. It is a small pasta also known as “pearl couscous.” It cooks super quickly and can be used in a variety of dishes including salads, soups and on it’s own as a side.

To cook the couscous, add to a pot with some olive oil and toast over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add water and salt (don’t skip!) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes.

For the vegetables, add sliced shallot to a pan with olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften and then add the garlic.

Stir for 30 seconds before adding the sliced mushrooms. Let saute for a few minutes and then pour in the white wine.

Turn the heat to medium-high and saute until the alcohol has been cooked out, about 5 minutes. Add a few handfuls of spinach and cook down until wilted.

Rinse the couscous under cold water and add to the pan with the vegetables. Stir until combined, turn off heat and add a squeeze of lemon. Side dish perfection.

Serve at your holiday dinner…or bring to someone else’s! Double the recipe if you have a large party to feed.

White Wine Israeli Couscous with Spinach and Mushrooms

Serving size: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Israeli couscous
• olive oil
• 2 cups water
• salt
• pepper
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/3 cup good white wine
• 2 handfuls spinach
• squeeze of lemon juice

Instructions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the couscous and toast over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. It will become fragrant. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallot and let cook for a minute in the oil. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, a few grinds of fresh black pepper and a pinch of salt. Saute for another minute and then add the white wine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the alcohol has been cooked out – about five minutes. Add the spinach and continue to cook until it is wilted down.
3. Finally, add the cooked couscous to the pan, tossing with the vegetables. Turn the heat off after a minute, add a squeeze of lemon and a few more grinds of pepper and some salt to taste. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

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At first, I couldn’t figure hummus out. It was always so grainy and never smooth like the store-bought ones. Why?! Someone please tell me why!? And then, after much research, I got it. I was using canned chickpeas instead of dry. Soaking dry chickpeas is a gamechanger.

The prep time on this recipe seems outrageous, but it’s really just a put-dry-chickpeas-in-bowl-and-fill-with-water-and-forget-about-overnight-kind-of-thing. The next day, they cook in a pot until soft and then a quick bim-bam-boom in the food processor and we have velvety smooth hummus. And trust me, it’s WAY better than the store bought option!

Okay, I’ll break it down a bit more. FIRST – Soak the chickpeas for at least 12 hours. I always throw them in a bowl and cover them with a few inches of water and leave overnight. They practically double in size. It’s miraculous. NEXT – Rinse them and put them in a large pot with fresh water (covering them with an extra two inches), baking soda (helps to soften) and salt (flavour bomb). Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until soft – about an hour and 45 minutes.

While the chickpeas are boiling, set your oven to 400 degrees F and wrap up a few golden beets in a little tin foil package. Place on a baking tray and put in the oven for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Remove and carefully open the package – when the steam escapes, it is extremely hot! Take two paper towels and hold a beet in one and use the other to peel off the skin. Rinse off your peeled beets under cold water, cut into smaller chunks and set aside.

To roast the garlic – Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F when the beets are done roasting. Slice the top quarter of the entire garlic head off. Your knife will take off the top tip of each clove and after cutting, you should be able to see the actual cloves. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap up in another cute little tin foil package. Roast in the oven for an hour, or until garlic is tender.

You have an hour to yourself now. May I recommend making coffee, turning on the Food Network and putting your feet up?!

When the chickpeas are done, drain and transfer them to a food processor. I have the full Ninja Blender Set (found here) and it is amazing. Squeeze a few of the roasted garlic cloves out of their skinned casing and add to processor. Add tahini, salt and lemon juice and blend until smooth. Begin to drizzle ice cold water into the hummus in a slow stream. continue to blend for a few more seconds. Taste the hummus and add more salt if needed.

Remove two-thirds of the hummus from the food processor and split into two bowls (or containers if serving at a later time). To one bowl, add chopped up green olives and capers, a drizzle of olive oil and a generous pinch of za’atar. If you don’t have za’atar in your pantry, get to the grocery store NOW and buy it, or if you are lazy like me, order it here through Amazon. It’s worth it.

To the other bowl, squeeze the remaining garlic cloves right on top and add a drizzle of olive oil, your favourite balsamic vinegar (I use this fig balsamic) and a pinch of flaky sea salt.

To the other third of hummus still remaining in the processor, add one golden beet plus half of another, chopped, and pulse a few times.

Blend until the beet pieces have incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and top with more beet slices and some flaky salt. Earthy, salty, nutty…delicious!

Three different dips. One recipe. Holiday. Ready.

Homemade Hummus Three Ways

Prep time: 12 hours

Cook time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry chickpeas
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp salt, separated
• 2 medium-sized golden beets (or any kind)
• 1 head of garlic
• olive oil
• 1/2 cup tahini paste
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• ice cold water
• 1.5 tbsp capers
• 1.5 tbsp sliced olives
• za’atar
• balsamic vinegar (a sweet-flavoured one goes well with this recipe)
• flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place chickpeas in a bowl and cover with a few inches of water. Soak overnight or for 12 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Drain and rinse chickpeas and place in a large pot with baking soda and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. If you see foam rising to the top, skim it off with a spoon and discard. Turn the heat down and simmer, covered, for an hour and 45 minutes, or until chickpeas are soft and tender.
4. In the meantime, get started on your beets. Place washed beets on a long piece of tin foil. Wrap the beets up like a present, making sure there are no holes in the package where the steam can escape. Place on a baking tray in the oven for an hour and 15 minutes, or until the beets are tender enough to slide a butter knife easily into the centre. Remove the beets and carefully open the tin foil package. Let the beets sit for one minute. Use a paper towel to hold a beet in one hand and another paper towel to peel away the skin of the beet in your other hand. The skins should remove easily when the beets are fully cooked. Rinse the beets in cold water and set aside.
5. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F and start prepping your garlic. Slice the top quarter of your garlic head off and drizzle the top of the visible cloves with a tablespoon of olive oil. Wrap in a tight tin foil package, place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour. The cloves will caramelize and be super tender.
6. Add a few ice cubes to a small measuring cup filled with cold water and set aside. When the chickpeas are done cooking, drain and transfer to a food processor. Add the tahini, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Squeeze three of the roasted garlic cloves out and add to food processor. Blend for about a minute or until smooth. Remove ice cubes from measuring cup and measure out one-quarter cup of the ice-cold water. Turn the motor on and slowly drizzle the water into the food processor. Blend for another minute. Scoop out two-thirds of the hummus into two separate bowls (or airtight containers topped with a thin layer of olive oil if not serving immediately). Top one of the bowls with the capers, sliced olives, a drizzle of olive oil and a generous sprinkling of za’atar. Top the other bowl with the remaining cloves of roasted garlic, olive oil, a trickle of sweet balsamic vinegar (I use a fig vinegar) and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
7. To the remaining third still in the processor, add one of the golden beets plus half of the second (diced). Pulse a few times and then blend until the hummus is smooth. Use a spatula to transfer to another bowl and top with the last half beet (chopped), olive oil and some more flaky sea salt.
8. Serve hummus dips with raw vegetables, crackers, pita or naan bread.
9. To store leftover hummus, add to an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top and place in fridge for up to one week.

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Sorry…got weird for a second there…but listen, here is a bowl full of pure healing. A range of super-tasty-yet-so-good-for-you vegetables paired with nutty brown rice and a garlicky-lemon tahini sauce to slather at your own will. Lunchtime game-changer.

A lot of my recipes are inspired by different places that I have visited and the foods and ingredients that I have discovered there. This dish is the opposite. I’ve been dying to get to Israel to try out what I hear to be the most amazing cuisine. A trip that most definitely will be taken in the near future, but for now, I’m going off what I know so far with this simple tahini dressing.

If you don’t know, tahini is the peanut butter of sesame seeds. It has a bitter, nutty kind of taste that pairs very well with lemon and garlic – hence this sauce. Just whisk with some cold water until you reach a drizzlable consistency and slather, slather, slather.

The foundation of this bowl is brown rice, but you can really use any grain you like. We ARE already packing this bowl full of vegetables, so we may as well continue down the path to health and choose the far superior rice. Ahem, brown rice. Cook the rice according to package directions (brown rice takes a long time, so plan ahead)!

Tip: When your rice is done cooking and it is time to remove from the heat and “let stand for five minutes,” open the lid, toss in a handful of golden raisins and quickly close the lid again. They give this dish a sweet, juicy “pop!” Trust me. I do this every time I make rice. The little golden jewels plump up by absorbing the steam that is trapped inside of the pot and there is nothing wrong with that.

Veggies – Start with your beets, as they take the longest. I like to use a mix of red, candy striped and golden beets for that “rainbow” effect. Wash the outside of them and place them on a large piece of aluminum foil. Wrap the foil up like a present, making sure that there are no openings for the steam to escape. Place on a baking sheet, throw them in the oven and forget about them for an hour or so.

Chop up your butternut squash, your brussel sprouts and your kale and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. The squash goes in first – 15 minutes. Pull out and add the sprouts. 15 minutes. Pull out and add the kale. Another 10 minutes. Done.

Other rainbow prep – Other than the roasted veg, I also like to prepare the following to add: avocado, olives, green onions, pomegranate seeds and hemp hearts. Muy rainbow-esque!

Assembly – It’s BUDDHA BOWL TIME! Scoop the rice into the bottom of your bowl. Around the outside, spoon in all of the different vegetables and toppings. Drizzle with tahini sauce and take pictures to remember this ceremonious day.

Rainbow Buddha Bowl with Garlic Tahini Dressing

Serving Size: 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4-5 raw beets (I like to use a mix of red, candy stripe and golden), washed
• 1 cup dry brown rice
• one-quarter cup of golden raisins (optional)
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into half-inch cubes
• 2 cups brussel sprouts, cored and halved (about 20 sprouts)
• 6 leaves of tuscan (black) kale, thick stem removed, roughly chopped
• 6-7 olives, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
• half cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
• 4 tablespoons hemp hearts (optional)

For the tahini sauce:

• one-quarter cup of tahini
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic, grated
• salt
• 3-4 tbsp ice cold water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place beets in the middle of a large piece of aluminum foil and wrap up like a present so that there are no open areas where the steam could escape. Place the foil package on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a fork inserts easily.
2. Rinse the rice under cold water until water runs clear. Meanwhile, add one tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and toast for a minute in the oil. Add a pinch of salt and two cups of water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once boiling, cover and turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Do NOT open the lid!
3. While the rice is cooking and the beets are roasting, chop up your vegetables. Drizzle the squash, brussel sprouts and chopped kale (each in their own separate bowl) with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
4. When the beets have been roasting for about half an hour, pull the baking sheet out of the oven and add the squash, continuing to roast for 15 minutes. Pull the baking sheet out again, add brussel sprouts and quickly return to oven to roast for another 15 minutes. Remove sheet tray one more time, toss the veggies around and add the kale, roasting for 8-10 more minutes or until kale is crisp and vegetables are cooked through. Remove from oven.
5. For the sauce, start by putting 2-3 ice cubes in a bowl and fill the bowl with cold water. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice and a pinch of salt until combined. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. It usually takes me between 3-4 tablespoons to get the consistency that I like. Set aside.
6. When the rice is finished cooking, turn the burner off, lift the lid of the pot, throw in the golden raisins and quickly place the lid back on top. Remove the rice from the hot burner and let stand with lid on for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before assembling the bowl.
7. Carefully open the foil package with the beets inside (the steam will escape and it is hot)! Use two paper towels to peel the skins off of the beets. Rinse peeled beets under cold water to remove any excess skin and diced ’em up!
8. Assemble the bowl by scooping the rice and raisins into the bottom and surrounding it with the beets, squash, brussel sprouts, crispy kale, avocado, scallions, olives and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and sprinkle on some hemp hearts for an extra protein punch.

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