1/2 lb fresh asparagus Norfolk County juice of 1/2 lemon.  Salt and pepper

In a skillet, lightly saute the asparagus in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and toss together.  Serve

1 small head cauliflower from Norfolk County

1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450 F. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in baking dish.  In a small skillet over medium heat, combine butter, bread crumbs, curry, garlic, ginger and salt for about 2 minutes.  Pour dressing over cauliflower; toss to coat.  Cover with foil and roast until tender, about 35 minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Serves 6

4 large red potatoes from Norfolk County, quartered

2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

1/4 balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp dried rosemary

Mix potatoes, olive oil, salt & pepper.  Baked covered at 350 F for 30 minutes.  Add vinegar and rosemary.  Toss ingredients until coated.  Bake uncovered for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Nutritional Info

Leaving the skins on the potatoes adds nutrients and fibre.  Balsamic vinegar adds wonderful flavour without added fat.

Rack of Lamb from Norfolk County

1/3 cup dijon mustard

1 tbsp montreal steak spice

2 shallots, chopped

red wine

6 oz franco-american beef gravey

cream

sprigs of fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 F to 500 F.  In a hot cast iron skillet, sear the lamb for 2 to 3 minutes on all sides.  Rub lamb with mixture of dijon mustard and montreal steak spice.  Place back in skillet and put in oven for 15 minutes.  Remove and tent with foil for at least 10 minutes.  For the reduction, place shallots in a saucepan and add 2 or 3 glugs of red wine.  Cook shallots in wine until wine is almost totally gone.  Add beef gravy, small amount of heavy cream, and half a sprig of rosemary.  Simmer until smooth texture and serve over slice rack of lamb.  Granish with sprig of rosemary.

1 1/2 cup freshly ground coffee

1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 12 to16 ounces rib-eye steaks from Norfolk County

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Combine coffee, pepper, salt and sugar in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake well.  Season each steak with the coffee blend, evenly coating all sides and edges.  Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat until just to the smoking point.  Add as many steaks to the pan as will fit without overcrowding and sear well, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet and repeat with remaining steaks.  Place the steaks in the oven and cook for 7 minutes for medium rare.  Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving, or finish on the grill.

Pizza dough or flatbread

1/4 cup caramel sauce

250ml cream cheese,softened

2 large apples from Norfolk County, peeled, cored, thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans, shaved chocolate or chocolate sauce

Combine caramel sauce with cream cheese, spread on pizza.  Combine apples with melted butter.  Add sugar and cinnamon.  Drizzle top with more caramel, chopped pecans and chocolate.  Bake at 425 F for 15 or 20 minutes.

Nutritional Info

We often enjoy a little taste of something sweet to end a meal. A small piece may be all it takes to satisfy that craving. Think of desserts and sweets as flavourful complements to healthy meals – not as a replacement for more nutrient-rich foods. Since this recipe is relatively high in fat and sugar, balance the rest of your meals with foods from the four food groups of Canada 's Food Guide.

2 pints fresh strawberries from Norfolk County

1 tbsp sugar

pound cake

sambuca

whipped cream

Clean and halve strawberries and marinate in sugar for 20 minutes.  Slice pound cake and place on serving dishes.  Generously apply sambuca to pound cake slices. Top with strawberries and whipped cream.  For the more adventurous, carefully light a teaspoon of sambuca and pour the flaming liquid over the plate at time of serving.

2 cups pitted cherries
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil or mint
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
2 tsp red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
Pinches of salt and pepper
1 small baguette, thinly sliced and toasted
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Finely chop cherries and place in a medium bowl.  Stir in basil, chives, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Spoon over baguette slices, then sprinkle with feta.

Nutritional Info

Cherries are a source of vitamin C and contain phytochemicals like lycopene and anthocyanins.

3 or 4 heads garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
6 oz Brie cheese
1 baguette, sliced
½ cup Saskatoon berry jelly from Norfolk County

Cut tops off garlic heads, exposing cloves. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven at 350°F for 45 minutes until soft.  Broil Brie cheese for 5 minutes until melting. Spread melted cheese on baguette slices. Top with a clove of roasted garlic and a dollop of Saskatoon berry jelly.

Nutritional Info

Olive oil, as well as canola, corn, safflower and soy oils are healthy sources of unsaturated fat.

5 large carrots
4 large parsnips
2 red peppers
1 yellow pepper
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia
Olive oil
Generous pinches of salt and pepper
4 tsp maple syrup
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp olive oil

Position oven racks to top and bottom thirds. Preheat oven to 475° F. Place 2 large rimmed baking sheets in oven while it is preheating.  Peel carrots and parsnips and slice lengthwise into 2 or 3 long pieces. Cut peppers into quarters. Slice onion into thick wedges. Place all vegetables into very large bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to mix.  Remove baking sheets from oven to heat-proof surface. Carefully tumble vegetables onto sheets and spread out. Set bowl aside. Roast in oven until tender and lightly charred around edges, 15 –20 minutes. Switch baking sheets halfway through roasting.  While vegetables are cooking, use the same bowl (unwashed) to make dressing. Whisk maple syrup with vinegar, ginger, garlic and pinches of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in 2 tbsp olive oil. When vegetables are cooked, turn into bowl and toss with dressing. Arrange on a platter.

Nutritional Info

This dish is a great way to increase your vegetable intake. Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, vegetables and fruit are a long-term health insurance policy. Brimming with colour and flavour, most have the added benefit of being low in calories and fat. When choosing vegetables for roasting, go for those with darker colours of red, orange and green; they are the richest in nutrients.

¼ cup coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup kosher salt
2 strip loin steaks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp butter
1 package sliced mushrooms

Preheat oven to 450° F.  Mix Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and mustard in bowl.  Rub each steak with garlic clove then coat with mixture.   Heat oil and butter in large, heavy cast iron skillet until just at smoking point.  Add steaks to pan and sear well – 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Place cast iron pan with steaks into oven with mushrooms and minced garlic.  Cook for 7 minutes for medium rare, turning once.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info

The small size mushroom packs a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, folate and fibre. Choose lean meat with words such as “loin” or “round” in its name to reduce your intake of saturated fat. Use meat, poultry and fish as complements to the vegetables, grains, and fruit in your meals. For example, the meat portion would account for only one-quarter instead of one half of your plate.

2 medium baking potatoes
1 can (10 fl oz) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
3 slices ready-to-serve or cooked bacon, crumbled, divided
3/4 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions, divided
¼ cup sour cream

Pierce potatoes; microwave on HIGH 5 min., turning over after 2-1/2 min. Combine broth, milk and potatoes in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 6 min., stirring after 3 min. Slightly crush potatoes with a potato masher.  Reserve 2 Tbsp. each of the bacon and cheese and 1 Tbsp. of the onions for topping; set aside. Add remaining bacon, cheese, Tabasco sauce and onions to soup.  Serve topped with reserved bacon, cheese, onions and sour cream.

Nutritional Info

Potatoes are an excellent source of potassium, a good source of vitamin C, and a source of fibre and folate. To keep your fat intake in balance, serve higher fat soups such as this with lower-fat main meals.

1 cup pecans
1 head romaine lettuce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
½ tsp liquid honey
¼ tsp salt
2 or 3 pinches of ground pepper
¾ cup old cheddar, shaved
3 red apples, such as Cortland, Braeburn or Spartan, divided
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Spread pecans in single layer onto backing sheet. Toast in preheated 350° F oven for 8-10 minutes or until fragrant. Let cool.  Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces; approximately 8-10 cups.  Whisk oil with vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in bowl. Use a vegetable parer to shave cheese. Set both aside.  Core and slice 2 unpeeled apples into wedges about ¼ inch thick. Heat butter into large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add apple slices. Sauté for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Sprinkle apples with sugar. Turning frequently, sauté apples for another 2 or 3 minutes, until slightly golden.  Place romaine into large salad bowl and toss with dressing. Set aside 8 pecans. Core and slice remaining raw unpeeled apple for garnish.  Add hot apples and remaining pecans to lettuce and toss. Serve immediately, garnishing each serving with raw apple slices, cheese savings and reserved pecans.

Nutritional Info

Seeds and nuts can be included in a healthy meal plan several times a week as they contain heart healthy types of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as omega 3 and omega 6. Nuts also provide important nutrients such as vitamin E, potassium, folate and fibre. Because of their high fat content, limit your portion to a handful. Choose unsalted seeds and nuts more often. Go for green, like romaine or spinach…the darker the green, the more nutritious. All of these greens provide heart-healthy folic acid.

3 Strips of Bacon or Pancetta, chopped finely
¼ cup each of chopped celery, carrots, pepper, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, or other vegetables
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
½ onion, chopped
2 cups cooked pasta (fettuccine works best)
1 egg
Grated Parmesan

Cook bacon in large frying pan over medium-high heat.  As bacon fat begins to appear, add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute.  Add rest of chopped vegetables, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender crisp.  Add pasta. Stir until pasta is heated thoroughly.  Add egg. Stir rapidly to coat entire dish.  Add grated Parmesan and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Nutritional Info

For extra nutrients and fibre, try whole-wheat pasta . If you are just starting, mix it half and half with white pasta until you get used to it.

1 1/2 lbs green beans
Generous pinches of salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 anchovy, minced, or 1 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp hot chili-garlic sauce
Generous dollop of butter

Bring a large wide saucepan partially filled with water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, trim beans. Once water boils, add salt and beans. Cook until tender-crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well.  Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan set over medium heat. Add garlic and anchovy. Stir constantly until fragrant, 1 minute. Add green beans and chilli-garlic sauce. Stir until beans are hot and evenly coated with sauce, 1 minute.

Nutritional Info

Green beans are a source of folate and vitamin C.

2 racks lamb
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp Montreal steak spice

Sear lamb for 1 minute each side.  Coat in whole grain mustard and Montreal steak spice.  Put in oven at 450° F for 20 – 25 minutes.   Remove from oven and let stand, covered in foil, for 10 minutes.   Serve with Saskatoonberry chutney (recipe below).

Nutritional Info

Lamb, beef and pork are among the best sources of vitamin B12, high quality protein, iron and zinc. Because these are animal sources they also contain saturated fat, so choose lean cuts and watch your portion size.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and stem removed, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cups fresh Saskatoon berries (about 2 pints), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup minced fresh mint

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and pepper flakes, and cook for 1 minute, stirring.  Add the berries, sugar, and vinegar and simmer over low heat until thickened and reduced, about 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mint and cook 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature before serving.