Red, white and green lasagna is a holiday tradition in my family. My parents always made a massive lasagna on December 24 and it’s a tradition I’ve maintained with my children. There are a few reasons why we make this classic comfort meal part of our holidays:

• The colour scheme is a great shout-out to seasonal décor.

• We make a huge batch, which means there are leftovers for lunch the next day.

• This recipe is packed with invisible veggies, which provide a nice balance to the cookies and treats that dominate this time of year.

It’s a great family activity on a day that is usually a bit boring. If your kids are anything like mine, they tend to be grumpy with anticipation and overstimulation. Cooking a big meal together is a nice way to connect and relax.

Here’s how your kids can help:

• The youngest helpers can layer lasagna noodles and sprinkle on cheese.

• Little kids can help with grating cauliflower and cheese and squeezing the water from the spinach.

• Older kids can help make tomato sauce and cook the filling.

Red, White & Green Lasagna (Prep Time: 30 min, Bake Time: 60 min)

Here is our favourite holiday lasagna. The prep is a bit time-consuming if you do it on your own, so get everyone to work on it together! You can also save time by using jars of pasta sauce (you need 4 cups), frozen cauliflower florets (about 6 cups) and pre-grated packages of cheese. If you want to make a meat and vegetable lasagna, add cooked ground beef to the middle layer of tomato sauce.

Ingredients

1 package of oven-ready lasagna noodles

11⁄2 cups grated mozzarella

1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese

White Cauliflower Layer

1 medium-sized head of cauliflower

3 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup of ricotta cheese

1⁄2 tsp salt

1 egg

Red Tomato Sauce Layer

1 large onion

2 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 Tbsp of Italian seasoning or mixed basil and oregano

1⁄2 tsp salt and pepper, to taste

Green Spinach Layer

10-ounce package of frozen spinach, thawed

21⁄2 cups of grated mozzarella

2 cups of ricotta cheese

1 egg

1⁄2 tsp salt

Cooking

The White Layer

Coarsely grate the cauliflower, including the core of the head. This can be done with a typical box grater, but it’s faster with a mandolin. Finely dice the garlic.

Heat a frying pan on medium. Add the olive oil, grated cauliflower and garlic. Sauté until the cauliflower is soft, about 5–6 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the layers.

When the cauliflower has cooled, mix in the ricotta cheese. Add salt to taste. Then stir in the egg.

The Red Tomato Sauce Layer

Dice the onion and garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and sauté until soft.

Add the crushed tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer with the lid on while you prepare the rest of the lasagna. Add the salt and pepper, taste and adjust the salt as needed.

The Green Layer

Squeeze the thawed spinach to remove all the excess liquid. Combine the spinach with the mozzarella, ricotta, egg, and salt in a bowl. Mix well.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch lasagna pan.

To assemble the lasagna, place a 1⁄2 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan, followed by a layer of noodles. Don’t overlap the noodles, or they won’t cook properly. Add 1 cup of tomato sauce in a thin layer, top with the cauliflower filling.

Lay out a second layer of noodles on top of the cauliflower filling. Cover the noodles with 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with the green spinach layer.

Place a third layer of noodles on top of the spinach. Pour over the remaining tomato sauce. Make sure all the noodles are fully covered. Sprinkle on 11⁄2 cups of mozzarella and 1⁄2 cup of Parmesan cheese.

Cover the lasagna with tin foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil, then bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, until the cheese is browning and the sauce is bubbling.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

It’s pumpkin season! We are lucky enough to live in a region that has locally grown squash available all winter long. Though we seldom think of pumpkin for more than carving goofy faces at Halloween or ordering in our coffee, it is a flavourful vegetable that is delicious in soups, stews or baked with garlic.

Here are a few recipes beyond pumpkin pie to inspire you to add locally grown winter squash to your meals.

Pumpkin Puree

Homemade pumpkin puree is easy and affordable. I always make a large batch of pumpkin puree at once, then freeze the extra in serving-sized portions. Straight-sided mason jars or yogurt tubs are great options for freezing pumpkin. Just leave a bit of room at the top because the puree will expand as it freezes.

The secret to delicious pumpkin puree is to avoid using large pumpkins as they are grown to be carved. The flesh is watery and doesn’t have much flavour. For homemade puree buy a small sugar pumpkin or kabocha squash. Kabocha squash has a nice rich flavour that is perfect for pumpkin dishes.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Cut the pumpkin in half from the stem to the base and scoop out the seeds.

3. Place the pumpkin flesh-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The pumpkin is ready when it’s soft.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

5. Scrape the flesh from the skin and place it in a blender. Pulse until it’s a smooth puree.

6. Store pumpkin puree in the fridge for up to five days or freeze for up to six months.

Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese

Pumpkin mac n’ cheese is a fun seasonal twist on the original. If you have adventurous eaters in your house, I recommend serving with crumbled blue cheese for a bit of sophistication.

1 box of pasta (454g)

1⁄2 yellow onion

2 cloves of garlic

1⁄4 cup butter

1⁄4 cup flour

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp salt, to taste

1⁄2 tsp black pepper

2 cups whole milk

1 can of pumpkin puree (13⁄4 cup homemade puree)

350 grams grated cheddar cheese

Optional flavours: 50 grams of blue cheese or 1⁄4 cup of fresh chives

1. Cook pasta following the instructions on the package.

2. Finely dice the yellow onion and garlic. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, flour, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, then gradually pour in milk, whisking so that the flour mixes into the milk. Continue whisking until the sauce starts to thicken, about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the stove and slowly stir in the cheese, making sure that it melts fully. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, as needed.

5. Mix the pasta with the sauce. Serve with a sprinkle of blue cheese or chives.

Squash Risotto

This risotto can be made with sugar pumpkins or other types of winter squash. My favourite is butternut squash because it is so creamy.

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

600 grams of squash (enough to make about 4 cups cubed)

2 Tbsp sage leaves

2 Tbsp olive oil

11⁄2 cups arborio rice

4 cups of broth

2 Tbsp butter

1⁄2 tsp salt, to taste

1⁄2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1. Finely dice the onion and garlic. Peel the squash, slice it in half and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into 2cm cubes.

2. Heat the olive oil on medium in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, squash and sage. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.

3. Add the rice and cook for another minute, tossing so the rice is nicely coated in oil.

4. Reduce the heat to low and pour in half the broth. Stir well, then add in the rest of the broth and stir again.

5. Put the lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes. Stir 3 to 4 times during the cooking process to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. The squash will still be in small cubes, but it will flavour the whole dish.

6. When the rice and squares are cooked, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, salt and half of the Parmesan cheese. Taste and add more salt, as needed. Serve immediately topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Sandwiches have been a school lunch staple since the invention of sliced bread. When I was a kid, we used to bring our sandwiches wrapped in waxed paper. The cool kids all had white bread sandwiches with chocolate spread, but that was only because the rest of us were stuck with baloney and mustard sandwiches.

My parents were creative cooks (it runs in the family)! And we had a whole bunch of quick, easy and delicious sandwich options that went beyond the typical meat and cheese. There were five of us eating sandwiches, with my dad and older brothers eating two apiece. Everyone took turns making sandwiches for the whole family.

The secret to making eight drool-worthy sandwiches is a simple and reliable filling. Here are some dips and spreads that are perfect for smearing on bread, wraps or crackers. They also double as a delicious dip.

No-Nut Butter & Banana Sandwiches

Total Time: 10 minutes

Peanut butter isn’t always allowed in the classroom, so this is a way to add pizzazz to a no-nut butter sandwich. When I was a kid, we always grilled our peanut butter and banana sandwiches. It makes them extra gooey and delicious. To make grilled peanut butter sandwiches, butter the outside of the bread and fry like a grilled cheese sandwich.

2 pieces of bread

2 Tbsp of salted no-nut butter

1 ripe banana

1⁄2 tsp honey

Spread the no-nut butter on one piece of bread.

Top with slices of banana.

If you want a bit of added sweetness, add a drizzle of honey.

Spread no-nut butter on the second piece of bread and press firmly onto the bananas.

Chickpea Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Tuna and egg salad sandwiches are delicious, but they can sometimes be a hard sell for classroom lunches. Here is a vegetarian alternative that tastes delicious and doesn’t require your kid’s classmates to hold their noses.

1 can of chickpeas

3⁄4 cup of mayonnaise

2 celery stalks

3 Tbsp of sweet relish

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

1⁄2 tsp paprika

Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas. Place them into a bowl and mash with a fork. If you need liquid to help with mashing, add the mayonnaise. The goal is to have all the chickpeas broken apart, while keeping some texture.

Finely dice the celery. Stir it into the mashed chickpeas along with the mayonnaise, relish and mustard.

Serve as a dip with a sprinkle of paprika on top or make chickpea salad sandwiches with a piece of lettuce.

Cream Cheese & Olive

Wait Time: 1 hour, Active Time: 15 minutes

Olives aren’t typically considered “kid-friendly” foods, but this recipe is a favourite with every kid who has tried it. When mixed with cream cheese, the olives are tangy and salty rather than overwhelmingly flavourful. I’ve served it at tons of kid parties along with more typical sandwich options and this is always the first to go.

1 block of cream cheese

1⁄2 cup of green olives stuffed with pimento

3 to 4 Tbsp of mayonnaise

Place the block of cream cheese on the counter to soften. It will be easier to work with if it has sat out for at least 1 hour, however, don’t leave it out for longer than 2 hours as that is a food safety risk.

Finely chop the olives. Mix it into the cream cheese along with the mayonnaise. If it seems too thick, add more mayonnaise.

Serve as a cracker dip or a sandwich spread.

Nutty Chocolate Spread

Total Time: 10 minutes

Looking for a refined sugar-free alternative to a commercial chocolate spread? This recipe is for you! Dates provide sweetness that’s coupled with vitamins, minerals and fibre. I don’t recommend replacing the Medjool dates with other varieties as they won’t be as smooth or sweet.

8 large Medjool dates

1⁄2 cup of water

2 Tbsp cocoa powder

1⁄4 cup of peanut butter or no-nut butter

Pinch of salt

Remove the pits from the dates. Place them in a blender along with the water. Pulse until the dates are a smooth purée.

Add the cocoa powder, peanut butter and salt. Continue to pulse until everything is smooth and creamy. Feel free to add more water, as needed to get it to blend. The exact amount of water will depend on your blender.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge. This dip is delicious with fresh fruit or as a sandwich spread.

A few summers ago, I was pulling up carrots in my garden when an eight-year-old neighbour came up and declared, “I don’t like carrots. They’re gross.” I convinced him to try one of my carrots and had to stop him from eating the whole carrot patch! Why? Because fresh, local carrots taste different from mass-grown carrots from California. They are sweeter and more flavourful.

We did this same demonstration when I ran a school gardening program at six schools in my region using strawberries. All the kids were given a locally grown strawberry and one that came in a plastic clamshell box from the grocery store for a taste test. The fresh local strawberries won every time. They are redder, riper, sweeter and bursting with strawberry flavours. The imported ones are bland in comparison.

There are many farm-ripened, freshly picked crops that taste better—tomatoes, peas, green beans and corn. And if you haven’t tried freshly harvested potatoes, I can assure you, they are nothing like new potatoes that are already a few days old.

Farmers’ markets and local green grocers are a great way to make the most of farm fresh vegetables. Most of these vegetables are also easy to grow in our region. If you don’t have a garden, you can grow strawberries, cherry tomatoes, sweet peas and carrots in a pot!

Here are three recipes that make local produce the star ingredient.

Pasta with Fresh Vegetables

(Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time 15 minutes)

This pasta is designed to feature whatever vegetables are fresh and available at your local farm stand. I’ve included a list of vegetables below, but feel free to replace them with sweet peppers, zucchini, eggplant, Swiss chard or spinach. However, I don’t recommend replacing farm fresh carrots and peas with their less sweet, mass-grown varieties. It just won’t taste as good.

1 bag of pasta (454g)

3 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups chopped green beans

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup of shelled sweet peas

4 cloves of garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter (or margarine)

1 tsp salt, to taste

1⁄2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring the pasta water to a boil and cook the pasta while you prepare the vegetables.

The vegetables are measured in cups to make things easy. But it’s fine to have a bit more or a bit less of any vegetable. Chop the tomatoes and green beans into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the carrots into rounds and shell the peas. Finely dice the garlic.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the carrots and green beans once the garlic has melted. Sauté for five minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables including the garlic. Cook until the carrots are soft.

Toss the vegetables with the pasta. Add the salt and pepper, taste and add more seasoning if needed. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Apple Bean Salad

(Prep Time: 15 minutes)

This veggie-packed salad turns into a delicious meal when served with a slice of bread.

Salad Dressing

3⁄4 cup olive oil

1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tsp mustard powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1⁄8 tsp black pepper

2 cans of chickpeas

2 cans of red kidney beans

1 lb green beans

2 sweet red peppers

2 medium-sized carrots

2 apples

Mix the salad dressing in the bottom of a large bowl.

Rinse the canned beans to remove any excess brine.

Dice the green beans and peppers into bite-sized pieces. Coarsely grate the carrots. Peel and chop the apples into bite-sized pieces.

Toss the beans, vegetables and apples in the salad dressing. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.

This salad can be eaten right away; however, it is best if made in advance so the flavours can mix.

Strawberry Salad Dressing

(Prep Time: 2 minutes)

This salad dressing is simple and delicious. It’s not particularly sweet, which means it’s perfect with all your usual savoury salad toppings. Buy a big bag of mixed greens from the farmer’s market along with your favourite salad ingredients!

1 cup of sliced strawberries

1⁄4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

1⁄4 tsp salt

Slice the strawberries. Toss in the bottom of the salad bowl or in a jar with the olive oil, vinegar and salt.

Leave to marinate for at least five minutes or up to an hour before serving. If mixed in advance, this salad dressing will last for up to five days in the fridge.

I know how hard it is for teens to get their first summer job. For one thing, they don’t have much experience to put on their resume.

However, the hardest part is putting themselves out there. In the world of texts and emails, most teens barely know how to talk on the phone, let alone walk up to a stranger and hand them a resume.

Last season, my teen got his first summer job bussing tables and washing dishes at an extremely busy tea shop in downtown Victoria. (If you’ve sat in that historic tea shop, you know the one I mean!)

The benefits of landing that first job were huge. We wanted him to get a job so his entire summer wouldn’t be spent waffling between screen time and boredom. We wanted him to learn the value of money and how to balance saving with spending.

However, the most important benefits were unexpected. Max’s self-confidence and maturity grew tremendously with the responsibility. Suddenly, he was working with university students who were thinking about the cost of rent and food, which made him think more seriously about his future. He learned to pace himself through a very busy day. And we got to enjoy some delicious leftover pastries—every job has its perks!

Rules

There are government employment rules that limit how much teens can work and what they are allowed to do. It is much easier to get a job for teens that are over the age of 16. There are strict employment rules for teens younger than that. However, many people, including my son, get their first job before they’re 16. Here are a few of the rules for hiring teens aged 13 to 15:

• There are limits on how much they can work. For example, they cannot work more than four hours on a school day or more than seven hours on a non-school day.

• They can only do light work.

• Teens must be under the direct supervision of someone who is at least 19 years old.

• Once the teens turn 16, they have all the same employment rules as adults.

For more details, check out the BC rules for hiring young people at gov.bc.ca.

First Steps

It’s hard for your teen to fill out a resume if they haven’t had a job but no one expects teens to have long resumes. A single page is sufficient. They can share where they go to school, what grade they’re in and any school-based achievements or activities.

Extracurriculars and volunteer activities all count as experience. If they don’t have a lot of extracurricular activities, make a section titled “Interests” instead. This is another way for teens to show potential employers they are engaged and interested in their community.

Here are a few ways for teens to gain experience for their resume:

• Volunteer: There are many places to volunteer in our community, so let them choose something they are interested in. Volunteer positions are also a great way to get references.

• Junior camp counsellor: Many larger summer camp organizations have a junior counsellor program. These can be volunteer-based (like Science Ventures) or paid programs.

• Training programs and certificates: Food Safe is a $20 program that students can do online. Community centres often offer babysitting programs. High schools sometimes offer low-cost or free programs like basic First Aid and Food Safe.

Take The Plunge

Probably the biggest challenge for most teens is the actual application process. It’s hard to put yourself out there with strangers. Some companies, like McDonalds and grocery stores, offer online applications.

However, teens who haven’t already got a work-based reference on their resume will do better with in-person applications. This allows potential employers to assess the maturity of a 15-year-old applicant prior to the interview process.

Here are some tips for getting a reluctant teen to hand out their resume:

• Print off four resumes to hand out every Saturday until they start getting interviews.

• Walk with them to the stores and wait outside while they hand in their resume. Then ask them how it went and help them refine their process.

• The first few resumes will be the hardest, so don’t hand out a resume at their favourite locations until they’ve practiced a few times elsewhere.

• If they are reluctant, add a financial incentive. In my son’s case, he wanted to go on a school trip. We agreed to sign him up, only if he paid for half of the cost by getting a summer job.

Sleep regressions, toilet training and flavourful meals are three things that strike fear in the hearts of most parents.

If you’ve ever wondered why children all over the globe seem to grow and thrive on spicy and exotic foods but you only longingly remember eating Pad Thai and vindaloo, you are not alone. Food fads, fights and phases are all too common among children.

There are a huge number of kids that express food preferences. From the kid who will only eat foods of a certain colour, to the kid who refuses to eat anything besides peanut butter sandwiches, it is amazing the things they come up with to keep parents on their toes.

In my case, I had one kid who went through a phase of only wanting sweet and starchy foods, and another kid who didn’t like mixing foods with different textures. And I’ll never forget the Emmy-worthy performances that ensued whenever I accidentally served them something with a strong flavour. Onions, garlic, ginger and cumin were all drama-worthy in our house.

What is a parent to do?

Here’s the current advice from the Dietitians of Canada distilled down to five points:

1. It is your job, as the parent, to serve healthy meals. It is their job, as the child, to choose what they are going to eat.

2. Set regular meal and snack times (three meals and two to three snacks). Only offer water between meals. This helps ensure your kids are hungry at mealtimes.

3. Eat together and make meals a family activity.

4. Don’t make special food for your child. Serve the same food to everyone. However, make sure to serve at least one food you know your child will like so they won’t go hungry (like bread, crackers or milk).

5. Let your child choose what to eat and how much to eat. If they don’t eat anything, remind them there will only be water until the next mealtime.

I have a few pieces of additional advice, based on my parenting experiences:

1. If your kid only eats dessert, stop serving dessert. That way they won’t skip meals expecting to fill up on dessert. Enjoy your treats when your kids aren’t around. Hurrah for naps!

2. Let them be free to change their food preferences as they grow up. This is all about the language you use to discuss food with your child. Don’t label them as a “picky eater.” Don’t tell them that they won’t like certain foods. Don’t talk about your kid’s food preferences with other people. Avoid turning their food preferences into a part of their personality. Remember, it’s just a phase that they will grow out of.

3. Serve flavourful foods, like curries, without the heat. Stick a bottle of hot sauce or sriracha on the table instead.

4. Involve your kids in shopping and cooking. Food always tastes best when you’ve helped to prepare it!

Still need more help? We’ve got you covered! Here is a recipe that hides the usual culprits of pickiness: vegetables, fibre and protein. It’s easy to make and kid-friendly!

Mean Green Pancakes

Vegetable packed pancakes are a favourite dinner at our house. Kids love trying out different toppings. Serve these pancakes with butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, sliced tomatoes or humus. My favourite topping is a squeeze of lemon. Alternately, omit the onion and serve your mean green pancakes with all the usual sweet toppings.

Veggies & Wet Ingredients

1 package of frozen spinach, defrosted

11⁄2 cup of milk

4 eggs

1⁄4 cup of oil

3 Tbsp of onion (optional)

Dry Ingredients

13⁄4 cup whole wheat flour

1⁄3 cup cornmeal

1⁄4 cup rolled oats

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1. Drain the water from the spinach. Place all the wet ingredients and vegetables in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and pulse to combine.

2. Heat a frying pan on medium.

3. When the pan is hot, start making pancakes with a 1⁄4 cup of batter for each pancake.

4. The pancakes will be ready to flip when they are bubbling in the middle and dry around the edges. Flip, then cook the other side for about 1 minute.

5. Serve immediately or keep warm in a low oven.

The slow cooker is a time-saving cooking tool that is ideal for busy families. Especially families with young children who need a bit more TLC at the end of a long day. There’s no frying, boiling or baking required. Simply layer everything into the slow cooker and you’ve made dinner!

Slow cookers aren’t ideal for making all types of meals. However, they are particularly good at cooking the following types of dishes:

• Soups, stews and anything that needs to simmer for a long time.

• Dishes that traditionally cook on low for a long time like baked beans.

• Casseroles and other baked dishes like shepherd’s pie.

• Dishes that are steamed like British-style puddings.

• Cheese or chocolate fondue, both are perfect for a slow cooker.

You can even convert your favourite recipes so they can be made in the slow cooker. Simply follow these tips:

• Liquid doesn’t boil off in a slow cooker, so don’t add any extra liquid.

• While you don’t have to precook vegetables, I recommend frying aromatic vegetables like onions, garlic and mushrooms to improve the flavour.

• The flavours will all blend together, so if you want a fresh flavour, add it as a garnish.

• Don’t check on the food. Lifting the lid will release the heat and cause your food to take longer to cook.

• To avoid over cooking, pasta, rice and fresh greens are added to the slow cooker for the final hour of cooking.

Here is a chart to help you convert cooking times for the slow cooker.

Conventional Recipe Cooking on Low Cooking on High

15–30 minutes 4–6 hours 1–2 hours

45 minutes–1 hour 5–7 hours 2–3 hours

1–3 hours 8–10 hours 4–6 hours

Here are two simple and delicious slow cooker recipes. If you don’t have a slow cooker, don’t despair, I’ve included suggestions for conventional cooking alternatives.

Pizzaiola

This is a variation on a lasagna that uses potatoes instead of noodles. It works particularly well in the slow cooker, since the potatoes can handle over-cooking. Everyone in our family loves this dish.

3 lbs of potatoes

1 package of frozen spinach

4 cups of tomato sauce

4 cups of grated mozzarella

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Thinly slice potatoes, about 3mm thick, like you would for scalloped potatoes. Fully defrost the spinach and squeeze out any excess liquid.

2. Spread 1⁄3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Top with half of the spinach. Pour over 1⁄3 of the sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup of grated cheese. Repeat for a second layer of potato, spinach, sauce and cheese. Top with a final layer of potatoes and sauce. Cover with all the remaining cheese (about 2 cups).

3. Cook on low in the slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. You can also bake at 400°F for 1 hour. The dish is ready when the potatoes are fully cooked.

Carrot & Almond Soup

This recipe is as simple as you can get. It is perfect when you’re short on time. Simply throw everything into the slow cooker and puree the soup at the end.

12 medium-sized carrots

2 medium-sized onions

4 cloves of garlic

10 cups water

1⁄2 cup dried red lentils

2 Tbsp bullion powder

1 bunch each of parsley and cilantro

1 cup sliced or slivered almonds

Salt, to taste

1. Roughly chop the vegetables.

2. Place water, onions, carrots, garlic, lentils, bullion and the washed stems of parsley and cilantro into the slow cooker. Reserve the parsley and cilantro leaves for garnishing.

3. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, on high for 3 to 4 hours or simmer on the stove for 45 minutes.

4. When the soup is finished cooking, remove herb stems and add the sliced almonds. Puree until smooth.

5. Depending on the saltiness of your bullion, you may need to add more salt.

6. Serve with a garnish of parsley and cilantro leaves.

Sheet pan dinners are ideal for introducing kids to cooking.

• They don’t require the patience of sitting over the stove and stirring a sauce.

• They are super simple to prepare. Just chop, put everything in the oven and you’re done.

• Best of all, they are delicious!

I’ve written these recipes with kids in mind. Young children can help with gathering ingredients and tossing them in oil. Older children might be able to make these dishes all on their own! And busy adults can indulge in a healthy, yet simple meal.

Now that is something that we all could use in this busy holiday season!

Winter Sausage Bowl

This delicious sheet pan meal is served in a bowl with a drizzle of something flavourful. Feel free to use a vegan-friendly sausage alternative for a meatless meal!

2 large sweet potato

1 medium-sized head of cauliflower

1⁄4 cup of vegetable oil

1 onion

4 cloves of garlic

1⁄2 tsp salt, to taste

1 tsp black pepper, to taste

4 Italian sausages

Miso Sauce

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

1 Tbsp miso

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.

2. Peel the sweet potato and chop into bite-sized pieces. Chop the cauliflower into florets. Slice the onion in quarters. Finely dice the garlic.

3. Spread the vegetables out on a rimmed baking sheet.

4. Pour the oil over the vegetables. Add the salt and pepper. Toss everything to mix well.

5. Cut each sausage into 4 pieces and place on the baking sheet. Wash your hands well.

6. Bake for 15 minutes.

7. Pull the sheet pan out of the oven and toss everything to combine. Bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until everything is cooked through and browning.

8. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

9. Make the miso sauce by mixing the oil vinegar and miso in a small bowl. Use a fork to stir in the miso until it’s a smooth sauce.

10. Serve the baked vegetables and sausages in a bowl with a drizzle of miso sauce.

Nacho Hash

This recipe is a favourite with my kids. It’s like nachos, but instead of corn chips, we make a vegetable-packed hash.

3 large potatoes

2 sweet potatoes

5 mushrooms

1 green pepper

1 can of black beans

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

1⁄4 cup of oil

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 cup of grated cheese

3⁄4 tsp salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Salsa, sour cream and guacamole, for serving.

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.

2. Coarsely grate the potatoes, sweet potato and mushrooms. Finely dice the green pepper, onion and garlic.

3. Place the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil, toss to coat. Add in the chili powder, salt and pepper. Stir one more time to make sure that everything is well coated, then spread it out evenly on the baking sheet.

4. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir the hash to ensure even cooking.

5. Open the can of black beans and rinse. Spread the can of black beans over the hash. Top with the grated cheese.

6. Bake for another 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Oven Roasted Salad

This winter vegetable salad is a perfect holiday dish. The flavour of balsamic and rosemary really complements the winter vegetables. My kids love the crispy garlicky Brussels sprouts. Serve with bread for a complete vegetarian meal.

1 large acorn squash

1⁄4 cup of cooking oil

1 lb. Brussels sprouts

6 cloves of garlic

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

1⁄2 tsp salt

1 can of chickpeas

Balsamic Dressing

1⁄4 cup of olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1⁄4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F

2. Peel, slice and deseed the squash. Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Coat with the cooking oil and pop it into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.

3. Trim off the bottom of the sprouts. Rinse, then slice them in half.

4. Finely dice the garlic.

5. Pull the squash out of the oven. Add the sprouts and toss to combine. Sprinkle on the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.

6. Place the pan back into the oven to bake for 15 to 25 minutes. It’s ready when the sprouts and squash are just starting to brown.

7. In the meantime, open the can of chickpeas and rinse.

8. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl with all the salad dressing ingredients.

9. When the vegetables are ready, add them to the salad bowl and toss to combine with the dressing.

10. This salad is delicious served warm or cold.

Do you love pumpkin spice season? The earthy and warm flavours of cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin and cream are emblematic of the coziness of fall. While we often think of pumpkins for carving Jack-o-lanterns and baking pie, there are loads of ways to celebrate pumpkins this autumn.

Here are three recipes designed to bring the cozy flavour of pumpkin into your kitchen.

Pumpkin Puree

Homemade pumpkin puree is really easy to make. I always make a large batch and freeze the leftovers. I freeze 13⁄4 cup portions of pumpkin puree in plastic containers (that’s the amount in a can of puree).

Don’t use large carving pumpkins for homemade puree. These are grown to be carved, so the flesh is watery and doesn’t have much flavour. Instead get a small sugar pumpkin. Hubbard, kabocha and red kuri squash also have a pumpkin-like flavour.

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.

2. Cut the pumpkin in half from the stem to the base. Scoop out the seeds.

3. Place cut side up on a baking pan and cover in aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour, until the pumpkin is soft.

4. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before scraping the flesh from the skin. Place into a blender and pulse to puree.

5. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for future use.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

These muffins are delicious enough to serve as dessert and healthy enough for snack! The cream cheese surprise in the middle of the muffin is my kids’ favourite part!

1 can (13⁄4 cup) of pumpkin puree

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

1⁄2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1⁄4 cup of milk

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1⁄2 tsp salt

1 3⁄4 cup of all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1⁄2 cup of cold cream cheese

1 Tbsp of granulated sugar.

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin liners.

3. Mix the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and milk in a large bowl. Mix until well combined.

4. Stir in the spice and salt. Then add the flour and baking soda and stir until it is just combined.

5. Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups.

6. Cut the cream cheese into 12 portions (about 1 Tbsp each). Push the cream cheese into the middle of each muffin. Sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.

7. Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, until fully cooked. Test with a toothpick inserted into the muffin, just avoid the cream cheese centre!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Pancakes are a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen! They love to mix the batter and scoop it onto the pan. For an added bit of fun, make a Jack-o-lantern face out of raisins or chocolate chips after scooping the batter onto the pan. Flip to cook the other side, then serve Jack-o-lantern side up!

11⁄2 cups of milk

1 cup pumpkin puree

1⁄4 cup melted butter

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 cups whole wheat flour

13⁄4 Tbsp baking powder

11⁄2 tsp pumpkin spice

1⁄2 tsp salt

1. Mix the milk, pumpkin puree, butter, egg, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl.

2. Stir in the flour, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt. Mix until it is just combined.

3. Preheat your frying pan on medium. If you are not using a non-stick frying pan, then add a little butter to the pan before you cook your pancakes.

4. Scoop about 1⁄3 cup of batter onto the frying pan.

5. Flip your pancake when the centre of the pancake is bubbly and the sides have started to dry out (about 2 minutes).

6. Cook the second side for another 2 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Steamed Milk

This homemade pumpkin spice steamed milk is a healthy alternative to other fall beverages. Since it uses so little pumpkin puree in each batch, freeze 2 Tbsp portions in an ice cube tray when you open a can.

2 Tbsp pumpkin puree

1⁄2 tsp pumpkin spice

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1⁄4 cup of whipping cream

1. Heat the pumpkin puree and spice in a small saucepan. Gently cook the pumpkin for about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in sugar and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Slowly whisk in the milk, until everything is well combined. Then continue to heat until the milk is warm.

4. Add the vanilla extract and whisk one last time before serving, then top with whipping cream.

5. Adults can add a shot of espresso or 1⁄2 cup of strong coffee to their share of the pumpkin steamed milk for a seasonally inspired latte.

Salads are not always a favourite with children. Compared to a muffin or a piece of pizza, they’re boring and hard to eat—stabbing a lettuce leaf isn’t easy. Adults often serve salads for health-conscious reasons rather than flavour. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Here are a few ways to turn salads into smiles.

• Serve salad first. When kids sit down for dinner, they are hungry. Invite them to the table as soon as the salad is ready, even if you’re still cooking the rest of the meal. You may be surprised at how quickly the salad disappears. Hunger is the best seasoning.

• Fun and flavourful. Always serve your salads with a few fun ingredients. Check out the salad topping suggestions for ideas to liven it up.

• Grow your own salad. Carrots, tomatoes and lettuce taste best when eaten fresh from the garden. See the section below for some balcony-friendly gardening ideas.

Balcony-Ready Vegetables

It’s easy to grow carrots, lettuce, peas and cherry tomatoes on a balcony. If you have a sunny balcony, then success is practically guaranteed! Partly sunny balconies are good options for carrots, peas and lettuces. Kids can help with all parts of vegetable gardening. They love planting seeds, watering and harvesting!

1. Start with a large pot. Place small stones or pieces of broken terracotta pot in the bottom for drainage. Fill the pot with good-quality potting soil. Carrots thrive with light, lofty soil, so starting with fresh soil makes growing them easy.

2. Seed carrots according to the instructions on the package. Buying lettuce, peas and tomato starts is an easy alternative.

3. Water deeply three times a week. The best way to make sure you’re fully hydrating the soil is to water twice, letting the soil sit for 30 minutes in between. Let your kids water first, then water the second time yourself. Then everyone has an important role.

Fun Salad Toppings

If you can get your kids excited for salads, then you’ll never need to worry about whether they’re getting enough vegetables. Salads are super quick, healthy and delicious! They can be made with pretty much anything you have in the house. The only secret is to include a bunch of different flavourful and fun ingredients.

I’ve divided the toppings into sweet and savoury options. I like to include one savoury and one sweet topping in a salad.

Savoury Toppings

• Toasted sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds

• Cubes of cheddar cheese or crumbled goat cheese

• Croutons or corn chips

• Crunchy vegetable chips

• Salty pickled vegetables

Sweet Toppings

• Fresh berries or thawed frozen berries

• Grated apple

• Cubes of peach, pear, mango

• Orange segments chopped into bite-sized pieces

• Dried fruit

• Candied nuts

Salad Dressings for the Win!

A simple and flavourful dressing is what brings a salad together. Here are a few salad dressings that can be mixed up in the bottom of the salad bowl, all set for tossing. Simply measure the ingredients into your salad bowl. Stir them up with a fork. Then build your salad on top.

Green Goddess Dressing

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tbsp chopped chives

1 pinch of salt

Bright Berry Dressing

1⁄2 cup of fresh or frozen berries

1⁄4 cup of olive oil

2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp of Dijon mustard

1⁄4 tsp of salt

Creamy Yogurt Dressing

1⁄2 cup of yogurt

1⁄4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp finely diced green onion or fresh chives

1⁄2 tsp lemon juice

1⁄4 tsp dried dill

1⁄4 tsp garlic powder

1⁄4 tsp salt

1⁄4 tsp freshly ground pepper