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Week 3 (May 18th): Menu at a Glance












Citrus Salmon or Tofu Sheet Pan Wonder

Best Ever Middle Eastern Chicken or Chickpeas

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Rainbow Salad

Trail Mix Energy Cookies

Refreshing & Zingy Green Smoothie

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The Recipes:

1. Citrus Salmon or Tofu Sheet Pan Wonder


Citrus Salmon or Tofu Sheet Pan Wonder

We love sheet pan meals because it means fewer dishes. This recipe is really, really simple yet packed with flavour. If you're not a fish fan, swapping it for tofu or even tempeh is a great choice. The citrus is really the star of the show here, so see if you can get your hands on a few varieties of citrus fruits, but if not, just stick to one and the dish will still be fabulous.

  • 1 orange (sliced into thin discs)
  • 1 lemon (sliced into thin discs)
  • 1 grapefruit or blood orange (sliced into thin discs)
  • few sprigs fresh thyme OR 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bunch broccolini or broccoli
  • 2 baby bok choy or 2 cups green cabbage, sliced thick
  • 4 servings salmon or rainbow trout (OR 1 brick tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch slabs)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • pinch pepper

Marinade

  • 1 tsp garlic (minced)
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp orange juice (from fresh oranges)
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (from fresh lemons)
  • 1 Tbsp grapefruit juice (from fresh grapefruit)
  • 1 tsp whole or dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • pinch pepper

  1. Preheat the oven to 375

  2. Slice the orange, lemon and grapefruit in half. Set aside one half of each (these will be used for the marinade). Then carefully slice the other halves into thin discs.

  3. Trim off the tough ends of the broccolini or broccoli, cut the stalks and florets into semi-strips and larger florets (you can't get this wrong)

  4. Cut off the bottoms of the bok choy so the leaves separate and wash well. Or, slice the cabbage

  5. Blitz the marinade in a blender, food processor or whisk really well by hand

  6. Place the veggies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper on them then push them to the sides.

  7. Place the salmon, trout or tofu slabs in the middle of the baking sheet. And, season with sea salt and pepper.

  8. Drizzle the marinade over top of the fish or tofu and a bit onto the veggies.

  9. Place the slices of orange, lemon and grapefruit on top of the fish or tofu and then add several sprigs of fresh thyme or dried thyme

  10. Bake for 15 minutes and once out of the oven, cascade fresh herbs like parsley, dill, basil, mint or cilantro on top, if you have any

Serve With

  1. You can eat this as is or serve with quinoa, rice or millet

Substitution Guide:

  • If you don’t have salmon – sub for trout or tofu slices
  • If you’re missing any of the citrus fruits, use what you have and if that means only oranges, that’s fine.  You can also swap for other citrus fruits like lime or blood oranges. 
  • If you’re missing garlic – use shallot or onion or leave it out
  • No bok choy or cabbage? Use a bunch of asparagus or 1/2 lb of green beans instead


Prep Guide:

  • You can prep the marinade a few days in advance and leave it in an airtight container in the fridge
  • You can prep the veggies and place them in an airtight container in the fridge. 

2. Best Ever Middle Eastern Chicken or Chickpeas


Best Ever Middle Eastern Chicken or Chickpeas

This is by far the most requested dish from our private chef clients and it's often on repeat on many of their menus. This Middle Eastern chicken or chickpeas is so simple yet so flavourful, you'll be making this one again and again. Enjoy it with a fresh slaw and a nice drizzle of tahini and lemon right over the top.

  • 1 lb chicken thighs, boneless skinless preferred (OR 1 19 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
  • 1 red onion (sliced into thick strips)
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt & pinch of pepper
  • 1 Tbsp sumac (optional)

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley (optional) (roughly chopped)

Side Options

  • 3 to 4 cups slivered cabbage (green or purple)
  • 1 lemon (squeezed)
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 head cauliflower (chopped in florets)

  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl.  Let the chicken or chickpeas sit in the marinade for 15 minutes or up to overnight.

  2. Preheat the oven to 375. Place the chicken or chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  3. Cook the chickpeas for 15-20 minutes until crisp but also slightly tender. If you prefer them to be very crispy, keep them in for another 5-10 minutes.

  4. Cook the chicken for 25 minutes, until cooked through, remove from the oven and slice it it up into pieces, then place it back in the oven on broil for about 2-3 minutes until it gets really crispy, but not dried out

  5. Meanwhile, put together the slivered cabbage with lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of sea salt if you'd like to have that on the side. Or, alternatively roast the cauliflower florets with some olive oil and sea salt for around 25 minutes.

Serve With

  1. You can eat this with a simple cabbage slaw dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. You can eat it with roasted cauliflower or sweet potato wedges. If you have some extra tahini lying around, drizzle it over the chicken or chickpeas with a quick squeeze of lemon juice to wake it up even more.

Substitution Guide:

  • If you don’t have chicken thighs and you only have breasts, you can use those instead, it just won’t be as tender
  • If you’re missing sumac, just omit it 
  • No red onion? use yellow or white or leave it out
  • No garlic? leave it out 

 

Prep Guide:

  • You can make this the night before or morning of and leave it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook 

3. Mexican Tortilla Soup


Mexican Tortilla Soup

Somehow this dish is the perfect recipe for cold and warm weather and it comes together really, really quickly. Make it in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or regular ol' soup pot. The recipe really comes alive when all of the garnishes are loaded on top, so do not hold back in that department.

  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion (diced)
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 sweet potato (chopped into 1 inch cubes)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt (depending on how salty you like it)
  • pinch pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups veggie or chicken stock
  • 1 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken (optional) OR 3/4 lb raw thighs or breasts
  • 1 cup kale, collards, chard or spinach (roughly chopped)

For Garnish

  • 1-2 tortillas or tortilla chips
  • 1/2-1 lime (squeezed)
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • 1 avocado (diced)
  • sliced cabbage (optional)
  • 1 heaping dollop yogurt or dairy-free yogurt (optional)

For the Slow Cooker

  1. Add all ingredients, except for the greens and garnishes into your slow cooker. If using chicken, it can be placed in raw and cooked in the slow cooker. If your chicken is pre-cooked, add it in towards the end to heat up

  2. Set it for 2 hours on high or 4 hours on low

  3. Before you're about to eat, shred the chicken and add in the greens to lightly steam and brighten. Top each bowl with the garnishes above

For the Instant Pot

  1. Set the Instant pot to the Saute function. Add the oil and onions, allow to cook for 3 minutes, then add the spices and garlic.

  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the greens and garnishes. You can use uncooked or cooked chicken.

  3. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 14 minutes, then release the pressure. After 14 minutes, shred the chicken, if using and add in the greens. Top with garnishes above

For the Regular Ol' Soup Pot

  1. Place the pot on medium heat, add the oil and once it's slippery, toss in the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the spices and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then toss in the sweet potatoes. If it feels too try, add a splash more of oil.

  2. Pour in the rest of the ingredients, except for the greens and garnishes. Cover the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer for 25-30 minutes. If you're using chicken, you can add in cooked or uncooked.

  3. In the meantime, make crispy baked tortillas (recipe below).

  4. If using chicken, shred it and add it back to the pot. Add in the greens and re-season the soup with salt and pepper, if needed.

  5. Ladle out portions into bowls and top with lime juice (this is a must!), fresh cilantro, diced avocado, shredded cabbage, a dollop of yogurt and crispy tortilla strips. It's the toppings that really make this dish come alive.

How to Make Crispy Tortillas

  1. Preheat oven to 375

  2. Slice the tortillas into strips, drizzle them with about 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment. You could take this up a notch and season the tortillas with spices like cumin, paprika and chili powder or just leave it simple with the oil.

  3. Bake in the oven for 7-12 minutes until crispy and browned.

Substitution Guide:

  • Swap yellow onion for red onion, white onion, scallions or whatever you have that resembles onion
  • Out of stock? Try a bouillon cube 
  • Use whatever leafy greens you have (even radish tops) – or use frozen greens but add them in right at the end.  
  • You can also add in whatever fresh veggies you want right before the soup is done: radishes, peppers, zucchini, bok choy, frozen corn
  • No lime? use lemon
  • No tortillas? use tortilla chips or even crispy chickpeas (you need that texture crunch)
  • The dollop of yogurt is optional but it brings this creaminess to the soup, you can replace it with a dairy-free yogurt or just leave it out


Prep Guide:

  • Prep the tortilla chips in advance, you can store them in a paper bag for a few days to maintain crisp and freshness
  • You can cook the chicken in advance, either by baking at 375 with salt and pepper for 25 minutes or boil in salted water for 25 minutes and then shred

4. Vietnamese Rice Noodle Rainbow Salad


Vietnamese Rice Noodle Rainbow Salad

This is one of those simple salads that you can quickly throw together, yet offers so much interest for the tastebuds. It's sweet and sour and crunchy and soft and everything in-between. Keeping all the veggies raw means that it takes minutes to assemble, so dinner or lunch can be ready in about 20 minutes or less.

  • 1 onion or 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 package rice noodles
  • 1/2 cucumber (sliced into semi circles)
  • 2 carrots (sliced into thin circles or semi circles)
  • 1 cup shredded purple or green cabbage (or any cruciferous veggie of choice)
  • 2 radishes (any variety) (thinly sliced)
  • handful kale (chopped)

Protein Options – choose one OR leave it protein-free

  • 12 cooked shrimp
  • 1 cup shredded and cooked chicken
  • 1/2 block tofu (cubed)
  • 1 cup chickpeas

Garnishes

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint (roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 cup toasted cashews or almonds (roughly chopped)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp tamari
  • 2 tsp coconut sugar or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ginger (minced or grated in)
  • 1 clove garlic (minced or grated in)

  1. First, cook your protein of choice, if you're eating it with this dish. Simply season the protein with salt and pepper and saute or bake. Don't worry if the protein tastes bland because the dressing will wake it up.

  2. Bring a small pan over medium-low, add the oil and when it heats up, add the slices of onion or shallots, stir occasionally until golden brown and crisp. Place on a towel or paper towel and reserve the liquid for the dressing.

  3. Cook the rice noodles according to the package. Then strain them and run them under cold water to stop the cooking.

  4. Make the dressing by whisking all ingredients into a bowl. Remember to add the reserved oil from the cooked onion or shallot.

  5. Then pour about 1/3 of the dressing over the noodles and toss around. Do the same if you're using a zucchini noodle or daikon noodle.

  6. Place the noodles in individual serving bowls

  7. Quickly prep the veggies and place them on top of the noodles and drizzle the rest of the dressing over the veggies

  8. Toss the nuts on top. Tear the fresh herbs and cascade them over. Then finally, place the crispy onion or shallots on top.

Substitution Guide:

  • Don’t have rice noodles or you’re grain-free? use zucchini noodles, daikon noodles or any type of noodle you have in your cupboard
  • This is the perfect recipe to use ANY veg you have in your fridge — swap any of the veggies for ones you have like peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, celery…  If you prefer not to eat them raw, quickly steam or saute them
  • If you don’t have rice vinegar, just use lime or lemon
  • No coconut sugar? use maple syrup 
  • No tamari? use soy sauce or coconut aminos
  • If you’re out of ginger or garlic, just leave them out

Prep Guide:

  • You can prep the veggies a 1-2 days before. Store the veggies in an airtight container in the fridge
  • Make the dressing a few days before or in the morning.  It should also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge

5. Trail Mix Energy Cookies


Trail Mix Energy Cookies

Filled with protein, healthy fats and fiber these are cookies that fuel you throughout the day or the perfect mid-day pick-me-up. Eat them for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert.

  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup tahini (or any nut or seed butter of choice)
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
  • 1/4 cup goji berries or raisins
  • 1/2 cup cacao nibs (or dark chocolate chips)
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • pinch sea salt

  1. Preheat the oven to 350

  2. Whisk the egg in a bowl, then add all of the other ingredients.

  3. Form into balls, a bit larger than a golf ball and flatten. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

  4. Bake for 15 minutes or slightly golden on top

Substitution Guide:

  • These cookies are very forgiving, so you can just use what you have in your pantry
  • No eggs? use a vegan egg by mixing 1 Tbsp of ground flax or chia seeds with 3 Tbsp water, let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes gelatinous
  • If you have a different kind of dried fruit or seed or nut, use that instead
  • If you’re out of shredded coconut swap it for rolled or quick oats
  • No maple syrup? use honey, brown rice syrup or even a mashed banana instead

6. Refreshing & Zingy Green Smoothie


Refreshing & Zingy Green Smoothie

As the weather gets warmer, cold smoothies become more appetizing and a great way to drink veggies. This one is incredibly refreshing, as the name says, combining mango with ginger and lemon.

  • 1 cup kale
  • 1 cup diced mango (fresh or frozen)
  • 1/2 banana ((or whole if you prefer it sweeter))
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 1/2 lemon (juiced)
  • 2 tsp ground chia or flax (optional)
  • 2 cups coconut water, water or dairy-free milk of choice

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth

  2. If you feel it needs to be sweeter you can blend in a few dates, a few teaspoons of honey or the other 1/2 of the banana

Substitution Notes:

  • no kale? use any fresh or frozen greens you have, like spinach
  • No lemon? replace it with lime
  • No bananas? just use dates (about 5 of them should be good)
  • You can add frozen cauliflower for extra veggie oomph
  • If you’re out of fresh ginger, you can use about 1/4 tsp of ginger powder or just omit it completely

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