December is upon us at last! To kick off the holidays, and spark the season’s fire in your hearts, I want to share a delicious deep, dark, rich, fudgy brownie recipe with you – with a secret ingredient. Black beans! In addition to adding fibre and nutrients to this decadent recipe, this ingredient adds a rich, earthy-sweet component and a soft, gooey texture.

While traditionally used in Japan, soba noodles are becoming more and more common in the North American diet. Thanks to their mild nutty flavour and striking nutrition profile, soba noodle are a praise-worthy addition to a healthy diet. As soba noodles are rich in complex carbohydrates, and this recipe adds a healthy dose of poly and mono-unsaturated fats as well as a significant amount of protein, this balanced, vegetable packed recipe is a nourishing option to spice-up your daily intake.

These protein balls contain an ideal mix of protein, unsaturated fats, and fibre-rich complex carbs to leave you feeling satisfied. And the combination of peanut butter and crushed peanuts in this recipe really make the peanutty-goodness of these protein balls shine.

While fall tends to bring a craze for pumpkin spice-flavoured foods, it is important to note that many pumpkin spice products on the market are full of added colours and flavours, and high in sugar. In creating a recipe featuring this popular spice combination, I strived to break the mold.

This recipe is potluck-approved! A crowd favourite and nutritious option, you can feel good about sharing it with your family and friends. Rich in protein, soybeans are also an important source of folate, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, iron and fibre.

As I strive to use up every fresh ingredient I purchase, I appreciate this recipe for its versatility – it is a practical way to use up leftover produce and herbs, and prevent food from going to waste. Also, making this mushroom soup at home keeps me from purchasing canned soups which are often high in sodium and preservatives.

The change in seasons calls for a wholesome and hearty recipe to celebrate our seasonal bounty – and what else better to pair crisp fall apples with than heart-warming cinnamon. While protein bars can be a quick and nutritious meal addition or snack, they can also be loaded with added sugar – it was my mission to create a bar that did not fall into this category.

A fall favourite, this quick bread contains nutrient dense ingredients (fruit, vegetables, low fat dairy products and whole grains) which are easy to locate and store once purchased. Added-bonus: A pleasant sweet-cinnamon aroma will fill your home as this sweet bread is baking.