Lemony Mixed Dal

One can never have enough quick and easy Indian dal dishes to turn to when there is little time to fuss in the kitchen. Apart from being highly nourishing, loaded with easily digestible protein, sometimes a simple and warming soupy dal curry is just what I crave, especially after heavier meals have been on the menu for a while before. They're also a great way to play around with your favorite spices too.

Quick and Easy Coconut Turmeric Spelt Cake {Vegan}

I don't make too many desserts in my kitchen, but that's not because I don't enjoy baking. Rather, my meals are usually satisfying and filling enough that there is no room for dessert. I usually opt instead to fill the gaps between meals when the desire for snacks hits by having protein treats around in the form of nut-based bars and nibbles that often contain seeds and dried fruits, and sometimes even chocolate.

Baby Arugula and Tomato Salad with Pomegranate Seeds

As the blooms are bursting from the earth and the trees with color and life after a long winter and cold spring, it seems fitting to serve a colorful and vibrant salad that is bursting with fresh rich flavors. Zesty tomatoes and lemon contrast beautifully with sweet, tart and juicy pomegranate seeds and crisp slices of red onion in this salad. Homemade bread croutons help to soak up any excess dressing, and when added just before serving the salad, add a pleasant crunchy contrast to the other components of the salad. The arugula is silky and peppery, and the whole plate is an explosion of pure joy.

Rustic Herb and Olive Bread with Reishi {Gluten-Free}

There is really nothing quite like a slice of a fresh baked rustic bread slathered with butter, just by itself or as an accompaniment to so many different meals. And rustic breads usually have the added appeals of being easy to make and almost foolproof too.

This rustic bread is just as easy to make and needs very little hands-on time — hardly any kneading is required and certainly no need for a stand mixer — with just a short resting period in between mixing and baking. Added to this simplicity are herbs and olives for extra flavor. It's an all-purpose bread to which you can add any assortment of herbs that please your fancy instead of the ones I've suggested in the recipe below, or you could add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or nuts instead of or in addition to the olives. Whatever you add, the result is an attractive round loaf with a crusty browned exterior, a dense, pleasantly moist and delicious interior, and that unique aroma that only freshly baked bread can effuse that simultaneously stimulates the appetite and calms the mind. The reward is much more than worth the small effort needed to make it.

Indian-Style Egg-Free Masala French Toast

North Americans have become increasingly acquainted with the virtues of chickpea flour over the past several years, and with good reasons ranging from health to its extraordinary versatility. Made from finely milled dried chickpeas — or roasted black chickpeas in the case of Indian "besan" — the flour has fewer carbohydrates but more protein than regular wheat flour. Like wheat flour, chickpea flour can be used for baking, frying or thickening. It's also an option for those with gluten sensitivity or intolerance.