Asparagus–Parmesan / Sweet Potato, Rocket and Feta Puff
These are the kind of starters that make a house feel full—store-bought puff, a hot oven, and market veg piled on top. Perfect for cottage lunches or holiday nibbling, they’re quick, flaky, and look fancier than the effort it takes.
Ramen
Snow on the sidewalk, steam on the glass—ramen feels made for our winters. A deep, savoury broth, slices of tender pork, and a jammy egg turn a simple bowl into a small celebration. This version follows time-tested ramen principles—broth + tare (seasoning) + aroma oil—so every slurp lands just right.
Chinese Egg Fried Rice (With Peas And Ham)
A true weeknight classic—leftover rice from yesterday, a handful of frozen peas, and a bit of Sunday ham become a hot, savoury bowl in minutes. It’s the kind of skillet supper that fits Canadian kitchens: practical, fast, and perfect after hockey practice or a cold walk home.
Sage Madeleines
Light, fragrant, and a little unexpected, these savory madeleines pair the nuttiness of brown butter with the gentle pine of fresh sage. They’re elegant beside a summer soup like gazpacho, lovely with cheese and olives, and just as good warm from the tin with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Earthy Mushroom Tart
This tart brings back the memory of mushroom picking in the fall — the joy of spotting chanterelles, morels, or field mushrooms tucked away in the woods and fields. Rich, earthy mushrooms layered on crisp pastry with cream, herbs, and a splash of sherry turn simple ingredients into something elegant yet comforting. Perfect as a starter, a light lunch, or even a centerpiece for a Canadian-inspired feast, it celebrates the deep, woodsy flavours of foraged food.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Warm, creamy, and bubbling from the oven, spinach and artichoke dip is one of those dishes that feels right at home in Canada — whether it’s served at a hockey night potluck, a summer cottage gathering, or as a holiday appetizer. Cheesy, garlicky, and loaded with greens, it’s indulgent yet comforting, a dish that always disappears fast when set on the table.
English Style Piccalilli
Golden, tangy, and a little fiery, piccalilli is a true English classic that’s found a second life in Canadian kitchens. Made from cauliflower, beans, cucumbers, and carrots (or whatever the garden gives), it’s preserved in a mustardy, spiced sauce that gets better with time. For me, it’s tied to Ontario summers, when garden zucchini overflow and jars are shared with neighbours — a chutney that feels as at home on a pub ploughman’s plate as it does at a family cottage table.
Grilled Eggplant With Mint & Goat’s Cheese
Grilled eggplant (aubergine) drizzled with balsamic and fresh mint proves that the simplest cooking can feel elegant. In Canada, eggplant thrives in Ontario and Québec during the hot summer months, when markets are piled high with glossy purple varieties. Tossed on the grill, it turns smoky and tender — a perfect match for goat’s cheese on rustic bread, and the kind of dish that belongs at a backyard barbecue or a summer table.
Spanakopita - Spinach Parcels
Spanakopita has become part of Canada’s own food mosaic thanks to the country’s vibrant Greek community. From Toronto’s Greektown to neighbourhood bakeries in Montreal and Vancouver, crisp phyllo parcels filled with spinach, herbs, and feta are now as Canadian as they are Greek. Using local spinach from summer markets and Québec-made feta, this dish reflects how immigrant traditions took root here — bringing bold flavours, warm hospitality, and a taste of the Aegean to Canadian tables.
Chickpea Fritters with Mint
Chickpea fritters may trace their roots to the Mediterranean and Middle East, but in Canada they’ve found a natural home thanks to thriving Greek and Middle Eastern communities. From Toronto’s Danforth to Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, you’ll find versions of falafel, panelle, and herb-packed fritters on menus and at festivals.
Hummus with Beet Variation
Chickpea fritters may trace their roots to the Mediterranean and Middle East, but in Canada they’ve found a natural home thanks to thriving Greek and Middle Eastern communities. From Toronto’s Danforth to Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, you’ll find versions of falafel, panelle, and herb-packed fritters on menus and at festivals.
Indian-Style Samosas
Samosas are one of those dishes that need no introduction — crisp pastry pockets filled with spiced potatoes, peas, and herbs. In Canada, they’ve become more than just an Indian snack: you’ll find them in food trucks in Toronto, bakeries in Vancouver, and at family potlucks across the country. Affordable, bold, and endlessly satisfying, samosas are proof of how global traditions have been warmly folded into Canadian kitchens.
Carrot, Ginger and Coriander Soup
Carrot soup is a true Canadian fall and winter staple — simple, comforting, and made with ingredients that store well through the colder months. On the Prairies, carrots and root vegetables were often stored in cellars to last through long winters, making soups like this both practical and essential. The sweetness of carrots pairs beautifully with the warmth of ginger and the freshness of coriander, creating a bowl that’s nourishing yet vibrant.
Butternut Squash Soup
Few dishes feel more like autumn in Canada than butternut squash soup. With its golden colour and naturally sweet flavour, it captures the harvest season — when markets overflow with pumpkins, squashes, and gourds of every kind. Roasting deepens the flavour, blending turns it velvety, and a warm bowl feels just as right at a fall table as it does on a snowy evening.
Tomato and Basil Soup
Few dishes are as comforting as tomato soup with grilled cheese. In Canada, this pairing is pure nostalgia — warming bowls of tomato-basil soup served alongside golden, gooey sandwiches made with chedder cheese on white bread were a childhood staple. Simple, nourishing, and endlessly adaptable, tomato soup is as welcome on a snowy afternoon as it is at a summer table made with fresh garden tomatoes.
Ukrainian Style Borscht
Borscht is one of those dishes that tells the story of migration and memory. Brought to Canada by Ukrainian settlers who arrived on the Prairies in the late 1800s, it became a staple on homestead tables, especially in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The hearty beets, cabbage, and potatoes mirrored what could be grown in Canada’s fertile soil, making it both practical and comforting. Today, borscht is not just a Ukrainian tradition, but a Prairie classic — a bowl of warmth that connects family kitchens across generations.
White Bean and Truffle Oil Soup
This soup is proof that comfort can also be refined. Creamy white beans, puréed until velvety, form the base, while a drizzle of truffle oil adds richness and depth. It’s simple to prepare yet feels indulgent, the kind of dish you can make on a weeknight and still serve proudly at a dinner party. In Canada, beans have long been part of our agricultural history, grown across Ontario and the Prairies, making this dish a meeting point between humble crops and a touch of luxury.
Beet Salad with Feta and Mint
Beets are one of Canada’s true seasonal treasures — hardy, earthy, and long valued in Prairie gardens and Atlantic kitchens alike. Ukrainian settlers brought them into the heart of Prairie cooking through borscht, while in the Maritimes, jars of pickled beets lined pantry shelves as a winter staple. Today, they remain a fixture at farmers’ markets coast to coast. This salad celebrates their natural sweetness with mint and creamy cheese, offering a dish that feels rustic yet refreshingly modern.
Summer Picnic Salads
Canadians love summer barbecues and picnics — a chance to gather outdoors after long winters, with big bowls of simple, shareable food. Potato salad, macaroni salad, and three-bean salad have become staples at these gatherings, each one easy to prepare ahead and hearty enough to feed a crowd.
Bulgur Wheat with Tomatoes and Herbs
Bulgar wheat has nourished the Mediterranean for thousands of years, but in Canada it found a new home through waves of Greek and Middle Eastern immigration. By the late 20th century, it appeared at community dinners, Greek festivals, and eventually in health-conscious kitchens across the country. With Canadian wheat at its core, this salad blends sun-ripened tomatoes, cucumber, and herbs into a dish that feels both timeless and distinctly Canadian.