I came across this simple, but well-balanced salad recently and immediately decided I would have to try it. How could I resist the goodness of quinoa, beets and chickpeas all in one dish dressed with tahini and miso? Just plain good for you and very flavorful too. This salad is earthy, yet naturally sweet at the same time. It is especially nice with the toasted sesame seeds. Certainly an excellent choice for those feeling rushed or for those not feeling up to making a complicated dish but wanting a nutritious vegetarian meal. Serve with some Cheddar Parmesan scones with dill for an especially satisfying meal.

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Deciding to revisit an old favorite, I once again made this rich, earthy and spicy Indian curry made up of four types of legumes and lots of warming spices. If you don't have black chickpeas — also known as kala chana — on hand, you can substitute an additional 1/4 cup of yellow chickpeas, but I will note the black chickpeas add a deeper flavor and nice texture to the dish as they are a bit chewier than their yellow cousins. They do take longer to cook than ordinary chickpeas, so a longer soaking time is pretty much essential. This nourishing dish is especially good with brown basmati rice.

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This tomato corn chowder is based on one that I would always order when I visited Under the Volcano restaurant here in London Ontario. Unfortunately, this delicious soup is no longer on their menu, but thankfully, I was able to get a basic idea of the ingredients thanks to my friend Mike and have come up with my own creamy version. I have made it before, but this time I was able to replicate this Mexican soup more to my liking.

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I've made these biscuits twice now, and I highly recommend you use fresh dill, extra old Cheddar cheese, fresh grated Parmesan cheese, and a good dose of cayenne pepper for optimal flavor. If you don't have a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or with a knife and fork.

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