Healthy Meals

Updated on March 3, 2009

The star of this recipe is a paste made out of den jang (Korean version of miso), a touch of hot chili paste, and sesame oil. Koreans call this paste sahm jang. If you can't find den jang, feel free to use miso as a substitute.

Raw fennel has a mild licorice-like fragrance, but when roasted, fennel becomes sweet and crisp and the licorice aroma is barely noticeable, if at all. Rich in vitamin C and fiber, roasted fennel bulbs provide nice texture alongside chickpeas and oranges.

The other night, I finished re-reading one of my favorite books - Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir, by Paul O'Neill. The book ends with a pancake recipe from the O'Neill family, one that really got my salivary glands going for a short stack of freshly made pancakes with real maple syrup.

This mashed cauliflower recipe is a delicious and healthy substitute for traditional mashed potatoes. Though mashed potatoes can be a nourishing side or main dish, if you tend to have high blood sugar or insulin levels, it's probably best that you limit your consumption of potatoes to a serving or two per week.

If you're looking for a truly healthy food that is rich in protein that your body can easily digest and use, look no further than quinoa. Called the "mother of grains" by the Incan empire, quinoa is native to South America, and is naturally rich in all nine essential amino acids - these are amino acids that we humans can't make from other nutrients, and must obtain from our diet.

For a hearty and nutritious meal in cool weather, few dishes can match the nutrient-density and flavour found in a bowl of vegetarian chili. Full of legumes, tomatoes, and a number of antioxidant-rich spices, the following vegetarian chili recipe is a healthy choice for every organ system in your body.

If you love pasta but can do without regular intake of refined carbohydrates, give this recipe a try - it calls for noodles that are made by thinly slicing raw zucchini into long strips; many raw food enthusiasts have long enjoyed zucchini noodles in place of conventional flour-based varieties.

The easiest way to make raw zucchini noodles is to use a special spiral slicer. There are a few different brands of spiral slicers on the market - my favorite is the LURCH Spiralo, as it seems to have the sturdiest and most simple design, and I find that it's easier to make long zucchini noodles with the Spiralo than it is using other slicers.

One of the most antioxidant-rich and healthy vegetables that you can eat is raw red beet. This all-raw and vegan ravioli with "goat cheese" dish is a great way to enjoy the taste and health benefits of raw red beet. Goat cheese enthusiasts are likely to be surprised at how closely this vegan substitute - made with raw pine nuts - resembles the real thing.

If you're a fan of rich and creamy risotto dishes, you'll definitely want to give this pumpkin and feta version a try. If pumpkin isn't readily available, try using butternut squash or sweet potato in its place - all three are excellent sources of beta-carotene and dietary fiber.

If you have trouble tolerating dairy, exclude the feta that this recipe calls for. We think it's just as good without the feta, although the feta does add a great little tang to this special dish.

October is the perfect month to enjoy this delicious pumpkin rice dish. It calls for a cup of dried apricot and/or raisins to add just a touch of sweetness to this nutrient-dense meal.

Pumpkins are one of nature's best sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that can decrease your risk of developing many different types of cancer and heart disease. If you have a healthy digestive tract, your body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A, making it an important nutrient to your immune system, skin, and eyes.