If you’re going to be healthy and fit, you’re going to have to eat vegetables. For me that’s not a problem, I love veggies. I spent some time as a vegetarian, vegan, and even a raw vegan. I attribute that experience to my love for veggies because it taught me how to make them taste good.

I make a lot of Chinese food, and this is always served on the side. It keeps me away from the white rice and dumplings (well, most of the time).

Sesame Broccoli
2 heads of fresh broccoli, cut off the florets
1 tsp fresh ginger root, minced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

In a dry frypan on medium heat, toss and shake the sesame seeds until lightly browned. Set aside.

In the bottom of your serving bowl whisk together the ginger root, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lemon juice.

Steam the broccoli for about seven minutes uncovered. Broccoli should still be brightly coloured, tender-crisp, and NOT too soggy.

Transfer the broccoli to the serving bowl and toss with the sauce and sesame seeds.

Hectic lives make it hard to find time for complex gourmet recipes. This recipe gives you a bit of exotic “oh la la!” in just fifteen minutes. Try this punchy sauce over salmon and steamed frozen veggies (as pictured here).

Coconut Curry Sauce
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 can coconut milk
3 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic and ginger. Stir and fry for about one minute, until the onions and garlic are soft. Add the coconut milk and spices to the pot. Continue to stir over medium heat as the coconut milk dissolves and blends with the spices. Bring to a slow boil and remove from the heat a few minutes before serving.

Ways I have eaten this sauce:

• Steam some frozen mixed veggies and quickly pan-fry a salmon fillet. Pile up the veggies on a deep plate, top with the salmon, then drown in about 1/2 cup of the curry sauce.
• Hard-boil some eggs, cool, peel, and split in halves. Arrange on a plate and drizzle with warmed curry sauce.
• Hard-boil some eggs, cool, peel. Scoop out the yolks and mix with curry sauce, then stuff them back into the whites. Curried deviled eggs!
• Mix the curry sauce half-and-half with some real/homemade mayonaise and use as a dip for veggies.
• With the curry sauce heated in a saucepan drop in some cooked shrimp, heat through. Serve over veggies or cauliflower “rice”.