These vegetarian taquitos are loaded with black beans, cream cheese, lime and corn, wrapped in tortillas. Brown them in a pan and serve with sour cream, green onions and salsa. It’s a Mexican-inspired recipe that will find a place on your regular weeknight rotation and will easily nourish your family.

Chocolate–Almond Spread

In this pasta recipe, gemelli is tossed with Italian sausage, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and store-bought bell pepper spread. Add bocconcini for a nice textural contrast. Serve this dish family-style, on a busy weeknight or over the weekend.

The secret to this delicately crafted sandwich lies in the arrangement of the vegetables in thin, even layers. Given that the recipe includes a rather intense spread, you can grill the veggies without the need to marinate them. Opt for a ciabatta bread because it’s robust enough to hold all the ingredients without making it too difficult to eat. Grill it on one side only for a wonderfully toasted flavour, and also to keep the veggies from getting soggy.

For an abundant beef sandwich, opt for a rib-eye steak due to the fact that it’s marbled, and therefore rich in flavour. Choose a thick cut so that it’s cooked until perfectly pink on the inside. Garnish with caramelized onions and a quick and easy Béarnaise sauce made with sour cream, mustard, tarragon and chopped pickles. It pairs wonderfully with the beef.

Mortadella is having quite the comeback, and we love it for its richness and its finesse. Given its mild flavour, it needs to be elevated with savoury toppings like a honey, lemon and pistachio garnish. Tie it all together with creamy ricotta, served in a focaccia. This sandwich is a work of art.

Before your meal, everyone can raise their glass of refreshing lemonade made with sparkling water and lime and lemon juice. For the kids, you can add some grenadine syrup for a lovely pink colour, followed by some fruit. For adults, coat the glass rims with salt and pour in some tequila to create a margarita-style drink.

Classic Chili

This savoury focaccia with gouda cheese is the perfect recipe for stress-free entertaining, because you can make it the day before and let it proof overnight.

Fennel is delicious on its own. Its bulb can be enjoyed raw or braised, as in this recipe, where we sautéed wedges, combined them with chicken broth, apricots and curry powder, and then cooked them until the vegetables were tender. Fennel’s anise-flavoured fronds can be used as an herb. Fennel can also take on a caramelized, almost sweet flavour, making for a wonderful side dish.