Cook What You Grow
Simple, seasonal recipes for the vegetables and fruit coming out of Canadian gardens and markets right now — the fresh, everyday side of the harvest.
🌿 Ripe right now: zucchini, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, peaches, plums, blueberries — and the first apples, pears, and squash of fall.
Mains, Sides & Salads
- Early fall
Apple and Cabbage Slaw
A crisp apple and cabbage slaw in a tangy mustard dressing — the crunch of new-season cabbage and sweet-tart apple. A make-ahead side for fall meals.
⏱ 20 min - Winter
Braised Red Cabbage (Holiday Side)
Sweet-and-sour braised red cabbage with apple — slow-cooked until silky and glossy. A make-ahead holiday side that's even better reheated.
⏱ 1 h 15 min - Winter
Classic Dutch-Oven Beef Stew
A classic Dutch-oven beef stew — chuck braised low and slow with carrots and potatoes until fork-tender. Rich winter comfort, even better reheated.
⏱ 2 h 55 min - Late summer
End-of-Summer Ratatouille
A rustic end-of-summer ratatouille — zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes stewed slowly into a silky, savoury dish. The whole garden in one pot.
⏱ 1 h 10 min - Winter
French Onion Soup
A deeply savoury French onion soup — onions caramelized slowly to sweet mahogany, rich broth, and a bubbling cheese-toast lid. Cozy winter comfort.
⏱ 1 h 30 min - Late summer
Fresh Corn Chowder
A creamy fresh corn chowder that uses the whole cob — simmer the stripped cobs to build a sweet corn stock. The best way to use peak summer sweet corn.
⏱ 45 min - Late summer
Fresh Tomato Galette (Free-Form Summer Tart)
A free-form Canadian tomato galette — flaky pastry, a layer of cheese, and salted summer tomatoes baked until jammy. The trick to a crust that stays crisp.
⏱ 1 h - Late summer
Garlicky Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Garlicky sautéed green beans with toasted almonds — a fast side that turns a garden glut of beans into the best thing on the plate in ten minutes.
⏱ 13 min - Fall
Potato and Leek Soup
A silky potato and leek soup — humble ingredients simmered soft and blended smooth. Comforting, cheap, and freezer-friendly, for the first cold days.
⏱ 45 min - Fall
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
A roasted beet salad with goat cheese and walnuts — sweet earthy beets, creamy cheese, and a bright vinaigrette. A gorgeous, simple fall starter or side.
⏱ 1 h 15 min - Early fall
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Silky roasted butternut squash soup — roasting the squash first makes it sweet and nutty. A cozy Canadian bowl for the first cool days of fall.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Roasted Root Vegetables
Simple roasted root vegetables — carrots, beets, and parsnips caramelized in a hot oven until sweet and golden. The easiest, best side of the fall table.
⏱ 55 min - Winter
Shepherd's Pie (Cottage Pie)
A classic shepherd's pie — savoury minced meat and vegetables under a golden mashed-potato crust. The ultimate make-ahead winter comfort dinner.
⏱ 55 min - Summer
Smashed Cucumber Salad (Cool Summer Side)
Smashed cucumber salad, summer style — crunchy salted cucumbers in a garlicky rice-vinegar and sesame dressing. Cool, fast, and endlessly snackable.
⏱ 15 min - Late summer
Roasted Tomato Soup (Fresh Tomatoes)
A deep roasted tomato soup from fresh summer tomatoes — roasting concentrates their flavour into something rich and sweet. The best use for a tomato glut.
⏱ 1 h - Late summer
Baked Stuffed Sweet Peppers
Baked stuffed sweet peppers with rice, tomato, and herbs — a simple way to use a glut of garden peppers. Vegetarian, freezer-friendly, and easy to adapt.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Winter
Hearty Vegetable and Barley Soup
A hearty vegetable and barley soup — chewy barley, root vegetables, and herbs in a savoury broth. A cheap, nourishing, freezer-friendly winter pot.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Late summer
Crispy Zucchini Fritters (Use Up a Summer Glut)
Crispy zucchini fritters that use up a summer glut — grate, salt, squeeze dry, pan-fry golden. The one trick that keeps them crisp instead of mushy.
⏱ 30 min
Desserts & Baking
- Winter
Warm Apple Bread Pudding
A warm apple bread pudding — custard-soaked bread and cinnamon apples baked until golden. A cozy, thrifty winter dessert that rescues stale bread.
⏱ 1 h 25 min - Late summer
Old-Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler
An old-fashioned blackberry cobbler — juicy summer blackberries under a tender biscuit topping. A simple Canadian dessert, best warm with ice cream.
⏱ 55 min - Summer
Blueberry Cornmeal Buckle
A blueberry cornmeal buckle — tender cornmeal cake full of summer blueberries under a buttery crumb. A rustic dessert that's even better with coffee.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Brown Butter Apple Cake
A brown butter apple cake — nutty browned butter and tender chunks of apple in a simple one-bowl cake. A cozy Canadian bake for the start of apple season.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Classic Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
A moist classic carrot cake with cream cheese icing — freshly grated carrots, warm spice, and a tender crumb. The one everyone asks you to make again.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Classic Apple Crumble
A classic apple crumble — tender spiced apples under a buttery oat topping. The easiest way to celebrate the first Canadian apples of the season.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Classic Apple Pie
A classic double-crust apple pie — spiced apples in a flaky, buttery pastry. The tricks to a crisp bottom crust and a filling that isn't a soupy mess.
⏱ 3 h - Winter
Classic Canadian Butter Tarts
Classic Canadian butter tarts — flaky pastry filled with a gooey, buttery brown-sugar filling. The runny-vs-firm debate, and the no-overflow trick.
⏱ 43 min - Winter
Classic Shortbread (Three Ingredients)
Classic three-ingredient shortbread — butter, sugar, flour baked into tender, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth cookies. The simplest, best holiday bake.
⏱ 45 min - Late fall
Cranberry Orange Loaf
A bright cranberry orange loaf — tart fresh cranberries and fragrant orange zest in a tender, moist quick bread. A festive Canadian bake for late fall.
⏱ 1 h 10 min - Winter
Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Soft, spiced gingerbread cookies — warm with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, and sturdy enough to cut into shapes and decorate. A holiday-baking classic.
⏱ 1 h 40 min - Late summer
Grilled Peaches with Honey and Mascarpone
Grilled peaches with honey and mascarpone — summer peaches caramelized on the grill, topped with sweet cream and a drizzle of honey. A 15-minute dessert.
⏱ 15 min - Early fall
Pear and Ginger Crumble
A pear and ginger crumble — juicy autumn pears with warm ginger under a crisp oat topping. A cozy, fuss-free Canadian dessert for early fall.
⏱ 1 h - Late summer
Plum Almond Cake (One-Bowl Summer Bake)
A plum almond cake — juicy summer plums sink into a moist almond sponge, jammy on top and tender within. A simple one-bowl dessert for late summer.
⏱ 1 h 5 min - Fall
Spiced Pumpkin Bread
A moist spiced pumpkin bread — real pumpkin purée, warm autumn spices, and a tender crumb. A one-bowl fall loaf that keeps for days and freezes well.
⏱ 1 h 15 min - Winter
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sticky toffee pudding — a moist date sponge drowned in warm toffee sauce. The ultimate cozy winter dessert, and easier to make than it looks.
⏱ 55 min - Late summer
Best Zucchini Bread (Moist, Not Soggy)
The best moist zucchini bread — one more way to use the summer glut. Squeeze the zucchini, spice it warmly, and bake a tender loaf that keeps for days.
⏱ 1 h 10 min
Ice Cream & Frozen
- Early fall
Concord Grape Sorbet
A vivid Concord grape sorbet — the intense, jammy flavour of fall grapes frozen into a smooth, dairy-free scoop. No ice cream machine needed.
⏱ 4 h 30 min - Late summer
No-Churn Peach Ice Cream (Ripe Summer Peaches)
No-churn peach ice cream made with ripe summer peaches — no machine. Fold peach purée through a whipped-cream base and freeze for a soft, fragrant scoop.
⏱ 6 h 30 min - Summer
No-Churn Blueberry Ice Cream (No Machine)
No-churn blueberry ice cream — no machine. Whipped cream, sweetened condensed milk, and a quick blueberry swirl freeze into a scoopable summer treat.
⏱ 6 h 30 min - Late summer
No-Churn Roasted Plum Ice Cream
No-churn roasted plum ice cream — roasting the plums concentrates them into a jammy, honeyed swirl. No machine, just a whipped-cream base and a freezer.
⏱ 6 h 40 min - Summer
Three-Ingredient Raspberry Frozen Yogurt
Three-ingredient raspberry frozen yogurt — raspberries, Greek yogurt, and honey blended and frozen. Tangy, bright, and lighter than ice cream. No machine.
⏱ 4 h 10 min