Excerpted from Mary’s Comfort Classics by Mary Berg. Copyright © 2026 Mary Berg. Photographs by Kyla Zanardi. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

Spanakopita Soup

According to my driver’s license, I’m an adult human and therefore need to consume things that contain vitamins. When that thought dawns on me, I tend to reach for something green. This soup, full of spinach and scattered with feta, is the perfect mix of healthy vitamins and my favourite food group: cheese.

Ingredients

FOR THE CRISPY FETA TOPPER

• 4 sheets frozen phyllo, thawed
• 1–2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2½–3½ oz crumbled feta
• 4 teaspoons sesame seeds

FOR THE SOUP

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 8 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb cooking spinach or baby spinach (see note)
• ¼–½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 3½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3–4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup cream

Directions

1. For the crispy feta topper, preheat your oven to 425°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay out each sheet of phyllo on a work surface and brush with the melted butter. Scatter the crumbled feta and sesame seeds overtop, then lightly gather and bunch each sheet of phyllo into a rumpled pile. Transfer the phyllo piles to the sheet pan, leaving an inch or so between each, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
2. Meanwhile, for the soup, place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter, green onions, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the onions are lightly softened. Add the spinach and season with red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and a bit more salt and pepper. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is tender and bright green, 3 to 4 minutes if using cooking spinach or 1 to 2 minutes if using baby spinach.
3. Stir in the lemon zest, dill, and parsley. Working in batches if necessary, transfer the soup to your blender, remove the vent cap, cover the lid with a kitchen towel to avoid splatter, and blitz until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the cream, season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, divide the soup into bowls and top with the crispy feta toppers.

Note: Cooking spinach is often sold in large bags near the bagged salad mixes at grocery stores. It is the grown-up version of baby spinach, which means it’s a bit heartier and will last longer in your fridge. It’s worth looking out for, as it’s a fraction of the price of baby spinach, but if you cannot find it in a bag, you may be able to find bunches of spinach in the greens section of your produce aisle.

We’re Already Married Chicken Meatballs

Every once in a while, a recipe will go viral that really has legs. There was that cucumber salad and that creamy chicken dish that was apparently so good, it would make anyone fall in love with you. With a love contract already firmly in place, I’ve put a spin on the dish to celebrate cozy nights in with my legally obligated lifelong guy.

Ingredients

FOR THE MEATBALLS

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more
• for drizzling
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons each chopped
• fresh parsley and basil
• 1 lb ground chicken

FOR THE SAUCE & SERVING

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup whipping cream
• ½–1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ½–1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ⅓ cup sliced sundried tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley and basil, for serving
• Cooked pasta or crusty bread, for serving

Directions

1. For the meatballs, preheat your oven to 400°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Heat a high-sided sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly softened and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds, then remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, stir the breadcrumbs and milk together. Add the egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, basil, and cooked onion mixture. Toss lightly to combine, then add the chicken and continue to gently toss and mix until evenly combined.
4. Using a spoon or small spring-loaded ice cream scoop, scoop small mounds (about 2 tablespoons) onto the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and lightly roll into meatballs. Roast the meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes, or until cooked to 165°F, then broil on high for 2 minutes for a little golden color on top. Set aside.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Place the high-sided sauté pan back over medium heat and add the butter and garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, then whisk in the flour. Allow the flour to toast for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then whisk in the tomato paste. Cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, then slowly begin whisking in the chicken broth. Add the cream, bring to a simmer, and allow the sauce to bubble away until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese and red pepper flakes to taste, and sundried tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Stir in the cooked meatballs and scatter with the parsley and basil. Serve over your favourite pasta or with a few hunks of crusty bread

Nachos for Dinner

Back when I was studying at the University of Toronto, at least once a week you’d find me at the iconic Sneaky Dee’s at the corner of College and Bathurst, splitting a pitcher of cheap beer and scarfing down a mountain of fully-loaded ’chos. To relive those nights without my shoes sticking to a dive bar floor and with the added benefit of, you know, nutrients, I’ve swapped out the soggy tortilla chips for seasoned roasted veg.

Ingredients

FOR THE NACHOS

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed or peeled
• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 small red onions
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt
• 1 can (19 fl oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1½–2 cups grated nacho cheese blend

FOR SERVING

• ¾ cup crumbled feta
• 1 avocado, diced, and/or guacamole
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• Pickled jalapeños
• Cilantro
• Prepared salsa
• Plain Greek yogurt or skyr
• Lime wedges
• Hot sauce

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Halve the sweet potatoes and cut each half into four to six wedges. Cut the cauliflower into florets and the red onions into eight wedges each. Transfer the veg to a large sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, and onion powder, then sprinkle over the vegetables. Season with salt and toss to combine and coat the veg with the oil and seasoning.
3. Spread the vegetables in an even layer and roast for 25 minutes. At this point, add the black beans to the sheet pan and give everything a stir. Return the veg to the oven and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the veg are tender and golden and the black beans have begun to split and crisp up.
4. Scatter the grated cheese overtop and return to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
5. Serve immediately topped with feta, avocado and/or guacamole, green onions, and pickled jalapeños and cilantro, to taste. Serve with bowls of salsa and yogurt or skyr on the side, as well as a few lime wedges and hot sauce.

Orange Cinnamon Brûléed Rice Pudding

Remember the joy of being a kid when the bell rang and you ran to get your lunch bag, frantically unpacking it to see what Chef Mom or Chef Dad packed that day? For me, there was nothing more exciting than seeing the glint of a pudding cup, specifically rice pudding. I know, it’s probably the most grandpa pudding preference out there, but it’s delicious! You can keep the raisin variety for yourself, because I’m going to be digging into this indisputably better flavour combination.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup arborio rice
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup whipping cream
• ½ orange, zested
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 egg yolk

Directions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the rice and toast for about 1 minute. Add the milk, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the salt, and bring to a light boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the whipping cream, orange zest, cinnamon, vanilla, and egg yolk. Once the rice is tender, add about ½ cup of the hot rice mixture to the cream mixture and whisk to combine. Whisk in another ½ cup to temper the cream, then pour the mixture into the pot.
3. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice pudding is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
4. Divide the rice pudding among four shallow heatproof ramekins or bowls and scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly overtop of all. Using a kitchen torch, torch the sugary surface until melted and golden brown. Alternatively, you can broil the puddings on high in the top third of your oven for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar is golden brown.
5. Serve immediately.

Note: Like with any brûléed dessert, the sugary top will lose its crunch and texture pretty quickly, but that’s OK. You’ll still get the smoky caramel flavour in every bite.