Characteristic: quick

This dish is similar to a number of dishes on this site, however, I think of it as more of a side though you could serve it over rice for a main dish.   Quantities and proportions are very flexible. Use more or less curry paste, use green versus red (red is all I had when I made this), change up the vegetables. Double the recipe and use a whole can of coconut milk to serve 3-4. ... Read more »

These quesadillas are a great lunch or simple dinner option, with a little extra savoriness and nutrition from the mushrooms and shallots. Get creative, these can be a template for all sorts of veggie add-ins.    Variations: Use corn tortillas and make 4 smaller quesadillas Add chopped spinach or other greens to the mushroom mixture  Substitute half an onion for the shallots    Serves 2... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_20560" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This version uses Brussels Sprout tops which are incredibly tender and sweet and can be used like any sturdy leafy green.[/caption]   This is a delicious way to enliven most greens. I think I particularly like it with sturdier greens like collards and kale but mustard greens are good here as is chard and spinach.... Read more »

These spiced chickpeas, when sauteed with greens and topped with a little yogurt if you'd like, are a delicious, quick meal. They are also featured in this one-bowl meal.  ... Read more »

Simple, classic and lovely on a hot-summer day! Fresh mozzarella and ripe tomatoes are a must! Make as much or as little as you'd like. It also makes a great sandwich filling if you have some leftover or want to turn it into a meal.... Read more »

This is a simplified version of this and can be adapted to suit your needs. I often make more peanut/tahini sauce than I need for a specific dish and then use leftover sauce on these quickly sautéed vegetables. This recipe makes a lot of sauce so feel free to halve it if you want. It stores well for 5 days, covered, in the fridge. ... Read more »

Quinoa cooks quickly, has a pleasantly nutty taste and is nutritious. If you're in a rush and have random bits of vegetables on hand, even just a carrot and stalk of celery, you can have this on the table in 25 minutes. Round it out with a fried egg or any protein you'd like and/or a salad. You can easily scale this up and the ratio of quinoa to water is one to one and you can use whatever vegetables and/or meats you'd like so it's more of a set of guidelines than a recipe.... Read more »

Similar to mashing finely chopped herbs into butter to make compound butter, feta can absorb a lot of tender herbs. It's a delicious spread or even dip. If your feta is quite crumbly you can add a little cream cheese, sour cream or even plain yogurt to achieve a creamier texture.   Make however much you want/need. I tend to go heavy on the herbs.... Read more »

Whether they're stewy like the above or drier like the below, beans and toasted bread are delicious, filling, adaptable, quick and inexpensive. There are British versions that are sweeter, more like baked beans; Middle Eastern ones using stale flatbread and broad beans and Italian ones with plenty of garlic and olive oil, to name just a few.  ... Read more »

Quick, spicy and delicious, these noodles are similar to these but don't call for mushrooms or eggs. Any quick cooking green works well but the crunchy bok choi stems are really nice here. If you have the ever-more-popular spicy chili crisp condiment, this is the place to use it! You can use fresh ramen noodles (above & below) or any long, skinny dried noodle. [caption id="attachment_18692" align="aligncenter" width="660"] And a bacon-free version w/ carrots, snap peas & mustard greens.[/caption]... Read more »

This is so delicious and comes together quickly if you have cooked (or canned beans). It's very good with home-cooked beans because you use some of the bean cooking liquid which makes for a flavorful, light stew.  ... Read more »

These are ridiculously good and simple to make. The sauce is plenty for 12 ounces of fresh ramen noodles and stretches fine for 1 lb of spaghetti. If you can get Umi Organic Noodles by all means do.   You can use fresh tomatoes here as well and skip the added water.   This a great dish for green garlic or garlic scapes in the spring time.   --inspired by Bon Appetit  ... Read more »

This dish was born out of haste and what was on hand. I didn't have time to cook rice but had half a head of savoy cabbage which turned into a lovely bed for this ground-beef stir fry.  ... Read more »

This is a go-to method for a quick lunch or dinner. Grate or finely chop whatever veg you have. Top with an egg if you’d like or leftover meat or toasted seeds or enjoy as is.... Read more »

If you go to a winter farmers market or get a winter CSA you might find Brussels Sprout tops. They grow on the top of the stalk of sprouts and are kind of like a giant, loose-leafed Brussels Sprout. They are tender and sweet and taste like a cross between cabbage and Brussels Sprouts to me. They get crisp and chewy and even sweeter with a quick roast. You can use them like any leafy green, blanching or sautéeing them, adding to soup, stews or stir-fries. They are also delicious, quickly roasted.... Read more »

Green cabbage keeps forever, is inexpensive, versatile and so tasty. It's delicious sauteed with nothing but a bit of oil and salt. Add a little garlic or onion if you'd like and/or season with hot pepper or stir in some herbs but it is wonderful just as is, especially if you have a cabbage from a local farm.   Make however much you'd like. It cooks down quite a bit and keeps well and is easily fancy-fied with an egg or some potatoes or sausages.... Read more »

White beans of any kind will be good here just be sure not to overcook them so they keep their shape. The lemon, crisp fennel and creamy beans are a really nice combination.... Read more »

This is so simple and so good. The sweetness of the cabbage is wonderful with the creamy beans and heat from the chili. You can heat it up for breakfast with an egg. You can cook some sausages in the same pan and serve it all with a little mustard.... Read more »

While I have several similar dishes on this site (Sesame Peanut Noodles with Peas and Noodles with Ginger Scallion Sauce, Tofu and Mint for example), this combination really works well AND is a good template--different noodles, different sauce, different veg. To make this sauce I add peanut butter and water to some of the marinade for the tofu. It streamlines things a bit and gives the dish variety without too extra much effort.  ... Read more »

Using up random bits of things (and freeing up fridge space) AND making something delicious with said bits is one of my greatest pleasures. These quick rice patties came about one Saturday when we returned, very hungry, from a soccer game. And this template of a recipe is yet another reason to cook more rice than you think you'll need so that you can make these on the fly a day or two later.   You can make these with nothing but leftover rice, a couple of eggs, and a few herbs or spices but there are so many options! And ratios and quantities are totally up to you and what you're needing to use up. This batch included about 2 tablespoons of leftover Green Sauce (the simplified version w/out egg). Just be sure to add more eggs and/or cheese if you increase the amount of rice so that the patties stick together.... Read more »