Characteristic: vegan

I try to have cooked beans and chickpeas in the freezer at all times. I cook a good amount, 1 1/2-2 lbs, at a time and then refrigerate and/or freeze portions for future meals. It's just like having canned beans in the pantry but I've gotten so hooked on the flavor and texture of home-cooked ones that I've got a good routine in place that takes little effort.   This bright, hearty salad can be adapted to suit your tastes and pantry.... Read more »

This is a simple preparation that is nice and bright and welcome in the wintry months. ... Read more »

I adapted this dish from the always creative Yotam Ottolenghi and Sam Tamimi from the book Jerusalem. It can be a one-dish meal as is or enjoyed with a fried or poached egg on top.   I rarely deep fry anything but it's totally worth using 3/4 cup oil (which you can reuse) to fry the onions for this dish. They are sweet, crispy and luxurious.  ... Read more »

The grated raw beets, marinated briefly in lemon juice, garlic, salt and oil add so much flavor here and you can adapt the rest of the ingredients to suit your pantry and/or taste. Use any cooked grain you'd like. I imagine barley, freekeh, wheat or rye berries all being delicious. Quinoa would work just as well. If you don't have celery, finely dice carrots or radishes or something else crunchy and most any leafy herb would work. Mint would be fantastic as would basil or dill.... Read more »

I love the crunch of watermelon, Black Spanish or daikon radishes in winter salads. They're refreshing and imposing and stand up to lots of different ingredients.   Adapt this to suit your tastes and what you have on hand just be sure to chop everything fairly small so all the ingredients integrate well.... Read more »

--inspired by Epicurious   This is a quick, fresh and tasty winter time pickle. It is quite pungent when you open the jar but the flavor is sweet and mellow so just open a window!   Serve it as a condiment with rice or stir fried meats or fish, eggs, or anything rich that needs a cool, fresh complement.... Read more »

This is a quick, delicious curry and can be adapted in many ways. Add a can of coconut milk for a richer and larger dish and serve it over rice. Use spinach or chard instead of mustard greens. Add ginger or pump up the heat with more chilies. ... Read more »

This is a stunning and stunningly simple salad. I cribbed the idea for it from John Taboada of restaurants Navarre and Luce. ... Read more »

Quick and fun to make, look at and eat.  ... Read more »

I like the texture and feel of finely chopped vegetable salads. It's almost a cross between a salad and a garnish or salsa but I eat lots of eat, not garnish-sized portions. As always, substitute vegetables and herbs as needed. Keep it crunchy though. ... Read more »

  This is a warming, flavorful one-dish dinner. You could substitute green cabbage for the cauliflower or add some diced potatoes or sweet potatoes for heft. Use a vegan alternative to the yogurt topping, if you'd like.   If you have already cooked rice this comes together quite quickly.... Read more »

  This dish was on the menu of the first cooking class I ever taught. It relies on fresh kale, stale bread and plenty of good olive oil. ... Read more »

The creamy, sweet beans balance the assertive radicchio. All you need is good olive oil, vinegar and salt.   In this version I used cassoulet (Tarbais) beans but you could use cannelini, navy or even corona beans or chickpeas for a slightly different but equally delicious result. And by all means add sage, rosemary or parsley or chopped salami or anything else you think would be complementary.  ... Read more »

  This is similar to one of my favorite standby curries, one with red lentils and usually a butternut or sweat meat kind of squash. This one, with delicata, comes together quickly if you have already cooked (or canned) chickpeas. The lemongrass in the dish was inspired by the inimitable Nigel Slater. This makes a lot and keeps/reheats well. By all means halve the recipe if you’d like. And use a different kind of winter squash if you don't have delicata.  ... Read more »

This is a simple and hearty salad that holds up well for a few days though the seeds lose some of their crunch.   I tend to have cooked grains in the freezer and sometimes roast lots of vegetables at once to have on hand for various dishes throughout the week which makes a dish like this come together in very little time. And I do my best to have a jar of this classic vinaigrette on hand as well.  ... Read more »

While acorn squash can be hard to cut raw, getting it into wedges or some kind of chunks is doable and makes for a wonderful dish, when roasted and tossed with an herby dressing. This preparation would be delicious with most any kind of winter squash so substitute as you see fit. The acorn squash used in the photos was a variety with light skin, but most acorn squash has a darker green skin.  ... Read more »

This is so simple and so, so good. I've converted many a cabbage skeptic with this preparation. You can even skip the vinaigrette and/or Parmesan and just drizzle on a little more olive oil and salt. If you have a large head of cabbage this will probably be more than you can eat in one sitting but the roasted cabbage is so good that I would suggest roasting the whole thing and using any leftover wedges in other ways later in the week--chopped up in soup or warmed up with fried potatoes or cooked down a little more and mixed with mashed potatoes. . .  ... Read more »

    Simple, delicious and nutritious! This makes quite a bit but it keeps well for 4 days in the refrigerator and also freezes well.  ... Read more »

I love harissa--the spice paste/sauce common in Tunisia and Morocco and many other countries--made of dried and fresh red peppers and various spices. I decided to try a "green" version using the same key spices (cumin, caraway, coriander) with Anaheim chilies as well as Jalapenos and Serranos and lots of fresh cilantro and mint. The sauce is looser because of the fresh roasted chilies but it's rich and delicious and just as versatile. You can increase the spice level with more Jalapenos and Serranos. This version I'd call medium hot and of course these peppers themselves vary in their heat level so taste as you go. ... Read more »

A quick, fresh salad and don't skimp on the peanuts--they add loads of crunch and flavor. You can certainly use other nuts or seeds if you don't have peanuts.... Read more »