Characteristic: vegan

--adapted from Clean Food by Terry Walters   This soup has somewhat of an unusual combination of flavors. It’s full and complex and packed with nutrients. And it’s a beautiful combination of colors. I originally made this soup with white beans but pintos beans are good too.... Read more »

Quick, fragrant and nicely cooled by the yogurt on a hot summer evening. Make as much or as little as you want as it's easily scalable. ... Read more »

--adapted from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook  by Judy Rodgers   These are very similar to the bread and butter (cucumber) pickles my mother has made for decades. They’re quick to make, wonderful with burgers or anywhere else that calls for a little zip. They are nicely balanced, sweet and savory.... Read more »

This is quite similar to the plain summer squash pancake but the addition of corn, cumin and some herbs gives it a different and slightly heftier character. [caption id="attachment_6554" align="alignleft" width="640"] I had a bit of kale to use up so this batch is a bit greener than usual. They were just as delicious. It's a great recipe to use up whatever vegetables you have.[/caption]... Read more »

I am not generally a fan of raw zucchini or any kind of summer squash but I have to say this salad is a keeper. I’ve made it several times and enjoy it more each time. The toasted almonds are key to the success, offering a nice crunchy contrast to the soft vegetables.  ... Read more »

  I took some distinct liberties with this recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks. You can also just roast the vegetables with the spice mix (chermoula) and enjoy those as a side and skip the bulgur salad and yogurt or just make the veggies and top with the yogurt, cilantro and mint. It is a fun take on plain roasted vegetables in any case. And I think it is best with eggplant (what the original recipes uses exclusively), though my six-year-old definitely preferred the potatoes. This dish takes a bit of time but makes a lot.   ... Read more »

--inspired by 101cookbooks.com   This is delicious and quick and makes a great side. It’s perfect with a poached or fried egg or a piece of fish for a light supper.... Read more »

--inspired by Moro: The Cook Book via Smittenkitchen.com   Substitute other greens or mix and match and play with the spices to suit your taste. The toasted ground up bread is the real key here for a bit of body and extra flavor.... Read more »

--inspired by Tender by Nigel Slater   The turmeric gives the finished dish a golden hue and the mustard seeds and ginger add texture and flavor, as does the sweet, mild green garlic, used generously here.... Read more »

Served warm this is a winner of a dish and rich enough to be the main deal when served with a big green salad or some such. You can vary it in many ways--adding herbs, other vegetables, bacon or sausage, etc.   Serves 2-3 as main, 4-5 as side... Read more »

This is delicious served simply with good corn chips or crusty bread or you can serve it with fish tacos or pork dishes of any kind. It’s a nice alternative to the much more ubiquitous dessert recipes for rhubarb. Yields about 4 cups... Read more »

  I originally made with just with radishes but turnips and bok choy and green garlic are all at home here. You can add thinly sliced, quickly broiled beef to this and serve it over rice for a complete meal. It would be lovely with most any grilled fish or tofu . . .. The lemon juice and the mint really add something here, taking it from a fine but uninteresting stir-fry to something a bit more vibrant. Toasted sesame seeds would be a nice addition too.... Read more »

I can eat a whole bunch by myself, cooked this way. You can serve it alongside a piece of fish or hearty salad or just a slice of good bread and cheese.   with scrambled eggs and a warm biscuit -- I have them this way courtesy of my biscuit-making husband. add chopped up, to a  sharp cheddar quesadilla to which I also usually add pickled red onions and a few cayenne flakes. toss with a little olive oil and roast at 450 degrees until crisping and browning. Sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy. Top a pizza with blanched raab alongside some spicy pork sausage and a good slick of olive oil and a cheese of your choice—Parmesan to feta to ricotta salata to goat cheese. ... Read more »

There are many dishes with some kind of bean and some kind of green on this site. This combination of the rich, creamy beans with the sometimes spicy or slightly bitter greens is one of my favorite flavor pairings. The thinly sliced onions soaked in red wine vinegar adds another dimension to this dead simple dish. As per usual you can adapt the quantities and ratio to suit your tastes or your pantry/fridge.  ... Read more »

Beans, greens and garlic (and possibly pork) is a heavenly combination. You can use home-cooked or canned beans. I typically have beans cooked with this method on hand or in the freezer, however, sometimes I use the slow, oven method that requires no soaking just about 1 1/2-2 hours, unattended in the oven in a covered pot. It works beautifully so if you have the time by all means try this method.  ... Read more »

These potatoes are delicious as well as fun to make and if you have a child who wants to gently wield a meat pounder or a heavy pan to do the smashing, even better.... Read more »

--adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi   This has a long ingredient list and takes a little more time than some recipes here but it’s definitely worth it. I can’t make this very often because I just can’t stop myself from eating too much of it. And if you can’t make the green curry paste you can use a premade one—I especially like the Thai and True brand.   I've made this a time or two when I didn't have enough rice noodles so ended up cooking some potatoes, to which I added the broccoli and finished cooking them together. The combination works just fine.   Serves 4... Read more »

  I love to grate peeled, raw beets and then marinate them in a dressing of minced and mashed garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. All they need is a 15-minute soak, but longer is fine too. Then you can toss them into any green salad, add a bit of crumbled feta and maybe a few handfuls of toasted, coarse breadcrumbs or nuts and you have a lovely salad. Or make the salad below with faro (or barley or most any other grain), celery and herbs. You can also mix the grated marinated beets into Greek yogurt for a sort of (very pink) beat tzatziki and serve that with lamb burgers or dolloped on plain, cooked chickpeas or chickpea burgers.   You can serve it as a punchy garnish for richer dishes and you can use it as a sandwich filling with a generous layer of fresh goat cheese or cream cheese.... Read more »

 This is hardly a recipe, just a quick technique and the broccoli is like candy this way. Cut the broccoli, stems and leaves and all, into about 2-inch lengths. Sometimes you need to peel off some of the stems if they seem tough--usually you don't but taste it raw and if the stems seem a bit tough and fibrous peel off the outer layer.   Toss with olive oil and sea salt. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 425 - 450 degrees, stirring once or twice until almost charred, about 10-15 minutes. Check often so you don’t burn them. ... Read more »

This is a variation on the classic Orecchiette with rapini and chili flakes. It’s quick and delicious. You can use fusilli or penne or other pasta shapes instead of the orecchiette. You can omit the Parmesan for a vegan version.  ... Read more »