Characteristic: vegan

As is so often the case, constraints are the mother of creativity. I had a bunch of chard stems and two wilting stems of celtuce. Quickly sautéed and finished with chili oil and lime juice they turned into a delicious and gorgeous side dish.... Read more »

Any leafy green can be quickly sautéed/braised and dressed with the ever-more-popular spicy chili crisp condiment.... Read more »

A note on tempeh: it's known to have a bitter flavor and boiling has been found to reduce that. Simply add a couple inches of water to the skillet you will cook the tempeh in and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Add the block of tempeh and cook for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the tempeh and pat dry before cooking as desired. You certainly don't have to do this, but if you've found the taste of tempeh off-putting before, try this and see if you notice a difference.   Serves 2-3  ... Read more »

Salads are superb templates. Sometimes all you need is a few greens lightly dressed. But sometimes a slightly more substantial green salad with crunch, a little sweetness, and maybe a little spice is in order.  In the winter you might make this heartier one.   You will need to taste and adjust your version to balance the tart and sweet and crunch as ingredients vary widely. Add a pinch of sugar if your dried fruit is quite tart.... Read more »

This is just a template to assemble a delicious bowl of food. The sauce makes everything taste good. You can use either yogurt or tahini in this sauce or a combination of both. I love all versions! Cook a pot of grains and then let people customize their bowls to suit their taste.  ... Read more »

-Adapted from Dinner Illustrated   Variations Add additional protein like leftover roasted chicken, steak, tofu, or tempeh Substitute another hearty green like kale for the chard Use a different grain such as farro, rice, millet, etc.   Serves 3-4  ... Read more »

  This recipe is a template, so feel free to add in different vegetables or adjust amounts. Some veggies work better than others:   Vegetables to add Mushrooms Leeks Shallots Scallions Tomatoes Celery root Bell peppers   Vegetables to avoid Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy (can be bitter) Starchy vegetables like potatoes or squash (can make broth cloudy or gummy) Vegetables with overpowering flavors like beets or turnips  ... Read more »

This delicious dish is ubiquitous in northern India. I always toss in various vegetables along with the chickpeas. This inauthentic version includes potatoes, kohlrabi and greens but you can add most any vegetable or combination you like.   The ingredient list looks long but if you have the spices on hand it's really quite quick to make. It's one of those dishes that in 35 minutes can taste like it's been simmering for hours. If you have time to toast and grind whole cumin and coriander it will be extra fragrant.... Read more »

I don't have a lot of experience cooking tempeh and have had some failures--too salty, too dry and just a little off tasting--but I particularly liked this dish. It's quick and adaptable and leftovers are tasty. You can reheat for breakfast or lunch with an egg.   You can serve this with rice but since it's not very saucy and quite rich by itself it's good as is or with a simple cucumber salad on the side.... Read more »

Adding fresh berries, strawberries in this case, to a green salad adds sweetness and acidity. Just a handful of ingredients come together into a light, spring salad.... Read more »

I love combining cooked and raw elements in salads and here the warm, crispy mushrooms are a lovely counterpoint to the bright crunchy slaw.   You can use carrots, kohlrabi, celery, bok choi stems, black Spanish radish or even cabbage in any combination you'd like, however, radishes are too strong on their own so be sure to mix with something sweeter like kolrabi or carrots.... 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 »

Fresh berries, rhubarb or stone fruit, in most any combination, shine in these simple, not too sweet bars. The above is straight strawberry. My favorite might be apricot and sour cherry but actually every time I make them I say that batch is my favorite. ... 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 »

My mother added raw asparagus to salads every spring when I was growing up. You can take it a step farther and make the asparagus not just an add-on but the main show. If you just have a few spears, add them to most any salad, thinly sliced. Lemon and mint are lovely complements in any case.   Thicker spears work much better in this salad (incidentally I prefer thicker ones for any preparation) than the skinny ones. ... Read more »

Cook a pot of whole grains--barley, farro, spelt, frikeh, rye--and dress it up for any meal of the day throughout the week. The above version uses whole frikeh (parched green wheat from an Oregon Farm) but use whatever robust grain you have.   This springy version with mint, asparagus, lemon and toasted walnuts is particularly wonderful!... Read more »

Many of my favorite dishes are created when I'm pressed for time. Creativity--what I sometimes call the Why Not? principle--thrives in these instances. Substitute whatever bits of vegetables you need to use up.   The sauce I used here is my Makhani Curry sauce recipe which makes more than you need for one meal so I often have some in the freezer. It was spectacular on the rice. You could alternatively use any leftover dal thinned out a bit or curry or the simplest tomato sauce or a ragout of some kind. Or use a bottled curry sauce.   The pilaf method of cooking the rice--toasting rice with aromatics, then adding liquid--works particularly well here. And lots of toasty nuts are key!  ... Read more »

Simply, peeled, diced and tossed with ground red pepper, salt and olive oil, rutabagas are delicious. This knobby root vegetable can be a little sulfuric and strong but, cut small and roasted until tender and a bit crisp is a great way to enjoy it. You can substitute or mix in turnips too.... Read more »

I have a number of green sauces here as well as a classic Italian salsa verde. This is a template for whatever bits of greenery you need using up. It turns sad, partial bunches of greens into something rather vibrant and versatile, extending the life of the greens. In addition to the greens below, you can use sorrel, cilantro, a little arugula (a lot makes it a bit too strong), nettles (blanched), garlic scapes, tender turnip greens, a little bit of green onion tops, and mint. [caption id="attachment_18208" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Left to right: green garlic, mizuna (stems mostly), tarragon, dill, parsley, radish tops.[/caption]   Make however much or little you want. You'll need to taste and adjust ratios as you go. The whole point of this is to make it work for what you have so don't sweat the details. It should have a little garlicky punch and enough acidity to brighten but not overpower. Different greens and in different combinations will result in different tastes.   Use it: On toasted bread with chèvre and beets (pictured above) or other cheese with cooked or raw veg On any kind of sandwich Stirred into scrambled eggs or topping hard-boiled, poached or fried eggs With grilled meat or fish With roast chicken With a little mayo or Greek yogurt for chicken or egg salad On rice or other cooked grains or beans ... Read more »

These are beautiful, delicious and very quick to make. Here's a similar but plainer, version.   You will end up with a few beautiful steaks that hold together and lots of smaller bits--they'll taste just as good. I suggest adding a little water to the pan when cooking the second side to make sure the cauliflower is tender and crisp but not burned. You can omit the water and watch the heat carefully but the water speeds things up a bit.... Read more »