Side Dish Recipes
Easy Scalloped Apples
An easy-to-make alternative to applesauce that can be enjoyed as a side dish, over oatmeal, mixed with yogurt, or even as a cheater version of apple crisp. (Just sprinkle with granola!) The inspiration for this recipe goes all the way back to 5th grade and THE BEST after-school playdates. In the dwindling days of summer…
How to Make Sushi Rice
Prided for its plump, sticky grains and its starring role in your favorite sushi rolls, perfectly cooked sushi rice is easy to make at home. For many years, rolling my own sushi held no appeal. Sushi was a great excuse to take a night off from cooking and do our small part to support…
Tomato Tuna Melts
Light on mayo and big on flavor, two of these speedy Tomato Tuna Melts deliver 25 grams of protein with just 10 grams of carbohydrates and 289 calories. Most Mondays since the early ‘90s, my father has eaten a tuna melt. He belongs to a men’s lunch group that meets weekly, and after all…
BLT Pasta Salad with Avocado
In recent weeks, I’ve heard from many readers who offered kind praise for my Mexican Street Corn Salad recipe. Many noted the big flavor punch delivered by the small amount of lime juice that’s added to the mayo. The bright, fresh taste it delivers happens to be my favorite part of the salad, too. In the following…
Grilled Shishito Peppers
Serve these sweet and (almost always!) mild Japanese peppers as a quick, easy, and surprisingly popular appetizer or side dish. Have you ever heard of chili peppers that are mild…most of the time? Such is the case with the shishito pepper, a small, slender sweet pepper that originated in Asia. A year or two…
Slow Roasted Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
With their concentrated savory-sweet flavor, these little bites will transform many a meal, and I’ve included a list of ways we enjoy them. A great way to make use of a bounty of cherry and grape tomatoes, the roasted tomatoes can even be frozen for later use. If you told me that someone secretly…
Zucchini Noodles in Rustic Tomato Sauce
This easy, one-pan meal is plant-based but will satisfy meat eaters too. Use prepared zucchini noodles or spiralize them yourself, and feel free to enjoy the simple sauce with regular pasta as well. Kitchen cabinets are like closets. One never seems to have enough of them. Since space is at a premium, I…
Greek Pasta Salad
Bursting with flavor and easy to transform into a complete meal, this versatile pasta salad is equally perfect for busy weeknights and casual entertaining. When I was pondering what to say about this light-but-satisfying, Mediterranean-style salad, four simple words came to mind: low effort, high reward. It’s a bowlful of flavor that everyone seems…
Cheater Macaroni and Cheese
This shortcut recipe is ideal when you’d prefer not to clean messy pots and pans. You don’t even have to precook the noodles! Settling on a Father’s Day recipe was particularly challenging this year. As is often the case, my inability to decide what to share in this space was more a case…
Chicken & Broccoli Slaw with Speedy Thai Peanut Sauce
This veggie-packed, protein-rich meal is quick, easy, and delicious. Perfect for busy weeknights and a great way to stretch some leftover chicken into a new meal. Summer cooking begs to be carefree and easy. Who wants to be holed up in the kitchen when the sun is shining and outdoor activities abound? Since you…
Abby’s Watermelon Salad
A little sweet, a little salty… this quick-to-assemble salad is perfect on a summer night paired with something off the grill. Though we only attended the same school for one year and weren’t even in the same grade, my friend Abby and I have a unique history and never fail to relive old memories…
Black Bean Dip (or Salsa or Salad)
Enjoy this easy, endlessly versatile recipe as a dip with chips, a salsa for fish or chicken, a super-simple salad, or the foundation of a healthy, plant-based meal. Perfect for a potluck and can be prepared up to a day in advance! Amidst all my experimenting with new recipes, this simple…
