Photo by Scott Suchman and food styling by Carolyn Robb for The Washington Post Here, summer vegetables, fresh herbs and plump shrimp are stuffed into sheer rice-paper wrappers to form beautiful, healthful summer rolls. The dipping sauce provides an...
Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post In this refreshing and satisfying salad, crisp, green snow peas are cut on the diagonal into diamond-shaped shards, and chilled shrimp are halved to form thin semicircles that nestle seamlessly into the...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post In this satisfying, main-course salad, pasta shells are tossed with salmon, celery and onion in a creamy, dill-flecked dressing. A combination of yogurt and mayonnaise gives the...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This custardy gluten-free dessert made with almond flour and topped with sliced almonds is fragrant with cardamom and brims with blueberries. Lightly sweetened with honey,...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post This recipe turns traditional Greek lemon potatoes — with their bright tanginess, creamy insides and browned outsides — into a complete, healthful vegetarian meal...
These blueberry bars bring the delight of a classic jam-filled, crumble fruit bar but in a more healthful way. Sweetened with whole fruit and a small amount of maple syrup, the result delivers a granola bar vibe. The bars’ nutty base has a lovely chew from...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This dish defies healthful grilled chicken’s boring reputation with bold flavor and color from a pesto-like marinade made with an Indian tandoori-style blend of spices whirred with...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post Here, a slab of feta cheese is freckled with pepper, baked until it is warm and soft — almost custard like — then sprinkled with tender herbs. Served right in its baking dish...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This dish of fresh strawberries with a cannoli filling-like dip is an everyday, easy treat that can make an ordinary weekday feel as special as Sunday brunch. The dip is made by...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post With a bright punch of lemon and lovely texture from poppy seeds, these pancakes feel celebratory. And since they’re made with whole grain and almond flours, yogurt, healthy oil and...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post This is a mash-up of two traditional Mediterranean salads. It gets its primary flavors from a Greek salad, with feta, scallion, dried oregano and plenty of cucumber and tomato in a lemon-olive oil dressing....
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post This quiche recipe dishes up all the craveable quiche goodness you could want in a more healthful way, thanks to its lightened-up filling, with low-fat milk made creamy and...
Photo by Laura Chase de Formigny and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post This take on the classic chicken-and-biscuits dinner captures the dish’s crave-able essence in a more healthful, fuss-free way. The biscuits, fluffy and tender inside...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This recipe is as close as you can get to capturing spring in a skillet. It features flaky, white fish nestled into a saute of brilliantly colorful seasonal vegetables, all in a...
When I learned that getting 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast can help us build and maintain muscle as we age, I realized that my usual breakfast wasn’t cutting it. At first I struggled to find high protein options I felt like eating in the morning, but I...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post Bite-size chunks of firm, white fish are browned in a skillet, then slathered in Buffalo sauce — a mixture of cayenne pepper sauce (ideally Frank’s RedHot) tempered with a little...
Photo by Deb Lindsey and food styling by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post This wholesome pancake mix combines whole-wheat pastry flour, almond meal/flour and hemp hearts or wheat germ for protein-rich pancakes that come out tender and light, with a...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post These tender muffins, redolent with cranberries and warmly fragrant orange zest and cinnamon, are a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce from a holiday meal. Made with whole...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This savory-sweet, jewel-toned spread, made with vegetables roasted until they are tender and caramelized, then pulsed in a food processor with a brightening splash of vinegar and...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post These no-bake pumpkin cheesecake bars have a rich-tasting, creamy filling that’s woven with warmly spiced pumpkin puree and set on a tender graham cracker crumb crust. And, with a...
Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post Some of my earliest and fondest kitchen memories are of making pudding with my grandma. I remember standing on the step stool at her stove, stirring — and stirring — the pot of warm, cocoa-y milk until at last it...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This sumptuous, produce-packed dish is based on the traditional Afghan borani banjan, in which the eggplant is typically fried. But grilling the vegetable works beautifully, bringing...
Photo by Laura Chase de Formigny and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post Here, gochugaru, Korean red chile flakes, imbues this one-skillet chicken and vegetable supper with its deep, savory flavor, gentle heat and a hint of smokiness. If you...
Photo by Laura Chase de Formigny and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post Here, whole baked sweet potatoes are split open, then piled with chili-seasoned black beans, cooling dollops of mashed avocado and yogurt, and a shower of crunchy...
Photo by Deb Lindsey and food styling by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post This Turkey and Sweet Potato Skillet Pie dish is like an autumnal version of shepherd’s pie that is as tasty as it is healthful. It is baked until browned and bubbling in the...
Photo by Laura Chase de Formigny; styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post This lip-smacking snack is a riff on the classic cereal party mix, with the same savory flavor, but made more healthful and satisfying, with olive oil, whole grain ingredients,...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This salad is a quadruple-threat of refreshment with each of its four main elements — watermelon, cucumber, ginger and mint — offering a burst of lively, quenching flavor. It pairs...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and Food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post If you love the pucker-y flavor of salt-and-vinegar potato chips, this salad is for you. In it, satisfying skin-on spuds are doused with vinegar and sprinkled with salt while they...
Photo by Randi Baird, Food Styling by Suzanne Lenzer and Prop Styling by Maeve Sheridan Since my very first swoon-worthy bite of spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) at a church festival in Queens, New York as a child, I have had a thing for Greek food. From my...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This salad centers on red winter produce, with radicchio bringing a peppery crispness, red grapefruit adding its signature bite mellowed by juicy sweetness, and red onion offering an...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This dish of mustard-glazed salmon served over a vibrant saute of lentils with fresh vegetables, lemon and thyme brims with color, flavor and nutrition. While beluga (a.k.a. black)...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post A couple of tablespoons of miso catapult this simple winter vegetable soup to one that is truly special, with a layered, deep savory taste that plays off the earthiness and sweetness...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post In these two-bite stuffed mushrooms, a luxurious garlic-and-herbed spinach filling is mounded into mushroom caps and sprinkled with Parmesan. They are then baked until the mushrooms...
This is my go-to side dish all summer long when fresh-picked corn, ripe tomatoes, zucchini and basil are bountiful at the farmers market. This vegetable sauté is a savory, sweet, floral, and full of the fresh flavors and brilliant colors of the season. I...
To achieve its quintessential smoky flavor for this creamy eggplant dip, you start by cooking a whole, uncut eggplant directly on the grates of a gas stove top, or on a grill, until it is charred all around, a technique that might seem slightly radical but it’s...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post These cottage cheese pancakes are lightly crisped outside and tender inside, with noticeable nubs of cottage cheese curds and bits of fresh fruit throughout and on top. Held...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This rainbow vegetable sandwich dishes up layers of colorful vegetables and a creamy, yellow curried tofu salad piled between slices of hearty whole-grain bread. Feel free to build...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewsky, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White Ricotta cheese fits equally well in the world of sweet as it does in savory. In this recipe you just whip it up with a little honey to get the most magnificent,...
I make these Easy Chicken Tacos when I am really pressed for time or feel too lazy to cook. (Yes, that happens to me too!) It is such an incredibly easy dinner, that’s also fun, healthy and totally delicious. No wonder it has become a family favorite! Part of...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post This recipe is something of a smash up of an avocado toast and a California roll—with wasabi-spiked avocado spread onto crunchy rice cakes, topped with crab and then showered with a...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico for The Washington Post These egg salad wraps—made with a simple mustard-seasoned egg salad, with cucumber, scallion and sprouts wrapped in sushi nori— make for a tasty and healthful breakfast or...
This recipes is excerpted and adapted from Good & Sweet: A New Way to Bake with Naturally Sweet Ingredients, by Brian Levy, 2022, Avery These chewy treats, based on the Bravanese laddu (a Somali confection) are really my kind of sweet snack. They remind me...
Photo by Quentin Bacon This fresh-ingredient version of this green bean casserole holiday classic is easy to make and the taste payoff is big—the snap of steamed beans, lots of meaty mushrooms, fresh garlic and thyme, and real Parmesan—all topped...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post Everything about jalapeño poppers is fun. It’s no wonder they’re a bar food staple. They require minimal commitment — each is just a bite or two with no cutlery necessary. As the name suggests, you...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post Apples cut into rings, then topped with peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter) make a canvas for an array of toppings, such as coconut, granola, dried fruit, crushed cereal or...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post One of my parenting strategies: turn the tables and find recipes your kids can make for you. My daughter has been blending up this 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie for me...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistco for The Washington Post These charming gem lettuce boats are piled neatly with a creamy, yogurt-based, lemon and feta dressing, and topped with chopped spring vegetables. They are like a modern reboot of an...
Photo: Quentin Bacon This fennel salad is the product of a serendipitous discovery my daughter Bella made one day in the kitchen, a kind of you-got-your-peanut-butter-in-my-chocolate moment. I was slicing fresh fennel for a salad while she was snacking on a...
Photo: Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post Phyllo dough brushed with healthful olive oil and sprinkled with a little coarse sugar make these golden, flaky turnovers a lighter, better-for-you alternative to puff pastry or other pie doughs. Here, they are...
Photo: Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This refreshing frozen treat is creamy yet light, with the pure, subtle taste of almonds gently sweetened with honey. It’s as close as I can get to conjuring the dreamy granita experience I had in...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post Don’t toss those carrot tops! They are as tasty and nutritious as other greens and can be used in the same way — to garnish dishes, sprinkle in salads or for sautes and sauces. Here, they are the base of a lovely,...
Photo: Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This shrimp cocktail recipe riffs on the traditional citrus-marinated seafood dish with a crunch of cucumber, and sweet, juicy green grapes tossed with the usual cilantro, onion, and jalapeño flavor trio. Also, using...
Photo: Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post This colorful, whole grain, picnic pasta salad, chock-full of vegetables and fresh mozzarella cheese in an herb-garlic vinaigrette dressing, earns its name because of the way it holds up in a cooler pack...
This poppy seed dressing has a lovely sweet-tart balance, but with considerably less sweetener than is typically used, and here instead of sugar it’s less-refined honey. It is made easily in the blender and brings a sunny punch of flavor to summer salads....
Photo: Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post If you have never grilled clams before you will likely be amazed and delighted at how easy it is to do. You simply put the cleaned clams on the grill (or a grill pan) and cook them until they open into a wide yawn, 7...
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post Made with chopped fresh salmon seasoned with lemon, dill and mustard, these salmon burgers have a Greek flavor accent which is punctuated with an accompanying tzatziki sauce (an herb-flecked cucumber-yogurt sauce)....
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan One trick for preparing tofu deliciously is pressing it to get rid of all the water so that its texture is more meaty than mushy, and it can absorb all the wonderful...
Photo: Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post This dessert takes strawberries and whipped cream to another level by piling them into parfaits with a crumble of Amaretto cookies. The berries are simply tossed with a little lemon juice and honey and allowed to sit...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post These scrumptious, no-cook mango dessert cups are a simple blend of mango and light coconut milk, bound together ever so softly with gelatin, so they set in the refrigerator to be quite pudding-like. If your mango...
Photo: Marvin Joseph for The Washington Post This is a Story about Mother’s & Daughters & Breaking Tradition, with a Passover Brisket Recipe One would think attending the first Passover dinner hosted by your daughter would be a mother’s pure joy, but my...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This healthful, one-pan meal is brimming with tender green vegetables and chunks of fresh salmon, all cooked along with the orzo pasta they are nestled in. The dish is lemony and herbaceous and is dreamy with a briny...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This soup is spring made slurp-able. Rich with early-harvest vegetables — leeks, peas, new potatoes, spinach and herbs — it is simply seasoned so their delicate flavors come through clearly. In this...
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post This recipe has the homey appeal of the rice pudding you are familiar with but in a delightfully different and more healthful way, thanks to the use of whole-grain, high-fiber black rice, honey and chia seed. Make...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post Here, bone-in chicken breast and wedges of fresh pears are slathered with a sweet-savory miso mixture that’s brightened with fresh ginger. Fresh scallions top this Miso-Ginger...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post I suppose this yogurt panna cotta is technically a latte cotta, since it’s made with whole milk rather than cream, a swap which makes it lighter in texture and more healthful than a traditional recipe — without...
Photo by Scott Suchmanand food styling by Marie Ostroskyfor The Washington Post Bright with lime, fragrant with thyme, and spicy with Scotch bonnet pepper, this colorful, healthful seafood stew, which comes together fast enough to make it weeknight-friendly, is...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post Yes, a salad can be both simple and unforgettably delicious. Here’s your proof: an eye-catching mix of shredded kale, radicchio, fennel and parsley tossed with a boldly tasty,...
This recipe is courtesy of Ali Rosen from her book Modern Freezer Meals: Simple Recipes to Cook Now and Freeze for Later There is a lot of unnecessary bemoaning of frozen fish, but there are plenty of fish that freeze perfectly well (and most grocery store fish was...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This meatloaf gives you the hearty, moist and meaty meal you crave in a better-for-you way thanks to three easy tweaks and add-ins. Quick-cooking oats are used here because of their finer texture. Not only does it make for...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Bonnie S. Benwick; for The Washington Post These chicken potpies contain heaps of vegetables and have a fuss-free, no-roll, flaky crumble crust made with whole-grain flour and olive oil, so they are not only sumptuously...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post This version of caldo verde, the traditional Portuguese soup, uses mushrooms coated in smoked paprika for meaty flavor, instead of the typical smoked sausage. Caldo Verde with Mushrooms Ingredients...
Photo by Laura Chase de Formigny for The Washington Post These swoon-worthy mocha truffles not only offer pure pleasure, they do so in a better-for-you way, without much added sugar at all. At their center is a finely ground blend of buttery, toasted pecans,...
Photo by Deb Lindsey and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post This chickpea stew of fragrant, spice-infused tomato sauce, tender bites of chicken thigh and meaty chickpeas, and ribbons of just-wilted spinach tastes like a complicated,...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post This soup, a golden puree of carrots with curry spices (onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper) and coconut milk, is a supremely comforting and satisfying way to get your vegetables when it is...
What could be more comforting than dipping bread into a bubbling hot dish of savory marinara sauce laden with melted cheese aka Cheesy Pizza Dip? For me, those warm-fuzzies are enhanced knowing it is good for you too. Cheesy Pizza Dip Ingredients 2 cups...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post This spin on baked ziti captures all the comforting appeal of the classic in a better-for-you way. This three cheese pasta dish is made with whole grain pasta (although regular...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post For these pita pizzas, chickpeas are mashed with olive oil and lemon juice just enough to come together, then seasoned with a generous amount of za’atar and piled onto pita bread...
Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post In this weeknight-easy chicken skillet dinner, saucy creamed spinach is served topped with chicken, promoting it from the occasional steakhouse side dish to the star of the plate. Milk, rather than cream, makes the...
Photo by Scott Suchman and food styling by Carolyn Robb; for The Washington Post A mix of cooked and raw ingredients in this colorful roasted cauliflower salad play off one another deliciously. Caramelized roasted cauliflower offers a tender, earthy...
Photo by Scott Suchman and food styling by Marie Ostrosky; for The Washington Post This chicken vegetable soup is the very essence of healing goodness: comforting, belly-warming and full of flavor. The broth gets its golden hue from turmeric, and layers of...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This supremely satisfying Lasagna Soup embodies all the flavors and textures of the crowd-pleasing pasta bake in slurp-able form. Its tomato-y broth wafts with garlic, oregano and basil. Italian-style poultry...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Bonnie S Benwick; for The Washington Post This Cod Stew with Fennel, Olives and Orange is a big, nourishing bowl of comfort food that’s easy to make, yet has an unmistakable elegance, making it as wonderful for everyday...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This nourishing split pea soup is as cozy and comforting as the softest flannel PJs. Leek and dill lend it a delightfully different, aromatic flavor, but you could substitute onion and/or parsley or thyme, if need...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post This sunny, slaw-like salad of thinly sliced Brussels sprouts and riced cauliflower is brightened with juicy orange segments and tossed in a lightly creamy buttermilk-poppy-seed...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Marie Ostrosky for The Washington Post Brimming with cannoli-style ricotta cream and fresh raspberries, garnished with mint and showered with confectioner’s sugar, these elegant chocolate cups are a sumptuous and...
Photo by Quentin Bacon It’s like magic the way a few simple ingredients can turn a basic pantry staple- creamy peanut butter- into this fabulous, melt-in-your-mouth, sweet-salty cookie. Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients Cooking spray ¾ cup...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Gina Nistico; for The Washington Post This cookie, chock-full of chewy oats and melty chocolate, satisfies a sweet tooth in a better-for-you way. It’s made with whole grains and less sugar for longer-lasting energy, and...
Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post These scrumptious cookies — a take on the Greek cookie, Kolourakia Lathiou — are made with olive oil instead of butter, which not only makes them better for you, but it also gives them a delightfully...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post These biscotti have all the appeal of the traditional twice-baked treat: a satisfying crunch that holds up to an enthusiastic dip into cappuccino (or whatever your brew is) and just the right level of sweetness....
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This fun, nutritionally balanced sheet-pan dinner for four has plump shrimp and cannellini beans mingling in a savory, garlic-laced tomato sauce that’s piled onto toasted bread then showered with fresh basil. It can...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Bonnie S Benwick; for The Washington Post These Spanish-style mini- turkey meatballs in a smoky, tangy tomato sauce are toothpick friendly so they make for a perfect party food, and they are also a satisfying meal...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Marie Ostrosky; for The Washington Post Here, plump dried figs are halved, then molded a bit to form bite-size cups, each filled with a dollop of soft goat cheese and a jewel-like pistachio. The filled figs then get a...
In the winter, canned tomatoes make the absolute best Caprese (tomato and mozzarella) salads because they are picked at the peak of ripeness and their summer flavor is locked in. When you slow roast those canned tomatoes you concentrate their flavor even more as they...
Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post This Mushroom and Swiss Chard Strata With Gruyere dishes up all the ease and splendor of a typical overnight breakfast bake, but in a more healthful way. Made with...
Photo by Tom McCorkle for The Washington Post This nourishing meal-in-a-bowl of hearty white beans simmered with herbs, studded with ham and flecked with kale leaves is the very definition of healthful comfort food. If you happen to have a leftover ham bone with some...
Photo by Deb Lindsey and food styling by Bonnie S. Benwick for The Washington Post If you have leftover roasted vegetables, this frittata is meant to make the most of them. It comes out puffed and golden, not feeling the least bit recycled, but rather like a...
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post Using olive oil instead of the typical butter in this pumpkin bread gives it a rich depth of flavor as well as the health benefits of the good-for-you fat. With that, and the addition of whole-grain flour and honey instead...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post This souffle like pumpkin spoon bread is resplendent with autumnal color and flavor, proving how pumpkin puree can bring so much more to the table than pie. Both elegant and...
Photo by Justin Tsucalas and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post These delightful, single-serve treats bring the essence of both sweet potato and pecan pies together in pudding-cup form, with creamy, cinnamon-scented, whipped sweet potato...
Photo by Tom McCorkle and food styling by Lisa Cherkasky; for The Washington Post This golden, sheet pan turkey breast is stuffed with what is essentially the ingredients for a gussied-up cranberry sauce. It’s accompanied by sweet potatoes, green beans and...
