Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post Farro, an ancient grain, is the heart of this salad, where its nutty toothsomeness is matched with a bold combo of crunchy walnuts, salty feta cheese, aromatic fresh herbs and hearty greens. This Herbed Farro Salad...
Ingredients 1/4 cup chopped, vacuum-packed sun-dried tomatoes 6 large eggs, plus 6 large egg whites 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 small onion, sliced thinly into half-moons 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 cup frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, rinsed and chopped 3/4...
Ingredients Generous pinch saffron threads Hot water 1/2 large head cauliflower (net weight about 1 pound) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon cumin seed 1/4 teaspoon salt Directions Crumble the saffron threads into a small, stainproof bowl. Add a tablespoon of hot...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan. Sweet-salty-crunchy Cracker Jack synergy is the flavor inspiration for these popcorn- peanut balls, which are held together with a scrumptiously sticky mix of peanut...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan The dressing in this grilled napa cabbage dish is my version of the one that adorns crisp green salads in Japanese restaurants — it is enticingly fresh in...
Photo by Christopher Hirscheimer Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their flavor and gives them an almost melted quality. When you toss them with the roasted garlic, lemon, white beans, and basil, you wind up with a wonderfully flavored dish you barely had to...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, prop styling by Maeve Sheridan Here the classic Italian “tre-colore” salad of arugula, endive and radicchio with plump tomatoes in a balsamic dressing, is piled onto individual crispy-crusted pizzas...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan This divinely creamy artichoke soup has a familiar, comforting quality to it, but its extraordinary flavor truly sets it apart. The combination of artichoke hearts, a...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer and prop styling by Meave Sheridan This dish is perfect for any weekday, but it really does the trick on a Monday night to help reset after a weekend of partying. It is fresh and light, with colorful...
Photo by Quentin Bacon That bunch of celery sitting in your refrigerator is used to its work-horse roll in recipes where it is essential, but mostly underappreciated. But given a chance at center stage, boy does it rise to the occasion! This salad celebrates celery’s...
Photo by Quentin Bacon This is an Asian-style, better-for-you take on Veal Milanese the classic Italian dish of crisp breaded veal cutlet, often topped with a mound of arugula salad. It has the same basic components, but here the cutlet is pork that is grilled instead...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan If “We’re having that again?” is a common dinner time refrain at your house this is just the dish to shake things up. These stuffed portobello mushrooms are truly exciting...
Photo by Quentin Bacon This main course salad packs all the elements of a steak-house meal—tender juicy sirloin, thick-cut potato wedges and sliced onion, all grilled to perfection served atop crisp greens and red ripe tomatoes all doused in peppercorn spiked...
Ingredients 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound) 4 teaspoons olive oil ½ teaspoon salt 1 medium clove garlic 2 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread 1 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter 1 medium lemon ½ teaspoon dried oregano 4 sole fillets or other thin, flaky white fish (6...
Ingredients ⅓ cup all-purpose flour ⅓ cup whole-wheat pastry flour or regular whole-wheat flour ⅓ cup natural cocoa powder ⅓ cup granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 large egg 2 tablespoons canola oil ½ cup low-fat plain...
Photo by Quentin Bacon photographer, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan These turkey tostadas are like mini, Mexican-style pizzas with layers of flavorful goodness all piled onto crisp-baked corn tortillas. First there’s a...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer, and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan This is my take on the Tuscan Kale Salad I order nearly every time I visit my favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant, Gennaro, on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. I try to...
Photo by Quentin Bacon These easy, cheesy nibbles are a gigantic punch of Parmesan flavor in a light lacey crisp. These “Everything” Parmesan Crisps are perfect to serve with cocktails, for garnishing soup or salad, or just as an afternoon snack. I...
Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post Pureeing white beans into this Broccoli Cheddar Soup makes it extra creamy and satisfying while adding protein, fiber and a bundle of essential nutrients. A judicious amount of extra-sharp cheddar gives it...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez The combination of sharp, rich cheddar with sweet tart apples always wins me over. It’s classic yet somehow unique, especially when grilled up in a flour tortilla, so the cheese melts and the...
Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Adeena Sussman and Lori Powell My husband hails from Michigan where the winters typically extend well into March. But the genuine warmth of the people there and their home-cooking keep you feeling cozy no matter the...
Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Lori Powell and Adeena Sussman If you don’t already have a mandoline slicer, it is worth getting one just to be able to make these smoked paprika potato chips. Their deep potato flavor is a revelation and they make for...
Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Lori Powell and Adeena Sussman Chocolate with a salty crunch is all the rage now – even the mass market candy makers have caught on. But some of us are long-time devotees. Dark chocolate-covered pretzels have...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, and food styling by Lori Powell and Adeena Sussman I like an upscale, artisanal pizza as much as the next person, but for real comfort I’ll take my sauce and melted mozzarella home-style. I’ve been making impromptu pizzas on everything...
I love a lobster roll as much as—if not more than—the next person. But a shrimp roll is so much more accessible and hit the same spot. This one has a healthy twist – with Greek yogurt mixed with just enough mayo for its creamy dressing....
Ingredients 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 large red onion, finely diced (about 2 cups) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, thinly sliced 8 slices whole-wheat bread 3 ounces pepper Jack cheese, thinly sliced 1 large or 2...
Photo by Quentin Bacon The minute I spot heirloom tomatoes at my farmers market I think BLTs! Let’s be honest- to make a really good one, you need to use really good, real bacon. But a little goes a long way. Just two slices is all you need for the crisp, smoky...
Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into small dice 1 medium onion, cut into small dice 2 medium zucchini (1 pound total), trimmed and cut into small dice 2 cloves garlic, minced One 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White Grilling fruit makes it more decadent by intensifying its flavor, warming and plumping it. Here, a little ice cream and a sprig of mint where the pit once...
Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer This cold, frothy Blueberry Blast Smoothie is a vibrant shade of purple and as delicious as it is beautiful. I always say to eat the rainbow every day to insure you get the full spectrum of nutrients. Well, this smoothie covers...
Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer These bite-sized morsels are just the thing to add a touch of simple elegance to a meal. They are absolutely beautiful, with tender spinach and basil leaves peeking out of delicate grilled zucchini rolls filled with creamy herbed goat’s...
Ingredients 4 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 20 minutes 20 scallions 2 teaspoons olive oil Directions Preheat the grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Cut the roots and tops off of the scallions so you have the bulb plus 1 inch of the green left. Reserve...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski Imagine a decadently rich creamy pasta salad with salmon that’s actually good for you. Well here you have it. The secret is in the dressing, which has a base of tangy thickened yogurt that’s the ideal foil for the rich salmon....
Photo by Quentin Bacon These stuffed burgers are big in every way- big in size, big in flavor and big in wow! factor. By stuffing the meat with high-impact flavors, you get the juicy, melted cheddar, bun-filler you crave while still using a modest amount of...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski and food styling by Mariana Velasquez The aroma of toasting cinnamon raisin bread reassures me that all is well with the world. Spreading that warm cinnamon raisin toast with a creamy honey-kissed walnut-yogurt spread then topping...
Ingredients ½ cup unsalted raw almonds 1 cup nonfat milk 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 2 tablespoons honey ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (strawberries hulled and halved) Directions Toast the almonds in a...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White I’m all in on #teamchickpea. Who’s with me? It’s a bean that’s happily eaten mashed or whole, hot or cold, and it is at home around the world, in the Americas, the...
Photo by Christopher Hirscheimer This is my lip-smacking take on the Chinese favorite, bejeweled with colorful vegetables: red peppers, green scallions, golden corn, and emerald edamame. With bites of tender tofu as well, a fragrant bowl of it is packed with...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski Grilled ham and cheese is an everyday, easy lunch fallback taken to a new level here with tender prosciutto, intensely flavorful provolone cheese, and peppery radicchio toasted to melty perfection on crusty bread. Ingredients ...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White Fig and ginger are a fabulous duo, with ginger adding just the right zing to the earthy sweet fruit. But when you envelop those flavors in rich dark chocolate...
Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Lori Powell and Adeena Sussman I knew I was on to something when my husband, one of the world’s most critical and perhaps most experienced Buffalo wing eaters reviewed these as “Excellent wings!” That’s just the...
Photo by Quentin Bacon, food styling by Suzanne Lenzer and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan This gloriously autumnal pumpkin bread enhanced with bursts of crimson tart cranberries, is special enough to grace your holiday table but easy enough to make anytime....
Photo by Quentin Bacon and food styling by Adeena Sussman and Lori Powell Why is it that store-bought muffins billed as healthier are always so disappointing? You’re better off making them yourself. This healthier muffin, made with whole grain flour, applesauce...
Ingredients 1 tablespoon sugar 2 rounded teaspoons instant espresso, or 2 shots of espresso 2 teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder ¼ cup boiling water 2 cups nonfat milk 2 ripe bananas, peeled, cut into chunks, frozen 1 cup ice Directions In a small bowl, stir...
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski This refreshing, zesty, cold tomato soup couldn’t be simpler to make. All you do it take garden fresh ingredients, whir them in the blender and voilà! Plump bites of shrimp and some crusty bread make it a satisfying meal. It is equally...
Ingredients 4 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast ⅓ cup nonfat or low-fat Greek yogurt 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce, preferably Frank’s Red Hot 6 celery stalks from the tenderer, inner part of the bunch, cut thinly on the bias, with...
Ingredients 1 1/2 cups vanilla nonfat yogurt One 10-ounce package frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/ 4 cup well-chilled heavy cream 4 ladyfinger cookie. Directions Place the yogurt in a strainer lined with a paper towel and let it...
Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post Vegetable soups are the perfect canvas for seasonal produce. In early spring, a lingering chill in the air calls for warm asparagus or pea soup laced with tarragon, and summer begs for chilled cucumber puree and...
Ingredients This dish is like a relaxed casserole: succulent shrimp tucked into a rich tomato sauce fragrant with fresh dill, topped with feta cheese, and baked until bubbling. It’s a meal you’ll make over and over, first because you will love how it tastes and...
Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer In this chickpea and spinach salad the versatile chickpea goes exotic in a deeply spiced, aromatic lemon and cumin dressing. Fresh herbs punch it up with an unmistakable freshness and spinach provides a tender bed. An...
Photo by Christopher Hirsheimer Ingredients 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon) 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 large Russet potatoes 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Directions Preheat the oven to 450°F....
Photo by Christopher Hirscheimer If you like full-frontal flavor, you are going to love this dish. The steak is marinated in a mixture that covers every angle—spicy, sweet, tangy, and salty—then it is grilled to caramelized perfection, sliced thin, and tossed...
