Green Beans with Oil and Lemon

From Keepers.

There's no easier, or zingier, way to perk up plain cooked green beans than by tossing them with equal parts olive oil and fresh lemon juice. This Greek "sauce" called latholemono, is a classic accompaniment to grilled fish and shellfish, but is just as wonderful on grilled or roasted chicken, pork, or lamb, as well as other vegetables such as asparagus, spinach, and broccoli.

You can skip the ice bath and serve the combination hot or warm, if you like, Either way, be sure to dry the beans well before tossing with the sauce or the water will dilute the flavor. Feel free to adjust the amount of oil and lemon juice to suit your taste. Chopped herbs - dill, oregano, parsley, mint - would also be a nice addition.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 lb green beans

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the oil and lemon juice until combined Season with salt and pepper and set the sauce aside.

Fill a large bowl with ice water. Season the boiling water generously with salt; it should taste like seawater. When it returns to a boil, add the green beans and gently boil, stirring once or twice, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, immediately submerge the green beans in the ice water to stop the cooking and retain the color, then drain again when cold and pat dry.

Add the blanched green beans to the sauce and toss to combine. Check the seasonings and serve. The green beans are best eaten within a few hours.

Carrot-Ginger Dressing

From Keepers.

This is our version of the beloved Japanese restaurant classic. It's light and refreshing with a tangy sweetness balanced by a pop of ginger. Use it on salads, vegetables, tofu or whatever else you like.

1/2 lb carrots (about 4 medium), chopped
One 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons rice vinegar of white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil

In a food processor or blender combine all ingredients except oil. Pulse, scraping down the sides as needed, until the carrots and ginger are finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until the dressing is almost smooth. Quickly dip a piece of lettuce (or vegetable) in the dressing, shake off any excess, and check the seasonings. The dressing will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for about 1 week.

Parmesan Broccoli

Another recipe from Keepers.

Serves 4.

Salt
1 large head of broccoli (about 1-1/4 lbs), cut into small florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon, and juice
Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and season it generously with salt; it should taste like seawater. When it returns to a boil, add the broccoli and gently boil, stirring once or twice, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat the oil, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add the blanched broccoli and cook, stirring often, until coated with the oil and heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and a big splash of lemon juice, season with salt, and toss to combine. Check the seasonings and serve topped with a generous sprinkling of the cheese.

Tip: There's no need to discard broccoli's hard stalks - they taste great and have more fiber than the florets. Just peel them, cut into chunks, and use as you would the florets, cooking them a little longer if needed. Or you can cut them very thin and eat them raw out of hand, add them to salads, or cut the stems, too and make a broccoli slaw.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Hazelnuts

Bacon and hazelnuts make this Brussels sprouts recipe appealing to even the pickiest eater. To get a head start on dinner, cut the bacon and slice the sprouts in the morning. You can toast the nuts up to two days ahead.

1/2 cup chopped bacon (about 3 slices)

1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

13 cups thinly sliced Brussels sprouts (about 2 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp. While the bacon is cooking, cut off the ends of the brussels sprouts, then chop in half. Lay them cut-side down and finely chop until they are all shredded.

Remove the bacon from pan, reserving 1 1/2 teaspoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add chicken broth to pan; bring to a simmer. Add sliced Brussels sprouts; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper, tossing gently to combine. Sprinkle evenly with bacon and hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Quick tip: Use a food processor's thin slicing blade attachment to prepare the Brussels sprouts.

Banana Squash Soup with Sweet Potato and Green Apple

Serves 6.

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound banana squash, cubed

• 1 pound sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 green apple, cubed
• 4 cups chicken broth, or as needed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed bay leaf

• PREP
  15 mins
• COOK
  20 mins
• READY IN
  35 mins

Directions

1. Heat coconut oil and butter together in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil-butter mixture until slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
2. Stir squash, sweet potatoes, and apple into the onion mixture and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil; add basil, curry powder, and bay leaf. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes and apple are softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. Puree soup in the pot with a hand blender until smooth.

Magic Miso-Mayo

From Keepers.

Store it in a squirt bottle (recycle a plastic mayonnaise or ketchup container) and put it on basically everything: burgers, sandwiches, eggs, crudites, rice dishes, grilled steak or fish, directly into your mouth .... You can double or triple the recipe, depending on how much you fall for it.

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon white miso paste and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Check the seasonings. This will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1/2 cup.

Everyday Pork Meatballs

This is the second recipe I've tried from the Keepers cookbook.

Serves 4.

We call this meatballs "everyday" because they are more versatile than the traditional Italian tomato sauce-coated variety. Lightly flavored with ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil, they can be served with rice or other grains, slaws, over a bowl of udon noodles, or added to broths and soups. 

Here's another idea borrowed from banh mi: Take a her role or a 6-inch piece of baguette and split it in half lengthwise, keeping the bread attached on one side Spread Magic Miso Mayo or plain mayonnaise on both halves then add three meatballs, some shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers, cilantro sprigs, lime juice and if you like heat, Sriracha. Squeeze the halves together and enjoy.

1 large egg
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 scallions (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Grated zest of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
1 pound (0.454 kilo) ground pork
1/4 cup panko or dried breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 400F with a rack in the upper third position.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg. Add the garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, lime zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir together. Add the pork and panko and gently mix together with a fork or your hands. The mixture will be a little wet and soft.

Shape the meat mixture into about 16 ping-pong-size balls (or use ice cream scoop)and put in a baking dish (lined with foil for easier cleanup if  you like). Bake until just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve  hot.

Tip: If you happen to have Magic Miso-Mayo (recipe below) in the fridge, try brushing some on top of the meatballs before baking; it transforms into a tasty glaze.

We often double the recipe and freeze half the meatballs either raw or cooked. If you're cooking them first, let them cool before placing in the freezer. To serve, defrost overnight in the refrigerator Cook raw ones as directed above. Heat cooked ones in the oven or microwave.

Magic Miso-Mayo  (makes about 1/2 cup)
In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon white miso paste, and a squeeze of lime juice until smooth. Check the seasonings. The Magic Miso-Mayo will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 2 weeks.

Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles

From New York Times

Garlicky, gingery and as spicy as you dare to make it, this Asian-influenced pan-fried noodle dish comes together in minutes. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples, which means you can make it whenever you need a comforting noodle dish that comes with a bite. If you can’t find the Chinese egg noodles (also called Hong Kong-style noodles), you can make this with rice noodles or soba. The key is to only boil them until they are halfway done. (They should be pliable but still firm in the center.) They will finish cooking when you pan-fry them.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about a bunch; use both whites and greens)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, more to taste
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons rice wine or sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• 6 ounces Chinese (also called Hong Kong) egg noodles, soba noodles or rice noodles
• 2 ½ tablespoons peanut, grapeseed, safflower or vegetable oil, more as needed
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 large eggs, beaten with a fork
• 2 cups washed baby spinach or 1/2 cup thawed edamame (optional)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or other hot sauce, or to taste
•  Juice of 1/2 lime, or to taste
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts, optional

PREPARATION

1. In a small bowl, combine the scallions, soy sauce, ginger, rice wine or vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Let stand while you prepare the noodles.
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles until they are halfway done according to package instructions. (They should still be quite firm.) Drain well and toss with 1/2 tablespoon of the peanut oil to keep them from sticking, and spread them out on a plate or baking sheet.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the garlic and cook until crisp and golden around the edges, 1 to 2 minutes. Add half the scallion mixture and stir-fry until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add noodles; stir-fry until noodles are hot and lightly coated with sauce, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, spinach or edamame if using, sriracha, and remaining scallion mixture and continue to stir-fry until the eggs are cooked, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds or peanuts.

Broccoli Slaw

Serves 12 (1/2-cup servings)

1/3 cup currants
2 pounds broccoli, about 1 large head
1/4 pound red onion (1/2 small onion), finely chopped
3/4 cup almonds, slivered or roughly chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Heat 1/2 cup water to boiling and pour over the currants in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes, then drain.

Shred the broccoli in a food processor, using the grater disk (the attachment with the holes, not the blade). In a large bowl, combine the shredded broccoli, currants, red onion, and almonds.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and a generous quantity of fresh pepper. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Allow to sit for 30 minutes (or an hour in the fridge) so the flavors can mingle.

Recipe Notes

• Quicker Slaw: If you do want to skip the broccoli shredding, substitute about 6 cups of pre-shredded broccoli slaw mix for the whole broccoli.
• Reader Tip: We love the reader recommendation of substituting dried cranberries for the currants.

How to Make Vegetarian (or Vegan) Chili without a Recipe

From Food52.

There’s something about chili -- so versatile and satisfying. Top it with cheese, sour cream, avocado, crumbled crackers, or diced fresh onions and hot peppers. Roll it into a tortilla with some rice. Pour it over a burger. It’s all good. 

My favorite recipe is a vegetarian version from my former restaurant in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Dedicated carnivores and vegans alike happily slurped it up. If you prefer meat in yours, by all means go ahead -- it’ll be terrific. 

I like to think of chili in terms of ratios. However you decide to proceed, and whatever ingredients you use, stick to about 2 parts diced vegetables : 2 parts cooked or canned beans : 2 parts tomatoes : a little less than 1 part (optional) added protein like tofu. This is a loose guideline, of course, but it gives you something to jump off from.

Let’s make it happen.

How to Make Vegetarian Chili Without a Recipe

1. In a big heavy pot, heat up a pat of butter or a glug of oil of your choosing. Sauté some diced onions, whatever combination of hot and bell peppers you like, and garlic. If you feel like some finely diced carrots, leeks, or celery, too, go for it. Add some salt and stir.

2. Add spices. I’ve used chili powder, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, chipotle, and various ground peppers; you should use whatever tastes like chili to you. Use 2 to 3 times as much assorted chili powders as cumin and turmeric. This is really to taste, but start with 1/2 teaspoon of cumin per cup of tomatoes if you need a benchmark. Salt and pepper to taste. If you didn't put in fresh garlic, add garlic powder here -- shoot for about the same amount of garlic powder as cumin. 

3. Now, get your can opener ready! You’ll need beans and diced tomatoes. I love to use fire-roasted diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chilis, but you can use your favorite. As for beans, I prefer a combination of kidneys, garbanzos and black beans. If you like to work with dried beans, I recommend cooking these first and then adding them now. You will probably also need to add 1 part water or stock at this point. Fill your empty tomato cans with stock or water as a measuring guideline and pour in liquid until it looks like chili. 

4. Add more protein if you like. I’m a fan of tofu, so I cut a block of extra-firm into smallish cubes and toss it in. Tip: If you freeze tofu ahead of time, then thaw, then squeeze all the water out before you use it, you’ll be blown away by the texture. 

5. Now just simmer for about an hour, mostly covered. Then add spice as needed and enjoy! Don’t forget to serve it over scrambled eggs for tomorrow’s breakfast. 

Round out your Tex-Mex menu with some other classics:

• Cornbread with Chorizo• Charred Corn and Avocado Salad with Lime, Chili, and Tomato• Rick Bayless's Tortilla Soup with Shredded Chard

Tomato Soup (and other Soups from Food52)

From Food52

More soup recipes.

This is a spicy tomato soup that you can make on a whim and eat nearly as soon. (It's also, at its core, 5 vegan ingredients you probably already have.) Recipe adapted very slightly from Stir: Mixing It Up in the Italian Tradition (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009). (less) - Genius Recipes

Serves 6

• 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1small yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste -- we started with 1/2 teaspoon)
• 2(28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes
• 1 1/2cup water
• 1/4cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Crème fraîche, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and very tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, plus the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 30 minutes. (If you're in a hurry, you can skip the simmer time -- just add a bit less water.) Add the basil, season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and let cool briefly, about 5 minutes.
3. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large, heatproof bowl. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam from the hot soup to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off).
4. Pour the blended soup through the strainer, pressing on the solids with a rubber spatula or ladle; discard the solids. Taste the soup and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
5. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat on medium low until hot. If you choose, serve topped with a tablespoon of crème fraîche.

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

From Food52.

Author Notes: Excerpted from DELANCEY, by Molly Wizenberg (Simon & Schuster, 2014) 

During Delancey's gestation, and for a long time after it opened, we ate a lot of takeout. One of our favorite quick, cheap lunches was (and still is) a Vietnamese rice noodle salad called bun, and we like it enough that now, sometimes, we even make our own version at home. Don't be put off by the number of steps. The dressing, a take on nuoc cham, can be made a few days ahead, and if you've got the ingredients on hand and the dressing prepared, you can bang this meal out in very little time. 

This salad is wide open to adaptations and a great vehicle for using up leftovers or odds and ends. Take the recipe and run with it, using whatever vegetables and cooked meats you have on hand. 

(And though it changes the whole concept, try substituting hot freshly cooked rice for the noodles. We do that often. I like to use Calrose, an inexpensive Japanese-style medium-grain rice that's grown in California and commonly sold in Asian grocery stores.) (less) - MollyandBrandon

Serves 2 to 3

The dressing

• 3tablespoons fish sauce
• 3tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 to 3tablespoons light brown sugar
• 6 to 8tablespoons water, to taste
• 1medium clove garlic, minced
• 1fresh Thai (also sold as "bird's eye") chile, minced

The salad

• 8ounces thin rice noodles (roughly the width of linguine)
• 3 or 4napa cabbage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1medium carrot, shredded or cut into matchsticks
• 1/2cucumber, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1handful chopped fresh herbs, preferably a combination of basil, cilantro, and mint
• 8ounces cooked meat or shrimp, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

1. To prepare the dressing, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 6 tablespoons of the water, the garlic, and the chile. Whisk well. Taste: if it's too pungent, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If you'd like more sweetness, add more brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Remember that you're going to be putting this dressing on unsalted vegetables and noodles: you want the dressing to have a lot of flavor, but it shouldn't knock you over. Pour into a serving bowl. (Covered and chilled, the dressing will keep for 3 days to a week.)
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the rice noodles, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Immediately drain the noodles into a colander, and rinse them well with cold water. Lay out a clean kitchen towel on the countertop, shake the colander to drain away excess water, and then spread the cooked noodles on the towel to drain further.
3. Divide the noodles between two or three good-sized bowls, depending on the number of diners, and top with the vegetables, herbs, and meat. Scatter the peanuts on top. Allow each person to spoon on dressing to taste. Toss well, and eat. (Alternatively, you can present this salad family-style: Toss the vegetables, herbs, and noodles in a mixing bowl and then mound them on a serving platter. Arrange the meat over the noodles, and top with peanuts. Each diner can scoop their own portion from the platter and dress it as they see fit.)

Easy Soba Noodle Bowl

From Food52.

Most of us are not strangers to soba noodle salads. But buckwheat-based soba noodles can be part of an easy vegan lunch if you boil a single portion (2 to 4 ounces) and mix them with vegetables, tofu or tempeh, and beans. In the bowl you see above, I combined cooked soba noodles with crispy roasted broccoli, avocado, and spicy toasted chickpeas. If you like, you can cook a few portions of soba noodles ahead of time, and then store them for lunches through the week. 

More: How to make Smoky Fried Chickpeas. 

Soba noodles are a good foundation, but what gives this dish its crunch and flavor is the toasted chickpeas, one of my favorite vegan staples. To make them, simply heat your oven to 375° F. Toss two cups of cooked chickpeas with some olive oil, plus whatever herbs and spices you like. To make the spicy chickpeas, I tossed them in chili powder, cayenne, and smoked paprika, and roasted the broccoli at the same time. Once all the components were assembled, a little avocado brought everything together.