Recipes

These sides are salmon’s best friend.

Wild rice is a common winter ingredient—hearty, nutty and versatile—but what is it exactly? 

No oven required.

Start defrosting your soon-to-be favorite dessert.

I have a serious sweet tooth. You know that scene in Home Alone when Kevin McCallister is eating the world’s biggest ice cream sundae? Well, that has been a life-long dream of mine since I first saw the movie 30 years ago. But as much as I love desserts and candy, they don't love me back—as soon as I overdose on sugar, I feel sluggish and my skin seems to break out overnight. I still need a sweet treat every night after dinner, though, which is where this dessert comes into play: a decadent alternative to the endless amount of banana bread I've been baking. Say hello to chocolate covered banana bites with almond butter. The combination of chocolate, banana, and almond butter is pretty hard to top. If you’re like me and crave a little salty and a little sweet, you’re going to want to make these immediately. And that’s the other perk—they’re beyond easy to make.

This quick vegetarian dinner is as simple as tossing a package of ramen noodles with a flavor-packed spicy peanut sauce, which slicks each noodle with layers of flavor. Punchy vinegar, salty soy sauce, and spicy gochujang balance the creamy peanut butter in the rich sauce. It’s a flexible mixture, which would taste great alongside grilled chicken, pork satay, or even roasted mushrooms. To turn the noodles into an even more filling dinner, add cubes of tofu, quickly-boiled shrimp, or poached chicken.

The irresistible creaminess of mac and cheese marries the richness of French onion soup in this baked pasta recipe.

Here’s a recipe that will win over even the pickiest eaters—kids and non-salmon eaters included. The trick is that the salmon is broiled, meaning a quick cooking time, buttery flaky results, and no fishy smell in the kitchen. During the last couple minutes of broiling the salmon, brush it with a glaze made from brown sugar and low-sodium soy sauce or tamari. The sweet-salty sauce starts to caramelize on top of each fillet (and the sliced red onions cooked alongside), turning irresistibly sticky and slightly crisp.

There are a few reasons why this delicious grilled halloumi cheese salad is going to become your summer dinner fave. First, it's easy to throw together after work and still manages to be super filling. Second, it hits all the right flavor notes, from briny olives to spicy garlic and cool, crunchy cucumbers. But, the most important reason to make this salad is to eat grilled halloumi, a firm cheese that can stand the heat of a grill or grill pan. The taste is salty like feta, but you can cut into the planks of crispy, melty cheese with a knife and fork like you would tofu or a portobello mushroom. The result is a decidedly decadent salad that packs in a ton of good-for-you ingredients, too.

What pairs perfectly with a crispy chicken cutlet? A fresh, green salad that’s dressed in a lemony vinaigrette and showered with cheese. The vinaigrette in this simple recipe might just become a house favorite—the shallots become lightly pickled in the vinegar, and fresh oregano lends sophisticated flair to an everyday dressing. The salad can be adjusted based on the season—try tomatoes and arugula in the summer and roasted squash and kale in the fall. Bitter greens work particularly well, as they balance the rich, fried cutlet.

If there were an award for the most magical kitchen appliance, the slow cooker would win hands down. For this intensely flavorful soup, all you have to do is combine the main ingredients, turn it on, and voila! Taco soup. Tongs will give extra stability when you pull the hot chicken out of the soup. Once they’re on the cutting board, switch to two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. If you don’t have black beans on hand, pinto would work well. When you’re ready to serve, top each bowl with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and—if you really want to go wild—tortilla chips.

Some say that there’s no such thing as an original recipe, but this pasta salad begs to differ. It’s the summertime staple of the nineties returned to modern dinner tables with this fresh take. Each perfect bite is made up of a short pasta shape, vibrant fresh herbs, crisp Persian cucumbers—famous for their good skin-to-flesh ratio—salty feta, and a mustardy garlic-lemon dressing. This portion is meant to serve as a side and would taste delicious alongside grilled chicken or steak, but it could also make a delicious dinner for four.

This spiced chai tea recipe is simple and satisfying.

It won’t take a lot to convince everyone to tuck into a dessert named after the epic campfire treat. Who would turn down a slice of icebox cake that layers marshmallow-infused whipped cream, sheets of graham cracker, and chocolate gelato? No one, that’s who. This recipe goes the extra mile with toasted marshmallows and a thick drizzle of melted chocolate to crown the cake. It’s a great way to enjoy the delicious flavors of s’mores without starting a fire, not to mention a cooling escape from a hot summer day.

A great recipe isn’t just a roadmap to dinner, it also teaches something about the best way to cook. Case in point, this simple braised fish recipe inspired by Chraime, a North African dish with Sephardic roots, combines a spiced tomato sauce with spinach, cod, and couscous. Rather than having to wash bunches of greens, you’ll just swap in frozen spinach. Time saved. And, poaching cod isn’t just a foolproof method for easy fish cooking, it also results in tender fillets that are evenly cooked. Smart. Better yet, any frozen white fish fillets like sole, flounder, snapper, or wild Alaska pollock work well here and are easy to find in frozen packs at the grocery store. Finally, spooning the juices and fish atop fluffy couscous? It’s not just tasty as can be, it stretches the meal further. These are the type of key steps that make recipes like this one a keeper.

This healthy pudding makes a great snack, too.

Consider a baked egg dish like this one for a hearty brunch entree that’s ready in 25 minutes. After baking toasting some mozzarella over a crusty baguette, you’ll brown turkey sausage in a skillet, then sauté onion and garlic. That creates a deep, flavorful base for the tomato sauce (a can of crushed tomatoes with fresh oregano). Simmer the sauce a bit, then crack four eggs directly over the sauce and bake until set. That last step, throwing the whole pan in a warm oven, takes just under 10 minutes, which leaves the perfect amount of time to pour coffee or orange juice and set the table.

It's hard to believe, but this delicious cake doesn't require butter, eggs—or a mixer! It's basically the easiest, prettiest, most pantry-friendly cake you'll ever make.

This lemony pasta with feta cheese is guaranteed to brighten up dinnertime.

If you’re a Disney fan, you know what we’re talking about. Dole Whip’s creamy consistency and tropical pineapple-coconut tang has amassed a cult-following amongst Disney World visitors around the globe. What’s not to love? It’s made from just three ingredients—frozen pineapple, banana, and coconut milk—and has the rich texture of soft-serve ice cream without dairy or added sugar. Though you won’t be visiting Disney in person this summer, you’ll love making this boozy rendition of the delicious dessert at home. Eat it with a spoon, straw, or scoop your “cocktail” into an ice cream cone and garnish with extra pineapple and coconut flakes. Magic.

Crunchy romaine and cucumbers, juicy shrimp, and a creamy soy-mayo dressing are just a few of the reasons you’lllove this delicious dinner salad recipe. It comes together in just 15 minutes, yet packs in tons of flavor. In fact, thedressing might just become your go-to dipping sauce for everything from crudites to grilled salmon. Make sure togently fold everything together so that the pieces of avocado stay intact. Shopping tip: Cooked shrimp is easy to findand cuts down on prep time for this recipe, but if you want to poach your own, this simple method is a homerun.

Look no further: your go-to summer side dish for every potluck, barbecue, and picnic is here. If you’ve never eaten a raw squash salad before, you’re in for a treat (and there's no need to cook a thing). Tossing the rounds with salt allows them to soften and absorb every bit of flavor. While the vinegar adds the right amount of acidity to pair well with almost any meat, but grilled steak, roasted chicken, or quick-sautéed shrimp are particularly perfect alongside. Topped with a chopped almond dressing, the result is light, flavorful, and perfect for a hot summer evening.

Say goodbye to gloopy mayonnaise-covered pasta salads. We put an avocado to work to create an irresistibly creamy dressing, that won’t have any of the mayonnaise-haters running for the dusky hills. The only drawback is that the dressing will oxidize after a little while and go gray. Don’t worry, the salad will be no less delicious, but plan on serving this within an hour or two of making it. For a little heat, add thinly sliced fresh jalapeños or even some drained pickled ones. Or if you really want to turn up the temperature, add a can of chopped green chilies to the dressing before blending.