Vegetarian

The dates act as both a sweetener and an emulsifier in this citrusy, mustardy vinaigrette.

Who says gremolata has to have parsley and lemon? No one who's tried this crunchy Thai influenced riff.

Babylonstoren's chef Maranda Engelbrecht uses exotic tamarillos. If you can get them, great. If not, tomatoes are your best swap.

Whole, unpeeled, and roasted to surreal tenderness, shallots are shedding their "always the bridesmaid" status once and for all.

Tart and fiery, this classic bright-green salsa shows off the flavor of tomatillos and the lovable grassy sharpness of fresh unripe chiles. Serve it with anything that would benefit from lively contrast, such as Chopped Fried-Fish Tacos .

Bubbling cheeses and tender spinach elevate store-bought gnocchi (look for it in the dried-pasta section).

Sprouting wild rice is a simple and delicious way to enjoy this amazing food completely raw. The process of sprouting wild rice is called "blooming" because the seeds actually unfold, very much like little petals, revealing the pale, tender insides. It's a really fun thing to watch, however slowly, and it's groovy to eat something you've seen transform over a few days. This salad combines fresh springtime tastes and textures, all sauced up with a delicious dressing featuring bright lemon and spicy mustard. The herbs add the final layer of flavor, making this a salad that truly tastes alive! Because the rice is sprouted, it is very sweet, requiring salt in the salad—make sure to season it well to suit your own taste.

My favorite recipe that I've ever posted on the blog is my Four Corners lentil soup, and it remains the most frequently cooked dish in my kitchen. It is so fast and simple to make, really inexpensive, and uses ingredients that are all found in the pantry. It freezes well, too, so I often make a double batch and store some away for when I need a wholesome meal in a hurry. And why the name "Four Corners"? Besides being my favorite soup, it is also much loved by many people I know all around the world. From the busy streets of Singapore to the remote wilderness of northern Ontario, from the scorched deserts in the American Southwest to the rainy shores of Denmark, this soup really has traveled the four corners of the Earth! Highly nutritious and packed with flavor, this lentil soup is a crowd-pleaser that will warm the heart of anyone you serve it to.

Spring is abundant with greens of all types, both wild and cultivated. You never know what might show up at your market in any given week. It just so happened that I was able to get pepper y watercress, wild stinging nettles, and sour sorrel at the same time. I love the idea of a watercress or nettles soup, but it always leaves me wanting acid, which inevitably turns the vibrant green soup to a drab olive. Naturally sour sorrel solves this by adding brightness without acid to balance the flavor. If you have trouble finding nettles, just use more watercress, or substitute arugula, mizuna, or dandelion.

In this dish, the fleshy artichokes get browned and crispy tops and look like strange, beautiful roses. The acidity in the white wine cuts through the rich, dense veg and, along with the salty pops from the capers, highlights the artichokes' unique herbaceousness.

A combination of brown rice flour, almond flour, and arrowroot replaces wheat flour in these delicious gluten-free muffins. The flavors of orange, coconut, and almond blend nicely here, with maple syrup adding a subtle back note of sweetness. Serve these for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

This spicy condiment is ubiquitous at Tex-Mex restaurants and taco trucks all over Texas. People are shocked when they learn the light green, creamy sauce is made without avocado or dairy. Our version is full of fresh jalapeño heat and bright lime, emulsified using only neutral vegetable oil.

This entire dish is right out of Rose and Ruthie's River Café playbook, with just a few tweaks of my own. They taught me how to make fonduta, a silky sauce rich with crème fraîche and egg yolks. It takes less time and just a bit more effort than tomato sauce, and turns a plate of pasta into an elegant and impressive meal. Get yourself some asparagus spears that are as thick as your pointer finger—not those thin or sprouty ones—and you'll enjoy the juicy slivers in each bite.

Because beets are sweet and earthy, they need a good helping of acidity and salt to brighten them up. Immediately after cooking, dress beets in vinaigrette and salt to let them marinate.

Puréeing beet greens into pesto and tossing asparagus ribbons with fettuccine is a great way to incorporate healthy vegetables into pasta.

Naturally sweet carrots are perfectly balanced by a nutty, fragrant brown butter. If you can't find carrots with tops, substitute 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh parsley.

Toasted walnuts add a rich nuttiness to earthy greens. If you are following our $68 Dinner Story, use the reserved beet and Swiss chard greens and remaining chard stems from the Roasted Beet Salad with Flash-Pickled Radishes and Chard .

This is an elegant risotto that's fairly straightforward, though a bit messy if you're using red beets. Yellow or red, the color is spectacular and the taste will have those averse to eating beets rethinking the root. If you are following our $68 Dinner Story, reserve the greens from the beets for the Fettuccine with Asparagus, Beet Green Pesto, and Poached Egg .