Simple Cooking
Sonoran Hot Dogs
Bacon-wrapped franks, pinto beans, avocado, and mayo are balanced by pickled jalapeños and salsa in this summertime favorite.
Pok Pok-Style Hot Wings with Peanuts and Cilantro
Want crispy and delicious wings fast? Avoid the mess of frying oil and go for a quick oven-roast. Inspired by the version served by chef Andy Ricker at his Brooklyn and Portland Pok Pok restaurants, these wings get doused in a sweet and savory glaze and rolled in a spicy, crunchy topping.
Israeli Couscous, Peas, Preserved Lemons, Mint & Goat's Cheese
This is a great one for midweek as it takes no more than 20 minutes from slicing the leeks to serving the finished dish, but it is good enough for weekends as well-filling, fresh and very tasty.
Pulled Pork
Barbecue purists may claim that pulled pork has to be smoked in a pit to be the real thing, and we won't quibble with that. But this recipe, prepared right in your kitchen (on the counter, no less), is one deliciously simple variation on the theme.
Superfood Coconut Curry Salmon Salad
This recipe is for all of the busy women out there—supermoms, superworkers, superwomen deserve superfoods. Cook the salmon and the quinoa a day ahead, and throw this salad together in minutes on a weeknight. You could make it vegetarian if you prefer by swapping out the salmon for tofu—the marinade will still work perfectly!
Ratatouille Sandwich
Everything about these sandwiches screams "backyard summer party" to me. Simmering vegetables all day really brings out the individual flavors, and I love how I can get so many good-for-you vitamins into such a delicious package.
Spiced Chicken Stew with Carrots
We use a slow cooker with a browning option to crisp the chicken skin for this Moroccan-flavored dish. The stew is great on its own but couscous would be an easy and fitting side dish.
Chocolate Cherry Cola Cake
I love to celebrate birthdays with the crew and my bandmates. When we're on the road, it's nice to have the band family celebrate. Jimi's birthday falls at the end of October, and I sometimes make this silly chocolate cherry cola cake for him, decorating the top with chocolate cherry cordials or gummy candies. I always let him choose what he's got a hankering for, and it's often this.
Fresh Raspberry-Quinoa Pancakes
These pancakes are lighter than those in your standard stack: slender and slightly crisp on the outside, light and lacy with assertive raspberry flavor. The raspberries are blended into the milk before being added to the batter—a solution to having pockmarks of berry flavor only here and there. You'll want a mile-high pile.
Beef Burger With Grilled Kale
You've been doing it in the car when nobody's looking...but you don't have to hide anymore. It's time to come clean—and this finger-licking-good burger is so much more satisfying than those greasy drive-through hockey pucks. Plus grass-fed beef is leaner and lower in calories than conventional beef. It even contains a unique fat that may help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Talk about an afternoon delight.
Apricot Pandowdy
A pandowdy is a homey American dessert of cooked fruit covered with a piecrust or biscuit crust that is often cut up halfway through baking and pushed into the fruit. We leave the crust whole here for a quicker and easier version.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Sage
These dumplings have a light texture, thanks to the addition of fresh ricotta cheese. Drain the ricotta in a sieve for two hours before starting the recipe.
Corn on the Cob with Chilies, Queso Fresco and Lime Butter
Years ago in Veracruz, I bought sweet corn from a guy in a bike cart. Mixed with mayonnaise, lime juice, ground chilies and queso fresco, it was one of the most exciting street foods I'd ever eaten.
Asparagus and Goat Cheese Frittata
When I put these ingredients in my rice cooker, I knew the flavors would complement each other, but I wondered what the dish would look like. It was lovely! The soft, melting goat cheese mingled with the asparagus and creamy eggs. The frittata makes a great light supper or lunch dish; serve it with a fruit salad.
Spring Vegetable Risotto
This risotto is dotted with beautiful green spring vegetables and makes a lovely vegetarian lunch or dinner. Delicious with a roasted beet and arugula salad, it's simple to make. There is no arduous stirring; the rice cooker takes care of everything.
Kimchi Creamed Collard Greens
Collards really cook down a lot, so don't be fooled into buying some puny little bunch. I like my collards on the smaller, younger side of life. (The younger the collards, the shorter the cooking time.) The addition of kimchi gives the classic creamed greens an umami bite that I adore.
Ramp Jam
I love savory jams and this one is a winner. The pectin will gel up the jam faster than just cooking it down to a paste, preserving the fresh flavor of the ramps. This is a go-to for a shaved pork loin or with steak and eggs on a Sunday morning. The recipe makes a lot, but it's worth canning and keeping through the year.
Classic Cabbage Kimchi
I love kimchi. To me, the world is a better place when we all enjoy kimchi. Fiery and fun, it gives a kick to all food.
Beets Don't Kale My Vibe Salad
Sweetgreen partnered with Kendrick Lamar in order to create this limited-edition salad. Available at sweetgreen locations until May 31, 2015, 10% of proceeds will go to FoodCorps. After that? You can always make Beets Don't Kale My Vibe at home with the recipe below.