I only post recipes I’ve tested and tasted, so I consider them tried, true and worthy of sharing. Enjoy!
breakfast
baking
- apple oven cake
- apple spice muffins
- blueberry oatmeal muffins
- bulgur raisin muffins
- chocolate persimmon muffins
- oatcakes
- whole grain banana mini-muffins
eggs
hot & cold cereal
- birchermusli (swiss-style oatmeal)
- breakfast granola
- creamy wheat berry hot cereal
- lemon-poppy seed polenta with blueberries
- orange polentina
- toasted almond granola with olive oil
other
starters
- baked corn and whole wheat crisps
- black bean hummus
- cannellinni bean dip with rosemary
- cheese-stuffed grilled peppers
- crushed peas with feta and scallions
- french tomato tart
- fruit compote with goat cheese
- lemon herb cheese
- mango gazpacho
- pesto dip
- pickled vegetables
- *quick* pickled sugar snap peas
- wonton crisps
- zucchini patties with yogurt cucumber sauce
soups/stews
- african curried coconut soup
- avocado soup
- butternut apple bisque
- carrot and coriander soup
- chickpea noodle soup
- chicken posole
- chipotle pork and bean soup
- chunky chicken-barley soup
- curried chicken with ginger and yogurt (slow cooker)
- dried cherry chili
- golden gazpacho with croutons and sausage
- green chile pork posole
- green chili stew
- lentil sausage soup
- lentil stew with winter vegetables
- mango gazpacho
- minestrone
- moroccan chicken and butternut squash soup
- moroccan-style chickpea and vegetable stew
- mushroom barley soup
- parker’s split pea soup
- pumpkin-peanut soup
- red chili
- roasted red pepper and pumpkin soup
- southwestern turkey soup
- summer corn soup with quinoa
- summer squash and corn chowder
- tangy lentil and chickpea soup
- three bean chili
- white bean chili
- white bean soup with rosemary
- white bean stew
main dishes
pasta
- beef bolognese
- no-cook pasta sauce
- peppery pasta with arugula and shrimp
- pasta with white beans, greens and lemon
- pesto genovese
- pim’s super-quick and fantastic tomato sauce
- sicilian-style pasta and lentils
- wild mushroom pastitsio
poultry
- brown rice and chicken stir-fry with edamame and walnuts
- chicken adobo
- chicken madras curry
- chicken marbella
- chicken paillards with clementine salsa
- chicken with dijon, sage, and parmesan
- grilled chicken with mango-sesame sauce
- grilled chicken with zucchini pappardelle
- grilled lemon chicken salad
- simple roast chicken
- spicy orange chicken stir-fry
- tamales
- thai coconut chicken and noodles
- turkey burgers with carrot-ginger sauce
- turkey meatballs with pesto
pork
- carnitas (slow cooker)
- dan dan noodles
- grilled pork tenderloin with boozy cherries
- kalua pig
- juicy pork chops
- pork chops with pineapple salsa
- pork cutlets with butternut squash, swiss chard, and walnuts
- pork tenderloin stir-fry with orange chili sauce
- pork tenderloin with orange-ginger pan sauce
- roasted peppers stuffed with canadian bacon and white beans
- savory mushroom tarts (vegetarian option)
- spicy black beans with chorizo and chipotle cream
seafood
- blackened sea bass
- cod en papillote with summer squash
- crispy broiled cod
- grilled halibut with chimichurri sauce
- grilled mahimahi
- grilled salmon + fennel salt rub
- halibut with artichokes, tomatoes, white beans and barley
- moroccan halibut with carrots
- peppery pasta with arugula and shrimp
- roasted rock fish
- salmon with dill-pistachio pistou
- traditional garlic shrimp
red meat
- beef bolognese
- grilled bison steaks
- grilled flat iron steak
- lamb, apricot and olive tangine (slow cooker)
- thai beef cabbage cups
vegetarian
- black bean burgers
- chickpea-spinach curry with yogurt sauce
- cilantro pesto
- couscous cakes topped with olives and tomatoes
- dal
- grilled rosemary-crusted pizzas
- no-cook pasta sauce
- pesto
- pizza pie
- polenta and black bean casserole
- polenta napoleon with pesto
- polenta pie
- portobello pizzas
- sweet potato potpie
- tamales
salads/side dishes
beans/legumes
- cajun red bean and rice salad
- cannellini bean salad with lemon and cumin
- herbed quinoa and chickpea salad
- lentils with lemon, herbs, and feta
- marinated white bean salad
- minted chickpea salad with bulgur
- pea salad
- spiced pumpkin, lentil, and goat cheese salad
- split pea puree
fruit
- apple pear slaw
- broccoli apple salad
- fresh herb, grapefruit, and fennel salad
- green apple chicken salad
- kale and apple salad with spiced pecans
- roasted grapes
- savory pluot salad
- stone fruit salad
- watermelon tomato salad
- wheat berry waldorf salad
poultry
seafood
vegetable
- asparagus, peas, and basil
- broccoli apple salad
- brussels sprouts with walnuts and dried cranberries
- chopped vegetable salad
- coleslaw (zesty!)
- curried potato salad
- edamame succotash
- fresh herb, grapefruit, and fennel salad
- haricot vert and red onion salad with pistou
- jicama, radish and pepita salad
- kale and apple salad with spiced pecans
- marinated market vegetables
- olive oil mashed potatoes with spinach and basil
- roasted vidalia onions
- rosemary mashed sweet potatoes with shallots
- seasonal sunchoke salad
- shaved salad with fresh herbs
- spiced pumpkin, lentil, and goat cheese salad
- spinach, catalan-style
- spaghetti squash with toasted almonds
- sugar snap pea salad with radishes, mint and ricotta salata
- summer squash salad
- tangy beet salad
- toasted kale and coconut salad
- thyme-roasted sweet potatoes
- warm corn salad
- watermelon tomato salad
whole grains
- bulgur pilaf with roasted squash and mint
- butternut barley pilaf
- butternut squash and wild rice with sage
- cajun red bean and rice salad
- couscous salad with winter squash and cranberries
- curried couscous
- curried quinoa salad
- emeril’s cold (soba) noodle salad
- farro salad with winter fruit, pistachios and ginger
- farro with black beans and chipotle lime vinaigrette
- farro with white beans and chard
- feta wheat berry salad
- ginger-cilantro rice
- gluten-free grains
- herbed quinoa and chickpea salad
- minted chickpea salad with bulgur
- quinoa and corn salad with citrus vinaigrette
- southwest rice and corn salad
- tabouli
- turkey and wild rice salad
- wild rice with radishes and spring greens
- wheat berry waldorf salad
bread basket
- cardamom tea bread
- chocolate banana bread
- cranberry nut bread
- grilled cheddar cornmeal cakes
- holiday spice bread
- irish soda bread
- maple corn bread
- rosemary focaccia
- rosemary orange zucchini bread
- savory goat cheese toasts
- spiced pumpkin dinner rolls
- tomato basil bread
- zucchini bread
snacks
small indulgences
cakes
crumbles/crisps
fruit
- basil-blackberry crumble
- buttermilk cake + fresh plums
- caroline’s fruit crisp
- grilled nectarines with honey-balsamic glaze
- honey-roasted pears with greek yogurt
- poached peaches in rosemary-honey syrup
- seasonal fruit tartlets with crumble topping
- strawberry freezer jam
ice cream/sorbet
pies/tarts
other
I have looked at your instructions on How to Grill a Turkey, which I would like to try for our family’s Christmas dinner. My first question is in regards to the brine. Today is Monday the 20th, is it too early to soak the turkey in the brine if I want to cook it the day before Christmas? The instructions say to place the turkey in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours, which seems to indicate maybe the day before or the same day.
My next question is regarding the grill. I have the regular outdoor grill. You state that the “cover vents” should be open. My grill has a small smoker at the top which seems to be what I should open.
This will be my first attempt at grilling, and I want to make sure I will be doing it right. Any comments you have would be appreciated.
Hi Eugenia! Good for you – it’s always fun to try new things! I would soak your turkey in the brine the night before you cook it the next day. If you want to grill the bird on the 24th, then set it to soak on the evening of the 23rd. My Weber charcoal grill has a vent on the top cover that I can turn to open and close the air holes. For grilling as turkey, you want them open. You should do the same with your grill. Watch the coals and be diligent about adding to them periodically as the recipe suggests – you don’t want your fire to go out! Good luck – just follow the steps and it should go well! Let me know how it goes…