Wilted greens topped with fried onions is a mezze must. Bitter dandelion greens are the most flavorful, but chard or kale—really any green or a combination of them—tastes delicious.
Ingredients
20 cups chopped stemmed dandelion greens, chard and/or kale (from about 2¼ pounds)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, 1 sliced and 1 finely chopped, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves finely chopped, divided
Juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook greens, in 2 batches, until tender, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool. When cool enough to handle, place in a large clean dish towel and squeeze until dry.
While the greens cool, dry the pot. Add oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy, 5 to 8 minutes more. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the greens and cilantro stems. Cook, stirring to mix the onions and garlic into the greens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro leaves, lemon juice and salt. Serve warm or cold.
Sweet potato fingerlings (or small wedges) blister and caramelize on the grill. All they need is a final toss with a little butter and a blend of orange zest and mint and you have a healthy side dish that’s anything but ordinary.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon raw sugar, such as demerara
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound fingerling or small sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Combine mint, orange zest, sugar and salt in a small bowl; gently crush together with the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.
If using small sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges. Toss the sweet potatoes with oil and pepper in a medium bowl. Place in a single layer on the grill or in a grill basket. Cook, turning every 5 minutes, until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 to 25 minutes total.
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add butter and toss to coat. Serve with the reserved orange-mint gremolata.
For this healthy side dish recipe, kale bundles are grilled and topped with an easy sauce. “Enhancing” store-bought barbecue sauce with tart (or sour) cherry juice to make a drizzle nudges this side dish into the speedy category.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
1 tablespoon tart or sour cherry juice
1 tablespoon sour cherry preserves
½ teaspoon jarred adobo sauce or ¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 pound kale, stems trimmed to 3 inches
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Stir together barbecue sauce, cherry juice, preserves and adobo sauce (or ground chipotle) in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High until warm, about 1 minute. Set aside.
Divide kale into 4 bundles and tie each with kitchen string about 1 inch from the stem end. Brush the bundles with oil.
Grill the kale, turning once, until slightly charred, about 6 minutes total. Serve the kale drizzled with the reserved sauce.
Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (see Note)
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons lime juice
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
Need some new meatless dinner ideas? This vegan recipe for grilled cauliflower steaks with buttery (but butter-free!) butter beans and almond pesto comes together in just 25 minutes but is impressive enough to serve to guests. We’re sorry to ask you to buy 2 heads of cauliflower to make this recipe when you only cut a couple of “steaks” from each, but it guarantees the best results. Just think of it this way: having leftovers gives you an excuse to try one of our many other healthy cauliflower recipes!
Ingredients
½ cup almonds
5 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided, plus more for garnish
¼ cup packed fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
Pulse almonds, 4 tablespoons parsley, basil, chives, lemon zest and juice, 2 tablespoons oil and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor until chopped.
Place cauliflower heads on a cutting board, stem-side down. Using a large chef’s knife, cut two ½-inch-thick slices from the center of each head to make 4 “steaks.” (Reserve the remaining cauliflower for another use.) Brush the steaks with 2 tablespoons oil. Combine paprika, garlic powder and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on both sides of the steaks.
Grill the steaks, turning once, until tender and nicely charred, 12 to 14 minutes total.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook until the shallots start to soften, about 1 minute. Add beans, water, pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.
Serve the cauliflower steaks over the beans, topped with the pesto and more herbs, if desired.
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