Side Dishes

Creamy Pinto Beans

Makes 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 1 lb dried pinto beans 5 1/2 cups water 2 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 3 ancho chiles, seeds and membranes removed 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano 2/3 cup milk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 garlic […]

Allergen Friendly, Salads

Creamy Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

Makes 4 to 6 servings We don’t like to dumb food down for kids, but we also know that sometimes kids are picky. So this plant-forward (vegan, in fact!) pasta salad is just a good starting point. The tangy chickpea dressing is creamy like mayo, but packed with protein. Add […]

Main Dishes

Daikon Spaghetti with Chicken and Tahini Soy Dressing

Makes 2 servings The daikon radish (found at any Asian market) is a very large, long root vegetable that has a milder flavor than other radishes. Because they are so long you can use a julienne peeler or a mandoline to slice long, thin, strands of “spaghetti.” Ingredients 1 teaspoon […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Diabetes-Friendly Cooking

Amidst the flurry of concerns a new diabetes diagnosis can bring, what to cook for dinner can seem like a huge hurdle. Simple everyday tasks like packing lunch or entertaining friends brings a new set of challenges. Receiving the news that you have prediabetes or diabetes is a food lover’s […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Dress Up Your Roasted Veggies for Thanksgiving

One of the best and easiest Thanksgiving side dishes is a platter of simple roasted vegetables. We’ve talked about the basics of roasting veggies, but let’s talk about how to dress them up for the holidays. For a typical weeknight dinner, you most likely roast your vegetables in olive oil […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Drying Techniques for Preserving Foods

Whether it’s for long-term storage, sweet treats, or prep for a long hike, drying foods is a great way of not just preserving food by extending its shelf life, but also reducing their size and weight for efficient storage or carrying. There are multiple techniques for drying and dehydrating foods. […]

Chef's Notes Plus

Easy Jam for Your Farmers’ Market Finds (No Canning!)

Making jam can feel like an overwhelming project, mostly because of the labor-intensive canning process. But making jam doesn’t requirecanning and can actually be a really quick way to preserve fruits at their peak season! Depending on where you live, you are either knee-deep in strawberries or waiting expectantly for […]

Main Dishes

Eggplant Caponata Stuffed Shells

Makes 4 to 6 servings This vegan pasta dish is creamy comfort food at its very best. Make all of the components ahead of time, or even assemble the dish a few days before you’re ready to serve it for an ultra-convenient weeknight meal. Serve it alongside prepared marinara sauce, […]

Allergen Friendly, Salads

Fennel Salad With Blood Orange Vinaigrette

This simple preparation is full of big flavors. Crisp fennel, onion, and celery make for a refreshing salad paired with the sweet and slightly tart juice of the blood orange. Makes 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 3 stalks celery, thinly […]