Nava Atlas

This hearty vegetarian stew comes together in under 30 minutes.

Cool romaine lettuce and barbecue-flavored chickpeas combine to create great flavor and texture in this hearty pita sandwich. This pairs well with many simple companions—potatoes or sweet potatoes, fresh corn, a simple quinoa salad or pilaf, or a light soup. And steamed green veggies are always welcome, too.

This simplified version of an Indian favorite is a delightful way to showcase tasty chickpeas.

This recipe is wonderful as is, or it can be used as a starting point for variations. Buttermilk is the traditional base for pancakes, but for me, this raised several dilemmas: One, even the largest supermarkets were often out of stock, and two, even when I did find it, it was never organic. I discovered that yogurt is an excellent base for pancake batter, producing tender, golden results. Once we went vegan, I found that soy yogurt works just as well.

Chilaquiles is a classic Southwestern casserole made from crumbled tortillas, tomato sauce, and cheese. Here, its savory flavors are augmented with black beans and zucchini.