Sara Dickerman
Sara Dickerman is a former restaurant cook, and a James Beard Award-winning food writer. She is the co-creator of Bon Appetit’s popular Food Lover’s Cleanse, and her recipes and writing have also appeared in The New York Times, Sunset, Slate, and many more publications. She lives in Seattle with her family.
Snapper in Packets with Squash, Date, and Lemon Compote
Cooking in packets makes for a wonderful moment of revelation: you open the foil (or parchment) wrapper and get a warm puff of fragrant steam to go with your tender fish. Snapper’s just one way to go in this recipe: any flaky white fish will work well. Just add more cooking time for a thicker slice of fish.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Porcini Broth
Pork tenderloin is a delicious lean cut, but it can get dry quite easily. Use an instant-read thermometer and cook pork to 140° to ensure juiciness.
Barley Pilaf with Leeks and Lemon
The addition of buttermilk gives the barley a sour cream and onion vibe. But if you're not into the tang, feel free to leave it out.
Big Batch of Caramelized Onions
Little effort and big flavor. Use these in everything—sandwiches, salads, yogurt dips, roasted vegetables, and more.
Braised Chicken Thighs with Mustard and Chestnuts
Keep the heat on low after you stir in the mustard—the sauce could break unattractively if it boils.
Pineapple with Toasted Coconut and Pink Peppercorns
With their fruity astringency and pretty color, pink peppercorns go beautifully with pineapple. No need to run out and buy them, but if you’ve got them, give them a try.
Roast Chicken With Butternut-Tahini Purée
Whiz any cooked squash with tahini, lemon, and garlic for hummus-like spread that tastes great with roast chicken.
Chia Pudding With Dried Apricots and Pineapple
Try to get this in the fridge the night before for the best texture. If you're short on time, just top some pineapple chunks with chopped dried apricots and some pan-toasted chia seeds for a little crunch and protein.
Curried Brussels Sprouts, Chickpeas, and Sweet Potatoes
Sometimes more is more: Brussels sprouts, with their bitter edge and stout texture, can take on big flavors like bacon, vinegar, or, in this case, abundant Indian-inspired spices.
Morning Barley with Squash, Date, and Lemon Compote
One way to break up the monotony of morning oatmeal is to play around with different whole grains. Here, we lean on a pre-cooked big batch of barley to make a toothsome porridge.
Pomegranate–Chia Seed Yogurt Parfait
Chia seeds form a gel when they’re soaked in liquid for awhile, making it a kind of high-protein analog to tapioca pudding. Though you’ll find tubfuls of chia pudding at your local health food store, it tastes especially good when cut with another texture like the yogurt here.
Sundubu Jjigae With Clams
A Korean stew made with an earthy red chile stock and delicate curds of silky tofu, sundubu is traditionally served in preheated stone bowls. You can re-create that effect by heating a stone bowl or a cast-iron pot in a 400° oven.
Squash, Date, and Lemon Compote
This recipe straddles the line between sweet and savory: It works equally well as a chunky accompaniment to steamy fish at dinnertime and as a stir-in for a morning porridge.
Orange Carpaccio with Orange-Flower Water and Pistachios
Orange-flower water is very potent, and a couple of drops can go along way. Don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand; the salad is lovely without it too.
Black Rice with Hazelnuts
Nuts and nut oils are an easy way to change up your weeknight grain game. Try tossing in different toasted nuts and drizzling with their respective oils.
Red Quinoa with Parsley and Toasted Pine Nuts
Regardless of the color of quinoa, make sure you rinse it before you cook it.