Quick stir-fried bok choy with garlic, reduced-sodium soy sauce, and sesame oil. A crisp-tender Asian vegetable side dish done in 5 minutes with just six ingredients.
Crimini-shingled mahi mahi: fish fillets crowned with thin-sliced mushrooms seared golden, served on garlic mashed potatoes with slow-roasted tomato petals. A restaurant-style seafood plate.
Pantry-friendly vegetable salad made from canned green beans, baby carrots, and beets, tossed in a lemon-tarragon vinaigrette with fresh cucumber and green onions.
Walleye fillets seared and simmered in a homemade red wine sauce with garlic, thyme, tomato puree, and capers. A French-inspired freshwater fish dinner ready in 45 minutes.
Tea-smoked chicken breasts use brown rice, brown sugar, cloves, and Earl Grey tea leaves smoldering in a Dutch oven. Chinese-inspired indoor smoking technique that flavors boneless chicken in 16 minutes.
Chilled orzo pasta salad with fresh corn, smoked chicken, red pepper, and basil in a sweet-spicy rice vinegar and lime dressing. Topped with toasted pine nuts.
Beef tenderloin kabobs marinated in red wine, olive oil, rosemary, and oregano with mushrooms, zucchini, red pepper, and cherry tomatoes. Grilled in 8 minutes.
Rigatoni with ground lamb, pine nuts, feta, and fresh mint in a light tomato-broth sauce. A Mediterranean pasta dish with bold Greek-inspired flavors ready in 45 minutes.
Mike's Baked Stuffed Eggplant fills eggplant shells with a Parmesan, breadcrumb, and egg stuffing, then bakes over a rustic potato-tomato sauce for 90 minutes. A hearty Italian-style vegetarian main.
Homemade ciabatta bread using sourdough starter and active dry yeast for a tangy, open-crumbed loaf with a crisp, chewy crust. Makes three torpedo loaves.
Grilled eggplant salad layered with yellow tomatoes, fresh mint, and a shallot-lemon vinaigrette. A stunning Mediterranean summer platter that pairs smoky grilled eggplant with cool raw tomato.
In Sicily bistecche like these are served as an antipasto, a contorno, or, when a charcoal fire is going, as one of many dishes in a mixed grill.
Black beans and brown rice with smoky ham hock, oregano, and a splash of vinegar. Diabetic-friendly, high-fibre side served over nutty whole-grain rice. Cuban comfort with a healthier swap.
Layered tamale pie steamed in real corn husks with three distinct masa layers: fresh corn, green chile cilantro, and red pepper chili. Served with fresh green salsa.
Roasted vegetable gazpacho with oven-charred tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and garlic blended with sherry vinegar and stale bread into a silky chilled soup. Deeper and smokier than traditional gazpacho.