420 zest recipes

Chicken and black bean salad with red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and fresh coriander in a zesty lime-jalapeno dressing. A no-cook, high-protein meal ready in 20 minutes.

Carrot cake spiked with vodka and orange zest, loaded with pecans and warm spices, baked in a Bundt pan and finished with a boozy orange glaze. Cocktail hour meets cake hour.

Whole wheat trail cookie bars with dried figs, golden raisins, walnuts, and wheat germ, sweetened with honey and molasses. A hearty, portable snack baked in one pan.

Toasting the oats for this hearty muffin enhances their nutty flavor; orange zest contributes a citrus fragrance that plays well with the sweet dates.

Chicken tagine with pine nut couscous braises chicken thighs in a fragrant Moroccan spice blend with dried apricots and prunes, served over couscous scented with lemon zest and toasted pine nuts. A dinner-party-worthy North African main.

Lemony cheesecake on a cinnamon-graham crust: a tangy lemon cream cheese filling under a layer of sour cream, all crowned with a glossy lemon glaze. A triple-lemon baked cheesecake that's bright, creamy, and rich.

Manhattan-style seafood stew in a tomato broth built on bacon, clam juice and white wine, loaded with clams, scallops and shrimp over tender potatoes. Bright with fresh basil and lemon zest, and not a drop of cream.

Pecan pumpkin pie with a spiced pumpkin custard bottom layer and a buttery brown-sugar pecan topping. Two holiday pies in one, brightened with lemon zest and juice in the pecan filling.

Barbadians make Black Cake for weddings, birthdays and at Christimas time. Indeed, no Christmas holiday is felt to be complete without black Cake. People from many of the islands make a similar cake. This Black Cake derived from the British Plum Pudding which is a must on their Christmas menu.

Oaxaca tostada bites: tortilla chips topped with a mole-spiced black bean mash of cocoa, cumin, and cinnamon, cool avocado cream, pepper jack, and lettuce. A no-cook, party-ready Mexican appetizer.

Egg-free lemon muffins made with silken tofu, applesauce, whole wheat flour, and wheat germ. Bright lemon zest and a cinnamon dusting on top. Makes 24 wholesome muffins in 30 minutes.

Halibut steaks Marengo with a rich tomato-mushroom sauce, Greek olives, and a parsley-garlic-lemon gremolata. A classic French-inspired fish dish thickened with beurre manie.

Wolfgang Puck's elevated pumpkin pie with a Grand Marnier cranberry layer, bourbon-spiked custard, and warm spices in a blind-baked crust. Serve with cinnamon ice cream for a holiday stunner.

Pot Roast Caribe braises a 3-pound chuck roast in a mole-inspired sauce with cocoa, chili, cumin, cinnamon, ground almonds, and orange zest. Caribbean-style pot roast for 6-8.

French pear tart with almond frangipane, kirsch-soaked apricot glaze, and vanilla-poached pears. Crushed macaroons fold into the pastry cream for chewy depth, finished with green pistachios.

Microwave black bean burritos done in minutes, no stove required. Spiced black beans, partly pureed for a creamy texture, wrapped in tortillas with a fresh avocado-tomato salsa. An easy vegetarian dinner.