I used to whip feta with milk, but the site Serious Eats taught me about using Greek yogurt, which yields a super creamy, pillowy dip. Serve it with warm pita or grilled sourdough and some cucumbers sliced on an extreme bias. I’m not usually one to suggest more prep time, but homemade pita is immeasurably better and there are plenty of great recipes online.
I like the presentation of the salty bits on top, but you can pulse all the ingredients together for a more homogeneous texture.
These skillet tortillas use store-bought enchilada sauce for simmering, which makes them an especially convenient option for last-minute savory breakfasts or brunches. You can transform the meal repeatedly by experimenting with different toppings, be they creamy, melty, crispy, or crumbly. I give a few of my favorite options in the ingredient list, but don’t be afraid to add your own finishing touches! Note that the recipe calls for white corn tortillas, rather than yellow; white tortillas tend to be thinner and more pliable, which makes them especially good for soaking up the sauce.
If you ask me what my last supper would include, this dish would absolutely make the list. It features a combination of some of my favorite ingredients: lemon, Parmesan, garlic, and butter. I’ve been making this dish for weeknight dinners for over 20 years, especially on Mondays as it’s a good way to use up any sesame bagels or baguettes left over from the weekend.
Arayes are Lebanese and out of the ordinary in every way. While they could be thought of as lamb burgers, their unique shape makes them much more than that. They can be cooked on an outdoor grill, or indoors in a sandwich pan or skillet. In either case, the heat should be moderate to allow the filling to heat through without burning the bread. Serve tabbouleh or a chopped tomato and cucumber salad on the side.
The crumble steals the show in this salad! You can serve whatever leafy greens and vegetables you want with it, and it’s still going to be the best salad you have all week. I’ve headed in an autumnal direction here—chewy kale leaves with apple batons and cranberries. I also crumble over some soft goat cheese, which works beautifully with the sweet and sour elements of the salad. All together it’s a great combination of textures, colors, and flavors. It’s substantial enough as a standalone meal or as a statement side dish (official term!). The cranberry-plumping step (another official term) is optional. But once you’ve plumped, you’ll never go back!
A lemon tart is a beautifully delicate dessert. It’s not too in-your-face but can certainly hold its own. A good lemon tart should have a well-pronounced lemon flavour but it shouldn’t be so tart that it makes you wince (as did my first few attempts of this tart). The silky, buttery filling is zingy and fresh and would be perfect for a springtime evening dessert. A lightly infused basil cream brings some fragrance and playfulness that keeps people going back in for a second or third slice. For a bit of extra frill, I like to blitz some leftover basil leaves in a food processor with caster sugar and sprinkle it on top.
When Forbes asked me for tips on eating well, I immediately offered this recipe, which is a stew filled with vegetables and dal. My version of a one-pot vegetable dal—an easy weeknight meal—is a play on a traditional recipe to incorporate more vegetables and greens. This stew is packed with protein and fiber. I love adding stewed tomatoes for a pop of color on top, versus cooking them down in the recipe.
Greens plus a generous serving of goodies—shaved carrot and radish, bulgur, chickpeas, dried cranberries, and feta—come together with a standout citrusy dressing to make an entrée-worthy salad that is perfect all throughout the year. Use a mandoline slicer (or a chef’s knife) to produce extra-thin cuts of raw veggies for this salad. The recipe for House Lemon Vinaigrette makes more than double what you’ll need. Keep it in the fridge at all times—ready to dress a simple side of greens.
Confession: I’ve always found potato-leek soup to be a little on the gluey side. So, when I make it at home, I try to add a green element, especially in spring months. Asparagus becomes quite subtle in this soup and pairs well with the anise-y fennel and peppery arugula in the background. Any manner of peas (sweet, sugar snap, snow) could be swapped for the asparagus. Because we are pulverizing much of the fiber in this recipe, I garnish the soup with a few raw asparagus spears as a carb companion.
I had this soup in a market in Zanzibar. It was one of those moments that catches you off guard. A seemingly simple potato soup, but it really is much more than the sum of its parts. So understated but it really delivers. This is my memory of the version I had. You can also add fried peanuts or a hard-boiled egg. I don’t remember the soup being spicy, but you could add a chilli or two to the pot to simmer along. The roasted peanuts without salt are worth seeking out as they work really well here but are also great in salads and for general snacking.