Cooking Basics

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Sprinkle the sweet potatoes with spices like chili powder or smoked paprika to use them as a side dish. To amp them up as a meal, toss into a hearty salad or top with an egg.

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Sautéed Sugar Snap Peas

Purchasing packages of sugar snap peas with the strings removed is a worthy time-saving shortcut.

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Tex-Mex Green Salsa

Mild chilies and pickled peppers join forces for this condiment. To decrease the spice factor, swap out jalapeños for banana peppers.

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Sautéed Kale with Garlic

Minced garlic brings a little pep into a sturdy side like kale. To turn into a meal, toss kale with pasta and herbed goat cheese or use as the base for a frittata.

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Roasted Pork Tenderloins

Browning these tenderloins on the stovetop until golden and then popping in the oven to finish is the key to perfectly succulent pork.

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Cooked Lentils

Lentils are one of the highest-protein sources of legumes (behind the mighty edamame). If that doesn’t convince you, it’s also one of the quickest-cooking.

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Fresh Tomato Salsa

Whether to accompany chips or slather onto tacos, this recipe fits all your salsa needs.

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Green Olive Tapenade

Most store-bought olive tapenades have a base of black olives. Replacing with green olives provides brininess, plus parsley adds a bright pop of freshness.

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Linguine Noodles

Toss with your favorite sauce to serve right away, or keep in the fridge for a day or two until needed.

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Broiled Boneless Pork Chops

A dash of spices plus the high heat of the broiler turns this into a quick yet satisfying weeknight entrée.

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Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs

A dash of the all-purpose spice blend, Italian seasoning, is an easy way to bump up the flavor of poultry.

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Roasted Green Beans

Green beans tossed in a bit of oil achieve a crinkly quality that can only be achieved through roasting.

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Meatloaf

A combination of ground pork, veal, and beef adds mega flavor to this meatloaf. A double dose of it means you can save one loaf to freeze.

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Caesar Dressing

A mayonnaise-based Caesar dressing is easier to whip together and eliminates the need for raw egg yolks, which are used in the traditional recipe.

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Roasted Turkey Breast Tenderloins

A turkey breast tenderloin is a less-utilized dinner option, but this lean meat isn’t just for the holidays.

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Roasted Eggplant Slices

Slicing and roasting eggplant is one of the easiest methods of preparation. It’s also one of the healthiest, as this spongy vegetable soaks up all the oil it can as it cooks.

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Shredded Carrot Salad

A quick Dijon- and lemon-spiked vinaigrette dresses up this carrot salad.

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Herb Compound Butter

A slice of this dreamy butter has a plethora of uses—top a grilled steak, lightly slather onto steamed vegetables, or stir into mashed potatoes.