vegetables

Have you met bok choy? If not, get yourself to the nearest supermarket posthaste, and snap up a bundle. Slightly sweet and grassy in flavor, the Chinese cabbage takes well to a host of flavors, but easily my favorite way to prepare it is conveniently simple, without sacrificing a lick of flavor.

While there are many reasons to love this weeknight-friendly side — it's affordable, easy, quick as all get out, and, most importantly, delicious — what I love most is how such simple ingredients translate into a dish far more exciting than one would assume on the outset. Little more goes into this loose recipe of sorts than the vegetable at hand, oyster sauce (a magical ingredient if there ever was one), sriracha, soy sauce, and sesame seeds, but a quick turn in a screaming-hot cast-iron takes it to the next level by imparting an essence similar to wok hei, a wok-imbued flavor prized in Chinese cuisine.

What are you waiting for? Make the simple yet satisfying side tonight

Ultrasimple roasted carrots dressed in naught but a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper are a perennial favorite in my household, but let's face it: too much of anything gets old fast, no matter how delightful. Not quite ready to abandon the idea completely — I relish in how fuss-free carrots are to prep, their relatively long shelf crisper life and adore their earthy, slightly sweet flavor — I made a quick Internet search for a new variation on this old favorite.

Thankfully, this recipe from Mark Bittman delivers. I suspect that I'll be devouring this zingy, vibrant, pared-down side until I'm as sick of it as its predecessor (a mark of a good recipe, in my book).

Keep reading for the fast and easy recipe.

I know what you're probably thinking: kale chips are so two years ago. And sure, they've been done before (we even have a handful of enticing options in our archives), but I'd argue that their ubiquity is simply a testament to how dang delicious these virtuous snacks can be.

So no, I'm not exactly reinventing the wheel here; rather, consider this a tune-up. These salty, tangy, and dangerously snackable crisps are more akin to a fresh set of tires for the kale chips "wheel." Heavy-handed with both salt and vinegar to mimic the addictive flavor of salt and vinegar chips (minus the fryer), these chips are hands-down my favorite kale snack I've tried to date (and I really like kale).

Get the recipe for crispy salt and vinegar kale chips.

When it comes to bloody Marys and appetizer plates, spicy pickled green beans are an absolute must. They are fairly easy to find in the canned section of the store, but friends and family will enjoy receiving your homemade batch as an edible gift this holiday.

This particular green bean recipe has a semimulled flavor, due to the coriander. Consider it the recipe's secret ingredient! The dill is subtle, so these green beans don't taste too much like pickled cucumbers. I upped the hotness by adding whole red chile peppers and crushed red pepper flakes, but not to worry; these green beans won't coat your throat with capsaicin.

When gifting these pickled green beans to others, attach a recipe card for a bloody Mary cocktail; that way, these spicy pickles are paired in the perfect way.

Click here to start canning.

Recently, my boyfriend and I sat down for a hearty meal at Suppenküche — our neighborhood German joint — and did the usual dance around what to order. Bratwurst, thick-cut pork chops, and sautéed trout tempted, but ultimately I settled on a dish of braised beef — though it was the braised red cabbage accompaniment that sold me on my selection.

Thankfully it lived up to my expectations and then some, and despite its enticing plate companions (the aforementioned braised beef, and a heaping pile of tender spaetzle) it was the tart and heavily spiced cabbage that I devoured with relish.

Keep reading to learn out to re-create tangy braised cabbage at home.

After 30 celebrations with the same turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and jellied cranberries, I've decided it's time to make a change. This year, it'll be all about modernizing the traditional Turkey Day meal: think spiced curried pumpkin soup, a fluffy millet-pomegranate salad, and a spin on Southern squash casserole with California cheese and a crumbly gremolata topping. And standing in for mashed potatoes will be none other than the seasonally appropriate and wildly underrated celery root.

This edible root has an intensely bright celery flavor, which stands well on its own but even better when paired with nutty flavors. I amped up this component of the dish by taking inspiration from New York chef Michael Anthony, who purees his celery root with a buttery "burnt" milk, and Los Angeles chef Suzanne Goin, who tops her celeriac with hazelnut oil and toasted hazelnuts for crunch. The result is a stunning marriage of earthy flavors that truly speaks to the legacy of Thanksgiving. Keep reading for a new Thanksgiving side dish recipe.

A green bean casserole isn't a green bean casserole unless it's smothered in cream of mushroom soup and topped with crispy onions. But because the original Campbell's recipe uses soy sauce to add a boost of umami, I decided I'd try a version of green bean casserole that plays up Asian flavors.

This casserole tastes every bit as indulgent as the original recipe, but it's made lighter by thinning the cream of mushroom soup with vegetable broth. In this Japanese-meets-American rendition, I caramelized the onions and deglazed them with mirin, a sweet Japanese rice wine. Rather than relying on French's fried onions from the can, I breaded the onions in panko (Japanese breadcrumbs). The buttery, breaded, and caramelized onions have a richer flavor than the fried, packaged stuff and are like savory sprinkles atop the creamy green beans and mushroom mixture.

If you're fearful that this dish will taste like stir-fry, don't worry: the resulting dish maintains the integrity of the classic American casserole. As the casserole cooks, your kitchen will be infused with the smell of buttery onions and earthy mushrooms; you'll know it's ready when the thick cream of mushroom soup starts to bubble through the crispy caramelized onions.

Try a new green bean casserole this Thanksgiving.

Despite tasting more like dessert, sweet potato casserole perseveres as a staple of the classic Thanksgiving meal. And while marshmallows can liven up a cup of cocoa, all they do to this Fall root veggie is weigh it down in sugar and hard-to-pronounce ingredients. We know that when it comes to meals that are healthful and taste good, simpler is better, which is what you'll find when you make this dish of maple-roasted sweet potatoes and yams. The sweetness of the veggies is still the star of the dish, minus all the calories, fat, and sugar found in the classic.

Learn how to make this improved Thanksgiving classic after the break!