Leafy Greens

The sweet, spicy, and tart flavors in this coconut-turmeric relish make it a perfect match with cauliflower.

Philosophical question: Is it still a wedge if it isn't smothered in blue cheese and bacon? It's debatable, but we do know that this is a healthyish wedge salad we'd happily eat every day. It's got the rich part—a creamy tahini dressing that's so thick it anchors the greens. It's got the crunchy stuff—seeds and coarse salt. And it's got freshness—actual lettuce and herbs. Iceberg who?

Larb will not only fill your belly, it will teach you how to balance sweet, sour, salty, spicy, funky, and umami flavors. Larb hails from Laos and gets its addictiveness from the way it stitches together ground meat and crunchy, juicy textures. When you get the balance right, this dish sings, each bite creating a craving for more.

Warm feta, crispy chickpeas, and wilted hearty greens become a fork-and-knife entrée in about 30 minutes.

The spicy garlic-honey glaze for the pan-seared pork chops also forms the base of the sauce for the warm escarole-and–white bean salad in this easy one-pan dinner.

Tossed with a miso and tahini dressing, this spring-evoking grain bowl can be topped with whatever seasonal produce looks irresistible at the market.

Pile roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed kale, black beans, and a sunny-side egg over grains for a healthful, filling grain bowl that'll power you through the day.

Enliven traditional chicken soup with fresh fennel and a dose of green kale. Dill-flecked matzo balls bring the classic to another level.

Chicken fat does triple duty to yield crisp skin, golden toast, and a schmaltzy dressing.

Springy ramen noodles and a cilantro-miso sauce bring a welcome twist to a classic pesto recipe.

Ribollita is like a heartier version of minestrone, thickened with bread and redolent with garlic. It is a beautiful soup when it’s fresh from the pot, but it is also perhaps the most noble of leftovers.

Corned beef is timeless and deserves a spot at the table, not just on St. Paddy’s Day. It is a crowd-pleaser that loves the low-and-slow ethos of the slow cooker, turning it tender without fail.

Polenta is often used as a neutral carb canvas for a rich sauce or braised meat, but here the creamy ricotta-and-spinach-enriched polenta is the centerpiece, with a simple little tomato salad on top for freshness. An egg on top is great, but optional.

Cook ribs over a mix of red cabbage and tart apples in this easy one-pot pork dinner.

Rich truffle butter and a heap of radicchio di Treviso put this "toast 'n' eggs" in a class of its own.

Red wine and bitter lettuce give this low-maintenance risotto a punch of flavor and sophistication.

Our version of this dip uses spinach, but it can be made with cooked beets or roasted eggplant, too.

Cover a just-baked, garlic-scented pizza crust with a crisp salad of Bibb lettuce, blue cheese, prosciutto, and pickled onions, plus plenty of red wine vinaigrette.