Heidi Swanson

In this herby make-ahead brunch dish, French onion dip meets savory bread pudding. Put the strata together the night before, then bake at breakfast time.

This blend gives my French Onion Breakfast Strata its distinctive flavor profile. Chives are my herb of choice, but oregano or thyme is also nice.

Cool yogurt, crunchy seeds, and herbs turn lentils into a lunch salad you’ll actually be excited to eat. Serve it with warm pita for swiping up the garlicky yogurt.

Nutritional yeast adds a hit of umami that plays well with earthy kale and buckwheat noodles. We suggest using curly kale, which roasts into light, crispy chips.

When you have more eggplant and squash than you know what to do with, turn to this quick curry.

Cooking rice in big batches is like giving a gift to your future self; tossed with tiny tomatoes, leftovers become tonight’s dinner in minutes.

I've enjoyed oats a thousand different ways in my life, and this is my favorite. A layer of fruit lines the base of a well-buttered baking dish. The fruit is then topped with a blend of rolled oats, nuts, and spices. A wet mixture of milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla is drizzled over the dry ingredients before baking to a golden-topped, fruit-scented finish. Be sure to use rolled oats and not instant oats.

This variation on the traditional Indian beverage is like a frosty cold, bright ginger beer. Cardamom gives the drink a floral undertone, and tart lime juice and sea salt add refreshing balance.

goat cheese, garlic, herbs Anytime I have leftover cooked quinoa, I make these little patties. They're good hot or cold and are well suited to fighting afternoon hunger pangs. It's a bit of a stretch, but they could be described as a (very) distant cousin of arancini, Italy's beloved deep-fried risotto balls. In contrast, these are pan-fried in a touch of oil, and smushed flat in the pan to get as much surface browning and crust as possible. I'm including my basic version, but often times I'll add a handful of very finely chopped this-or-that: broccoli, asparagus, or cauliflower, depending on the season. They're great on their own, slathered with ripe avocado or drizzled with hot sauce.