Root Vegetable

This easy chili is a cross between chile verde and white chicken chili, an effortless and hearty dinner that’s perfect for weeknights.

This classic Jewish savory potato pudding has a crisp crust and a moist, soft interior.

Easier to make than the beef version, chicken pho requires fewer ingredients and takes less finesse for superlative results.

A tangy dish full of zing. The thyme adds deep flavour and the roasties give real crunch.

A combination made in healthy-foodie heaven, this will be sure to satisfy you first thing in the morning!

Cauliflower and carrot—in place of the usual potato—add sweet, vegetal flavor and a good dose of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins to this irresistible play on tater tots.

A specialty of Kerala, this simple, spiced-up stir-fry makes for a quick, hearty dinner.

These cumin-spiced chicken thighs and roasted potatoes are balanced by a zippy, jalapeño-spiked alternative to coleslaw.

Cumin and turmeric give this 30-minute vegetarian stew smoky, warming flavor and vibrant, soul-satisfying color.

I love the classic combination of beef, potato, and carrot cooked in a saucy, slightly sweet curry and ladled next to white rice. You can use whatever meat and vegetables you want, but for me, curry has two unbreakable rules: First, make sure that meat is nice and fatty. Second, embrace the premade blocks of Japanese curry roux. Curry is not health food, but neither are the deep-fried pork cutlets called tonkatsu, and I’m not planning to give those up either, no matter what my wife says!

This recipe is in the Mains chapter of my cookbook, but I have to say, I've eaten it at all times of day. It's made it to my breakfast table, and I've definitely whipped it up for a weekend lunch. After I eat it, I always feel so nourished and happy—and my body seems to love me for that. The spices are definitely what make this dish so special.

Loaded potato soup served up with shredded cheese, chives, and bacon is very much a representation of my fused German, Scandinavian, British, and Irish family ancestry. I wanted to make this a new family tradition, with a Japanese spin utilizing purple potatoes, that I could enjoy tummy ache–free. Blending antioxidant-rich purple sweet potatoes with coconut milk makes this soup creamy, rich, and tasty without adding tons of extra fat, sugar, or heavy cream. The roasted salty mushrooms are a perfect replacement for bacon—drizzled with some olive oil, this combination makes for one satisfying soup.

You’ll never miss the beans with this “stick to your ribs,” paleo, grass-fed ground beef–and–sausage version of the hearty Southwestern stew.