Dairy Free

This is not your average breakfast muffin. Imagine a fudgy brownie—chocolatey, rich, ringing every bell—and then picture yourself dancing around your kitchen, exuberant with the knowledge that these are sweetened with just bananas, applesauce, and cocoa powder. That’s something to get up for in the morning! And I’ll say what I want to say without saying it: Fiber never tasted so good.

Granita is a light dessert, one you could enjoy any day of the week. The hibiscus flowers make it extra special and elevate the simple ice to dinner-party status. The trick to the granita's texture is to stir, or mash, it several times during freezing. This prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Any side dish or salad that includes corn is pretty, but fava beans and striking-looking breakfast radishes—with their elongated shape, rosy red color, and creamy-looking root ends—make this dish more appealing and appetizing than most. Like most chefs, I love favas, but if you can’t find them or think they are too much trouble, replace them with lima beans.

A spoonful of toum elevates any steamed or roasted vegetable, or pasta or grains—or use it as a dipping sauce for good bread.

Arguably, some of the best ‘cue in the country can be found in North Carolina, where two distinct types of slow-cooked pig prevail. The first is Eastern barbecue, which is distinguished by slow-cooking a whole hog and including both the white and dark meat in chopped sandwiches and platters. Eastern ‘cue boasts just a hint of vinegar and red pepper, which is added to the meat mix rather than used as a sauce. Western North Carolina ‘cue (aka Lexington-style) is made from pork shoulder only. In addition to incorporating plenty of vinegar, sugar, and spices, it also mixes in a good amount of ketchup to create an actual sauce for the pork. This slow-cooker recipe falls somewhere in between.

Calico beans are a satisfying cross between chili, baked beans, and a sloppy joe filling. Full of a homemade barbecue-style sauce, these calico beans are meaty, tangy, salty, and deliciously perfect for any barbecue, picnic, or potluck you are heading to!

Tender, tangy, and accented with just a hint of bourbon, these slow-cooker–cooked ribs are messy, saucy, and perfect for devouring over a long weekend.

Serve this spicy-sweet sauce with thick-cut fried potato wedges, or use it as a glaze for pan-seared chicken thighs.

This refreshing fizzy drink has the flavor of chocolate milk—but without the dairy. Add a shot of chilled espresso or Kahlúa to give it some extra oomph.

Turn any vegetable into a flavorful, spicy pickle with this simple kimchi technique.

Chop these Calabrian-style chiles into pasta sauce or sprinkle onto pizza.

Slice these and mix with cured meats for a fresher take on antipasto salad.

Combined with coconut milk, it’s the base for your next Thai curry.

There are a lot of aioli recipes out there. This one uses a coddled egg instead of raw, and the blender method ensures a successful emulsion.

Red chiles are the best for drying.

Splash liberally on fried eggs, toss with grilled veg, or spread on a sub.

I love crunchy fennel and peppery arugula dressed with a slightly sweet dressing made from Meyer lemons—a fresh-tasting pick-me-up. Meyer lemons are only available in the wintertime, so if you can’t find them, use regular lemon juice and replace a third of it with fresh orange juice.

This simple pizza dough comes together quickly and is perfect for a thin crust pizza like "Trenton Tomato Pie" Pizza. The overnight rest is key for texture and flavor development.