Carrot

Fifteen minutes is all it takes to get this dish on the table and you’ll find everything you need in the pantry or in the freezer—no need to shop! It has a very concentrated tomatoey flavor that I find appealing.

Somewhat reminiscent of a puttanesca sauce, but with the addition of olives and lots of vegetables, this is a homey dish that you would find in many Roman kitchens. Long, slow simmering is what makes the sauce so delicious, so if you like, make a double batch and freeze some to use next time you bake fish or chicken, or make a baked pasta dish.

Using cinnamon to flavor a beef dish may sound strange to anyone who is not familiar with the cuisine of southern Italy, where the Moorish influence is apparent in the seasonings of many dishes. I promise, though, the spice is a fantastic addition. The cinnamon gives the sauce a little sweetness and a little heat all in one without being spicy, per se. Try it.

Use either fresh or frozen tortellini for this soup, a twist on the traditional tortellini en brodo that is a traditional Christmas dish all over northern Italy. White beans and the pancetta make this one very hearty and even more flavorful.

The dressing is what makes this salad: it’s sooo delicious I use it to marinate chicken and fish, drizzle it on pasta salads, or even toss some with boiled new potatoes to make an Italian potato salad. When you make it, double or triple the quantity so you’ll always have it on hand to toss with your favorite foods.

A scapece means pickled, and the longer the vegetables marinate in the red wine vinegar, the better they taste. My family used to make them in the winter when the veggies weren’t at their peak. These are super versatile; serve them alongside pasta, bread, fish, or meat or as the centerpiece of an antipasto platter.

Eating fresh produce in a variety of colors is key to good health, and this autumn medley of carrots, butternut squash, rutabaga, parsnips, and shallots provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Sweet meets spicy when parboiled baby carrots are sautéed with honey, ginger, and sliced hot red chile. Not to be confused with the type sold in bags at the supermarket, the baby in this recipe are young carrots with the tops still attached. If you can’t find them, buy regular carrots; cut off the thick sections, then halve or quarter them.

Broiling is a good way to brown the salmon without adding fat. For a golden color and crisp finish, don’t turn the fish while it is under the broiler; it will still cook all the way through without this extra step.

Chayote is a member of the gourd family, along with cucumbers, melons, and squash; it is mild tasting, with a crisp, pearlike texture. It is often used in salads and salsas, or baked and stuffed, like other squash. If you can’t find one, you can substitute honeydew melon instead, adding it after the mixture has been cooked and allowed to cool.

A papaya salsa with fiery Scotch bonnet chiles makes a colorful—and spicy—condiment for grilled steak. The salsa also goes well with grilled fish, particularly snapper. For less heat, seed the chiles before slicing them.

After the chicken is browned and the vegetables are sautéed, the meat is braised until fork-tender. Orange juice adds vitamin C and brightens the dish, but you can omit it and increase the chicken stock by half a cup.

A relative of spinach and beets, Swiss chard offers fantastic antioxidant protection in the form of carotenoids, which help maintain eye health, boost immunity, and may even fight cancer. Here, chard leaves are rolled around a protein-rich quinoa-mushroom filling for an elegant entrée.

Made with both carrots and carrot juice, this brightly colored soup is loaded with betacarotene. If you don’t have a vegetable juicer, look for bottled carrot juice at your grocery store or health-food market, or better yet, buy it fresh from a juice bar.

Be sure to purchase firm or extra-firm tofu for this soup, as it will hold up better in hot liquid than softer varieties. Miso should be added only at the end of cooking because its flavor and healthful qualities are affected when it’s boiled or exposed to prolonged high temperatures. Whisk it with a bit of liquid first so that it is quickly and evenly distributed.

Latkes, traditionally served at Hanukkah, are typically panfried and topped with sour cream. This herbed carrot version eliminates much of the fat, requiring only a small amount of cooking oil and featuring drained low-fat yogurt as a topping. Be sure to squeeze all the juice from the onion to prevent the patties from falling apart.

The fiber in lentils helps to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar. French green lentils cook more quickly and retain a firmer texture than the more common brown ones.

Kale makes for a surprising alternative to cabbage in this sweet-sharp slaw. Curly kale, the most widely available, is used here; remove the tough stems and center ribs before slicing the leaves.

Vegetables, of course, make healthy snacks, and are especially appetizing when served with flavorful dips. Yellow split peas are the protein-rich basis of one spread; tarama—cured carp or cod roe, used in Greek and Turkish cooking—flavors the other. The roe is soaked in water to remove much of its saltiness, then squeezed of excess moisture. Look for tarama at specialty food stores. Serve dips with crudités and toasted baguette or whole-grain bread slices.