Thai Coconut Chicken Curry

This Thai-inspired curry is fragrant and silky smooth, pitting the sweetness of coconut milk against the slight sourness of fish sauce and earthiness of mushrooms.  Additionally, this curry can really be adapted to suit your tastes from mild to blazing hot.  You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to make something this good.

Gnocchi with Winter Squash and Kale

We eat a ridiculously high amount of pasta in our house, but every once in a while I like to switch gears and opt for some light and delicate gnocchi instead.  Add to it some seasonal squash and greens and you’re only a few minutes away from a memorable dinner.

Quinoa Tabbouleh with Mint

Regardless of how you spell it, tabbouleh is amazing. This staple of Middle Eastern restaurants gets a makeover by replacing bulgur wheat with quinoa for a nuttier taste that nicely balances the slight bitterness of parsley and lemon.  Revel in the fact that this side dish is gluten-free, or that it contains enough protein to hold up as a meal itself.

Ground Beef Kefta

We’ve all been there before. Hungry, staring at a pound of ground beef, yet still confused as to what to do with it, knowing that one more burger or one more bowl of chili is one step closer to insanity.  Next time, perhaps consider these Middle Eastern-inspired kefta, which are made with minimal ingredients and effort, but are full of complex flavors.

Chicken No-Noodle Soup

Whether your sick, tired, cold or just in an existential funk, few things bring quick comfort like a bowl of chicken soup. There are as many different recipes of chicken soup as there are cooks, however is one of my favorites in that it only takes about 25 minutes to make. This soup also has the added bonus in that it replaces traditional noodles or pasta with beans for a protein kick.