Side

These chicken skewers are my take on buffalo wings. Instead of wings, I use thighs, and instead of buffalo sauce, I use sriracha topped with blue cheese crumbles to give it that extra salty, cheesy kick. These skewers are super quick and easy to throw on the grill. And because they’re made with dark meat, they’re extremely tender and flavorful.

A smoked gouda spread melts into these cheesy potatoes, giving them savory summer vibes; if you have access to a grill, go ahead and cook the potatoes outdoors for double the smoky action.

If you don’t have za'atar on hand, dried mint is equally delicious infused into hot oil.

Cucumbers are practically all water, so you gotta dress them like you mean it. This hot, sweet, and tart dressing will have them covered.

You can slice the cauliflower any direction you like, just be watchful of your fingertips on the mandoline and work over a bowl to catch all the bits of flying florets.

If you have ever peeled, seeded, and sliced cucumbers for salads, this recipe will hopefully change your mind. Smashing the cucumbers augments the vegetable's ability to absorb seasonings.

The key to developing crispy browned surfaces on roasted cauliflower is baking in a superhot oven on the lowest rack so the baking sheet is close to the heat radiating off the bottom of the oven.

Don't overcrowd the food processor with florets or you might end up with cauliflower "rice" that's a mix of too-big pieces and mush. Work in batches and keep the pulses short.

With all due respect to diner breakfasts and box mixes, the average pancake is about as satisfying as a bag of marshmallows. We’ll take ours skillet-size, burnished from whole wheat flour and studded with cooked grains, because we want them flavorful and with a hardy texture.

This is an antidote to every side salad that ever was. Instead of meh greens, it's got shavings of fennel that bend and twist but keep their refreshing crunch. It's got a lean dressing and nuggets of deeply toasted croutons, meaty walnuts, and shards of Parmesan. It has acidity and zing—lemon juice, the zest, vinegar, mint, and red pepper flakes—just in case you were worried about palate fatigue. This is what salad looks like in 2018.

This simple side dish comes together in just about 5 minutes.

One take on the Ukrainian salad known as shuki, perfect for Easter.

This gorgeous tumble of carrot ribbons and mixed herbs provides a crunchy, fresh counterpoint to any rich meat main.

Smashing the cucumbers lets the crunchy veg soak up all the dressing—in this case, an easy Italian dressing of red wine vinegar, honey, and red onion.

While smaller squash, such as acorn, can be roasted whole, they are more starchy and liable to dry out. Stick with the big boys.

You can use any thinly shaved or sliced vegetable you like, and customize your sandwiches accordingly.

Spoon this chunky condiment over baked fish, roasted veg, or pork chops.

Not only does this oven method free you from needing to constantly tend the bacon while it cooks, but it also produces superior results.

Serve this bacon as part of a vegan brunch feast, or pile onto English muffins with a tofu egg and toppings for the best breakfast sandwich ever.