Easy

When cooked with aromatics and rich tomato sauce, lentils are anything but bland.

The salmon absorbs more teriyaki flavor as it sits, making it even better (and breakfast that much quicker) if done in advance.

This deceptively simple condiment is as addictive as pesto and as transformative as a squeeze of lemon. Spoon it onto fish, chicken, steak, roasted vegetables, or even pasta.

Rubbing the marinade onto only the flesh side puts it in direct contact with the meat and lets the skin get extra-crisp with no fear of burned bits.

Sesame oil will become bitter if it gets too hot, so cook over gentle heat.

Collards and kale have some chew to them. Use your hands to work the dressing into the leaves until they soften and start to wilt.

Starting the chop in a hot pan lets you get a good initial sear; lowering the heat gives you control while it cooks through.

If the vibrancy of this dressing fades, perk it back up with more lime juice.

If you leave this on the thicker side, it's a great crudités dip. Or, thin it and pour onto salad.

For a salty, savory, crunchy boost, sprinkle this on roasted vegetables, soups, and hot cereal.

A spoonful of this sweet, earthy condiment perks up eggs, grain dishes, and simply prepared proteins.

This elegant salmon dish is perfect for a winter dinner party—just slide it into a low oven for 40 minutes and it’s ready to serve.

A steak sauce good enough to rival the most popular brand makes this steak (or any, really) even more delicious.

The mushrooms are not salted as they cook—this is intentional. The teriyaki sauce they're tossed in adds plenty.

Harissa is a great shortcut ingredient to flavor, but no two jars (or tubes) are the same. Taste first—if it seems very spicy, use a bit less. You can always stir more into the chickpeas when the dish is finished.

Breakfast is just the beginning. Use this in stir-fries, to marinate tofu, or to glaze chicken as it roasts.

To faithfully re-create this cocktail, do as Nostrana does and seek out blue plum brandy from Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery.

This is a great bitter-sweet combo. Dip peel in melted chocolate for an after-dinner treat.

Preserved lemons add a wonderful salty-sweet hit to these simple potatoes, but if you don't have them on hand, you can use regular lemons instead. Thinly slice the peel of one lemon, then toss with the potatoes before roasting.

My elementary school grapefruit, all grown up. I like the low notes of the dried chiles and rosemary against the sweet-tart citrus.