Keto

Crisp green snow peas lend this soup a pleasant visual and textural twist.

As in many Asian-style soups, this ingredient list may look long, but it’s a snap to prepare. Adding any of the optional ingredients gives this soup a deeper and more authentic flavor.

Corned beef and cabbage is a meal traditionally eaten by Irish Americans in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in March. Corned refers to the large salt crystals (corns) rubbed into the meat to preserve it. The corned beef has enough spices to flavor this recipe, but if you feel the need for more spice, include the sea salt and pepper. For more gravy, simply add more broth to the recipe. I use lunch-meat-style corned beef in a thick slice from the deli in this recipe simply because it’s hard to find a package of raw, seasoned corned beef that’s less than two pounds. However, you can certainly use raw corned beef if you prefer.

Barley is a comfort food in my book. Hulled barley is a whole grain and offers all of the health benefits of other whole grains, including cholesterol-lowering qualities and fiber. Use a variety of mushrooms for a deeper, earthier flavor. This recipe tastes great with turkey, too! I cut and seed winter squash, but often I don’t peel it as the peel comes off very easily after it is cooked. You can also make this dish with yellow summer squash.

Prepared shredded coleslaw mix is one of our favorite items in the produce aisle because it’s so easy to toss in a bowl—all the work’s already done. You can bring this slaw to a potluck supper and get raves, and it takes less than ten minutes to put together. It’s no surprise that this is also terrific with Sweet and Spicy Pork (page 128), and kids will love it with Mini Macaroni Pies (page 168).

When Jamie craves salad (believe it or not, he does!), this is what he’s after: something you can chow down on. Hearty, crunchy romaine is perfect for that. We also love it with Mama’s Tasty Baked Beans and Sausage Soup (page 126) and Sautéed Ravioli with Cheese and Bread Crumbs (page 166).

If you’ve already got the grill going, this is a surefire way to get great veggies fast. They get deliciously smoky-sweet, and all you need is a handy grill basket to keep the small pieces from falling into the fire (or you can use a sheet of aluminum foil). A colorful assortment of veggies makes this especially fun. You can serve it with any of the grilling recipes in the chapter, but it’s especially great with Grilled Tilapia Po’boys with Homemade Tartar Sauce (page 95) and Easy After-Work BBQ Chicken (page 91).

You’ll be amazed at how much two ingredients can transform green beans. Blending olives with olive oil creates a chunky sauce with enough flavor to carry the day. We also love this with Italian-Style Pork Chops (page 23) and Braised Chicken with Peppers and Mushrooms (page 129).

This salad looks almost too pretty to eat! Try it with other Asian-inspired dishes like Broiled Tuna with Pineapple-Chipotle Salsa (page 57) or Bobby’s Favorite Beef Teriyaki Stir-fry with Broccoli and Peppers (page 18).