Cookthink

The combination of lentils and kielbasa creates a satisfying meal. Try it with a light salad for a healthy dinner.

Crostini With Lentils, Ricotta And Basil

The toasted bread is the perfect medium for the interplay of the warm, earthly lentils; the creamy ricotta and the fresh, perfumed basil. Sometimes we like to use walnut oil instead of olive oil. Either way, for a little more flavor, whisk together a quick vinaigrette of oil, Champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard. Lightly drizzle the vinaigrette over the crostini.

Lentil Salad With Garlic Vinaigrette

Mustard and lentils are a classically good combination (especially alongside pork). Here, the mustard and vinegar together are a great foil to the soft, creamy and earthy lentils. For a nuttier vinaigrette, replace the olive oil with walnut oil, which mixes wonderfully with Champagne vinegar.

Bibb Lettuce And Avocado Salad

This salad has a lot going on for having so few ingredients. The buttery lettuce and creamy avocado play off of each other while the nasal heat of the mustard and tart vinegar keep them honest. Let the shallot marinate in the vinegar for at least 10 minutes to take off its edge.

Sauteed Turnip Greens With Chile Flakes And Mustard

Doesn't this recipe sound good? It is. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."

Autumn Pork Stew

Doesn't this recipe sound good? It is. If you'd like some ideas about what to eat with it, click on the "goes with..." tab to the left. For the lowdown on ingredients, techniques and tools, click on "related tips."

Tuna, Green Bean And Potato Salad With Olives And Anchovies

This is hardly a classic salad Niçoise (no hard boiled eggs or roasted red peppers?), but this is a good starting point for variation. The saltiness of the tuna, olives and anchovies gives great flavor to the vegetables.

Fresh Mayonnaise

With a food processor there is no excuse not to make mayonnaise at home once in a while. It will bear little resemblance to the bottled stuff: homemade mayonnaise is so much better. Period.

Hearts Of Romaine Salad With Lemon-Parsley Vinaigrette

Romaine is great for salads because it is so crunchy and juicy at the same time, and still has a bright green flavor. We dress it up with a simple lemon vinaigrette, which would really work on any salad.

Grilled Herb-Mustard Chicken Breasts

If you think grilled chicken breasts are boring, think again. The mustard and herb glaze adds extra flavor as well as keeping the chicken nice and moist. Use dried herbs when fresh are not on hand.

Three-Bean Salad With Quinoa

Chip adapted this three-bean salad from a recipe Elizabeth found in Cooking Light magazine. The original used bulgur, but this recipe calls for quinoa. The dish is a hearty side or a main course for a summer evening. You can read more about this recipe at the Cookthink blog.

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork In Barbecue Sauce

If you think far enough ahead, this pulled pork recipe is an easy, smoker-free way to get a good dose of barbecue. The sauce is a pretty traditional one—vinegary and mustardy. The addition of sambal oelek gives the whole thing a little kick.