Vegan mushroom miso gravy with balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, and tamari. Rich umami flavor, low-fat, and thickened with cornstarch for a silky pour.
Buttermilk coleslaw with sour cream, apple cider vinegar, celery seed, and a kick of hot sauce. A tangy, creamy slaw that skips the mayo entirely.
Red and green salad is a bitter Italian-style composed salad of chicory, Belgian endive, shaved fennel, radicchio, and sliced radishes with a simple olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. Crisp, sharp, and refreshing.
Yogurt cucumber salad with dill, dry mustard, and white vinegar. A cool, creamy, low-fat vegetarian side dish that comes together in 10 minutes flat.
Homemade grainy raspberry mustard with whole mustard seeds, raspberry vinegar, white wine, and seedless raspberry jam. A sweet-sharp condiment that keeps for up to a month.
Savory poached carp simmered in a sweet-tart broth of red onion, white wine vinegar, and lemon, served hot or chilled as a traditional jelled fish with beet horseradish.
Cocktail wieners simmer in a sweet-tart orange sauce spiced with cloves and cinnamon. A retro party appetizer in 20 minutes flat.
Confetti rice salad starts with chicken-flavored rice pilaf tossed with green onions, pimentos, and a sweet vinegar dressing. A colorful, make-ahead cold side dish for cookouts.
Idaho potato salad with julienned ham, Swiss cheese, toasted walnuts, and a Dijon-shallot vinaigrette. A hearty, warm potato salad that doubles as a main course on a bed of lettuce.
Fresh tomato and scallion salad dressed with raspberry vinegar, sugar, and parsley. A five-ingredient no-cook side dish that highlights peak-season ripe tomatoes.
Pickled shrimp boiled in crab boil spices, layered with onion and bay leaves, and marinated 24 hours in a tangy vinegar-celery seed dressing. A classic Southern cocktail appetizer.
Pulled pork BBQ with a from-scratch sauce of ketchup, horseradish, brown sugar, and Worcestershire, simmered low for hours. A tangy, old-school barbecue with real bite.
Szechuan chicken stir-fry with cornstarch-coated chicken breast, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and a hot kick of cayenne. The classic American-Chinese takeout dinner ready in 35 minutes.
Grilled beef sirloin kabobs marinated in brown sugar, chili powder, and hot sauce, served over fresh spinach with a cool yogurt dipping sauce.
Marinated poached scallops served chef-salad-style over greens with hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, radishes, and cheddar. A vintage seafood salad platter with a bright tarragon-vinegar dressing.
Honey barbecue chicken breasts oven-baked in a homemade tomato-honey sauce with cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and paprika. A no-grill weeknight BBQ supper.
Provencal beef stew (daube) marinates chuck overnight in red wine vinegar, garlic, thyme, and orange zest, then braises low and slow in dry red wine for fork-tender meat with sun-soaked southern French character.
Chez Melange gazpacho is a chilled tomato and tri-color pepper soup brightened with cucumber, dill, cilantro and a touch of beef stock for savory depth. No-cook summer starter.
Slow cooker spiral ham glazed with currant jelly, dry mustard, cinnamon, and clove. Studded with whole cloves for that holiday-table look without heating up the oven.
Sun-dried tomato vinaigrette blends rehydrated tomatoes with balsamic, red wine vinegar, garlic paste, and fresh basil. A vegan dressing with bold concentrated tomato depth, ready in 15 minutes.
Lemon herb barbecued shrimp skewered and grilled with a ketchup-based sauce spiced with coriander, cumin, ginger, and cayenne. Includes chopped lemon rind for bold citrus punch.
Picante potato salad with corn, red bell pepper, and scallions in a cumin-spiked vinaigrette. A mayo-free Mexican-style side dish served cold with fresh cilantro.
Thick and spicy spaghetti sauce gets its character from an unconventional spice rack: basil, paprika, cinnamon, curry powder, hot sauce, and burgundy wine simmered slow into a deep, complex pasta sauce.
Warm vegetable salad with julienned carrots, turnips, celery, tomatoes, green beans, and snow peas on mache and radicchio, dressed in shallot vinaigrette and garnished with fresh truffles.
Grilled marinated sirloin steak with red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. A freezer-to-grill meal prep recipe that marinates as it thaws.
Sweet corn kernels, black beans, and red bell pepper toss in a cumin-spiked vinaigrette with fresh cilantro for a colorful Southwest-inspired salad that feeds a crowd.
Spiced beef pot roast marinated in cumin, turmeric, ginger, mustard, garlic, and cider vinegar, then slow-simmered with bay leaves, cloves, and tomato puree. A deeply fragrant roast with global spice soul.
Olive oil marinated mushrooms simmer button mushrooms in herbed wine vinegar with thyme, garlic, and brandy. A make-ahead antipasto that gets better after a night in the fridge.
Sweet and sour shrimp dip combines pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and bell pepper into a glossy red dipping sauce for fried shrimp. The classic restaurant sauce, made at home.
Hot and sour tofu soup builds a silky Chinese-style broth with shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, and chili oil, thickened with cornstarch and finished with green onions.
From-scratch black bean soup with cumin, six cloves of garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce built in two stages. A hearty vegan bean soup simmered until thick and deeply flavored.
Warm chicken and rice salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette with fresh tarragon and chives. Light, herbaceous, and served warm instead of cold. No mayo, all flavor.
Very healthy and nutritious salad. Flavor is great too.
Versatile cold cherry soup with white wine vinegar, cinnamon, and heavy cream. Serve as chilled soup with sour cream or flip to dessert with sweetened whipped cream. Makes 2 quarts to feed 10.
Easy refrigerator pickles with thin-sliced cucumbers and onions in a sweet-tangy brine of vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric. No canning equipment, no processing, just four days in the fridge.
Beef Barbecue: tender shredded chuck roast oven-braised in a tangy ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar sauce. Three-hour cook delivers fork-shred meat for sandwiches or buns.
Walnut and Roquefort salad with romaine, chicory, avocado, and scallions in a white wine vinaigrette. A French bistro-style salad with bold blue cheese, toasted nuts, and creamy avocado.
Crunchy spinach salad with bean sprouts, water chestnuts, bacon, and hard-boiled eggs tossed in a sweet brown sugar and ketchup vinaigrette. Crisp, savory, and tangy.
Fava bean and tiny pasta salad with blanched carrots, chives, and a red wine vinegar-basil dressing. A light, marinated vegan side served at room temperature.
Classic bread and butter pickle slices with cucumber, onion, and green pepper in a sweet-tart cider vinegar brine with mustard seed, turmeric, and celery seed. Canned for the pantry.
Curry chicken salad with seedless grapes in a spiced mayonnaise dressing with cayenne and fruit vinegar. Broiled chicken breast diced and tossed cold with whole grapes.
Fourby chili: a vegan black bean chili simmered in stout beer with peanut butter for depth, corn for sweetness, and broccoli florets on top for crunch. An unconventional, deeply flavored chili worth the slow cook.
Homemade bath oil soak with milk, yogurt, eggs, butter, peach juice, and witch hazel. A moisturizing Cleopatra-style milk bath you can make from kitchen staples.
Hearty minestrone: vegetable soup with leeks, potatoes, white beans, zucchini, orzo pasta, and spinach in chicken broth. Lighter weeknight take on the Italian classic in 30 minutes.
Tomato and herb salad layers sliced ripe tomatoes over crisp lettuce with a chopped-tomato oregano vinaigrette. Fat-free, low calorie, diabetic-friendly side ready in 20 minutes.
Warm green bean and chickpea salad with tomatoes, shallots, balsamic vinegar, basil, and a lemon-olive oil dressing. A vegan Mediterranean side dish served warm or at room temp.
Peppered beef skewers marinated in garlic and soy, grilled fast and hot, then paired with a sweet-sharp red onion horseradish marmalade. Bold backyard grilling.
Tex-Mex steak and tortillas with garlic-marinated sirloin grilled fast over hot charcoal and wrapped in warm flour tortillas with a fresh tomato-chile-cilantro salsa.