This week marks the first time I will be celebrating my birthday as a gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free person. Friends have expressed their condolences, staring into space with looks of pity (or is that horror?) as they imagine a birthday without a "real" cake. Me, on the other hand, I'm feeling energized and ready to pile my plate with a tumble of biscuits, strawberries, and cream. It's strawberry shortcake season!

Q: My boyfriend is in love with quinoa and I am too. I'd like to expand our horizons and get him a quinoa cookbook for his birthday; does anyone have recommendations? If it includes desserts or baked goods, all the better.

Sent by Marla

It might not seem like Korean food and Southern cuisine would have much in common — or even be able to share the same plate. Especially once you add a splash of classic French to the mix. But with Chef Edward Lee at the helm, these seemingly strange bedfellows start to make perfect sense. With this book, Smoke & Pickles, he's bringing his unique cuisine straight into our kitchens.

Q: I am desperate to re-create Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar salad dressing with less oil. I buy Newman's regularly, only to pour (and discard!) at least 3/4 cup of oil from the bottle before using it. Newman's light dressings do not have the same appeal; I am looking for a make-at-home solution with the same exact flavor.

Want to jazz up your non-alcoholic drinks like sparkling water, iced tea, and lemonade? Add a sprig or two of aromatic rosemary. These five beverages are a little bit herbal, a little bit sweet, and very refreshing. 

Want to make pasta, but lack the motivation to do all that mixing and kneading by hand? No problem. If you have a food processor, you can have a batch of pasta dough ready in about two minutes flat. 

This week at The Forest Feast, I needed to use up some chard from the nearby farmer's market, so I cooked up a big skillet Tortilla Espanola. This dish is usually made with just potatoes and onions, but I like to add some greens — it becomes almost like a crustless quiche. The addition of the colorful chard lightens the dish a bit, but is still quite filling. I like that this meal is made in a single pan and works well for breakfast, lunch or dinner! 

This six-ingredient salad right here has been my lunch for the past week — and it's looking highly likely that I will have it again next week! Made with a simple lemon-miso vinaigrette, this combination of tender kale, chewy farro, and nutty chickpeas holds up very well for several days in the fridge. All I have to do come lunchtime is scoop a portion into a bowl. With some orange segments and a slice of toast on the side, this easy lunch keeps me happy all afternoon.

Sometimes food can be so beautiful. These beet and goat cheese "jewels" are simply made by layering those two ingredients. The trick is that the beet coloring — from both golden and red beets — seeps into the goat cheese, which is what gives the terrine that beautiful, varied shading.

Ever since cooking through Indian Vegetarian Feast, we've been inspired to add a tablespoon of panch phoron to everything from sautéed broccoli to a pot of beans or a jar of refrigerator pickles. This five spice mix is so easy to make yet adds tremendous flavor and aroma to Bengali dishes and anything else you can think of.