It's not for nothing that couscous is one of our biggest staples for quick weeknight dinners. This grain-like pasta cooks in the blink of an eye and is absolutely foolproof. If you can boil water, I guarantee you can make couscous. More

I have a secret love affair with peas. Yes, I love them in their fresh-from-the-pod form, but during the winter months, I use their frozen cousins. I spice them in my favorite manner, similar to a dish I had in Cochin, Kerala, in Southern India, and eat them up with a large spoon, stopping only for a quick bite of naan or dollop of raita. More

As a vegetarian, I tend to eschew most meat alternatives such as veggie hot dogs or fake hamburgers. I know they don't taste like the real thing and many varieties are full of processed ingredients. But one interesting and hearty vegetarian ingredient I've just come upon is the soy curl. Have you tried these out? Here's a quick recipe for sesame ginger soy curls on salad. More

Thai stir-fried greens have been in my weeknight cooking repertoire since I began cooking. It's the first Thai dish I ever prepared that tasted straight-outta-Thai-Town authentic, and it's so simple, I make it — usually with rice and a Thai omelet — whenever I want a quick, flavorful dinner with lots of healthy leafy greens. More

When I moved to New York City almost fifteen years ago, a friend took me on a downtown tour of inexpensive places to fill my belly. One stop was the Lahore Deli, a Pakistani joint on the edge of Soho where for four dollars I could have a little box of rice, dal and veggies plus a hot cup of sweet milky chai. The chai's share of that bill was one dollar; these days it's a buck fifty.

It was there, inside Lahore Deli, where my love for chai blossomed and as I made my way farther afield in the city, I scouted out other places for great chai, but I never found one that matches Lahore's and so when the craving comes — and it comes almost daily — I either meander over to Crosby Street, or I make my own. More

Okay, it's time to stop denying it, this is really happening: we're at that point where there's hardly any fresh, local, in-season produce in the markets to inspire wild innovation in the kitchen. It's time to stretch.

How do you honor the hearty ice-kissed greens and mighty squash of winter and not yawn over your dinner plate? This is a great problem to have and one that has made me a better cook than when I have all the produce I ever desired handed to me in a farmers' market tote. Stretch and you shall build muscle.

A few tips and they all start with b: break out the balsamic and bacon...

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Are you in the mood for some comfort food? Of course you are; it's January. In the interest of resolutions and energy, you might, however, be leaning towards something with vegetables — perhaps even a vegetarian dish? I have a proposal for you: Fresh baby spinach and chickpeas seared with ginger, garlic, and onion in a creamy coconut milk sauce, finished off with a healthy dash of lemon.

But it doesn't stop there. No — this spicy, tangy dish of greens was designed to be served over a sweet potato. Want to see how it looks when all put together? Here you go... More

What's your favorite last-minute dinner? Me, it's scrambled eggs. Soft as possible, with plenty of butter, eaten on crisp toast at 8pm, taking comfort in a hot meal even after a scattered day. Well, if scrambled eggs are your idea of last-minute comfort food, then Ruth Reichl has some tips for you on making them even better. More

Rice is rice, right? Not quite. Short-grain Japanese rice is quite different from long-grain basmati or jasmine rice, so achieving the right texture — glossy and tender but not sticky — calls for a particular cooking method. A fancy rice cooker makes the process easy, but it isn't a necessity. Making perfect Japanese rice on the stove is simple, requiring only a good pot and careful listening skills. More

My boyfriend (wait, make that fiancé!) recently made a special request. He asked to purchase a wok, in the event that it remain exclusively his. I can be a bit territorial in the kitchen, but I was happy to release my tight grasp in the name of good food love. More