It's January, which means we are all craving food that is a little lighter, a little healthier, and a little more in line with the way we've resolved to eat this year. But at the same time, it's January and when we're wrapped up in sweaters and blankets, it's comfort foods we're dreaming about. That's where this recipe comes in. With its rich, mushroom-studded filling tucked under a layer of soft mashed sweet potato, it has all the hallmarks of a good shepherd's pie, but it's completely vegan — and includes a secret ingredient that adds body and creaminess to the filling, without any cream. More

Dried lentils are a pantry essential in most of our kitchens, and come cooler months they're a go-to ingredient for a quick weeknight meal. Lentil soup may be a favorite, but don't forget all the other things you can make with lentils. From spicy lentil wraps to wild mushroom lentil burgers, here are 10 non-soup lentil recipes we're craving this winter: More

I first came across "Aunt Cleo's Chicken Pie" while digging through my fiancé's tattered purple recipe folder, filled to the brim with handwritten index cards that his mother, Tina, had originally sent with him to college. We were only in the beginning phases of dating when I rummaged through the file, but I figured out pretty early that he was a sucker for his mom's home cooking. More

Quinoa and black beans are pillars of our pantry. In summer we toss them into a satisfying, protein-packed salad with ripe tomatoes. In winter, however, we replace the tomatoes with something just as refreshing yet more seasonally appropriate: vibrant, juicy oranges. More

Cooking for my family during a holiday visit to Seattle, I came up with this chowder as a light yet comforting weeknight dinner to give us a break from the rich holiday meals we had been eating. The broth skips the usual milk or cream and is instead thickened by pureeing cooked potatoes and aromatics into a creamy, flavorful base studded with chunks of mild white fish and soft vegetables. Warm, satisfying and not too heavy, this dairy-free soup is the perfect meal for a chilly January evening. More

I've been doing a lot of cooking this week, and it's been really nice. When my marriage ended a year ago, I was suddenly thrown back into cooking by myself again, and at first I was lost at sea. I had forgotten everything I'd known -- the touch and the feel of cooking -- that I'd had ten years earlier when I was single. More

In my small Alabama hometown, a restaurant lives and dies by its chicken salad recipe. Heaven help the one that decides not to include the Southern staple on its menu. For the local "ladies who lunch" crowd, it is practically a food group, and it should not to be taken lightly. More

Is one of your resolutions to eat less meat this year? From the minds behind the Meat Free Monday campaign, this beautifully photographed cookbook will walk you through an entire year of meat-free Mondays. That's breakfast, lunch, and dinner taken care of....every Monday...for an entire year. Fruits, vegetables, and grains galore. What's not to love? More

Eating less meat, eating more greens, spending less money, cooking more dinners at home ... whatever your New Year's resolution is, chances are it can be helped along with a pot of beans. Soak, cook, and freeze a big batch of beans on the weekend and you'll be ready for simple, nourishing, and budget-friendly meals throughout the week. We love all types of beans, but these days we're especially partial to creamy white varieties, which star in these five delicious vegetarian suppers. More

Even chefs have to eat. And, boy, do they eat! Staff meals, served family-style in the dead zone between the lunch hour and arrival of the first dinner guests, are made of the odd bits and leftover scraps from the restaurant's regular menu dishes. But don't think this means that these dishe are boring, sloppy, or otherwise unexciting. The quirky and creative staff meals served at some of the world's best restaurants, gathered in this cookbook by Christine Carroll and Jody Eddy, show that sometimes the cooks eat best of all. More