As a restaurant employee, let me just say this. Please don't go out to dinner on Valentine's Day. In fact, please stay home the week before and after. I beg of you. I won't elaborate, but why fight for a reservation when you can cook up a delicious, romantic meal in the privacy of your own home.

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Jicama is one cool customer. It hides out with the other vegetables, looking totally plain and unremarkable. But peel away its papery skin and get it in a salad, and suddenly this crunchy sweet tuber takes on a whole new dimension. 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

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

Broccoli-haters take note. Broccoli-lovers, too. Broccolini may just be the great green equalizer. More

See these green and perky scallions? They weren't so perky a week ago. In fact, they were chopped down to their roots. But a scant week of water and a windowsill grew them back — did you ever learn how easy this is? More

If you have kids or picky eaters at home, you may have become frustrated in your attempts to include vegetables in meals. Have you resorted to hiding vegetables in a variety of dishes or baked goods? Well, last week on Gilt Taste, Francis Lam took this phenomenon into the realm of adulthood, describing his efforts to add vegetables to tomato sauce. More

The Chinese New Year is upon us and 2012, the Year of the Dragon, is said to be a particularly lucky one. Lately I've been noticing many recipes for Chinese stir-fries and salads made with Asian greens, so I thought it'd be fitting to post a brief introduction here today. More

My love for the twice-baked potato knows no bounds. I mean, we're basically talking about mashed potatoes mixed with cheese and other good things, stuffed inside a potato skin, and baked until crispy. How could that be bad? Answer: it can't.

I'll eat these any old time and with all manner of fillings. But if you're headed to a Super Bowl Party next week, this bacon-cheddar version is a guaranteed hit. More

The love of vegetables can be deceptive. Even though I adore Brussels sprouts, and kale and I should have made it legal years ago, I recently realized with a jolt of surprise that I don't eat nearly the amount of vegetables this love affair would suggest. Something didn't add up. To help me (and you) out, here are the top 10 tips from our readers on packing more vegetables into real-life meals and cooking. More