Anjali Prasertong

Anjali Prasertong is a writer and public health dietitian focused on food systems, racial equity, and nutrition. Originally from Los Angeles, she has taught English in rural Japan, worked as a private chef in Malibu, and led an innovative city-funded corner store program in New Orleans that increased fresh food access in low-income neighborhoods. She was previously a contributing editor for The Kitchn, and currently lives in Denver with her husband and two kids.
Cut It Up: 24 Flatbreads & Pizzas to Start the Party
Crisp, chewy flatbread is a welcome start to any party, and tastes great with whatever toppings you have on hand. Pizza works just as well, cut into bite-sized pieces and served warm from the oven. Whatever you call it, these 24 recipes and techniques for making crackly-crusted dough, with or without toppings, are easy crowd-pleasers.For the quickest party prep, use store-bought pizza dough or puff pastry, or freeze your own rounds of homemade pizza dough for future use.
Anjali Prasertong
2 days ago
You Should Definitely Be Serving Soup on Thanksgiving
Bonus: These all can be made ahead of time.
Anjali Prasertong
Nov 15, 2023
12 Best Ways to Cook With Za’atar
After visiting a za’atar farm in Lebanon and bringing home a couple bags of the tangy, herbaceous blend of dried za’atar herb, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, I’m inspired to start using it more in my cooking. Luckily, I’m not the first to fall in love with this Middle Eastern condiment, so it isn’t hard to find tons of great recipes that use za’atar in tasty ways. Stateside, you can buy some za’atar blends made with the herb itself.
Anjali Prasertong
Aug 21, 2023
Cold Brewed Jamaica (Hibiscus Iced Tea)
At taco trucks, my drink of choice is always jamaica, that bright red brew that is a little tart, a little sweet and totally refreshing on a hot day. Made with dried hibiscus flowers, jamaica is easy enough to make at home, but it wasn’t until recently that I discovered how much tastier — and even simpler! — it can be when you cold-brew it overnight in the refrigerator.
Anjali Prasertong
Aug 3, 2023
How To Make Japanese Rice on the Stove
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.
Anjali Prasertong
Jul 16, 2023
Now Is the Time: 19 Tips for Cleaning & Organizing Your Kitchen
PICTURED ABOVE • 1 Professional Kitchen Tip: Use Masking Tape to Label Containers • 2 Tip: Store Cookie Cutters on a Paper Towel Holder • 3 Store Your Sponges in the Dishwasher!
Anjali Prasertong
Apr 27, 2023
My Kid Has Eaten the Same Lunch for 3 Years — Here’s Why That’s OK
When people find out I am a dietitian and the mom of a school age kid, they often assume my son eats colorful, varied, and healthy packed lunches every day.
Anjali Prasertong
Oct 12, 2022
10 Ways to Plan for a Year of Packing Lunches (Now That School Lunch Isn’t Free Anymore)
Here's how to tackle this short-term problem while we wait for long-term change.
Anjali Prasertong
Oct 11, 2022
Warm and Gooey Deep-Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fun fact: I got married at a BJ’s Restaurant. During a six-month period when I lived in a Southern California suburb surrounded by giant, generic chain restaurants like Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse, my future husband and I developed an unexpected affection for the doughy deep-dish pizzas and hot-pink strawberry lemonades at the local BJ’s. Not to mention the Pizookie, a cookie baked in a small cake pan, served hot and gooey with ice cream scooped on top.
Anjali Prasertong
Sep 21, 2022
Warm & Cozy: 14 Tips, Ideas and Recipes for the Ultimate Hot Chocolate
It’s hot cocoa season. Can you feel it? There’s a chill in the air, holiday lights twinkling outside, wool socks snuggled on your feet, and the only thing missing is a mug of rich, creamy, homemade hot chocolate. If you’re looking for some new ways to enjoy one of winter’s best beverages — tea-infused hot chocolate? hot chocolate and whiskey? — we have some recipes and tips to see you through the season.
Anjali Prasertong
Sep 19, 2022
Weeknight Dinner: Prosciutto and Arugula Pizza
Low-effort toppings with big and flavorful rewards.
Anjali Prasertong
Aug 29, 2022
Recipe: Roasted Tomato and Goat Cheese Quiche
When I decided to host a casual yet elegant weekend brunch for my book club, I knew immediately that the main dish would be a quiche. For me, quiche is the ultimate special brunch treat, combining flaky, buttery crust with a rich yet light egg custard studded with flavorful mix-ins — in this case, sweet roasted cherry tomatoes, fragrant basil and tangy bits of goat cheese.
Anjali Prasertong
May 17, 2022
Help Me, Kitchn Readers! 15 Good Questions About Cooking
Ask any of the editors or writers here at The Kitchn about what makes the site so special and they’ll tell you: it’s our community of enthusiastic, knowledgeable cooks who read and comment every day. Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or an experienced home cook looking for some fresh ideas, our readers are always ready to offer tons of inspiring ideas and advice to make your cooking better, easier and a lot more fun.
Anjali Prasertong
May 13, 2022
Not Your Mother’s Cheese Ball: 5 Fresh Recipes for Autumn Entertaining
Cheese balls have a bad reputation, probably because they often look (and taste) like they belong in the pages of a faded food magazine from the 1970s. But with the right ingredients and some updated styling, these make-ahead party appetizers can be a modern twist on the usual cheese plate.These five recipes dress up cheese with nuts, herbs, olives and even fruit, mixing in or layering the additions for a pretty effect.
Anjali Prasertong
May 13, 2022
5 Small Ways to Reorganize Your Fridge for Smarter Cooking
If you cook regularly, your fridge probably looks a lot like mine: stuffed with ingredients for upcoming meals, leftovers from previous meals, and odds and ends from cooking (half an onion here, an almost-full container of chicken broth there). It’s not easy to keep a hardworking fridge like this clean and organized, but we have 5 simple tips for quickly reorganizing your fridge for more space, more efficient cooking, and even better eating habits.
Anjali Prasertong
May 13, 2022
Homemade in a Hurry: 15 Time-Saving Tips
We are always looking for smart tips that help us save time and be a little more efficient in the kitchen. This year we shared some great ideas for choosing the fastest lane at the supermarket, prepping and cooking a week’s worth of vegetables in one afternoon, and freezing smoothies in muffin tins for healthy sipping in minutes — plus 12 more tips to make cooking healthy, tasty meals a little more convenient.
Anjali Prasertong
May 13, 2022
Bitter Vegetables: An Appreciation
Bitterness is often a characteristic we try to diminish in our cooking — salting, blanching and roasting away the bitter edge in foods like eggplant and dandelion greens. But in many cultures, bitterness is embraced both for its perceived medicinal properties and its unique place in the flavor spectrum.We love bitter vegetables for their taste, and now studies are showing that the bitter compounds in certain foods really are good for us.
Anjali Prasertong
May 12, 2022
Our Readers’ 5 Best Tips for Learning How to Cook Meat
One question we hear again and again is: Can you help me learn to cook meat properly? Our readers have tackled this question several times and they always have plenty of helpful advice for learning how to safely handle meat and mastering a few beginner-friendly cooking techniques. Whether you are an ex-vegetarian, a current vegetarian cooking for an omnivorous loved one, or a brand-new cook, these five tips will help you get over any fears and start cooking meat with confidence.
Anjali Prasertong
May 12, 2022
Recipe: Lemon-Blueberry Yogurt Cake with Lemon Cream
I’m a sucker for an unfussy cake, the kind of cake that you can whip up in an hour or less without any extra trips to the grocery store, one that is special enough to serve to guests, but homey enough to not need a special occasion at all. This fragrant lemon cake — scattered with juicy blueberries and dolloped with soft lemon cream — is the perfect unfussy cake, just the thing to bring to a last-minute spring dinner party or to snack on with afternoon tea.
Anjali Prasertong
May 12, 2022
Recipe: Shaved Fennel, Roasted Tomato & Pistachio Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Nine times out of ten, when you see fennel salad on a restaurant menu, it is simply shaved with lemon, olive oil and Parmesan cheese — a classic, foolproof combination to be sure, but if I’m going to pay $9 for a side salad, it had better not be something I can make perfectly well at home on a Wednesday night. So when I spotted an unusual fennel salad with roasted tomatoes, pistachios and cream on the menu of Seattle’s The Walrus and the Carpenter, I knew I had to order it.
Anjali Prasertong
May 12, 2022
7 Food Podcasts That Make Cleaning Your Kitchen Fun
One of my favorite reader tips for cooking without making a big mess was Make cleaning fun! Listening to a podcast while cleaning up the kitchen is one of my favorite ways to make even the most dreaded tasks a little more enjoyable. Need some new recommendations? Here are a few great food-related podcasts to check out while tackling that big pile of dirty dishes.
Anjali Prasertong
May 11, 2022
Gingerbread Cake Cookies
Forget gingerbread men. These warmly-spiced cookies will become a new holiday tradition.
Anjali Prasertong
Nov 22, 2021
Why I Made a Shopping List Template (Organized by My Trader Joe’s Layout)
It's pretty old-school, and it's pretty great.
Anjali Prasertong
Jun 19, 2021
How To Make Coffee Concentrate to Serve Hot Coffee to a Crowd
This coffee concentrate — the same type used to make stellar iced coffee — can turn out a cup of hot coffee that is just as good: rich, flavorful, and mellow.
Anjali Prasertong
Jun 13, 2021
The Best Way to Remove Old Coffee Stains from Mugs & Carafes
Cleaning Tips from The Kitchn
You already have the solution in your pantry.
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 17, 2021
6 Ways to Clean Smelly Plastic Containers Without Harsh Chemicals
Cleaning Tips from The Kitchn
No bleach!
Anjali Prasertong
Oct 5, 2020
I Did Everything “Right” and My Toddler Is Still a Picky Eater
Before I had a kid, whenever I crossed paths with a child who was a picky eater, I was sympathetic about the problem. I know there are a lot of factors contributing to a kid’s limited palate, especially when they are very young, and parents have little to no control over many of them. “I totally get it!” I’d say, while watching a friend’s 3-year-old methodically munch through an entire restaurant bread basket and eat nothing else.
Anjali Prasertong
Sep 30, 2020
I “Hide” Veggies in My Toddler’s Smoothies and I Feel No Remorse
I still remember the controversy in 2007 when Jessica Seinfeld came out with a cookbook about how to sneak vegetable purées into kid-approved dishes like mac and cheese and brownies. It sounded like a bad idea to me. How would a child learn to recognize and eventually enjoy vegetables if they were eating them unknowingly?
Anjali Prasertong
Sep 30, 2020
Essential Weeknight Recipe: Thai Stir-Fried Greens with Oyster Sauce
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. I typically use some variety of sturdy Asian green vegetable, like Chinese broccoli or yu choy sum, pictured above.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 29, 2020
Recipe: Korean Fried Chicken Wings
I didn’t always live in a football household. Four years ago, Sundays were all about lazy breakfasts, farmers market shopping, and maybe a movie matinee before dinner. Then my husband joined a fantasy football league, and now my peaceful Sunday mornings are regularly interrupted by a living room full of dudes eating crumbly doughnuts and checking stats on their phones while watching the Red Zone channel on TV. Am I bitter? Perhaps.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 29, 2020
Street Food for Dinner: Thai-Style Omelet (Kai Jeow)
Whether I’m trying to put a late-night dinner on the table or cooking for one, a Thai-style omelet (kai jeow) is what I often turn to for an easy meal in minutes. Browned and crispy, it’s quite different from a French omelet, especially thanks to the punch of umami from its essential ingredient: Fish sauce! Rather than salt, fish sauce is added to the beaten eggs, along with green onions, herbs or shallots.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 29, 2020
Recipe: Lentil, Mushroom & Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
When I first made this recipe, it was January, which means we were 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 was January — when we’re wrapped up in sweaters and blankets, it’s comfort food we’re dreaming about. That’s where this recipe comes in.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 29, 2020
Iced Coffee + Horchata: Icy Cool Cochata
At a taco shop in Phoenix, Arizona, I saw an unfamiliar drink on the menu called cochata. Before the cashier had even finished telling me it was iced coffee mixed with housemade horchata, I had ordered one. There are some combinations you just know are going to be perfect, and iced coffee with creamy, sweet, spiced horchata is one of them.Unfortunately, the iced coffee at the taco shop was not very fresh, and the cochata didn’t live up to my expectations.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 29, 2020
Recipe: Lemon Yogurt Icebox Tart
It’s spring, the sun is shining, and that feels like reason enough to celebrate. It’s just the right time to serve this bright, zingy lemon tart, a simple, no-bake dessert that combines Greek yogurt and bottled lemon curd in a tender pastry crust. It’s a pretty, no-fuss sweet perfect for a sunny weekend brunch. The first time I encountered the happy marriage of lemon curd and Greek yogurt was while catering a baby shower last spring.
Anjali Prasertong
Jan 21, 2020
Get It Together! 9 Tips & Methods for Organizing Your Recipes
I’m looking forward to having some free time around the holidays and, along with some much-needed relaxation, I’m planning on tackling a long-overdue project: organizing my recipes. If this time-consuming task has been on your to-do list, here are some tips for getting your recipe collection in order, whether you’re using printed recipe cards, iPads, or a simple binder.For my own overhaul, I’m giving the cross-platform app Paprika a try.
Anjali Prasertong
Aug 3, 2019
15 Questions to Ask Your Wedding Caterer
The dress, the flowers, the venue — yes, those are important decisions when planning a wedding, but for food-lovers, the biggest question is: What will we eat? Most couples are looking for a wedding caterer who provides great food, covers all the services they need, and is open to their feedback, but assessing potential caterers can be confusing. How do you know what you need if you’ve never planned a wedding before?
Anjali Prasertong
Jun 9, 2019