Recipes

Many of the moms we talked to said that they could never satisfy their hunger. But with this big bowl of broth-y soup, you don’t need to overeat to feel full. Gerda Endemann, our senior director of science and research, says: “A great way to make a warm, rich soup even more nutritious is to top it with an egg, or two or three. Eggs have lots going for them, but what’s especially important during pregnancy and lactation is their generous amount of choline, an essential component of the developing neural tube. The placenta pumps in choline to keep levels in utero high, and it isn’t easy to replenish Mom’s supply. Choline is absent from or present at low levels in most prenatal multivitamins, despite its importance for fetal brain development, so eat eggs, meat, fatty fish, soybeans, or lecithin regularly. The other toppers aren’t bad either—mint way outdoes spinach as far as fiber and iron, so pile it on.”

You could easily serve this year-round. We like it as a grown-up alternative to the sugar-laden sweet potato dish you normally see on Thanksgiving. Not that we’re trying to cut the sugar per se (it is a holiday after all), but Japanese sweet potatoes are already plenty sweet, and the tart and creamy lime-tahini yogurt keeps this dish in decidedly savory territory.

The combination of sweet-sticky honey and toasted walnuts conjures up memories of the takeout classic honey-walnut shrimp. But this carrot-inspired rendition is a lot less treacly and a lot more umami-packed, thanks to the miso. The fresh garlic and scallions add a pungent bite, which keeps this whole situation balanced.

Traditional green bean casserole is perhaps more delicious as a memory than it is in reality. It’s an incredibly rich belly bomb, and making it is kind of a production. We wanted to take our favorite things about it (butter, tender green beans, crispy onions) and add some elements to brighten it up (sriracha, lemon). This version hits all the marks, and it does so with only 7 ingredients. Huzzah!

We are firmly in the “Your Thanksgiving Menu Needs a Salad” camp. We want at least one bite to be raw, crunchy, and acidic to counter all the heavy stuff. This offering is a great compromise for salad lovers and haters alike. It has a piquant sherry-mustard dressing and bitter frisée—a welcome break for your palate—but it’s balanced by rich roasted squash, sweet chewy dates, and nutty pepitas.

The reason this Israeli-style sandwich is so satisfying is because it’s got all the flavors, textures, and temperatures: cool yogurt, rich tahini, spicy harissa, hot charred bread and eggplant, crunchy cucumber, juicy tomatoes, bright lemon, and a mess of herbs. There’s not a bad bite in there.

Our shakshuka–huevos rancheros hybrid uses green enchilada sauce instead of the more traditional red chili sauce. It’s tangy, savory, and packed with veggies—and it comes together in about 20 minutes. All you have to do is warm up some refried beans and tortillas and you’re in business.

For those of us who are not great bakers—hi, hello—pulling off a cake can be daunting. Most boxed cake mixes nail the chemistry of cake, but they tend to be a little bland. We amp up the flavor by adding extra salt, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and coconut milk.

Yes, this is our cheat version of the Thai takeout classic. Don’t skip the fresh-squeezed lime at the end—it really makes it.

Warm and comforting, but so, so easy: This dish is great if it’s just two of you for Christmas but you still want to do something that feels celebratory.

Gingerbread-flavored waffles deliver all the festive vibes of the holidays with minimal effort. They’re fun to make with kids. And between the ganache, coconut whipped cream, and lemon-ginger compound butter, there’s bound to be a topping to make everyone—kids and adults alike—very happy.

The breakfast taco bar is the ultimate choose-your-own-adventure meal. It’s great when you’re hosting a bunch of people who all have different tastes and dietary needs (we’ve included alternative ingredient suggestions). There are a lot of components here, but you can cherry-pick your favorite fixings if you don’t want to go all out. Many of these ingredients come ready-made at the grocery store (tortillas, organic refried beans, salsas), and the rest is pretty easy to prep (roasted sweet potatoes, sautéed peppers and onions, scrambled eggs).