Burritos are a staple in the San Diego area, where Golden Door is located. How to serve one that has all the flavor and none of the fat? Our chorizo spice mix wakes up protein-rich garbanzo beans and sautéed vegetables, making this a delicious vegetarian (or vegan if you omit the cheese) option for breakfast—not to mention lunch or dinner.You can use any leftover vegetables you have in the fridge. Just make sure you have 3 cups total. The chorizo spice mix also makes delicious chicken or turkey sausage—even greens or scrambled eggs.

The star here is the marinade. It keeps the chicken juicy, which is why I love it for hosting a lunch or keeping in the fridge for a quick protein option. Slice it over a salad, tuck it into a sandwich, or pair it with whatever vegetables are in the fridge. This recipe can easily be adapted with any seasoning variation—create your own blend of spices to change it week to week or to match the rest of your menu.

This is the kind of salad I come back to all summer. It's hearty enough to anchor a lunch, but just as happy sitting alongside grilled fish or chicken for dinner. The farro can be made a day or two ahead, and the vegetables are best when they've picked up a little char from the grill. It's a salad that only gets better as it sits, making it perfect for entertaining.

This is one of those recipes that doesn't require much planning—just a well-stocked pantry and whatever vegetables happen to be in your refrigerator. The beauty of a Niçoise-inspired salad is its flexibility. It's the perfect way to clean out the crisper drawer while still feeling elegant enough for guests. That said, a few things are non-negotiable for me: basil, potatoes, and good olives. Everything else is up to you.

Tofu haters often cite “blandness” as an excuse to steer clear of the plant-based protein. But its blandness is actually its biggest strength! It so wonderfully absorbs whatever sauce you add to it—like this utterly craveable Korean-inspired gochujang sauce. The sauce does the heavy lifting here; all you do is add some preprepped vegetables and a grain, and you’ll have a home-run dinner in minutes.

Whenever I return home from any trip, I have one blanket craving: vegetables. I’ll grab whatever veg is on the brink of expiring in my fridge (it’s almost always a bag of broccoli florets) and roast it to crisp perfection along with a can of chickpeas, which my pantry is never without. Add a nice dressing and an easy grain, and this simple, delicious veggie bowl becomes a full welcome-home feast.

Starring vine-ripe tiny tomatoes and a handful of fragrant basil—this, my friends, is peak summer cooking. What to Cookers everywhere are addicted to this pasta! It’s best with the freshest summer tomatoes—especially Sungolds—but if you’re craving it midwinter, you can make it with cherry tomatoes and add a pinch of sugar. Use whatever pasta you’ve got, but I’m telling you, angel hair is absolutely elite here.

Papas aliñadas, also called papas aliñás, are simple dressed potatoes, served at every single tapas bar in Andalucía—the kind of easy plate you eat while drinking a beer. I’ve had versions with spring onions or green peppers, which give a nice crunch against the soft potatoes. The key for good papas aliñás is timing: Toss the potatoes in the dressing when they’re still warm, so they soak up as much dressing as possible, though you can serve them at room temperature—like they do at my friend Isi Medina’s restaurant Ramón Pipi (above) in the south of Spain.

The Gilda is by far the most famous of the pintxos, the skewered bites that top bars across San Sebastián and the País Vasco. The legend of the Gilda says that it was the first pintxo, named for the Rita Hayworth character in the 1946 movie Gilda. I don’t know if it’s true—we may never know the first!—but it was an early one. It’s also one of the easiest to prepare at home ahead of a party—get long toothpicks and skewer olives, peppers, and anchovies, then keep them soaking in olive oil until it’s time to serve. And, of course, they go best ahead of the meal with a drink in hand, vermouth or a glass of very cold Txakoli.