1,213 brain recipes

Cajun black bean soup simmers dried beans with smoky ham hock, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, and cumin into a thick, half-puréed pot. Serve with Monterey Jack, sour cream, chives, or chopped egg.

Vegan Mexican bake layered with corn tortillas, beans, rice, salsa, frozen corn, and vegetables. A flexible, no-fuss casserole you can throw together with whatever you have on hand.

Slow cooker ham and bean soup with diced ham, a leftover ham bone, dried beans, and chopped vegetables seasoned with onion soup mix and Italian herbs. Set it and forget it for 7 hours.

Bean, okra, and tomato soup simmered with a ham bone for deep smoky flavor. A Southern classic that turns leftover ham into a hearty, satisfying soup.

Leftover vegetable soup pureed smooth with chicken broth and seasoned with Tabasco, herbs, and a touch of cream. The thrifty cleanout-the-fridge soup that turns leftovers into something genuinely good.

Moong samosa filled with spiced mung beans, asafetida, mustard seeds, and amchur (green mango powder), deep-fried in ghee until golden. A vegetarian Indian snack with bold, tangy flavor.

Santa Maria beans made with pinto beans, bacon, ham, tomato puree, and red chile sauce. The classic California Central Coast side dish for tri-tip barbecue, slow-simmered until rich and tender.

Lentil salad with cooked green and red lentils, green beans, celery, parsley, and a tangy mustard-Italian dressing. A high-fiber, high-protein vegetarian salad ready in 15 minutes.

Red beans with toasted pecans, saffron, and red wine served over whole wheat spaghetti. A creative vegetarian fusion dish with Mediterranean and Southwest flavors that comes together in 30 minutes.

A gallon-jar fermented vegetable pickle with cauliflower, green beans, peppers, onions, green tomatoes, and olives cured in a garlicky dill brine. Ready after 10 days of room-temperature fermentation.

Low-fat linguine with greens, potato, garlic, hot pepper, and tomatoes simmered in vegetable stock. An Italian-inspired pasta loaded with wilted greens and tender new potatoes, no added oil.

Joyce's steak and mushroom gravy: flour-dredged round steak browned and slow-simmered in cream of mushroom soup. Classic midwestern comfort over mashed potatoes.

Low-fat applesauce bran muffins with bran flakes, skim milk, and unsweetened applesauce. Moist and lightly sweet with just a touch of butter for a healthier breakfast muffin.

Vegetarian black bean burritos packed with corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and smoky spices. Rolled in tortillas and baked until hot, a meatless Mexican-inspired weeknight dinner.

Loaded Mexican potato wedges smothered in refried beans, salsa, green chilies, tri-color peppers, corn, and cilantro. A colorful, crowd-friendly Tex-Mex platter ready in 45 minutes.

A hearty soup that can pretty much go with anything else you serve for lunch or dinner.