702 fast recipes

Traditional Italian minestrone with white beans, vegetables, broken spaghetti, and a Parmesan rind simmered into the broth for umami depth. The classic peasant-soup approach.

Oaxaca tostada bites: tortilla chips topped with a mole-spiced black bean mash of cocoa, cumin, and cinnamon, cool avocado cream, pepper jack, and lettuce. A no-cook, party-ready Mexican appetizer.

Szechuan noodle salad with fettuccine in a spicy peanut sauce made with ginger, garlic, chili paste, and sesame oil, surrounded by julienned vegetables and ham.

Moroccan-style okra and chickpea tagine simmered with tomatoes, red bell pepper, cumin, ginger, and a swirl of harissa. A vegan North African stew where blanching keeps the okra tender, not slimy.

Multi-grain seed bread for the bread machine with whole wheat, rye, cornmeal, bran, poppy seeds, caraway, pecans, and raisins. Dense, nutty, and packed with texture.

Hearty veggie burgers packed with bulgur, chickpeas, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and sauteed mushrooms. Seasoned with tahini, cumin, and fresh dill for serious plant-based flavor.

Hearty vegetable burgers with bulgur, walnuts, chickpeas, mushrooms, tahini, and sunflower seeds seasoned with cumin and dill. Vegan and packed with protein.

Wild rice and lentil salad with brown rice, tri-color bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs in a fat-free tomato-herb vinaigrette. A colorful, high-fiber grain salad.

Maque choux Thibodaux: Paul Prudhomme's Cajun stewed corn built with a dark pan-caramelized puree, apple and prune juice, peppers, and a silky evaporated milk finish.

Hearty baked rigatoni loaded with homemade turkey meatballs in a chunky mushroom and tomato sauce, topped with bubbly mozzarella and Parmesan. Comfort food that feeds the whole family.

Red chili nightmare: a wild Mexican-style red chili with beef, sausage, pinto beans, almonds, sesame, chocolate, and a dozen green chiles. Mole-inspired, fiery, and not for the timid.

This recipe uses ready-made taco shells, but soft tortillas are good too.

Wholesome sweet potato cookies made with whole-wheat flour, oats, coconut, wheat germ, and chopped nuts, sweetened with honey and brown sugar. Soft, chewy, and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Makes 4 dozen.

Mexican style chicken tortilla soup that's packed full of beans, veggies and chicken for a filling dinner.

Big-batch beef and pork chili con carne with four kinds of beans, plantain (or banana), molasses, and a deep spice blend. An overnight-marinated chili built for slow simmering and serving a crowd.

Texas-style beanless chili with cubed pork loin and beef brisket braised in beer, tequila, and triple cumin, thickened with masa harina. Six pounds of meat, no beans, all heat.