Recipe Sifter

Napa cabbage and cilantro slaw with red bell pepper in a lime-garlic dressing with red pepper flakes. A crisp, light Asian-style coleslaw that's mayo-free and ready in 20 minutes.

Deep-fried jalapeno halves packed with seasoned crab meat, garlic, and cayenne, double-breaded in cracker meal for an extra-crunchy shell. Spicy, crispy, and wildly addictive.

Lightened-up Irish colcannon using instant potato flakes and skim milk for a fast, low-calorie version of the classic cabbage and potato side. Ready in 20 minutes.

Pineapple shrimp in a sweet-sour glaze of pineapple syrup, Chinese pickles, and chopped dill pickles, thickened with cornstarch and spooned over rice. A quick 15-minute retro weeknight dinner.

Frozen Christmas pudding made by folding brandy-soaked dried fruit with cocoa and orange zest into softened vanilla ice cream. A no-bake, make-ahead holiday dessert.

A jewel-toned cassis jelly made with crème de cassis, cranberry-apple juice, and liquid pectin. Boozy, fruity, and gorgeous in the jar. Ready to can or refrigerate in under an hour.

Santa's white fudge made with sour cream, corn syrup, and sugar cooked to soft-ball stage, then loaded with candied cherries and pecans. Creamy holiday candy in an 8x8 pan.

Maui chicken sandwich with pineapple-marinated grilled chicken, grilled pineapple rings, jicama slaw, and Thousand Island on a roll. A Hawaiian-inspired sandwich ready in 40 minutes.

Lapsi is a traditional Indian bulgur wheat dessert cooked in milk with saffron, cardamom, fennel seeds, and golden raisins. Topped with slivered almonds for a warm, fragrant sweet.

Wild rice Waldorf salad with apples, grapes, celery, peanuts, and a light mayo-yogurt dressing. Lighter, heartier twist on the classic for a make-ahead potluck side.

Fat-free Spanish rice enchiladas with brown rice, fresh spinach, and cumin rolled in corn tortillas and baked in enchilada sauce. A healthy vegan Mexican dinner.

Chilled Spiced Strawberry, Orange and Buttermilk Soup recipe.

Vegetarian stuffed cabbage rolls filled with grated carrots, mashed potatoes, and raisins, simmered in carrot juice. A hearty, meat-free twist on the Eastern European classic.

French hazelnut meringue biscuit with finely ground filberts folded into whipped egg whites. Baked hot and fast for a light, nutty base layer that's a pastry chef's secret weapon.

Hearty tofu stew loaded with sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, zucchini, and mushrooms in a ginger-spiked broth with mirin and sake. A warming, veggie-packed bowl for cold nights.

Baked beets roast whole and unpeeled until tender, then slip out of their skins easy as that. Mash with butter and sour cream, finish with a squeeze of lime, and you have a five-minute side that tastes like Sunday dinner.