734 night recipes

Cajun red beans and rice cooked in the microwave with ham, onions, garlic, and cayenne pepper. A Louisiana Monday night staple that simmers hands-free in a microwave-safe casserole.

Date cookies with chopped dates, nuts, brown sugar, and cream of tartar in a slice-and-bake dough. Mix at night, chill overnight, slice and bake fresh in the morning.

Lentil pasta sauce: hearty meatless tomato sauce with lentils, oregano, and a kick of hot sauce, perfect for vegan or vegetarian pasta night. Protein-rich alternative to classic meat ragu.

Teriyaki-glazed beef burgers topped with juicy pineapple rings, red onion, and lettuce, served alongside crispy baked potato nuggets. A sweet-savory island twist on burger night, ready in 45 minutes.

Fit for Life Pizza: a dairy-free, cheese-less pizza on a whole wheat and white flour crust, topped with roasted eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, and onions over pesto, finished with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and fresh basil. Hearty, Mediterranean-style vegan pizza night.

Baked tofu balls packed with walnuts, Italian herbs, and a punch of Dijon and sesame oil. Golden, crispy outside with a tender center. Makes 3 dozen for snacking, subs, or pasta night.

Authentic Mexican refried beans cooked with caramelized onions and garlic, mashed to a creamy puree and topped with crumbled queso fresco. A 30-minute side dish that belongs next to every taco night.

Vegetarian garbanzo cassoulet: chickpeas and carrots simmered with a clove-studded onion, baked under a tomato sauce and a triple layer of crispy herb bread crumbs. A rustic meatless casserole for cold nights.

Hearty vegan autumn barley stew loaded with pearl barley, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and chunky white potatoes in herbed vegetable broth. Slow cooker friendly and ready to warm you up on chilly fall nights.

Tex-Mex double-crust beef and bean pie stuffed with ground beef, kidney beans, black beans, cheddar cheese, and chunky picante sauce. Topped with sour cream and olives for the ultimate taco night twist.

A thin-crust homemade pizza baked on hot tiles for a crisp base, with garlic oil, tomato sauce, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and cottage cheese in place of mozzarella. A lighter, vegetable-loaded family-night pie.

Parkin is a variety of gingerbread, good warming stuff to eat out of doors in cold weather. When I was a child, it was always a firm favourite for the firework party on Bonfire Night each year. This is adapted from my mother's recipe.

Venison stew simmers browned venison with onion, bay, Worcestershire, and a hint of allspice until fork-tender, then adds carrots and potatoes. A hearty, warmly spiced stew that tames the gamey edge and warms a cold night.

This bean soup sports a colorful mixture of vegetables and rich spices reminiscent of Mexican cuisine. It tastes even better after a night in the refrigerator. Serve topped with crushed tortilla chips and low- fat sour cream, if desired.

Bircher muesli was first developed by a Swiss physician, Maximilian Bircher-Benner as part of the therapy he prescribed for his patients. Often called simply ‘overnight oats’ Bircher muesli is an ideal breakfast food – it can be assembled the night before, left in the fridge overnight and enjoyed in the morning – there is no cooking required. It's also a perfect combination of plant-based protein, slow-release wholegrain carbohydrates, and essential fats. The version below calls for pears and coconut, but alternative combinations are provided in the notes.

Potato-bean soup is the dump-and-simmer one-pot supper: potatoes, cannellini beans, carrots, celery, garlic, and dill in chicken broth. Two hours, eight ingredients, weeknight gold.