Miso Roasted Eggplant

Here’s a simple but healthful and umami-packed dish for a meatless Monday. It’s my take on the Japanese nasu dengaku, roasted eggplant dressed in a sweet miso glaze and garnished with scallions and black and white sesame seeds. My favorite way to eat it is to let it cool to room temperature and enjoy it with a little glass of cold beer. It’s a perfect way to chase off any Monday blues. Cheers!

Salt-Roasted Whole Fish with Lemon & Herbs

I first tasted branzino, a fish from the Mediterranean, while in Croatia on the Dalmatian coast. Delicate, flavorful and mild, it is one of my favorites. I’ve seen branzino even in U.S. grocery stores; it is sometimes labeled simply as “sea bass,” but if it is from the Mediterranean and small and slender in shape, it is likely branzino. You might also find it under the French name loup de mer or the German wolfsbarsch. We don’t have a huge variety of fresh fish here in Berlin, so when I saw these branzino, I knew what we were having for dinner!

Lemony Roasted Asparagus

To me, nothing brings out the flavor of asparagus like lemon. Here, an intensely lemony vinaigrette brightens some oven-roasted spears, still toothsome and vibrant green — a plateful of spring. Enjoy!

Roasted Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Somehow we ended up with a kid who likes brussels sprouts. So we’re going with it.

Lemon, Saffron & Paprika Roasted Chicken Thighs

I love that this recipe achieves juicy, flavorful chicken and a nicely crisped skin, and can be made in one all-purpose pan. Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, is also the most exquisite, and is known in Persian culture to lift one’s spirit and treat depression. Here, combined with zingy lemon and paprika, it makes one happy dish.

Marinated Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad with Dill

Let’s talk about beets. Those sweet, earthy, garnet-red root vegetables are among the best things you can put in your grocery cart to enhance your health and fight disease, according to Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side. A good source of fiber, folate, and potassium, beets are also remarkably high in antioxidants.

Roasted Sweet Potato Spears with Nigella Seeds

Nigella seeds, with their peppery crunch and healing powers, occupy a special place in my spice rack.