There is no food more quintessentially USA than the humble sweet potato. While many other cultures have celebrated the New World export of the standard red and white (and sometimes blue fingerling) spud, Americans have lovingly embraced the sweet potato in a very unique fashion. We deck it out in marshmallows, slather it with marmalade and maple syrup, fry it, and tart it up with brown sugar and even coconut. In honor of the upcoming patriotic holiday celebrations, I have made a sweet potato salad: roasted sweet potatoes with paprika. More

Some spices are statement flavors that speak for themselves. They're the big-name headliners that sell recipes the way A-list actors sell movie tickets. They may be subtle and unassuming like basil and sage or bold and brash like cumin and pimentón. They play well with all sorts of flavors and ingredients, crossing culinary boundaries while always remaining the star. Asafoetida is not that kind of spice. More

I'm the first to admit that sous-vide is not the best way to cook everything, and that goes for the majority of my favorite vegetables. Peas, asparagus, ramps—all those delicious, fresh spring flavors do better with a quick blanch or a sauté. That said, there are some vegetables for which sous-vide cooking can't be beat. For me, carrots top that list. When cooked in a sealed bag with a little bit of butter, sugar, and salt, the natural flavor of the carrot intensifies into a sweeter, stronger, and downright tastier version of itself. More

If you want to eat more vegetarian meals but don't know how to plan them, Michael Natkin of Herbivoracious suggests three easy questions to get you going: "What grain or starch do I feel like eating?"; "What food culture am I in the mood for?"; and "What's fresh?" For example, if you're in the mood for polenta, you could turn it into an Italian-themed dish topped with an Italian cheese and serve it with your favorite in-season vegetable. More

Jose Andres is the legendary Spanish chef behind Cafe Atlantico's Minibar—an exclusive six-seat restaurant within a restaurant serving innovative tasting menus of 26 to 30 dishes each night—and several other restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. He's known both for impeccable traditional cuisine as well as wildly inventive dishes that incorporate so-called molecular gastronomy. So there was no doubt in my mind that his food is amazing—but how would he feed a pair of vegetarians? More

My love of frozen tofu began by accident. Stuck with a glut of half-used packages, I threw the tofu into the freezer and promptly forgot about them for weeks. Then, rifling through the fridge one day, I found the blocks tucked away. After tossing them into boiling water, what emerged was some of the most densely-textured tofu I've ever eaten. More

Not all tofu is created equal. Some tofu has a mild, sweet beany flavor and a smooth consistency, while other brands have flavor defects and strange textures. Our Seriously Meatless columnist Michael Natkin took one for the team and tried six brands of firm or extra firm tofu to help you out on your next grocery trip. More

What happens when Jessie Oleson, aka Cakespy, goes to Paris? She eats many butter-based pastries—in fact, she hit up at least one pâtisserie in each of the 20 arrondissements! But to prevent insanity, she had to squeeze in a few non-sweet bites too. Read about her savory escapades, from the best Croque Madame and Monsieurs to falafel on "Falafel Row" to burgers from a kosher deli, and great pizza from a cheap takewaway. More

Green Beans Almondine, a favorite go-to side in Mom's weekday kitchen playbook growing up, was my first introduction to nuts as an integral component to a savory dish, and it remains a favorite to this day. More