Midwest Living May/June 2017 Recipes

Cara Mangini spoons these luscious tomatoes over crostini that she's smeared with goat cheese or ricotta, then tops each with extra basil. You can also fold them into pasta or cooked grains like farro, or serve them as a side dish with bread to mop up the juices. The recipe comes from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook.

Marinated Garlicky Tomatoes 

Fresh ginger and red pepper flakes add welcome zing, but the real surprise here is napa (aka Chinese) cabbage. Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio, likes it for slaws because it's more tender than ordinary cabbage but still holds up better than lettuce. 

Sweet and Spicy Cabbage and Peanut Slaw 

This deceptively good, weeknight-easy dessert has a topping of yogurt and whipped cream with raw sugar that looks like creme brulee, but requires no cooking.

Strawberry "Cool Brûlée" 

White dips don't have to be humdrum. In this recipe from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, Cara Mangini sautes grated carrot, pine nuts and garlic in olive oil, then stirs the mixture into Greek yogurt.

Turkish Carrot Yogurt Dip  

Imagine a refreshing cross between a bloody mary and a beer. That's a michelada. Our version is inspired by the TJ Red Michelada served at Taco Joint in Chicago.

Michelada 

This scrumptious mess of a sandwich is every bit as satisfying as a classic Italian sub--and if you prepare the tomato sauce and pesto in advance (or use purchased pesto), the sandwiches come together super fast. The recipe comes from Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio.

Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella Hero with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Basil Pesto 

We won't mince words: This is juicy, spicy, sticky, glorious barbecued chicken. One of the secrets? Chicken thighs. They cook fast, like breasts, but they have richer flavor and don't dry out. And nutritionally speaking, the two are more similar than you'd think.

Chipotle-Maple Chicken Thighs 

This cilantro-flecked confetti salad from Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio, can be served at any temperature. The Southwest-inspired dressing is mild, so the flavors of just-picked sweet corn and peppers shine through.

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Succotash 

With its subtle mix of warm spices, vanilla, maple and citrus (and tangy white icing), this is no ordinary zucchini cake. The recipe comes from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, by Cara Mangini.

Zucchini Olive Oil Cake with Lemon Drizzle 

The classic combination of strawberries and avocado gets a creative twist with the addition of fresh mozzarella and basil. The salad looks cute served "on the half shell," but you can also chop the avocado to serve it more casually.

Avocados with Strawberry Caprese 

You could make a meal of this dish: caramelized zucchini, crunchy almonds, salty cheese and hearty quinoa, all dressed in honey-basil vinaigrette. The recipe comes from Little Eater, in Columbus, Ohio.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Feta 

Dried herbs, garlic and fennel give this rustic tart a familiar Italian sausage-like flavor. The olive oil-based pastry comes together in a snap in the food processor. The recipe comes from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook, by Cara Mangini.

Swiss Chard Crostata with Fennel Seed Crust 

Laced with citrus, smoke and sea salt, grilled okra is a funky, utterly novel side dish or happy hour nosh. Compared to other cooking methods, grilling keeps okra's slime factor in check. The technique and recipe come from The Vegetable Butcher cookbook.

Grilled Okra with Smoked Paprika and Lime