SIGNS OF SPRING

Quick Cooking Healthy Pick Freezable Make Ahead Big Batch Slow Cooker One Pot Whole-Grain Vegetarian Gluten-Free

EASY DINNER 3 Hake withbacon-roasted leeks and mushrooms

ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 1 HOUR SERVES 4

6leeks (2¼ lb.), white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise 1lb. cremini mushrooms, halved if large 4oz. bacon, chopped 2garlic cloves, finely chopped 6sageleaves 2lemons,halved ¼cupextra-virgin olive oil, divided 1tsp. kosher salt 46-oz. skinless hake fillets

Choppedchives, optional, for garnish

PREHEAT the oven to 425°. COMBINE the leeks, mushrooms, bacon, garlic, sage, lemons, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and ½ teaspoon of the salt on a baking sheet and toss to coat. Roast until the leeks are softened, 20 minutes. Rub the fish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt. Arrange the fish on top of the vegetables and roast until the vegetables are tender, the bacon is crisp, and the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes more. DIVIDE the vegetables, fish, and lemon halves (for squeezing) on 4 plates and garnish with chives if desired.

Quick Cooking Healthy Pick Freezable Make Ahead Big Batch Slow Cooker One Pot Whole-Grain Vegetarian Gluten-Free

EASY DINNER 4 Pork gyro burgerswith marinated cucumbers

ACTIVE TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4

3Persiancucumbers, sliced ¼ inch thick ¼tsp.crushed red pepper 4garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided 1tsp. kosher salt, divided 1cup parsley leaves 1½lb. ground pork 2tsp. dried oregano 1tsp. dried thyme ¾tsp. black pepper 2Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 4pitas, warmed

Greek yogurt and sliced red onion, for serving

PLACE the cucumbers in a medium bowl and toss with the red pepper, 1 of the finely chopped garlic cloves, and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Toss to coat and let stand for 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley. MEANWHILE, combine the pork, oregano, thyme, black pepper, the remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining garlic in a large bowl and mix well. Divide into 4 equal pieces and form into ½-inch-thick burgers. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the burgers and cook over medium, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 8 minutes. SLICE the top ⅓ off each pita and spread the yogurt inside the pocket. Stuff with the burgers, onion, and salted cucumbers. Serve warm.

Quick Cooking Healthy Pick Freezable Make Ahead Big Batch Slow Cooker One Pot Whole-Grain Vegetarian Gluten-Free

EASY DINNER 5 Slow-cooker chicken and potato curry

ACTIVE TIME 20 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 4 HOURS, 20MINUTES TO 7 HOURS,20 MINUTES SERVES 4

3bakingpotatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch pieces 2red onions, cut into wedges 3Tbsp.chopped fresh ginger 8garlic cloves, chopped (about 2 Tbsp.) 2Tbsp. curry powder 1tsp.coriander seeds, crushed 1tsp. kosher salt ½tsp. black pepper 6skinlesschicken legs (3 lb.) 1(15-oz.)can unsweetened coconut milk

Choppedcilantro and steamed basmati rice, for serving

COMBINE the potatoes and onions in a 6-quart slow cooker. Mix the ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. PLACE the chicken in the slow cooker, pouring over any loose spices and the coconut milk. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours. GARNISH the curry with chopped cilantro. Serve over steamed basmati rice.

NUTRITION Get details on fat, calories, and sodium at the bottom of each recipe on RealSimple.com.

KITCHENSKILLS

Things Cooks Know

Simplifying strategies, techniques, and tips— from the Real Simple test kitchen toyours

Whyyou should try tossing food in a skillet

You’ve seen this move on TV—a chef effortlessly works a pan to flip food, never dropping a single pepper slice. But it’s a smart move to use at home. Tossing food, rather than turning with tongs, is faster, and it helps food brown evenly without any bruising. The motion works best with nonstick, slope-sided pans. Here’s how to master it: Lift the skillet two inches from the stove, angling the far side of the pan downward. Don’t try to throw the food up and down. Instead, push the skillet forward, then quickly pull it back. The food will—fingers crossed!—flip up over itself.

HOW TOCUT AN ONION WITHOUT CRYING, ACCORDING TO SCIENCE

Stinging eyes and tears, caused by sulfuric molecules released when the cell walls of an onion are ruptured, are nature’s way of saying, “Back away!” It’s a deterrent for certain animals. (Onions are poisonous to cats and dogs—and only a little lesshazardous to human first dates.) But those sulfurcompounds also give onions the pungent flavor that we love. So first make sure that your knife is sharp—a cleaner cut means fewer ruptured cells—and follow these steps to slice with less suffering.

STEP 1: Chill the onion. Placing it in the freezer or a bowl of ice water for at least30 minutes, or in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, may temporarily quiet the compounds.

FLIP IT GOOD

A nonstick pan is a must for beginners. A little extra oil or butter can also help you keep food loose and ready to toss and release without a hitch.

Written by

Heath Goldman

Illustrations by

Melinda Josie

STEP 2: After cutting the onion in half, rinse both sides under cold running water for 1 minute. This will wash away some of the irritants. STEP 3: Hold a piece of bread in yourmouth. A possible theory why this works? You may inhale slightly less of the fumes, since you can’t breathe through your mouth.

The neatest way to peel and devein shrimp

It’s always fastest to buy shrimp that are already peeled and deveined. But ifyou choose to do the jobyourself (and save a few bucks in the process), clean them with this 1-2-3 method.

CRACK the shell by grasping the head and bending the tail back and forth.

PINCH the shell over the tail, pull up, andwith your other hand, run a finger under the legs to free the shell.

INSERT one tine of a fork underthe vein,atthe head of theshrimp.Lift up and pull forward. Thevein should pull out in one piece.

On leaves

Don’t discard the frilly fronds. Fresh, slightly astringent, and packed with intense celery flavor, celery leaves can be stuffed into sandwiches or mixed into salads. To perk up wilted leaves, soak in a glass of ice water for 30 minutes.

WHYNOT TRY…?

CELERY

Snap it up

Choose celery that is light green, with perky leaves andbruise-free stalks. Try gently squeezing a bunch; it should squeak faintly. Celery lasts for up to 10 days in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Ants on a log? Celery can do better. Turn this crunchy mainstay into a hearty dinner salad. Make a new kind of smoothie. Andif you must pair itwith peanut butter and raisins, just try to up the ante a bit.

Recipes by Anna Painter Written by Heath Goldman Photographs by Levi Brown Food Stylingby Maggie Ruggiero

1

Stir-fried shrimp and celery

Heat ¼ tsp. CHILIFLAKES in 3 Tbsp. CANOLAOIL. Add 1 lb. peeled and deveined SHRIMP, ½ tsp. SALT, and ¼ tsp. BLACK PEPPER; cook until just opaque, 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and reserve. Add 1½ cups sliced CELERY, 1 cup SNOW

PEAS, 2 finely chopped GARLIC CLOVES, and 1 Tbsp. grated GINGER. Cook until crisp-tender. Stir in the shrimp and 1

Tbsp. each RICE VINEGAR and SOYSAUCE. Cook 2 minutes more.Serve with

RICE and sliced SCALLIONS. SERVES 4

2

Celery, cucumber, and pineapple smoothie

Puree 2 cups frozen PINEAPPLE CHUNKS,

2 cups peeled CUCUMBER CHUNKS, and 1 cup CELERYCHUNKS with 2 Tbsp.

FRESH BASIL, 2 tsp. LIME JUICE, 1 cup WATER, a pinch of SALT, and ½ cup ICE until smooth. Garnish with a CELERY

STALK or a BASILSPRIG. SERVES 2

3

Ants-on-a-log sandwich

Spread 2 Tbsp. CHUNKYPEANUT BUTTER on 2 thick slices toasted RAISIN BREAD. Toss 1½ cups thinly sliced CELERY with ⅓ cup sliced CELERYLEAVES, 1 tsp. LEMON JUICE, 1 Tbsp. OLIVE OIL, and ½ tsp. each

KOSHERSALT and BLACK PEPPER. Divide the celery mixture between the toasts.

SERVES 2

4

Apple, pear, and celery salad

Toss 1 each thinly sliced GRANNYSMITH APPLE and BARTLETT PEAR with 3 stalks thinly sliced CELERY and ½ cup each

chopped PARSLEY and CELERY LEAVES. Whisk 2 Tbsp. LEMON JUICE, 1½ tsp. HONEY, ¼ cup OLIVE OIL, and ¼ tsp. each

KOSHERSALT, BLACKPEPPER, and CAYENNEPEPPER. Toss salad withdressing and ¾ cup shaved PARMESANCHEESE.

SERVES 2

5

Braised celery and sausage

Cook 1 cup chopped ONION and 2 finely chopped GARLIC CLOVES in 2 Tbsp. OLIVE OIL with 1 tsp. KOSHERSALT and ¼ tsp. BLACKPEPPER until tender. Add 1½ lb.

SWEETITALIAN SAUSAGE. Cook until brown. Add 1 cup WHITEWINE; cook to reduce liquid by half. Add 8 CELERY STALKS (cut into 2-inch pieces) to the pot along with 1 (15-oz.) can DICED TOMATOES. Simmer, about 40 minutes. Serve with SOFTPOLENTA and chopped

PARSLEY. SERVES 4

6

Italian deli salad

Combine 8 oz. cooked PENNE, 2 cups thinly sliced CELERY, 1 cup quartered CHERRY TOMATOES, ½ cup quartered OLIVES, and ½ cup each finely diced SALAMI and PROVOLONE in a bowl. Put ¼ cup OLIVE

OIL, 3 Tbsp. RED WINE VINEGAR, ½ tsp. DRIEDOREGANO, ½ tsp. KOSHERSALT, and ½ tsp. BLACK PEPPER in a lidded jar; shake to combine. Toss the dressing and ¼ cup each chopped BASIL and PARSLEY with the penne before serving. SERVES 4

BETTERBREAKFAST

Brown rice bowl withegg and avocado

For savory-breakfast fans, this hearty, healthy combo contains everything but the kitchen sink.

ACTIVE TIME 30MINUTES TOTAL TIME 30MINUTES SERVES 4

Recipe by KayChun Photograph by Con Poulos Food Stylingby Rebecca Jurkevich

5piecesbacon, chopped 2scallions,thinly sliced, plus more for garnish 8oz. curly spinach, stemmed (8 packed cups) ¼tsp. kosher salt ¼tsp.pepper 2Tbsp.toasted sesame oil 2Tbsp.distilled white vinegar 2tsp. toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish 4cups cooked brown rice, warm 1avocado, thinly sliced 4radishes, thinly sliced 4large fried eggs

SPINACH SWAP

Try other green vegetables in your bowl: Broccoli, zucchini, and Swiss chard all work well.

COOK the bacon and scallions in a large skillet over medium until the bacon is crispy, 5 minutes. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. WHISK the oil, vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. DIVIDE the brown rice, spinach mixture, avocado, and radishes in the bowls. Top with the eggs and garnish with scallions and sesame seeds. Drizzle with the sesame dressing and serve warm, with more dressing on the side.

ON THE GO For 10 homemade portable-breakfast recipes, go to realsimple.com/breakfast.