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Food has the power to connect us back to simpler times.
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When using high-qualityolive oilwith the remaining fresh ingredients, the flavors pop.
Sometimes I eat it with just bread as my main course and it leaves me perfectly satisfied.
Sarah Galanis, M.P.H., C.D.N., director of food and nutrition at NYU Langone HospitalBrooklyn
2.
Its best if the eggplant is crisp, and the cheese cooked well-done or slightly burned.
Toss in some fresh basil, and youre set.
The commingling of flavors is simply superb.
My mom would make it as a dish classic to our Italian culture.
I adore that this dish can be modified in so many ways.
The possibilities are endless.
DeLuca
3.
Sunday afternoons, my grandparents would come over and we would eat all together.
Beth A. Czerwony, R.D., registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinics Center for Human Nutrition
4.
Sweet potatoesspecifically baked sweet potatoesare sweet and savory, and I eat them as a side with my dinner.
Baking sweet potatoes in the oven gives them an amazing texture and brings out their sweet flavor.
Also, a sweet potato recipe is passed down through generations.
Each family has their own twist.
Nijya Saffo, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.
Its a staple for any gatherings, holiday celebrations, or special dinners.
Our recipe starts with a sauce called sofrito and a package of sazon seasonings before adding the gandules.
My beverage of choice with this meal is typically a Malta (a non-alcoholic barley beverage).
Sylvia E Klinger, M.S., R.D., C.P.T.
Congee (Jook)
I love congee, also known as jook!
It’s warm, comforting, and perfect on a rainy day.
I crave it during the winter, when I just want something comforting and warm.
Leanna Tu, M.S., R.D.N.
Stewed Okra and Black-Eyed Peas
I’m not a big sweets person.
I came to know and enjoy these as meal staples.
It just depends on how I feel.
Black-eyed peas are easy, and you’re free to buy them in bulk.
I usually get the frozen option and cook them on the stovetop.
As for the greens, fresh tastes better than canned to me, and are lower in sodium.
YaQutullah Ibraheem Muhammad, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.
These days, I enjoy baingan bharta with rice and a seasoned cucumber-yogurt sauce, also known as raita.
My husband is Trinidadian and this dish is also popular in his cultureso we enjoy it often together!
Kalloo
9.
Since this is predominantly a rice dish, it can be paired with any main entree.
Yasi Ansari, M.S., R.D.N., C.S.S.D.
Since its made with tapioca flour, pao de queijo is also gluten-free.
Sonya Angelone, M.S., R.D.N.
Sometimes, hot peri peri peppers are added to give the dish some heat.
Peanuts and peanut butter are important for boosting both the nutritional value and taste of food.
And pumpkin leaves are simply a Zimbabwean staple.
My mother grew them in her garden, and when in season, we ate them often.
(Here’s arecipewith instructions on preparing the pumpkin leaves.)
Cordialis Msora-Kasago, M.A., R.D.
Its almost like a vegetarianchili.
One day, I had forgotten it, and had to buy it at school.
I tasted rajma and rice for my first timeit was so tasty and satisfying.
I rushed home and told my mom all about it.
Now I continue to enjoy making it for my family.
For a classic pairing, enjoy rajma with some plain rice or roti.
(You typically eat borscht in the colder winter months.)
I enjoy it with a dollop of sour cream and a dark bread like pumpernickel.
The rich flavor of the bread complements the heartiness of the soup.
Cooking borscht makes the entire house smell amazing since it sits simmering on the stovetop most of the day.
The scent evokes memories of my grandma and now my mom, enjoying meals at home together.
It has a wonderful meld of flavors and is fairly customizable to meet your dietary needs.
Mia Syn, M.S., R.D.N.
Growing up, I remember going for dim sum with my parents and my siblings.
It was a central component to family celebrations, whenever we had visitors and Chinese holidays.
Often, there’s no menu when you eat dim sum.
I’ve worked with several clients who are seeking connection to their Chinese heritage.
Food is just one of the most powerful ways to foster thisanda sense of belonging.
Dim sum is a great opportunity to explore that!
Laura Iu, R.D., C.D.N., R.Y.T.
Jamaican Chicken Curry
One of my favorite foods growing up was my dad’s chicken curry.
He’s Jamaican, and he cooked it on special occasions.
It’s a really savory dish with a ton of flavor and spice.
He used to make it with rice and peas, another Jamaican staple.
It was also made with love, which I think really helps.
you’ve got the option to always alter the spice level to your liking.
My dad also never made the dish the same way twice.
Sometimes he would add more peppers or even putspinachin the dish.
Shana Minei Spence, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N.
Making it in a molcajete adds flavor and presentation.
The flavor that it gets is hard to describe but distinguishes it from othersalsas.
It tastes like home and family.
Su-Nui Escobar, R.D.N.
Egg Tarts
The Hong Kongstyle egg tarts were one of my favorite desserts-pastries growing up.
Its essentially a flaky, pie-like pastry cup filled with sweet egg custard.
I love that its mini-sized and just the right amount of sweetlike a mini pie!
My mom has also made these from scratch before, and I love a great homemadeeggtart.
Its more of a dessert for me, but its commonly served in restaurants that serve dim sum.
A shared dish like this can create so many memories.
Food is so much more than just nourishment for our bodies.
Culturally, it serves to bring people together.
May Zhu, M.B.A., R.D.N., L.D.N.
Collard Greens and Cornbread
I love collard greens and cornbread.
While youcanhave greens without cornbread, it feels incomplete to me.
In my family, the greens are slowly simmered with meat, creating a savory broth and tender greens.
Then you add a capful of vinegar to your greens and eat them right with the cornbread.
Ive been eating greens for as long as I can remember, starting as a kid.
Greens are special to me because it reminds me of how I sat and watched my grandma make them.
Its the dish that everyone in my family eats.
They take time, but the effort is well worth it.
Marisa Moore, M.B.A., R.D.N., L.D.
