Photo: Megan Von Schönoff

A Trendy Upgrade for a Classic
Oat-based cookies shake off their old-fashioned reputation with this no-bake recipe. There's nary a raisin in sight—instead, these treats incorporate ingredients you don't normally see with oats, such as espresso and coconut, but they work surprisingly well. You start by microwaving sugar, milk and butter; next, you pour the mixture over a bowl of oats, peanut butter, coconut, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla and salt; then mix, spooning the dough into balls on a cookie sheet. Let them sit for an hour, until they're set, and enjoy.

Get the recipe: Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Photo: Pamela Braun

3-Ingredient Pancakes
A humble banana is the star of these healthy breakfast cakes. They make for an amazing a.m. meal when you're watching your carb intake. All you need to do is mash a banana up, add two eggs and a bit of baking powder; then pour spoonfuls of the batter onto a hot skillet. The finished pancakes are more hefty and creamy than airy and fluffy, and taste delicious with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a dollop of plain yogurt.

Get the recipe: 3-Ingredient Pancakes

Photo: Courtesy of Gayle King

The Sandwich Gayle Loves
The trick to getting Gayle (and, frankly, many of us) to eat something we wouldn't normally try: caramelize it. It worked with the O editor-at-large and cauliflower—when Gayle tried the Hearst cafeteria's every-other-Thursday special sandwich, she was smitten. It features tangy feta, cherry-pepper relish, crisp romaine lettuce and, yup, caramelized cauliflower.

Get the recipe: Caramelized Cauliflower Wrap

Photo: Emily Kate Roemer

Lasagna That Goes the Extra Mile
Few things are as satisfying as putting in the time and effort to make a delicious Sunday supper. This lasagna fits the bill perfectly. It's true that rolling and browning mini meatballs and layering them throughout the dish is painstaking, but it's worth it. As the recipe's creator, Alex Guarnaschelli, explains, getting a bite of beef in a little meatball, plus the separate sensation of the tomato sauce, make the flavors pop even more.

Get the recipe: Grandma Guarnaschelli's Lasagna with Mini Beef Meatballs

Photo: Amanda Drozdz

The Lazy-Day Muffin for a Crazed Morning
Ever since we discovered the nearly instant breakfast (or dessert!) that is the mug muffin, we've been hooked. Mug muffins satisfy the craving for a freshly baked muffin when we just don't have 30 minutes to whip up an entire batch, and are an indulgent way to start (or end) the day—while also keeping our portions in check. This nostalgic version is reminiscent of chocolate-chip cookie dough—though you'd never know it was gluten-free and low in sugar.

Get the recipe: Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Minute Muffin

Photo: Jonathan Meter

The Reason You Bought a Slow Cooker
If there's one dish that's practically synonymous with Crock-Pots, it might be chili: There seems to be no end to the amount of hours the dish can simmer away, getting better as the minutes tick by. And this recipe is one of the best we've seen. It calls for cut-up pieces of beef chuck, instead of ground beef, which hold their shape and texture nicely. There are also kidney beans, diced tomatoes and a handful of flavor boosters, from onion and garlic to soy sauce and cumin.

Get the recipe: Smoky Beef Chili

Photo: Tina Rupp

Oprah's Comfort-Food Dessert
This smooth and sweet berry sorbet recipe, from Oprah's 2017 cookbook Food, Health and Happiness, is a luscious, fresh and not-too-heavy way to end your meal. The key (as with any good sorbet) is the quality of the fruit. The ideal, Oprah says, are strawberries that have been allowed to ripen on the vine until they're at their peak taste; if they're not in season, you can buy them frozen.

Get the recipe: Strawberry Sorbet

Photo: Christal Sczebel

The Treat That'll Have You Dreaming of the Beach
You could have a slice of coconut cream pie before bed—but we're willing to bet that you'll have a more restful night's sleep if you opt instead for one of these fiber- and vitamin-rich yet still tropical-tasting snacks. The lime delivers vitamin C, which can help lower your levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, and blood pressure, if you are feeling anxious. They start with almond meal, coconut flour, shredded coconut, maple syrup, lime juice, almond milk and lime zest. Then you add chopped dates until you've got a mixture you can form into balls. Roll them in more shredded coconut and lime zest, and enjoy a zesty, low-calorie bite.

Get the recipe: Lime and Coconut Balls

Photo: © 2017 by Erin Scott

The Surprisingly Great Hash Browns
We're familiar with many healthy veggie swaps, but here's one we hadn't seen before: shredded cabbage for hash browns. As it turns out, the cruciferous vegetable becomes tender, like a potato does, when you sauté it, and is much lower in carbs. The secret is to use the largest skillet you have, because the shredded cabbage is bulky, at first, but shrinks as it cooks. You cook the cabbage with butter, onion and diced green bell pepper; then, crack eggs into the skillet, directly on top of the cooked vegetables, sprinkle with cheddar and bake just until the eggs are set.

Get the recipe: Skillet Breakfast Hash

Photo: Jennifer Robins

Finally: Pork Chops That Are Rich and Flavorful
Pork chops can often taste tough instead of tender—but pressure-cooking them yields juicy and tasty results, in just 15 minutes. It's the same principle that holds true for anything you cook in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker: the sealed pot, packed with steam, builds up high pressure, so foods from pot roast to ribs cook amazingly fast and stay moist. This winning recipe also includes honey and balsamic vinegar, which give the chops a sweet kick.

Get the recipe: Honey-Balsamic Pork Chops
Published 12/07/2017