Creamy Avocado Pesto with Toasted Pine Nuts

Photo: LCStock2015/iStock/Thinkstock

A Totally Unexpected Pasta
You'll swear there's heavy cream, or at least a generous amount of cheese, in this dish—but the thick and rich sauce actually gets its heft from avocado. The superfood also adds loads of nutrition (such as cholesterol-blocking good fat, potassium, folate and more). And if you're worried about it tasting like a bowl of guacamole-coated noodles, fear not: The other ingredients are basil, garlic, lemon and pine nuts, which give the plate a more Mediterranean than Mexican vibe.

Get the recipe: Creamy Avocado Pesto with Toasted Pine Nuts
Mache, Matchstick Beets and Red-Wine Vinaigrette Salad

Photo: The Pollan Family Table

Mâche, Matchstick Beets and Red-Wine Vinaigrette Salad
With a nutty, grassy taste and velvet-like leaves, mache lettuce is a great way to add some variety to your salad bowl. The Pollans combine it with raw beets (there's no need to cook them if you cut them into matchstick-size pieces), which add terrific crunch and color. A creamy dressing might be overwhelming with these flavors, so instead, the recipe calls for a red-wine vinaigrette made with walnut oil. Toasted walnuts and crumbled feta complement the dressing and make the salad more filling, too.

Get the recipe: Mâche, Matchstick Beets and Red-Wine Vinaigrette Salad
Pollo Balsamico

Photo: Naomi Kim

Proof That Simple Ingredients Can Still Wow Us
It's hard to go wrong with a chicken dish built with garlic, olive oil, shallots, rosemary, sage, red wine and balsamic vinegar. But the Pollan family manages to take these humble ingredients to new heights with this spectacular dish. They start by cooking strips of breast and thigh meat in olive oil until a golden crust forms. A thick sauce comes together with the remaining ingredients and makes a rich and deeply flavored coating for the chicken. And while there are only a few tablespoons each of butter and oil used in the dish, the overall effect is decadent.

Get the recipe: Pollo Balsamico
Baked Accordion Potatoes with Paprika and Thyme

Photo: The Pollan Family Table

An Old-School Side with a Health-Conscious Makeover
The Hasselback potato is a thing to behold: It's a spud cut into thin slices that's left connected at the bottom and covered in bread crumbs and cheese then baked so the slices fan out and turn crispy and golden. The Pollans' healthy version is no less heavenly. They omit the bread and cheese but load the potatoes up with paprika and thyme.

Get the recipe: Baked Accordion Potatoes with Paprika and Thyme
Watercress, Fennel and Watermelon Radish Salad with Feta

Photo: The Pollan Family Table

The Most Beautiful Veggie Side
Radish salad sounds so humdrum, but this plate is anything but. It uses watermelon radishes, a variety that is pale on the outside but vibrant pink on the inside. They taste crisp and fresh, with a delicate, piquant bite. The Pollans combine the radishes with subtly sweet fennel, peppery watercress, salty feta and juicy orange slices in this beautiful dish that's refreshing and delicious.

Get the recipe: Watercress, Fennel and Watermelon Radish Salad with Feta
Published 07/30/2015