Energy bars are an excellent staple to have on hand for a quick breakfast or for mid-morning or afternoon snacks. I tend to avoid packaged foods these days due to the unknown quality of the ingredients, the number of additives that are often present, the usually excessive sugar, and the price. But making up a batch of bars using simple quality ingredients is a healthier and more economical option. Take these easy to prepare fruit and nut bars, for example. Well worth the effort, these protein-rich bars keep well for a couple of weeks in a covered container in the refrigerator, assuming that they'd last you that long. All you need is a food processor to pulse the ingredients together, an oven, and a baking pan. Feel free to experiment with a different combination of nuts and fruit, or use peanut butter instead of almond butter, for a varied flavor profile.

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Just in time for fresh local garden peas, I bring you a delightful protein-rich earthy curry that can be made any time of the year because frozen peas will work well too. A delightful array of flavors are featured here — spicy, aromatic, sweet, tangy, and sour, with a hint of bitterness from the addition of fenugreek leaves. For those that make Indian creations on a regular basis, as I do, most of the ingredients are staple pantry items, making planning ahead even easier once you obtained your fresh produce.

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One can never have enough recipes for potatoes, and for those who like to cook, they are one of the most versatile and inspiring vegetables to cook with. In my kitchen, I specialize in Indian creations, so accordingly, I offer up yet another Indian classic. If you aren't familiar with aloo methi, you'll be happy to discover this treasured, easy-to-prepare pan-fried, dry-textured vegetable side dish.

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Wot is a magical gem of Ethiopian cuisine. Meaning stew, wot varies in texture from thin to thick, and also ranges from spicy hot to mild on the heat spectrum. The spicy sauce for wot, known as kulet, is generally made first and then followed by the addition of the main ingredients for the stew, and this is all simmered together until thickened and cooked throughout. The main features of the kulet are onions or shallots, oil and seasonings.

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