Now more than ever, it’s important to eat healthy, nutrient-rich meals that boost our immunity and our mood. It also helps if our meals are not only delicious, but also relatively easy to prepare without overwhelming. We're talking less stress, folks, while nourishing and providing enticing dinner options that give us something to look forward to at the end of each day.

Simple roasted meats and fish swathed in flavorful marinades are easy to prepare and add excitement to an ordinary dinner, with a list of ingredients that promise to liven up our taste buds while (we hope) pleasing even the pickiest eaters in the family. This Thai-inspired marinated salmon is quick and easy to whip up. Most of the ingredients are available in well-stocked supermarkets and online. You can improvise, too, if you like.

The key is that the flavor should be nicely balanced with salt, sweet, acidity and as much heat as fits your taste. Fresh lemongrass is often available in produce sections of supermarkets, but if it’s not an option, you can substitute 1 teaspoon jarred lemongrass paste, or simply omit it.

In this recipe, I cut the salmon into smaller pieces, about 4 ounces each, to expose more edges to the marinade and drive in extra flavor. This marinade is also delicious with beef, chicken and tofu, so feel free to make a double batch and store it in the refrigerator for later use.

Thai Chile Salmon

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes plus marinating time

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Marinade:

1 lemongrass stalk (or 1 teaspoon jarred lemongrass paste)

1/4 cup sweet chili sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 pounds salmon fillet, with or without skin, pinbones removed

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Lime wedges for serving

Cut about 1 1/2 inches of the base of the lemongrass stalk and discard the rest. Peel the tough outer layers to reveal the core. Finely grate the core and put in a small bowl. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and whisk to blend.

Place the salmon on a large plate or in a baking dish. Pour the marinade over and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Remove the salmon from the plate and arrange on the baking sheet.

Roast the salmon until golden on top and cooked to your desired doneness, 12 to 15 minutes for medium, depending on the thickness of the salmon.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and the reserved marinade, if desired.

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Do you prefer cookies or bars? I stand with bars. Simply put, they are easy to bake -- just spread the batter in one pan at once. I also prefer the texture of a bar, with its crunchy top and crisp edges that give way to gooey center that melts in the mouth. And lastly, I think bars store better. I know, I know, who am I kidding. It's not like these sweets don't get gobbled up before you can say brown butter, right? It's true, though. I find that bars freeze exceptionally well, and don't dry out, unlike cookies -- or at least the cookies I make.

And speaking of brown butter: Whether it's a cookie or a bar you're baking, brown butter is that extra ingredient that tips a sweet from good to decadent. Brown butter adds a golden, nutty, butterscotchy color and flavor. The method to brown butter is simple. Melt the butter and continue to cook it until it takes on a deep golden, light brown color with a toasty aroma. The key is to keep an eye on the butter, since it can go from light brown to dark brown to burnt very quickly. It's not the time to step away from the stove and water your plants.

These blondies include toffee, which makes for a sweet and very butterscotchy bar. Finely chopped bittersweet chocolate helps to balance out the sweetness of the batter.

Brown Butter Toffee Bars

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: Makes about 25 (1 1/2-inch) bars

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and browned, cooled

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped toffee bars, about 5 ounces

1/2 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate, about 2 ounces

Sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Melt the butter in a medium heavy-bodied saucepan over medium heat, whisking frequently. Continue to heat the melted butter until it begins to foam and then subsides, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue to cook until the butter has a deep amber color with a nutty, toasted aroma. Keep a careful eye on the butter, since it can quickly go from brown to burnt. When the butter has browned, remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a heat-resistant bowl to stop the cooking process. Cool completely. (At this point, you can use the butter as-is, or strain the butter through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer to remove the brown bits. For this recipe, keep the brown bits for extra flavor.)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan and line with parchment.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.

Whisk the sugars, egg and yolk in a large bowl until light, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the cooled butter and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the toffee and chocolate.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with sea salt, if using. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted comes clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Cut into squares.

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This bowl of pasta is the essence of early spring, a time of the season that brings a conflicting message of gentle sunshine and gray days with cool rain. Crispy pancetta swathed in cream and cheese provides winter warmth, while sweet peas and delicate pea tendrils add freshness and earthy fragility, an early hint from a garden awakening from its winter slumber.

No worries if you can’t get your hands on pea tendrils, which are the wispy shoots of the snow pea plant. This dish is equally delicious simply with pancetta and peas. And while you may be tempted to use fresh peas, frozen peas are best for this dish. Save the fresh peas for munching fresh from the pod.

Spring Pea Pasta

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

1 pound orecchiette

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1/2 cup (packed) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 cups pea shoots, loosely packed

Finely grated lemon zest for garnish, optional

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and saute until beginning to crisp and the fat renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the cream, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the cream is slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the peas and pancetta and simmer until heated through. Add the pasta and cheese and stir to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pea shoots. Serve warm garnished with the lemon zest.

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