Traditional meals in Ethiopia, one of the most arable countries in Africa, center around a selection of spicy meat stews and vegetable sides, served over a crepelike flatbread called injera. One of those vegetable dishes is gomen wat, or braised collard greens and kale seasoned with aromatics like berbere. Laroot’s version of gomen, named in homage to the Ethiopian capital, keeps these traditional ingredients while incorporating teff, a supergrain native to Ethiopia which rivals quinoa in its protein, calcium, and iron content. Local tomatoes add lycopene, roasted squash lends vitamin C, and farmer’s cheese provides a tangy hit of creaminess.

Escabeche was so essential to banquets in the Spanish Middle Ages that it was known as “the father of hospitality.” Introduced to the Iberian Peninsula by the Muslim Moors after their conquest of the region, this dish of vinegar-pickled meat was later reimagined as a seafood supper to accommodate the dietary restrictions of Spanish Catholics during Lent. The wild-caught salmon in our version is marinated in champagne vinegar, olive oil, and salt prior to cooking, for a dinner that’s rich in protein, omega-3s, polyphenols, and probiotics. A colorful harmony of vegetables including asparagus, gold-bar squash, and baby carrots provides gut-healthy fiber and antioxidant carotenoids.

Teeming with dosha-balancing flavors from the Ayurvedic kitchen, Laroot’s vegan kala chana masala, based on a traditional North Indian recipe, is a glocal take on a dish with 5,000 years of resetting power behind it. This daal features black chickpeas and split red lentils for protein, fiber, iron, and manganese; local acorn squash for an autumnal source of vitamin C; and a tactfully blended Muchi curry, which features all five Ayurvedic tastes, or rasas. Turmeric, cumin, ginger, and cayenne pepper are its standout spices, providing potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Named after the conical earthenware vessel in which it’s cooked, a tagine is a satiating Moroccan stew typically prepared with lamb, legumes, dried fruit, almonds, herbs, and spices. Regional iterations abound, taking cues from the various ethnic groups that have populated Morocco since the 8th century. Laroot’s interpretation is composed of organic free-range chicken for protein, potassium, and vitamin B12; chickpeas for fiber and additional B vitamins; figs for blood-sugar regulation; and olives for vitamin E and healthy fats. The mixture is gently simmered in a sweet-and-sour liquid spiced with immunity-boosting turmeric, saffron, ginger, and sumac.