Melissa Ben-Ishay is always after the perfect bite. She mastered it more than 15 years ago with the miniature cupcakes that propelled her dessert company . But in September of 2021, the baker took to TikTok to share her recent obsession: a micro-chopped Green Goddess salad boasting a trio of vegetables and vibrant green dressing. Melissa scooped it up with tortilla chips and it flooded the internet. "I never expected it to become as popular as it did," she says. However, millions of people across the world agreed—it really was the perfect bite.

Now we have that viral recipe to thank for an entire book brimming with wholesome, flavorful dishes.

"In a lot of ways, the Green Goddess gave me permission to write this cookbook filled with the savory recipes I love so much that I make them every day," she writes. Admittedly, isn't the book you'd expect from a dessert baker. Rather than sugar and butter, it stars and dozens of imaginative ways to eat them.

The pages boast satisfying toasts, hearty salads (the Green Goddess only scratches the surface), , and nourishing family meals, all based on Melissa's food philosophy: "If you eat nourishing food at mealtime, you can absolutely indulge in dessert every day." Melissa certainly isn't one to skip dessert.

"I have to have a little something sweet after every meal, even if it's just a handful of chocolate chips," she says. Her current fixation is a Baked by Melissa cookie dough-stuffed cupcake, and who can blame her?

But at lunch and dinner, Melissa is more apt to toss together a simple salad or top sourdough pizza dough with veggies from her latest farmers' market visit. "I always stop to get microgreens (especially micro cilantro) and the mushrooms are hard to turn down. In summer, I can't get enough of grape tomatoes—I always look for the reddest, hardest ones. These are perfect for snacking on, tossing in olive oil and spices, and marinating with garlic," she says.

In the book, she employs things like homemade dressings, freshly chopped herbs, nuts and seeds, and bits of salty cheese to lend flavor and texture to her dishes.

Melissa's healthful approach to mealtime stems from her husband Adi. She herself grew up with no shortage of family cooks, but it was her in-laws that taught her a different way to eat. She remembers the trip to Israel when she first met Adi's family and the small plates, pita, and that overtook the dinner table. When she and Adi began cooking together, "I learned how to make things creamy without dairy (nutritional yeast) and how to brighten flavors in just about anything (lemon juice)," Melissa explains.

Today, it has become her standard.

The supermarket slaw recipe we've shared below is the ultimate example of Melissa's perfect bite. Chock-full of broccoli, edamame, corn, chicken, pancetta, and crunchy coleslaw, and tossed in a zippy homemade dressing, it's a genius combination of "homemade and ready-to-go ingredients," she says, "which is great for a last-minute party dish or for a busy mom to throw together."

1

(4-oz.) package pancetta

1 lb.

chicken breast, cooked and chopped

1

(16-oz.) bag frozen broccoli

2 c.

sliced almonds

1

(16-oz.) bag frozen corn

1

(12-oz.) bag frozen shelled edamame

1 tbsp.

oregano

1 tbsp.

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garlic powder

1 tsp.

fine sea salt

1/2 tsp.

freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp.

extra virgin olive oil

2

(12-oz.) bags coleslaw mix (if your store has multiple options of cole slaw mixes, get two different kids just for fun)

1 c.

crumbled feta, to garnish

1/3 c.

store-bought pesto

Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)

1/2 c.

sour cream

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step  1 Heat a large skillet over medium heat (no need to add oil). Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Step  2 Add the chicken, broccoli, almonds, corn, and edamame to the pan. Add the oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and cook until the veggies are tender and thawed completely, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your pan. Remove from the heat. Step  3 Make the dressing : Whisk together the pesto, lemon juice, and sour cream in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Step  4 Combine the coleslaw bags in a large bowl. Don't use any of the packaged dressing, if it's included. Step  5 Add the cooked veggies and chicken to the coleslaw. Just before serving, pour the creamy pesto dressing on top and toss well to fully combine. Top with the feta and serve immediately.

Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat

Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat

Reprinted from by arrangement with William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Copyright © 2024, Melissa Ben-Ishay.