Snacks for dinner Small bites, full plates, can't lose

Enjoy eating dessert first? You might also like eating snacks for dinner. Giving readers permission to snack, Volger (Bowl, 2016; Start Simple, 2020) offers everything from crunchy, savory bites (remixed Chex party mix) to dips (gingery spinach-tahini dip) and desserts (caramel apple and cheddar toasts). The book organizes the snacks by traits like "crispy-crunchy," "scooped + smeared," "centerpiece-ish," "sturdy support" (i.e., crackers), and more. Recipes, each about a page long and featuring an introduction, are mostly accompanied by tasty-looking photos by Cara Howe. Instructions can be wordy, written in bulky paragraphs rather than bulleted steps, which may be intimidating for some readers. Personal stories, suggested pairings, and menu tips make this ideal for those who enjoy hosting gatherings or dream of eating whole meals of delicious snacks.

The ho-hum "balanced" meal is satisfyingly reimagined in this flexible assortment of finger foods from culinary editor Volger (Start Simple). Arguing a simple assemblage of small bites can be just as "complete" as an elaborate dinner, Volger offers up a snack-style approach to eating that "decenter" what he deems fillers--starchy foods like pasta or bread--and puts vegetables first. In one recipe, leaves of Brussels sprouts become crisped chips after 20 minutes in the oven, while, elsewhere, baked parsnip fries--a revelation as they caramelize--get paired with a green chile--sunflower seed romesco sauce. Various homemade spreads are offered up--including a rich and tangy blend of toasted walnut and feta ("the perfect excuse," Volger writes, "to eat a whole block of cheese in one sitting")--but store-bought items are encouraged in the name of ease, such as a good-quality ricotta in place of the decadent made-from-scratch recipe provided. Among the many tempting dishes are a texture-rich salad of lentils, carrots, dates, and dill and a silky eggplant-chickpea dip with radishes or grilled bread. Desserts, meanwhile, can be as sweet and simple as dates stuffed with cheddar and honey, or a one-bowl almond cake topped with pistachios and sliced plums. The snacking game gets a definite upgrade in this winning collection. (May)