Contributed by Info Guru Aurora LaJambre

Food funks happen to the best of us: You find yourself making the same handful of recipes week after week.

These top 10 new food recipes feature healthy foods, lesser known grains and nutritious spices to makeover old favorites.

10. Quinoa and Black Beans

Quinoa is one of those grains we’ve heard a lot about for the last few years because it’s low in sodium and cholesterol, but high in Manganese, Magnesium and Phosphorous. With the right ratio of water or vegetable broth and heat, you get a light, nutty grain for salads or to replace rice. Quinoa comes from South America and lends a lighter touch to beans and rice. Give this simple dish from All Recipes a try, and be sure to top it off with a handful of fresh cilantro.

9. Okra

Okra gets a bad name due to certain words often used to describe it (slimy anyone?), but don’t write it off just yet. Around August, pluck the smallest ones you can find from the farmer’s market. Wash well and slice into ¼ inch pieces. In a stock pot, throw in an equal amount of peeled and chopped mini eggplant with tomatoes and enough water to keep it from sticking. Add salt, cumin, ginger and pepper and cook on medium low for about 30 minutes.

8. Creamy Avocado Salad

Can we interest you in an addictive salad that will feel more like an indulgence than a healthy meal? Try Sarah’s Cucina Bella recipe for a creamy salad with black beans, red peppers, corn, avocado and cilantro. Always start with fresh avocados that are not too soft or too hard for the best result. And top it off with a spicy pepper sauce for a delicious kick.

7. Sautéed Kale

Kale is a significant source of Protein, Vitamin E, Iron, Thiamin, dietary fiber and many other vitamins and minerals. Sautéed kale is a super simple recipe: Caramelize onions in a non-stick pan, and then tear the leaves from the thick stem and tear again into bite-size pieces. Add enough water to coat the bottom of the pan. Simmer with sesame oil, rice vinegar and 1tsp ginger for about 10 minutes.

6. Momofuku’s Ginger-Scallion Noodles with Tofu

If you don’t like tofu because of its texture or lack of flavor, you simply haven’t found the right new food recipe. Fortunately, Serious Eats shares one of Momofuku’s recipes for mouth-watering tofu with savory Asian noodles. The trick with tofu is to sandwich thin slices between the bottoms of two saucers to squeeze excess water. The more water you squeeze out, the more marinade the tofu will absorb.

5. Kasha Veggie Pilaf

Kasha is a go-to grain in Eastern Europe, but not nearly as common in the United States. It comes in a few different forms including ground, medium and whole. Whole kasha works best if you want to try it as a rice substitute. For a simple pilaf, cook it in a pot with vegetable stock, bay leaf and chopped onions, currants, garlic, bell peppers and peas.

4. Saag

Not all new recipes have to come from unfamiliar ingredients. Saag is a traditional Indian spinach dish that’s full of flavor and nutrition. Cook down chopped onions with oil, chilies, turmeric, garlic, cumin, mustard seeds and ginger. Once onions are clear, add in chopped tomatoes and spinach. Cover and cook on medium for 10 minutes. You can puree it for creamy consistency, and then mix in chickpeas, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Serve with rice.

3. Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is an incredibly versatile vegetable that tastes just as good grilled as it does roasted, curried, pureed or sliced and baked as “steaks”. On the sweeter side, check out Michael Ruhlman’s recipe and bake it on a large non-stick baking pan with a sprinkle of brown butter, oil and salt. Chop and spread on top of mashed butternut squash and sautéed spinach.

2. Tempeh Ruebin

Tempeh is a soy protein from Indonesia. Its firm texture and nutty flavors are unique from other non-meat proteins. A simple, tasty way to prepare a tempeh lunch is to slice it into ½ inch thick slices. Cook on both sides in a pan with olive oil and sliced onions until it browns. Melt Swiss on top then build a sandwich on bread or in a folded corn tortilla (gluten-free). Layer Tempeh, onions, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.

1. Miso Mashed Potatoes

Known for delivering the somewhat elusive taste known as umami, miso will completely transform old favorites, like mashed potatoes. All you need to do for this new food recipe is to add miso paste to your existing recipe just before you do the mashing. Steamy Kitchen breaks down the steps picture by picture.