Valerie Bertinelli shares recipes that reshape what it means to 'Indulge' (2024)

Actress, Food Network host and bestselling author Valerie Bertinelli is out with a new cookbook that redefines what it means to indulge.

Bertinelli joined "Good Morning America" on Wednesday to share a taste of two dishes from "Indulge: Delicious and Decadent Dishes to Enjoy and Share."

Check out her full recipes below and shop her new cookbook, plus kitchen tools to help recreate her dishes at home.

Kale and Sweet Potato Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

"This recipe came to me one day when I was hungry and my body was begging for fuel, not junk food. I needed a meal that would nourish me and rev me up -- a forkful of feel-good and energy. I opened the fridge and put together all these great ingredients, and the Dill Pickle Vinaigrette sent it over the top. Indulge!"

Ingredients

1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups finely shredded cabbage

1 1/2 cups roasted diced sweet potato (from 1 sweet potato)

1 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple, diced

1 cup cooked tricolor quinoa

Dill Pickle Vinaigrette

1/4 cup dill pickle juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove, grated

1 heaping tablespoon roughly chopped dill

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Toss the kale in a large salad bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use clean hands to massage the kale for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The kale will soften and turn a deep shiny green.

Add the cabbage, sweet potato, apple and quinoa to the bowl and toss to combine. Whisk together the dill pickle juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a small bowl and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately or refrigerate. The salad will last in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Thyme and Gruyère Savory Cookies

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 14 minutes
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

"I'm going to warn you now: These fly off the plate. After you make them once, you'll probably want to double the recipe the next time. They are similar to shortbread but savory instead of sweet, and you can serve them as you would chips. They don't need a dip or a spread. But no one will complain if you do offer a little sumpin' sumpin'."

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 cup freshly grated Gruyère (about 4 ounces)
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl to make an egg wash. Set aside.

Combine the cheese, flour, thyme, pepper and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the cheese is broken up and incorporated with the flour. Add the butter and pulse until you have pieces smaller than a pea, 10 to 15 pulses. While pulsing, stream in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. After 2 tablespoons, remove the lid and check your dough; it should look like wet sand and hold together when you squeeze it. If it doesn't, place the lid back on and pulse in the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons ice water.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it a few times, just until it comes together. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out until it's 1/4 inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out the cookies and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gather the dough scraps and lightly knead together. Continue the process of rolling out the dough and cutting cookies until all of the dough is used. Brush the cookies with the egg wash.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden and puffed. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, always using a cool baking sheet.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Valerie Bertinelli and Harvest Books.

Bertinelli also shared two heartier dishes for chicken breast with Prosecco sauce and baked ziti earlier this week with "GMA." Check them out here.

More GMA kitchen picks