At Goldenrod Pastries in Lincoln, Nebraska, everything is without gluten and dairy, and many pastries are vegan or nut-free. Dietary challenges led chef-owner Angela Garbacz to fall in love with what she calls “diet-inclusive baking,” and to fill her shops and her new cookbook, Perfectly Golden, with treats everyone can enjoy. This completely vegan savory babka relies on almond milk and vegetable oil for richness, while the pesto that's braided into it leans on fresh herbs, peppery arugula, and plenty of garlic for flavor. The babka dough is well hydrated, resulting in a moist loaf with a well-developed crumb. Trust us, you won’t miss the butter.

Michelle Gayer tops her sensational focaccia with sweet, tender strips of roasted butternut squash scattered with thyme and drizzled with honey.

In a class at Point Reyes's new culinary center, students learn to top focaccia with pears and blue cheese.

Chef Marco Canora makes this focaccia with freshly milled, small-batch whole-wheat flour.

Turn your vegetables into pure gold in this umami-rich vegetable broth.

Salty bacon, sweet raisins, aromatic caraway, and a tart splash of vinegar add complexity to this simple cabbage soup.

This silky pumpkin-and-sweet-corn soup includes tender dumplings and a spicy kick from Scotch bonnet chile.

I remember enjoying these dumplings as a kid with roast pork or svickova, which is a Czech recipe for braised beef roast. My grandfather was Bohemian and this was one of his favorite side dishes. My mother included a copy of the recipe in a recipe card collection she gave to me when I moved to college.

Not only do refrigerated breadsticks lend a fun twist to pizza, but they make this dish a weeknight staple at my house. Feeding kids? Slice pieces into small strips and let the kids dip each strip into marinara sauce. They’ll love it! —Mary Hankins, Kansas City, Missouri