make ahead

The test of a good picnic salad is whether it can make it to the main event without getting soggy. This one gets tossed right before it’s served, but the ingredients are safe to hang out in the cooler for hours. Packed with marinated vegetables, salami and cheese, it’s basically a meal in a bowl.—Michelle Rabin

It's not Thanksgiving without this delicious pumpkin cheesecake. One of the many reasons it's an editor favourite is the fact that it can be made ahead of time: Chilling overnight helps create a dense, firm consistency.

At its core, a Napoleon cake is an icebox cake. In this version, strips of puff pastry are enveloped in a bright mango-lime mousse and transform into a billowy bite. It makes for a stunning dessert that’s a breeze to pull together and can even be made ahead of time.

Snack on these pickled asparagus spears right out of the jar, chopped up in a salad, or as an edible garnish on a Caesar cocktail.

We filled this baked granola with every superfood in the pantry. The result is a deliciously addictive mix that packs a whopping 10 g of protein and 5 g of fibre in every 1/2 cup serving.