Mint

I love getting some color into my salads. In this recipe it's by adding some pink grapefruit and radishes. Combining fresh flavors with a good source of protein scores this salad top marks for energy and vitality.

Fregola, a tiny toasted pasta similar to pearled couscous, makes a flavorful base for this brothy spring dinner.

Baking citrus at a high heat caramelizes the sugars and adds depth. It's just the thing to bring intrigue to salads and more.

These truffle-like cookies dipped in crushed candy are as fun to make as they are to eat.

If you haven't cooked with MSG before, give it a try.

Loaded with fresh herbs and sturdy kale and then set off by a bright and spicy dressing, this is an ideal counterpoint to the more decadent dishes on the table.

We know, this combo sounds nuts. It's meant to be mixed together so you get some garlicky pork, floral lychees, sweet coconut, sharp onions, and crisp salty accents in each bite.

"At home I cook quick, healthy, and vegetarian," the chef says. Cue this soy-and-ginger-marinated tofu (no cooking required!) that tastes way better than takeout.

The peppers will go from softened to mushy if they sit too long; you want to serve them with some bite left.

"Cool and bright, this herb-laced corn salad is my new summer staple." —Alfia Muzio, recipe developer

Sugared, roasted lemons are edible from rind to flesh and give this salsa-like mix a bracing jolt of sourness.

Cooked summer squash can be mushy. Solution: Eat it raw. If you can't find buckwheat groats, use chopped toasted almonds instead.

Eggplant and tomatoes are delicious roasted and blended into a chunky sauce with garlic, crushed red pepper and mint. The sauce complements the chicken & roasted garlic tortelloni nicely and makes for a wonderful dish for entertaining.

"This twist on a Snakebite and Black cocktail uses raspberry lambic instead of hard cider." —Dawn Perry, senior food editor

Briefly cooking the tomatoes is key–the finished sauce should still be very fresh-tasting.

A proper tabbouleh will be mainly vegetables and herbs, with just a smattering of bulgur threaded through.