Mint

We heart this dish. Pomegranate may protect your arteries against LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

You could buy peppermint candy, but nothing comes close to the tingly, verdant flavor of real mint. These sweet lollipops make wonderful treats for both children and adults. The color is a very pale green, which can be enhanced with a drop or two of food coloring.

Rice paper is available in the Asian-foods section of many supermarkets.

Here's an autumnal twist on pesto—with walnuts standing in for pine nuts and with a mix of herbs in place of summery basil. It's great on pasta or chicken.

Raita is India's signature yogurt and vegetable condiment. This one would also be good on pita or naan.

For extra crunch, add a few strips of cucumber or bell pepper before rolling these up.

For a fun presentation, serve the granita in hollowed-out lime halves. To prepare the limes, snip the membranes with scissors, then scrape clean with a grapefruit spoon.

Why you'll make it: Because it's the perfect summer pasta — few ingredients, easy prep, big flavors.

Once you've tried ice cream made with fresh mint leaves — a far cry from the neon-green stuff — you'll never go back. Here, it's enclosed in a thick robe of rich bittersweet chocolate.

Can your local deli counter inspire a cool Vietnamese-style meal? Definitely. Here, roast beef, already cooked to medium-rare (perfection, in our opinion), is a main player.

Be sure to start this recipe at least 1 1/2 hours ahead so the components have time to cool. Mix up the syrup and chill it until it's cold. Cut the melons into wedges and refrigerate them in plastic containers. Then, just before you leave, chop the mint and stir it into the syrup, then drizzle the syrup over the fruit.

Studded with delectably nutty wheat berries, this substantial salad of charred tomatoes, peppers, and tofu truly deserves its billing as a main course.

Mixing aromatic herbs like mint and basil with asparagus and peas creates a beautiful green dish. Salty feta sparks it up.

The smoky aroma of lamb grilling on skewers is ever-present across the Middle East. Here, the meat is flavored with traditional spices and a minty, sweet-and-hot glaze. Fresh figs and thick slices of eggplant make the perfect accompaniments.

Lamb shoulder chops are widely available and are less expensive than lamb rib chops.

Here, tomatillos become a brilliant green sauce for baked fish.