Parsnip

The chicken and vegetables are strained out for a clear soup. If you'd like, save some chicken and vegetables to serve along with the matzo balls in the soup.

A new take on carrot cake.

Use a mandoline to cut the parsnips easily.

This luxurious soup soothes on a wintry day, warming the palate with rich duck confit, sweet root vegetables, and earthy barley. Pearl barley, by definition, has had some of its bran removed, but we found that different brands varied widely. Higher-fiber varieties will have a slightly longer cooking time.

A fun idea: Paper-thin slices of white vegetables are dressed with an Italian blue cheese vinaigrette.

Mischa Barton and Kate Beckinsale have spent time in the Santa Monica steak house with a funky decor (picture mirrored walls and antler chandeliers). Atkins devotees can be spotted chowing down on red meat, while vegetarians can sample plenty of fish recipes like this tuna dish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids (they may help reduce your risk for heart disease).

This side would be delicious with roasted chicken or broiled halibut.

This puree is a wonderful vegetable side dish for any cool-weather braise or stew.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The broth that accumulates at the bottom of this casserole is delicious spooned over the vegetables. Robiola, a fresh, rindless cheese from Italy's Piedmont, has a tangy richness that makes the dish particularly distinctive.

Here's something good for vegetarians, too. Just use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and bake in a dish.