Spinach

Salads need not focus on the lettuce. Here the greens take a back seat to vibrant golden beets. The salty, creamy blue cheese and the crunchy walnuts complement the sweet beets. Roasting the beets in water prevents them from drying out.

This thick soup has a texture almost like porridge.

Kohlrabi, a bulbous vegetable with thin stems attached, is a member of the cabbage family. Both green and purple varieties are available. The flavor is a mix of turnip, celery root, and radish. Like other vegetables in the cabbage family, kohlrabi is rich in antioxidants.

Fresh and colorful, this vegetarian entrée is an ideal bring-along for a potluck supper. Quinoa, a delicate grain with a texture similar to that of couscous, cooks up in just 15 minutes. A complete protein, it's also nutritious. Look for it at supermarkets and natural foods stores. Smoked paprika can be found in the spice section of the supermarket.

Layers of homemade mixed herb pesto lend a fresh brightness to this vegetarian main.

See "Ingredient Tip" for information on buying pizza dough.

Soup is a great way to use up leftover greens, especially the leafy tops of beets or turnips, which too often get tossed in the compost pile. In this suave, satisfying soup, braising beet tops and collard greens (left over, respectively, from Smoked–Sable Tartare with Beets and Watercress and Wild–Mushroom Bundles ) with fennel and onion mellows the greens' hearty flavor and brings out a surprising smoothness (heightened by the cream stirred in at the end). Adding the spinach just before blending helps keep the color bright.

This colorful main course delivers authentic, long-cooked Southern flavors in a short amount of time.

A combination of kale, chard, spinach, dill, and fennel fronds gives this soup a fresh flavor. Fiber-rich barley adds a hearty note.

Briny olives and sweet golden raisins work in tandem to bring balance to this simple, delicious one-pan fish dinner.

A tagine is a Moroccan stew. In this version, tender beef meatballs are braised with vegetables, then served over herbed couscous.

Get your fix of two favorites (Chinese and pizza) in one crusty canapé—for fewer than 150 calories.

Editor's note: Serve this salad with Marcus Samuelsson's Maple-Glazed Tuna .