No-Cook
Lime-Crab Soup
Be anything but crabby after enjoying this sunny citrus bisque. You'll net half your daily folate needs per bowl.
Panzanella
Turn day-old bread into a masterpiece. This salad delivers all the vitamin C you need daily.
Strawberry Angel-Food Trifle
The good news: This delicious dessert can actually be very low fat if you use the low-fat or fat-free yogurt. The key is to use a good Greek yogurt—the flavor is amazingly rich, even in low-fat varieties. When you're assembling the dish, don't worry about creating perfect layers—this trifle is even prettier when the ingredients overlap a bit.
Radicchio & Carrot Slaw
This wonderful slaw is a great twist on classic cole slaw. If you like your slaw crunchier, make it just before the party.
Seasonal Fruit Salad with Fresh Mint
This can be a great dish all year round, if you choose the best fruits available. The addition of mint adds a bright, refreshing flavor to the sweetness of the fruit.
Turkey Pinwheels
All the other kids at school will be jealous when they get a look at these delicious, colorful, healthful wraps.
Peanut Butter Berry–Wich
Peanut butter goes well with more than just jam, and this interesting combination proves it. This is delicious with whatever fruit is in season.
California Style Tuna Salad Rolls
These roll-ups are great for school and burst with tuna and veggies. If your child likes wasabi's heat, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon to the tuna mixture.
Chicken and Vegetable Quesadilla
For this dish, I recommend using leftover chicken or a pre-roasted chicken from the supermarket.
Goat Cheese and Watercress Sandwiches
Editor's note: The recipe below is from Kimberly Kennedy's The Art and Craft of Entertaining. For Kennedy's baby shower tips click here.
Cucumber and Chayote Slaw
This unusual slaw is a delicious accompaniment to any Mexican- or Southwestern-style entrée.
Italian Vegetable Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Consider this a reintroduction to some old standbys, because cauliflower, asparagus, and fennel taste utterly new with a mellow garlicky dressing. Food editor Kay Chun, who developed the recipe, prefers to use vegetable oil for its light, neutral flavor, which allows the garlic and the deep savor of anchovies to shine. Tossing the salad right before serving ensures that it retains its crunch.
Mushroom Carpaccio with Pecorino Toscano
The salads of shaved raw porcini mushrooms that are served throughout Italy are the inspiration here. A big squeeze of lemon and a scattering of herbaceous celery leaves contribute brightness. Speedy yet luxurious, it just may become your new party dish.
Saté Chicken Salad
For a bold no-cook dinner, pick up a rotisserie chicken, chop some vegetables, and toss everything with a pantry-friendly dressing that evokes the spicy peanut dipping sauce served with the Southeast Asian meat skewers called saté.
Malted Vanilla Milk Shakes
I am on a vanilla kick, and it can't be stopped. It should be noted that we are obsessed with malt, brewer's malt, malted milk balls, and the like. These milk shakes are so simple to make, and when we make them, people are always begging us for the secret ingredient. I suppose they aren't used to a malted milk shake anymore. So sad. Also, it makes me bonkers when people ask to use skim milk. It's just not as good, in my humble opinion.
Baby Greens with Artisinal Cheeses and Charcuterie
Most chefs don't focus on salads. Maybe that's how "chefs salad" came to mean a pile of iceberg lettuce topped with bits of cheese, strips of cold cuts, and wedges of hard-boiled eggs. But with all the fantastic American cheeses and locally produced charcuterie available today, it's time to put the "chef" back in the chef's salad. It doesn't take long to arrange the meats and cheeses atop a bed of interesting greens, then whip up our quince dressing, drizzle—and dine.
Curried Carrot Salad with Nonfat Yogurt
Use a mild (sweet) curry powder.
Strawberry Citrus Salad
This recipe yields enough to make the "shortcakes," too.
Black Olive and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
I can't think of a better sandwich to take along to the beach, enjoy next to the pool, or keep on hand in the fridge than these wraps. The combination of olives, goat cheese, frisée, and red pepper reminds me of the Mediterranean Sea, making any summer occasion seem slightly more exotic. Thanks to the durable flour tortillas, which can hold alot of heft and moisture without soaking through and tearing, these sandwiches can be made ahead of time.