No-Cook

Drink up and get a healthy dose of cancer-fighting lycopene.

A pickle-like blend of ingredients called balchao, is crucial to many of Portuguese Goa's meat dishes, and usually incorporates Goa's other passion, feni, a potent alcoholic brew made from either cashew nuts or palm fruit. Also omnipresent in Goan dishes is the highly acidic feni vinegar, which reduces the potency of dried red chiles—as does tart tamarind, another key element in this layered, complex, and fiery-hot paste that peppers its way into many of Goa's curries. Unfortunately, neither the alcohol nor the vinegar is available outside of India (maybe even outside of Goa), and so my offering is devoid of both. Nonetheless, it is very flavorful, with cider or malt vinegar standing in as a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Editor's note: The recipe is from Susan Curtis and Nicole Curtis Ammerman's book Santa Fe School of Cooking: Flavors of the Southwest.

Editor's note: This recipe is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Chris Miller, executive chef at Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri in Bali. This refreshing juice is pleasantly fruity but not overly sweet. It gets its bright green color, tons of antioxidants, and refreshing zing from parsley and spinach, but neither ingredient overwhelms the flavors of the pineapple, grapefruit, and carrots. Note that not all juicers produce the same amount of liquid. If your machine tends toward a lower output, consider buying extra ingredients. To avoid pesticides and other chemicals, use organic fruits and vegetables and be sure to wash everything thoroughly. Some juicers heat juice slightly, so it's a good idea to chill your ingredients before juicing them. This will allow you to drink the juice right away, when its flavors, colors, and nutrients are at their peak.

The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson. An insanely easy-to-make candy that looks a lot like the famous nut of Ohio's state tree as well as Ohio State's symbol.The actual buckeye is a form of horse chestnut that, when eaten, might result in all kinds of unthinkable intestinal troubles. It's probably wiser to go for these sweet, bite-size globes with the famous peanut butter/chocolate flavor combo instead.

The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson. If you're looking for a near-instant potluck contribution, you just struck pay dirt. It would be tough to make this recipe any simpler—unless you left out the beans. A little chopping, some liquid measure, and a quick whirrrrrr of your trusty margarita-maker, and you've got a bowl of ready-to-serve puréed goodness.

The recipe and introductory text below are reprinted with permission from Gameday Gourmet by Pableaux Johnson. Easy to make and even easier to devour, this dip is a crowd-pleaser that's hugely popular at Duke tailgates and welcome anywhere that big flavors reign. Thick-sliced, peppered bacon gives the dip a distinctly porky flavor.

This mix is everything you want with a drink—a little bit salty, but with a nice variety of textures and flavors.

Conlan's French twist on tuna gives you nearly 1 g of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids along with the tart and tangy taste of olives, anchovies and capers.

What may seem like an incongruous mixture is actually a harmonious blend of ingredients and textures. There are few dishes that illustrate how the seemingly disparate flavors of sweet, sour, bitter, and salty can be successfully combined. One tip: While the melon should be chilled, the other ingredients are their most flavorful at room temperature, so combine the salad just before serving.

Three varieties of basil combine to make a powerfully fragrant and versatile topping for pasta, chicken, or fish.

Look for thin zucchini and yellow squash. The squash will have fewer seeds.

The idea for this sandwich came to me when my mother and I were about to have bagels and lox for brunch. I wanted a more nutritious spread than cream cheese, and I happened to have on hand a ripe avocado, which is rich in beneficial monosaturated fat and organic minerals. Mashed with a bit of lemon juice, it turned out to be the perfect choice. Its mild, delicate flavor provides the ideal balance for the salty lox, and its smooth creamy texture resembles that of cream cheese. Use whatever bagel you like. A whole-grain one has the best nutrition, but the sandwich will taste better if the bagel is not sweet; often whole-grain bagels also contain honey. The lox-and-avocado combination is also good in a whole wheat pita. Whether you're serving it to break the fast or for brunch, the sandwich is good accompanied by a green salad and a few high-quality olives.

A refined rethinking of a bagel-shop favorite provides a no—cook, imaginative way to appreciate the traditional flavor pairing.

Deconstructing the classic icebox cake, chef Adam Randall loosely layers chilled slices of yellow cake with tart lemon cream and then finishes the dish with a cloud of whipped cream and curls of candied lemon peel. This perfect summer dessert is so tasty that no one will ever guess its shortcuts: store-bought cake and sweetened condensed milk.