Quick

This salad is a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. Serve it with warm flatbread, such as naan. Make a simply beautiful dessert by tossing together chopped honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon.

Garlic chives add a mildly garlicky flavor to this simple pasta, which is loaded with little tomatoes and tiny pearls of fresh mozzarella cheese. The pea-size mozzarella can be found at Trader Joe's and well-stocked supermarkets.

Fiber-rich jicama is crunchy and refreshing; its texture is similar to an apple's. Sub chef Shaw's salad for classic Waldorf at your next picnic. No mayo means less fat, while chile powder and cheese add major flavor.

Chef Jimmy Shaw cooks up tacos that stars can enjoy without guilt. Authentic Mexican dishes like this one are flavorful and naturally lowfat, he says.

"Pbj's"

Salads made with hearty romaine stand up well to strong flavors like garlic, lemon, and pungent Parmigiano-Reggiano. The chopped anchovies lend depth and savor, not fishiness, to the dressing.

In their quest to achieve this drink's signature demarcation between stout and ale, some beer fanatics invest in a special Black and Tan spoon that can hook over the side of the glass. An inexpensive spoon bent at a 90-degree angle will work just as well.

In recent years, panini-type grilled sandwiches have taken center stage, but there is nothing like a freshly made club sandwich. The triple-decker here amplifies the classic flavors of a BLT with sliced hard-boiled eggs, chive mayo, and a jumble of herbs.

Although this main-course salad sounds suspiciously Waldorfesque—it includes walnuts, celery, and apple—the fresh vinaigrette gives it a modern flair that sets it apart from its mayonnaise-dressed muse.

Salmon's rich, moist meatiness makes it ideal for forming into cakes. Grated zucchini does double duty, bulking up the panfried patties and joining crisp fennel in a sprightly slaw.

Ready your griddle. These pancakes capture the golden sweetness of corn cut from the cob. Drizzle warm maple syrup on them for breakfast or serve them as a side dish with salsa and sour cream.

The timeless combination of steak and potatoes gets extra pep from jarred roasted peppers and aromatic charmoula, an herb and spice blend typically used in North Africa as an instant flavor booster for grilled meats and fish.

You'll want to scarf down these little cornucopias down as fast as you can make them.

With an adjustable-blade slicer, it's easy to transform zucchini into long, delicate pastalike ribbons that make an eye-catching partner for panfried chicken.

This one-pot meal—lobster, corn, and green beans—conjures summer in New England. The simple sesame mayonnaise is outstanding for dunking and slathering.

Beneath a creamy layer of tapioca pudding lurks a silky strawberry base. Ground fennel seeds perk up the flavor of the fruit.

Scallions are often treated more like a garnish than a vegetable, but they make an excellent side dish when grilled and tossed with a simple vinaigrette.