Fruit

The lamb needs to marinate overnight, so be sure to begin one day ahead.

A delicious winter salad that would also be great alongside pork chops.

Fiber-rich bulgur and protein-packed shrimp in this mix will keep you full for hours—but it takes mere minutes to make.

This scrumptious dessert serves up sweet, seasonal fruit in filling, foolproof portions. And whole-grain oats top it off with a fluffy cobbler cap that's lusciously lowfat.

This refreshing yet rich northern Thai soup is called tom kha gai. It is quite easy to prepare, and much of the flavor comes from the garnishes stirred with the soup after it is cooked: the fresh lime juice, the chiles, the cilantro leaves, and the nam prik pao, a roasted chile curry paste that can be bought in most supermarkets. The Thai red curry paste, fish sauce, and canned coconut milk called for in the ingredient list are all sold in the international aisle of the local supermarket, or you can try to get all the Thai ingredients called for through the fun, online Thai supermarkets at www.importfood.com and www.templeofthai.com.

A flavorful dish from the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Massachusetts.

Albóndigas is Spanish for meatballs. Ours are lightened with grated zucchini.

This seasonal salad is a great mix of colors and flavors.

An Italian take on the classic Mexican starter.

This breakfast dish is served at Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach.

Cooking the bread pudding in a loaf pan gives it a modern, bakery-style look. For a more decadent dessert, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Brown Betty recipes started showing up in the late 1800s, although nobody is sure who "Betty" was. Traditionally, a brown Betty is made with apples, breadcrumbs, and spices. In this updated version, pears stand in for the apples and the breadcrumbs are enriched with almonds. Keep in mind that this dessert is best eaten the day it's made (but any leftovers would be nice for breakfast).