Fruit

This recipe originally accompanied Baja Fish Tacos .

This recipe originally accompanied Baja Fish Tacos .

Melons and cucumbers have a real affinity—they're related, after all. Here, they come together in a cool, uncooked chutney, which cuts the robust richness of thinly sliced hanger steak.

Grilled avocado is one of those things that sound faintly ridiculous until you try it—then you wonder why you never had it before.

If your grill is already fired up, why not give it a quick brushing and throw dessert on there, too? A balanced tropical marinade brings depth to caramelized pineapple.

Clams are excellent on the grill. The tinge of smokiness perfectly complements their briny flavor, and, conveniently enough, they pop open when they are done cooking. Combined with crisp bacon, they’re the foundation of a very easy yet very flavorful pasta sauce.

Simple, tender buttermilk cake with a sugary crunch: We like it full of raspberries, but you could substitute any berry you pick up at the farmers market.

This salad is delicious served immediately at room temperature. It's even better after being chilled for an hour to combine the flavors.

If you don't have assorted potatoes, just use regular Idahos. Scrub and cut them into 1 1/2-inch chunks.

The best thing about this icy, tart-and-sweet treat might be how little forethought it requires. You can use any flavored yogurt on hand.

This recipe was a winner in the 2001 Plains Peanut Festival Recipe Contest in Plains, Georgia and appears here courtesy of the The Peanut Institute. It was also reprinted in Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Clark writes: This prizewinning recipe offers a yummy alternative to commercial energy bars. These homemade bars are perfect for when you are hiking or biking, as well as for a satisfying afternoon snack. They are relatively high in fat, but it's healthful fat from peanuts and sunflower seeds. For variety, make this recipe with cashews and cashew butter and add a variety of dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, and dates).

Flax is rich in substances that have been shown to protect against heart disease and cancer. It has a very mild taste and is good mixed into muffins and breads as well as sprinkled on cereal. This flax muffin recipe is one way to add a daily tablespoon of flaxseed to your breakfast and snacks. These muffins are remarkably sweet and moist, despite having no added fat. (The 3 grams of fat per muffin are from the health-protective fats in the ground flaxseed meal.)

These cakey, low-fat cookies digest easily and are good for a preexercise snack or recovery food. The recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies—enough to feed the whole team. If you are cooking for yourself, you might want to cut the recipe in half.

Even if you don't like anchovies, you've got to give this a try. First of all, you can't beat freshly steamed artichokes—nibbling the flesh from the little leaves, gobbling the tender heart. And the insanely good anchovy butter has absolutely no relation to the too-salty fish you may have had once at a takeout pizza joint. Instead, oil-packed anchovies contribute this subtle sea-salty punch that you just can't get from anything else.

Cooking Method: Direct Heat Suggested Supplies: 4 Bamboo Skewers Barbecuing gets a bad rap sometimes as being the domain of fatty meats and high-calorie sauces, but the truth of the matter is that smoking and grilling don't add fat to a dish, only flavor. With the right ingredients the outdoor cooker can be the focus of cooking for a healthy diet. These charcoal-grilled fruit skewers, with their spicy flair, make eating fruit exciting. It's a versatile dessert or side dish recipe that can be made with any number of fruit combinations. Pair it with grilled chicken and enjoy a guilt-free meal.

This is a very simple dessert that anyone can muster. Bananas, pineapples, and stone fruit that is firm and not too ripe are best in this recipe. Grilled fruit also make a great salad (toss in some beautiful cherries or grapes). It's also wonderful at breakfast served with yogurt and granola. And it makes a fabulous chutney when combined with raisins, juice, and Indian spices. So, when you grill fruit, grill some extra to make these other dishes.

This chowder is easy to make and requires only one pot. The salmon comes out tender and is a good match with the dill and potatoes. For a smokier flavor, roast the ears of corn directly over the fire before removing the kernels. If you don't have fresh salmon, frozen will work fine, or you can use smoked salmon. If using smoked salmon, cut back on the salt for seasoning.

Use gas or hardwood charcoal when grilling fruits. Fruits absorb too much smoke flavor when grilled over wood or briquets. The trick to grilling fruit is to use fruits that are ripe but not overripe or too soft, then brush them with a glaze to bring out the sweetness. Turbinado is a natural, unrefined sugar; you can find that and cane syrup (a thick, sweet syrup used in Caribbean and Creole cooking; I use Steen's brand) at specialty markets, some grocery stores, or online. When you're grilling fruit and using a sugary glaze, it's most important to start out with a clean, oiled grill grate so the fruit is less likely to stick or taste of previously grilled foods.

A crème fraîche custard is folded into the mixed-fruit filling of this elegant nectarine-blackberry crisp.

An amazing mix of textures and flavors—nutty, sweet, salty, plus a touch of heat from the peppercorns.