Fruit

There's no oil in this easy main course and, if you'd like to make it even healthier, low-fat or nonfat yogurt can be used instead of the whole-milk variety. Round out the meal with dal (Indian-style lentils) or some sautéed spinach. The yogurt marinade is also great for chicken.

The dip gets better the longer it sits, so make it a day ahead.

If you can’t find haricots verts, look for slender green beans.

Pat: When it comes to summertime in the South, fresh peaches rule. We put them in ice cream, pie, and cobbler. We pack them in mason jars and cover them with syrup. No getting around it: we have never met a peach-and-sugar dish that we didn’t like. When we were kids, Momma Daisy had several peach trees in her backyard. She’d give my brothers and me a big basket, and we would go out and pick them right off the tree. Next thing you knew, she was making cobbler—man, was that a treat. Needless to say, that was always a fun trip, and now we get to relive it by sharing her recipe with you.

This almost doesn't need a recipe because it is based on the classic proportions of a pound of each of the four main ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. I have played with the quantities a little bit so that the recipe doesn't make such a large cake. I like to flavor this type of pound cake with just a little vanilla—it keeps the flavor delicate and doesn't mask the lovely flavor of the butter. If you want more vividly flavored pound cake, try any of the variations.

This strawberry roll is elegant in appearance but less rich than a roll covered with whipped cream rather than the light meringue.

Two of summer's tastiest offerings help you spoon up more of the skin-saving antioxidant lycopene.

Tofu noodles replace pasta, so you don't need to boil water. Plus, this comforting dish offers nearly one third of your day's calcium, via the yogurt and broccoli.

Be anything but crabby after enjoying this sunny citrus bisque. You'll net half your daily folate needs per bowl.

Quick-cooking bulgur can be found at some supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

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.

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.

All the other kids at school will be jealous when they get a look at these delicious, colorful, healthful wraps.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy this lunch. Store this tasty salad in a wide-mouthed thermal container, use several Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves to wrap around the salad instead of bread, and pack the nuts separately in a little plastic bag for sprinkling. For those who can take the heat, add a splash of Chinese hot oil or hot sesame oil to the salad.

Peanut butter goes well with more than just jam, and this interesting combination proves it. This is delicious with whatever fruit is in season.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Gabrielle Carbone, coproprietor of The Bent Spoon ice cream parlor in Princeton, New Jersey. This pretty, striped cake can be assembled either from freshly made sorbet and ice cream or from leftovers. If you make the components fresh, it's helpful to have more than one freezer bowl for your ice cream maker or a self-freezing machine. If you don't, remember that some models demand that you freeze the bowl overnight between batches. You can make the batches on successive days, packing each flavor into the pan as it's done, then freezing the pan and the bowl until you're ready to make the next batch. Try to keep everything that you use in the preparation of this cake — even your cake stand or serving plate — cold. This will help the cake look better longer, especially on a hot day. The simple, fresh flavors of the sorbets and ice cream don't need much embellishment, but crushed Newman's Own Organic O's (the organic take on Oreos) or chopped candied ginger make a nice addition and help separate the layers.

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.

These meaty favorites come equipped with their own handles for casual eating. Make a quick marinade of lemon and olive oil. This satisfying yet frugal dish will feed the entire family.

For this dish, I recommend using leftover chicken or a pre-roasted chicken from the supermarket.

Flavorful and juicy, chicken thighs can be a thrifty alternative to breast meat. You can often find them in value packs at your local supermarket.