Herbs & Spices

Whichever berry or berries please you most, here’s a tasty way to enjoy them

This is fantastic on fresh pumpernickel or rye bread for lunch; or spread it on fresh Italian bread to serve with light pasta dishes.

Using prepared salsa to make guacamole is an easy way to incorporate the flavors of tomatoes, onions, and chilies. Serve with stone-ground tortilla chips.

A somewhat more exotic salsa, this jazzes up meals with a tropical beat. See the menu with Gingered Coconut Rice, page 96. Serve with tortilla chips or as a condiment with spicy dishes.

Use this as a dip for vegetables or small crackers or as a dressing for salads or pita sandwiches.

Serve as a spread on whole-grain crackers, crisp lavash, or wedges of pita bread. For more information on miso, a pungent soyfood, see page 21.

Here’s a dip that could inspire your family to eat more raw vegetables. It’s great for informal gatherings and cold buffets, too. Serve this with an array of colorful vegetables, including broccoli florets, baby carrots, red bell peppers, and halved cherry tomatoes.

Smoky roasted eggplant is tempered by yogurt in this Middle-Eastern-inspired dip. This is good for spreading on fresh bread as well as scooping up on pita.

The addition of feta cheese gives this frittata a rich, pungent flavor.

I like to serve this with curries and grain pilafs. Try it with Long-Grain and Wild Rice Pilaf (page 99) or Fragrant Rice and Cashew Pilaf (page 100).

I’ve tried this pizza with frozen and fresh spinach, and while the former isn’t bad, fresh spinach makes it a delicacy. Complete the meal with one of the smoothies on pages 245 to 246 and a bountiful tossed salad.

A classic pizza, this is great for cool summer nights, using the season’s best tomatoes.

Serve this as a side dish in shallow bowls, or over rice as a main dish.

One of my favorite ways to use summer’s heavenly ripe tomatoes is to toss them, uncooked, with warm pasta.

A lovely cold dish to be enjoyed in late summer, this is a great vehicle for the season’s ripe tomatoes. This is delicious with Creamy Pinto Bean Puree (page 16) for a satisfying summer meal.

In almost any barley dish I make, whether soup, salad, or pilaf, my flavoring of choice is nearly always dill. This duo seems to have a natural affinity for each other.

Here’s one of my favorites. Most any sort of bean takes well to embellishment with fresh herbs and a good vinaigrette. See the menu suggestion with Sweet Potato Soup (page 29).

A rich, delicious vehicle for showcasing summer’s wonderful tomatoes, this salad is an enticing partner for light pasta dishes or pasta salads. See the menu accompanying Farfalle with Mushrooms (page 76).

This is a good palate-cooler to serve with curries and other spicy dishes. Use a creamy-textured yogurt.

It goes without saying that this is best made with fresh, just-off-the-vine tomatoes!