Vegan

If I were hosting a swanky rooftop engagement party on a hot summer evening, I'd make these refreshing, not-too-sweet ice pops. You'll need to let the Prosecco get flat in the refrigerator before making the pops. If you're in a hurry, decant it into a large bowl, and it will turn flat faster. Be sure to use food-safe rose petals that haven't been sprayed with pesticide.

A little balsamic vinegar and a few grinds of black pepper bring out the sweetness of ripe strawberries.

Watermelon in its solid state is so loaded with water and sugar that it is little more than a beverage waiting to be released from captivity. This tangy, refreshing drink is the fulfillment of that promise. The addition of a little vinegar does much to expand the aroma of the watermelon, which is barely perceptible when you’re eating the fruit. Mint and watermelon are natural BFFs. If you were unaware of that relationship before tasting this recipe, afterward you will try never to serve a slice of watermelon without a mint sprig somewhere nearby.

Editor's note: Use these roasted cherries to make Jeni Britton Bauer's Goat Cheese Ice Cream with Roasted Red Cherries . Roasting cherries concentrates the flavors and natural fruit sugars. Roasted cherries are great for putting in ice cream, for adding on top of it while serving, or even in a pie à la mode sundae.

Extracted from the pulp inside the seedpods of the African tamarind tree, tamarind paste is sold in Indian groceries and sometimes in the Asian section of supermarkets. Tamarind pulp is quite sour, being about 20 percent acid (mostly tartaric), but it is also somewhat sweet and savory, with a complex roasted underpinning. In much of Asia, tamarind is used to acidify sauces, soups, preserves, and beverages. If you can't find it, you could substitute a combination of lime juice and Marmite and come close. Tamarind paste will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container.

Soy Free Tabbouleh, tabouli, tabouleh, taboolee . . . however you wanna spell it, it spells YUM! It has a clean, light flavor that just tastes healthy. If you have a food processor, now is the time to use it.

The three Ts of soy (TVP, Tofu, and Tempeh) join forces to create a protein-packed burger that will rock your socks off.

Wheat Free No need to worry if your local market doesn't carry egg-free mayo. Just whip up some of your own. This recipe works very well as a sandwich spread or in any mayonnaise-based dressing. As long as you use wheat-free vinegar, this mayo is indeed wheat-free.

Wheat Free If there was ever a reason to call a veggie burger hippie food, then this burger fits the bill. Inspired by watching The Drug Years on VH1 and, of course, dear and sweet Simon & Garfunkel, these burgers are sure to please your peace-lovin' pals. Normally, I advocate the use of fresh herbs, but for this one, dried ones work best. I also tend to overspice things, so please, unless you really like the flavors of these herbs, feel free to cut the amounts down.

Wheat Free Yep, green burgers. This recipe makes a lot, but they freeze well, so you can have green burgers all week long!

Enough to marinate 2 pounds of chicken (skin-on thighs, legs, or wings) or pork (chops, loin, or boneless shoulder)

Our update of the Waldorf salad has so much crunch, we skipped the walnuts. Serve with grilled pork, fish, or chicken.

Using a combination of red, white, and yellow carrots will make this slaw even more striking.

We love this marinade on Kalbi . Try it for an Asian twist.

A quick pickle is a shortcut to flavor, a little bit of bite and texture in a jar. Never use aluminum bowls or utensils when pickling; the acid reacts to the metal.

Serve this succulent slaw as a side or condiment for grilled chicken or pork. Use slightly underripe fruits, which julienne better than soft, juicy ones.

Enough to marinate 2 pounds of pork (tenderloin, shoulder, or bone-in chops) or fish (firm, white-fleshed fish such as sea bass; shrimp or scallops)

Avocado ice cream is fairly common in Mexico, so I decided to make avocado one of the flavors of paletas when I launched my company La Newyorkina (“the girl from New York”) at the Hester Street Fair in New York City’s Lower East Side. I was unsure of how people would receive them, but avocado paletas rapidly became a customer and personal favorite! An avocado ice pop may sound unusual, but it’s very tasty and has a luscious creamy texture without any dairy. The lime juice not only helps keep the paleta green, it also enhances the flavor of the avocados.

Is quinoa the new breakfast of champions? According to a marathon runner friend, it is. She loads up on quinoa before every race. But you don't have to be an athlete to get an energy boost from it. My husband and I find that a big bowl of quinoa in the morning holds us well into the afternoon. We love the chewy texture and earthier flavor of the red quinoa, but because it costs a bit more than the white variety, I often mix the two. If you add some of the black, you'll really start the day on a colorful note. Feel free to add as many accompaniments as you wish. I'm a big fan of flaky sea salt and love the surprise of a little briny crunch on top of my morning cereal.