Vegan

Scott Uehlein, executive chef at the renowned Canyon Ranch Health Resort in Tucson, Arizona, says this broth is delicious over seared tuna or noodles.

This hearty — and heart-healthy — pasta comes together in a flash. Mangia! Puttanesca may sound like an Italian specialty to slave over, but don't be intimidated — you can make this sauce in minutes. Michael Collins, chef and co-owner of the Green Emporium in Colrain, Massachusetts, designed this dish, which marries old-world flavor with modern-day convenience. Its healthy ingredients — lycopene-loaded tomatoes, heart-smart olive oil, exotic olives, and capers — are as easy to keep on hand as that emergency jar of sauce.

If you spend evenings camped out on your sofa staring at the boob tube, take note: People who spend four hours or more in front of the TV are twice as likely to be overweight as those who watch less than an hour a day, a new study from Australia reports. Study participants' body-mass index (which measures how much of your weight is fat) increased for every hour of TV time. If you watch two hours a day, you're 57 percent more likely to be overweight than those who keep tube time to an hour or less; if you watch three or more hours, you're 91 percent more likely to be overweight. What's worse, past studies show that this pastime triggers the munchies for high-fat snacks, though researchers aren't sure why. If you must gaze at the box, channel your snack urges toward something healthful, like this creamy, low-fat dip.

This classic soup is a no-brainer, no-cook meal: Simply chop and blend. Serve it with crusty bread and spreadable goat cheese. Any leftovers will keep in your fridge for up to five days.

Comfort food at its healthiest. Serve this colorful one-dish meal over couscous or rice. Garnish with fresh basil.

Slow-cooking these colorful vegetables renders them soft and silky. And serving them Mediterranean-style — at room temperature — makes entertaining easy, because you don't have to run back and forth between the table and the kitchen.

Enid P. Saldana of San Juan, Puerto Rico, writes: "I would love to get the recipe for the lychee Martini they serve at Kittichai, in New York City." This summer, enjoy a vodka Martini with a real twist — lychee. The exotic sweetness of the fruit brightens the citrus flavors in this truly refreshing drink.

Ripe passion fruits look dry and very wrinkled. If you can't find them, look for frozen pulp at Latin markets.

This is the national condiment of both Argentina and Uruguay, and there are hundreds of versions. The sauce is also great with vegetables, especially grilled or fried tomatoes.

This variation on the classic Piña Colada is served at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico; it's finished with a dark rum float for extra flavor.

Enlivened with Southeast Asian flavors, this quick, versatile side dish complements nearly any kind of meal. We've cooked the snap peas until crisp-tender here, but if you'd prefer them to have a meaty quality, cook them a minute longer.