Basil

Roasting the berries intensifies their flavor. Try substituting basil for the tarragon.

This version of the Italian classic is an irresistible mix of crusty-chewy bread cubes and colorful roasted vegetables, all bathed in a lusty balsamic vinaigrette. Be sure to use a good-quality French-style baguette, as a lesser bread won't keep its texture.

This simple one-dish vegetarian meal is hearty without being heavy.

Though this recipe owes a debt to that icon of childhood desserts, Jell-O with whipped cream, the interplay of floral passion fruit and herbal basil is nothing if not elegant.

(Chenjeh kabab) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Najmieh Batmanglij's book A Taste of Persia. Batmanglij also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Batmanglij and Persian cuisine, click here. Traditionally, pieces of sheep tail-fat are threaded between the pieces of the meat to add flavor and keep the meat moist. You can substitute pieces of smoked bacon cut into 2-inch pieces for a similar effect.

The way most people make Italian sausage and peppers is to smother the sausage in lots of sautéed peppers. It's good, but I expand on the theme with plump, juicy tomatoes and a big handful of basil. And turkey sausage adds a healthy twist to this traditional dish. Try it spooned over pasta for a truly Italian experience.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Katie Brown's Weekends. To read more about Katie Brown and to get her tips on throwing a headache-free cocktail party, click here. You won't want to bite into these because they are so beautiful. But you will soooo be missing out because they are sooooo tasty!

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book, Raw.

The olive-oil-glazed potatoes make a perfect accompaniment to this dish.

Heat the pizza stone and prepare the eggplant and other pizza toppings in this recipe while the pizza dough is rising.

To round out the meal: 1 cup lowfat pudding

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.

Surprise! A heavyweight makes a lightweight pizza. This healthy pizza comes from boxing champ George Foreman, the master behind the Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine (don't tell us you haven't seen the infomercials!) and author of the new George Foreman's Big Book of Grilling, Barbecue & Rotisserie (Simon & Schuster). Why grill? "It produces great-tasting healthy food, and it's easy," Foreman says.

We traded fish for fowl for a fresh approach to the classic niçoise salad, and guess what? It's tastier than ever (and still lowfat).
Think salad means a bland bowl of greens? Not with this recipe, adapted from the revised Taste of Summer cookbook by Diane Rossen Worthington (Chronicle Books). The dish is so full of scrumptious finds, you won't miss the lettuce. You can prepare the salad ingredients and dressing in the morning and refrigerate, then combine and serve for dinner.

Pasta's reputation — restored! With the bad press that pasta's been getting in these carb-phobic times, you may have given it up entirely. The truth is, pasta is only a problem when the noodles make the meal. The trick is rounding it out with healthy add-ins. Here, Whole Foods Markets' executive chef Steven Petsevsky has tossed in a day's supply of vegetables; they supply lots of vitamin C and good-for-you phytochemicals — plus fiber. Shrimp adds a kick of protein, and a handful of fresh herbs makes all the flavors sparkle. Self's testers' verdict: yum.

Everything about this dish is light, clean, vibrant, and harmonious, with the wonderful taste of corn perhaps taking center stage. The corn's refined sweetness is marvelously juxtaposed with the elegant sour flavor in the cheese. Mushrooms provide an earthiness, and spinach leaves cut through all the elements to insure a clean, bright taste. A playful salad featuring buttery lettuces, tomato pieces, and Rawmesan adds even greater depth on the palate. Here, both the flavor and textural variety are extraordinary.

This recipe makes enough sauce for 6 to 7 meals (for 4 people) if you figure on 1 pint of sauce per pound of pasta. We used a food processor to save time, and also added a few ingredients to Edith Guerino's original recipe. Be sure to use very ripe tomatoes to get the best flavor. If your tomatoes lack sweetness, the sugar will help balance their acidity.