No-Cook

Prepare a day ahead, and chill overnight. Look for bulgur (also called cracked wheat) in natural foods stores and supermarkets.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Few sauces are as simple to prepare as this low-calorie, nonfat one.

A sophisticated yet simple dip that is wonderful with toast triangles, crackers or some assorted raw vegetables.

A twist on the traditional sauce for raw oysters. It works well with steamed clams, too.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The traditional apple, walnut and chopped celery salad is updated with a yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise citrus dressing, pine nuts and Cajun seasoning.

Ribbons of soft coconut stand in for noodles in this version of the popular Thai dish.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

A delicious side dish from Clyde Cooper’s Barbecue in Raleigh, North Carolina.

For this clever riff on the "frozen" Margarita, try to use natural lime pops (sold at natural and specialty foods stores) rather than artificially colored and flavored varieties.

Look for Gold or Strawberry papayas. Their sweet flavor complements this tangy crab salad beautifully.