Berry

Almost any berry, or combination of berries, can be substituted in this recipe.

Nestled in a flaky crust, nectarines and raspberries seem to tease the best out of each other — these pies are fragrant and floral, sweet and tart. Even if you've never had the combination of fruits before, it instantly tastes like an American classic.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party. Tart, juicy raspberries are stacked between layers of rich chocolate cake for a delectable and colorful presentation. You can bake this cake the night before the shower and keep refrigerated overnight. Frost and decorate the cake the morning of the shower.

This bubbly dessert gratin is a variation of the one I learned to make at Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island. We baked it to order in the infernally hot pizza oven (700-plus degrees) until the berries popped open in the cream and the top glazed to a golden brown crust. But you don't need a pizza oven yourself. Your home oven set to 450°F is just fine. It just takes a few minutes longer.

Editor's Note: This recipe was originally part of a menu by Bobby Flay for a backyard barbecue. For the complete menu and Flay's tips on throwing a party, click here. Ripe pineapple, with its plentiful natural sugars, is ideal for grilling, and it screams "tropical" like nothing else. This makes a great dessert after spicy Latin, Indian, or Caribbean food. Make sure to let the slices brown; you want lots of those caramelized, almost burnt edges. Mascarpone is a smooth Italian dairy product with a texture somewhere between whipped cream and cream cheese. It's used in tiramisù and available in many supermarkets and gourmet stores, but if you can't find it, good-quality vanilla ice cream will taste just fine.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Vanilla Mousse Meringues and Fresh Berries.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party. Berry bread puddings can be made out of any kind of leftover breads — we like brioche, challah, French, sourdough, and cinnamon. The texture is best if the bread you use is a day old. This recipe is designed for individual servings, but you can make it a in large baking dish too. If you're pressed for time on the day of the shower, you can make this the day before.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party. Little squares of cake make perfect individual portions. We used our favorite combination of berries picked at their peak, but feel free to use any fruit in season. Bake two days in advance and assemble a few hours before the party.

Editor's note: The recipe below by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is excerpted from Off Duty, a collection of chefs' recipes compiled by chef David Nicholls. To read more about the book, click here.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Michele Adams's and Gia Russo's book Wedding Showers: Ideas & Recipes for the Perfect Party.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Jacques Torres's Dessert Circus at Home. The first time I ever saw a moose was in Atlanta. Kris and I were in an antiques store. I saw antlers out of the corner of my eye and wondered if there was a real moose in the store. I am sad to tell you that while he was real, he was not alive. I promised myself I would visit a place where I would be able to see moose in their natural habitat. I think they are such magnificent animals and I adore their comical faces. I'm making this moose until I get to see them for real!

A panachée is a mixture of two or more ingredients with different colors, flavors, or shapes. For this one, I mix fruits and fruit puree with cookies and cream. It takes only a few minutes to prepare and almost any berries will work. I like to serve these desserts in shallow glass bowls or goblets. Although any cookies will do, I prefer to use Scottish shortbread cookies in this dessert.

Healthy bonus: 1 serving of fruit per slice, protein and riboflavin from eggs, calcium from yogurt, fiber, and nearly 1/3 of the RDA for vitamin C from berries

Healthy bonus: 1 serving of fruit per 1/2 cup of sliced fruit, magnesium, and selenium from nuts, vitamin C from strawberries, fiber from nuts and fruits

The trick: Fake a little fat.
What better way to eat your fill of antioxidant-rich blueberries than via cheesecake? Executive chef Terry Conlan of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas, makes over dessert-tray favorites, like this Blueberry Icebox Pie, by mixing lowfat and nonfat products rather than using all fat-free foods. For your favorite recipes, replace full-fat dairy with 50 percent lowfat and 50 percent fat-free.

Whole-wheat pancakes are as tasty as the buttermilk kind. They also offer extra fiber, which will keep you feeling so full that you'll need only a light lunch.

She may be a world-class diver, but Kimiko Hirai Soldati, 30, has the same diet goal as the rest of us: She wants to look good in a swimsuit. She eats 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbs and the rest fat, spread out over five small meals a day. Eating frequently "keeps you satisfied, so you're not starving and overeating," Soldati says. She freezes peeled fruit so she can always whip up a drink.

Personal chef Bernie Guzman — he's cooked for Jada Pinkett-Smith and her husband, Will Smith, for almost five years — doesn't limit his low-fat culinary talents to the grill. His fruit tartlets have a cheesecake-like richness despite few calories. Topped with cancer-fighting antioxidant players such as berries and cherries, this pastry is one you can feel good about polishing off.

Round out your breakfast: Add 1 cup steamed skim milk (heat on stove or in microwave until milk starts to froth) topped with 2 tsp nutmeg and 1 tsp honey.