Fruit

If you only have an 8 1/2x4 1/2" pan, there's no need to go out and get a new one. Simply hold back about 1 3/4 cups batter for later—it makes a mean waffle!

Quick-cooking squid is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Look for it at a reputable fish monger or in your grocer's freezer section.

At Rioja, half of the bacon is replaced with ground fatback, a step that makes this excellent burger even better.

Take fried fish, break it up, and douse it with lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, chiles, and cilantro, and you have an incredible jumble of textures and flavors. Because you hack the fish into bits, there's no need to find perfect-for-presentation fillets, so this is a great way to use those that aren't flawless, as long as they're fresh.

Sprouting wild rice is a simple and delicious way to enjoy this amazing food completely raw. The process of sprouting wild rice is called "blooming" because the seeds actually unfold, very much like little petals, revealing the pale, tender insides. It's a really fun thing to watch, however slowly, and it's groovy to eat something you've seen transform over a few days. This salad combines fresh springtime tastes and textures, all sauced up with a delicious dressing featuring bright lemon and spicy mustard. The herbs add the final layer of flavor, making this a salad that truly tastes alive! Because the rice is sprouted, it is very sweet, requiring salt in the salad—make sure to season it well to suit your own taste.

A traditional highball drink that's very low in sugar, it's also incredibly popular at soda fountains sans alcohol. The lime and bitters are a great pairing with the naturally sweet coconut water.

If you like something a little sweet but appreciate that the processed fat-free yogurts in the supermarket do you no good at all, then try this alternative dessert. Light, fruity and all natural—it's a mousse to soothe the senses. Go on - indulge yourself.

A combination of brown rice flour, almond flour, and arrowroot replaces wheat flour in these delicious gluten-free muffins. The flavors of orange, coconut, and almond blend nicely here, with maple syrup adding a subtle back note of sweetness. Serve these for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

I love getting some color into my salads. In this recipe it's by adding some pink grapefruit and radishes. Combining fresh flavors with a good source of protein scores this salad top marks for energy and vitality.

Fresh fava beans have been a mainstay of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean diets for centuries, and lately they have been enjoying popularity in the United States. Bright green and firm-fleshed with a sweet and mildly nutty flavor, they resemble lima beans but are really more like an overgrown split pea. Fava beans are a bit time-consuming, as they require double peeling: first the outer pod, and then the hull that protects this little spring gem. Once you're done, you will have more debris than edible beans, but it's worth it, as this recipe will demonstrate. The gentle butter poaching method for the shrimp yields tender, succulent meat that contrasts beautifully with the spring fava bean.

Here, the building blocks of Scottish cranachan are brought together in a different guise, layered into an alternately crisp, creamy, and fruity cheesecake. It's not as rustically simple as the dessert that inspired it, but it does, I think, stay true to cranachan's ingredient-centric ethos, with honey, raspberries, whiskey, and oats in perfect balance.

Creamy coconut tapioca pudding with glazed pineapple is one of the desserts I obsessed over when I lived in New York City and worked for François Payard. All of the cooks at Payard Patisserie spent our free time talking about the places we dreamed of going and the dishes we couldn't wait to try. One of the cooks told me about how Claudia Fleming, at the time the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern, had created a dreamy tapioca that could not be missed. He was right—on one of my last nights in NYC, I was finally able to try it, and thereafter every time I went to visit NYC, I made a point of going back to order it again. Sadly, it's no longer on the menu, but I've channeled it here in this version. It's light and refreshing and uses the natural sugars of mango, pineapple, and apple juice to complement the richness of the coconut milk.

Before I had children, I swore up and down that I'd never be one of those parents kowtowing to the little picky eaters' preferences at mealtimes. And then I had actual children. I'm no parenting expert, but my personal studies have shown that anytime you can legitimately make a meal out of a cookie and milk, you're golden. As it happens, grown-ups won't turn these down, either. And, bonus! When made with flax "eggs" and gluten-free oats, these wholesome gems are vegan and gluten-free.

This all-purpose dressing brightens whatever it touches, like Snap Pea Salad or Greek salad. It proves that three simple ingredients can become something extra-special when they're combined in just the right proportions.

This homemade yogurt works well as a dairy-free alternative. We prefer making our own coconut milk over using canned—the flavor is much more fresh. To reuse the pressed coconut, dry it out in a low oven until no longer moist, then use in baked goods or sprinkle over yogurt.

This moist, simple cake has a tender golden crumb and a subtle citrus flavor. I love a thin slice—okay, a thick slice—in the middle of the afternoon with coffee, but it's also well matched with summer berries and stone fruits. My husband enjoys it for breakfast. Accompany the cake and fruit with a dollop of the Yogurt Cream, if you like. In winter, pair the cake with a citrus compote or poached quince. This recipe is adapted from one given to me by Bill Corbett, executive pastry chef for the Absinthe Group in San Francisco, who uses yogurt frequently in his desserts. The cake stays moist for a week if stored in a lidded plastic cake container.

This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate shop, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives, and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It's good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious appetizer. The overnight marination is essential to the moistness of the finished product: The chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration; it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare.