Keep this on hand for a quick meal, or prepare in batches to give as gifts.

Mix pasta, spinach, beets, onion and walnuts in a salad bowl. Combine maple syrup, vinegar and olive oil in a small jar and shake well. Pour over salad. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until you're ready to eat.

Process the beans and spices in a blender, then refrigerate until ready to serve with baked corn chips or toasted whole-wheat pita triangles.

Bananas that are getting past ripe work perfectly in smoothies. Peel them, wrap them in plastic, and freeze them.

Farmers across the country raise this sweet, slightly nutty-tasting fish.

A flavorful soup that's a snap to prepare.

You don't have to tell anyone these are homemade, healthy granola bars. Just let your guests enjoy the chewiness of the oats and dense chocolate flavor from the highest-quality dark chocolate you can find.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and pot herbs.

Toss wheat cereal and cashews with raisins, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots.

Put all ingredients in blender and blend for about 20 seconds. If mixture is too thick, add a little more vegetable broth. Serve hot or cold.

Add chopped peaches after you have poured the pancakes on the griddle.

Rosti has been called the national dish of German-speaking Switzerland. Rosti is similar to hash browns and is usually topped with cheese.

Roast new potatoes with fresh rosemary and a little olive oil.

Baste the steaks with dipping sauce, then grill for about 10 minutes.

What a combo: chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, celery, and grape tomatoes.

Cook this soup for about an hour, or until the grains are tender.

Pop these in the oven for seven to 10 minutes and serve with fresh fruit on skewers.

This casserole uses chunks of fresh salmon with lots of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It also has real cheese for flavor.

After combining ingredients, cover and chill for two hours before serving.

A moist quick bread perfect for the holidays.

To prepare as a gift, strain the vinegar into pretty bottles. Add a fresh sprig of rosemary to each.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness of asparagus), shaking once to turn spears. Pour on balsamic vinegar and serve hot or at room temperature.

Roast carrots, turnips, squash, and garlic for about an hour, stirring once or twice.

Serve with cooked, chopped spinach to which you’ve added low-fat sour cream, cooked instant brown rice, and a bit of butter.

Serve salmon hot or cold with dill sauce made by combining low-fat sour cream, cucumber, and fresh dill.

Rub the fillets with spices, then broil for about eight minutes, turning once.

Serve this dish hot, at room temperature, or chilled as a side dish—to grilled salmon, for instance.

Reduce the sodium by rinsing the beans and using low-salt canned tomatoes.

Serve with hot rice and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Costa Ricans, who call themselves "Ticos," regularly eat rice with beans. This meal is generally lightly seasoned, which allows each diner to add condiments to individual taste.

You can make this dish in a wok or a large frying pan. If you're not feeling vegetarian, you can add shrimp.

Sour cream or butter taste delicious on baked potatoes, but they come with a price: Both contain saturated fat and cholesterol. Here's a healthy, and tasty, alternative topping for your next baked potato.

These ingredients are in the right proportions for one batch of dip mix. For a gift jar, keep adding a round of all five ingredients until you have enough to fill the jar.

Textured vegetable protein makes this dish a hearty vegetarian meal.

You can make a healthier party mix by using whole-grain cereals, olive oil instead of butter or margarine, and soy nuts or wasabi peas rather than the usual mixed nuts.

This is a picture-pretty first course for a summer meal. Make in advance and serve chilled.

Flavored with fresh rosemary, this salad is perfect for a summer outing.

Naval oranges, ripe strawberries, and sliced bananas are served with a yogurt-ginger sauce.

Cubed potatoes are sautéed with onions and lima beans and seasoned with parsley and paprika.

Each serving contains about 333 calories, 20 g protein, 2 g fat (5 percent calories from fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 63 g carbohydrates, 15 g fiber, and 204 mg sodium.

Each serving contains about 137 calories, 10 g protein, 3 g fat (20 percent calories from fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, and 400 mg sodium.

These muffins are perfect for breakfast or a snack. They get their crunch from chopped walnuts.

Each serving contains about 202 calories, 10 g protein, 4 g fat (18 percent calories from fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, and 551 mg sodium.