Food Processor

Authentic, fiery mole sauces from the southern region of Mexico take days to prepare. This is a relatively quick version of the chunky, spicy, and chocolatey, mole negro or “black sauce.” To experience the full flavors of peppers, native spices, and fresh chocolate, book a culinary vacation to Oaxaca, Mexico, the Land of Seven Moles, where you can explore a district known as the Trail of Chocolate. In the meantime, get fresh ingredients from your local farmers’ market. You can substitute jalepeños for the poblano chiles, but the dark dried ancho and mulato chiles are important to bring the sauce to its characteristic deep chocolate brown. This will make a large batch of sauce designed to thin and use for a meal, then freeze and thaw as needed.

You’ll get some scratchy texture from this exfoliating salt scrub, which should be followed by a warm rinse for a lingering, silky texture on the skin. You’ll find the oils for this recipe in health food stores. The treatment works best at the end of a hot bath. For a less expensive version, use either almond or jojoba oil (instead of both).

These easy, no-bake candies are good for you if you eat only two or three, which is dangerously difficult to do. You’ll find a balance between the natural sweetness of dates and honey and the bitterness of rich cocoa.

You may want to prepare a double batch of these burgers so you’ll have enough to serve without the pita bread at another meal. Try them with roasted sweet potato wedges and fresh fruit.

An attractive dish for entertaining, this recipe has a Middle-Eastern flavor. If you are really in a hurry, try the alternate cooking method.

Get up and go with this satisfying breakfast drink. For a frosty presentation, put empty glasses in the freezer for just a few minutes while you are preparing the drink.

Does your morning routine need a wake-up call? This smoothie will energize you—and might even make you look forward to getting out of bed!

Turn a serving of your favorite fruit into a delectable dessert with an extra-easy sauce reminiscent of cheesecake.

Blend sweet strawberries with white grape juice and a bit of wine for a fruity drink or a refreshing ice.

Serve this brilliantly colored salad of mixed salad greens, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and pears with Grilled Sirloin with Honey-Mustard Marinade (page 176).

Soup’s on! This colorful and creamy soup is a delicious way to eat your veggies.

Serve this chilled fruit soup as a light summer appetizer or with your favorite sandwich or salad.

This sparkling drink is ideal as a refreshing spritzer for brunch or on a hot summer day.

With their slightly caramelized flavor, roasted vegetables make a wonderful spread. Serve with pieces of toasted whole-grain pita rounds or baked tortilla chips.

You can enjoy this protein- and fiber-packed, easy-to-prepare dip on baked tortilla chips or in Vegetarian Taco Salad (page 94).

Let’s face it, baking cookies or making candy can take a lot of time—time we sometimes just don’t have. But we do still want to offer treats that are made with love. These truffles are a simple, fast, and fun answer that will keep you from slaving over a stove and will keep your family fit and happy. In fact, they’re the perfect homemade sweet treat to impress everyone whether they’re interested in eating healthfully or not. And, they’re even perfect for getting the kids in the kitchen with you.

I love dips because I think they “force” people to eat more veggies. Now that’s great if the dip isn’t doing more damage than the veggies are adding in health benefits, which is not the case with many dips. But fortunately, this is one that helps people eat more veggies and adds extra nutrients.