Simple Cooking

The Cobb is a protein-packed salad that will stick with your kids through the school day. This version relies on smoked turkey for the signature flavor that typically comes from bacon. Blue cheese is an optional add-in since its flavor is too strong for a lot of little ones. The assembly is more composed than chopped, which makes it as pretty as it is tasty.

The deconstructed caprese is a sandwich on a skewer, featuring crusty bread, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil. While it looks sort of fussy, it’s actually a snap to pull together and it has a colorful presentation that looks quite smashing in a lunch box. Small mozzarella balls, also known as bocconcini, measure about an inch across and are sold in the specialty cheese section of many supermarkets. Pack the skewers with a little side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for lunchtime dipping. For bigger appetites, increase the recipe by 50 percent, which will make three skewers instead of two.

At farmers' markets, look for Golden Bantam or Silver Queen varieties of corn, which are less sugary than some of the supersweet hybrids.

Smoked Salmon, Hard-Boiled Egg, Tomatoes, Greens and Caper-Onion Mayo This is another one of those fabulous "adult sandwiches." It's hearty enough to pack for work, yet it's perfectly appropriate for a luncheon or brunch. The hardest part of this recipe is assembling the ingredients: that's how easy it is, yet it tastes like a gourmet sandwich you'd find on a restaurant menu or at a specialty deli. Thanks to the salmon, the sandwich is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that our body can't make on its own; it's high in protein and delivers a whopping amount of nutrients per calorie. In other words, it's the heavyweight nutrition champ of sandwiches!

Kippers, Vidalia Onions, Lemony Mayo and Greens When I went to Norway two years ago, I was amazed by how healthy everyone looked. The women, in particular, had complexions that were milky white; their hair was shiny, and they had a radiance about them that could only come from the incredible amounts of omega-3-rich, cold-water fish they ate. When I returned home, I tried to maintain a high level of fish consumption, knowing it would also be beneficial for my brain, heart and muscle mass. Scientifically speaking, the protective effects of fish consumption greatly outweigh any of the risks you may read about. This recipe was inspired by my trip to Norway, and it's as delicious as it is nutritious; the sandwich is bursting with heart-healthy fats, vitamins D and A and the minerals calcium and potassium. Kippers are salted, cold-smoked herring; if you can't find them, try sardines or anchovies. While this meal isn't the most kid-friendly, it will keep you nourished and energized so you can tackle whatever life throws your way!

Oil-Packed Tuna, Hard-Boiled Egg, Roasted Fennel, Tomatoes, Tapenade and Greens Lots of cookbooks offer creative ideas for kids' lunches, but what about the rest of us? Lunch can get tiresome for adults, too, so I decided to create a few sandwich recipes for an older crowd—ideas that will get you out of your same-old-sandwich rut, amp up your midday nutrition, and energize you for the demands of the afternoon. If you want a change of pace, this recipe is for you! It's basically egg salad dressed up for an evening out, and it's absolutely delicious! It's loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that keep the brain sharp and help performance, plus protein from the tuna and egg and antioxidants from the fennel; the flavor is over the top! Cook the fennel over the weekend, so you have it on hand to enjoy during the week.

Because this dough is eggless, it has great al dente texture. If you can't find durum wheat flour, all-purpose will work well, too.

Chilled Rice Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes and Black Beans Who says white rice isn't healthy? Just look at the nutrient profile of this dish, and you'll surely change your mind. This chilled rice salad is chockfull of veggies, loaded with flavor, and a nice source of fiber and contributes valuable heart-healthy fats to the diet. Plus, it looks beautiful on the table! In particular, this dish is a favorite among the teenage girls in my household because, I am told, "It makes us feel healthy!" Who can argue with that? When you purchase the sun-dried tomatoes, choose those packed in olive oil, because you'll use the oil in the recipe. The rice salad will last 3 days in the refrigerator and makes a delicious lunch or summery dinner.

"Set sun-dried tomatoes on paper towels to soak up some of their oil so the dish doesn't get greasy," Bemis suggests.

This bright, vegetarian sauce features lemon three ways: juice, zest, and preserved lemon peel.

Curried Potatoes and Spinach in Naan The flavors of Indian food are magical. They dance on your tongue, and the spice blends transform basic meat and vegetable dishes. Those spices also contribute to good health. Curcumin, a compound in curry, may have the power to lower breast cancer risk. Turmeric, another component of curry and nicknamed the "spice of life," may treat inflammatory diseases and protect our brain as we age. This Indian-inspired alternative to the standard sandwich will get you refueled in no time! Rich in protein and complex carbohydrates and packed with nearly a day's worth of vitamin A, this meal is complemented perfectly by a cooling cucumber-yogurt sauce. You could also serve this for supper, paired with a nice carrot-ginger or lentil soup.

They look unassuming, but these little jars of unctuous spiced meat served with crunchy toast and rich shallots are a decadent and satisfying treat.

Chicken, Red Grapes, Walnuts, Dill, Scallions, Radishes and Arugula When my mom comes to visit on a busy weekday, I want to make a quick yet nutritious lunch for the two of us. Chicken salad is a classic I can usually whip up using ingredients I have left over in my refrigerator. But this recipe is what I call a "basic made better." With less fat than traditional chicken salad, more protein and a lot more flavor, this luscious salad can be enjoyed on anything from a baguette to marbled rye or served in a pita or atop a bed of mixed greens with a side of cornbread. You can't go wrong! And it is all the better if you have cooked chicken on hand. Either way, you can make this satisfying lunch in a snap.

We think our wedge salad recipe is the ultimate iteration, but we're not opposed to innovation—like these embellishments and swaps.

We love using preserved lemons in the BA kitchen, and Philip Krajeck's recipe makes the best we've ever tasted. They take 10 minutes to prep and need only two weeks to cure. Sure, you can buy preserved lemons at specialty stores, but when the end result is this good, we say make your own.

Serving a perfectly cooked, crisp-skinned piece of fish in a seasoned lime broth lets you get a spoonful of bright flavor in every bite.

The shape of the crystals varies quite a bit from brand to brand, so measuring kosher salts by weight is the most reliable method. Not ready to invest in a scale? See the box below for volume conversions.

Sherry is an "It" cocktail ingredient, with enough heft to build a drink around but still relatively low in alcohol.

This dish is called misticanza ("mixed greens") on the Ava Gene's menu. You can sauté whatever leafy greens you like or happen to have on hand; it's an ideal way to use up those slightly past their prime.

I call this hapa food. The term hapa is deliciously slippery. It is often used to describe mixed-race Japanese Americans but not always. For me, being hapa provides a way of claiming a whole racial and ethnic identity as opposed to thinking of myself as "just" or "only" half-and-half. I am a whole person, and my experience of race, culture, and nationality is more complicated than adding fractions. This dish did not emerge from a place of separation in which two disparate things were fused together, but rather from the co-constitution, interdependence, and wholeness of my life as a hapa growing peaches in the United States and cooking food from my multiple cultural and racial lineages that go far beyond this country¿s borders. I have learned to make and cook my own path. Biting into this treat is like unleashing a burst of glowing peach wrapped in a crunchy cocoon. This could be served as a side dish with other tempura, on top of a salad, or even with green tea ice cream and chile-infused honey as a dessert. When we step outside of rigid categories, possibilities are infinite, no? --Nikiko