Salad

I developed this light and tasty Italian-style tuna salad for Parma, an Italian fresh-made fast-food company that had quite a successful run in Philadelphia, including Air Parma at the airport. The salad is light because the tuna is dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice instead of the usual mayonnaise. The fresh herbs give it brightness, and the red bell peppers and purple olives make for a colorful and appetizing preparation. The important thing here is to use the tasty tuna packed in olive oil enjoyed throughout the Mediterranean region, rather than the drier, rather mealy white tuna packed in water.

Fennel dressing, bright with lemon juice, coats pleasantly bitter greens with an intriguing hint of licorice.

Once separated from the ribs, the pale green leaves of the under-appreciated Napa cabbage are delicate and mild. Tossed with a lemony dressing, creamy avocado, and tiny tomatoes, they make a great cold-weather salad.

We were surprised at how many different varieties of gorgeous red lettuces and red greens we were able to find to create this visually stunning salad. Tossed with a simple vinaigrette, it is a lovely counterpoint to the richness of the meat and potatoes.

This dramatic first course won't soon be forgotten. Chunks of sweet lobster meat bound by a shimmering jelly of fennel-and-tarragon-scented lobster stock promises the most pristine lobster salad you'll ever taste.

Editor's note: The recipe below is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Chef Jesús González of La Cocina Que Canta Culinary Center at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa. This recipe makes 1/2 cup more dressing than needed for Chef Jesus González's picante jicama and roasted carrot salad. The extra dressing is good on all sorts of salads, and will keep, tightly covered and refrigerated, for 3 days.

Editor's note: The recipe below is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Chef Jesús González of La Cocina Que Canta Culinary Center at Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort and Spa. Jicama is a large root vegetable with light brown skin and a white interior. Also called Mexican potato and yambean root, jicama is native to Mexico and South America and is available in Latin markets and most supermarkets in North America.

Simply pour this rich dressing over wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce or quartered heads of romaine for a salad, or use it as a dip for crudités.

Blood orange juice gives the dressing great flavor and color. If you can't find it, use 1/2 cup pomegranate juice mixed with 1/4 cup regular orange juice.

Soft and crisp, bitter and sweet—this simple salad is a clean, bright counterpoint to the rest of the meal.

Substituting fried ham for bacon is a great use of everyday deli meat. The sweet pears mellow chicory's pleasant bitterness.

Full of fiber-rich garbanzo beans, an Indian staple, this healthy dish from Maneet Chauhan is an ideal side or starter. Add grilled shrimp or chicken to make it a meal. You can use the marinade recipe from our tandoori tilapia with hearts of palm salad .