Eating

Cold zucchini strips slicked with sesame-peanut sauce. Thick and rich. Creamy but creamless. A luscious, mellow aspect to it. And a light, bright one. A little sweet. A little spicy. So refreshing, flavorful and satisfying you'll think about going vegetarian.

Hot color. Cool mouthful. Deep flavor. Earthy from the beets. Sweet from red onion. A spoonful of sour cream or yogurt for those of us who do dairy. A sprinkle of fresh herbs. You get the picture. When you click.

The raw, ripe tomato is sweet and almost obscenely juicy. The mozzarella is browned, bubbling, gooey and rich. The basil pesto is aromatic, earthy and sizzling. The center of the crust under all this is crisp. The edges are still soft and chewy. You have to make this.

$3 for a huge serving of satisfying flavors, textures, protein, calcium, fiber, Vitamins A, B and C and iron. Earthy, crisp, sweet, smoky, salty. Very low Glycemic Load. Here's your chance to find out what cocido is.

Savory, sweet and spicy. Not your grandma's fruit salad. Extremely flavorful, satisfying and light. Less than 50 calories - pretty good for weather that discourages exercise. Prepare it in advance and refrigerate. Keep your cool at mealtime.

A chilled bowl of refreshing, smooth, slightly spicy soup you know and love. With two twists that make it a complete meal by adding sweet and salty. And luscious and chewy. A whole new way to think about and enjoy a summer favorite.

Less than 50 cents for a big serving of a deeply and brightly flavored vegetable course that'll stand up to anything from the barbecue. Delivers more than a day's worth of vitamins A, C and K with less than 100 calories and a near-zero Glycemic Load.

A really delicious dress-up party for hot dogs and cole slaw. Turns a weenie roast into an impressive-looking dinner that tastes like one you're going to make again and again. If you're an omnivore, you'll be thrilled by this deliciously rich but not heavy meal.

Nothing much better than a ripe peach, with the possible exception of Peach Ginger Shortcake. Make the ginger shortcake biscuit dough in 5 minutes flat. 10 minutes in a 450-degree oven later, you've got a killer dessert for $1.