Eating

Good lookin'. Easy cookin'. For a beautiful dish, this has to be one of the easiest, quickest, cheapest things going. Delicious, too. Whole grain corn and a big, sweet red pepper. Required skills: stirring, slicing. Not too much of either.

Less than $1 for 4 satisfying cornbread crostini with this very flavorful dip or spread. Packed with protein, calcium, fiber, Vitamins B and C and iron. Delicious and aromatic. Cheap complete protein. Quick and easy. Invite all your vegan friends.

Pickle them. Hey, it's not lemonade weather. Preserved lemons are sour, sweet and salty. They brighten, lighten, deepen and sharpen all kinds of dishes. I just made and devoured some Roasted Eggplant-Preserved Lemon Bruschetta.

Creamy Polenta with Rich Vegetable Gravy. Delicious and aromatic. Cheap complete protein. No fat. Quick and easy. Invite all your vegan friends for dinner. $1.25 for a satisfying meal packed with protein, calcium, fiber, Vitamins B and C and iron.

Big flavor, light weight. Totally aromatic and delicious. Three flavors so strong and complementary you don't even need salt. $1 per person for a satisfyingly rich meal with a heavy dose of Vitamins A and C.

Bananas, papayas and coconuts on my mind. This isn't an authentic Costa Rican dessert. And it's sure not an authentic Neapolitan pizza. But it's a wonderfully light and flavorful dessert, brunch or breakfast.

In Costa Rica, the national breakfast of champions is gallo pinto. Rice & beans. When you order it, you get more: fried plantains. And probably a corn tortilla. Complete protein. Completely delicious.

Less than 50 cents per serving for the spectacularly delicious banana curry. Intensely flavorful and the butter makes it feel luxurious in your mouth. The lime is bright. The mustard adds a little heat. What a mouthful. And that's before you get to the fish.

Sweet, tart and spicy. Simple to make but complex to taste. Satisfying but light. A day's worth of Vitamins A and C. Skip the shrimp and it's vegan. 10 minutes of preparation, 20 of simmering.

Luscious and delicious. A wonderful combination of savory and sweet. A lighter, brighter version of chicken salad. No mayo. Just lime juice, curry powder and a little oil. All on top of fresh papaya slices. Yum.