Ways

The air is hot. I'm cool. Because I just had a bowl of this deeply flavorful and totally refreshing chilled soup. It's light, but it's substantial. It packs a little heat, but it's cooling. Make a big batch and be cool for days.

An earthy, bright, herbaceous vegetable filling from something you might have thrown away. In a flaky, buttery luxury-in-your-mouth tart shell from your leftover homemade pie crust. Your home smells like a very good bakery. Your tart costs 25 cents.

Peppers everywhere. Every color, size and shape. Good supply, low prices. If you're firing up the grill this weekend, here's a light and really flavorful salad that goes with just about everything.

Big, refreshing, mouth-filling flavor. Not too tart or sweet. Amazingly light but luxurious and rich. Your first bite seems completely familiar and completely new. Part airy, moist cake. Part silky light pudding. Best summer dessert I've had in a very long time.

A shockingly delicious vegan summer meal-in-a-sandwich. A slightly spicy slab of baked tofu on sesame-peanut sauce-slathered bread with greens and tomato. Hugely flavorful and satisfying. There's so much going on in each bite that your whole mouth lights up.

Big flavor bang for the buck. Twice the steak and half the price of a Taco Bell. Perfect example of Better is Cheaper. Deeply flavorful steak. Rich but light sauce. Light, bright lime-sauteed onions. For one dollar.

I'm happy to eat my tomatoes straight. Maybe a little salt and olive oil. But for a dish that's not "just" a sliced tomato, this is wonderful in your mouth. The perfect balance of sweet and tart from the perfect tomato. With the rich, light feel of a soufflé.