Leafy Greens

A vegan green smoothie with some depth: I love the subtle savory quality the kale adds to the classic PB–banana combo.

If you like Greek yogurt, you'll love labneh.

My mother grew up in Bad Nauheim, Germany, where she helped her parents with their inn and restaurant called Die Krone (The Crown). When I was growing up, she cooked several traditional German dishes, but one of the most memorable for me was her recipe for sweet-and-sour red cabbage. Though I was a pretty picky eater, I adored the cabbage and loved how it colored the mashed potatoes my mother would always serve with it. Mom never wrote the recipe down for me, but I reached out to German relatives and re-created it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed taking the trip down memory lane. Grating the cabbage takes a while, so make sure to have some good tunes on!

Sesame seeds have a powerful antidepressant effect and provide the basis for this healthy, restorative dinner.

Boost your detox with some potent and bright beet juice. I love the pretty color of beets and their sweet and earthy flavor. The ginger adds a kick and some anti-inflammatory benefits. The lemon makes it all come together. And don't worry; I didn't forget about the greens either. A cup of kale should round things off perfectly. To good health!

This supersmoothie is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The spirulina is a great protein-booster, too.

Sweet potato as juice? You bet. This pumpkin-colored tuber is not only a surprising—and easily sourced—ingredient with an appealing flavor, it also helps you get your glow on. The carotenoids in orange-colored vegetables like carrot and sweet potato have such beneficial effect on skin, they have a scientifically validated "attraction factor"—meaning that warm glow you naturally acquire makes others rate you as more attractive.

The mint in this juice ties together the sweet pineapple and tart green apple so well that you won't even notice the spinach.

This is a green juice that doesn't taste green. The mango adds antioxidants and sweet flavor, while the nutrients in the kale and apples help detoxify the liver and fight free radicals.

These flavorsome burgers are ideal for relaxed family meals and offer a good hit of mood-lifting tryptophan.

Two humble ingredients have big impact here: The Parmesan rind adds richness; the dried beans deliver creaminess.

Soaking the onion mellows its sharpness. If you can't find fresh horseradish, add 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish to the crème fraîche mixture.

Whether you pile this spicy, marinated grilled steak and cabbage into warm tortillas or over a bowl of rice, the only thing you’ll wish is that you had made more.

It might seem fussy to separate the vegetables when pickling, but if they're combined, the colors will bleed and they won't be as vibrant.

Mattos says to get both the walnuts and the breadcrumbs very toasty and dark brown; he loves the contrast between the rich, crunchy bits and the bright, juicy endive on top.

Think of the crunchy, granolaish sesame clusters as seedy croutons for this juicy and bracing salad.

This is a great way to use up leftover roasted vegetables and chicken and turn them into a light salad. The roasted veggies are more interesting the second time around in a vinaigrette as opposed to just on their own. Even when I don't have leftover roasted veggies, I have been known to toss some raw ones in the oven just to make this delicious dressing, which I eat on everything: pasta, grilled fish, and, obviously, chicken. The chicken for this salad can be warm or cold, straight from the fridge.

When Jade says, "Make me my breakfast sandwich," we know she means this recipe. This is an all-in-one, colorful, hearty wrap that's perfect for making your own. Customize this according to what's in your fridge, swapping spinach for the kale or jarred red bell peppers for the tomatoes. And if you don't have time to poach the eggs, just scramble them instead.

This is a perfect autumn salad: not so much cooked as wilted greens in a warm, savory-sweet vinaigrette. Here in the South, we are lucky to have so many different greens that grow remarkably well virtually all year round. From the traditional collards, spinach, mustard, and turnip greens to the international varieties that have recently made their way here, including bok choy, tatsoi, and komatsuna, there are a variety of tastes and textures to choose from. No matter where you live, experiment with seasonal greens until you find your favorites. If you're shopping at the farmers' market, most of the vendors will be happy to let you have a few nibbles for taste-testing. The same goes for the squash—you can use butternut, acorn, pumpkin, African, or any similar variety. At Summerland Farm, we are lucky to have American chestnut trees planted by my ancestors, and even luckier that those trees survived the chestnut blight that killed most American chestnuts in the first half of the twentieth century. Fresh chestnuts—often grown in California—are available in many natural foods stores in the cooler months. If you can't find chestnuts, hazelnuts or cashews would make a good substitute.