Quick

A light yet flavorful "stew" of tender leeks that comes together practically à la minute.

While waiting for a main course to finish cooking, you can make this simple salad with the remnants of a bunch of broccoli. Or, you can integrate the shaved broccoli, which is sweet, mild, and tender, into other lettuce-based salads, or julienne the strips for cabbage slaws.

You can dress this salad about half an hour in advance to no ill effect—the hearty greens can handle it.

If you've never bought kohlrabi before, here's a great reason to try it.

This one is cheesy, tangy, and a little spicy. Serve with plenty of crackers.

Strisce means strips—any long pasta will work—and Chiantigiana refers to the Tuscan wine used to flavor the sauce.

A dip that proves collards don't have to be stewed for hours to be delicious.

Umami-loaded ingredients (tofu and miso) make this the most addictive ranch ever.

Country ham is cured, smoked, and aged. We love Benton's, made in Tennessee.

Avocado shells make handy vessels for a bright salad made with the scooped-out flesh. Lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne flavor the dressing. The salad can also be served as a topping for quesadillas or as a fresh filling for tacos.

This is an American-style Italian frittata or Spanish tortilla, an open-faced omelet that's a great last-minute brunch dish. The potato chips are layered throughout yet still retain their firm texture. (You don't even need to add salt to the eggs, because the potato chips provide the seasoning.) You can enjoy this warm or at room temperature, with sour cream on the side. Or if you're a ketchup-on-your-eggs person, use the San Marzano ketchup. (After I came up with this dish, I saw similar versions done by José Andrés and Ferran Adrià. A good idea is a good idea no matter how many people come up with it.)

Toasting the curry powder with other aromatic ingredients before adding the liquid intensifies the flavor of this quick take on chana masala. You can roast the cauliflower and tomatoes a couple days ahead; cool, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Finely chopped toasted walnuts bulk up the yogurt dressing for this gorgeous salad. It's pretty enough to serve to company, either as the main course of a vegetarian meal or as a meatless offering at a summer potluck.

This soup is about as easy as opening a can, and it is especially good for lunch on a hot day or poured out of a thermos at a picnic; it is so refreshing and satisfying. And if you have cucumbers in your garden, here is a way besides salad or pickles to use your bounty. This recipe can easily be doubled.

"To save time, make the potato sauce a day ahead and refrigerate," Bemis says.

Prefer the big taste of beef in your Joes? Substitute lean ground beef. Or bison. Or a blend. Sloppy Joes are a total what-have-you recipe. Somebody in the family off carbs or gluten? These are awesome in lettuce wraps, too. Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients. This recipe comes together effortlessly in minutes. Editor's note: This recipe makes 4 servings, plus more for leftovers. Please see "Next-Day Sloppy Joes" and "Sloppy Joes Chili" below for tips on how to enjoy the leftovers.

Warm and nourishing, this panfried rice is a brown-bag favorite. The dish starts with a couple of scrambled eggs to which rice, edamame, and seasonings are added. If you happen to be making eggs for breakfast, it’s just a few extra steps to make this savory lunch dish. Naturally, brown rice is more nutritious than white. Leftover farro or barley make tasty substitutions.

The deconstructed caprese is a sandwich on a skewer, featuring crusty bread, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil. While it looks sort of fussy, it’s actually a snap to pull together and it has a colorful presentation that looks quite smashing in a lunch box. Small mozzarella balls, also known as bocconcini, measure about an inch across and are sold in the specialty cheese section of many supermarkets. Pack the skewers with a little side of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for lunchtime dipping. For bigger appetites, increase the recipe by 50 percent, which will make three skewers instead of two.

Kippers, Vidalia Onions, Lemony Mayo and Greens When I went to Norway two years ago, I was amazed by how healthy everyone looked. The women, in particular, had complexions that were milky white; their hair was shiny, and they had a radiance about them that could only come from the incredible amounts of omega-3-rich, cold-water fish they ate. When I returned home, I tried to maintain a high level of fish consumption, knowing it would also be beneficial for my brain, heart and muscle mass. Scientifically speaking, the protective effects of fish consumption greatly outweigh any of the risks you may read about. This recipe was inspired by my trip to Norway, and it's as delicious as it is nutritious; the sandwich is bursting with heart-healthy fats, vitamins D and A and the minerals calcium and potassium. Kippers are salted, cold-smoked herring; if you can't find them, try sardines or anchovies. While this meal isn't the most kid-friendly, it will keep you nourished and energized so you can tackle whatever life throws your way!