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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.

This juice is very interesting and possesses significant health benefits because of the combination of ginger and radish. Give it a try for a change of pace.

Orange and carrot add depth and color to red apple juice plus another gift: a good dose of vitamin C and beta-carotene.

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.

Rich in protein, the oats and nuts in this sweet, crunchy dessert will help keep blood sugar levels stable.

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

This robust, vibrant-color juice is packed with big flavors and energy-boosting nutrients to get you going in the morning.

Even a simple vegetable side can take on a deep, layered flavor profile when you add umami and heat to the mix. That's why I'm a big fan of bagna càuda, a simmered Piedmontese "hot bath" of garlic, anchovies, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Thankfully, you don't have to zip around the streets of Turin on a scooter to get a taste of this mouth-filling, savory sauce. Tossed with lemony, oven-roasted broccoli, spicy bagna càuda brings full-bodied heat to any dinner table. Besides, it's just plain fun to yell BAHN-yah COW-dah!

Raise your hand if you miss cheese!

No offense to traditional risotto lovers, but risotto made with amaranth is so much easier because it doesn't require 20 minutes of near-constant stirring. Just leave your amaranth to bubble slowly on the back of the stove, while you sauté our mushrooms for the buttery topping. Dried porcini mushrooms bump up the woodsy flavor of the topping, while their soaking liquid becomes a deep, mushroomy stock in which to cook the amaranth. This risotto is ideal for Meatless Mondays and will please all your vegan friends to boot, but if you are craving some cheese, 1/4 to 1/3 cup of Parmesan stirred into the risotto at the end will give it that extra boost that only Parmesan can deliver. Or keep it vegan and pass a bowl of grated cheese separately for those who want it.

A version of this salad has been on Estela's menu since its opening; Mattos has tried it with summer squash and apples in place of the kohlrabi. In any case, make sure not to cut your slices too thin—they need to stand up to the nuts and cheese.

With a cocoa-infused batter and chopped chocolate stirred throughout, these indulgent waffles are just the thing to make any morning feel special.

This smoky, fiery concoction is inspired by Bar Amá's "Bus Driver" salsa.

In defense of Velveeta: Its texture is supreme.

Kabocha squash is made for purées.