Side

This recipe is a great excuse to buy heirloom tomatoes in different colors and varieties — they'll look beautiful here.

Just when the crowd thinks you're done with the grill, surprise them with this; the romaine's leaves char slightly but stay fresh and crisp. With grilled croutons and garlicky Caesar anchovy dressing, this is a salad that even chest-beating carnivores can get behind.

Grilled and then tossed with a simple mustard vinaigrette, these vegetables turn tender and juicy, providing an ideal foil for the hearty grilled steaks.

Since these potatoes are "hasslebacked," or sliced accordion-style, before baking, the scallions and bacon fat really penetrate; the sour cream and bacon are the icing on the cake. (The dish has been known to elicit marriage proposals from strangers and tears from bacon lovers.)

Wishy-washy greens needn't apply: A gorgeously balanced symphony of peppery and bitter greens, cut with a lemony vinaigrette that makes the feta go creamy, and an occasional pop of sticky, sweet date, this is sure to become your go-to salad all summer long.

The way cinnamon expands the dimensions of brown butter means that you won't overtly taste the spice here, just pasta with deep, rich, nutty undertones. Chopped parsley freshens every bite.

Radishes, when roasted, lose their bite and perfectly complement the mellow sweetness of cooked zucchini.

Who doesn't love toasted cheese? Here it adds tang to a Mediterranean-inspired salad of frisée, broiled bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from The Swiss Secret for Optimal Health: Dr. Rau's Diet for Whole Body Healing, by Thomas Rau, M.D., and Susan Wyler. A play on green beans in peanut sauce, this is a tantalizing salad your whole family will love. If you have no digestive problems, enliven to taste with crushed hot red pepper.

This recipe originally accompanied Monte Cristo Chicken.

Beets are high in folate, a vitamin that may help ward off heart disease; this dish delivers 1/3 of your daily requirement.

This side, originally 575 calories and 26 grams of fat, was a meal in itself. SELF cut 277 calories and 17 grams of fat.

Great with soup or salad — or alongside Linguine with Spicy Leek and Tomato Sauce.