Easy

Alain Ducasse— In the squash family, you have plenty of choice between pumpkin, butternut squash, and several other varieties. It all depends what you can find in the market. But if you do spot a Muscade de Provence, pounce on it, as it is particularly tasty.
Paule Neyrat— All hard squashes are rich in antioxidant carotenoids: The more orange the flesh, the more they contain. They are best enjoyed in winter, when they are in season.

In honor of the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary, Skinny Chef Jennifer Iserloh put a slim spin on their popular Samoa. Ours is lower in fat and calories—Scout's honor!

Tomatoes keep the fulfilling umami coming. We added almonds to up the slim-down factor: Dieters who ate the nuts daily lost 56 percent more fat than those who didn't, a study from Loma Linda University finds; the nuts' fiber may prevent fat absorption.

Tuna and 'shrooms contain two different umami compounds that work synergistically to enhance the savory flavor. This dish is the lightest of this noodly bunch, with only 350 calories per bowl.

Would you like a side of fries with that? Say yes at a restaurant and you could be adding 430 calories and 23 grams of fat to your order. Our slimmed-down spuds cut those numbers in half!

Umami-rich cheese and chicken stock make an encore appearance, but this time they share the spotlight with high-fiber chickpeas. Adding 1/2 cup of these lean beans to your daily diet can help you cut your consumption of fatty foods, a study in the journal Appetite notes

Tomatoes are a top plant source of umami, and the riper they are, the better: The fruit's umami components increase during maturation. What's more, whole-wheat pasta has triple the fiber of regular pasta for more fill-you-up power.

Shrimp have glutamic acid, the main taste component of umami. And at only 119 calories per 4-ounce serving, the little fellas are quite the low-cal catch.

Yes, romaine hearts are surprising in a stir-fry, but once you try their mild crunch in this fresh and lively meal, you may swear off takeout.

Ben Clemons, bartender at Bar 308 in Nashville, created this sage- and lime-infused cocktail for our story, Spring Cocktails Perfect for Brunch. Cocchi Aperitivo Americano is an Italian aperitif wine beloved for its citrus, herbal, and bitter flavor profile. It's becoming easier to find, but if you can't locate a bottle, Clemons recommends substituting Lillet Blanc.

Pachadis are lightly cooked South Indian salads, often involving yogurt. This was my grandmother's recipe, and it remains a feature of my core repertoire because it's so simple and unusual at the same time. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

Any salty hard cheese, such as an aged Manchego, Grana Padano, or Mimolette, would be a fine substitute for the Parmesan in these cookies.

Chicken wings also work well here. Use 3 pounds, and skip the rice flour and cornstarch coating.

Roasting vegetables is just one of the things a sheet pan is good for.

Redzepi uses whatever foraged mushrooms he finds to make this rich ragout; feel free to do the same while foraging at your local farmers' market or supermarket. Omit the oysters and lardo (used here in place of Speck), if desired.

Martin Cate, owner of the rum-centric Smuggler's Cove bar in San Francisco, shares his spiced rum recipe below. The secret: Start with good rum, and don't overinfuse the mixture.

This waffle recipe is a ham and cheese sandwich disguised as the greatest brunch dish of all time.

Nadine Levy Redzepi created this incredibly rich, moist cake. "Fat with fat—what could be better?" asks her husband. Serve it for dessert or with coffee or tea for breakfast.