No-Cook

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Complete this one with cherry tomatoes, potato chips, and lemonade.

Active time: 5 minutes Start to finish: 5 minuts

Yellow or white peaches work equally well.

Buttermilk and blue cheese make this slaw rich and tangy.

Seedless watermelons are on the market these days, but I prefer the old-fashioned ones with big black seeds — easy to see and remove. Then proceed with the recipe.

Peg Isherwood of Libertyville, Illinois, writes: "While in Christiansted, St. Croix, we dined at Kendrick's and had the most interesting gazpacho — it was spicy but not too hot, with lots of chopped vegetables. I met the owner, David Kendrick, the next morning and found him delightful. Would you ask him for the recipe?" This gazpacho has a chunkier texture than most (almost like a salsa). To chop the vegetables in a processor, cut them into quarters and process in batches, using on/off turns.

Fresh kernels of raw corn are so sweet and tender that they don't need to be cooked. Their natural sugars and crisp juiciness pair wonderfully with the salty Parmesan and peppery arugula.

Gulisa's Ajika This lively condiment goes nicely with grilled meats and fish as well as with pork stew.

Gin Thoke This salad is pungent, crunchy, intriguing, and addictive. Although served as a dessert in Myanmar, it is also a great accompaniment to grilled fish, chicken, or steak.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

The best smoothies are made with very ripe fruit. Mango, pineapple and banana team up with light coconut milk in this one.

The leftover syrup from the lychees makes a delicious sweetener for iced tea. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

For a prettier salad, we used two varieties of radicchio — the common Verona, with red leaves and white ribs, and Treviso, which can range from pink to red and has narrower, pointed leaves.

These rich and chocolaty treats are great for holiday gift-giving—if you can bring yourself to part with them.

This salad-in-a-sandwich can also be made with individual sourdough rolls. There can be many variations on this theme, so use your imagination. You might replace the tuna with grilled leftover chicken or tuck in a bit of salami, mortadella or roast beef. The sandwich is best if made at least two hours before serving.