Simmer

It may appear very oily at first, but this dish comes together in the end without being the least bit heavy. We realize that not everyone will have 3 colanders on hand. You can also toss the vegetables with salt and let them drain in large bowls.

Healthy bonus: Vitamin C from mangoes; iron from raisins

Healthy bonus: Fiber and protein from lentils; vitamin A from carrots

Bake and freeze the Triple-Chocolate Cookies a day before filling them with ice cream. For convenience, you can make the homemade ice cream up to three days in advance. Purchased strawberry ice cream (softened slightly at room temperature until spreadable) also works in these sandwiches.

Serve this jam with scones and tea, spread over pancakes, alongside grilled pork, or swirled into yogurt.

Adobo is the spicy tomato sauce that comes in the can with chipotle chiles. Look for canned chipotles at supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Latin markets.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Gabrielle Carbone, coproprietor of The Bent Spoon ice cream parlor in Princeton, New Jersey. These peels add a wonderful, bright flavor to our Lemon Ice Cream, but this technique can also be used to make candied lime or grapefruit peel. The recipe can be doubled or tripled to make a bigger batch. Try dipping the peels in bittersweet chocolate for a delicious treat. Because you'll be eating the peel, it's especially important to use an organic lemon (which won't have been sprayed with pesticides) in this recipe. If you must use a regular lemon, scrub it vigorously to clean the outside as thoroughly as possible.

Though you could certainly use regular red cherries in this recipe, we prefer yellow cherries such as Royal Ann or Rainier, available in supermarkets, for their lovely yellow color, as well as their bright flavor and mild sweetness. We use Greek yogurt because it has a much thicker texture than other yogurts and holds its shape nicely.

This creamy chilled soup will make you hope for an abundance of zucchini in your garden this year. Thin-sliced zucchini blossoms, available at produce markets and specialty foods shops, add a beautiful hint of color while lending texture to the soup's smoothness.