Green  Beans with Roasted Onions

Simple, but delicious, this vegetable will complement almost any entrée.

My family eats much more grapefruit now that I prepare it in this way.  At first, the task seems daunting, but after one or two tries, you will get the hang of it.  In fact,  it doesn't take me any longer to segment a whole grapefruit or two for my family than it does for me to eat a half grapefruit the traditional way, with a grapefruit spoon.  And you can create some beautiful dishes with grapefruit or oranges cut up in this way.

My family loves to eat grapefruit prepared this way – who wouldn't!  You get all the luscious, juicy flavor of the pulp, with no peel or pith to deal with.  We eat the segments plain, or sometimes with just a sprinkle of sugar.  Click here to see how to segment grapefruit and oranges.

Just before Tu B'Shvat 2007, I was looking for a new recipe appropriate for the holiday that would include one or more of the fruits grown in Israel.  I recalled hearing of avocado being paired with grapefruit and so I tried various homemade dressings to top off these two of my favorite treats.  I made dairy dressings with sour cream, honey, and lime juice; various pareve dressings with combinations of different oils (the olive oil was overwhelming), vinegars, and citrus juices; and others.  Here, surprisingly, is my favorite.  The tastes and textures of the grapefruit and avocado complement each other beautifully – one rich and creamy, the other light and juicy.  Just a spoonful of the Asian-inspired dressing adds to the flavor and transforms the dish into a light first course that can be served before a Chinese-style dinner or any meal.  Serve the fruit on greens if you'd like – it makes a nice presentation.

This is easy and delicious. I sometimes add any of the following: 1/2 cup frozen or canned corn niblets, thinly sliced avocado, small can of crushed pineapple. This is best if served after being refrigerated for at least a day. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped basil if you like.

Food Editor’s Note: Everyone who tasted this gazpacho loved it. I added some diced avocado to my own serving and enjoyed the contrast in textures between the crunchy vegetables and the smooth avocado. Serve the gazpacho in a large glass bowl or cookie jar for a colorful presentation.

This salad is best prepared when garden tomatoes are at their peak. It can also be used as a topping for bruschetta. Try topping a grilled chicken breast with a few leaves of fresh arugula and some heaping spoonfuls of the salad - it makes a quick, light and summery dinner.

Food Editor’s Note: This is delicious - it was gobbled up by our staff (and my husband had three servings!). If you are using this as a topping for bruschetta, you might want to cut up the tomatoes in smaller pieces.

Eggplant replaces pasta in this simple and delicious vegetarian dish.  Great for brunch!  And what a delicious dairy dish for Passover!  If Parmesan cheese is not available, omit it.  Fresh spinach can be used if frozen is not available.  Wash it well, drain and cook covered for 2 to 3 minutes.  Drain and squeeze dry.

Food Editor's Note:  This recipe got rave reviews from our taste-testers!  I loved it and would make it any time, although it is particularly good for Passover as it has no breading or pasta.  It is healthy, low-carb, easier to make than you think, and can be prepared ahead and cooked or reheated when a delicious vegetarian entrée (or even side dish) is needed.  I used a 1 1/2 pound eggplant and got 10 rolls (12 slices).  There was plenty of room in the 9 by 13 casserole, so you could use a smaller dish if you'd like, or even double the recipe.  I used marinara sauce from a jar, but you could definitely use home-made sauce if you're up to it.  (I also used 2% milk and regular cheeses, not low-fat!)  I wasn't sure what "pressed dry non-fat cottage cheese" was, so I just used regular cottage cheese and squeezed out the liquid using cheesecloth.  I later asked Norene if this was a product in Canada, where she lives, and this was her response:  "Pressed cottage cheese is similar to your dry cottage cheese that is smooth like cream cheese. You might call it farmer’s cheese or hoop cheese. Otherwise, drain cottage cheese by squeezing it in cheesecloth or putting it in a strainer. We use a product called “dry cottage cheese” which is like cream cheese but lower in fat and a bit more crumbly. All are interchangeable but the fat content and moisture content differ."

This is a pretty traditional egg salad, with a zing from the mustard and scallions.  My two older sons love this in sandwiches or right out of the bowl.  You can also serve it on lettuce leaves or in a hollowed-out tomato.  It's an easy lunch or supper, and it's amazing, despite the negatives we hear about eggs, how many people are pleased to see egg salad on the menu!