I like asparagus, but I enjoy it more when it’s been grilled or oven-roasted, rather than steamed. The flavor is more intense and the texture a bit more chewy. This is an easy vegetable to make for an outdoor barbecue - prepare more than you think you will need, as people can’t resist picking up the spears with their fingers and munching on them before they even make it to the dinner table!

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 to prepare and have on hand in the refrigerator.  Use it on sandwiches or to accompany grilled fish or chicken.  Serve it cold – with warm fish or chicken it is delicious!  Try this in a Tuna Burger – yummy!

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.

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!