Healthy Vegetarian Recipes

We've added a little red, white and blue to the classic gin fizz to create a summer cocktail that's perfect for Fourth of July celebrations or any other summer party. Sour cherries contain anthocyanins, antioxidants shown to reduce muscle soreness after workouts, and melatonin, which can help you sleep better. If you can't find them fresh, use frozen. Skip jarred or canned cherries to avoid added sugar.

This easy scone recipe calls for nectarines, but try swapping in different stone fruits, such as peaches and plums, as they ripen throughout the season. Serve for brunch or afternoon tea.

Apricots signal the start of the stone-fruit season. Here they're tossed with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of nutmeg, which highlights their flavor. You can also make this easy pie recipe with nectarines or peaches.

This pavlova is a great way to show off fruit that's at its peak, plus it's super-adaptable. The easy-to-make meringue, which is crisp outside and marshmallow-like inside, can be topped with any assortment of stone fruits and berries that are ripe and ready. Bonus points for the fact that this impressive summer dessert requires just 25 minutes of active prep time.

Make this quick bread for Sunday brunch, an afternoon snack or as an easy dessert recipe. It's 100% whole-grain, made with mild-tasting white whole-wheat flour and oat flour, which keeps it moist.

When you have a hankering for pie, try making crostatas instead. These open-face hand-pies are just right to highlight the sunshine flavor of fresh ripe peaches, nectarines, plums or pluots. Sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking for extra sparkle and crunch. This is a great summer dessert for any party and can even be made ahead.

For these meal-prep-friendly lettuce wraps, we swap the traditional warm filling for a cold plant-based bean salad filling loaded with fresh herbs and lemon. Topping each lettuce leaf with a little quinoa before adding the filling helps to keep the lettuce from getting soggy.

Make good use of crunchy and colorful seasonal produce in these meal-prep-friendly vegetable bowls. With just 30 minutes of prep, you get four healthy lunches that are ready to grab-and-go. We use bulgur, which cooks faster and is higher in fiber than brown rice, but you could swap in quinoa (or any hearty whole grain). Feel free to add chopped cooked chicken, shrimp or tofu for extra protein.

This whole roasted cauliflower recipe is incredibly easy--and requires just 5 minutes of active time--but delivers a healthy side dish that's impressive enough for entertaining. A mixture of Parmesan cheese and balsamic glaze adds tons of flavor. Serve with roast chicken, turkey or pork or as part of a vegetarian meal.

The roasted pepper and corn salsa that tops this gorgeous tomato salad has a kick from the tart sherry vinegar and moderately spicy and fruity Aleppo pepper. Red-wine vinegar and ground ancho chile are good alternatives. Grill some chicken, fish or other protein along with the corn for an easy summer dinner.

The only difference between sorbet and sherbet is that the latter has a bit of dairy. In the case of this easy summer dessert, sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness plus a touch of creaminess.

If Mexican street corn took a trip to Genoa, it might come back slathered in pesto butter like this grilled corn on the cob recipe. This Italian flair works because the flavors of basil and Parmesan have a natural affinity with corn.

Haricots verts are thinner than regular green beans, but you can use any bean with an edible pod (ask the vendor at your local farmers' market) in their place in this easy side dish recipe. Serve this healthy 3-bean salad with grilled chicken or fish for a satisfying summer meal.

Serve these crispy zucchini fritters with creamy dill-yogurt sauce during the summer when zucchinis are abundant at the farmers' market (or in your backyard garden). The key to the best fritters is moisture management. Zucchini is primarily made up of water, so this recipe starts with a two-step process of salting and squeezing the vegetable to remove as much of that water as possible. Once that simple step is done, this easy healthy recipe comes together in a snap.

Cornmeal gives the crust for this healthy heirloom tomato tart great flavor and a pleasant crumbly texture.

This refreshing cocktail calls for elderberry syrup--if you've tried trendy St-Germain elderflower liqueur, which is made from the same plant, the flavor of elderberry syrup is somewhat similar but not as floral. Stock up on the syrup for this cocktail and for your health--research shows that it can help you recover from a cold faster. (One brand, Sambucol, is widely available in supermarket supplement sections.)

A common condiment in India, this yogurt-based sauce is used to help cool down spicy foods. Raita is versatile--you can mix it up with whatever cooked or raw veggies you have on hand in place of the cucumber.

This green hot sauce originating in Yemen gets its heat from jalapeños. If you like it spicy, leave the seeds and ribs on your peppers. For a milder version, take them out. Serve this quick hot sauce with hot-off-the-grill meats, fish and vegetables to add a bright pop of flavor to dinner all summer long.

Enjoy this fresh tomato sauce hot or cold. Its bold flavor is delicious in a simple pasta salad or topping any protein just off the grill.

In this new spin on sheet-pan nachos, we top homemade pita chips with ratatouille and feta for a healthy snack or meal that kids and adults will enjoy. Baking your own pita chips is easy, plus it helps keep sodium levels in check to balance out the salty feta on top.