Jamie Vespa, M.S., RD

Channel the flavors of the Mediterranean in this bountiful appetizer board. A duo of classic hummus and roasted eggplant dip offers dunking options for seeded crackers, carrot sticks and raw fennel slices. Juicy grapes and dried apricots provide a sweet counterpart to salty prosciutto and feta cheese.

Cozy up with a mug of this soothing elderberry tea. Elderberries are packed with antioxidants that can help support your immune system. We use homemade elderberry syrup, but store-bought would work just as well.

If you want to know how to make elderberry syrup, the step-by-step process outlined in this recipe is simple. Fresh ginger and manuka honey boost this tonic's potential healing power, and the manuka honey gives it great body (regular honey will also work). With this recipe, you can create a soothing, tea-like sipper by mixing the elderberry syrup with hot water. But if you like something a little cooler, pour the elderberry syrup over ice and top it off with club soda for an invigorating elixir to support your immune system. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, you can use it in a cocktail (see Associated Recipes).

These hearty mushroom, black bean and quinoa veggie burgers are a healthy and satisfying homemade alternative to store-bought veggie burgers. And they take just 25 minutes of active time to prep, so while they're special enough for entertaining, they're quick enough for weeknight dinners.

This caprese salad with a patriotic twist marries the flavors of cherry tomatoes and creamy fresh mozzarella with fruity blueberries. A sweet and tangy blueberry dressing served on the side helps pull it all together on the plate. Garnish with fresh basil leaves to round out the summery flavors.

Spinach, celery and apples pack a nutritional punch in this green superfood shot. Spinach is rich in vitamin A, folate, calcium and iron, and pairing it with vitamin C-rich lemon juice helps your body absorb the iron from the leafy greens. Apples hold a lot of their cancer-fighting antioxidants in the peel, and while you may glaze over celery juice, the crisp green stalks contain the antioxidant apigenin, which can promote the death of cancerous cells, according to lab research.

Give your mind and body a boost with this tart cherry superfood shot. Tart cherry juice is rich in heart-healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins, which can help fight free radicals and thwart inflammation. And some researchers have found that regularly consuming tart cherry juice may improve one's cognitive abilities. You can find 100% tart cherry juice in the juice aisle at most large grocery stores.

Fresh herbs, tomatoes and colorful mini sweet peppers decorate homemade focaccia in this easy and adorable bread-making project that's perfect for the whole family.

Spinach, celery and apples pack a nutritional punch in this green superfood shot. Spinach is rich in vitamin A, folate, calcium and iron, and pairing it with vitamin C-rich lemon juice helps your body absorb the iron from the leafy greens. Apples hold a lot of their cancer-fighting antioxidants in the peel, and while you may glaze over celery juice, the crisp green stalks contain the antioxidant apigenin, which can promote the death of cancerous cells, according to lab research.

Give your mind and body a boost with this tart cherry superfood shot. Tart cherry juice is rich in heart-healthy polyphenols and anthocyanins, which can help fight free radicals and thwart inflammation. And some researchers have found that regularly consuming tart cherry juice may improve one's cognitive abilities. You can find 100% tart cherry juice in the juice aisle at most large grocery stores.

Fresh herbs, tomatoes and colorful mini sweet peppers decorate homemade focaccia in this easy and adorable bread-making project that's perfect for the whole family.

Perfect for game day, this fiber-rich dip is a surefire crowd-pleaser to serve with crudités or tortilla chips. It requires little prep time and is ready to serve immediately.

This vegan burger recipe is one you'll want to make again and again. Savory chickpea and zucchini patties are topped with a creamy, herb-flecked tahini ranch sauce, juicy tomato slices and peppery arugula for a satisfying and healthy homemade veggie burger. Serve them on buns or stuff them in pitas. We recommend making extra sauce--it's a great dip for veggie sticks and, thinned with a little water, it makes a wonderful salad dressing.

The momentum behind functional foods and wellness elixirs is at an all-time high. Expensive products are touted as having the power to do everything from restoring gut health to boosting immunity and fighting inflammation, but their health claims are often backed by little solid science. So instead of pricy supplements, we're mixing up a more affordable antidote that's both healthy and homemade. A tonic, by definition, is a combination of ingredients that have the potential to enhance or restore health. While this tonic (or any tonic) is not a cure-all remedy, consuming more anti-inflammatory foods—like the ones found in this tonic—over time may only not only ease current symptoms (such as fatigue, joint pain and chronic bloating), but it may also reduce the risk of future diseases and slow aging. The combination of green tea, herbs, honey, apple-cider vinegar and spices also makes for a tasty and refreshing beverage!

This healthy smoothie is not only delicious--it also boosts your daily dose of anti-inflammatory foods. It starts with a base of creamy gut-friendly kefir and includes cherries, which can lower the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein. Heart-healthy fats in avocado, almond butter and chia seeds deliver additional anti-inflammatory compounds to the body, while spinach offers a mix of antioxidants that sweep up harmful free radicals. Fresh ginger adds zing, plus a compound called gingerol, which preliminary studies suggest may improve inflammatory markers of heart disease if consumed daily.

A jazzed-up guacamole takes center stage on this low-fuss snack board. A jumble of miniature bell peppers and tortilla chips serve as the sturdy scoopers, with slices of Colby Jack cheese as their creamy counterpart. Roasted red peppers provide tangy sweetness.

If you've been curious about those store-bought veggie burgers that "bleed," you should try this homemade veggie burger recipe made with kidney beans, walnuts and beets. A little chili powder in the mixture gives them a hint of spiciness, which works nicely with the sweet chili slaw.