Avocado

Once separated from the ribs, the pale green leaves of the under-appreciated Napa cabbage are delicate and mild. Tossed with a lemony dressing, creamy avocado, and tiny tomatoes, they make a great cold-weather salad.

Flank steak stars in a satisfying meal that guests can assemble to their liking. We are big fans of tomatillo salsas for their bright, slightly acidic flavor, which is complemented here by creamy avocado.

It's the spicy, garlicky tomatillo salsa that really sells these addictive tostadas. Frying store-bought corn tortillas heightens the vibrancy of their corn flavor and creates a crisp foundation for the refried black beans, shredded romaine, lush avocado, and creamy queso fresco.

One of the perks of fame: getting five-star food without leaving the sofa. Whenever Denise Richards craves a healthy, delicious meal, she calls private chef Dorte Lambert, founder of DL Creations. Don't be put off by the high fat count in this dish; it's mostly the heart-friendly unsaturated kind.

Taste restaurant is something of an anomaly in Tinseltown: low-key, affordable and friendly; the hostess smiles whether you're wearing Chanel or Old Navy. It's no wonder that stars such as Cameron Diaz and Selma Blair like to dine here. This salad, from chef Cathy Halter, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce heart disease risk.

**Editor's note:**This recipe is reprinted from Rose Hammick's and Charlotte Packer's book Great Parties for Kids. For Hammick's and Packer's tips on throwing a kids' summer party, click here. Hummus and guacamole served with breadsticks and veggie sticks make great finger foods for toddlers. Older children love these too, but make sure you offer a selection of breadsticks, chips, and pita bread for those few kids who turn up their noses at the sight of raw vegetables, however sweet and juicy they are.

This delicious tweak on a classic is from Hip Sips by Lucy Brennan (Chronicle Books, Spring 2007) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

We started out with half the amount of corn chips but increased the quantity because we love their addictive crunch in this Southwest-influenced salad.

(Nieve de Aguacate) Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Zarela Martinez's book The Food and Life of Oaxaca. Martinez also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Martinez and Oaxacan cuisine, click here. The idea of making ice cream from avocados is not strange or outlandish to Oaxacans. In many Latin American countries, avocados are eaten as dessert. (Brazilians make them into a sweet mousse.) Nieve de Aguacate is one of the perennial favorites at Oaxaca City ice-cream stands. It is naturally creamier than the usual fruit-based nieves; but some acid is necessary to offset the blandness of the avocado. Fresh lime juice is the perfect complement.

Few summer lunches are as nutritious and filling as this chilled Southwestern meal from the new Pasta Salad cookbook by Barbara Lauterbach (Chronicle Books). The recipe features whole-wheat rotini — that is, healthy carbs — for a fix of fiber, ripe summer vegetables, and heart-helping avocado. These are carbs you won't want to cut.

Actress Bridget Moynahan is fueled both by stardom and foods that keep her in top form. "I love beets," Moynahan says. She can get her fix with this dish from Axe, her healthy eatery of choice. Pick up organic fixings at a farmers' market and enjoy!

Up the nutritional ante of the traditional BLT by trading white bread for whole-wheat to add fiber, subbing leaner bacon to shave calories and fat and topping it with romaine lettuce instead of iceberg for a dose of vitamin A. Don't worry — you won't miss the mayo when you taste this zingy avocado spread.

Saturday snack. From Golden Door in Escondido, California. Adapted from The Golden Door Cooks Light & Easy (Gibbs-Smith), out in May, this dip sheds calories by subbing asparagus for some avocado.

It's healthy, tasty and, yes, a full meal. This fiber-packed (12 whole grams — almost half your daily dose!), meal-sized salad comes from Gabrielle Hamilton, chef and owner of Prune, a tiny New York City restaurant that's wowing diners with natural, wholesome food that tastes delicious. Bonus for you home cooks: This dish is also quick to fix. Just chop, toss, then chow.

The healthiest take-it-anywhere lunch.

Vinegar, soy, Sherry, and maple syrup create a wonderfully balanced glaze for this mackerel; it takes on a beautiful caramel sheen during cooking.

Editor's note: This recipe was included with two others from our roundup of great cookbooks for Dad. There are more than 80 varieties of the avocado fruit, with the Hass variety responsible for 85 percent of production. The Hass avocado was discovered by a California postman named Rudolf Hass. Avocados are rich in unsaturated fats, contain no cholesterol, and are packed with dietary fiber and vitamins such as folic acid, A, B6, C, thiamin, and riboflavin. And for good measure, this salsa adds honey, mango, strawberries, and citrus juices to complete the healthy affair.

The dense, velvety texture of avocados produces a gelato of exceptional smoothness, with no added cream or egg. Though avocado may seem unusual as a sweet, it's commonly used as a dessert ingredient in Latin America. We call for a crushed vitamin C tablet here, which is the trick to retaining the bright green color of the avocados without affecting their flavor.

Crema — a Mexican cultured heavy cream similar to sour cream — is often drizzled over enchiladas and tostadas and added to side dishes and sauces. Here it lends a tangy balance to rich avocado and sweet corn.

The combination of garam masala — a blend of sweet and hot spices — and a light sugar syrup adds so much flavor to this refreshing salad that no oil is necessary. The spice blend subtly enhances the natural sweetness of the pear and the avocado, while lending an aromatic note. If Asian pears are not available in your area, you can substitute another firm-ripe pear variety.