Zucchini

Chef Jimmy Shaw cooks up tacos that stars can enjoy without guilt. Authentic Mexican dishes like this one are flavorful and naturally lowfat, he says.

With an adjustable-blade slicer, it's easy to transform zucchini into long, delicate pastalike ribbons that make an eye-catching partner for panfried chicken.

Salmon's rich, moist meatiness makes it ideal for forming into cakes. Grated zucchini does double duty, bulking up the panfried patties and joining crisp fennel in a sprightly slaw.

As this recipe proves, barbecue isn't just about the meat. Veggies taste even better when they're grilled. Add some crumbled Maytag blue cheese and a bright dressing for a meal that even a carnivore could love.

Okay, you caught us: There's no sliced bread here, and you'll need a knife and fork. But this bulgur and grilled-vegetable salad has so much gusto that it simply cries out for a daring presentation to match.

Crumb toppings normally appear on fruit desserts, but a savory mixture of grated pecorino and toasted walnuts works in much the same way, adding textural contrast to delicate fettuccine and grilled zucchini. Garlic-chile oil jazzes up the flavor.

A sprinkling of pepitas (pumpkin seeds) adds color and crunch to this delicious side dish.

This healthy main is cooked completely on the grill and is flavored by a simple, four-ingredient marinade—so there's very little cleanup required. Some grilled rustic bread would be nice alongside. And if you happen to have fig balsamic vinegar, use it in place of regular. It makes an excellent complement to the other flavors.

Prep in less than 10 minutes, but expect this high-protein meal to keep you full for hours.

Full of garden vegetables and pasta, this soup relies on a bright basil-and-parsley-based sauce (the pistou) for a last-minute explosion of herbal flavor.

This C-food salad supplies the full RDA of infection-fighting vitamin C, which also helps you absorb iron from the octopus.

The pasta cooking liquid helps turn the cheese, cream, and sautéed vegetables into an incredible sauce.

Side dishes made from fresh legumes, vegetables, and mint can be found all over Italy, but this quickly cooked version cuts down on labor by using frozen peas and artichoke hearts. It adds a bright touch of spring to cod’s meaty white flakes.

Add a little color to the Festival of Lights with zucchini pancakes that shine green. Lighter than potato latkes, they're the Mediterranean cousins who've traveled north to visit family in eastern Europe.

Penne, a tubular, pointed pasta, looks great alongside the zucchini blossoms.

This recipe calls for a thin, freshly made tomato sauce. Using this sauce will produce the best flavor and texture, but in a pinch you could substitute any plain canned sauce.

This pretty salad gets its name from the long slices of zucchini, which resemble tagliatelle pasta. I like to mix in some fresh mint and lemon for a nice zip, cucumber and sweet onion for crunch, and pistachio oil for fabulous depth of flavor.

The trick to these poppers is squeezing as much liquid out of the grated zucchini as possible. This helps create a firm but light batter that can be easily rolled into balls and fried.

Thanksgiving goes Provençal with this elegant dish.