The colors, textures, and flavors of the season are beautifully represented in this stunning salad. If you don’t relish the thought of peeling and cubing squash, most supermarkets sell it already prepped. You can also find it in the frozen food section, ready to roast.

Asian-inspired bowls are incredibly popular in Oz. This choose-your-own-adventure recipe leverages a fantastic Asian fermented seasoning, liquid shio koji, to umami-charge your chicken (it’s available online and in many grocery stores). I’m pairing it with a spicy peanut dressing, but you can enjoy it with a simple drizzle of olive oil and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Choose from the suggestions below to build your bowl. Note: I’ve included directions for grilling the chicken as well as stovetop cooking.

I love the crunch and zest of pickled onions—using red ones imparts dramatic color along with deep flavor. Double or even triple the recipe if you’re a fan.

“Salad” is almost a misnomer for this bountiful dish. Nutritious and filling, with a mix of sweet, savory, and crunchy ingredients, it makes a wonderful dinner on a cool night.

Dukkah is a classic Egyptian blend made from toasted nuts, seeds, and spices—with as many variations as there are chefs. Its name comes from the Arabic word meaning “to pound”—the dry mix was crushed with a mortar and pestle. Its deep flavor starts with warming up the nuts in the oven and the seeds on the stovetop (to better monitor their temperature—they can burn quite easily). Then the mixture is roasted with olive oil and honey. Dukkah crunch adds layers of flavor to Sweet & Crunchy Autumn Salad, Mutabbal, and almost any dish you can think of.

Though this dip resembles baba ghanoush, mutabbal features roasted eggplant with a slightly smoky flavor. Serve as an appetizer or part of a mezze platter with warm pita bread.

’Nduja is a flavorful, spicy fermented paste made from pork belly and Calabrian chile peppers, the source of its deep red color. The paste melds perfectly into olive oil, creating a vibrant sauce. You can find it at specialty markets and online. Note: For hearty appetites, allow 2 eggs per person.

These tasty bites can be a luscious lunch or a tempting appetizer. Choose the sweetest variety of cherry tomatoes, red or yellow, available.

For his pesto, JuanJo used semi-matured goat cheese rather than Parmigiano-Romano (see more in the Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in Newsletter). It was simple, fast, and stunning. He dolloped it on just-roasted tomatoes, and it’s equally delicious on bruschetta, as a sandwich spread, tossed with hot pasta and a splash of pasta water, served with grilled fish or chicken, and stirred into warm white beans.

In the heat of summer, you want a breakfast that’s not only nourishing but also refreshing. This shake delivers on both counts.

Summer’s bounty of cherry tomatoes is ripe (pun intended) for a rich and spicy clam sauce. While clams may seem daunting, they’re no more complicated to steam than a lobster. Just be sure to buy the freshest—and smallest—ones you can find.