This fresh cucumber salad is a simple way to make use of an abundant summer cucumber harvest. English cucumbers work especially well, though any crisp, thin-skinned cucumber from the garden or farmers market can be used. Plenty of fresh parsley adds a bright, herby flavor and makes this simple salad something you'll want to make all summer long. You may want to double the batch if you have children or family members who love cucumber salad! It is best made just before serving and eaten right away.

This gluten-free, soy-free, and vegan pumpkin pie is a nutrient-packed dessert that is as delicious as it is healthy. Agar powder is a seaweed gel that will cause the filling, when cooked and cooled, to become firm. You will need one medium sugar pie pumpkin for this dessert, though butternut squash works as well.

This wild salmon taco salad is a fresh, nutrient-dense take on a classic taco salad, made with spice-rubbed salmon, crisp lettuce, avocado, pumpkin seeds, and a creamy cilantro-lime dressing. Wild coho or sockeye salmon work best for this recipe; the salad pictured here is made with wild coho. Add fresh cherry or heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, or cooked black beans if your diet allows. Serve with cumin-sautéed yellow zucchini for a balanced, lower-carbohydrate meal.

A decadent dessert that is also nutritious? Yes! This raw fudge recipe serves as a sweet treat and a powerhouse of nutrients, including medium-chain triglycerides from the coconut oil, antioxidants in the raw cacao, vitamin C and amino acids in the goji berries, and essential fatty acids in the chia seeds. Sometimes I will have a little piece of this raw fudge with a green smoothie for breakfast!

These creamy chocolate overnight oats are perfect for busy school mornings when you need a nourishing breakfast ready to grab from the refrigerator. Each serving provides approximately 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, along with about 380 calories, helping to create a substantial breakfast that can keep kids fueled throughout the morning. Make the oats in individual jars the night before, then add the crisp dark chocolate shell for an extra-special touch. They can also be packed into a lunchbox for a nutrient-dense snack or lunch.

These soy-ginger roasted chicken drumsticks are an easy, flavorful main dish for weeknight meals and also make a great party appetizer. The savory soy, fresh ginger, garlic, and lime marinade creates beautifully caramelized chicken with plenty of flavor. My teenage boys love these served with cooked black rice and sliced cucumbers for a simple, nutrient-dense meal. You can also make this recipe with bone-in chicken thighs.

These cottage cheese melon cups make a simple, protein-rich breakfast or lunch that is especially refreshing during melon season. Cantaloupe is about 90% water and relatively low in calories while being especially rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, and potassium. Paired with creamy cottage cheese, fresh basil, and crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds, each serving provides about 35 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, and only 340 calories.

This colorful poached rockfish is a quick and easy summer meal that makes the most of late-summer garden vegetables. The fish gently cooks right in the skillet with the vegetables, making this an especially simple one-pan dinner for warm evenings. Rockfish can be replaced with other fish fillets, such as wild salmon, halibut, cod, or sablefish; remove the skin before cooking for the best results. Shrimp also works beautifully in place of the fish. Serve with crusty gluten-free bread for soaking up the flavorful juices, or enjoy it on its own for a light, vegetable-rich meal.

This soft and squishy gluten-free focaccia has an incredibly tender, airy interior with a golden, rustic crust and savory rosemary flavor. It is the kind of bread that disappears quickly, whether served alongside a meal or simply torn into pieces and dipped into extra virgin olive oil. My children have decided that this is the best gluten-free bread recipe I have developed thus far! Freshly ground raw buckwheat flour gives the focaccia a subtle earthy flavor and is easy to make by grinding raw buckwheat groats into a fine flour in a high-powered blender.

This simple chicken and vegetable skillet is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner when you want something nourishing on the table without much prep. Chicken, sweet bell peppers, and onion are quickly sautéed with smoky spices, then finished with plenty of fresh cilantro. Serve with sliced avocado for an easy, protein-rich meal that can be on the table in about 20 minutes. This recipe is also great for lunch meal prep. Make a batch for dinner, then divide the leftovers into small glass containers to reheat for lunches throughout the week.

Tart and tangy rhubarb is the quintessential “fruit” of spring. Of course, rhubarb is a vegetable, not a fruit, but its culinary use is much like a fruit. In most climates it comes up before any other fruits are available, making it the perfect component of a spring dessert. This recipe pairs tangy rhubarb with spicy ginger and sweet honey for a taste sensation!

Serve this easy-to-make pudding at the peak of cherry season when fresh cherries are in abundance. You can also use frozen cherries if fresh are not available. Serve the pudding to older babies or toddlers without the almond cream for a healthy treat.

Children will love this rich yet nutritious dessert made from tapioca pearls! Tapioca is a starch extracted from the root of the cassava plant—a shrubby tropical plant known for its large, tuberous roots. While raw cassava contains naturally occurring compounds that require proper preparation, tapioca pearls are carefully processed to remove these compounds, making them a safe and wholesome ingredient to enjoy in desserts like this one. Top each serving with fresh blueberries or strawberries for a burst of color and antioxidant-rich sweetness.

This recipe is a version of my Lemon Blueberry Pudding. It is delicious served in the fall and wintertime, when pumpkins and other winter squash are in abundance. Any type of cooked winter squash will work in this recipe—try butternut, kabocha, acorn, or buttercup squash! Try topping the cooled pudding with some plain coconut milk yogurt, Greek yogurt, or Whipped Coconut Cream, and some fresh pomegranate arils! 

Indulge in this silky-smooth raw chocolate avocado pudding, a rich and nourishing treat that satisfies your chocolate cravings while delivering powerful health benefits. Creamy avocado provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, potassium, fiber, and skin-loving antioxidants, while raw cacao powder is a true superfood, packed with magnesium, iron, and mood-boosting compounds like theobromine. Naturally sweetened and loaded with nutrients, this decadent yet wholesome dessert is a perfect way to enjoy chocolate guilt-free!

Using agar flakes or gelatin and organic fruit juice creates a nutritious dessert without all of the sugar, artificial flavors, and dyes found in packaged Jell-O mixes. This recipe makes for a light, nutritious dessert or snack that children will love. Try pouring it into parfait glasses with sliced cherries at the bottom. Sprinkle the top with shredded organic coconut for a deliciously simple dessert.

These rich, no-bake chocolate walnut truffles are as nourishing as they are indulgent. Walnuts are one of the best plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenols that calm inflammation and support brain health. Naturally sweet medjool dates provide minerals like potassium and magnesium while adding fiber to steady blood sugar. Raw cacao powder brings mood-boosting compounds—such as theobromine, tryptophan, and flavanols—that enhance circulation and protect cells from oxidative stress.

Amaranth is an ancient Aztec grain that is rich in protein and calcium. Amaranth releases a lot of starch while it is cooking, creating a soupier cooked grain than a fluffy one. It is best not add salt to amaranth while it is cooking or it will not absorb enough water to become tender.

Rice with just the hull removed is brown rice. Rice with the hull, bran, and germ removed is white rice. There are a few different long grain brown rice varieties to choose from: Long grain, jasmine, and basmati.

Serve this rice with a hearty bean soup or use it to make sushi rolls. You may want to make a half batch of this recipe if serving for only a small number of people. The amount of water can vary in this recipe depending on whether or not you have soaked the grains overnight—use 4 ½ cups of water if the rice has been soaked or 6 cups of water for unsoaked rice.

Wild rice is a grass that grows in small lakes and slow-flowing streams and is native to North America. Native Americans harvested wild rice by canoeing into a stand of plants and bending the ripe grain heads with wooden sticks, called knockers, to get the rice into the canoe. Wild rice is closely related to true rice as both share the same tribe, Oryzeae. Wild rice is higher in protein than regular brown rice and contains a high amount of zinc. Cooked wild rice can be added to soups, made into grain pilafs, or stuffed into cooked winter squash.

Buckwheat can either be found raw or roasted at your local co-op or health food store. The roasted version of buckwheat is called Kasha. Both have a strong and hearty flavor that lends well for cold weather eating.

Millet is one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world, prized for its mild, slightly sweet flavor and naturally gluten-free composition. Its light, fluffy texture makes it a wonderful alternative to rice or quinoa in grain bowls, salads, pilafs, and simple side dishes. Millet also provides fiber, magnesium, and naturally occurring polyphenols that help support a healthy gut microbial ecosystem. As these fibers are fermented by beneficial gut bacteria, they produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids that support digestive health, immune regulation, and overall metabolic resilience.

Oats, or Avena Sativa, originated in Asia and have been cultivated throughout the world for over two thousand years. Oat groats are simply the hulled version of oats. Oats contain a specific fiber known as beta-glucan, which can significantly lower cholesterol levels and help to prevent heart disease. Oats contain antioxidant compounds called avenanthramides, which help to prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, thus reducing the risk of heart disease. If you are gluten sensitive, be sure to purchase organic Certified Gluten-Free Oats.

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-WAH, comes from the Andes Mountains in South America where it was once a staple food for the Incas. Quinoa contains all eight essential amino acids and has a delicious, light nutty flavor. Quinoa makes wonderful grain salads or is great served with a vegetable and bean stew.

Teff is a very tiny grain that is available in three colors―white, red, or brown⎯each with its own distinct flavor. Teff originated in Africa where it was once a foraged wild grass before it was cultivated as a staple grain for the Ethiopians. It is now grown in the Snake River Valley of Idaho.

Serve this colorful, nutrient-dense noodle dish as part of a balanced dinner, or pack it in your child's lunchbox! It also make a perfect potluck dish. Buckwheat does not contain any gluten even though the name implies so. Though if you are gluten-sensitive, be sure to use 100% buckwheat soba noodles that are also certified gluten-free. Brown rice noodles can easily replace the buckwheat noodles in this recipe if needed. 

Serve this easy-to-make dish with some grilled chicken or fish, and steamed broccoli for a complete meal. Brown rice noodles come in a variety of shapes and sizes, any of which can be used in this recipe. You can easily substitute the cashew butter in the sauce for organic unsalted peanut butter or almond butter if you would like.

This tasty rice dish is delicious served with a Vegetable Curry and Red Lentil Dal. If you cannot find brown jasmine rice in your area, then use brown basmati rice instead.

Serve this dish as part of a light summer meal or for a simple lunch. If you cannot find French lentils you may substitute green or brown lentils instead. This salad will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Serve this Mediterranean-style dish with the Herb Roasted Halibut and this Raw Cauliflower, Lemon, and Leek Salad for a complete meal.

Serve this flavorful brown rice dish with cooked Black Beans and Guacamole for a nutritious vegetarian meal!

This dish is a fun way to dress up plain brown rice. Use brown basmati rice if you cannot find brown jasmine rice. Using leftover cooked rice will significantly cut down on cooking time! Serve with any type of Thai coconut curry, grilled chicken, or sautéed tofu. 

This zesty grain salad is simple to prepare and full of detox-supportive nutrients. Raw kale contains glucosinolates, sulfur-rich compounds that help activate liver detoxification enzymes and support cellular renewal. Wild rice adds a hearty texture along with fiber, minerals, and antioxidants that promote steady energy and healthy digestion. The combination of raw kale and red pepper with cooked wild rice creates a vibrant balance of flavor and texture. I love using green curly kale with the ribs removed for this recipe.

This recipe is great for Holiday gatherings or as a warm autumn meal. Try adding some sliced organic sausages to the rice mixture for a little extra flavor and protein if desired. Cooked lentils also make a great addition to the stuffing!

This yummy Thai style quinoa dish is delicious served on its own, or serve it with the Raw Thai Kale Slaw and baked wild salmon for a balanced meal.

A composed salad is one in which ingredients are arranged on a platter instead of being tossed together. Composed salads are a beautiful way to present nourishing ingredients! I like to use the bright green, round castelvetrano olives in the recipe, though any high quality olive will do. Often times we will steam a large amount of fresh greens, such as chard or kale, and add it to this meal. Other lovely additions are Balsamic Roasted Beets, or Massaged Kale.

This quinoa salad is bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavors. It is great to take to a potluck or dinner party! This grain dish is best served shortly after it has been made, otherwise the pumpkin seeds will begin to lose their “crunch” after a while. You may use any type of white beans, though I prefer to use cannellini beans beans in this dish.

This zesty salad bursts with flavor from fresh lime juice, ground cumin, and fresh cilantro—making it the perfect energizing meal for warm days or anytime you need a lift without the weight of a heavier dish. Rich in fiber and plant-based protein, it’s deeply satisfying yet light on the body.

This quinoa salad makes a great addition to any summer picnic. Any fresh summer vegetables that you have on hand work well here. Try adding diced summer squash, fresh shelled peas, or thinly sliced kale leaves. You can use either leftover cooked sweet corn or raw corn cut right off the cob. They both work great, but I prefer the taste and texture of the raw corn.