Cookthink

Here's a way to make simple canned red beans deeply flavorful. Quinoa is a gluten-free and whole grain substitute for the traditional bed of rice.

Cucumber-Red Onion Salad With Yogurt And Mint

This is a quick, refreshing salad. Cucumber and yogurt are a natural match. Red onions ground the salad with earthy pungency, and fresh mint completes the flavor spectrum. Seed the cucumber if you want to -- we don't mind the seeds unless the cucumber is really big.

Beef Pho

Pho, or phở, is incredibly simple to make. You can use beef broth, but you'll get much flavor if you use a rich consommé. You may be able to find it frozen, but it is only time consuming, not difficult, to make at home. Read more about this recipe at the Cookthink blog.

Potato, Sweet Onion And Celery Salad

This is a simpler, really flavorful variation on a light potato salad. The onion and celery give good crunchy texture, and the mint, lime zest and red pepper flakes add brightness and spice.

Summer Fruit Soup

This refreshing and light dessert is welcome even after a big meal. It can be made with either fresh or frozen berries. This soup is delicious served with crème fraîche or vanilla yogurt -- or as a warm dessert with ginger cookies. Read more about this recipe in Jesse Ziff Cool's Simply Organic cookbook.

Seared Sea Scallops With Mango-Melon Salsa

If you don't care for spice, use a pinch of smoked paprika instead. Make sure you use fresh mint leaves, the dried flakes won't do. You can substitute with fresh basil, parsley or cilantro. Read more about this recipe at Steamy Kitchen.

Chilled Strawberries With Warm Rhubarb Compote

Rhubarb compote recipes often overcompensate for the rhubarb's astringency by calling for too much sugar. We like a tart compote because we usually pair it with something sweet in its own right (or rich and meaty). So stew the rhubarb with the 3/4 cup of sugar and add more at the end if you need it.

Chicken And Summer Squash Salad

This salad keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; allow to warm up almost to room temperature before serving. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Bulgur And Lentil Pilaf With Fava Beans

The combination of bulgur and lentils makes this a satisfying dish on its own; cherry tomatoes, fava beans, mint and fennel inject lighter accents. Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.

Rosemary Honey Lemonade

The addition of rosemary makes classic lemonade a bit more sophisticated. For an extra kick, add a shot of rum or vodka and a splash of soda.

Frank Stitt's Honey Lemonade

The addition of a vanilla bean makes lemonade complex, exotic and a bit more sophisticated. For an extra kick, add a shot of rum or vodka and a splash of soda. For more recipes like this, buy Frank Stitt's Southern Table cookbook.

Steamed Clams And Mussels With Mint Kefir

Use leftover kefir from this recipe on salads or as a flavorful thickener in dishes like these sautéed chicken breasts with radicchio and yogurt sauce. This recipe is part of Andrew Schloss's Sunday Dinners.