harpercollins

The first “real” recipe I ever tried was for the famous orange Julius. It was back in home-ec class and the no-fail recipe instantly became my favorite. Now I’m giving traditional orange Julius an upgrade by combining the vitamins C and A, potassium, fiber, and carotenoids found in sweet potatoes with tangy orange. This is a winning combination, light and refreshing with pops of citrus, yet dense and filling because of the sweet potato. Enjoy this as a meal or post-workout drink, or split it with a loved one for a snack! It’s ridiculously good.

Zucchini is a surprisingly chameleon-like vegetable—I find myself using it frozen in morning smoothies, pureed in desserts, and, now, grated in pizza crust! Zucchini pizza is a great way to sneak in extra servings of vegetables, and it is naturally lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber compared with traditional crusts.

Think of plantains as the sister to the banana. They’re not as sweet, as they contain less sugar. They’re also higher in starch than most fruits, making them perfect for gluten-and grain-free breads. My favorite part of this entire dish is upon serving: The moment you break the egg white just enough for the golden yolk to spill over, the starchy flatbread soaks up every last bit, leaving you with a nice balance of moisture. The egg yolk is rich and bold, with the added bonus of sprinkled salt and drizzled honey—there’s nothing like it.

Anybody who knows me knows that I have a soft spot for cupcakes and soy chai lattes, so combining these two creates my own piece of heaven. These cupcakes are moist, tender, and lightly spicy, thanks to the combination of ginger and cardamom. Go ahead and pair with a steaming hot chai latte...you won’t overdo it.

This is not your average breakfast muffin. Imagine a fudgy brownie—chocolatey, rich, ringing every bell—and then picture yourself dancing around your kitchen, exuberant with the knowledge that these babies are truly guilt-free, since (almost) all the sinfully sweet goodness is derived from bananas, applesauce, and cocoa powder. That’s something to get up for in the morning! And I’ll say what I want to say without saying it: Fiber never tasted so good.

Granita is a light dessert, one you could enjoy any day of the week. The hibiscus flowers make it extra special and elevate the simple ice to dinner-party status. The trick to the granita's texture is to stir, or mash, it several times during freezing. This prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Any side dish or salad that includes corn is pretty, but fava beans and striking-looking breakfast radishes—with their elongated shape, rosy red color, and creamy-looking root ends—make this dish more appealing and appetizing than most. Like most chefs, I love favas, but if you can’t find them or think they are too much trouble, replace them with lima beans.