Vegetarian

If you're having trouble falling asleep at night, skip the sleeping pills for this nutrient-rich juice instead. Neka Pasquale, founder of Urban Remedy, developed this recipe using ingredients known for having calming properties on the body. The result is a bright and balanced green juice that would taste good whatever the time of day! Here's how each ingredient adds to the overall effect of Neka's natural sleep aid:

• Celery juice: Neka says celery juice contains essential oils that have a "calming effect on the nervous system," which can help the body unwind. "It also contains a high level of magnesium, which promotes muscle relaxation and a sense of well-being."
• Watercress and romaine: Both of these ingredients are high in calcium, which, like magnesium, can help the body relax after a long day.
• Lemon and orange: The citrus in this recipe contain inositol, which Neka says can help enhance REM sleep. In small studies, inositol has also been shown to calm anxiety, which may be especially helpful if stress keeps you up at night.

But juice alone is not a cure-all to restless nights; taking care of the body is key, Neka says. "Get yourself in bed around 10 p.m., as this is the body's natural resting time. Even if you're not ready to fall asleep, lay down and read a book or listen to music. It's the act of putting the body in a resting position that's most important!”

See Neka's recipe for sweet green sleep juice after the break!

I liked but never loved Greek salads until I tried them in Greece. At the height of Summer, even the red onions are so sweet and tame, I could eat chunks of them like apples. I never met a mealy nor sour tomato, just tomatoes so ripe they didn't even need a sprinkle of salt to draw out their perfect flavor. And the feta. Can we stop a second to describe the crumbly, umami-filled feta, sliced ever-so-thinly and sprinkled with the most fragrant oregano that I can't help but imagine the restaurants plucked it from their backyard bushes?

While it has been four years since my last visit to Greece, the memories linger vehemently. I've tried my best to re-create and somewhat American-ize the recipe, so you can enjoy the salad at home.

A dried mango addiction is no laughing matter to your wallet. A small container can run you almost $10! That's just insane when a fresh mango costs about $2. Aside from costing too much at the health-food store, some dried mango is made with added sugar or preservatives. Save triply on money, calories, and chemicals by making your own homemade chewy treat.

Keep reading for the simple recipe.

The long wait is over — thank goodness! — and berries and stone fruit are returning to supermarket shelves (at absurdly low prices to boot). A textured Winter fruit salad has kept me going the past few months, but now I'm putting that recipe aside for this Spring- and Summer-forward fruit salad featuring all-new produce.

It's impossible to pinpoint what I love most about this combination of flavors. Sure, any old day you can combine a bunch of berries in a bowl, but here, mint, nutty Marcona almonds, and lemon zest and juice transform this into a fruit salad worthy of serving on a special occasion. The addition of sugar enhances the flavors in the fruit as well as releases more juices so the whole salad is marinated in a berry syrup.

Celebrate berry season with this fruit salad.

This simple ribboned carrot salad might not be the first thing to jump off the beautifully photographed pages of Louisa Shafia's much-lauded cookbook The New Persian Kitchen, but skimming past it would make for a small tragedy. Vinegary and bright, with a nutty, roasted note from the toasted sesame seeds and oil, it's not only visually stunning, but also delightfully balanced and far more nuanced than its simplicity would suggest.

Even better, it's quick (and easy) to prepare and can hold up to an overnight stay in the fridge, making it weeknight dinner- and brown-bag lunch-friendly, a rare and impressive feat. So what are you waiting for? Bust out the vegetable peeler, and get down to it.

Many pre-workout snacks involve too much prep time, but this quick fix will help you reserve all your energy for the gym. These peanut butter protein balls taste like chocolate chip cookie dough but offer the ideal blend of protein and carbs you need before a tough strength-training session. Roll these up ahead of time, and pop two an hour before your workout. If you need this simple snack in your life, keep reading for the recipe.

Often the most memorable gifts are those that are homemade. Rather than go to an expensive chocolate shop, attempt these homemade white chocolate truffles. Sure, you may be thinking white chocolate is plain Jane, but these truffles are anything but. Whether you are making them for your love, your friends, or your mother this Sunday, any recipient of these chocolates will be amazed by the craftsmanship and flavor of these white chocolate truffles.

First, you'll need to make a ganache, which is an emulsified mixture of heavy cream and white chocolate. When it cools, it will set into a cloudy, more malleable mixture.

The ganache is rolled into balls before it is dipped in the melted, tempered chocolate.

The white chocolate shell snaps to reveal creamy white chocolate ganache centers.

Make the recipe.

Pungent, salty, and bright, the caesar salad at Zuni Cafe — a much-lauded San Francisco restaurant — is an absolute must-order dish and my desert-island salad. Add the dressing to ribboned asparagus, and it's near unbeatable.

Unlike whole asparagus spears, ribboned asparagus is very delicate in texture, so make certain to dress the salad shortly before serving, as the acid will soften the ribbons. Feel free to add crispy croutons or extra whole anchovies to the salad, though I find it pretty much perfect as is.

Keep reading for the fast and easy recipe.

Loading up on a hefty dose of the white stuff isn't exactly the best way to start your morning. Baked goods like scones and quick breads tend to be high in sugar and fat, so if you're craving a homemade treat from the oven, then bake up a batch of these oatmeal breakfast bites. They're sweetened with banana and a touch of maple syrup, but each chewy bite has only 2.6 grams of sugar and 0.3 grams of saturated fat.

Keep reading for the simple recipe.