Radish, a root vegetable typically harvested in spring and early summer, adds a spicy crunch to salads, sandwiches, and as an entree topping or garnish. It also provides vitamin C and stomach-filling fiber, and the prettier varieties -- such as red, purple, or watermelon radishes -- add extra eye appeal.

Radish greens have a mild flavor; this dish gets most of its heat from the radishes themselves, and a bit of black pepper.

Fill this hearty vegetarian sandwich with beans, avocado, escarole, and radishes.

Quick pickling requires almost no effort and is such a simple way to enjoy the sour, briny flavor of the vegetables. They're especially delicious the day after they're made and will keep up to three days in the refrigerator.

Enjoy this fresh spring soup filled with shrimp dumplings, radishes, and bok choy.

This salad, filled with purifying fruits and vegetables, powers both the body and mind.

Inspired by gazpacho, this chilled broth is based on a vegetable puree and is a source of potassium and vitamins A and C.

Making your own yogurt cheese is easier than you may think; all it takes is a little time. It will be ready in three hours, or you can make it before you go to bed and let it drain overnight.

This fresh salad contrasts the subtle flavor of butterhead lettuce with the piquant taste of radish and the sweet flavor of carrots. The season's first sprouts add an earthy dimension to this simple dish.

Use green Tabasco sauce, which is made with jalapenos. It has a kick like red Tabasco but doesn't taste quite as vinegary.

Serve this light ragout over pasta, polenta, or tortellini to make it a main dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and drizzle with oil.

For a midday pick-me-up, indulge in a well-stacked sandwich. Grilled chicken and garlicky white-bean spread supply protein, while escarole adds folate. You can make the white-bean spread ahead of time; store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use, up to three days.

Baked tofu -- made by pressing water out of fresh tofu, marinating it in seasonings, and baking it -- is in most supermarkets and natural-foods stores. We used a Thai-spiced tofu, but other flavors would work as well.

Lime juice and olive oil dress the salad greens, echoing the chicken's marinade and tying the dish's flavors together with minimal calories.

Chili powder brings a hint of smoky flavor to a taco made with grilled red snapper and a mix of vegetables.

The perfect informal supper, posole, a traditional Mexican main-course soup, is a beautiful and wonderfully satisfying one-pot meal. Canned hominy is available in supermarkets, natural-foods stores, and specialty markets.

Consider adding a small handful of edible flowers to this light salad as a beautiful (and tasty) garnish. Serve promptly for freshness.

Use your judgment to determine the amount of each condiment to serve. To make ginger juice, squeeze about 3 tablespoons of finely grated fresh ginger.

This salad can be tossed together before serving, but another delightful option is to spread the ingredients out on wooden cutting boards and let guests compose their own salads right at the table.

Tofu can be magically versatile -- or woefully bland. To make the most of its taste-absorbing talents, put it on the plate first, drizzle it with dressing, then add your other ingredients. Mix right before eating.

This recipe was created with flexibility in mind and is a great way to use up leftover ingredients. Adjust the quantity of the ingredients depending on what you have, the flavors you like, and the number you're serving.

Unlike traditional spinach dips, which are built around sour cream, this version gets its luscious texture from pureed part-skim ricotta cheese and fiber-rich cannellini beans.

The same salty-sweet mixture that flavors the tofu also coats the noodles. Consider making a double batch of the sauce and refrigerating half for use on chicken, fish, or pork another night.

Shredded cabbage, carrots, and sprouts are combined with mint leaves and daikon radish -- a larger, milder, Asian variety that's available year-round -- and sesame vinaigrette dressing.

Pliable rice-paper wrappers envelope six vegetables (and countless nutrients). The sauce supplies a tingling jolt of ginger and vinegar.