The next time you're hungry, reach for a nut -- or whip up one of these nutty recipes. Bite for bite, nuts are among the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat; and because they're high in protein and healthy fats, they're also an excellent cholesterol-free alternative to meat.

In this side dish, almonds add healthy fats to vitamin-packed beans. "Shocking" cooked green beans in ice water prevents them from overcooking and preserves their bright-green color.

To toast shelled hazelnuts, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in an oven heated to 300 degrees until skins begin to crack, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove, wrap nuts in a clean kitchen towel, and rub vigorously to loosen skins.

The bold flavors of fennel and sardines are complemented by the subtle crunch of pine nuts in this delicious pasta.

This dish benefits the eyes: The spinach, corn, and avocado all deliver lutein or zeaxanthin -- or both. Other antioxidants present include vitamin E (almonds), selenium (chicken), and catechins (grapes).

Pheasant is delicious roasted, so long as the game bird is very young. Ask your butcher for a young female pheasant; it will be much juicier than an older pheasant.

Tomato paste and charred red peppers provide an ancho-spiced dip with layers of flavor in addition to cancer-fighting carotenoids; almonds and walnuts provide the smoky mixture with protein and unsaturated ("good") fat.

The satisfying crunch of walnuts gives a helping of salad greens added dimension; the nuts have a natural affinity for arugula, spinach, endive, and watercress.

Combining cooked and fresh berries (good sources of vitamin C and anthocyanins) with vitamin E-filled wheat germ and pecans maximizes this dish's antioxidant potential.

This creamy and delightful pie is sure to impress any guest.

We up the nutrition of the beloved chocolate chip cookie, keeping its milk-dunking goodness.

Although they're made with a nontraditional brown-rice flour, these gluten-free hazelnut shortbread bars are comfortingly familiar and crumbly.

Cayenne pepper gives these slightly sweet walnuts a piquant kick. If you have a large pan, you can easily double this recipe.

Homemade pesto sauce is a great way to use up leftover pine nuts, basil, and cheese. You can also make pesto with cilantro and almonds, or with parsley and walnuts.

Toasted pistachios and cilantro add flavor to this salad of cooked carrots and raisins.

This homemade mix adds nutritious fruits and nuts without the refined sugars and trans fats of some commercial granolas.