Sweet, meaty beets would overpower most light, raw vegetables, but celery, lentils, and blue cheese are up to the challenge. Nuts are also welcome: Just about any kind will work, including walnuts, toasted pecans, and hazelnuts.

You can swap any fall veggie -- brussels sprouts, turnips, or cabbage -- into this warm salad. Just make sure you cut everything to about the same size for even roasting. Don't skip the celery leaves: they may seem delicate, but they pack a lot of flavor.

Try this fresh spin on an old standby.

Bean salad, that summer-picnic mainstay, becomes an elegant entree when tossed with whole-grain pasta.

In this take on the green-bean casserole, cheese ravioli replaces the heavy mushroom soup while sauteed shallots and crunchy toasted almonds stand in for the fried onions.

The subtle sweetness of blueberries is an unexpected addition to a salad of peppery arugula.

Top this easy vegetarian salad with a pesto made from broccoli, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan.

This lunch is a great start to a healthier, flexitarian (more veggies, less meat) style of eating.

Loaded with slow-digesting veggies and a protein-packed egg, this make-ahead salad makes the perfect lunch. The avocado and olive-oil-based dressing deliver enough healthy fats to make you feel full. If you want to add more good carbs, pair the salad with a whole-grain roll or a piece of fruit.

Use just one or any combination of edible weeds for this take on lasagna, or make a quick salad of lamb's quarters, sheep's sorrel, and chickweed.

This vegan dish is an excellent combo of whole grains, plant-based protein, and healthy fats. Garlic, ginger, and soy sauce add flavor, while a topping of bok choy and carrots provide a serving of vegetables.

Salads don't get much more colorful than this one, which features yellow and red baby beets and sugar snap peas lightly tossed in vinaigrette.

Enjoy this crisp, refreshing fennel slaw on its own. The mellow flavor of the raw fennel balances beautifully with the radishes' spicy bite. Nutty Parmesan brings it all together.

Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this unconventional version of pesto will last up to three days. Use it on whole-wheat pasta.

This tangy raw slaw is supremely cleansing. The apple-cider vinaigrette may help lower cholesterol and blood-glucose levels. Earthy hemp seeds deliver protein and healthy fats. Use them throughout the plan in salads, soups, and smoothies.

This fresh mix of zucchini, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil, and chopped walnuts makes an easy, no-cook salad.

Chickpeas and feta take care of the protein requirement, olive oil brings good fats, and whole-wheat couscous and broccoli make up the healthy carbohydrates in this make-ahead salad.

The low-calorie green provides an excellent source of both vitamins A (as beta-carotene) and C, along with a decent amount of fiber. Mix it with Gouda, pear, and walnuts for a tasty salad.

Be sure to cook your orzo al dente; if overcooked, the tiny rice-shaped pasta becomes mushy.

Roasted garlic and tomatoes add a rich flavor to eggplant and pasta in this dish; eggplant is at its best from late summer into early fall.

Ginger and chile add flavor to this meat- and dairy-free dish. Soba noodles, which are made from buckwheat flour, are a healthier alternative to traditional pasta.

Using whole-wheat couscous adds fiber to this side dish. Serving it at room temperature, rather than chilled, allows the flavors to come through.

Substantial, nutty noodles meet their match in a spirited Sicilian-style sauce.

In our version of tabbouleh, tender pearls of Israeli couscous replace bulgur wheat for a chewier texture. Fresh mint and parsley add vibrant flavor.

Parsley spruces up this side salad of protein-rich quinoa and crunchy green beans.

Avocado and walnut oil (or olive oil) make the dressing for this salad, a refreshing mix of crispy apples, kale, and walnuts.

A surprisingly good source of vitamin C, raw parsnips have slightly more of the antioxidant than their cooked counterparts.

It is much healthier, and just as flavorful, to wilt the spinach in a salad with a warm beet dressing instead of hot bacon dressing.

Italian country bread makes this meat-free salad a little heartier than most.

Be sure to use crisp apples with a tart edge, such as Empire or Winesap, for this salad.

Our rice salad, which can be served chilled or at room temperature, includes three types of the grain -- wild, brown, and brown basmati -- as well as tomatoes, cucumber, celery, onion, and peppers.

Golden raisins, parsley leaves, and ruby-red pomegranate seeds add color to this fiber-rich bulgur salad.

Try this nutty salad over greens for a light meal.

Experiment with different varieties of chicory, such as endive, radicchio, and escarole, in this roasted pear and barley salad.

Earthy-flavored, chewy wheat berries are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and disease-fighting compounds called lignans.

Peter Berley, former executive chef of Angelica Kitchen in New York City and author of "The Flexitarian Table," created this healthier version of a traditional family favorite.

Tangerine vinaigrette is tossed with fresh endive. A mixture of almonds, feta, and oregano adds a sweet, salty, aromatic finish to the crisp, tangy salad.

Sweet Meyer lemon and Vidalia onion pair perfectly with the tart taste of radicchio. The chickpeas in this salad pack a protein punch.

The sunflower seeds and spinach in this salad are top-notch sources of magnesium, which enables your body to create dopamine. The avocado's vitamin B6 produces serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter.

Earthy textures make this salad as interesting to look at as it is to eat. French lentils are firmer than many other varieties, so they won't get mushy or break apart as they simmer. Don't be turned off by the gnarled appearance of celery root. Once caramelized, the vegetable's citrusy, licorice-like flavor shines.

Fresh slices of citrus give a jolt of energy to roasted peppers and carrots while also complementing their natural sweetness. Goat cheese adds a satisfying creamy tang, but sherry vinegar is the real secret weapon here, bringing out the floral notes of the fruit.

Vegetarian proteins like chickpeas and quinoa make for a light but filling meal. (Mung beans, kidney beans, barley, and couscous would all work equally well here.)

Broiling is one of the easiest ways to cook broccoli rabe: The stalks turn bright green and tender and the leaves get nice and crispy. Enjoy this rich, zesty combo as a warm salad.

If you can't find the squashes here, try small zucchini and slice them crosswise. Squash blossoms can be replaced with a leafy green such as spinach.

Enjoy this refreshing, detoxifying avocado salad.

With their pleasing nutty flavor, rice noodles are a nutritious, gluten-free alternative to wheat pasta. Top them with this pumped-up pesto.

Add the delicate flavor of peas to this salad made with whole-grain farro.

Harbingers of spring, asparagus and peas pair well with the earthy flavor of shiitake mushrooms. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This crunchy mixture of veggies, grains, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) makes a great lunch.

This spring dish combines both green and white asparagus.

When using raw kohlrabi in a salad, it's important to use a mandoline to slice it wafer-thin; this allows you to make the most of its delicate, crunchy texture. The dressing's creamy roasted garlic is an ideal counterpart to the crisp kohlrabi.

Pile your plate with healthy dark leafy greens. Kale, which boasts a cool 45 flavonoids (plant pigments that promote antioxidant activity in the body), helps lower cholesterol as effectively as some prescription drugs.

A vegetable peeler is the only tool you need to create this dish. Celery root has an earthy, mellow charm (somewhere between celery and parsley), but fennel would work nicely here, too.

Tear a toasted pita into pieces and toss with red kidney beans, feta, and cucumber in this tasty salad.

The secret to crispy croutons is tearing the bread -- the nooks and crannies absorb more olive oil than evenly sliced pieces. (Of course, the real challenge is not devouring the whole batch when they're warm and fresh out of the oven.)

Quinoa (an ancient seed) is an excellent source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, like eggs. Eggs are the best natural source of the nutrient choline and help fight inflammation. Bring them together in this good-for-you lunch.

This hearty meal is full of clean, flavorful ingredients. With no gluten, dairy, soy, meat, or added sugar, it's the perfect detox food.

Top fresh vegetables and herbs with a creamy avocado dressing.

Here's a healthy salad you can make ahead of time and keep for a few days. Prepare the beet slaw and refrigerate leftovers. Add greens, avocado, and seeds just before eating.

Watermelon replaces the traditional tomato in this Middle Eastern salad, giving it bursts of sweetness. Goat cheese, another new add-in, provides creamy contrast.