Cauliflower "Rice" Salad with Herbs and Dried Fruit

Photo: Carrie Vitt

The Grain-Free Way to Eat Rice
Just as you can turn zucchini into "pasta," it's a snap to transform nutritious, cruciferous cauliflower into "rice," as this recipe from Carrie Vitt's new book, The Grain-Free Family Table, shows. All you need is a grater; it does a speedy job of shredding the florets into grain-like bits, which you can then sauté or steam (and they cook more quickly than their carb-y counterpart). The mild flavor goes with almost anything you'd serve rice with. This simple recipe pairs it with fresh herbs, lemon juice, dried apricots and walnuts, but you can easily swap in alternatives, such as dried cranberries and pistachios.

Get the recipe: Cauliflower "Rice" Salad with Herbs and Dried Fruit
Sautéed Chicken with Squash and Carrot Ribbons

Photo: Carrie Vitt

The Revamped Chicken and Vegetables Dinner
Here's another example of how cutting a veggie differently can make it taste brand new—and save you cooking time. For this dish, Vitt uses a peeler to make ribbons out of yellow squash and carrots. Then, you soften the strips in a skillet with ghee (butter that has been "clarified" so the water and milk solids are removed; you could also use olive or coconut oil). To cook the chicken in just seven or eight minutes (and ensure every piece is done at the same time), either cut each breast in half horizontally or pound it.

Get the recipe: Sautéed Chicken with Squash and Carrot Ribbons
Green Pea and Mint Soup

Photo: Thinkstock

The Faster, Lighter Pea Soup
Consider this the flip side to traditional pea soup, which usually takes hours to make and includes a hunk of ham. It's ready in just 15 minutes (since there are no dried split peas), and has a bright and bracing flavor thanks to scallions, fresh mint, lemon juice and zest.

Get the recipe: Green Pea and Mint Soup
Seared Salmon with Green Bean Salad and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Photo: Kana Okada

A Beautiful Platter with a Works-Over-Everything Dressing
Balsamic vinaigrette may be great over greens, but its sweet, pleasantly sharp taste also punches up fish and vegetables. In this 20-minute recipe, crisp-tender green beans, cut cherry tomatoes and sliced radishes form a colorful bed for seared salmon. A few spoonfuls of vinaigrette on top bring all the flavors together.

Get the recipe: Seared Salmon with Green Bean Salad and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Quinoa Salad with Orange and Pistachio

Photo: Andrew Purcell

A Big Bowl of Protein, Fiber and Gorgeous Color
This non-boring grain dish stars superseed quinoa, which we love for its crunchy, nutty taste and high protein and fiber content. It's a blank page that you can dress up with a variety of mix-ins; here, wintry citrus and hearty broccoli are the add-ins that turn it into a colorful and satisfying main course.

Get the recipe: Quinoa Salad with Orange and Pistachio