We all love barley and mushrooms in soup, so why not use this popular combination in a salad? Toasting the barley in a dry pan before adding water helps to deepen the flavor.

Royal quinoa is a reddish, high-protein variety of quinoa grown in parts of Bolivia. It's particularly nutty tasting, especially if you toast it in the pan before cooking. I serve this salad as a main dish.

Snacking during the day can be a healthy habit, as it can help to keep blood sugar and energy levels steady. However, what you choose for mid-day edibles is important - use the four suggestions below for some healthy snack ideas

If you're looking for a quick, nutritious and flavorful dinner tonight, you've come to the right place. Requiring only a handful of ingredients and taking less than 20 minutes to prepare, this lemon Dijon salmon is the perfect alternative to quick-fix frozen dinners. Although higher in fat than most other fish, salmon provides healthy omega-3 fat, which, according to researchers, may play a role in reducing risk for heart disease, dementia, diabetes, even cancer.

This spicy fish stew served over couscous is easy to make - don't let the long list of ingredients deter you - and great for a dinner party. You can use a sturdy white-fleshed fish like monkfish or grouper, or a flakier fish like snapper or tilapia.

This dish is another wonderful take on cauliflower, which absorbs flavor as it stews in the spicy broth.

Imagine a superfood -- not a drug -- powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You'd surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These life-altering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.

owing is a "healthy food hot list" consisting of the 29 food that will give you the biggest nutritional bang for you caloric buck, as well as decrease your risk for deadly illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Along with each description is a su29ggestion as to how to incorporate these power-foods into your diet

The Food and Nutrition Information Center - a leader in food and human nutrition information dissemination since 1971. Provides credible, accurate, and practical resources for nutrition and health professionals, educators, government personnel and consumers.

129 foods that can serve as the basis of your Healthiest Way of Eating. Links to the articles about these foods can be found below. Of course, there are many other nutritious foods other than those that we have included on our list that we feel are wonderful, health-promoting foods; if there are other whole foods - such as fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, etc - that you like, by all means enjoy them. Just because a food is not on our list doesn't mean that we don't think that it can be included in a diet geared towards the Healthiest Way of Eating as long as it is a whole, natural, nutrient-rich food

Welcome to The Nutrition Source, a Web site maintained by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

This salad dressing has some unusual ingredients for an outstanding flavor. The small amount of steamed zucchini gives the dressing some of its texture, and the combination of garlic, lemon juice and soy gives the dressing its zip. It is great on a salad of Asian or baby greens, or try it over steamed asparagus or broccoli.

If you simply snack on nuts, it's easy to eat too many. A more sensible way to work them into your diet is to make some of the delicious Mediterranean and Mexican nut-based sauces and dips that I'll be offering here this week. They keep well in the refrigerator and can be used to accompany fish, vegetables or poultry. Many serve as a spread or dip with pita or bruschetta - or just eaten on their own.