Parfait

The most important part of this melon parfait is the melon jelly made from Piel de Sapo—an intensely fragrant melon—but you can use a similar green or orange melon instead.

This elegant dessert relies on the energizing powers of coffee and chocolate—balanced with the richness of cream—to liven up the mood.

A habit-forming graham cracker crumble takes peaches and cream to another dimension.

Layer maraschino liqueur–soaked sweet cherries with a tangy yogurt cream and chewy meringue cookies for a dessert that tastes both heart-warmingly retro and totally modern.

These berries don’t need much cooking time to stew down. However, you can change the fruits to apples, pears or even quinces and cook them in the slow cooker on low for about 5 hours. Let the slow cooker revolution continue! Best way forward for this brekky is to cook the fruit (frozen works well, too) and oats in batches so you have enough to last you throughout the week.

Who needs cranberries when you can have pomegranate juice?

Be sure to use only silken tofu for this dairy-free lemon dessert. You'll find the tofu in shelf-stable packages in your grocery store.

Rich in protein, the oats and nuts in this sweet, crunchy dessert will help keep blood sugar levels stable.

The secret to homemade brittle? Work fast—it hardens quickly.

The rich, tangy crème fraîche and a bit of vinegar cut the sweetness of the berries. You can use vanilla ice cream in place of the crème fraîche.

THERE IS NO BETTER BOUNTY OF NORTHWEST SUMMERS than local berries. Strawberries arrive first, followed in rapid succession by raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cherries. (Cherries are technically a stone fruit, but to locals they are the grand marshal in our parade of summer berries.) Try any of these fruits in this easy parfait. Sliced peaches and nectarines are a welcome addition; whatever fruit is at its peak in the market will be your best choice. The addition of simple syrup enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit and adds a beautiful gloss. You can make the syrup ahead and refrigerate it in a sealed container for a week. This is a simple, elegant dessert—perfect for a relaxed summer evening.

This is an easy, off-the-cuff dessert with plenty of options and jumping-off points. If you want something richer, feel free to use higher-fat yogurt. I pair the rhubarb with strawberries because the two have overlapping seasons and are such stunning partners, but if you’ve got access to other good fruit, this parfait also works beautifully with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries—even winter citrus, such as neat slices of Cara Cara or blood oranges, clementines, or tangerines.

I had never seen a key lime when I was growing up; I thought the juice was something that just came in bottles. Once I discovered the real fruit, though, I wanted to do something with it. So here’s a fresh, brightly flavored version of key lime pie, with a crisp graham cracker sablé standing in for the usual soggy crust. The sauce would also be great over sliced fresh apricots or nectarines. A scale is a must for making this dessert. And you’ll need ten 2 x 2-inch ring molds.

No yolk: Egg whites and meringue cookies are virtually fat-free, making way for heavy cream in this chocolaty dish. And yet each portion comes in at only 234 calories.

The monounsaturated fats in this dessert's hazelnuts are super satiating. Trust us: You'll want seconds—but maybe not until tomorrow.

Savoring dark chocolate daily is linked to lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can lead to excess belly fat. Chocolate and flat abs? Fab.

Berries and orange juice are top sources for vitamin C, which may help you blast up to 30 percent more fat during exercise. Suh-weet!