Cheese

“Acid and texture are the most important things,” says chef Eli Kulp, High Street on Market, Philadelphia. His hearty vegetarian breakfast sandwich—with its mix of marinated mushrooms, soft eggs, melted cheese, and a buttery toasted roll—proves his point.

Chef John Fleer, Rhubarb, Asheville, NC, and his family enjoy indoor picnics with brandade (made here with a shortcut: smoked trout) and store-bought fixings. “We just sit on the floor and chat and chew,” he says.

What’s better than cheese and crackers for lunch? Salami, too! Use whatever hard cheese and cured meats you prefer.

Keep a batch of tuna salad in the fridge to use in a DIY toaster-oven snack.

Use a frozen whole grain waffle, or freeze leftover homemade waffles between sheets of waxed paper.

Leftovers are the key to packing lunches easily—and this recipe is perfect for that. Plus it freezes well, too; if you freeze in small portioned containers, all you have to do is reheat and go.

Try pouring the soup directly over the sliced sandwich for an irresistible cheesy bread soup.

The best blue cheese for this is salty but creamy, not too sharp or funky.

Use store-bought meringues and skip the first step, if you prefer.

The flesh immediately surround-ing the seeds is the most succulent part of any melon; if you haven’t tried eating the crunchy seeds before, hold on to your hat.

Cooked summer squash can be mushy. Solution: Eat it raw. If you can’t find buckwheat groats, use chopped toasted almonds instead.

A super-juicy watermelon is key; it should feel heavy for its size and sound hollow when tapped.

With stretchy mozzarella inside and a coating of crunchy breadcrumbs, these squash blossoms get the creamy-crispy ratio just right.

Making the eggplant spread ahead of time has a double upside: The flavors of the mixture will deepen as it sits, and you get to cross something off the list.

Use very ripe—even overripe—tomatoes; they’ll give up even more juice.

Delicate squash blossoms are a farmers' market treasure. Look for flowers with perky, intact petals and a generous length of stem still attached.

The sweetness of nectarines makes for some fascinating bites. (This recipe was developed with IBM's Chef Watson.)

Yes—you can grill lettuce. And it’s worth it.

Because it’s equally good at room temperature, this is a great make-ahead recipe for brunch or a lazy lunch.

Any seasonal vegetables can replace the zucchini and onion; at Chase’s, they change it up frequently.

You can also use radishes or golden beets (red beets will turn everything pink!) in place of the turnips.

The only way to make flatbread even better? Grill it.

This recipe is great for serving family-style: Put all of the ingredients out separately and let your guests top the corn however they wish. Watch the step-by-step video here.

Barley has nice heft and chew, but don’t feel limited—use cooked farro, quinoa, or brown rice if you prefer.