In about 5 minutes you can create an easy and tasty meal or snack. But not all smoothies are created equal. Here are tips on how to create a healthy and satisfying drink.

Picnic season has arrived. Fire up the grill, toss on the hamburgers and steaks and don’t forget about those scrumptious side salads. Instead of gobs of fat and oodles of calories, here are delicious (and healthy) versions of the classics.

This creamy sweet salad always screams summer to me, but with apples at the their ripest, now is a great time to enjoy a Waldorf Salad, which is made lighter with low-fat mayonnaise and yogurt.

Taste the rainbow and get your daily dose of vitamins from this simple chopped salad.

Add a little spice to fruit with this scrumptious salad. Balsamic vinegar adds flavor without racking up calories and keeps this recipe at under 140 per serving. Serve with a sandwich, an omelet or even as dessert.

This deliciously simple dish is the perfect picnic side. Amazingly, there’s no oil or other fat added to it -- meaning it's fat-free. Instead, you get tons of fiber from the beans, corn and other veggies. A touch of pineapple adds a sweetness to combo, too.

Give weeknight salads a makeover with dozens of new dressings from Food Network Magazine.

Enjoy a refreshingly cool (and super healthy) soup this summer. Traditional gazpacho is a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery and cucumbers but don’t be afraid to get creative. Shake things up—blend a batch of watermelon, red pepper or white grape gazpacho instead.

Dig in to these delicious frozen treats that are reminiscent of Italian ices. Granita’s are harder in texture than sorbets and contain less sugar. To make a granita, cook up a simple sugar (combo of sugar and water) and add flavors such as coffee, mint, juice and wine along with fruit. Once the mixture has begun to freeze (it takes about 3 hours), scrape the ice crystals every so often as they start to form. Once frozen, scoop and serve.

Want something more exciting than bottled beer for your game-day bash? If your friends are Bloody Mary fans, this Mexican cocktail might be a winner. Lime and hot sauce liven up the flavor without adding calories.