Mango

Colorful salsas and relishes made with fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs became popular in this decade of diets. The toppings are light and fresh and packed with flavor-just right with grilled low-fat fish.

Ultra-rich mascarpone in the batter produces an extraordinarily creamy cheesecake. The cheesecake must be chilled at least six hours before serving.

Start preparing this two days before you plan to serve it. Toast the coconut in a 350°F oven until light golden in spots, stirring frequently, about ten minutes.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 35 min

Begin making the lime-ginger curd one day before baking the cake. The assembled dessert can be chilled overnight before serving.

"The last time we went to Las Vegas," writes Timothy Arndt of Austin, Texas, "I took my girlfriend out to dinner at Olives in the Bellagio, and we were both impressed with the food and the gorgeous setting. Best of all was dessert — we shared a creamy and exotic coconut rice pudding with tropical fruit." Use any leftover macaroon crumble over ice cream or fresh fruit.

A rich cheesecake filling is baked in a tart crust for an elegant twist on a favorite.

Low in calories and rich in flavor, this sauce is also excellent over vanilla frozen yogurt.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

When you want to put on the "dog" but not the fat, try this colorful salad.

There are many varieties of mango grown on the African continent — comparatively, the selection of fresh mangoes here in the United States is limited. For this recipe, we recommend using canned slices of Alphonso mango, an Indian cultivar renowned for its bright orange flesh and very intense flavor.

Steamed chayote squash and white rice cooked with one-fourth cup cream of coconut added to the water are fitting inside dishes. Buy individual tartlets to top off the menu.

A colorful, delicious dish from Lantana's Restaurant, Grand Cayman, West Indies.