One easy thing you can do to bring balance to the holidays, both health- and flavor-wise, is to focus on fresh. That doesn’t mean putting out boring salads or lame vegetable trays—it means making dishes that are vibrant and festive, crunchy, juicy and exciting. Food writer and recipe developer Ann Taylor Pittman shares her tips for making fresh, healthy holiday dishes that will be first to get gobbled up.

Ann Taylor Pittman, a long-time food writer, food editor, and recipe developer who has won two James Beard Foundation Awards. She was at Cooking Light magazine for 20 years, where she rose to oversee all food content as well as the operation of the Test Kitchen, developing thousands of gold-standard healthy recipes. She is also the author of Everyday Whole Grains. She now writes and creates recipes for Food & Wine, Southern Living, and more.