Busy-day breakfasts, lunches on the run, and dinners when you need to dash - easy meals that need no cooking. THIS is what we all need once in awhile. Take a look at these ideas (many from an article by Melissa Clark in a 2008 issue of Fitness Magazine) and see if they don't make the "I don't have time to cook, so what are we going to eat?" question a little easier to answer.

Breakfasts first. How about:

•  Fresh Figs with Ricotta, Honey, and slivered almonds. In a bowl, fold a spoonful or two of honey into ricotta cheese. Slice fresh figs in half lengthwise and serve alongside a dollop of the cheese mixture. Top with almonds.

•  Fresh kale and peach or nectarine smoothie. Place one or two leaves of fresh kale, peeled and sliced peaches or nectarines in a blender. Add plain yogurt, orange juice, and a handful of ice. For a slightly sweeter smoothie, blend in a tablespoon or two of honey. (Other than a green tinge, you won't even know the kale is in there.)

•  Greek yogurt and berry parfait with shredded fresh ginger. Toss together a mix of fresh, ripe berries (whatever is in season and available now). Spoon plain or vanilla Greek yogurt into the bottom of a parfait glass. Top with a 1/4 teaspoonful of shredded fresh ginger, followed by a handful of berries. Repeat, finishing with berries and garnishing with ginger.

•  Raspberry, banana, and coconut milk smoothie. Place several cups of fresh or frozen raspberries in a blender (if using fresh, also toss in a handful of ice cubes). Add a small banana and just enough coconut milk to reach the desired consistency.

•   Oatmeal and apple muesli. The night before, place 1/4 cup old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup shredded apple (with skin), raisins if desired, and 1 tablespoon raw honey in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (bottled will work) and 1/2 cup orange juice. Mix well. Cover and place in refrigerator. Overnight the oats absorb the sweet yet tangy flavored liquids and voila, the next morning you'll have a delicious fairy-free oatmeal breakfast!

Now lunches. And by the way, these are so good and hearty that we've even used them for dinner. Give these a try:

•   Stuffed Tomatoes. We like a mixture of drained tuna mixed with a little mayonnaise, a little fennel seed, and some chopped nuts. But any combination of tuna fixings will work well. Just hollow out a tomato and fill it with your choice of tuna salad. Garnish with additional fennel seed.

•   White Bean Salad with Shrimp Over Arugula. Combine rinsed canned white beans with a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and black pepper. Mix in halved cooked shrimp. Serve over baby arugula that's been tossed with olive oil and lemon juice.

•   Hummus with Roasted Peppers and Red Onion in a Whole Wheat Pita. This popular idea shows up a lot in various magazines and on many websites - it's that good! In a blender, combine rinsed canned chickpeas with a clove or two of minced garlic, tahini, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, a pinch of cumin, a pinch of cayenne, and salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. (Or skip this step and use your favorite brand of hummus.) Put the hummus in a whole wheat pita layered with roasted red peppers, sliced cucumbers, and thinly sliced red onions.

•   Egg Salad. Well yes, technically, this idea does call for a little cooking - the eggs need boiling. But I do this once a week so I have hard-cooked eggs to work with throughout the week. Any recipe you like will work. The idea is to have the cooked eggs available to make an egg salad sandwich, or to stuff a tomato with, or to place atop a bed of green and chopped tomato. Yummy.

•   Chicken, Pesto, Walnut, and Spinach Wrap. Take straight from Fitness Magazine, this is one of our all-time favorite no-cook ideas. Place chunks of rotisserie chicken in a bowl. Toss with prepared pesto, chopped walnuts, and chopped celery. Fill wraps with chicken salad, then top with a handful of fresh baby spinach leaves. Roll up, burrito-style.

•   Zucchini Carpaccio with Olive Oil, Chopped Olives, and Shaved Parmesan Cheese. Here's another one taken unadulterated from Fitness. It's a bit unusual but very tasty and quick. Trim a zucchini or two, then use a vegetable peeler to slice lengthwise into strips. Arrange zucchini ribbons on a plate and scatter chopped pitted olives over them. Drizzle with oil and fresh lemon juice; sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Top with curls of shaved Parmesan.

•   Corn Bread "Tostado." Plan ahead so you'll have leftover cornbread on hand. Cube and toast a pan of corn bread. Mix some ripe tomatoes cut into chunks with grated jalapeno jack cheese, and chopped cilantro. Layer this mixture over the cornbread cubes. Top with rinsed canned black beans. Place cubed avocado over the beans. Whisk together fresh lime juice, salt, pepper, and a pinch of cumin. Pour juice mixture over cubed avocado. Drizzle all with a smidge of olive oil. It's good!

•   Spinach Salad with Prosciutto, Pecans, and Dried Cherries. And one more from Fitness Slice prosciutto into 1/4-inch strips. In a bowl, whisk together two parts orange juice to one part olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper; drizzle with balsamic vinegar. In a large bowl, toss together baby spinach leaves, chopped pecans, prosciutto, and dried cherries. Add just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. . (We substituted leftover ham and turkey for the prosciutto and the results were great.)

Finally, dinners (which, by the way, would also make great lunches). Oh, the freedom and joy these no-cook ideas can mean when you've had an extra hectic day. Consider these:

•   Crab Salad with Papaya, Chives, and Baby Greens. Fitness doesn't say who created this, but it's a winner for sure. Peel, seed, and cube half of a fresh papaya. Combine with a can of lump crab and a half bunch of finely chopped chives. Fold in fresh-squeezed lime juice, a spoonful of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of baby greens.

•   Marinated Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad with Tofu. Chop a head of broccoli and cauliflower into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl. Stir in olive oil, minced garlic, a drizzle of soy sauce and rice wine vinegar, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Pat extra-firm tofu dry with a paper towel, cut into cubes, and add to the bowl. Let marinate for at least 1 hour.

•   Avocado Stuffed with Chicken and Sage Salad. Mix bite-size chunks of rotisserie chicken with chopped sage leaves, fresh lemon zest, and light mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper and place the salad into ripe avocado halves. Dust with a little garlic powder if desired.

•   Cold Yogurt-Cucumber Soup with Chopped Tarragon and Avocado. Cold soups are quick and easy and always a summer hit. Peel and seed a cucumber, then grate into a bowl. Whisk in plain Greek yogurt (it's creamier), a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a tiny smidge of white-wine vinegar, and salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped tarragon and cubed avocado.