Sitting Down to Delicious Dinners: Making light of dinner, Putting poultry on the table, Cooking up meaty meals, Serving seafood and Adding vegetarian foods to your dinner.

Sitting Down to Delicious Dinners

In This Chapter

� Making light of dinner

� Putting poultry on the table

� Cooking up meaty meals

� Serving seafood

� Adding vegetarian foods to your dinner

The one meal of the day that you can, and should, sit down and enjoy is dinner. Unlike breakfast, which is sometimes a hurried affair, and lunch, which is usually part of the workday or nib- bled in between household errands, dinner can take place at home in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere. Sitting down and relaxing when you’re on a low-calorie diet is important, because it encourages you to sit calmly, be mindful, and enjoy your- self while you eat.

In this chapter, I discuss the benefits of planning your dinners and making time to enjoy them. I also provide you with a variety of delicious low-calorie dinner recipes you can try.

Keeping Supper Simple and Enjoyable

The less you have to worry about what to eat for dinner (and how long you have to eat it) on a day- to-day basis, the easier sticking to your low-calorie

diet will be. That’s why you need to have a simple system in place that includes some advance meal planning for you and anyone who eats with you and a goal to enjoy your dinner at a reasonable pace.

Planning ahead

The following are some ways you can be sure you have low-calorie dinners on hand when you’re ready to eat:

� Be prepared. Have a stock of low-calorie convenience foods such as canned soups and packaged salad mixes in your cupboards and fridge for those nights when you don’t feeling like cooking.

� Keep the basics stocked. Keep staples such as dry pasta, rice, bottled tomato sauces, light bread, lean meats, eggs, and low-fat dairy products on hand at all times so that you always have the fixings for at least one full meal.

� Plan ahead. When preparing the specific recipes in this chapter, plan your meal schedule and include the suggested side dishes (or the equiv- alent) on your shopping list.

� Cook on weekends. Review your menus for the upcoming week and do as much advance preparation as you can over the weekend when you have more time.

Portioning out

When you prepare a recipe that makes, say, four servings, sticking to that size serving is important. Otherwise you run the risk of adding unwanted calories to your meal. As soon as you prepare the dish, divide it up evenly and put your portion on your plate. If you’re eating alone, wrap up the remainders and put them in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible after cooking so you’re not tempted to go back for more.

Freeze or refrigerate leftovers in single-serving size containers that can go directly into a microwave oven. That way, you have homemade convenience foods on hand that fit right into your low-calorie diet plan for another dinner or a ready-to-go lunch.

Feeding the rest of the family

The recipes and menu ideas in this chapter have been developed to be as bal- anced, nutritious, and tasty as possible for the amount of calories they provide. Except for the controlled calorie limits, they’re no different than anything else you can feed your family. So you don’t have to cook separate food for yourself just because you’re limiting your calories to 300, unless you want to.

Family members who aren’t following this low-calorie plan and who want or need more food for dinner can obviously choose to eat larger portions or expand the meal with other foods.

Preparing Pleasing Poultry Dishes

Poultry has made a name for itself as one of the best low-cal, high-protein food choices for anyone who is trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Because chicken and turkey are pretty much interchangeable, you can use either one in any of the recipes in this section.

Chicken and turkey parts prepared in a microwave oven cook quickly and turn out moist and tender, just like poultry that has been steamed or stewed. To cook plain poultry, place four even-size pieces (4 to 6 ounces each) in a microwave-safe container. If you prefer, brush the poultry lightly with olive oil or gravy before cooking. Cover the container and cook at full power for 8 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before uncovering. Insert a fork or knife tip into the flesh to be sure juices run clear. Clear juices let you know the poultry is fully cooked.

Fixing quick chicken dinners

When surveyed, home cooks say they serve chicken for dinner more often than any other meat. That makes sense for dieters, too, because chicken is a lean source of high-quality animal protein. Chicken’s neutral flavor also makes it easy to incorporate into the tasty, globally-influenced recipes included in this section.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

This classic dish is prepared in a not-so-classic low-cal style, which simply means measuring ingredients carefully and omitting the initial breading and frying of the chicken breasts.

1 Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound to 1⁄4-inch thick- ness with a meat mallet or the bottom of a small heavy saucepan (see Figure 14-1).

2 Coat a large nonstick skillet with vegetable cooking spray and place over medium-high heat.

3 Add the chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 to 5 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned on the bottom. Turn the chicken over. Add the marinara sauce to the skillet. Cover and cook 2 to 4 minutes longer or until the chicken is just opaque in the center.

4 Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses evenly over the chicken breasts. Cover and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Tip: You can substitute a serving of chicken and sauce with 1⁄2 cup cooked spaghetti and 1⁄2 cup steamed broccoli for any 300-calorie meal in the basic menu plans in Chapter 6.

Poached Chicken Breasts with Spinach-Basil Sauce

This dish is an example of true low-calorie fare because it uses both low-calorie ingredients and a low-calorie cooking technique. When you prepare this type of main dish for a 300-calorie meal, you end up with 100 calories to “spend” on the side dish of your choice. This dish is also delicious cold so you can take leftovers for lunch the next day or make it ahead to serve as a cool summer supper.

1 Place the chicken breast halves in a large skillet with enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the chicken for 10 minutes or until just cooked through.

2 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until wilted. Turn the mixture into a wire mesh strainer and press lightly with a spoon to drain any excess liquid.

3 Combine the spinach mixture with the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor or blender. Whirl for 1 minute or until smoothly puréed, scraping down the side of the container with a rubber spatula, as necessary.

4 Divide the spinach sauce evenly among four serving plates. Cut the chicken breasts into thick slices and arrange on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with shredded basil, if you like.

This dish is simple and fun for a casual party, as well as a quick and easy everyday meal. The peanut sauce alone, which is good on just about any meat or vegetable you can think of, contributes 25 calories per tablespoon.

1 Place the chicken breasts in a medium-size deep skillet and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Drain the chicken and cut into bite-size chunks.

2 Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Stir until blended. Slowly stir in the 1 cup of water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Set aside to thicken and cool slightly.

3 Divide the chicken chunks, carrots, celery, pepper, green beans, and snow peas among four serving plates. Divide the sauce among four small cups or bowls and place them in the center of the serving plates. Serve with toothpicks or utensils for dipping the chicken.

The following recipe calls for fresh breadcrumbs. You may think that making these crumbs is a difficult task, but it’s not! Just place slices of light bread in a food processor and pulse with an on/off motion until fine crumbs are formed. When you’re measuring the crumbs, pack them loosely into the measuring cup.

Chicken Breasts with Honey-Mustard Crumb Coating

This recipe is for people who prefer “chicken on the bone” to the boneless cutlets used so often in low-calorie poultry recipes.

1 Preheat the oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the honey mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl.

2 Arrange the chicken breasts on the foil-lined sheet. Brush the mustard mixture evenly over each breast. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, pressing lightly so the crumbs stick. Drizzle with olive oil.

3 Bake the chicken for 20 to 30 minutes or until the crust is crisp and the breasts are just cooked through.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kabobs with Rice

Jerk is a Caribbean style of barbecue that adds unforgettable flavor to a simple chicken dish. In this recipe, the chicken and vegetables are skewered and broiled indoors. You can also cook them on an outdoor grill.

1 Soak 16 wooden skewers in a pan of warm water for at least 10 minutes to prevent them from burning. You don’t need to prepare metal skewers.

2 Combine the vinegar, sugar, oil, garlic, allspice, ginger, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the marinade to a small bowl and set aside.

3 Add the chicken cubes to the large bowl of marinade and stir to coat. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.

4 Preheat the broiler or grill.

5 Alternately thread the onion, pepper, and pineapple pieces onto 8 skewers. Thread the marinated chicken cubes onto the remaining 8 skewers. Discard the chicken marinade.

6 Grill or broil skewers 4 to 6 inches from heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender-crisp, turning once during cooking time and brushing vegetables with reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade. Serve 1 chicken skewer and 1 vegetable skewer over each 1⁄2 cup of hot cooked rice.

Putting a new twist on turkey

You’d never know that not too long ago, fresh turkey was used mostly for hol- iday foods and rarely served at regular everyday meals. Now you can buy as many different cuts of turkey in the supermarket as you can chicken, and ground turkey and turkey often substitute for beef or pork in classic dishes such as the stuffed peppers in this section. Even better, you can also buy pre- cooked fresh turkey almost everywhere to use on sandwiches and in recipes that call for cooked or leftover turkey, such as the open-face turkey sandwich recipe in this section.

Hot Turkey Sandwiches

An open-face sandwich on a single slice of bread is one great way to enjoy your favorite flavors by cutting back on the amount of food you eat, rather than eliminating “added” calorie foods like gravy from your diet altogether. Serve this recipe with steamed green beans or a tossed green salad drizzled with 1 or 2 teaspoons of light dressing.

1 Combine the broth and the mushrooms in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in the gravy, tarragon, and mustard. Mix well. Add turkey slices and simmer until hot.

2 Place a slice of toast on each serving plate. Top with turkey and gravy.

Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Turkey Sausage and Rice

These are old-fashioned stuffed peppers updated to include lower calorie ingredients such as reduced-fat cheese and lean turkey sausages. Each filled pepper is a 300-calorie meal in itself.

1 Preheat the broiler. Arrange the peppers, cut side down, on a broiler pan.

2 Broil the peppers 4 inches from the heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they just start to blacken in spots but are still firm. Transfer the peppers, cut side up, to a 9-inch square baking dish. Set aside.

3 Preheat the oven to 375.

4 In a large nonstick skillet, cook the loose sausage over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until just cooked through, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the rice, cheese, and Italian seasoning. Divide the rice mixture evenly among the pepper halves, packing the mixture into the peppers with a spoon. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.

5 Bake the peppers for 20 minutes or until tender.

6 Meanwhile, heat the marinara sauce in the same nonstick skillet, scraping up any browned bits of sausage with a wooden spoon. Spoon a little of the sauce over the peppers halfway through baking time. Serve the remaining sauce with the peppers.

Making the Most of Meat

Meat is great source or protein and hard-to-get minerals such as iron and zinc, but it can also be high in calories, especially when you choose fattier cuts or eat too much of it. That’s especially true if a lot of your meat is coming from fast-food restaurants. But the meat you cook at home doesn’t have to be a diet-buster or a health hazard. The following are two great ways to enjoy meat without overdoing it:

� Treat meat more like a condiment than a main dish. In other words, use very small amounts of meat to flavor foods like soups, stews, rice dishes, pastas, and casseroles dishes, such as lasagna.

� Cut back on portion sizes. You probably do the same thing with all your other favorite foods when you’re trying to get to or stay at a healthy weight. So if you’re a meat-and-potato type, you can continue to enjoy those foods on a low-calorie diet by choosing leaner cuts and eating less meat (and fewer potatoes) overall.

Beefing up your meals

This section includes two easy, beefy recipes that are guaranteed to please dieters and nondieters alike. One is a recipe for kabobs marinated in sweet, teriyaki-style marinade, and the other is a classic steak-and-potatoes combo.

A wonderful, calorie-free way to flavor meats is with dry spice rubs that you simply rub onto the meat with your hands before cooking. A spice rub is simply a combination of herbs and/or spices rubbed over the surface of lightly oiled meat before it’s cooked. This combination is especially good for beef or lamb. To make a spice rub, combine 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 tea- spoons crushed rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon crushed fennel seed, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper,

1⁄2 teaspoon ground red pepper, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Use about 1 tablespoon per pound of meat, and allow the rubbed meat to stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour before cooking so the seasoning mix has a chance to permeate the meat.

Asian Beef Kabobs

A simple soy-sauce–based marinade that you can also use for poultry and fish flavors this recipe. To round the menu out to a 300-calorie meal, serve with 1⁄2 cup ramen noodles and a cucumber and radish salad drizzled with rice wine vinegar or another flavored vinegar and a pinch of salt.

1 Combine the sugar, sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a medium-size bowl. Measure out and reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade. Add the beef to the bowl with the remaining marinade and stir to coat. Marinate the beef in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

2 Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent them from burning under the broiler. (If you’re using metal skewers, this step is unnecessary.)

3 Preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with foil for easier cleaning. Remove the beef from the marinade and discard the marinade. Alternately thread the beef, weaving back and forth, and green onion pieces onto skewers. Arrange the skewers on the broiler pan.

4 Broil the kabobs about 3 inches from the heat for 3 minutes. Turn the skewers and broil another 2 to 3 minutes or until desired doneness, basting the meat once with the reserved marinade.

Grilled Steak with Blue Cheese–Mashed Potatoes

Flank steak is a perfect cut for outdoor cooking on a grill. All you need to round out the meal is a tossed green salad drizzled with a teaspoon or two of light dressing.

1 Preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup. Place the steak on the broiler pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2 Place the potatoes in a large saucepan with lightly salted water to cover. Heat the water to boiling over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving some of the water. Add the remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Mash the potatoes with an electric mixer or potato masher until smooth, adding some reserved cooking liquid if the mixture is too thick.

3 Meanwhile, broil steak 4 inches from the heat for 3 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Remove the steak from the broiler pan and let stand 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal (see Figure 14-2).

Picking pork and ham

Thanks to changes in agricultural systems and animal feeding, the pork you buy in the supermarket is actually about 30 percent leaner these days than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Those changes mean ounce for ounce, pork is also lower in calories. That’s great news for dieters who want to include a variety of meat products in their diets. The recipes in this section make delicious use of lean loin pork chops, today’s lower-fat ham, and Canadian-style bacon, which is a precooked, lowfat ham product that’s packaged in individual slices just perfect for anyone who’s counting calories.

Cranberry Pork Chops

The flavor of pork marries well with almost any fruit. In this recipe, canned cranberry sauce adds fruity flavor and sweetness to a savory sauce. Serve these tasty chops with a cupful of steamed green beans or broccoli on the side.

1 Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook for 1 minute on each side. Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside on a warm covered plate.

2 Add the onions and carrots to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned and tender. Return the chops to the skillet and add the broth. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes, until the pork is cooked through- out. (Cooking time depends on the thickness of the chops.) Remove the chops from the skillet to a covered platter to keep warm.

3 Add the cranberry sauce and vinegar to the skillet. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cranberry sauce is melted and heated through. Return the chops to the skillet and cook just until the pork is heated throughout. Transfer the chops to serving plates. Spoon any remaining sauce over the chops.

Risotto with Ham and Peas

Creamy, hearty risotto is a slow-cooked Italian rice dish that’s especially satisfying to eat when you’re on a low-calorie diet. By gradually adding liquid to the rice and stirring constantly as it cooks, you release a starch that creates a very creamy rice mixture. It’s best to make risotto with Arborio rice, which you can find in the rice section of most large supermarkets or specialty food shops. Serve with sliced tomatoes, drizzled with just a teaspoon or two of light dressing.

1 Heat the oil in a medium nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Stir in rice.

2 Add 1⁄2 cup of the chicken broth and stir often for about 2 minutes or until the broth is absorbed. Add all but 1⁄2 cup of the remaining broth, 1⁄2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until the liquid is absorbed.

3 Stir in the peas, ham, salt, pepper, and remaining 1⁄2 cup broth. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until the rice is tender and somewhat creamy. Remove the rice from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Glazed Ham Steaks

A combination of apple butter and honey mustard elevates the everyday status of humble ham steaks to company-worthy fare. As part of a 300-calorie meal, serve the ham with 1⁄2 cup corn kernels, 1⁄2 cup creamed spinach, and a small (2-inch) square of cornbread. This menu also makes a great low-calorie holiday meal.

1 Preheat the broiler. Lightly score the ham steak with a sharp knife. Cut into four equal pieces and place, scored side-up, on a foil-lined broiler rack.

2 In a small bowl, stir together fruit spread and mustard. Spread evenly over ham steaks.

3 Broil steaks 4 inches from the heat for 3 minutes or until just browned. Be careful not to burn the glaze.

Fishing for Seafood Dinners

Many fish recipes call for cod because it’s not only lean and low in calories, but it’s also often readily available wherever seafood is sold. Flounder, sole, and snapper are among the fish that are equally low in calories and fat. Because of their mild flavor, you can substitute them in most recipes that call for cod. Shellfish such as shrimp and crab are even lower in calories, but if you’re watching your dietary cholesterol, you may want to limit the amount of shrimp you include in your diet. Two of the following recipes use oven- frying and steaming, two low-calorie cooking techniques that work particu- larly well with seafood.

Cod Stew Provencal

Fennel seed is the “secret” ingredient that gives this soup such a special flavor. If fresh fennel is available, you can use it as a substitute for the celery (see Figure 14-3 to find out what fresh fennel looks like). You can also substitute tilapia if cod is unavailable. To bring this dish up to 300 calories, serve with four saltine crackers or a small breadstick on the side.

1 Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add celery, and sauté 1 more minute. Add potato and sauté, stirring often, 5 minutes longer.

2 Add the tomatoes with their juice, clam juice, and fennel seeds to the pan. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

3 Add the cod. Partially cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the fish, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the cod is opaque. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Oven “Fried” Fish Fillets

When you bite into these fillets with their crispy coating, you’ll think you’re eating fried fish. To round out a 300-calorie menu, serve the fish with a small ear of corn and a tossed green salad with light dressing.

1 Preheat the oven to 450. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2 Brush the fish fillets with mayonnaise. Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, and paprika in a shallow dish. Dredge the coated fillets in the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the fil- lets on the prepared baking sheet.

3 Bake the fish for 8 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when a fork is inserted in fillet’s center. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pasta with Tuna, Olives, and Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes make this a pasta dish that’s delicious year-round. A small breadstick on the side brings this dish up to 300 calories.

1 Cook the pasta following package directions. Drain well.

2 Meanwhile, combine the tuna, tomatoes, olives, parsley, and oil in a large bowl. Add drained pasta and gently toss. Add lemon juice or vinegar, if you prefer, and toss again. Serve hot.

Vary It! You can substitute 1⁄2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes for the fresh tomatoes. If the sun-dried tomatoes come packed in oil, eliminate the olive oil in the recipe.

Steamed Ginger Shrimp with Snow Peas

If you don’t own a steamer, refer to Chapter 5 for tips on constructing your own from basic pots, pans, and utensils you may already have in your kitchen. In Chapter 5 you can also find basic steaming instructions. Serve this dish with 1⁄2 cup hot cooked rice or ramen noodles, flavored with some of the steaming liquid, and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with light dressing.

1 Combine the wine, ginger root, soy sauce, and garlic in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp. Toss gently to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2 In a steamer filled with enough boiling water to barely reach the bottom of the steamer tray, arrange the shrimp in the tray in a single layer. Top with snow peas. Pour the remaining marinade over the snow peas. Cover and steam for 4 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque. (This step may be easier to do in two separate batches.)

3 Sprinkle the shrimp with cilantro before serving.

Trying a Variety of Vegetarian Dishes

In books and articles about health and weight control, I often see advice to eat at least one vegetarian dinner a week. I agree with this advice and even suggest that you work at least one vegetarian day into your diet every week, because you can benefit from eating a vegetarian diet in many ways. For one thing, it’s a good way to get more fresh vegetables, beans, and grains into your diet, along with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that come with them. Another reason vegetarian meals are helpful on a low-cal diet is that they add variety to a plan that limits the amount of food you can eat, which can help prevent you from getting bored.

Simple and Savory Black Bean Chili with Cheese

Hearty foods like chili are a satisfying break from lighter diet fare. To get all 300 of the calories you’re entitled to for dinner, stir 1⁄4 cup of rice into your chili bowl or serve with half a dozen baked tortilla chips. Like most tomato-based sauces and stews, chili tastes even better when it’s reheated the day after it’s made. If you like, substitute a dollop of low-fat plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream for the shredded cheese topping.

1 Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes or until softened. Add sweet pepper and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with juice, corn, chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2 Spoon chili into four individual bowls and top with shredded cheese. Serve hot.

Tostadas with Avocado, Corn, and Refried Beans

This easy-to-assemble, one-dish meal quickly satisfies your hunger for classic Tex-Mex food. When you use fat-free beans and reduced-fat cheese, you can pile your tortilla high with flavorful ingredients and still stick to your 300-calorie dinner limit.

1 Preheat the oven to broil. Arrange the tortillas in a single layer on a broiler rack. Broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until edges start to brown. Set aside.

2 Meanwhile, combine the beans, 1⁄2 cup of the salsa, and 1⁄2 can of the corn in a medium saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until heated through.

3 Combine the remaining salsa, remaining corn, and avocado in a small bowl.

4 Spread the bean mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Top with lettuce, avocado mixture, yogurt, green onions, and cilantro. Serve warm.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

These giant, meaty mushrooms, packed with hearty white beans, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese, are practically a meal. Serve them with a small, mixed vegetable salad tossed with a teaspoon or two of light dressing.

1 Preheat the oven to 400. Use a spoon to scrape out the black gills from the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms, stem side down, on a nonstick, rimmed baking sheet. Cover with aluminum foil.

2 Bake the mushrooms for 10 to 15 minutes or until just tender. Remove the mushrooms from the baking sheet and drain on paper towels. Leave the oven on.

3 In a medium bowl, mash the beans slightly with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, basil, mozzarella cheese, and pepper until mixed. Spoon the mixture evenly into the mushrooms. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.

4 Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through.

The following recipe for Curried Rice Pilaf features toasted almonds. To toast the almonds, place a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring often, until the almonds just begin to turn golden around the edges and become fragrant. Remove the almonds from the skillet immediately and set them aside to cool.

Curried Rice Pilaf

For maximum flavor in this dish, use basmati, Texmati, jasmine, or another flavorful long-grain rice.

1 Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté 5 minutes or until tender.

2 Stir in the rice, curry powder, and cinnamon. Add the raisins and broth. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer for 10 minutes.

3 Stir in the pepper and beans. Cover and simmer 5 minutes longer or until the rice is tender. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.

4 Sprinkle the pilaf with the almonds just before serving.