Recipes

Baked Cod Casserole Dry white wine and Gruyère cheese give this fish casserole a rich flavor that hides its virtue. Before baking, we top the dish with seasoned whole-wheat breadcrumbs, which add a wholesome, nutty flavor and dietary fiber. For variety, you can substitute almost any mild white fish.

Salmon Roasted with Tomatoes & Olives Although you can use any firm-fleshed fish, such as halibut or cod, salmon is especially pretty with the roasted tomatoes and black olives. Serve with steamed green beans or broccoli florets and boiled new potatoes.

Whole Roasted Lemon-Herb Chicken on a Bed of Vegetables When you season roast chicken under the skin, as in this recipe, the meat itself gets flavored and the skin becomes nicely browned and crisp. Here, the chicken is roasted on a bed of carrots, turnips and celeriac—but any mixture of root vegetables will work. You’ll need about 8 cups of chopped or cubed vegetables.

Stuffed Chicken Thighs Braised in Tomato Sauce Spinach-Parmesan stuffing provides great flavor in boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Try it with the optional chicken livers in the stuffing for an extra-rich treat. And don’t worry, even though when stuffed it looks like the filling will ooze out, it doesn’t. The egg in the stuffing acts as a binder to keep everything in place. The recipe makes plenty of sauce, so be sure to cook up some pasta or make mashed potatoes to serve alongside the saucy chicken.

Pork Chop Suey Chop suey is often made with bamboo shoots and water chestnuts—add them to this recipe if you wish. Serve with: Udon noodles.

Hilary’s Heavenly Eggs This unusual combination of eggs braised in tomato sauce served on crusty bread is out of this world. Also try it over angel hair pasta. Serve with: Steamed broccolini.

Cube Steak with Mushroom-Sherry Sauce Cube steak is a tougher cut of meat pounded to make it tender. We like it because it cooks quickly and is inexpensive—perfect for a weeknight dinner. Look for presliced mushrooms to save even more time on prep. Serve with: Mashed potatoes and grilled broccoli rabe.

Broccoli Rabe & Orzo Salad Lemon, oregano and feta add zing to broccoli rabe tossed with whole-wheat orzo.

Tortellini Primavera This creamy tortellini and vegetable pasta is a real crowd pleaser. To make it even quicker, use frozen chopped vegetables instead of fresh. Serve with: A green salad and whole-grain baguette.

Rosemary-Orange Pot Roast Not quite your mother’s pot roast... This version has the tender meat and robust gravy of childhood memories, but it is distinguished by a subtle accent of rosemary and orange zest and a creamy sauce made with whole-grain mustard. A puree of wintered-over root vegetables, such as celery root, rutabaga or parsnips, would make a perfect accompaniment for an early spring meal. For a leaner pot roast, choose bottom round or rump roast. Chuck roast is a bit more tender, but fattier.

Green Eggs & Ham Frittata Our version of green eggs and ham is full of spinach, leeks and dill, along with ham and havarti cheese. Serve with: Roasted red potatoes or hash browns.

Curried Fish Though curried goat, chicken and shrimp are more popular in Jamaica than fish, food journalist Jacqui Sinclair’s curry with mild mahi-mahi is a delicious and light alternative. Serve over rice.

Brothy Chinese Noodles This dish was inspired by Chinese Dan Dan noodles—ground pork and noodles in a spicy broth. We use ground turkey and omit the traditional Sichuan peppercorns for convenience, but add hot sesame oil. Use toasted sesame oil instead if you want mild noodles.

Quick Pork & Chile Stew The potatoes in this quick, Tex-Mex-style pork stew are cooked until they are falling apart to add body to the stew. Poblano peppers vary in heat: if you want a stew without any heat, use 2 small green bell peppers in place of the poblanos. Serve with: Warm corn tortillas or cheese quesadillas.

Roasted Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette Cauliflower roasted in big chunks is delicious and the quick blue cheese vinaigrette makes it special. Try it as a side dish for steak.

Black Bean Soup This is a zippy Southwestern-flavored black bean soup. We make it with canned beans so it comes together in minutes. If you have leftovers, pack them up in individual serving containers for lunch the next day.

Chicken & Sweet Potato Stew Here's a dinnertime warmer with a hint of spring's sweetness, designed for that day when you'd rather be outside raking the leaves from the garden, getting it ready for what's ahead, than slaving over the stove.

Chinese Braised Mushrooms & Tofu Ma Po Tofu, a classic dish from the Sichuan province of China, inspired this recipe. The original is made with soft tofu and ground pork or beef with plenty of heat from dried chile peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Portobello mushrooms stand in for the meat in our vegetarian version and convenient jarred chile-garlic sauce gives it plenty of kick. Serve with brown rice.

Mustard-Maple Pork Tenderloin Pork tenderloin is about as lean as it comes so it's a great healthy option, but it shouldn't be overcooked as it can dry out. Maple and mustard make a sweet-and-savory mahogany-colored sauce. A delicate note of sage gives it a wintery touch. Fresh thyme or rosemary also work if you prefer. Serve with barley, roasted squash and a Pinot Noir.

Stuffed Chard with Fresh Marinara Reminiscent of the stuffed cabbage of yore, the mild flavor of chard makes these beef-stuffed rolls perfect for the whole family. Make It a Meal: A side of whole-wheat spaghetti to soak up the sauce plus a glass of Syrah.