Recipes

Humble dried lentils are a valuable pantry staple and they are easy to cook. Unlike dried beans, they do not require pre-soaking. Lentils are a good source of plant protein, fiber, minerals (like iron and zinc) and folate. They are economical too-ideal for hearty soups like this one. As this recipe takes advantage of convenience products like frozen chopped onions, jarred minced garlic and prepared shredded carrots, the soup is a cinch to make. It takes about an hour to cook on the stovetop. Pureing a portion of the soup gives it body while maintaining the texture with some intact lentils, but is optional and depends on your personal preference. This step is easy to do with an immersion blender. You can also use a regular blender, but be sure to use caution when blending hot liquids. The soup keeps well and can also be frozen.

The red wine gives this sophisticated stew a deep red color and a warm, complex flavor..

Soba Noodles with Vegetables recipe.

This nutritious, whole-grain pilaf with acorn squash makes a delicious side dish at holiday meals, but it's great anytime. A mix of white and red quinoa looks festive, but using only white quinoa is fine, too.

Stir-frying is an excellent technique for making a quick and delicious meal with a generous portion of veggies. Frozen vegetables save prep time and are easy to keep on hand. When making a stir-fry, it is important to prepare and measure all ingredients before you start to cook. But in this recipe there is a brief marinating time (Step 1), so you can prepare and measure all remaining ingredients while the chicken marinates.

The sauce, which does double duty as a marinade, is packed with the vibrant flavors of herbs and spices, and contains a minimum of salt. The sauce is also versatile. Its bold flavors pair well with rich-tasting salmon, but it also can be used with chicken or as an accompaniment to grilled or roasted vegetables and whole-wheat couscous.

This homemade version has less than one-third the sodium of commercial varieties of ranch dressing.

This colorful whole-grain pilaf is an excellent accompaniment to fish and chicken. If you have any pilaf leftover, toss in cherry tomatoes, scallions and whatever salad fixings you have on hand, moisten with lemon juice and olive oil, and you have a delicious quinoa salad.

If the prospect of cooking a whole turkey seems like too much work and too much turkey, consider roasting a boneless turkey breast. While the oven is on, you can roast seasonal vegetables to accompany the turkey for a festive and healthy meal that comes together with little fuss.

Here we feature lentils (no pre-soaking required), as the basis of a simple but satisfying vegetarian stew made from pantry staples and aromatic vegetables you may already have on hand. Lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley give the stew a lift, providing lots of flavor without sodium.