Quick

WHY IT’S LIGHT With less oil, fewer nuts, and more basil, this better-for-you pesto cuts calories without sacrificing any of the fabulous flavor. Serve the sauce over whole-wheat pasta for more fiber. Extra pesto freezes nicely, so consider doubling the batch.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Broiling is a fat-free way to cook salmon burgers; these are perked up with lemon, horseradish, and scallions and served on toasted whole-wheat buns. Yogurt flavored with fresh dill makes a very delicious—and low-fat—topping.

GOOD TO KNOW Hearty and satisfying, bean soups often simmer for hours; this vegetarian stew tastes as if it did, but uses canned beans and broth as shortcuts. To thicken the soup, mash some of the beans with the back of a spoon during cooking.

SMART SUBSTITUTION Heart-healthy olive oil replaces butter in this garlicky scampi. Just a drizzle of oil is enough for broiling, rather than sautéing, the shrimp.

FLAVOR BOOSTER A potent spice blend is sprinkled over the fish before it is steamed atop rice, making up for any lack of crust the fish might get from pan-searing in butter or oil. The same mixture could also be rubbed over chicken or pork tenderloin before roasting or grilling.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Each serving of this stir-fry has only one teaspoon oil and a tablespoon of roasted peanuts. Lime juice and fresh basil added at the end perk up the dish, so it tastes just as good as (or even better than) more traditional versions.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Rather than cooking this hearty Italian stew on the stove, in the traditional manner, it is prepared in the microwave, using far less oil (because you don’t have to brown the chicken thighs first) and in much less time.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Serving small, lean steaks—only five to six ounces each—along with a lightly dressed salad of cauliflower and arugula keeps this meal low in calories. The only added oil is used in the dressing. The steak is seared in a dry skillet; the cauliflower is browned in the juices left behind.

GOOD TO KNOW Fiber-rich beans and leafy greens offset the richness of sausages in this Italian-inspired dinner. Broiling makes quick work of cooking the sausages. For an even lighter preparation, substitute chicken or turkey sausages for the pork.

WHY IT’S LIGHT There’s less pasta (half a package) than usual but still plenty of leaner-than-pork poultry sausage and two bunches of broccoli rabe in this satisfying main course for four. Blanching the broccoli rabe tones down its bite before it is finished in the skillet.

GOOD TO KNOW Tenderloin is the leanest and most tender cut of pork. To keep it from drying out, cook it only until its internal temperature reaches 140°F; the meat will continue cooking as it rests.

GOOD TO KNOW A stir-fry is an ideal way to cook vegetables: With just a little oil and a short cooking time, the technique helps ensure that vegetables such as broccoli retain their nutrients. Broccoli stalks are as delicious as the florets—use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin.

FLAVOR BOOSTER Roasting deepens salmon’s naturally mild flavor. Brussels sprouts also take especially well to roasting, becoming tender, slightly sweet, and undeniably delicious when seasoned with little more than salt and pepper.

FLAVOR BOOSTER Everyone knows steamed fish is healthy—the trick lies in making it flavorful, too. Here, flounder fillets are spread with Dijon, rolled up, and cooked atop a bed of couscous and vegetables. A drizzle of vinaigrette provides the finishing touch.

FLAVOR BOOSTER Fennel, tomato, and wine are common ingredients in Mediterranean cooking; in this recipe, they make a wonderful bed for chicken breast halves. Once the chicken is cooked through, the vegetables become a flavorful sauce to serve alongside.

SMART SUBSTITUTION Spaghetti squash makes a great, gluten-free stand-in for pasta; after roasting the halved squash until tender, scrape the flesh with a fork into long spaghetti-like strands. Roasted shrimp are brightened with the addition of lemon juice and fresh parsley.

GOOD TO KNOW Succulent yet lean, scallops can be seared on the stove without adding much—if any—butter or oil. Be sure to heat the skillet until very hot before adding the scallops, and wait until a crust forms before turning them, to prevent tearing. Browned butter (beurre noisette in French) and hazelnuts add richness, without tipping the scales.