Weeknight Meals

Don’t be daunted by the list of ingredients used here; it all comes together quickly, as the idea is to cook everything as briefly as possible. Enveloped in plenty of coconut milk, this dish of noodles and vegetables becomes quite luscious.

Since my family loves lentils, I keep a few cans of organic canned lentils on hand to use when we want a meal with this nourishing legume in a hurry. To make this dish a little fancier, try using beluga lentils, as I’ve recommended in earlier recipes. These diminutive, gleaming black lentils contrast attractively with the spinach and dried tomatoes.

This colorful, subtly sweet-sour bean dish provides a nice contrast to mild pasta, potato, or grain dishes.

It’s unusual to give a bean dish an Asian spin, but the balance of colors, textures, and flavors in this dish work very well indeed. Its flavors are modeled on those used with adzuki beans, small red beans used in Japanese cuisine.

I fully admit that this recipe screams “emergency dinner!” But it’s spicy, hearty, high in protein, and best of all, ready for the table in about twenty minutes. Some nights, you need a main dish like that, and this one never disappoints.

Prepared polenta provides an easy way to add variety to the dinner repertoire. I often use it sliced and sautéed as a side dish, but occasionally, it will become an intrinsic part of a recipe, as it is here.

This simplified version of an Indian favorite is a delightful way to showcase tasty chickpeas.

Juicy orange sections and mint add a surprising twist to this hearty dish of black and white beans.

Curry-scented chickpeas perch prettily atop a bed of chutney-flavored bulgur, making for a highly appealing grain and legume combination.

This may be too light to serve as a meal’s centerpiece, but it’s perfect for pairing with a dish of equal heft, like a bean or legume dish or a main dish salad. I’ve also enjoyed leftovers of this served cold in a wrap with shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

This is inspired by mujaddarah, a traditional Middle Eastern dish that is sometimes made with rice, and sometimes with cracked wheat. The grain is combined with lentils and lots of onions browned in olive oil. Even in its basic form, it’s delicious. Since we save some time by cooking (rather than soaking) the bulgur, I like to dress up this classic with the nontraditional but tasty additions of scallions and raisins.

Here’s a tasty and speedy side dish my family loves. It’s a good accompaniment to bean dishes, and is a nice change of pace from potatoes or rice.

What’s not to love about quinoa? It’s a powerhouse of nutrients, it cooks in fifteen minutes, and its pleasantly offbeat flavor is most appealing. I try to use it often, and this quick preparation is the one I turn to the most. If you have time, use lightly cooked fresh corn kernels (from three medium ears) instead of frozen.

If I had to choose a favorite quinoa dish, it would be this one. With just a few ingredients, it manages to showcase sweet, savory, and nutty flavors all at once.

Here’s a delicious, substantial grain dish that’s ready in minutes, leaving you plenty of time to build a meal around it.

Earthy and hearty, this kind of grain and mushroom dish appeals to me most in the fall, though it can be served any time of year.

In the classic Thai dish, white rice is combined with white potatoes. Though it sounds rather redundant, the seasonings and embellishments make it delectable nonetheless. I took the general idea of this recipe and revved it up to include the two main ingredients’ more nourishing counterparts—brown rice and sweet potatoes. This may still sound like an odd combination, but honestly, it works very well. Like any dish using brown rice, this will take about forty minutes, but hands-on time is limited, allowing you to prepare any accompaniments at a leisurely pace.

This is an easy dish to make, and the results are splendid. Using quick-cooking rice, you can have a magnificent one-dish meal in about thirty minutes, whether for a busy weeknight or a leisurely weekend meal.

In this tasty “down home” dish, bits of tart apple add a delightful flavor twist. If you have the time, make a pan of your favorite vegan corn bread.

If you’re looking for an undemanding tempeh dish that makes a large quantity, here’s a good choice.