Weeknight Meals

WHY IT’S LIGHT This Italian restaurant standby turns virtuous with baked (instead of fried) eggplant and a healthier béchamel made from skim milk, which is then combined with some marinara sauce. Using less cheese also helps; here, the two cheeses are sprinkled only on top, rather than in each layer.

GOOD TO KNOW To impart more flavor and moistness, cook the salmon fillets with the skin intact. The skin will cook to a delightful crisp, but you can remove it before serving if desired.

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.

WHY IT’S LIGHT In this version of a Southern staple, the grits are enriched with a little butter, but no cheese. The shrimp are cooked in a quick tomato sauce seasoned with smoky bacon, onion, and hot sauce.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Risotto’s little secret: It’s usually enriched with ample butter at the end. But one bite of this version, which contains just one tablespoon butter, shows how delectable the dish can be without all the extra fat and calories. And rather than adding the squash at the end of cooking, per the usual method, you cook it along with the rice, so it contributes creaminess and sweetness to the final outcome.

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.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Because they are baked, these “breaded” fish fillets are lower in fat—and much easier to prepare—than fried versions. Coating only the top of the fish with an herbed breadcrumb mixture also helps. Roasted broccoli makes the perfect seasonal side dish.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Sometimes roast chicken recipes call for softened butter to be spread over—or even under—the skin before putting the bird in the oven. Here, a mixture of parsley and thyme (and not butter) is spread under and on top of the skin of chicken thighs for added flavor, while honey and a small amount of olive oil brushed on top help keep the chicken moist.

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.

GOOD TO KNOW One easy way to ensure boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cook up moist and flavorful is to stuff them. Here, a combination of bread, ham, sage, and olive oil does the job in delicious fashion. Sauté broccoli in the same skillet as the chicken for a fast side.

SMART SUBSTITUTIONS Small swap-ins can make a big difference. Whole-wheat noodles, low-fat cottage cheese, and lean ground sirloin lighten up this lasagna. Sautéed eggplant rounds out the ground-beef sauce; melted part-skim mozzarella on top (but not inside) keeps the dish feeling indulgent, but more moderately so.

FLAVOR BOOSTER A mixture of rosemary, paprika, and lime juice is rubbed over lean turkey before roasting; sweet potatoes cooked alongside soak up the flavorful pan juices, which are also drizzled over each serving. Serve with a side of sautéed leafy greens.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Made with lean sirloin, and studded with chopped carrots, celery, and onion, this meatloaf is just as delicious as the diner classic, but better for you. The meat mixture is bound with an egg white, not the whole egg, as well as the flaky Japanese breadcrumbs known as panko. Even the potatoes are lighter, since they are mashed with low-fat buttermilk (rather than butter, cream, or whole milk).

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.