low-fat & fast - Recipe

Simple menus for summer, because life should be easy

After much anticipation, June has finally arrived, marking the official beginning of summer. What better way to enjoy the long, lazy, sunny days than with a home-cooked meal? But summertime poses a unique problem for cooks. While we all look forward to delicious warm-weather dishes--from refreshing soups and veggie burgers to zesty pasta--none of us wants to spend hours languishing over a hot stove. But there's no need to bypass your favorites in search of uncomplicated recipes.

These entrees are designed to satisfy your taste buds while saving time in the kitchen. Wonderful fresh vegetables show up in many of these recipes, but we've also relied on convenient canned and frozen staples to streamline the preparation. So whether you're dining poolside, on your backyard deck or on a city terrace, these easy choices for week-night meals are guaranteed to get your summer off to a fabulous start.

Creamy Chickpea Soup with Garlic and Lemon

30 min.

4 SERVINGS

EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

This tangy soup is ready in 15 minutes flat. For a different taste, stir in a pinch of curry powder when adding the lemon juice. Toasted sesame seeds make a nice finishing touch--cook them in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

MEAL PLAN: While soup is simmering, prepare an antipasto platter with jarred roasted red peppers, canned artichoke hearts, green or black olives and crisp celery and carrot strips. Bread sticks and a salad of mixed greens would work well with this soup.

1 Tbs. olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 (15-oz.) cans chickpeas
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes or hot pepper
  sauce
2 to 3 Tbs. mango chutney
Toasted sesame seeds and fresh
  oregano leaves for garnish (optional)

1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. (Make sure garlic is golden, not brown.)

2. Add chickpeas (with liquid) and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper flakes; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer chickpea mixture to blender or food processor and blend until pureed. Return puree to saucepan, stir in 1 cup water and heat through. Add more water if necessary to thin to desired consistency.

4. Ladle soup into bowls and stir a little chutney into each. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and oregano leaves if desired and serve hot.

PER SERVING: 301 CAL.; 11G PROT.; 6G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 52G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 922MG SOD.; 8G FIBER

Adapted from Vegetarian Express Lane Cookbook by Sarah Fritschner (Houghton Mifflin, 1996).

Penne and Summer Vegetables

30 min.

6 SERVINGS

EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

The sunny flavors of ripe, juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers and fragrant basil shine through in this satisfying dish. Don't feel tied down to our choice of pasta--rigatoni, twists, small shells or bow ties all work nicely.

MEAL PLAN: To complement this Italian-inspired entree, saute some broccoli rabe in a little olive oil and warm a loaf of crusty Italian bread.

2 Tbs. olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 large red bell peppers, cut into
  thin strips
1 large yellow summer squash, halved
  lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes
1 lb. dried whole-wheat penne pasta
1 cup sliced black olives
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  leaves (about 32)
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-flavored soy
  cheese or Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in bell peppers and squash and cook until tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes to boiling water and cook 30 seconds. With slotted spoon, transfer to colander and rinse under cold running water. Keep water at a boil. Slip off tomato skins, cut crosswise in half (through equator) and squeeze out seeds. Chop coarsely and set aside.

3. Add penne to boiling water; stir to prevent sticking. Cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well.

4. Stir chopped tomatoes, olives, vinegar and salt into bell pepper mixture. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add penne and toss until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in basil and parsley. Serve hot, sprinkled with soy cheese if desired.

PER SERVING: 208 CAL.; 7G PROT.; 7G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 34G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 503MG SOD.; 7G FIBER

Adapted from Healthy Cooking for Kids by Shelly Null (St. Martin's Griffin, 1999).

Corn and Black Bean Quesadillas

30 min.

MAKES 8

EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

These mildly spiced quesadillas get a quick start with canned black beans and frozen corn. This recipe makes a big batch, so wrap and refrigerate any extras for up to 3 days; pan-fry them just before serving.