Simple Cooking

Pesto with both Italian and Mexican touches turns simple grilled or broiled fish into a delicious entrée.

The vibrant color contrast between the greens and the tomatoes adds eye appeal to this tasty dish.

In less than 30 minutes from starting to prep the ingredients to serving, you can make this exotic fish dish and the accompanying fruit relish. Another time, make only the fruit relish and serve it with roasted pork or chicken.

Is this recipe for a side dish or a dessert? It’s your call—either way provides a serving of fruit for each diner. You might want to make a double batch of the walnut crunch and use the extra to top fat-free yogurt or hot cereal for breakfast.

Since you serve this side dish at room temperature, it’s perfect for a party or holiday buffet. It’s also a terrific appetizer when served on crostini or low-sodium whole-grain crackers.

Sour cream replaces mayonnaise as the base for the tartar sauce here. Serve this fish with corn on the cob and chilled slices of melon on the side.

Pair this cornmeal-coated fish with Garden Coleslaw (page 75) and Green Beans and Corn (page 236) for a healthy southern meal.

A crust of whole-wheat crumbs and snipped fresh parsley with just a few drops of hot-pepper sauce kicks up the flavor of mild fish.

Quinoa, an excellent source of protein that counts toward your whole-grain goal, is the base for this citrusy side. Be sure to use fresh mint leaves—dried mint won’t provide the flavor boost you want for this dish.

This is finger food at its finest! Invite some friends over for a meal of these oven-fries, stovetop pork chops, and Balsamic-Marinated Vegetables (page 78).

You’ll attract an audience when you take these yummy potatoes out of the oven. The star of the meal, they go well with almost anything. Try them with grilled flank steak and zucchini.

Fresh lemon juice, capers, basil, and olive oil provide your palate with a taste from the Greek Isles.

Quickly sear the fish fillets, then keep them moist by reducing the heat. Top them with a mild zing of jalapeño and a splash of fresh lime—that’s dinner in a snap!

This dish is an excellent accompaniment to almost any Asian entrée, such as Chicken with Ginger and Snow Peas (page 157) or Pacific Rim Flank Steak (page 180). Add some chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork cooked without salt to transform this into a main dish.

Full of mushrooms and carrots, this dish tastes great with Herbed Fillet of Sole (page 118).

Spoon this dressing over fresh fruit, such as melon or pineapple, when you want a pretty side salad or a light dessert.

A light cream sauce enhanced with Parmesan cheese coats fresh spinach in this side dish. Try it with pork chops, fish fillets, or turkey cutlets.

Fresh dillweed and parsley perk up this low-salt version of a classic.

Creamy and just a wee bit spicy, this classic dressing is the finishing touch that will make your salad creations irresistible.

With this recipe, you don’t need to buy many ingredients or spend much time in the kitchen to get a colorful and tasty side dish.