Ingredients

2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 apple, preferably Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and diced
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 pound vermicelli

Directions

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook, stirring, for 1 minute longer. Stir in the curry powder and then the chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Stir in the cubed chicken, cover the pan, and remove it from the heat. Let the chicken steam in the hot broth until almost done, about 5 minutes. Add the apple, tomatoes, coconut milk, salt and the cilantro, if using. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the vermicelli until just done, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the curry sauce.

Ingredients

-4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium broth or low-sodium broth
-Salt and freshly ground pepper
-2 cups cooked white rice, warmed
-2 large egg yolks
-1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
-1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from the bones and coarsely shredded (1 pound)
-1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Directions

In a large saucepan, season the stock with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Transfer 1 cup of the hot stock to a blender. Add 1/2 cup of the rice, the egg yolks and the lemon juice and puree until smooth. Stir the puree into the simmering stock along with the chicken and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of rice and simmer until thickened slightly, 10 minutes. Stir in the dill and serve.

Ingredients

-3 pounds eggplants
For Meat Sauce:
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-3 large yellow onions, chopped
-2 pounds ground lean lamb
-3 cups canned chopped plum tomatoes (Roma)
-3 tablespoons tomato paste
-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
-1/2 cup red wine
-1 tablespoon dried oregano
-3/4 cup (1 ounce/30 grams) chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
-1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
-Pinch of ground cloves or allspice
-Olive oil for brushing
For Béchamel Sauce:
-3 tablespoons unsalted butter
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-3 cups hot milk
-1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
-3 eggs, lightly beaten
-1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
-1/2 cup fine dried bread crumbs
-1 cup freshly grated kefalotiri or Parmesan cheese

Directions

Peel the eggplants and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick. Place the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let stand for 1 hour to drain off the bitter juices.

FOR MEAT SAUCE: Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until the meat loses its redness and starts to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, wine, oregano, parsley, cinnamon and ground cloves or allspice. Simmer over low heat until thickened and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. If it begins to look too dry, add a little water. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and the spices. Set aside.

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse the eggplant slices with cool water, drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Place on baking sheets, brush the tops with olive oil and bake in the oven, turning once and brushing on the second side with oil, until tender, golden and translucent, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

FOR BECHAMEL SAUCE: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. (Do not brown.) Gradually whisk in the hot milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the nutmeg, season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Whisk the eggs and ricotta in a small bowl until well blended, then whisk into the hot sauce.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

TO ASSEMBLE: Oil an 11 x 15-inch baking dish. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs on the bottom of the dish. Arrange 1/2 of the eggplant slices in the dish and spoon the meat sauce over them. Layer the remaining eggplant slices on top and pour the béchamel evenly over the surface. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and then with the cheese.

Bake until it is heated through and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Ingredients

-1 tablespoon canola oil
-2 pounds flat, first-cut brisket (see Ingredient Note), trimmed of fat
-3 medium onions, halved and sliced
-6 allspice berries or pinch of ground allspice
-2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
-1 teaspoon sweet paprika
-1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
-2 bay leaves
-1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
-3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
-4 medium carrots, peeled
-3 medium parsnips, peeled
-1 medium rutabaga (about 3/4 pound), peeled
-1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-2 teaspoons arrowroot or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
-1-2 tablespoons water

Ingredient Note: Brisket cuts are notoriously fatty. But the flat, first-cut section is a far better choice for healthy eating than the fattier point cut. Don't worry about a first-cut being tough there's enough juice in this melange of root vegetables to keep the meat moist, no matter how lean it is.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the brisket and cook until browned, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the allspice, thyme, paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaves, then pour in the vermouth (or wine). Bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.

Stir in the broth and return the brisket to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Bring to a simmer. Cover, place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, parsnips and rutabaga into 2 x 1/2-inch sticks.

Transfer the brisket to a plate. Using a slotted spoon, remove and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries (if using). Stir the mustard into the sauce. Add the carrots, parsnips and rutabaga. Return the brisket to the pot; cover and bake for 1 hour more.

Test the vegetables and brisket for tenderness by piercing with the tip of a sharp knife. As they get done, transfer to a cutting board or platter, cover with foil and set aside. If necessary, continue to cook, testing for doneness every 20 minutes. Total cooking time for the brisket may range from 2 1/2 - 5 hours, depending on the particular piece of meat.

Skim the fat from the sauce. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to reduce and intensify flavors. Dissolve the arrowroot in 1 tablespoon water (or cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water); add to the simmering sauce and cook, stirring constantly, just until thickened, about 10 seconds.

Thinly slice the brisket against the grain and arrange the slices on a serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, mound the vegetables around the brisket. Spoon half the sauce over the meat and vegetables; pass the remaining sauce separately.

Ingredients

-8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
-2 teaspoons hot paprika
-1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
-1/2 teaspoon salt

Tip: Chicken thighs are higher in fat than other cuts, but have the benefit of full-flavored, juicy meat. To minimize the fat, be sure to remove the skin and trim thighs thoroughly. For quick cooking, choose boneless, skinless thighs. When slow-cooking, such as braising, bone-in thighs work best because they will retain their moisture better. Two 2- to 3-ounce boneless thighs yield a 3-ounce cooked portion.

Directions

Place chicken in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Whisk yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, mint and salt in a separate bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard marinade). Place the chicken on a broiler rack and broil until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake until the chicken is juicy and just cooked through, about 15 minutes longer. (Thigh meat will appear dark pink, even when cooked through). Serve immediately.

Ingredients

-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1-1 1/4 pounds), trimmed, tenders removed
-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-Freshly ground pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil

Tip: Chicken tenders, virtually fat-free, are a strip of rib meat typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but they can also be purchased separately. Four 1-ounce tenders will yield a 3-ounce cooked portion. Tenders are perfect for quick stir-fries, chicken satay or kid-friendly breaded "chicken fingers."

Directions

Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin, meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish; dredge the chicken (discard any leftover flour).

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until well browned and no longer pink in the center, 4-5 minutes per side. Serve.

Ingredients

For Salad:
-4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
-1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
-2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For Steak:
-1 pound boneless rib-eye steak, about 1-inch thick, trimmed of fat and cut into 4 portions
-1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
-Chimichurri sauce, for serving

Tip: Meat-Buying Tips:
Make sure that packaged meat isn't past its "sell-by" date and that there's not much moisture in the packaging.
Touch it if possible—it should be firm and not soft.
Look for bright red (not gray) meat. Vacuum-packed meat will be darker looking and should turn red as soon as it's exposed to air.

Companion recipe:Chimichurri Sauce

Directions

Preheat the grill to high.

To prepare the salad: Combine the tomatoes, onion, oil and vinegar in a medium bowl. Season with the salt and pepper.

To prepare the steak: Rub the steak with the oil. Season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Grill the steak 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Allow the steak to rest 5 minutes; serve with the salad on the side and a dollop of chimichurri sauce on top.

Ingredients

-One 14-ounce package refrigerated piecrust (you will only need 1 crust)
-8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed
-1 small red onion, sliced
-1 cup chopped cooked peeled potatoes
-5 large eggs
-1 1/2 cups whole milk
-1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Taking one crust from the piecrust package, unroll and line the inside of a 9-inch pie plate. Save the other crust for another use. Using fingers, create a fluted edge. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, cook the sausage, about 8 to 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break up the large pieces. Remove the sausage and let cool. In the same pan, cook the onions in the grease till softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cheese, salt and pepper together. Gently stir in the sausage, onion and potatoes.

Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Bake in the oven until the eggs are set, about 45 to 50 minutes.