Directions

• 1Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and bell peppers, sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl.
• 2Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot. Add eggplant, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until browned in places, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the vegetables.
• 3Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the pot. Add zucchini, sprinkle with the remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until browned in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Add beans, cherry (or grape) tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, pepper and the reserved vegetables; stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 4Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add polenta rounds and cook until golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn each slice and cook until browned on the second side, about 5 minutes more.
• 5Stir capers into the ratatouille. Serve the polenta and the ratatouille topped with pine nuts.

• Tips: Look for convenient tubes of precooked polenta in the pasta aisle or near refrigerated tofu at the supermarket.

Directions

• Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place facedown in a microwave-safe dish; add water. Microwave, uncovered, on High until the flesh can be easily scraped with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape the squash flesh into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the moisture is evaporated and the squash is beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup parsley. Remove from heat, cover and let stand.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining ¼ cup parsley, ¼ cup Parmesan, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, onion powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add turkey; gently mix to combine (do not overmix). Using about 2 tablespoons each, form into 12 meatballs.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, reduce heat to medium and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, 4 to 6 minutes. Push the meatballs to the side of the pan, add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper to taste, the remaining ¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir to coat the meatballs. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes more.
• Serve the sauce and meatballs over the squash, sprinkled with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan.

Directions

• Working over a medium nonreactive bowl, suprême grapefruit (see Tips). Squeeze the membranes to extract any extra juice. Measure 3 tablespoons juice into a large nonreactive bowl; save the remaining juice for another use.
• Whisk ¼ cup oil into the large bowl along with vinegar, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
• To serve, toss lettuce, cabbage, and onion with the remaining dressing in the large bowl. Divide among 4 plates. Top with the shrimp and the grapefruit segments. Season with pepper, if desired, and garnish with cilantro.

• Tips: Be sure to use a nonreactive bowl—stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass—when working with acidic food like grapefruit. Reactive vessels, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart off colors and/or flavors.
• To suprême: Use this technique to get pretty, pith-free citrus sections every time. Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the fruit with a large sharp knife. Place on a cutting board. Remove the peel and white pith below, following the curve of the fruit as you go. Working over a bowl, switch to a small sharp knife and cut each segment from the surrounding membranes. Squeeze any extra juice from the membranes, if desired.

Directions

• Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Grate 2 teaspoons zest from the orange. Slice ½ inch off the ends and squeeze juice from them into a medium saucepan; add the zest. Set aside.
• Cut the rest of the orange in half then cut into ¼-inch slices. Toss in a large bowl with green beans, onion, olives, oil, wine, salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared pan. Toss chicken with za’atar in the bowl, then place on top of the green bean mixture.
• Roast on the bottom rack until the green beans are tender and the chicken is no longer pink in the middle, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add broth and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper to the saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve with the chicken and vegetables.

• Spice blends like za’atar give you big flavor from just one ingredient. A mix of thyme, sumac, salt, sesame seeds and sometimes other herbs, look for it in the bulk spice section of natural-food stores, in specialty-food stores or on amazon.com. To make your own mix: Blend 1 tsp. each ground sumac, sesame seeds and dried thyme with ¼ tsp. salt.
• Chicken tenders require zero prep (just rip open the package) and cook in a snap because they’re so thin, which makes them perfect for fast weeknight meals. The tender is typically found attached to the underside of the chicken breast, but can also be purchased separately.
• Many whole grains take 30-plus minutes to cook, but whole-wheat couscous is ready in five. It’s a flavor sponge, so serve with a saucy dish or try stirring fresh herbs or citrus juice into it, as we do here. If you don’t like the taste of whole-wheat, don’t worry—it’s mellow in couscous.
• Easy cleanup: Recipes that require cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that can be hard to clean. To save time and keep your baking sheet looking fresh, line it with a layer of foil before you apply the cooking spray.