Leafy Greens

Serve with white rice to soak up the juices. A bottle of Gewürztraminer would pair nicely with the spiciness of the shrimp.

Dried cranberries can be used in place of the pomegranate seeds in this recipe.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

"When our travel plans changed and my husband and I found ourselves in Tampa overnight, we got a hotel room and then went searching for a restaurant," writes Lee Menconi-Steiger of San Pablo, California. "Our concierge recommended SideBern's for dinner — and it was outstanding. We tried dozens of delicious items from their dim sum menu, but the dish I remember best is the Pacific Rim Caesar salad." Top this salad with seared tuna or scallops to make it into a main course for four.

Marjorie Farr, Silver Spring, Md.
Use fresh spinach in this dish — frozen will not do. A sprinkle of parsley before serving adds a fresh touch.

Carol Gilbert of Saratoga, California, writes: "I've been many things in my life — including a teacher and a stay-at-home mom — but now, at 63, I am a one-person technical documentation department for a start-up company. The hours are not nine to five, so I can't put vast amounts of time into cooking these days, but I have never lost my love for it. Nevertheless, I cook about five nights a week for myself and my husband, David. Despite the long days, I want to have a home-cooked meal in the evening. So, I'm organized: I draw up a weekly menu plan, make a shopping list, and take one trip to the market. I could not survive without my plan!" You can substitute Boston or butter lettuce if Bibb isn't available. Save even more prep time by using packaged candied walnuts or other nuts that are now widely available and are often displayed in the produce or snack aisles of the supermarket.

Swiss Chard a l'Italienne Swiss chard is a rare gift of winter, and this is my favorite way to eat it. You can use this as a base and add tomato sauce, cheese, or hot peppers.

Toss this delicious pesto with 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite pasta, or spread it on slices of Italian bread.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 45 min

Many dark, leafy greens, like kale, contain calcium. The beans have it, too.

Sheenga Chat Here is a wonderful recipe of the chettinad (the business community) of Madras whose food often reflects a fusion of northern and southern flavors. In this shrimp preparation, for example, both Curry Powder and Garam Masala are used to achieve intriguingly complex results.

This uncooked soup isn't for the timid — raw garlic, ginger, and shallot impart strong flavors. Unless you can get freshly made vegetable juice from your local juice bar, you will need an electric juicer to make the tomato or carrot juice. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

"Years ago, I was working on a client at my hair salon when we realized that our conversations always led to food," writes Sandy Ercolano of Ridgewood, New Jersey. "She happened to be taking classes at a local cooking school and suggested that I come along. After one class, I was hooked. Now, in addition to running the salon, I'm an instructor at that same school." You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy these delicious toasted sandwiches, which are skillet-grilled on the stovetop. For added visual appeal, finish in a ridged grill pan.