Spicy Potato & Kale Soup

Spicy sausage—in this case, chorizo—pairs beautifully with hearty greens. If you like, substitute collard or mustard greens for the kale. If you can’t get chorizo, hot Italian sausage will also work in this soup.

Makes 2 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/4 cup halved and sliced chorizo sausage (see Note)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup water
1 small russet potato, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
4 cups kale, ribs removed, thinly sliced (see Tips for Two)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook, stirring, until browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate; wipe out the pot.
2. Heat oil in the pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add broth, water, potato and garlic; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potato is tender, 6 to 9 minutes. Lightly mash the potato with a wooden spoon. Add kale, a handful at a time, waiting until it has wilted before adding more. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chorizo and season with pepper.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 206 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 16 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 4 g fiber; 306 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (380% daily value), Vitamin C (120% dv), Potassium (19% dv).

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 high fat meat, 1 fat


1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings

TIP: Note: Chorizo, a spicy pork sausage seasoned with paprika and chili, is originally from Spain and is often used in Mexican cooking. Chorizo can be made with raw or smoked, ground or chopped pork. Chorizo is available at well-stocked supermarkets, specialty food stores or online at tienda.com. Chorizo can be found in the deli section of most large supermarkets.

Tips for Two: Refrigerate leftover kale, preferably in a perforated plastic bag, for 5 to 10 days. Substitute kale in Sautéed Swiss Chard with Chile & Garlic; add during the last 4 minutes while cooking pasta; sauté with minced garlic and extra-virgin olive oil for an omelet filling or to stir into scrambled eggs.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Crab Salad Melts

This crab and asparagus melt is delicious for a light spring dinner or lunch. You can use any type of crabmeat—including more affordable options available in pouches or cans near other canned fish or in tubs in the seafood department. Serve with a tossed salad.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 25 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

3 asparagus spears or 12 snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
8 ounces crabmeat, any shells or cartilage removed
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 scallion, finely chopped
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
2-5 dashes hot sauce
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1. Place rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler.
2. Place asparagus (or snow peas) in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 1 teaspoon water. Cover and microwave until tender, about 30 seconds. Add crab, celery, bell pepper, scallion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, hot sauce to taste and pepper; stir to combine.
3. Place English muffin halves, cut-side up, on a large baking sheet. Spread a generous 1/4 cup of the crab salad on each muffin half and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, 3 to 6 minutes.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 251 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 52 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrate; 22 g protein; 5 g fiber; 629 mg sodium; 234 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Calcium (33% daily value), Vitamin C (20% dv), Folate & Magnesium (15% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 2 lean meat

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Beef & Bean Chile Verde

Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeños and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa. Make it a Meal: Serve with fresh cilantro, red onion and Monterey Jack. Add cornbread on the side and your favorite hot sauce.

Makes 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 pound 93%-lean ground beef
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 16-ounce jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce
1/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed

Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 307 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 3 g mono); 64 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 6 g fiber; 516 mg sodium; 641 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (100% daily value), Vitamin A & Zinc (40% dv), Folate (20% dv), Potassium (18% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 3 lean meat

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat just before serving.

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CHINESE-SPICED SALMON WITH FRAGRANT NOODLES

A recipe that's simplicity itself, and is so easy you can make it and chat at the same time! It's even easier if you skin the salmon, cut it into chunks, and stir fry it with the noodles, as in the picture.

6 salmon fillets, 350g (2 1/2 cups) rice noodles, bunch of spring onions (scallions), shredded, 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped, 1 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), washed and chopped, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 fresh green chilli, seeded and finely chopped, or more, to taste
For the marinade 4 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 5cm piece root ginger, peeled and grated, 2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder,2 tsp sugar.

Serves 6: Mix the marinade ingredients. Put the salmon in a shallow bowl, and coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hr. Heat a large non-stick frying pan, take the salmon out of the marinade and cook the fillets until well browned and done right through, turning once or twice. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to packet instructions and drain well. Remove salmon from pan and keep warm. Put the cooked noodles in the pan with the marinade, spring onions, garlic, coriander (cilantro), sesame seeds and chilli and stir fry until hot. Put a portion of noodles on each plate, topped with a salmon fillet.

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Thai Green Chicken Curry

It's delicious, fragrant and very simple. I like to use creamed coconut sold in a block (actually, I like to pare bits off and eat them while I'm cooking!), but you can substitute canned coconut milk.

Serves 4: 1 large onion, finely sliced, a little sunflower oil, 2 large chicken breasts, skinned and cubed,1-2 tbsp green curry paste, 100g (1 cup) creamed coconut

Cook the onion gently in the oil until softened. Add the chicken, then stir in the curry paste. Boil some water in the kettle, and pour around 200ml into a heatproof measuring jug. Grate the creamed coconut, and stir it into the boiling water until dissolved. Pour this mixture over the chicken and stir well. Bring the mixture back to the boil, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Serve with rice.

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Slow-baked Aromatic Chicken

This is a speedier version of an Italian recipe from Orvieto. The beauty of this dish is that you can stick it in the oven and forget about it for 90 minutes. Don't panic at the amount of garlic, it turns sweet and mild as it bakes, and the meat ends up meltingly tender. If there's any left over, you can take the meat off the bone and use it in a pasta sauce the next day.

Serves 6: 6 chicken legs, each cut into 2 pieces, 220g (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved, 24 cloves of garlic (no need to skin them),100g (1 cup) black olives, stoned, large handful fresh basil, olive oil.

Heat the oven to 350F/180C/gas 4. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and pack tightly, in a single layer, into a roasting tin. Scatter over the halved tomatoes, black olives, garlic and chopped basil. Pour over a fine line of olive oil. Bake the dish for around 90 minutes, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone. Serve with new potatoes or pasta. Leave the garlic cloves whole, and let people squish out the juicy innards with their forks as they eat.

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