Ingredients:
 
 

Shredded lettuce (pre-shredded if you’d prefer) or mixed baby greens

Cherry tomatoes or diced tomatoes

Baby carrots or pre-shredded carrots

Broccoli florets

Coleslaw cabbage, pre-shredded

Pre-shredded cheese, low-fat if preferred, optional

Canned beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Olives, black or green

Pickled beets (jarred), drained

Toasted sunflower seeds

Cottage cheese

Direction:

Two or three different types natural low-fat salad dressingsor cruets of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Suggested additions (any or all): Microwaved potatoes or sweet potatoes, plain or flavored yogurts, fresh bread or focaccia.
Strategy: If you are planning to serve potatoes, pop them in the oven first. Get your family together to open cans and jars, then place these items and the other items in serving bowls. Let everyone assemble their own salads.

Ingredients:
 

• Flour tortillas, burrito- or soft taco-size, warmed,or taco shells, warmed according to package direction
• 1 to 2 16-ounce cans Old El Paso fat-free refried beans (one can will make 6 to 8 burritos)
• Pre-shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (or grated cheddar-style soy cheese)
• Salsa of your choice
• Reduced-fat sour cream, soy yogurt, or plain low-fat yogurt
• Diced tomatoes
• Shredded lettuce
• Suggested accompaniments: Quick-cooking brown rice, cooked with a vegetable bouillon cube; black olives.

Direction:

Cook some quick brown rice according to package directions; warm the refried beans in a saucepan with a little water to loosen. Place everything on the table, letting everyone make their own burritos or tacos with any or all of the ingredients listed above.

A big pot of spaghetti the basis of a fun and festive meal. In the time it takes to cook the pasta, an antipasto platter of fresh vegetables and cheeses or soy items that need little or no preparation, can be composed. As an alternative to spaghetti, consider a type of frozen pasta instead: Cheese tortellini, ravioli, or cavatelli, or gnocchi (potato and semolina dumplings). For the pasta, you’ll need:

Ingredients:
 

1-pound package pasta (thin spaghetti and angel hair are quickest cooking)

1 28-ounce jar good-quality natural pasta (marinara) sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoesAnd for the antipasto, choose several from the following suggested items:

Jarred roasted red peppers, drained

Cured olives, black or green

Fresh mozzarella balls or very fresh tofu, diced and sprinkled with vinaigrette

Baby carrots

Pre-cut broccoli or cauliflower florets

Pepperoncini

Cherry tomatoes

Sliced green bell peppers and/or cut celery stalks

Suggested accompaniments: Fresh bread , a bowl of grated fresh Parmesan cheese to pass around.

 
Direction:

While bringing a large pot of water to a boil and cooking the pasta, prepare a platter or two of antipasto and slice the bread. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Stir in the pasta sauce (and if you’ve used dry pasta, the diced tomatoes). Warm up as needed. Serve the pasta on individual plates and let everyone take what they wish from the antipasto platters. Pass around the Parmesan cheese for topping the pasta.

Here’s a sandwich feast that never disappoints. And any meal made mainly at the table can’t be bad, either. You’ll need:

 
 
 

Ingredients:
 

• A loaf or two of long Italian bread (preferably whole grain) or individual hero rolls, fresh wrap breads, or soft lavash bread
• Soy deli slices and/or crisp-cooked soy “bacon”
• Thinly sliced tomatoes
• Very thinly sliced bell pepper rings
• Shredded lettuce
• Mustard
• Soy mayonnaise
• Suggested accompaniments: Pre-shredded coleslaw, simply dressed in a natural fat-free vinaigrette; pickles or pepperoncini; corn-on-the-cob.

 

Direction:

Simply place the hero or wrap ingredients on the table and let everyone assemble their own heroes or wraps. Serve the accompaniments alongside.