Bean and Legume

We topped these burgers with smoked Cheddar cheese, but you can use another type of cheese, or omit it entirely. To clean the mushroom caps, wipe them with a damp paper towel; do not rinse or soak them because they will remain soggy even after cooking.

The ingredients can be prepared the day before and refrigerated.

The lentils can be made up to a day in advance and the salad assembled at the last minute. Poached or grilled chicken breast would produce equally appetizing results.

To reduce the fat, we eliminated the cheese and toasted the corn tortillas in the oven rather than frying them in oil.

You can use tarragon in place of chervil.

To prevent the lentils from becoming too soft as they cool, spread them on a baking sheet.

You can prepare the vegetables up to 2 hours before serving and keep them covered in the refrigerator. If desired, include some poblano or other chiles along with the peppers. You can substitute feta cheese for the ricotta salata.

Cannellini are white Italian kidney beans. Try substituting cranberry, pinto, or other dried beans in this salad. To save time, use canned beans in place of dried.

Piquant jalapeño chiles complement the earthy flavor of black-eyed peas in this fiber-rich side salad; they also add crunch, along with the diced red onion.

To pit the olives, place them on a cutting board, and press firmly with your thumb. The olives will split, and the pits can be easily removed.