Chickpea

A slightly firm, mellow triple-crème, Mt. Tam cheese softens into this stew but doesn't melt. We like to add a little extra Sherry just before serving.

Round out your lunch: Add 1 small pear and 1 large hard pretzel.

Veggie perfection This nutrient-stuffed dish won't leave you hungry. What do you get when you give bell peppers center stage on your plate? A veggie-heavy meal that even a meat fiend will find too tempting to resist. Here we stuff antioxidant-rich bell peppers with couscous (a tiny, round pasta) and hardworking nutrient powerhouses like zucchini and yellow squash. The result? A meal low in fat, high in fiber, and loaded with vitamins A and C.

Chickpeas transform saucy mussels into a meal that's as hearty as it is seductive.

Ann Gillespie of Alexandria, Virginia, writes: "Because I'm balancing graduate school and a family, I try to cook things that don't take a lot of time. But I love experimenting with ingredients, so most of my recipes are easy to make and use interesting flavor combinations. The olives and cinnamon in this stew give it a nice Moroccan flavor. This dish balances sweet and savory with tangy Kalamata olives and golden raisins.

These satisfying tarts may incite "vegetarian envy" in your meat-eating guests. The recipe makes 4 sizable main-course portions, but the tarts could be halved (or even quartered) to serve as a side dish. Either way, they are delicious with the roasted mushroom and barley gravy.

Italy meets Greece in a dish that pairs well with grilled lamb or chicken. What to drink: A crisp Pinot Grigio or Grüner Veltliner.

Pasta and ChickPea Soup with Clams Roman osterias served this dish every Tuesday. It's an unusual way to combine ingredients from land and sea in one recipe. Follow with a green salad for an easy lunch or dinner.

These good-for-you sandwiches are low in fat and meatless.

Goes great with: Couscous flavored with chopped mint, toasted slivered almonds, and grated lemon peel. What to drink: Australian Shiraz or red Faugères from the Languedoc in France.

In this version of gremolata, garlic is omitted and rosemary and orange peel are added to the traditional mix of minced parsley and lemon peel.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

This recipe—inspired by a similar dish served at the fabulously fast-paced lunch counter Cal Pep, in Barcelona, Spain—is terrific with pork chops or roast chicken. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Builds a simple meal around this very easy soup; just adds cheese and fruit to complete the menu.