Arugula

If you don’t have time to make the fig jam from scratch, look for a good-quality version at your grocery store. Asiago cheese has a mild, nutty flavor; parmesan cheese can be used in its place.

SMART SUBSTITUTION Whole-wheat tortillas contain fewer calories than traditional pizza crusts, and they crisp quickly in the oven. Topping each round with just a sprinkle of part-skim mozzarella and a few shavings of pecorino cheese also results in a lighter pizza. Complete the low-calorie meal with an arugula salad.

WHY IT’S LIGHT A very thin pork cutlet is a healthful main course meat, even after sautéing in olive oil; the secret is to only dredge in flour and skip the more traditional bread-crumb coatings. Fill out the plate with vegetables such as leafy greens and sautéed cherry tomatoes.

GOOD TO KNOW Often served raw in salads, peppery arugula can also be heated briefly until wilted, just like spinach. It pairs nicely not only with shrimp, as in this quick sauté, but also with chicken, steak, and sharp cheeses, such as Parmesan and Pecorino Romano.

WHY IT’S LIGHT A springtime pasta dish forgoes heavy sauce in favor of a toss-together topping of arugula, lemon zest and juice, and extra-virgin olive oil. A generous amount of Pecorino Romano cheese ensures the dish satisfies both appetite and palate.

WHY IT’S LIGHT Serving small, lean steaks—only five to six ounces each—along with a lightly dressed salad of cauliflower and arugula keeps this meal low in calories. The only added oil is used in the dressing. The steak is seared in a dry skillet; the cauliflower is browned in the juices left behind.

GOOD TO KNOW Succulent yet lean, scallops can be seared on the stove without adding much—if any—butter or oil. Be sure to heat the skillet until very hot before adding the scallops, and wait until a crust forms before turning them, to prevent tearing. Browned butter (beurre noisette in French) and hazelnuts add richness, without tipping the scales.

GOOD TO KNOW Sweet-tasting butternut squash is easier to prepare than some other hard-skinned winter squashes, and is even sweeter when roasted until it caramelizes. It’s also extremely versatile: Toss it into a salad, slice it into “fries” and dust with spices, or drizzle roasted haves with maple butter.

FLAVOR BOOSTER Roasted vegetables are delicious—and healthful—on their own, but for variety, try tossing them with herbs or spices before cooking. Here, carrots and cauliflower are seasoned with cumin; feel free to experiment with similar ground spices. For the best flavor, lightly toast and grind the cumin seeds (or other spices) yourself.

GOOD TO KNOW Citrus fruits are excellent not just for eating out of hand, but also as substantial components of salads, particularly in the winter months, when other fresh produce can be difficult to come by. Here, orange slices are tossed with arugula and endive, and orange juice brightens the dressing.

Rocket and arugula are both common names for the spicy salad plant Eruca vesicaria, which has dark green, lobed leaves that taste nutty and peppery.

Frittatas are the perfect centerpiece for a brunch spread because they can be served warm or at room temperature. This one brings two classic brunch favorites—lox and eggs—together into one very attractive dish. Serving bagels on the side, though decidedly not Italian, is a nice option.

At Christmas time in Italy every visitor seems to show up with a panettone for his host, meaning most homes end up with lots of extra panettone. I’ve become pretty creative when it comes to finding new uses for this delicious, fruit-laden yeast bread. Bread pudding is one obvious possibility, but I once cut some up for croutons and thought they were sensational. Combined with candy-sweet roasted fruits and peppery arugula, they make a very sophisticated dish to serve with poached eggs for brunch or alongside grilled chicken or chops.

I recently served this roast for the Thanksgiving holiday, thinking a departure from the usual turkey would be a welcome surprise—and it definitely was. The sweetness from the mustards absorbs into the meat, while the bacon keeps it nice and moist and adds a wonderful smokiness. Served over a lightly dressed fresh arugula salad, this will become a fast favorite—I promise.

Few things are more enticing than the smell of a chicken roasting, but for a special meal or a romantic evening such as Valentine’s Day, I like to serve game hens, so each person can have a whole bird of his or her own. It’s a beautiful presentation that is ridiculously easy to put together, and the pan juices, full of fresh citrus flavors, are especially delicious. If you prefer, though, you can easily make this with a large chicken; just increase the roasting time to 60 to 75 minutes, depending on its weight.

I don’t cook with jalapeño peppers often because I’m not a huge fan of spicy food, but when I was served grilled fish topped with a spicy pesto at a beach-side restaurant near San Diego, I loved the way the heat woke up the flavor of the fish. I thought it could do the same for pasta, and sure enough, it’s a great combo. Packed with spinach and arugula, this pesto is more condiment and less sauce than the typical basil pesto, and a bit lighter thanks to the substitution of walnuts for oily pine nuts. Fusilli is the perfect partner for any kind of pesto because the sauce gets trapped in the ridges so you get flavor in every bite. Serve leftovers of the dressed pasta with roasted chicken, fish, or beef.

These sandwiches are out-of-this-world fantastic! They’re my take on a tuna melt, complete with gooey cheddar cheese and a sweet-and-sour mayo, but with plenty of lemony tang and peppery arugula. Be sure to slather it on the bread generously before piling on the tuna steak, greens, and cheese to keep everything moist and delicious.

A quick way to add great flavor to many simple dinner dishes is already sitting in your pantry or cupboard: anchovies. Anchovies are among the original convenience foods and contribute an intense shot of complex brininess that is more like Parmigiano-Reggiano than like canned tuna. Use them, along with garlic, as the base for a bold tomato sauce or combine them, as I do here, with greens, garlic, oil, and chiles for a white sauce that packs a punch.

There are pasta sauces you can make in the time it takes the pasta-cooking water to come to a boil, and there are those that are really fast—those that can be made in the eight to ten minutes it takes to actually cook the pasta. This is one of the latter, one that boasts just a couple of main ingredients and a supporting cast of two staples.