Broil

The olive-oil-glazed potatoes make a perfect accompaniment to this dish.

With the mercury rising, who wants to feast on a winter stew? Lighten up with this dish from Sondra Bernstein, author of The Girl & the Fig Cookbook (Simon &Schuster). It features fresh herbs and veggies and a protein-packed halibut fillet. Then, instead of hitting the couch to digest, you can hit the pavement for an after-dinner stroll.

Patty savvy: With a mere 12 minutes of prep time and more meat for fewer calories, a homemade burger can't be beat. Ours uses extra-lean ground beef; fast food makers go for cheaper, fattier grinds. And our patty is sandwiched between a whole-wheat bun for a fiber hit.

Morning rush hour fix: For a low-cal breakfast on the run, it's hard to top Weight Watchers SmartOnes (210 calories, 5 grams fat). How did this supermarket standby beat Self's own recipe? Not everything in one lowfat egg patty comes from the henhouse. It also has cornstarch, xanthan gum, and artificial flavoring. Our homemade recipe uses 100 percent egg, which is naturally higher in fat.

Saturday lunch. From Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. Go ahead and pack it in: This chicken salad tastes deceptively creamy, but unlike the old-fashioned mayo-drenched variety, it is held together with tangy nonfat yogurt. The sweet and spicy flavor is a pleasure for your palate, and the flavonoids in the grapes are a boon to the heart.

A healthier fish stick (the secret is in the skewer!)
Feeling Zen at Tao, the trendy Asian eatery in New York City, is a major challenge — even with the center-stage 16-foot Buddha. The movie theater turned hot spot packs in hundreds of diners each night (and it's a favorite of P. Diddy and the New York Giants). But executive chef Sam Hazen's miso-marinated sea bass satay may be as close to inner peace as you can get while you're sitting at a dinner table. And let us enlighten you: This delectable lowfat dish is packed with protein, vitamin A and folate.

A protein-and-veggie-packed omelette alternative Eggs get the fancy treatment with this frittata, adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café (Hyperion), the latest by the Moosewood Cookbook author. The dish easily feeds a crowd, and because it uses egg whites in place of some yolks, fat content stays within a healthy range. Self added lean turkey bacon for flavor, but it's worth a gobble with or without the meat.

You'll crave it because it's pizza; you'll love it because it's so good for you. Bake this pie directly on an oven rack for a nice, crisp crust.

Eastern expert: Ming Tsai, chef-owner of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts, star and creator of the show East Meets West With Ming Tsai on the Food Network. What you'll love: The fresh and healthy idea of combining raw greens with pasta. Said one taster, "I'd never thought to do that before, but I'd do it again."

Make this multicolored salad a day ahead and chill it overnight for best flavor.

You'll need to start marinating the meat at least a day ahead. It can be cooked up to 2 days in advance of serving.

An intense Mediterranean topping really brightens the flavor of this fish.

No other vegetable signals spring like asparagus. In this recipe, it makes for a rich, creamy side dish that's beyond delicious. We love it with a simple roast chicken.

Selma Hurwitz of Potomac, Maryland, writes: "I'm an artist, which helps explain why I think cooking is very creative. You can't be afraid to experiment in the kitchen. I often get ideas from cookbooks and recipes from friends, and I'll add my own touches. The salmon recipe here is based on one a friend gave me. I added more wine, and sometimes I use capers to give the sauce a zesty tang." Broiling caramelizes the sugar and gives the salmon a deeper flavor.

Note that the chops need to marinate for at least three days, so begin preparing this dish well in advance. What to drink: A white wine with snappy acidity and lemon-lime notes, like dry Riesling or Grüner Veltliner.

Vinegar, soy, Sherry, and maple syrup create a wonderfully balanced glaze for this mackerel; it takes on a beautiful caramel sheen during cooking.