DINNER - ENTREES
21. Scatter sliced tomatoes, bagged spinach, roasted bottled peppers or sliced squash over a frozen cheese pizza.
22. Toss prepackaged or precut vegetables (mushrooms, cauliflower, onions, tomatoes, etc.) from the produce counter or salad bar into stir-fries or salads, or sauté and add to jarred spaghetti sauce.
23. Top a plain grilled or broiled chicken breast or fish fillet with a hefty ladleful ofprepared salsa.
24. Substitute strands of cooked spaghetti squash for pasta noodles and top with marinara sauce for a double dose of veggie power.
25. For a quick pasta dish: Cook 16 ounces of pasta for about 5 minutes, then add a 1-pound bag of frozen vegetable mix. Continue cooking until pasta and vegetables are done. Drain and toss with olive oil or butter and salt and pepper. Other possible mix-ins: red pepper flakes, sliced fresh basil, Parmesan cheese or lemon pepper (if not using black pepper).
26. Easier yet: Add a package of broccoli to pasta during last 3 minutes of boiling and top with garlic olive oil.
27. Supplement traditional meat chili with diced eggplant, bell pepper, carrot or canned tomato. Better yet, use ground turkey in place of the meat, or make it vegetarian with cooked legumes such as kidney beans or lentils, or cooked bulgur wheat.
28. Combine leftover vegetables and rice for a quick fried rice.
29. Instead of a hamburger, try brushing a meaty-flavored portobello mushroom cap with a little olive oil and grilling or broiling it. Add a slice of cheese for extra protein; serve as is or on a hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato, sprouts or other veggies. You'll save fat and calories as well as upping your veggie intake.
30. Thread chunks of bell pepper, onion, squash, eggplant, cherry tomato or other veggies — alternating, if desired, with chunks of meat or chicken — for a kebab to broil or grill. For extra flavor, marinate at least an hour or overnight in your favorite salad dressing or marinade.
DINNER - SIDES
31. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables and gives them a deep, rich flavor. Buy prepackaged vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, drizzle with a little olive oil and roast at 425 degrees until tender. This works for all sorts of vegetables, including carrots, butternut squash, tomatoes and onions. Start checking for doneness at 10 minutes; the smaller the cut-up vegetables, the more quickly they'll be ready. Larger vegetables may take up to 50 minutes.
32. Accompany any entree with broiled seasoned vegetables: Place a rack with very small open squares on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Place bagged mixed frozen vegetables, a few teaspoons olive oil, salt, pepper and dried herbs (such as rosemary or thyme) in a plastic bag. Shake to coat the vegetables with the oil and seasonings. Spread on the broiler rack. Broil 6 minutes 4 inches from the heat source.
33. Make a fast and healthy salad of shredded carrots (buy them bagged for convenience), raisins, a squeeze of lemon and a little sugar. Make extras for lunch the next day.
34. Add currants, sliced green onions, grated carrot and a dash of curry powder to couscous, and serve with chicken.
35. Top mashed potatoes with sautéed onions or shallots. Or for variety and extra nutrition, substitute parsnips for all or some of the potatoes.
36. Bagged, pre-washed spinach could not be simpler to prepare: Dump the bag into a pot with just a few tablespoons water, cover and steam over high heat for about a minute, just until wilted. Season with a little butter or sesame oil if desired, along with salt and pepper.
37. Add orange, grapefruit or pear wedges to an arugula salad.
38. Bagged slaw or broccoli slaw is good not only in salads but for quick sautéeing as a side dish, or for mixing into pasta or rice.
39. Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse of fiber and cancer-fighting beta-carotene. And they're so flavorful, they need no embellishment; simply bake or microwave them. Make an extra, and take it to work for a healthy snack or lunch; they're great reheated in the microwave.
40. Applesauce, cranberry sauce or other fruit sauces or salsas are tasty accompaniments to simple pork dishes.
SNACKS/DESSERTS
41. Keep a fruit bowl in full view on the counter for quick snacks or to grab on the way to work.
42. Keep individual bags of baby carrots in easy reach at home, in a school lunchbox or in a desk drawer at work.
43. For dip, make or buy a low-fat bean dip — more veggies — or use low-fat salad dressing or yogurt.
44. Keep a stash of frozen berries in the freezer to top frozen yogurt, sorbet or angel food cake. Frozen cherries are a sweet, icy treat straight from the bag.
45. Don't want to cut up apples? Buy bagged, sliced apples in the supermarket produce section. Use for snacks or to mix with raisins and a little mayonnaise and walnuts for a Waldorf salad.
46. Use canned, mini-dice, seasoned tomatoes to make a quick bruschetta: Slice crusty bread, brush with a little olive oil and top with a spoonful of tomatoes. Place slices on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees until bread is slightly toasted and tomatoes are warm.
47. Try these low-fat bean nachos at your next party: Spread baked tortilla chips with vegetarian refried beans, salsa or canned chopped tomatoes with chiles and grated Monterey Jack cheese. Add sliced jalapeños and/or chopped cilantro if you like. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through.
48. Make mini peanut butter sandwiches, substituting thinly sliced apples or dried apricots for bread.
49. Top celery sticks with light cream cheese or peanut butter, and top with raisins.
50. Pour 100 percent fruit juice into ice cube trays and freeze for mini popsicles.
>> Hungry for more? A few more tips...
