These main-course options for lunch or dinner show that you don't have to sacrifice taste to keep your fat consumption under 15 grams per meal. To round them out, add a steamed vegetable, fruit or salad without added oil.

Sesame Noodles in Peanut Sauce

8 servings
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 15-20 minutes

1 pound thin spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 glove garlic
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cucumber, julienned
2 carrots, peeled and shredded

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain it and transfer to a large bowl. Set it aside. In a blender container, combine the peanut butter, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil. Blend until smooth. Toss the peanut sauce with the spaghetti. Add the cucumber and carrots.

— From "Quick Meal Solutions" by Sandra K. Nissenberg, Margaret L. Bogle

and Audrey C. Wright (John Wiley & Sons, $15.95)

Per serving: 265 calories (percent of calories from fat, 20), 10 grams protein, 45 grams carbohydrates, 3.5 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 0 milligrams cholesterol, 695 milligrams sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: The carrots make this dish rich in vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin needed for healthy skin and immunity.

Calypso Chicken Packages

4 servings
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunks in unsweetened pineapple juice, undrained
3/4 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans
3/4 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch strips and place in a large bowl. Drain the pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice. In a large bowl, combine the drained pineapple and reserved pineapple juice with the black beans, corn, cilantro, chili powder, salt, red pepper and chicken. Toss well.

Tear off four 10-inch pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and mound one-fourth of the chicken mixture into the center of each piece of foil. Fold the foil over the mixture and seal well. Place on a baking sheet. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Unwrap and serve.

— From "The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan" by Barbara Rolls and Robert A. Barnett (Quill, $13)

Per serving: 250 calories (percent of calories from fat, 14), 31 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 4 grams fat (less than 2 grams saturated), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 358 milligrams sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: Serve this with steamed brown rice to keep the fat grams low and calories under 400 per serving.

Spinach and Sausage Lasagna

12 servings
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours

1 pound lean turkey or chicken sausage, casing removed
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
3 cups low-fat ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites
1 (29-ounce) can low-sodium tomato sauce
9 oven-ready lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Add the onion, garlic and sage and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until the sausage is no longer pink. In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta with the spinach, Parmesan cheese and egg whites and set aside.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with 3 noodles. Top the noodles with 1/2 of the spinach mixture, 1/2 of the sausage mixture, 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce. Repeat the layering with 3 more noodles, the remaining spinach mixture, sausage, 1/2 cup shredded cheese and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Top with the remaining noodles, sauce and 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with the nonstick cooking spray and cover the lasagna. Bake for 45 minutes; remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

— From "Feed Your Family Right" by Elisa Zied and Ruth Winter (John Wiley & Sons, $16.95)

Per serving: 340 calories (percent of calories from fat, 26), 23 grams protein, 39 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (4.5 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 440 milligrams sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: To keep the fat grams below 15, make sure to keep the portion size small (makes 12 servings per pan) and serve with a green salad with fat-free dressing and crusty bread with no added fat.

Mexican Pinwheels

1 serving
Hands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

2 tablespoons canned fat-free refried beans
1 (10-inch) whole wheat tortilla
2 tablespoons diced tomato
2 tablespoons drained cooked corn, cooled
1 tablespoon reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons mashed avocado
1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons salsa

Spread the refried beans over the tortilla. Sprinkle tomato, corn, cheese and cilantro onto the refried beans. Mix avocado, sour cream and salsa and spread on top of the bean mixture. Roll up and chill for at least 2 hours. Slice into 1-inch pinwheels.

— From "The Healthy Lunchbox" by Marie McClendon and Cristy Shauck (Small Steps Press, $12.95)

Per serving: 340 calories (percent of calories from fat, 24), 10 grams protein, 54 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 9 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 1 milligram cholesterol, 565 milligrams sodium.

Nutritional bonus points: A filling lunch or dinner item that can stand alone.