lemony penne with chickpeas, feta and tomatoes

While this dish is yummy and super flexible, the best things about it are how healthy and easy it is. I like to eat vegetarian dishes once a week or so, but I like to find meals that don't feel like they're missing something. Chickpeas and other beans usually satisfy me and provide good protein without unhealthy fats. It's a good trade off. This is a great, simple weeknight meal that squeaks in lots of good veg and whole grain. I put everything together while I waited for the pasta to boil and then stirred it together in a pretty bowl. I was in and out of the kitchen - including doing the dishes - in less than 30 minutes. Perfect.

Lemony Pasta with Chickpeas, Feta and Tomatoes

To mix it up, try adding spinach, cooked chicken, broccoli, mushrooms or other add-ins.

• 8 ounces whole-grain penne
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots or onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 chopped red bell pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese 
• 1/3 cup small fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 Greek seasoning (or dried Oregano)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 lemon rind, grated (use up to a whole lemon to taste) 

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in bell pepper and chickpeas; sauté 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in pasta and reserved cooking liquid; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add feta, Parmesan and remaining ingredients; toss to combine.

 Want other easy, healthy weeknight meal ideas? Try these:

• White bean chicken chili
• Minestrone
• Slow-cooked stuffed peppers
• Turkey burgers with avocado and manchego

summer salads, part four: loaded lentil salad with feta, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette

My mom used to make lentils and being the weird kid that I was, I loved them. I used to skip the second round of steak and instead scoop more of the little green-grey legumes onto my plate. A recent trip to an eclectic cafe & brewery brought them back into my life through a loaded lentil salad, served with a homemade vinaigrette. Simple and delicious, I knew I could make it at home. And for $1.29, I got an entire bag of lentils that should last me a year. Nice.

So, that's what we had for lunch one day this past weekend. We topped a bed of lettuce with cooled, soft lentils, chickpeas, diced tomato and cucumber, walnuts, salty feta cheese and drizzled it all with a homemade raspberry vinaigrette - but, for the record, any balsamic vinaigrette would be delicious.

And for the record, lentils are low calorie, yet jam-packed with fiber and protein (these bad boys give soybeans a run for their money!), folate and B vitamins. Show them no mercy and get creative with them. This salad is just one of the many ways to enjoy them.

Loaded Lentil Salad with Feta, Walnuts and Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette
Raspberry Vinaigrette (makes enough for about three salads)

• 1/2 c canola or olive oil
• 1/2 raspberry balsamic vinegar (or standard balsamic vinegar if you want to skip the fruity dressing)
• 1/4 c (or less) of sugar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper

Shake the above ingredients vigorously in a small jar with a lid until combined. Set aside and make the salad.
Salad

• Lettuce - red leaf, spring mix and spinach are good choices
• Diced tomatoes
• Chopped cucumbers
• Scallions, sliced on an angle
• 3/4 c cooked lentils (as directed, just be sure to add a little salt to the water, and cooled)*
• 1/2 c chickpeas, drained
• Walnuts
• Crumbled feta (gorgonzola would be good, too)
• Pepper

Assemble salad and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.

*Note: Cook lentils like you would rice, but don't expect all of the water to be absorbed. You'll need to drain the lentils when they're soft.

Also check out:

• Summer salads, part one: smoked turkey salad with cranberries and bleu cheese
• Summer salads, part two: grilled shrimp salads with basil-garlic dressing
• Summer salads, part three: spinach and bacon salad with grilled peaches and homemade bleu cheese dressing
• Summer salads, part five: thai chicken salad with peanut dressing
• Thai ginger-honey beef salad

red-pepper tabbouleh for lunch

There's something very alluring about the dishes of the Mediterranean. They're colorful and bright, are rich and healthy (almost an oxymoron), and have strong, lasting flavors like lemon, garlic and herbs, salty cheeses and nutty grains. Delish. Two of my favorites include hummus and tabbouleh.

Tabbouleh seems kinda fancy, doesn't it? Well, believe it or not, it's pretty simple. Admittedly, there is a lot of veggie chopping, but the bulgar needs 15 minutes or anyways so to soften in hot water. Not a bad trade-off: 10 minutes of chopping for healthy lunches all week long.

Tabbouleh is such a flexible food, too. Both a side and main dish, it can be stuffed into a whole-wheat pita with hummus, or placed atop salad greens, or served as a side dish to a light sandwich or piece of chicken or fish. The options are endless. Just make sure to squeeze fresh lemon on it before eating it each time to keep the flavors bright.

So this is the tabbouleh that I like to make. Vary it however you like by adding olives or anything else. It's simple, healthy, tasty and, well, pretty. Food just tastes better when it's pretty.

Red-pepper Tabbouleh
Note: Be sure to chop all the veggies roughly the same size.

• 1/2 c bulgar wheat (don't be scared, it's a lot like brown rice – but easier to make)
• 1/2 c boiling water
• 1 1/2 c chopped plum or Roma tomato, seeded if you like
• 3/4 c chopped chicken or drained chickpeas
• 3/4 c minced parsley
• 1/2 c sweet red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 c seedless cucumber, chopped
• 1/4 c mint, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (~the juice of one lemon)
• 4 oz. fresh crumbled feta cheese

• olive oil, salt and pepper

1. Pour hot water over bulgar in a glass bowl. Cover tightly and allow to stand for 15 minutes until tender.
2. Chop the veggies and herbs and combine in a large bowl. Add bulgar, chicken or chickpeas, a swirl of olive oil, the feta and lemon juice and season to taste. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Squeeze with fresh lemon before each serving.