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Cooking Lesson

Use bean sprouts within a day or two of purchasing them. Store, covered, in the refrigerator and rinse well before using.

Chopped Chicken Salad with Romaine

For a great quick meal, start out with ready-roasted chicken breasts from the deli or supermarket.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Preparation time: 10 minutes

8 ounces roasted chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces

¾ cup chopped red apple (macintosh or other puckery sweet varieties)

¼ cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

DRESSING

¼ cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

pinch of cayenne

4 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce leaves

Toss together the chicken, apple, celery, and peanuts in a large bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing. Toss with the chicken mixture. Arrange the lettuce leaves on two plates, mound the chicken mixture on top, and serve.

Nutritional Analysis: 363 calories, FAT 18 g, PROTEIN 39 g, CARB 13 g, FIBER 4 g, CHOL 100 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 474 mg, CALC 128 mg

Cooking Lesson

We need lots of quick fallback meals to keep us on the carb straight and narrow, and roast chicken from the market is high on our list. You can store the chicken in the refrigerator for several days, and simply cut yourself approximately 1 cup of meat to yield a 4-ounce serving. Go ahead. Eat the skin. That’s where the flavor is, and you needn’t deprive yourself of it.

Warm Wild Mushroom and Chicken Salad in a Balsamic Vinaigrette

This warm salad will feed your heart and your stomach. The earthy flavor of the mushrooms juxtaposed with the sweet and sour vinaigrette and the bitter greens is delightful. A variety of fresh and rehydrated mushrooms work, including button, morel, cremino, oyster, portobello, and stemmed shiitake.

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (10 ounces total), split and pounded to ¼-inch thickness

Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste

½ teaspoon sesame oil

8 ounces assorted wild mushrooms

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 cups mesclun or mixed baby greens

Stir together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar, thyme, and 1 tablespoon of the chives in a medium bowl. Set aside. Toss the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Heat a dry medium skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes per side, until well done. Add to the bowl of dressing and hold. Toss the mushrooms in the sesame oil and and sauté with the shallots for 3 minutes. Cover and continue to cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender. Toss the cooked mushrooms and shallots with the chicken and vinaigrette. Remove the chicken pieces and mushrooms from the dressing and toss in the mesclun greens. Toss thoroughly and divide the greens between two dinner plates, top with the chicken, and then the mushrooms. Garnish with the remaining chives.

Nutritional Analysis: 467 calories, FAT 27 g, PROTEIN 46 g, CARB 11 g, FIBER 3 g, CHOL 119 mg, IRON 3 mg, SODIUM 709 mg, CALC 63 mg

EGGS: DELICIOUSLY VERSATILE

We love eggs. And the truth is, as long as you have no identified cholesterol problem, you need not worry about eating them. Eggs are flavorful, fast to prepare, and full of protein, so they fill you up. Recent studies have suggested that eggs provide all nine of the essential amino acids and a host of vitamins not found in the same combination in other foods. Eggs are essential to many dishes and can be a main course. For both Katherine and Linda, they are the emergency dinner of choice. Sauté some scallions, celery, and a bit of fresh dill, whisk in a couple eggs,