Instructions: Pasta with Marinara Sauce & Steamed Broccoli - any pasta will do, but the more interesting the pasta, the more interesting your meal. You know what spaghetti tastes like, so try some whole wheat pasta, parsley-garlic angel hair, chili pepper linguine - whatever strikes your fancy. The thinner the pasta, the faster it cooks. The sauce can be any vegetarian jar sauce (Classico, Three Brothers, Healthy Choice, etc.- check the individual label) that looks remotely interesting. Jazz up some boring red sauce with a can of artichoke hearts (water-packed, drained) or some sliced fresh mushrooms - dump these items directly into the sauce as it heats. Yum! Steam some broccoli florets in water for about 5 minutes and then throw on top of the pasta with sauce. Serve with warmed French bread for a very quick, satisfying meal. Preparation time = about 10 minutes, or however long it takes your pasta to cook.

Portobella Mushrooms with Wild Rice Pilaf - these mushroom caps are fairly expensive, but damn, theyre good! Deal with the rice first - choose any packaged vegetarian mix (I like Mahatma Wild Rice Pilaf), get your water boiling, and add the mix. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer. Next, remove the stems from the mushroom caps, and brush off any dirt (no need to wash the shrooms). Place the caps in a broiling pan and brush them liberally with Italian dressing (some non-fat brands work well, if youre concerned with keeping your fat intake down). Broil for approximately 5 minutes, until the dressing bubbles, then flip, brush the other side, and broil for another 5 minutes. Serve with a salad and/or warmed dinner rolls. Preparation time = approximately 20 minutes, or however long it takes the rice to cook. (Choose couscous for an even shorter prep time!)

Barbecued Eggplant with CousCous - this meal follows the same theory as above. Youll need one medium-sized eggplant for 1-3 people. Slice into 1/2" rounds (just turn the eggplant on its side and slice it into circles) and place the slices in a broiling pan. Brush each slice liberally with any prepared barbecue sauce, covering any exposed surface. Broil for approximately 5 minutes, then flip, brush the other side with BBQ sauce, and broil for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the water for the couscous (Near East makes some great vegetarian couscous, although not all their couscous is vegetarian). Add couscous and turn off heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with salad and/or interesting bread. Preparation time = approximately 10 minutes.

CousCous with Steamed Broccoli or Three-Pepper Saute - Cook couscous according to package directions (usually, this only takes about 5 minutes). If youre doing the broccoli, chop it into equal-sized florets, put the florets into a medium/large saute pan, add a little bit of water, cover and steam over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. (Obviously, you can also use a steamer basket for this, if you have one.) Check to make sure the pan doesnt run out of water before youre done steaming. To prepare the pepper saute, slice three peppers - one green, one red, and one yellow - thinly into strips. Saute in a little olive oil and spice with oregano or your favorite seasoning. Serve the broccoli or the peppers over the couscous, and you can add a side dish or bread, if you like. Preparation time = 7-10 minutes.

Veggie Burgers & Dogs - now were talking fast! If youve never tried veggie burgers or veggie dogs, open your mind and give it a whirl. Brand is important here - some burgers are better than others (at least, I think so). Boca Burgers are fairly realistic, and the vegan ones are fat-free! GardenVegan is good also, as are GardenBurgers and Green Giant Harvest Burgers. My favorite veggie dogs, hands-down, are Yves Veggie Dogs (they also have Tofu Dogs and Chili Dogs). Slap some vegetarian canned chili on those puppies, and youve got an instant meal! Microwave the burgers and dogs for speed (and youre not adding fat by frying them), and serve with organic tortilla chips and salsa. Preparation time = less than 5 minutes.

Tomato-Pasta Soup with Spinach Salad - find some interestingly-flavored rotini pasta and cook it according to package directions. Meanwhile, gently heat a can or two of Campbells Tomato Soup, and wash the spinach for the salad. This particularly simple meal calls for a hearty salad - dress it up with bean or alfalfa sprouts, a few cashews or toasted sunflower seeds, and sliced mushrooms. When the pasta is done, drain and add to the soup, and then stir in some spices, if youd like. Try basil, oregano, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce! Serve with warmed dinner rolls or crackers. Preparation time = 10 minutes, or however long it takes the pasta to cook.

Black Beans & Rice Burritos - choose a prepared black beans & rice mix, such as Mahatma, for convenience. Cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, warm some flour tortillas in the oven (wrap them in aluminum foil & bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes). When the beans & rice finish, fill each tortilla with the mixture, plus a little salsa and/or guacamole. Preparation time = approximately 20 minutes, or however long it takes the beans & rice to cook.

Pasta with Fresh Garlic, Olive Oil, and Capers - choose an interesting pasta, like whole wheat spaghetti or lemon-pepper linguini. This dish will be as good as the pasta you choose. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, mince 1-3 cloves of garlic. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it in a colander. Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan (be careful not to scorch the olive oil) and saute the minced garlic. Drain and add the capers, and then add the drained pasta. Toss everything over medium heat for about a minute, then serve immediately with salad and/or bread. Preparation time = 10 minutes, or however long it takes the pasta to cook. (Note: artichoke hearts can be substituted for the capers.)

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