Smart Spaghetti and Meatballs

We've lightened up this classic Italian dish by using extra-lean ground turkey instead of the usual beef-and-pork combination. Whole wheat pasta and bread crumbs add an extra hit of fibre. Serve with a tossed green salad.

Meatball Vegetable Soup

The versatile meatballs in this soup are also delicious simmered in your favourite pasta sauce or glazed with barbecue sauce as an appetizer.

Arugula Soup With Potato Croutons

Think bread is necessary for making croutons? Think again! Potatoes make a wonderfully crispy garnish.

Curried Beef Turnovers

These stuffed pastry triangles are a tasty spinoff of the samosa. You can vary the curry paste, from mild Indian to fiery Thai.

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

Double for a potluck or to have left-overs for freezing: use a 24-cup (6 L) roasting pan and bake, covered for 1-1/2 hours and uncovered for 30 minutes.

M. Lee Leuschner's Oven-Barbecued Short Ribs with Creamy Chili Biscuits

Lots of Mushrooms Lasagna

Lasagna packed with mushrooms and cheese will garner rave reviews from both vegetarians and meat eaters.

Roast Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Rosemary

Roast chicken with simple classic flavourings is the perfect Sunday dinner. With a large chicken, there will be leftovers for sandwiches the next day or to chop and use in a salad.

Fresh Avocado Spring Rolls with Sweet Thai Dipping Sauce

These rolls are a healthier choice than their deep-fried counterparts. Coriander and mint give them a light, fresh flavour.

Milanese Veal Stew

Sandra Proulx and Tracy Zambonin teamed up to open their personal-chef business, Cooks On The Run in Stittsville, Ont., after graduating from a culinary arts program last year. They have a knack for polishing up hearty dishes like this Italian stew. "This is a big hit with the young families we work with," says Proulx. "The kids like it because the meat and vegetables are in easy-to-manage pieces, while the grown-ups find it slightly sophisticated." Serve the stew with egg noodles to sop up the rich sauce; they cook in less time than it takes to reheat the stew.