Everyday Food: Summertime, and the cooking is easy

Dress these salads with your favorite Mexican flavors. We like tomato, avocado, red onion and cilantro, but you can also add salsa, sour cream or taco sauce to the mix.

• 4 corn tortillas
• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (2 ounces)
• 1/2 small red onion, diced small
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite-size pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce (6 ounces), shredded
• 1 tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced small
• Fresh cilantro, for serving

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with 2 teaspoons oil and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and crisp, 10 minutes. Divide cheese among tortillas and return to oven. Bake until cheese is bubbling, about 3 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half the red onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/4 cup water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is warmed through and water is almost evaporated, 2 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon lime juice and remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, combine lettuce and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and divide among tortillas. Top each tortilla with chicken mixture, tomato, avocado, remaining onion and cilantro.

Nutrition information per serving: 326 calories, 18 grams fat (5 grams saturated fat), 24 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber and 50 percent of calories from fat.

For an appetizer, try serving the bean and tuna mixture on garlic-rubbed toasts.

• 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
• 2 cans (5 ounces each) solid white tuna, drained and broken into chunks
• 1/4 cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Crusty bread, for serving

1. In a medium saucepan, combine beans, 2 tablespoons oil and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium high heat, stirring until beans are warm, about 4 minutes; remove pan from heat.

2. In a large bowl, combine spinach, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Divide spinach among four plates.

3. Transfer beans to bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon vinegar, tuna, olives, onion and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Top spinach with bean and tuna mixture and serve with bread.

Nutrition information per serving (without bread): 396 calories, 15 grams fat (2 grams saturated fat), 31 grams protein, 36 grams carbohydrates,10 grams fiber and 34 percent of calories from fat.

Turn sausages into tasty meatballs without additional ingredients or mixing. For a variation, try this recipe with fresh chicken or turkey sausages.

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet or spicy Italian sausage
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 pound spaghetti

1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Remove sausage meat from casings and roll into 24 balls.

2. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to a plate.

3. Add onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go, and season with salt and pepper; bring sauce to a boil and cook 5 minutes.

4. Add pasta to water and cook according to package instructions. Meanwhile, add meatballs to sauce and rapidly simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Reserve 8 meatballs and 1 1/2 cups sauce for Friday’s calzones. Drain pasta, then toss with remaining sauce and meatballs.

Nutrition information per serving: 669 calories, 12 grams fat (4 grams saturated fat), 35.8 grams protein, 102 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber and 16 percent of calories from fat.

This one-pan dish would also be good with spinach or snap peas added at the end.

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 wide strips lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup couscous
• Leg and thigh meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add lemon zest and 1 1/4 cups water and season with salt and pepper.

2. Cover pan and bring liquid to a boil, then add asparagus and peas. Return to a boil and stir in couscous.

3. Add chicken and remove pan from heat; cover and let sit 7 minutes. Add lemon juice and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 377 calories; 13 grams fat (7 grams saturated fat), 22 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber and 31 percent of calories from fat.

Store-bought dough and plenty of fresh spinach make this an easy, winning meal.

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for baking sheet and brushing
• 10 ounces baby spinach
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for work surface
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough (thawed if frozen), cut into 4 equal pieces
• 8 meatballs, halved
• 1 1/2 cups sauce reserved from 30-minute spaghetti and meatballs
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a simmer. Add spinach and season with salt; cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a fine-mesh sieve and drain, pressing with a rubber spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop.

2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch round.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, reserved meatballs and sauce, cheese, and red-pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper.

4. With a slotted spoon, divide mixture among bottom halves of dough rounds, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold top half of each round over filling and roll and pinch edges to seal. Carefully transfer calzones to baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until calzones are golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Nutrition information per serving: 592 calories, 25 grams fat (11 grams saturated fat), 35 grams protein, 63 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber and 38 percent calories from fat.