What’s (not) cooking

The noodles can also be soaked in boiling water once, for 10 minutes.

• 1 package (8 ounces) thin rice noodles
• 1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained
•  1/3 cup unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger (from a 2-inch piece)
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions, plus more, sliced, for serving
• 6 heads baby bok choy (6 ounces), thinly sliced lengthwise
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup chunky or smooth peanut butter
• Chopped peanuts and thinly sliced Thai chiles, for serving

1. Place noodles in a baking dish and cover with very hot tap water. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain; repeat twice more, or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, slice tofu into eight  1/2-inch pieces. Drain on paper towels.

3. Stir together vinegar, ginger and scallions in a bowl; toss 3 tablespoons of mixture with bok choy in another bowl. Season with salt. Stir soy sauce, honey and peanut butter into remaining vinegar mixture.

4. Arrange tofu in a single layer in a baking dish; pour soy-sauce mixture over top, turning tofu to coat. Divide noodles, tofu and bok choy among 4 serving bowls. Drizzle with soy-sauce mixture. Top with peanuts, scallions and chiles.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 434 calories, 13 grams fat, 69 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, no cholesterol, 1,311 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber, 25 percent of calories from fat.

• 1 loaf rustic boule (1 pound), halved horizontally
•  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Zest of 1 lemon (1 tablespoon), plus 3 tablespoons fresh juice
• 3 tablespoons capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed and drained
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 ounces thinly sliced turkey
• 3 ounces thinly sliced provolone
• 3 ounces thinly sliced spicy capocollo or soppressata
• 1 bunch watercress, thick stems removed, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
• Potato chips and sliced fruit, such as figs, for serving

1. Remove insides of bread halves; reserve for another use. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice, and capers in a bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly between top and bottom bread halves. Layer half of turkey, cheese and capocollo on bottom, then repeat layering with remaining meats and cheese. Pack watercress into top half; layer with tomato slices and season with salt and pepper.

2. Close sandwich. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Place a heavy skillet on top; press down to flatten sandwich slightly. Add several heavy canned goods to top of skillet. Let sit at least 45 minutes or, in refrigerator, up to 12 hours before unwrapping, slicing into wedges and serving with chips and fruit.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 623 calories, 31 grams fat, 63 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams protein, 94 milligrams cholesterol, 1,592 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 45 percent of calories from fat.

Whenever possible, buy vacuum-packed cooked lentils (available in many supermarkets); if using the canned variety, be sure to drain and thoroughly rinse the lentils before using.

• 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
•  1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• 1 bunch (10 ounces) Tuscan kale, stems and center ribs removed, thinly sliced
• 2 2/3 cups cooked lentils (from a 17.6-ounce vacuum pack or two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
• Sliced extra-sharp cheddar (preferably aged), chopped roasted salted almonds and sprouts, for serving

Pulse together avocado, garlic, shallot, lemon juice, oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Toss two-thirds of dressing with kale in a bowl. Divide mixture among 4 serving bowls along with lentils, cheddar, almonds, sprouts and lemon wedges. Serve, with remaining dressing on the side.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 397 calories, 22 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, no cholesterol, 39 milligrams sodium, 13 grams dietary fiber, 47 percent of calories from fat.

Look for vacuum-packed cooked beets in the produce section of supermarkets.

• 1 package (8.8 ounces) cooked beets, chopped, juices reserved
• 1 large cucumber (12 ounces), peeled and chopped
• 1  1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 5 medium), cored and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Coarse salt
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
• 3/4 pound large cooked shrimp, for serving
• Crackers, for serving

1. Purée beets with juices, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, oil, 1 tablespoon salt and basil in a blender or food processor until almost smooth. Season with more salt as desired. Chill until ready to serve, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

2. Divide gazpacho among 4 serving bowls. Drizzle with oil, and top with shrimp and a few basil leaves. Serve with crackers.

Nutritional analysis per serving: 283 calories, 16 grams fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein, 129 milligrams cholesterol, 190 milligrams sodium, 4 grams dietary fiber, 49 percent of calories from fat.