Weeknight Meals

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Seduced by Bacon. To read more about the book, click here. These salmon fillets are a great main course when you want something special and don't have a lot of time. They are super-easy and quick to make as well as delicious. . . . There are some fine ready-made sauces, called Chinese barbecue sauce, in Asian markets and even on supermarket shelves.

This layered salad is definitely stacked: Michael Taus, executive chef and owner of Zealous restaurant in Chicago, has piled in all the vitamins C and B12 you need for the day, as well as 50 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A.

Fork to the bottom of your bowl and you'll put away six servings of veggies! You can thank Michael Dunn, chef at Yankee Pier Santana Row in San Jose, California.

Shake up your standard skewer with a smoky, tangy marinade created by Elissa Meadow, chef-owner of Solar Harvest in Beverly Hills, California. This recipe fills 40 percent of your daily potassium needs and supplies vitamins C and B6, as well.

You can serve this soup hot or cold, says Carl Schroeder, chef at Arterra in San Diego. It's loaded with beta-carotene and is wonderfully rich.

This starter, from Colby Garrelts, chef and co-owner of Bluestem in Kansas City, Missouri, is ideal for any summer get-together. For only 72 calories per serving, you'll get nearly 30 percent of your daily requirement for vitamin A, plus 4 grams of fiber.

This creation from Salvatore Marino, chef at Il Grano in Los Angeles, is the perfect finger food: tasty and healthy.

Bacon and scallops always pair beautifully, but it's the mixture of sugar and spice that transforms these easy-to-make hors d'oeuvres.

No need to trouble yourself about presentation with these tapas-style hors d'oeuvres. Simply toss steamed mussels in a vinaigrette with piquillo peppers, toasted almonds, and serrano ham, then nestle them back into their shells. They're lovely on the plate—and easy to eat.

Fried tofu takes on a meaty texture in this traditional Hunan dish that goes from pleasantly spicy to five-alarm fire in a matter of teaspoons. Pungent fermented beans add a satisfying fragrance to the sauce, perfect for spooning over rice.

Meaty, sweet squid steaks offer a seafood variation of chicken francese.

Don't be surprised when this colorful, kid-friendly meal is also a hit with adults.

It's worth seeking out fresh cheese ravioli. They will make this meal special.

Here's a hearty vegetable soup that doesn't take as long to make as the classic but is much better than what you'll find in a can.

Sweet and spicy, these carrots are the perfect accompaniment to simple roast chicken, turkey, or pork loin.

Feel free to experiment with this recipe—a different sausage or cheese may make it your new no-hassle dinner standby.

This easy, elegant, and flavorful salad is delicious with a glass of dry Riesling.