Weeknight Meals

Improv: Try other meaty fish fillets such as halibut, swordfish, or tuna. Replace mixed herbs with mesclun.

Enjoy a taste of the islands with these healthful, low-fat tostadas.

Grilled vegetables pump up the classic Tuscan bread-and-tomato salad. What to drink: An Italian white like Vernaccia di San Gimignano or Orvieto. Can't find ciabatta? Use any good-quality crusty Italian or French bread.

Quinoa has more protein than any other grain; it's delicious in this summer salad.

Marielle Ainsworth of Roswell, New Mexico, writes: "I'm a vegetarian, but my husband isn't, so I'm always looking for recipes that will make both of us happy. I came up with the goat cheese pizza because it combines things we both love —cheese and veggies. If you're not a fan of goat cheese, whole-milk mozzarella, Fontina, or Gorgonzola can also be used.

In this perfect no-cook dish you can substitute crumbled bacon for the chicken or just omit the meat altogether.

You'll have some leftover creamy ginger soy dressing for salad later in the week.

Pair this surf-and-turf dish with white rice to soak up the delicious rock-shrimp sauce — a quick and easy variation on Marcella Hazan's pink shrimp sauce (from "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking"), which she serves over pasta.

Chojín Alma Guillermoprieto of Cambridge, Massachusetts, writes: "My guatemalan grandmother made a salad she called chojín. I remember the taste vividly, but when I went to Guatemala, no one knew the dish. This is my attempt to re-create it." While the ingredients in this recipe are extremely simple, the result is an eye-opening explosion of flavors.

Investor Ashton Kutcher has cozied up to current flame Demi Moore at this see-and-be-seen Melrose restaurant. Other famous patrons include Halle Berry and Sharon Stone, who have feasted on the Whole-Wheat Penne With Eggplant, Tomato, and Buffalo Mozzarella. To avoid filling up on a heavy entrée, start with this salad, which contains heart-friendly fat from olive oil.

You can't fling a chopstick in this übertrendy Japanese eatery without hitting at least one celebrity: Jessica Simpson, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Leonardo DiCaprio, Liv Tyler, George Clooney — the list goes on. The best of the beau monde enjoy a variety of fresh fish (raw and cooked) in a soothing Zen setting. This recipe may have a higher percentage of calories from fat than other fish dishes, but it's mostly the healthy kind.

This West Hollywood Rat Pack hangout still attracts big-name diners like Sheryl Crow and Meg Ryan. The Italian bistro offers a variety of delectable dishes, including Ricotta Fritters With Chocolate Hazelnut Sauce and Grilled Artichokes. The popular entrée below boasts satiating lean protein and a helping of vitamin-rich carrots.

Healthy bonus: Fiber and protein from lentils; vitamin A from carrots