Everyday Low-Cholesterol Meals

Lunches:

Roasted Eggplant Salad With Fresh Mint by Nancie McDermott: “This humble-looking dish delivers incredibly bright flavor for very little effort. Fancier versions involve topping the salad with sautéed ground pork or chunks of crabmeat. But I prefer this rendition — less work and more reason to appreciate the simple, rustic deliciousness of this dish.” Per serving: 75 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat.

Steamed Rice-Lentil Cakes With a Coconut-Pigeon Pea Sauce by Raghavan Iyer: “If you have ever visited a South Indian home, or a restaurant that features dishes from that area, chances are that you have sampled these fluffy, pillow-soft, steamed rice-lentil cakes, the color of pure snow. It’s not difficult to make these airy delights. What you need is a pound of patience, an ounce of the right ingredients, and a dash of kitchen accoutrements.” Per serving: 230 calories, 2 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat. 

Coconut-Smothered Pigeon Peas With Pumpkin by Raghavan Iyer: “When my mother made steamed rice cakes, she usually prepared this legume curry to go along with them, altering the vegetables to fit the season (as you should). Any vegetables will fit the bill, especially if they are the root variety.” Per serving: 77 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g saturated fat.

Cheesy Butterbeans by Judith Finlayson: “Serve these tasty beans with grilled or roasted meat or add a salad and enjoy them as a light main course.” Per serving: 135 calories, 3 mg cholesterol, 1 g saturated fat.

Wheat Berry Pilaf With Chanterelles and Fresh Fava Beans by Victoria Wise: “Fresh peas could replace the fava beans and dried porcinis could be the mushrooms.” Per serving: 573 calories, 8 mg cholesterol, 2 g saturated fat.

Blackened Fresh Tomato Southwestern Pasta by Jane Butel: “Using fresh tomatoes right from the garden for this recipe (especially Romas) is always best. The secret to the special, sweet, rich flavor of this sauce is caramelizing the onions and charring the tomatoes. Oil-cured olives, beans of any kind, cubed eggplant, zucchini, or any other seasonal vegetable you have on hand, can be added.” Per serving: 308 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat.

Next: Artery-friendly dinner recipes. »