Seafood is a time-pressed cook's best friend, since most fillets cook in 10 minutes or less. The beauty of this recipe is in its streamlined process: Whisk together a quick vinaigrette, cook salmon in a skillet for a few minutes on each side and give green beans a five-minute boil. All that's left is to put all of these vibrant elements together on the plate, alongside cut cherry tomatoes and radishes.

Get the recipe: Seared Salmon with Green Bean Salad and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Vegetarian entrees can be surprisingly complicated to make, especially when they feature long lists of ingredients and tedious techniques. This satisfying meatless recipe, though, is a snap to make yet still has deep flavor. It stars warm, protein-rich chickpeas in a simple lemon-olive-oil-tahini dressing; you spoon the chickpeas over thinly sliced radicchio and the beans' heat gently softens the red-leafed veggie. A smattering of pine nuts gives the dish a pleasant, nutty crunch.

Get the recipe: Chickpeas and Radicchio with Tahini Dressing

Put a pot of rice on to cook, and by the time it's done you'll have a beautiful stir-fry to go with it, one that brilliantly combines savory and sweet flavors. Blistered green beans are the base; in addition, there's spicy ground pork, and then two totally unexpected ingredients: sweet pieces of fresh pineapple and citrusy, floral basil leaves.

Get the recipe: Blistered Green Beans with Pork, Pineapple and Basil

This one-skillet recipe proves that a pan of cheesy, rich lasagna does not have to be a three-hour-long production. You saut ground beef, add canned tomatoes and seasonings and then toss in wide egg noodles (which are almost like mini lasagna sheets). The pasta cooks in the sauce as you stir in ricotta and shredded mozzarella -- and the cheeses melt on-the-spot. A few strips of torn basil leaves give the dish a dash of color and bright flavor.


Get the recipe: Easy One-Skillet Lasagna

Dark-meat chicken is tasty and cheap, but best of all, it tends to stay juicy longer than breast meat does, so there's a low likelihood of overcooking it. The broiler is the key here; it turns boneless, skinless cuts into a delicious dinner in just 10 minutes. A sweet, spicy, chunky salsa (made of cucumber, red bell pepper, avocado and lime) is the perfect topper, and a handful of tortilla chips on each plate will complement the Mexican vibe.

Get the recipe: Spicy Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Avocado Salsa