Brain-Boosting Dinner Recipes

Black Bean & Salmon Tostadas

Pickled jalapeños, cilantro and avocado perk up convenient canned salmon for a quick tostada topping. Skip store-bought and make your own crispy shells in the oven. Serve with: Brown rice cooked with diced tomatoes and onions or salsa.

Lemon-Garlic Sardine Fettuccine

Even sardine skeptics will enjoy this lemony pasta with crispy breadcrumbs. Substitute two 5- to 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna for the sardines if you prefer. If you are using tuna or can't find sardines packed in tomato sauce, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste in Step 4 with the lemon juice. Serve with a salad of bitter greens tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and a glass of Pinot Grigio.

Bobby Flay's Honey-Rum Baked Black Beans

Chef Bobby Flay cooked these baked black beans, spiked with chorizo and rum, on one of his television shows, Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, to compete with a more-traditional batch of Carolina baked beans. We adore the results. If you bring them along to a summer party, reheat before serving or bring them in a crock-pot and plug it in when you get to the party. Recipe adapted from Bobby Flay's Throwdown! by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Miriam Garron (Clarkson Potter, 2010).

Spicy Tuna Wrap

These tuna wraps were inspired by spicy tuna sushi rolls. We love how they taste with peppery watercress, but other greens, such as arugula, romaine, escarole or even radish sprouts, would taste great in the filling. If you want to play on the sushi inspiration, stir some wasabi into the soy sauce for dipping and serve with pickled ginger. Serve with sliced cucumbers and slivered red onions tossed with rice vinegar, a little oil and a pinch of salt.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.

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Salmon Rosti

Convenient frozen hash browns and flaked salmon come together for a twist on this traditional Swiss favorite. We love the creamy dill sauce, but a dollop of ketchup is tasty too. Serve with: Steamed green beans tossed with sliced scallions, Dijon mustard and lemon juice.

Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole

These bean burgers will even please carnivores. The cornmeal coating gives a pleasant crunch and smoked paprika, cumin, cilantro and guacamole add Southwestern flavor.

Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans

In this one-skillet supper, we toss dark leafy greens, diced tomatoes and white beans with gnocchi and top it all with gooey mozzarella. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette.

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Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup

Serve this zesty bean and barley soup garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.

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Grilled Salmon with Tomatoes & Basil

This recipe is so beautiful and yet so simple to prepare--it's perfect for entertaining. You just spread a side of salmon with minced garlic, sprinkle with fresh basil, then layer sliced tomatoes on top. Put it on the grill for 10 minutes and you're done!

Black Bean Quesadillas

In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad.

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Tuna Pasta with Olives & Artichokes

Here we toss grilled tuna with pasta, artichoke hearts, green olives and tomatoes. Grilling the tuna gives this ultra-fresh pasta dish a subtle smokiness. But if you're pressed for time, try canned tuna in place of the grilled fish.

Salmon Salad Sandwich

Salmon salad served on tangy pumpernickel bread makes for an easy dinner--a double batch will give you lunch the next day.