This casserole features fish and lots of vegetables sprinkled with olive oil. Mediterranean dishes are receiving a lot of attention these days as this type of diet is said to be very good for your health. This recipe was featured in Family Circle magazine.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound small white potatoes, cut into quarters (pieces should be small)
• 2 large Italian frying peppers, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 4 3/4 inch-thick U.S. Pacific-caught cod or halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each (tilapia works well)
• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an oval 2-quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread potatoes and peppers over bottom of the dish. Season with 1/8 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.

Scatter garlic over potatoes and peppers. Season fish with remaining 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and place on top of the potatoes. Distribute olives and tomatoes over the casserole. Drizzle with lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with parsley.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serves 4

A change up from the traditional version with the addition of corn and carrots. The bacon could certainly be optional but does add a nice flavor. This recipe is from Bon Appetit Magazine.

• 6 thick bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled, chopped
• 1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 8-ounce unpeeled white-skinned potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams in juice
• 1 8 3/4-ounce can corn kernels, drained
• Chopped fresh parsley

Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour out all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pan.

Add next 4 ingredients to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add milk to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, clams with juice, and drained corn. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide soup among bowls, sprinkle with bacon and parsley, and serve.

Serves 4

Rapini is delicious but has to be cooked a bit to reduce the bitterness. Here’s a simple recipe to do that; featured on Food Network.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 bunches rapini, about 2 pounds, bottom 3 or 4 inches of stems trimmed away
• 1 cup low sodium, no-fat chicken broth

Heat garlic in oil over medium heat in a large skillet until garlic sizzles in oil. Add the rapini, as much as you can fit in pan at a time. Turn and coat with oil as you wilt the greens. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer approx. 10 minutes to soften the bitterness of the greens.

6 servings

Super Bowl Sunday is synonymous with bad snacking. Here’s a healthy spread to serve with fresh cut up vegetables as a great alternative to the usual lineup. This recipe is from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day.

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups cooked white beans (or 1 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)
• 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• Fine-grain sea salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
• 1/4 to 3/4 cup hot water
• Grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• Whole grain crackers and cut up vegetables: carrots, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, celery, etc.

In a small saucepan combine the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Over medium-low heat, slowly warm the mixture until the oil just barely starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Pour the oil through a strainer and discard the garlic and rosemary bits.

In a food processor, combine the beans, two-thirds of the almonds, a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice, and two-thirds of the rosemary oil. Pulse a couple of times to bring the ingredients together. Add the water 1/4 cup at a time (you won’t need much if using canned beans), pulsing all the while, until the mixture is the consistency of thick frosting. You might not need all the water; it really depends on how starchy your beans are and how thick you’d like the spread to be. Taste and adjust with more lemon juice or salt, if needed.

Scoop the spread into a small serving dish and make a few indentations in the top. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining almonds and drizzle with the remaining rosemary oil. Serve with the crackers and veggies.