Meats and their companions

fillet. Or put a bed of arugula on a slice of multigrain toast, then top with tuna salad and a cheddar slice and broil, grill or microwave.

9. Cremini-tamari shooters. Put the caps of these mushrooms — also called baby portabellas — on a slow grill with a little dab of tamari or Worcestershire sauce. Watch them fill with their own delicious liquid and then down them, liquid and all, as if they were oysters on the half-shell.

10. Pork, grilled fennel bulb, orange. Here’s where whatever pork you’ve cooked (or purchased) becomes a picnic. Slap some sliced fennel in a grill basket after you pull the pork chops or marmalade-basted chops off the grill; toss the fennel with citrus sections. Need to stretch a meal? Put the citrus and fennel in a pilaf with a cooked, chilled, long-grain and wild rice blend. Not doing pork? Roast your chicken with a marmalade glaze.

11. Basil, lime, potatoes. Basil and lime were born to meet cute. Chop the basil to release its flavors; toss with boiled and chilled baby red potatoes and some olive oil; drizzle lime juice over it and salt to taste. hummus; these beans are prettier and make a pale-purple puree. Making your own hummus means you can make it less garlicky (or more, if that’s what you want). You need only the beans, a dab of tahini or peanut butter, and lime or lemon juice for balance. Oh, and salt. Lots of salt.

13. Beef and coffee. We would bet this works reasonably well with tempeh or seitan, and you don’t need to make a special trip to the spice store (though you certainly can). Just mix a teaspoon of ground coffee with a tablespoon of coarsely ground black pepper or whatever pepper blend you usually rub on your steak before grilling. Get some coffeerubbed beef inside of you, and you’ll have your RDA of iron and be awake to enjoy the fireworks.