Dietitian’s tip: Here, toasted mustard seed and other spices often used in India infuse olive oil with pungent flavor. The oil is then used to make a fresh cherry tomato sauce for smoky slices of grilled eggplant.

Dietitian’s tip: Although mostly eaten as a fresh vegetable, peas are classified as a legume. Like other legumes, peas are a good source of protein. One serving of this recipe has as much protein as 1 tablespoon of peanut butter.

Dietitian’s tip: Russet potatoes, with their low moisture and high starch content, are excellent potatoes for mashing. But other types of potatoes work well too, including Yukon gold potatoes and round white or round red potatoes.

Dietitian’s tip: Because of their larger size and firmer texture, portobello mushrooms are good candidates for stuffing or grilling. They have a satisfying taste and texture with virtually no fat or sodium.

Dietitian’s tip: Any type of root vegetable works well in this side dish. For variety try sweet potatoes, parsnips or rutabagas.

Dietitian’s tip: Granola is a cereal-like combination of dried fruits, grains and nuts. Though it’s a good source of protein and fiber, granola can also be high in fat and calories, especially the store-bought varieties. Watch your portion sizes or create your own granola to limit the amount of fat, calories and sugar in each serving.

Dietitian’s tip: Green beans, also known as string beans or snap beans, are good sources of fiber and vitamin C. To preserve their fresh flavor and texture, blanch (parboil) the beans, immerse them in ice water to set their color, then saute briefly.

Dietitian’s tip: A splash of olive oil with thyme and garlic brings out the mushrooms’ smoky flavor and meaty texture. Serve them as a side dish or on toasted whole-grain bread.

Dietitian’s tip: Radicchio, with its distinctive burgundy leaves, is commonly used in fancy salads. This vegetable is high in folate — one serving provides nearly half of your daily needs of folate (197 micrograms).

Dietitian’s tip: Instead of topping canned sweet potatoes with a glaze and miniature marshmallows, this version uses fresh sweet potatoes and a lighter sweet coating, which brings out the flavor of the sweet potatoes and saves calories.