Johnny Dod

Q: What could be better than assembling an easy dinner in foil packets and tossing them in the oven or on the grill?

A: Opening the packets up at the table to a burst of aroma, and then watching them disappear before your eyes!

These packets can be assembled a few hours ahead and refrigerated--just bring them to room temperature before you cook them. Try succulent veggie-burger fajitas with peppers and onion, accompanied by a warm potato salad that gets tossed with cool crisp greens. Or go ethnic with tender chunks of squash, tofu and Broccolini spiced with a peanut-coconut curry.

Getting dinner on the table has never been easier. These packets go right from the oven to the plates. And the big bonus--there's almost nothing to clean up. Just rinse off the foil and toss it in your recycling bin.

THREE-PEPPER "BURGER" FAJITAS
Serves 4 l Vegan

Be sure to taste your spice blend before adding it--some are hotter than others. Warm tortillas alongside packets during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

2 large bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
4 flame-grilled meatless burgers, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced
2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. olive oil 2 to 3 tsp. Southwestern or fajita spice blend, to taste
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1. Preheat baking sheet in 450F oven. Cut four 20-inch sheets of heavy-duty foil.

2. Toss all ingredients in bowl. Spoon 1/4 mixture on one half of foil sheet. Fold foil over, and crimp edges to seal. Repeat with remaining ingredients and foil.

3. Set packets on heated baking sheet. Reduce oven to 400F. Bake 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. (Pierce packet with knife to test.) Let stand 5 minutes.

4. To serve: place packets on plates, slit tops, and fold back foil.

PER SERVING: 210 CAL; 15G PROT; 10.5G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT. FAT); 19G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 545MG SOD; 7G FIBER; 6G SUGARS