Cooking from the Cupboard: Quick and Easy Low-Fat Meals

Emergencies, whether acts of nature or by-products of hectic lifestyles, need not deter the everyday cook from turning out sophisticated, nutritious meals. A larder properly stocked with low-fat and nonfat canned, bottled and boxed food is the all-important starting point; Jones (Cook It Light) kicks off with an extensive list of items (including a supply of bottled water) to have on hand. In most of these speedy, uncomplicated recipes, pantry products hold exclusive sway, while others call for the occasional fresh ingredient, such as yogurt or cheese. Making the best of their sometimes lowly ingredients (e.g., canned potatoes and evaporated skim milk in Herbed Scalloped Potatoes), the dishes are organized by course from soups (Thai Chicken and Water Chestnut Soup) to main events (Tuna Tailgate Gumbo; Ham in Orange Sauce on Wild Rice) to desserts (Crustless Shoofly Pie). Jones recommends that cooks substitute fresh ingredients when circumstances allow, use low-fat canned broth rather than bouillon cubes and, with respect to preservatives, avoid products whose labels have strings of unpronounceable ingredients. (Oct.)