A handful of kale becomes dinner when paired with olive oil, garlic, and pasta. The bread crumbs turn golden and crunchy in the same pan, soaking up all that garlicky oil. This is what you make on a night when the fridge is nearly bare.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 840 calories a serving, 14 g protein, 80 g carbohydrate, 52 g fat. From USDA figures for 80% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until al dente, about 9 minutes, stirring once. While the pasta cooks, slice 4 garlic cloves thin and tear a handful of kale into bite-sized pieces, discarding the tough stems.
2. Tear 2 ounces of bread into small crumbs; you should have about 1 cup. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1/4 cup oil.
3. When the oil shimmers, add the bread crumbs and stir often until golden and crunchy, about 4 minutes; pour into a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to medium heat.4 min
4. Add the sliced garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just golden, about 1 minute. Add the kale and a pinch of salt, tossing often until wilted and soft, about 3 minutes.3 min
5. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the kale, then add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and toss to combine, adding more water if the pasta seems dry. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide between two bowls and top each with half the crisp bread crumbs.

Note Swap any hearty green for kale. Leftovers keep three days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve with a glass of wine and a squeeze of lemon if you have it.

Half a bunch of kale becomes tender and sweet in a simple pan with white beans and garlic. This is quick weeknight food that asks little of you and gives back a lot, especially when you serve it with bread and good olive oil.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 300 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Wash and dry the kale, strip the leaves from the thick stems, and tear them into bite-sized pieces. Drain and rinse the white beans under cold water.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice 3 garlic cloves thin and add them to the oil, stirring until fragrant, about one minute.
3. Add the kale in handfuls, pushing it down as it wilts, until all of it fits in the pan. When it wilts down, stir in the drained beans and 1/4 cup water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the kale is tender and the beans are warm, about 12 minutes.12 min
4. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Divide between two bowls and squeeze fresh lemon juice over each one.

Note Swap cannellini beans for chickpeas if you have them. Leftovers keep in the fridge for three days and taste even better the next day. Serve with thick slices of bread, a fried egg on top, or alongside roasted chicken or fish.

Wilted kale has a mellow sweetness that mellows further into soft, almost buttery strands when cooked down with garlic and oil. This is the dinner to rescue half-forgotten greens, turning them into something you'll want to make again.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 510 calories a serving, 11 g protein, 65 g carbohydrate, 22 g fat. From USDA figures for 75% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 6 ounces of pasta until just shy of tender, about 2 minutes before the package says it's done. While it cooks, strip the kale leaves from the wilted stems and tear them into bite-sized pieces.
2. Mince 3 garlic cloves and warm 3 tablespoons of oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute.1 min
3. Add all the kale to the skillet with a pinch of salt and stir to coat with oil. Cook, stirring often, until the kale is completely soft and has shrunk down to a third its volume, about 8 minutes.8 min
4. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and add it to the kale. Toss to combine, adding enough of the reserved water to create a light sauce that coats the pasta, about a quarter to half cup. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.

Note Swap the pasta for rice or grains if you have them. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for three days and taste even better reheated gently with a splash of water. Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread to soak up the oil.