In her recently updated and provocative cookbook, "Glorious One-Pot Meals," Elizabeth Yarnell writes, "It has been said that there are only nine cooking methods on this planet: saute, fry, bake, broil, grill, slow-cook, braise, boil and steam."

But her book, she says, makes it 10, with her process for "infusion cooking" that she's actually patented.

It works like this: You layer whole, healthy foods into a lidded, cast-iron Dutch oven (plain or enameled), then "flash cook" them briefly in a super-hot oven.

The result is something different from a casserole or skillet meal or stew, she writes.

"No added liquid means that these recipes are ... complete meals where each item retains its cellular integrity and emerges perfectly intact. The intense heat causes the vegetables to release their moisture, which presses up against the food and infuses it with clean flavors from herbs, spices and other natural ingredients."

The "glorious" part is having crisp veggies, moist meats and fluffy grains, all done in the same pot, and in about 20 minutes of prep time plus a half hour to 45 minutes in the oven.

If it sounds weird to you, well, it did to me, too. But after spending a few hectic weeknights with the book, my wife and I have joined its legions of fans.

"All sorts of people are looking for ways to eat good food and not spend all day in the kitchen to do so," Ms. Yarnell said over the phone from her home in Denver.

That's where she cooked up this style of cooking after the newlywed and business owner was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. Her husband, Edward Cope, was her willing guinea pig.

She collected her recipes into booklets to give to family and friends, which led to her self-publishing in 2005 a version of "Glorious One-Pot Meals." It went on to sell 12,000 copies.

The new version, published earlier this year by Broadway ($17.95), is not only about twice as big but also much more consistent and polished.

Ms. Yarnell, meanwhile, has been free of MS issues since 2001 and now is a mother of two. At age 40, she said, "I'm in the best physical condition in my life."

The book, and speaking about and demonstrating its tenets, has become her business, which she runs with a polished Web site, gloriousonepotmeal.com, and a blog, effortlesseating.com, and a passion.

"My goal is to share this knowledge and give people this tool, this strategy for living healthier and stress free," she said.

One of the charms of the book -- after you get past the strict rules for cooking vessel and 450-degree oven temperature and grain-to-liquid ratios -- is how flexible it is. If you're not comfortable in the kitchen, you can follow her recipes to the letter. But if you are, you can do "intuitive cooking" the way she does at home, mixing various ingredients into glorious one-pot creations of your own.

Most of her recipes give options (the Amaranth Chili pairs that exotic grain with ground beef or turkey or meat substitute, depending on your mood). Or, she writes, "Feel free to swap the amaranth for the same amount of rice (the amount of liquid won't change)."

Her recipes are sized for two people using a 2-quart Dutch oven, but can be doubled or tripled for bigger crowds, using bigger Dutch ovens. (We had fine results with her two-person recipes using a bigger Le Creuset pot, the knob of which can withstand the high heat for the short cooking time.)

You can simply scoop out the meal with a big spoon or, if you want to plate the ingredients separately, remove them with tongs and a spoon.

Follow a few recipes closely, get a feel for the pot and the cooking method and then branch out, she writes. "Remember that the key is the layering. The more recipes you prepare, the more you'll understand which ingredients to use, how they should be cut, and in what order they should be added to your Dutch oven."

For someone like her who cooks according to her mood and what's in her refrigerator, "It's very much like a puzzle."

One of her method's quirks is that you should know the dish is done three minutes after you can smell the meal wafting from the hot oven.

Ms. Yarnell insists that, if your oven and nose are working right, it's true, and so she tells the users who've e-mailed her about it. She got a kick out of one woman who tried maybe 10 glorious one-pot meals before nailing one and triumphantly e-mailing her:

"It wafted!"

Chicken Piccata

PG tested

"You can use boneless and skinless chicken if you prefer. You can even use frozen boneless chicken pieces without thawing them first. And, of course, use any kind of squash you like, or substitute another vegetable," Elizabeth Yarnell writes, with her usual flexibility.

"If you don't have any broth on hand, you can use water, but you will sacrifice some of the distinctive piccata flavor. Stock your pantry with bouillon cubes or a few cans or boxes of broth. If you have some left over, freeze it in a zip-top freezer bag for another Glorious One-Pot Meal. You can drop the broth in as a frozen slab and it won't change the cooking time."

• Olive oil spray
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 cup broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1/2 to 3/4 pound chicken breasts or thighs
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shallot, or 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons drained capers
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into strips
• 1/2 head broccoli, cut into florets (about 2 cups)
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

Spray the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into the pot, add the broth and 2 tablespoons water, and stir to make an even layer.

Put the chicken in the pot and lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the shallot, parsley, and capers.

Cut the lemon in half and slice one half into rounds, reserving the other half. Top the chicken with a layer of lemon rounds.

Add the bell pepper and broccoli and lightly season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the other half of the lemon over all, taking care to remove the seeds.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Calories 664; protein 58g; carbohydrates 110g; fat 5g; cholesterol 80mg; sodium 138mg; fiber 10g

-- "Glorious One-Pot Meals" by Elizabeth Yarnell (Broadway, 2009, $17.95)

Eggplant Parmesan

PG tested

"While my mother wouldn't be caught dead serving jarred marinara sauce, I've found quality organic brands speed up prep time and taste as good as homemade. Sometimes I'll doctor the sauce with fresh tomatoes, zucchini, or green peppers from the garden. Or I'll add roasted green chiles (available frozen, canned, or fresh in the fall) or red pepper flakes for a flavor boost," writes Elizabeth Yarnell.

"Instead of using prepared marinara sauce, you could stir the herbs directly into a can of crushed tomatoes and pour this mixture over the layers of eggplant."

• Olive oil spray
• 1 cup elbow macaroni
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 to 12 ounces prepared marinara sauce
• 1 small eggplant, peeled or not, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 8 to 10 ounces mozzarella and/or provolone cheeses, shredded or sliced
• 4 or 5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• Spinach, artichoke hearts, black olives, or other veggies, optional
• Grated parmesan cheese, optional
• Bread crumbs, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spray inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

Place the pasta in the pot and add 1/3 cup water. Stir to coat the noodles and spread them in an even layer.

Mix the garlic, oregano, basil and salt and pepper into the jar of marinara sauce. Layer about half the eggplant in the pot and cover it in marinara sauce.

Next, distribute a light blanket of cheese (about half) over the sauce. Add a layer of the mushrooms and other veggies such as artichoke hearts and olives, if desired.

Repeat, beginning with the eggplant layer, until the pot is full. Sprinkle with parmesan and/or bread crumbs, if desired.

Cover and bake for about 40 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Calories 442; protein 27g; carbohydrates 21g; fat 28g; cholesterol 10mg; sodium 1143mg; fiber 3mg

-- "Glorious One-Pot Meals" by Elizabeth Yarnell (Broadway, 2009, $17.95)

Indian Almond Curry Lamb

PG tested

"This is a variation of a traditional Indian curried lamb dish called roghan josh. Typically, this dish calls for mixing heavy whipping cream into the tomato sauce, but this version retains all the taste without the extra saturated fat. If you want, add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream or milk to the tomato sauce and cook as directed," Elizabeth Yarnell writes.

"Turkey tenderloin or beef stew chunks make wonderful substitutions for the lamb in this recipe. The lentils can be omitted entirely, or you can use couscous instead."

• Olive oil spray
• 1/4 cup green lentils
• 1/4 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 to 3/4 pound boneless leg of lamb, trimmed well and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Sprayinside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with olive oil.

Rinselentils in a mesh strainer and pour into pot. Add 1/2 cup boiling water and stir to distribute lentils in an even layer.

Scatter the onion over the lentils. Sprinkle on the cumin, ginger, and garlic and lightly season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine the almonds, cardamom, coriander, cayenne, cloves, and black pepper to taste. Add the meat and stir to coat, then add the mixture in forkfuls to the pot, making an uneven layer. Cover with the bell pepper.

Stir the cilantro into the tomato sauce and pour the mixture over the top.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

Calories 464; protein 49g; carbohydrates 23g; fat 19g; cholesterol 122mg; sodium 370mg; fiber 7g.

-- "Glorious One-Pot Meals" by Elizabeth Yarnell (Broadway, 2009, $17.95)