Sunday: Family
Treat the family like royalty and serve them MUSTARD-CRUSTED PORK ROAST. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season 1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin roast with coarse salt and pepper; place in a shallow pan on a rack and roast 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place 1 cup garlic croutons in a plastic bag and crush. Remove roast from oven; spread surface of pork with 2 tablespoons spicy mustard and sprinkle with crouton crumbs. Return to oven and continue to roast 10 to 15 minutes longer or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the juicy pork with BAKED SWEET POTATOES, FRESH GREEN BEANS, MIXED GREENS and a BAGUETTE. Buy a BOSTON CREAM PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin roast, coarse salt, pepper, garlic croutons, spicy mustard, sweet potatoes to bake, fresh green beans, mixed greens, baguette, Boston cream pie.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Make PORK AND SWISS SANDWICHES with the leftover pork. Spread whole-grain bread with honey mustard and layer with sliced pork and Swiss cheese. Add BAKED CHIPS and an ARUGULA SALAD. Enjoy the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
whole-grain bread, honey mustard, Swiss cheese, baked chips, arugula.
Tuesday: Express
It's quick and tasty -- that's why EASY ONE-PAN RED CURRY WITH SPINACH AND CARROTS will be on the menu tonight. Serve it with a packaged CAESAR SALAD and FLATBREAD. Try VANILLA PUDDING for dessert.
Shopping List
carrots, fresh ginger, canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, canned full-fat coconut milk, red curry paste, coarse salt, coconut (or other) sugar, fresh spinach, lime, cashews and crushed red pepper for garnish (if desired), packaged Caesar salad, flatbread, vanilla pudding.
EASY ONE-PAN RED CURRY WITH SPINACH AND CARROTS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 (2-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup red curry paste
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon coconut (or other) sugar
- 3 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
- Cashews and crushed red pepper for garnish, if desired
In a Dutch oven on medium-low heat, add carrots, ginger and water. Cook 5 to 8 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. Add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep carrots cooking. Add chickpeas, milk, curry paste, salt and sugar and stir well. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover; reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes or until chickpeas and carrots are tender and sauce has slightly thickened. Stir in spinach and lime juice. Remove from heat, stirring until spinach is wilted. Add extra lime juice and salt to taste. Garnish as desired and serve. (Adapted from "The Vegan 8" by Brandi Doming, Oxmoor House.)
Per serving: 366 calories, 13 grams protein, 18 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 15.2 grams saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1,103 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Budget
Here's a variation of the ubiquitous CHICKEN LOAF. We liked it with MASHED POTATOES and fresh steamed BROCCOLI. Add a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. For a light dessert, try ORANGE SECTIONS.
Plan
Save enough chicken loaf for Thursday.
Shopping List
ground chicken, saltine crackers with unsalted tops, onion, green bell pepper, ketchup, Dijon mustard, prepared horseradish, paprika, black pepper, cooking spray, potatoes to mash, fresh broccoli, red-tipped lettuce, whole-grain bread, oranges.
CHICKEN LOAF
Servings: makes 12 slices
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 cup (about 24) crushed saltine crackers with unsalted tops (see Note)
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced green bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well (don't overmix). Pack mixture into an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 45 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Note: Buy crackers with unsalted tops to reduce sodium.
Per slice: 77 calories, 8 grams protein, 2 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 0.6 gram saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 127 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Thursday: Kids
Tacos are always a kids' favorite, and tonight's CHICKEN TACOS will be no different. Crumble and heat the leftover chicken loaf. Spoon into taco shells and top with SALSA, SHREDDED CHEESE and SOUR CREAM. Toss some sliced CARROTS with a little PEACH PRESERVES and heat. RED and GREEN GRAPES are dessert.
Shopping List
taco shells, salsa, shredded cheese, sour cream, carrots, peach preserves, red and green grapes.
Friday: Meatless
RED BEANS AND RICE is a standard no-meat meal for some. Cook 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped celery and 1 clove minced garlic in 2 teaspoons olive oil for 5 minutes or until softened. Add 1 (16-ounce) can rinsed red beans, 2 cups cooked brown rice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer 5 minutes or until hot.
Add a LEAF LETTUCE SALAD WITH EGG WEDGES and CORNBREAD from a mix. For an easy dessert, try PEARS.
Shopping List
onion, celery, garlic, olive oil, canned red beans, brown rice, fresh parsley, pepper, leaf lettuce, eggs, cornbread mix, pears.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for LEMON-BASIL SHRIMP AND PASTA. Alongside, add a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. For dessert, buy a CHEESECAKE and garnish it with CHERRY TOPPING.
Shopping List
spaghetti, uncooked large shrimp, fresh basil, capers, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, coarse salt, fresh baby spinach, bibb lettuce, Italian bread, cheesecake, cherry topping.
LEMON BASIL SHRIMP AND PASTA
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: less than 15 minutes, plus pasta
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
Cook pasta according to directions; add shrimp the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain; place mixture in a large bowl. Stir in basil, capers, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and spinach. Mix well and serve.
Per serving: 377 calories, 31 grams protein, 8 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 1.2 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 183 milligrams cholesterol, 410 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.