Sunday: Family
Spice up family day with ROASTED PEPPERED PORK LOIN. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rub 1 (2- to 3-pound) well-trimmed boneless pork loin with a mixture of 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary. Place pork in a shallow pan. Roast 40 minutes to 1 hour (20 minutes per pound) or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve with ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES, GREEN BEANS, MIXED GREENS and BISCUITS. Make a SPICE CAKE (from mix) for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin, garlic pepper, dried rosemary, fingerling potatoes to roast, green beans, mixed greens, biscuits, spice cake mix.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the leftover pork in this SOUTHWESTERN PORK AND PEPPER STIR-FRY. Serve it over RICE. Add a SPINACH SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
chili powder, cumin, canola oil, onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, rice, fresh spinach, whole-grain rolls.
SOUTHWESTERN PORK AND PEPPER STIR-FRY
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 2 cups cooked chopped pork loin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
Toss pork with chili powder and cumin; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add onion and both peppers; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add pork and stir-fry 2 minutes or until hot; serve immediately.
Per serving: 155 calories, 20 grams protein, 5 grams fat (30% calories from fat), 1.1 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 52 milligrams cholesterol, 64 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Meatless
Skip meat for BEAN TACOS tonight. Spoon heated canned vegetarian refried beans into warm taco shells. Serve with bowls of SHREDDED LETTUCE, DICED AVOCADO, CHOPPED ONION, SALSA and REDUCED-FAT SOUR CREAM. Add packaged YELLOW RICE on the side. Fresh PINEAPPLE is a refreshing dessert.
Shopping List
canned vegetarian refried beans, taco shells, lettuce, avocado, onion, salsa, reduced-fat sour cream, packaged yellow rice, fresh pineapple.
Wednesday: Kids
Be patriotic and serve the kids ALL-AMERICAN BAKED SPAGHETTI. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium; add 1 medium chopped onion, 1 clove minced garlic and 1 pound lean ground beef; cook 10 minutes or until onion is softened and beef is no longer pink; drain. Add 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes (with liquid), 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, break 8 ounces uncooked spaghetti into thirds; place pasta in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and meat mixture; stir to combine all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, stir and bake 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup shredded 50% light cheddar cheese; bake uncovered 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve with GREEN PEAS (from frozen) and SOFT ROLLS. Sprinkle APPLE SLICES with CINNAMON SUGAR for dessert.
Shopping List
onion, garlic, lean ground beef, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, canned no-salt-added tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, coarse salt, spaghetti, 50% light cheddar cheese, frozen green peas, soft rolls, apples, cinnamon, sugar.
Thursday: Express
Make a quick meal of TURKEY KIELBASA with GRAINY MUSTARD and DILL PICKLES, along with deli POTATO SALAD and PICKLED BEETS (from jar) on the menu. Add RYE BREAD. For dessert, keep it light with PEACHES.
Shopping List
turkey kielbasa, grainy mustard, dill pickles, deli potato salad, jar pickled beets, rye bread, peaches.
Friday: Budget
What could be better than great flavor and low cost, two characteristics of ONE-POT CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH JASMINE RICE? Serve with FLATBREAD. Make LEMON PUDDING (from mix) with 1% milk and top with light whipped cream for dessert.
Shopping List
ground chicken, egg, green onions, panko crumbs, fresh ginger, coarse salt, olive oil, orange or red bell peppers, onion, garlic, light coconut milk, unsalted chicken broth, instant jasmine rice, canned crushed pineapple, cilantro, flatbread, lemon pudding mix, 1% milk, light whipped cream.
ONE-POT CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH JASMINE RICE
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes; Standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup panko crumbs
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 orange or red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1 cup instant jasmine rice, uncooked
- 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves
In a medium bowl, combine chicken, egg, panko, green onions, 1 tablespoon ginger and the salt. Shape into 16 meatballs. (Wet your hands if mixture is too sticky.) Heat oil in a large deep-sided skillet on medium-high. Brown meatballs, turning occasionally; set aside. In same skillet, cook peppers, onion, garlic and remaining ginger 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil. Add reserved meatballs; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through (165 degrees internal temperature). Stir in uncooked rice and pineapple. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Top with cilantro. (Adapted from www.swirlsofflavor.com.)
Per serving: 471 calories, 32 grams protein, 16 grams fat (31% calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 129 milligrams cholesterol, 407 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite friends for CREAMY LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS. Serve with CHERRY TOMATOES SAUTEED IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and a BAGUETTE to round out the meal. Buy CHEESECAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
linguine, butter, asparagus, garlic, heavy cream, Tuscan or Italian seasoning, lemon, coarse salt, jumbo shrimp, Parmesan or Romano cheese (if desired), cherry tomatoes, olive oil, Boston lettuce, baguette, cheesecake.
CREAMY LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
- 8 ounces linguine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 teaspoons Tuscan or Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish (if desired)
Cook pasta according to directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Meanwhile, melt butter in large deep skillet on medium heat. Add asparagus and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes or until asparagus is softened. Add cream, seasoning, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Stir shrimp into skillet. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or until shrimp just turn pink. Add pasta and reserved pasta cooking water; toss to coat well. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (if desired).
Per serving: 382 calories, 21 grams protein, 19 grams fat (45% calories from fat), 11.8 grams saturated fat, 32 grams carbohydrate, 161 milligrams cholesterol, 444 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.