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 of pork registers 145 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve with ROASTED POTATOES, GREEN BEANS, MIXED SALAD GREENS and BISCUITS. Make SPICE CAKE (from a mix) for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin, garlic pepper, dried rosemary, potatoes to roast, green beans, mixed salad 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 (leftover) 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 peppers; cook, stirring, 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 percent calories from fat), 1.1 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 52 milligrams cholesterol, 56 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 undrained no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 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 spaghetti into thirds. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and mix. Add meat mixture and combine all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, stir and bake 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese; bake uncovered 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve with GREEN PEAS (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 percent light cheddar cheese, frozen green peas, soft rolls, apple slices, cinnamon sugar.
Thursday: Express
Make it a quick meal tonight with TURKEY KIELBASA with GRAINY MUSTARD and DILL PICKLES, along with deli POTATO SALAD and PICKLED BEETS (from a 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, jarred pickled beets, rye bread, peaches.
Friday: Budget
What could be better than great flavor and low cost, two characteristics of MEXICAN CHICKEN AND RICE SKILLET? Serve the fiber-packed dish with warmed fat-free flour TORTILLAS. Make LEMON PUDDING (from a mix) with 1 percent milk for dessert.
Shopping List
ground chicken or turkey breast, onion, chili powder, cumin, coarse salt, brown rice, canned chili beans, tomato, reduced-fat sour cream, fresh cilantro, fat-free flour tortillas, lemon pudding mix, 1 percent milk.
MEXICAN CHICKEN AND RICE SKILLET
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes, plus rice
- 1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey breast)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 (15- or 16-ounce) can chili beans, lightly drained
- 1 tomato, seeded and chopped, for garnish
- Reduced-fat sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; add chicken and onion. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is softened. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, rice and beans. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately with garnishes.
Per serving: 276 calories, 22 grams protein, 4 grams fat (12 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 48 milligrams cholesterol, 539 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite friends for CREAMY LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP. Serve with CHERRY TOMATOES SAUTEED IN OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and BAGUETTES 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, baguettes, cheesecake.
CREAMY LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP
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 linguine 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 simmer, stirring occasionally
Stir shrimp into skillet. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or just until shrimp 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: 384 calories, 21 grams protein, 20 grams fat (45 percent calories from fat), 11.8 grams saturated fat, 32 grams carbohydrate, 171 milligrams cholesterol, 451 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.